Patriots Rout Panthers 42-13; Jones Punt TD

The New England Patriots routed the Carolina Panthers 42-13 at Gillette Stadium, improving to 2-2 while Carolina fell to 1-3. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye completed 14-of-17 passes for 203 yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown (155.6 passer rating), continuing visible week-to-week growth. New England leaned on special teams and efficient offense — Marcus Jones returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown and totaled 167 return yards on three returns, and the Patriots scored touchdowns on five of seven possessions. Rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson each had rushing touchdowns while sharing carries with Rhamondre Stevenson; the trio combined for 97 yards on 22 carries. Carolina was undone by miscues across all three phases, including a missed extra point and stalled drives, and coach Dave Canales called himself the “common denominator” as the Panthers head to Miami next week. Analysts and team voices credited the Patriots’ cohesion and offensive-line play but cautioned Maye must sustain this level to keep playoff hopes alive.