Patriots-Seahawks Stock Watch: Gibson shines; Dugger makes costly error

What should we make of the New England Patriots' overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday? That's in the eye of the beholder.

On one hand, the Patriots played another hard-fought game against a quality opponent and were minutes away from improving to 2-0 under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. On the other hand, they got torched in the passing game and made a handful of crucial mistakes that cost them a game they probably should have won.

The reality is there were both positives and negatives to take from a Week 2 result that drops New England to 1-1 heading into a Thursday night clash with the New York Jets. Our Patriots Insiders Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry covered both fronts on a new segment of "Stock Watch" on the Patriots Talk Podcast, in which they highlight players who thrived (Stock Up) and players who fell short of expectations (Stock Down).

🔊 Patriots Talk Podcast: The Aftermath: Little mistakes cost Patriots big in loss to Seahawks | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

Here are Curran and Perry's "Stock Up" and "Stock Down" selections for Week 2:

Stock Up

Hunter Henry, tight end

Henry was a machine Sunday, setting a career high in receiving yards (109) and tying his career high with eight receptions on 12 targets. The veteran tight end essentially was New England's passing attack, accounting for 73.2 percent of Jacoby Brissett's total passing yards (109 of 149).

Curran: "He ended training camp with a lower body injury, but he has, in the two weeks that he's been out there and available, played really well and been a staple of the Patriots offense."

Keion White, defensive end

White racked up 1.5 sacks, five pressures and a tackle-for-loss against the Seahawks and now has a team-high four sacks through two games.

Perry: "I thought he really created the first sack of the game for the Patriots early in that game by beating Laken Tomlinson just straight off the snap and getting into the backfield, getting his hands on Geno Smith actually before others took him down, then ended up blowing up a play later in the game as well.

"This guy is gonna be pretty consistent force. If he's on pace for multiple tackles-for-loss per game, he's gonna have a hell of a season."

Coming at you from every angle 💪

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/M0r0MhKMWY

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 15, 2024

Antonio Gibson, running back

Gibson led the Patriots with 96 rushing yards on 11 carries, including a brilliant 45-yard run in the fourth quarter that put the team in field goal range.

Curran: "I told you that he would be a critical back for the Patriots. Now, I'm not really breaking new ground out there. He's been a talented back in the past for Washington, but people might have forgotten the fact that he was on their roster because you didn't see him a lot. But he's a pass catcher and he is a very elusive running back. One reception for seven yards for Gibby, but that run that he had, the 45 yarder, was electric."

Perry: "I was calling him 'Crazy Legs Gibson' up in the press box. I mean, that guy's legs are going a million miles an hour and they are, he is high stepping and spinning. I mean, the spin moves ... it felt like he averaged at least one spin move per carry."

GIBSON GETTING AWAYYY 🏃💨

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/uIRHhirEMJ

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 15, 2024

Stock Down

Austin Hooper, tight end

The Seahawks made a massive play by blocking Joey Slye's 48-yard field goal attempt with about four minutes remaining and the Patriots leading 20-17. Hooper appeared to be at fault by blocking Tariq Woolen instead of Julian Love, who knifed inside the veteran tight end to block the kick.

Curran: "You can't have a guy just turnstile you and block a kick at a critical juncture like that. If you're confused, find a way to get a timeout, something, once they show what they show. Because you are rolling dice."

Jacoby Brissett, quarterback

Brissett took a rough sack on a third-and-6 on the play before that field goal block, suffering a 9-yard loss that put the Patriots in a fourth-and-15 situation instead of having a more manageable field goal attempt.

Curran: "I'm going to give a minor 'Stock Down' to Jacoby Brissett for the sack he took prior to that (blocked field goal)."

Kyle Dugger, safety

Dugger was the culprit on a blown coverage in New England's defensive backfield that led to a 56-yard DK Metcalf touchdown in the first quarter.

Perry: "I mean, that's the play that changed the game. So, I give him all the credit in the world for owning up to it. But if that was his mistake -- he got his eyes sort of caught in the backfield, didn't get the proper read on the quarterback -- then we've got to put him in the stock down category, even if he is one of their best players."

Check out the full "Stock Watch" segment in the video player above.