Patriots quarterback battle just got a lot more interesting after first preseason game

There wasn’t much to like about the Patriots offense in their first preseason game. But Malik Cunningham provided a late spark in the loss.

Bringing in Bill O’Brien was supposed to save the Patriots offense after a miserable 2022 season. Early signs from the first preseason game against the Texans weren’t all that encouraging as New England struggled to do much of anything.

Mac Jones didn’t play while Bailey Zappe managed three points in six drives. Trace McSorley completed just one pass.

There was one Patriots quarterback who came out of Thursday night’s loss with his head held high, having delivered an electric scoring drive in the final minutes: Malik Cunningham.

Patriots may have to rethink quarterback battle with Malik Cunningham

The undrafted rookie quarterback out of Louisville provided a real spark. He hit 3-of-4 passes and the one incompletion was a perfectly thrown pass into the endzone that his receiver dropped. He rushed for 34 yards, including nine-yard touchdown run.

His outing was all the more impressive because he spent the start of Patriots training camp working exclusively at wide receiver.

Despite just a few days working at quarterback ahead of the preseason opener, Cunningham did more behind center than his full-time QB counterparts.

Is this all a giant overreaction to a fourth quarter drive in a meaningless preseason game? Absolutely.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson similarly thrilled Browns fans in his Hall Of Fame Game cameo. Cunningham deserves his moment, even if he’s got a hill to climb to make the roster, let alone compete at quarterback.

Cunningham was a dynamic playmaker in college at Louisville. It’s fun to see him doing similar things in the NFL. If may have been meaningless preseason action. Or it may have been the first sign that the Patriots have another option available to them at quarterback.