New England Patriots Stock Watch: Risers and fallers following 16-10 win vs. Bengals

The New England Patriots proved everyone wrong with their impressive Week 1 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In his head coaching debut, Jerod Mayo led the team to a 16-10 win that was due to a strong performance by the defense, elite special teams play, and an emphasis on the run game.

To get a win over a playoff-caliber team, multiple players had to step up. So here are the Patriots risers and fallers based on Sunday afternoon's season opener.

Stock Up

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Rhamondre Stevenson was by far the most impactful player on offense for the Patriots. He finished with 25 carries for 130 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Because of his efforts, Jerod Mayo praised the running back after the game.

“I challenged Rhamondre in the spring,” Mayo said after the win. “I said, ‘Look, you don’t get a lot of love, a lot of hype,’ but I’ve always believed that he’s one of the best running backs in the league, and when we signed him to the extension, there was no one more happy than me, because I know what he’s capable of.

"He showed that today. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, he can run, break tackles and do all of those things. He’s a great player.”

And when asked if he was tired after a busy four quarters of football, Stevenson told reporters that he still had some more left in him.

DE Keion White

When the Patriots traded Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons, Keion White was the one player that was expected to step up.

And he did just that in the season opener, finishing with 2.5 sacks.

Even Matthew Judon was impressed by White's performance, commenting on the defensive end's Instagram post.

"3 of em 😮," Judon wrote.

And White's reply said it all.

"@man_dammn9 passed the torch 🤝🏾."

Special Teams

This was an impressive game by special teams for the Patriots.

Kicker Joey Slye went three-for-three on field goals from 32, 35, and 37 yards.

Punter Bryce Baringer continued to prove he's one of the best in the league.

Long snapper Joe Cardona forced a fumble.

And Brenden Schooler had three tackles.

Enough said.

CB Christian Gonzalez

Christian Gonzalez had one of the hardest tasks on Sunday, having to guard Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase. And he did a great job, limited Chase to just three catches for 14 yards.

Stock Down

WR Javon Baker

Javon Baker had a lot to say this preseason about what to expect when he steps out onto the field. However, for the first game, he was a healthy scratch.

If you're going to talk the talk, you need to be able to walk the walk, and he hasn't been able to do that just yet.

OT Chukwuma Okorafor

Chukwuma Okorafor starting the game at left tackle for the Patriots, but early in the game, he was replaced by Vederian Lowe.

Okorafor was allowing too many quarterback pressures and the coaching staff had to put a stop to that.

"I think he (Okorafor) has the entire skill set to be a good tackle in this league. I would say during the game, there were some challenges," Mayo said. "He had some challenges and some struggles over there, and  Lowe came in and did a great job for us."

Honorable Mentions

QB Jacoby Brissett

There was a lot of outside noise regarding Jacoby Brissett this offseason, with every fan wanting rookie Drake Maye to start. However, Brissett came out and did what he needed to do.

He finished going 15-for-24 for 121 yards.

LB Ja'Whaun Bentley

Ja'Whaun Bentley finished the game with a team-high twelve total tackles.

OL Layden Robinson

The only touchdown of the night was made possible in part due to a massive block by Layden Robinson. He got the start at right guard beside Mike Onwenu and played well despite a few rough moments in the preseason that led to some doubt.

Keep an eye on No. 64 in this video.

"There was a point in time during training camp where, not only myself, but I think the other coaches saw it. We said, ‘Layden Robinson has an opportunity to be a special player in this league,’ Mayo said. "He's tough. He'll move guys off the line of scrimmage. He can do it all.

"His overall effort and mentality is something that, when you think about changing a culture, he's definitely one of those guys that fits into that box. He did a great job."

Patriots Coaching Staff

When Mayo was named the new head coach, he brought in a completely new coaching staff. A new defensive coordinator, a new offensive coordinator, and a new special teams coordinator.

And on Sunday, all the coaches proved that they weren't nervous about their new roles, stepping up and taking care of business. There will of course be things to fix going into the rest of the regular season, but this is a good start.