Preseason or not, a stuck-in-the-mud Patriots offense needed something to feel good about as the clock continued to trickle down in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s preseason opener against the Texans.
For almost four full quarters, the only offensive production came off the leg of Nick Folk (and that was way back in the first half, which in the preseason might as well be a month ago), and it honestly seemed as if the Patriots were going backwards whenever their offense took the field. Take out Tyquan Thornton’s 27-yard grab and the Patriots had absolutely nothin’ to take from their offensive efforts.
But then came Malik Cunningham’s move from wide receiver to quarterback, and the Patriots’ first and only touchdown drive of the night, complete with the first-year pro sending the ankles of every Houston defender to the shadow realm on his way to paydirt.
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Malik Cunningham (16) runs with the ball against the Houston Texans during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)
And while the touchdown drive alone was proof (it’s the only proof you could get through one game of summer action and in Cunningham’s first run on an NFL field), Cunningham is also saying all the right things when it comes to the chance to be one of the most versatile threats imaginable.
“I’m a team player, so whatever the coaches need me to do, I’m going to do it for the team,” the 24-year-old said after the loss. “That’s what happened, Coach told me to go to quarterback, and we had no touchdowns, so I told the O-line, the whole group, that we were going to go down and score and that’s what we did.”
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Malik Cunningham (16) during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
The nine-yard ankle-breaking score capped a night that saw Cunningham rack up 34 yards on five carries, and add three completions for 19 yards through the air.
Cunningham’s night through the air could’ve been even more impressive had Tre Nixon been able to come down with the endzone bullet Cunningham hit him with and almost square on the fingertips.
But, again, it was pop the 6-foot-1 Cunningham brought, and when the Patriots desperately needed it.
“It felt good,” Cunningham said of his ability to bring some mojo to the attack. “I mean at times they were bringing a lot of pressure. They had a good defense, had a good scheme, so I just feel like my running ability gave us a little more options on offense to open it up so they didn’t know if we were going to pass or run. That was pretty fun.”
“He’s a young kid, he’s a fast kid, [and] he’s a great player,” the Patriots’ Andrew Stueber said. “We all work so hard during practice every day. So, we’re always ready, always next man up. Everyone’s working hard and working together in practice. So, he was ready and went out there and did what he practiced. It was good to see.”
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Malik Cunningham (16) fights his way into the endzone for a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
Now comes the truly hard part for Cunningham: building off this.
Anybody can throw up a preseason highlight (ex-Patriots quarterback Danny Etling went full Forrest Gump with the ball in his hands five years ago and people still talk about it), but maintaining that level and parlaying into something bigger is and will always be the greater challenge. That’s especially true in a three-game preseason slate, and with Mac Jones slated to factor into the equation at quarterback as the work ramps up.
But Cunningham’s own work will only ramp up from here —at two different positions, no less — and with the story of preseason week one looking forward to passing his next test.
“Is it difficult [learning two positions at once]? No, I feel like I’m a very clever, smart kid and the coaches have been doing a good job with me, explaining, breaking it down, helping me learn,” Cunningham offered. “The quarterbacks, the receivers, all those guys have been nothing but help to me, so I appreciate them.”
