The New England Patriots have returned to .500, and they did so in dominant fashion.

Playing hosts to the Carolina Panthers, the team of head coach Mike Vrabel celebrated a 42-13 victory that was only truly close for the first quarter. From the moment Drake Maye scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the second quarter, the Patriots were in cruise control — so much so that they were able to insert backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs into the game with 10 minutes still to go in the fourth period.

Here are some initial observations from the 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium.

Big plays instead of turnovers

The Patriots lost their Week 3 game against the Steelers in large part due to their inability to hold onto the football. Turning the ball over five times is not a recipe

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