Preseason Game 2 - Pats vs Eagles Aug. 19, Thurs. 7:30PM
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spacecrime
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Sorry to interrupt BradyPlanet with this, but TheAthletic has an excellent analysis of the first snaps of the five first round QBs. The piece on Jones was eye-opening on what you can deduce about a QB's play if you understand what he was doing and why.
On the deep pass to Wilkerson, when watching it live, I just thought, "Nice pass." But there was so much more to it. There were a lot of photos in the article, but here is the text which explains it very well:
The Patriots did not have to hold back and attempt to protect Mac Jones with play calling. They rarely ran the ball with Jones in the game. They called a couple of run/pass options, which Jones had plenty of experience executing at Alabama, but he mostly ran the dropback game. They did aid him by keeping the first offensive line in for a drive after Cam Newton left the game, but the protection around Jones was excellent throughout his stint. He did his part by getting rid of the ball quickly and did an excellent job of reading the defense pre-snap and immediately identifying whom he wanted to go to after the snap.
Preseason Week 1, 13:41 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10
Here, the Washington Football Team defense held its disguise and didn’t show its fire-zone blitz until right before the snap. I’m not sure who called the protection on the play, but the Patriots had the perfect protection to pick up the blitz, keeping their tight end in to block. Before the snap, the free safety was tilted to the offensive left, but eventually, he crept to the right to cover the slot receiver.
Jones saw the safety movement and knew he had a one-on-one to the weak side with his receiver running a double move.
Jones threw a perfect touch pass in a spot where only his receiver could get it in tight space.
However, his receiver could not bring in the ball as the defensive back made a good “out-of-phase” play with his back turned to the quarterback and playing the receiver’s hands.
Jones executed a variety of different concepts and looked to be in charge of identifying the mike linebacker to set the protection. He read and reacted well to blitzes and found his hot receivers. He looked calm and was exceptionally accurate. Almost every pass he threw got high marks for ball location. In his first drive, on his second-and-6, he faced interior pressure and threw a ball low but it appeared that receiver Jacoby Meyers was able to trap it, but Bill Belichick revealed after the game that he didn’t challenge it because he didn’t feel like it.
Throughout the game, Jones did an exceptional job of maneuvering the pocket, but there were a couple of plays in which it looked like he could have scrambled for first downs but he wasn’t able to escape the pocket. However, Jones looked poised, had firm control of the offense and threw downfield when the opportunity was there.
On the deep pass to Wilkerson, when watching it live, I just thought, "Nice pass." But there was so much more to it. There were a lot of photos in the article, but here is the text which explains it very well:
The Patriots did not have to hold back and attempt to protect Mac Jones with play calling. They rarely ran the ball with Jones in the game. They called a couple of run/pass options, which Jones had plenty of experience executing at Alabama, but he mostly ran the dropback game. They did aid him by keeping the first offensive line in for a drive after Cam Newton left the game, but the protection around Jones was excellent throughout his stint. He did his part by getting rid of the ball quickly and did an excellent job of reading the defense pre-snap and immediately identifying whom he wanted to go to after the snap.
Preseason Week 1, 13:41 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10
Here, the Washington Football Team defense held its disguise and didn’t show its fire-zone blitz until right before the snap. I’m not sure who called the protection on the play, but the Patriots had the perfect protection to pick up the blitz, keeping their tight end in to block. Before the snap, the free safety was tilted to the offensive left, but eventually, he crept to the right to cover the slot receiver.
Jones saw the safety movement and knew he had a one-on-one to the weak side with his receiver running a double move.
Jones threw a perfect touch pass in a spot where only his receiver could get it in tight space.
However, his receiver could not bring in the ball as the defensive back made a good “out-of-phase” play with his back turned to the quarterback and playing the receiver’s hands.
Jones executed a variety of different concepts and looked to be in charge of identifying the mike linebacker to set the protection. He read and reacted well to blitzes and found his hot receivers. He looked calm and was exceptionally accurate. Almost every pass he threw got high marks for ball location. In his first drive, on his second-and-6, he faced interior pressure and threw a ball low but it appeared that receiver Jacoby Meyers was able to trap it, but Bill Belichick revealed after the game that he didn’t challenge it because he didn’t feel like it.
Throughout the game, Jones did an exceptional job of maneuvering the pocket, but there were a couple of plays in which it looked like he could have scrambled for first downs but he wasn’t able to escape the pocket. However, Jones looked poised, had firm control of the offense and threw downfield when the opportunity was there.
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I meant to post this earlier, but forgot...
On Mac's very first pass play, the one that was ruled incomplete to Myers that BB didn't feel like challenging.
Watch that play again and look at, I think it is Wilkerson, on a crossing route to the other side of the field. He was uncovered as the DBs got fowled up with each other on the crossers. It would have been a huge gain.
Probably wasn't the first or even second read though.
On Mac's very first pass play, the one that was ruled incomplete to Myers that BB didn't feel like challenging.
Watch that play again and look at, I think it is Wilkerson, on a crossing route to the other side of the field. He was uncovered as the DBs got fowled up with each other on the crossers. It would have been a huge gain.
Probably wasn't the first or even second read though.
spacecrime
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Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry, the QBs and 75 things to watch for the Patriots against the Eagles
How the Patriots manage thin groups at tight end and inside linebacker could be telling.
theathletic.com
Another excellent piece by Jeff Howe on The Athletic:
Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry, the QBs and 75 things to watch for the Patriots against the Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — When taking into account the Patriots’ 15 training camp practices, including two with the Eagles, and their preseason opener against Washington, here are 75 things to watch Thursday night when they play their second exhibition game against Philly.
Important reminder before we get going here: All practice stats in this story are exclusively from team drills (11-on-11s and seven-on-sevens), not one-on-ones.
Quarterbacks
1. Cam Newton should once again be the starting quarterback. He played two series against Washington and should get a longer look Thursday. Maybe a full half? Also, will the Patriots incorporate a running element to his game or prefer to keep him out of harm’s way? Newton was 26 of 36 (two drops) with an interception in the two practices with the Eagles and took the vast majority of his reps with the starting offense. He is now 129 of 201 (64.2 percent) with eight interceptions in team drills during 12 competitive training camp practices, excluding three walkthroughs. With nine drops, he’s got an adjusted accuracy rate of 68.7 percent.
2. Mac Jones played one of his five series in the opener with the starting offensive line. Will he get an opportunity to link up with the starters again? Jones was 30 of 39 (two drops) with an interception in the two joint practices, working almost exclusively with the backups Monday before a mixture of reps with the starters Tuesday. He is now 154 of 225 (68.4 percent) with four interceptions in training camp. With 13 dropped balls, Jones’ adjusted accuracy rate is 74.2 percent.
3. It’s starting to feel more like Brian Hoyer’s spot will be secure on the 53-man roster, as his mentorship to Jones has been helpful. Of course, if the Patriots need to carry a player through final cuts to stash him on short-term injured reserve, Hoyer’s spot could be in temporary limbo as it has in the past. Expect him to take over for Jones in the second half if the line begins to leak again.
Running backs
4. With a heavy rotation of reps during the joint practices, it feels like the Patriots are doing their best to preserve Damien Harris and Sony Michel. Remember, each has dealt with offseason injuries throughout his young career, and they’ll be vital to the Pats’ early offensive success.
5. James White’s chemistry with Newton continues to improve from a season ago. Newton completed all three of his passes to White in joint practices and is 11 of 13 when targeting him in team drills through camp. Jones is 7 of 8 when targeting White, also going 3 of 3 in the joint workouts.
6. Rhamondre Stevenson came as advertised with 10 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns, dominating Washington’s backup defense in late work. Stevenson’s usage this season will be interesting. He could get the redshirt treatment like Shane Vereen, James White and Harris, especially if the Patriots keep Brandon Bolden. If they don’t keep Bolden, Stevenson could be a useful special teamer like he was at both stops in college, giving him a chance at sporadic carries as the No. 4 back.
7. J.J. Taylor could be a useful player again. It’s just hard to see how the numbers would work. Would they carry five running backs? If Taylor can legitimately work himself into the conversation at punt returner, it would work, but it’s a tough call. It’s not totally unrealistic to think he’d slide through waivers and onto the practice squad — unless Nick Caserio and the Texans are lurking to poach as many Patriots as possible.
8. The Jakob Johnson debate is all about philosophy. He’s an easy stash on the practice squad with his international roster exemption, so he could be called up early if necessary.
Wide receivers
9. Jakobi Meyers remains their best receiver. He’s got a team-high 34 catches and 50 targets in team drills, and Newton and Jones combined to go 5 of 5 when looking his way Tuesday. He seemed excited this week when discussing the potential for more room in the slot with Nelson Agholor’s deep speed and Kendrick Bourne’s ability to work the same area and stress the safeties and linebackers.
10. Bourne is right behind Meyers, too. He has 33 catches on 46 targets between Newton and Jones. The free-agent acquisition said he was too nervous in his preseason debut and rushed his routes, so he has been looking forward to a better showing against the Eagles.
11. Agholor should be making his preseason debut after missing the previous week with an injury. Newton hit him on 3 of 5 targets in two joint practices, while Jones was 4 of 4. Really good bounce-back week for Agholor, who gets a lot of deep looks but could be even more dangerous on the intermediate routes. With his footwork and ability to execute double moves, Agholor should also become a serious red-zone threat.
12. N’Keal Harry’s best moments in camp have come with Jones at quarterback. That pair has a strong connection, going 14 of 18 in camp and 4 of 4 against the Eagles. It hasn’t come together as smoothly with Newton, though. Newton didn’t target him this week in team drills and is just 4 of 11 overall in camp.
13. Kristian Wilkerson has been reeling in the race for the fourth spot on the depth chart. He has a team-worst six drops in team drills through camp — no one else has more than two — and he dropped both of Newton’s targets against the Eagles. Jones was 1 of 3 when targeting Wilkerson against the Eagles, and he had a drop there, too. Add all those drops on top of the one against Washington, plus the ball in the end zone that he admitted he should have done a better job to catch, and this slump goes back a way.
14. Gunner Olszewski gets some rotational run with the starters, but it doesn’t look like his offensive role will evolve too significantly this season without injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. He is probably safe on the 53-man roster because he’s such a good punt returner, but it’s hard to ignore how many special teams-specific players the Patriots. There could be a surprising cut from that group.
15. Isaiah Zuber had a flashy catch on a Newton pass Monday but has largely faded into the background in the pursuit of a roster spot. Devin Ross is still another long shot in that regard.
16. Tre Nixon hasn’t practiced this week due to an injury, so he isn’t expected to play against the Eagles. He wasn’t targeted against Washington, nor has Newton thrown his way in team drills. His only noticeable practice moments have come with Jones during backup periods, so Nixon is shaping up as a practice squad candidate.
17. Matthew Slater got the veteran treatment with a night off against Washington. Slater said the coaches and trainers are very cognizant of his practice reps, and they have a specific plan to keep him as fresh as possible. So maybe he makes his preseason debut to get reacclimated to the game speed, or maybe the team just decides to keep him fresh for the regular season.
spacecrime
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Tight ends
18. Get used to seeing a lot of Devin Asiasi, who was their only healthy tight end Tuesday. The added reps are actually a blessing in disguise, as the 2020 third-rounder said it’s helpful for his conditioning as he works back from COVID-19. Asiasi caught a couple touchdown passes from Jones during the Tuesday practice, including a nice adjustment to the ball into the flat for the final “gotta have it” rep of the week.
19. So, about the rest of this group. Dalton Keene (knee surgery) was placed on injured reserve Aug. 7. Hunter Henry injured his shoulder Aug. 8 and hasn’t practiced since. Jonnu Smith sprained his ankle Sunday and also hasn’t practice since. Both Henry and Smith were in Philly this week, though, which is a sign that neither’s absence should be overly extensive. Matt LaCosse, who has had a nice camp, got rocked by Derek Barnett on Monday, and his status is uncertain. Long shots David Wells and Troy Fumagalli were both released this week.
20. Jakob Johnson has worked out with the tight ends on occasion and could be used there on an emergency basis.
21. N’Keal Harry, who got leaner this offseason, shouldn’t be viewed as a candidate to switch positions, though he does block his tail off when lined up against defensive backs. He got some reps in the slot Tuesday and made a couple hard, contested catches from that spot. That’s not necessarily a tight end role, but the Patriots could offset their shortage at the position by using the taller wideout on the interior.
Offensive linemen
22. The Eagles defensive line will be another good test for Isaiah Wynn. Chase Young badly beat him for a sack and a pressure last week — add Wynn to the long list of names who have had a hard time against Young — but he was also beaten for a sack this week in practice. Let’s see how he responds.
23. Trent Brown has been one of the Patriots’ best players in camp and was clean against Washington, but he also got beat for a sack this week in practice. The Eagles are great up front, so again, this is a good challenge.
24. Mike Onwenu has exclusively played left guard this summer, but a big-time lack of depth at right tackle should have the Patriots considering him as their backup at that spot.
25. Justin Herron has gotten limited looks at right tackle. Strictly a left tackle last season, the Patriots need to know if Herron is capable of handling the right side if they need him.
26. This is all because Korey Cunningham and Yodny Cajuste have underwhelmed in backup right tackle duty. They’ll have to be significantly better than they were against Washington if the Patriots will be confident enough to carry either on the 53.
27. Shaq Mason has had a very solid camp and was clean against Washington. He’ll have a much tougher test Thursday if he draws Fletcher Cox.
28. David Andrews and Ted Karras could make their preseason debuts. Andrews has locked down the starting center job, while Karras is their top backup interior lineman.
29. James Ferentz has been the Patriots’ eighth best offensive lineman in camp. The interior depth from Karras and Ferentz is another reason Onwenu should be a consideration at right tackle if Brown goes down or needs to move to left tackle with a Wynn injury.
30. Speaking of which, it doesn’t appear Brown would be the No. 2 left tackle, at least in terms of practice reps. The guess is Herron would play if Wynn gets hurt.
31. The line is in really good shape. Their starting five is very strong, and Karras, Herron and Ferentz have varying degrees of starting experience. All three should inspire confidence based on their prior performances. That’s about as good as you can ask for in the NFL.
32. Interior linemen Marcus Martin and Alex Redmond have faded, possibly enough to be in the long-shot category. Tackle R.J. Prince is also a long shot.
33. Will Sherman played a shockingly low nine snaps against Washington. The former Colorado tackle has struggled in camp while primarily playing right guard. But as a rookie, it was a surprise that he didn’t get more preseason playing time. Maybe there’s an uptick against the Eagles. But right now, it’s hard to view him as anything more than a practice squad candidate.
Defensive linemen
34. Christian Barmore’s stock as improved as much as just about anyone in camp, and he should be ready for his preseason debut in his hometown after missing the opener with a left ankle injury, which still requires extra tape. Barmore has gotten a lot of run with the starters this week.
35. Lawrence Guy hasn’t practiced this week for unspecified reasons, so he shouldn’t be expected to play against the Eagles.
36. Davon Godchaux continues to show he was worth the investment. He should open the season as a starter.
37. Henry Anderson’s second-half playing time against Washington was noteworthy. But after missing time early in camp with a shoulder injury, is it possible the coaches wanted to get him extra work? Unless there’s a complete misread of the situation from over here, Anderson isn’t on the bubble. He got $3 million guaranteed. As a general rule, teams don’t like cutting players who got $300,000 guaranteed.
38. Deatrich Wise continues to dominate 11-on-11 reps as an edge rusher in four-man fronts. He had back-to-back practices last week with two sacks and had a sack and drew a penalty during the Monday practice.
39. Interesting to see Akeem Spence get the starting nod over Carl Davis against Washington. Maybe the Patriots wanted to get a look at Spence after he missed about a week of practice. Davis has had a strong camp. The Patriots like both, and the guess is there’s enough room on the 53 for one of them. Maybe more, pending injuries.
40. Byron Cowart is still on the PUP list and won’t play Thursday. Again, it’s probably worth keeping him on PUP until midseason to preserve the roster spot and have a ready-made defensive tackle who can tag in if there’s an injury.
41. If the Patriots need another defensive tackle beyond the others already mentioned, the remaining order would appear to be Montravius Adams, Nick Thurman and Bill Murray.
18. Get used to seeing a lot of Devin Asiasi, who was their only healthy tight end Tuesday. The added reps are actually a blessing in disguise, as the 2020 third-rounder said it’s helpful for his conditioning as he works back from COVID-19. Asiasi caught a couple touchdown passes from Jones during the Tuesday practice, including a nice adjustment to the ball into the flat for the final “gotta have it” rep of the week.
19. So, about the rest of this group. Dalton Keene (knee surgery) was placed on injured reserve Aug. 7. Hunter Henry injured his shoulder Aug. 8 and hasn’t practiced since. Jonnu Smith sprained his ankle Sunday and also hasn’t practice since. Both Henry and Smith were in Philly this week, though, which is a sign that neither’s absence should be overly extensive. Matt LaCosse, who has had a nice camp, got rocked by Derek Barnett on Monday, and his status is uncertain. Long shots David Wells and Troy Fumagalli were both released this week.
20. Jakob Johnson has worked out with the tight ends on occasion and could be used there on an emergency basis.
21. N’Keal Harry, who got leaner this offseason, shouldn’t be viewed as a candidate to switch positions, though he does block his tail off when lined up against defensive backs. He got some reps in the slot Tuesday and made a couple hard, contested catches from that spot. That’s not necessarily a tight end role, but the Patriots could offset their shortage at the position by using the taller wideout on the interior.
Offensive linemen
22. The Eagles defensive line will be another good test for Isaiah Wynn. Chase Young badly beat him for a sack and a pressure last week — add Wynn to the long list of names who have had a hard time against Young — but he was also beaten for a sack this week in practice. Let’s see how he responds.
23. Trent Brown has been one of the Patriots’ best players in camp and was clean against Washington, but he also got beat for a sack this week in practice. The Eagles are great up front, so again, this is a good challenge.
24. Mike Onwenu has exclusively played left guard this summer, but a big-time lack of depth at right tackle should have the Patriots considering him as their backup at that spot.
25. Justin Herron has gotten limited looks at right tackle. Strictly a left tackle last season, the Patriots need to know if Herron is capable of handling the right side if they need him.
26. This is all because Korey Cunningham and Yodny Cajuste have underwhelmed in backup right tackle duty. They’ll have to be significantly better than they were against Washington if the Patriots will be confident enough to carry either on the 53.
27. Shaq Mason has had a very solid camp and was clean against Washington. He’ll have a much tougher test Thursday if he draws Fletcher Cox.
28. David Andrews and Ted Karras could make their preseason debuts. Andrews has locked down the starting center job, while Karras is their top backup interior lineman.
29. James Ferentz has been the Patriots’ eighth best offensive lineman in camp. The interior depth from Karras and Ferentz is another reason Onwenu should be a consideration at right tackle if Brown goes down or needs to move to left tackle with a Wynn injury.
30. Speaking of which, it doesn’t appear Brown would be the No. 2 left tackle, at least in terms of practice reps. The guess is Herron would play if Wynn gets hurt.
31. The line is in really good shape. Their starting five is very strong, and Karras, Herron and Ferentz have varying degrees of starting experience. All three should inspire confidence based on their prior performances. That’s about as good as you can ask for in the NFL.
32. Interior linemen Marcus Martin and Alex Redmond have faded, possibly enough to be in the long-shot category. Tackle R.J. Prince is also a long shot.
33. Will Sherman played a shockingly low nine snaps against Washington. The former Colorado tackle has struggled in camp while primarily playing right guard. But as a rookie, it was a surprise that he didn’t get more preseason playing time. Maybe there’s an uptick against the Eagles. But right now, it’s hard to view him as anything more than a practice squad candidate.
Defensive linemen
34. Christian Barmore’s stock as improved as much as just about anyone in camp, and he should be ready for his preseason debut in his hometown after missing the opener with a left ankle injury, which still requires extra tape. Barmore has gotten a lot of run with the starters this week.
35. Lawrence Guy hasn’t practiced this week for unspecified reasons, so he shouldn’t be expected to play against the Eagles.
36. Davon Godchaux continues to show he was worth the investment. He should open the season as a starter.
37. Henry Anderson’s second-half playing time against Washington was noteworthy. But after missing time early in camp with a shoulder injury, is it possible the coaches wanted to get him extra work? Unless there’s a complete misread of the situation from over here, Anderson isn’t on the bubble. He got $3 million guaranteed. As a general rule, teams don’t like cutting players who got $300,000 guaranteed.
38. Deatrich Wise continues to dominate 11-on-11 reps as an edge rusher in four-man fronts. He had back-to-back practices last week with two sacks and had a sack and drew a penalty during the Monday practice.
39. Interesting to see Akeem Spence get the starting nod over Carl Davis against Washington. Maybe the Patriots wanted to get a look at Spence after he missed about a week of practice. Davis has had a strong camp. The Patriots like both, and the guess is there’s enough room on the 53 for one of them. Maybe more, pending injuries.
40. Byron Cowart is still on the PUP list and won’t play Thursday. Again, it’s probably worth keeping him on PUP until midseason to preserve the roster spot and have a ready-made defensive tackle who can tag in if there’s an injury.
41. If the Patriots need another defensive tackle beyond the others already mentioned, the remaining order would appear to be Montravius Adams, Nick Thurman and Bill Murray.
spacecrime
Well-known member
Outside linebackers
42. This group has been terrific, validating every belief the pass rush will be vastly improved in 2021.
43. Matt Judon is the real deal. He had a dominant three-snap stretch against Washington with a third-down run stop, a forced incompletion on a zone drop into coverage and a QB hit. He was great Monday, too, intercepting Jalen Hurts, blowing up a pass in the backfield and registering a sack.
44. Ronnie Perkins hurt his knee Tuesday and departed to get it taped before watching the rest of practice, so it’s unclear if he’ll play Thursday. That would be a shame, as he had a QB hit and five pressures against Washington’s backups, and it would be great to see how he does in game action against starters.
45. No need to reinvent the wheel here: Josh Uche is going to be really, really good.
46. Chase Winovich debuted at practice this week after opening camp on the PUP list. Bill Belichick was asked Tuesday about Winovich and replied, “Obviously he needs to work in every area because he hasn’t done much. We’ll just try to catch him up the best we can. He’ll work hard, and he’ll do what he can and just take it day by day.” While Winovich’s regular-season playing time has been a rollercoaster ride, don’t lose sight of the fact that he was a capable pass rusher last season, leading the Patriots with 56.5 disruptions (5.5 sacks, 18 QB hits, 33 pressures). Yeah, Belichick wants more out of him in terms of scheme responsibility, but Winovich should be a useful situational pass rusher with this group.
47. Kyle Van Noy started opposite of Judon in the 3-4 base against Washington and kicked inside on sub packages. These were vanilla defensive looks, but those roles should be consistent this season.
48. Tashawn Bower looks bigger and had a nice game last week. Consider him close to the bubble than the long-shot range.
49. Anfernee Jennings didn’t play against Washington and hasn’t been at practice this week, so he is not expected to play against the Eagles.
Inside linebackers
50. Dont’a Hightower looked like himself last week, which was anticipated after his work in camp.
51. Ja’Whaun Bentley has been one of the surprises of camp. He was kind of on an island last season due to the injuries in the front seven, but he’s thrived with a better group around him. Bentley has shown plus-coverage awareness with a team-high three interceptions in practice. He’s also got three pass breakups.
52. This group looks thin with Raekwon McMillan on injured reserve, but Van Noy is an inside linebacker by sub-package standards and Uche can also fill that role. That’s also where they’ve used Jennings during his limited availability. If they need an extra body, Harvey Langi would be next in line.
53. Terez Hall (PUP) and Cam McGrone (NFI) have yet to practice. Hall’s timeline is unknown, but he could conceivably still be a helpful depth piece if he can return before the end of camp due to his experience in the system. McGrone, who tore his ACL in November, may be heading for a redshirt year.
54. Cassh Maluia re-signed after McMillan’s injury but hasn’t factored into the starting defensive rotation and could be a candidate to return to the practice squad.
55. Brandon King is exclusively a special teamer.
Cornerbacks
56. Still no word on Stephon Gilmore’s timeline. He’s been on PUP and a regular resident on the conditioning fields in Foxboro.
57. The depth around J.C. Jackson has been tested here this week. Aside from Gilmore, Jon Jones was injured Monday and was only available to watch Tuesday in street clothes. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones doesn’t play Thursday.
58. As such, the Patriots kicked Jalen Mills to the slot and started Joejuan Williams, who has made enough of a leap over the past week to consider him inside the 53-man roster. Mills has played everywhere in camp — on the boundary, in the slot, back at safety — and should still be viewed as a matchup-based chess piece during the season.
59. This time last week, Michael Jackson appeared to have the edge on Williams, but their stocks might have flipped this week. Way too close to call, though.
60. Justin Bethel gets quite a bit of practice time as a backup cornerback, but his home is on special teams, where he remains one of the best in the league.
61. Dee Virgin and D’Angelo Ross still look like longshots.
Safeties
62. Tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert were each a nuisance this week in practice. Without getting to watch replays, it’s not easy to see if there was a theme with their ability to get open against the Patriots defense. Obviously, they’re good players, and that’s a pretty important part of the equation, but this game could be a good learning experience.
63. Devin McCourty got the veteran treatment last week, so he could make his preseason debut Thursday. With some of the defensive veterans noting the importance to improve the communication element, there would be value in McCourty’s presence on the field.
64. Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips should each earn starting-level playing time. Both have been on the field a ton in a variety of looks.
65. It might be worth creating a “defensive backs” category for Myles Bryant and Mills for the next roster rundown. Just when you think you’re comfortable to call one a safety, he becomes a corner, and vice versa.
66. Malik Gant continues to impress. Washington QBs were 0 of 2 when throwing at Gant, and he had a pass breakup last week. Not bad for a guy who signed two days earlier and only participated in walkthroughs.
67. Cody Davis is exclusively a special teamer. He got $2.1 million guaranteed and will be on the 53-man roster.
68. Adrian Colbert appears to be in the long-shot category.
69. Josh Bledsoe is still on NFI and has been wearing various protective gear on his surgically repaired wrist.
Specialists
70. Quinn Nordin was 17 of 18 on his kicks inside Gillette Stadium this month, including two practices and the preseason opener. The missed extra point was the only blemish. The undrafted rookie closed practice Tuesday by going 3 of 4 on field-goal attempts. He made from 33, 40 and 44 yards before hooking it left from 46. Nordin continues to turn heads in Nick Folk’s absence and is expected to be the sole kicker Thursday.
71. Joe Cardona hasn’t practiced since Aug. 8 and isn’t expected to play Thursday. He was on the conditioning field Sunday, so it might not be a long-term situation. Brian Khoury will long snap for the second consecutive game.
72. Jake Bailey averaged 54 yards per punt against Washington. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
73. As the Patriots practice for every scenario, Deatrich Wise and Jonnu Smith have worked as emergency long snappers, and Gunner Olszewski has taken some holds on field goals.
74. Olszewski had one punt return for 10 yards against Washington. Marvin Hall was released after his muffed return. J.J. Taylor was credited with a return for no gain.
75. Taylor added kick returns of 29 and 16 yards. Brandon Bolden has also gotten a decent amount of work in practice as a kick returner. Unless someone else emerges, this could be a key element in the chase for the 53-man roster.
42. This group has been terrific, validating every belief the pass rush will be vastly improved in 2021.
43. Matt Judon is the real deal. He had a dominant three-snap stretch against Washington with a third-down run stop, a forced incompletion on a zone drop into coverage and a QB hit. He was great Monday, too, intercepting Jalen Hurts, blowing up a pass in the backfield and registering a sack.
44. Ronnie Perkins hurt his knee Tuesday and departed to get it taped before watching the rest of practice, so it’s unclear if he’ll play Thursday. That would be a shame, as he had a QB hit and five pressures against Washington’s backups, and it would be great to see how he does in game action against starters.
45. No need to reinvent the wheel here: Josh Uche is going to be really, really good.
46. Chase Winovich debuted at practice this week after opening camp on the PUP list. Bill Belichick was asked Tuesday about Winovich and replied, “Obviously he needs to work in every area because he hasn’t done much. We’ll just try to catch him up the best we can. He’ll work hard, and he’ll do what he can and just take it day by day.” While Winovich’s regular-season playing time has been a rollercoaster ride, don’t lose sight of the fact that he was a capable pass rusher last season, leading the Patriots with 56.5 disruptions (5.5 sacks, 18 QB hits, 33 pressures). Yeah, Belichick wants more out of him in terms of scheme responsibility, but Winovich should be a useful situational pass rusher with this group.
47. Kyle Van Noy started opposite of Judon in the 3-4 base against Washington and kicked inside on sub packages. These were vanilla defensive looks, but those roles should be consistent this season.
48. Tashawn Bower looks bigger and had a nice game last week. Consider him close to the bubble than the long-shot range.
49. Anfernee Jennings didn’t play against Washington and hasn’t been at practice this week, so he is not expected to play against the Eagles.
Inside linebackers
50. Dont’a Hightower looked like himself last week, which was anticipated after his work in camp.
51. Ja’Whaun Bentley has been one of the surprises of camp. He was kind of on an island last season due to the injuries in the front seven, but he’s thrived with a better group around him. Bentley has shown plus-coverage awareness with a team-high three interceptions in practice. He’s also got three pass breakups.
52. This group looks thin with Raekwon McMillan on injured reserve, but Van Noy is an inside linebacker by sub-package standards and Uche can also fill that role. That’s also where they’ve used Jennings during his limited availability. If they need an extra body, Harvey Langi would be next in line.
53. Terez Hall (PUP) and Cam McGrone (NFI) have yet to practice. Hall’s timeline is unknown, but he could conceivably still be a helpful depth piece if he can return before the end of camp due to his experience in the system. McGrone, who tore his ACL in November, may be heading for a redshirt year.
54. Cassh Maluia re-signed after McMillan’s injury but hasn’t factored into the starting defensive rotation and could be a candidate to return to the practice squad.
55. Brandon King is exclusively a special teamer.
Cornerbacks
56. Still no word on Stephon Gilmore’s timeline. He’s been on PUP and a regular resident on the conditioning fields in Foxboro.
57. The depth around J.C. Jackson has been tested here this week. Aside from Gilmore, Jon Jones was injured Monday and was only available to watch Tuesday in street clothes. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones doesn’t play Thursday.
58. As such, the Patriots kicked Jalen Mills to the slot and started Joejuan Williams, who has made enough of a leap over the past week to consider him inside the 53-man roster. Mills has played everywhere in camp — on the boundary, in the slot, back at safety — and should still be viewed as a matchup-based chess piece during the season.
59. This time last week, Michael Jackson appeared to have the edge on Williams, but their stocks might have flipped this week. Way too close to call, though.
60. Justin Bethel gets quite a bit of practice time as a backup cornerback, but his home is on special teams, where he remains one of the best in the league.
61. Dee Virgin and D’Angelo Ross still look like longshots.
Safeties
62. Tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert were each a nuisance this week in practice. Without getting to watch replays, it’s not easy to see if there was a theme with their ability to get open against the Patriots defense. Obviously, they’re good players, and that’s a pretty important part of the equation, but this game could be a good learning experience.
63. Devin McCourty got the veteran treatment last week, so he could make his preseason debut Thursday. With some of the defensive veterans noting the importance to improve the communication element, there would be value in McCourty’s presence on the field.
64. Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips should each earn starting-level playing time. Both have been on the field a ton in a variety of looks.
65. It might be worth creating a “defensive backs” category for Myles Bryant and Mills for the next roster rundown. Just when you think you’re comfortable to call one a safety, he becomes a corner, and vice versa.
66. Malik Gant continues to impress. Washington QBs were 0 of 2 when throwing at Gant, and he had a pass breakup last week. Not bad for a guy who signed two days earlier and only participated in walkthroughs.
67. Cody Davis is exclusively a special teamer. He got $2.1 million guaranteed and will be on the 53-man roster.
68. Adrian Colbert appears to be in the long-shot category.
69. Josh Bledsoe is still on NFI and has been wearing various protective gear on his surgically repaired wrist.
Specialists
70. Quinn Nordin was 17 of 18 on his kicks inside Gillette Stadium this month, including two practices and the preseason opener. The missed extra point was the only blemish. The undrafted rookie closed practice Tuesday by going 3 of 4 on field-goal attempts. He made from 33, 40 and 44 yards before hooking it left from 46. Nordin continues to turn heads in Nick Folk’s absence and is expected to be the sole kicker Thursday.
71. Joe Cardona hasn’t practiced since Aug. 8 and isn’t expected to play Thursday. He was on the conditioning field Sunday, so it might not be a long-term situation. Brian Khoury will long snap for the second consecutive game.
72. Jake Bailey averaged 54 yards per punt against Washington. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
73. As the Patriots practice for every scenario, Deatrich Wise and Jonnu Smith have worked as emergency long snappers, and Gunner Olszewski has taken some holds on field goals.
74. Olszewski had one punt return for 10 yards against Washington. Marvin Hall was released after his muffed return. J.J. Taylor was credited with a return for no gain.
75. Taylor added kick returns of 29 and 16 yards. Brandon Bolden has also gotten a decent amount of work in practice as a kick returner. Unless someone else emerges, this could be a key element in the chase for the 53-man roster.
aloyouis
at least generally aware
Goosebumps....literally.Sorry to interrupt BradyPlanet with this, but TheAthletic has an excellent analysis of the first snaps of the five first round QBs. The piece on Jones was eye-opening on what you can deduce about a QB's play if you understand what he was doing and why.
On the deep pass to Wilkerson, when watching it live, I just thought, "Nice pass." But there was so much more to it. There were a lot of photos in the article, but here is the text which explains it very well:
The Patriots did not have to hold back and attempt to protect Mac Jones with play calling. They rarely ran the ball with Jones in the game. They called a couple of run/pass options, which Jones had plenty of experience executing at Alabama, but he mostly ran the dropback game. They did aid him by keeping the first offensive line in for a drive after Cam Newton left the game, but the protection around Jones was excellent throughout his stint. He did his part by getting rid of the ball quickly and did an excellent job of reading the defense pre-snap and immediately identifying whom he wanted to go to after the snap.
Preseason Week 1, 13:41 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10
Here, the Washington Football Team defense held its disguise and didn’t show its fire-zone blitz until right before the snap. I’m not sure who called the protection on the play, but the Patriots had the perfect protection to pick up the blitz, keeping their tight end in to block. Before the snap, the free safety was tilted to the offensive left, but eventually, he crept to the right to cover the slot receiver.
Jones saw the safety movement and knew he had a one-on-one to the weak side with his receiver running a double move.
Jones threw a perfect touch pass in a spot where only his receiver could get it in tight space.
However, his receiver could not bring in the ball as the defensive back made a good “out-of-phase” play with his back turned to the quarterback and playing the receiver’s hands.
Jones executed a variety of different concepts and looked to be in charge of identifying the mike linebacker to set the protection. He read and reacted well to blitzes and found his hot receivers. He looked calm and was exceptionally accurate. Almost every pass he threw got high marks for ball location. In his first drive, on his second-and-6, he faced interior pressure and threw a ball low but it appeared that receiver Jacoby Meyers was able to trap it, but Bill Belichick revealed after the game that he didn’t challenge it because he didn’t feel like it.
Throughout the game, Jones did an exceptional job of maneuvering the pocket, but there were a couple of plays in which it looked like he could have scrambled for first downs but he wasn’t able to escape the pocket. However, Jones looked poised, had firm control of the offense and threw downfield when the opportunity was there.
OP
OP
Somewhere I posted that the Pats should keep Harry inside the numbers at flanker or even from the TE position. Maybe that's what you're referring to, idk. I didn't mean as a TE and certainly not as an inline TE.
My thinking is that Slot will be Meyers. Let Agholor handle the X from the weak side. Bourne would be better than Harry outside if going 4 WRs but I doubt we see much of that. Maybe this game since we're down to 1 TE, Asiasi. Bolden did his best work from inside position releases. That's where I think Harry should be lined up, too, possibly as a backup to Bourne.
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I am seeing a lot of teams don't plan to play starters in game 2. I hope that is not the case tonight.
Phil Elliott
Well-known member
Interestingly enough, both Tom Curran and Phil Perry on their most recent podcast suggested that Harry.might be better suited to play TE and actually could likely do it.
OP
OP
We have Jonnu Smith as a move/Hback TE. Harry could do that for sure but it would mean he'd have to learn a brand new position. Does he have time for that?
Phil Elliott
Well-known member
Yeah, I don't know. Those guys didn't address that aspect of it, but it's absolutely part of the equation, so to speak.
Mazz22
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.
Yes. I had posted this in the preseason camp thread. Some HCs have said they are going to rest starters in game 2 and play them much more in game 3 because there is such a long lay off between game 3 and the first regular season game that they don't want the starters to go so long without playing. This is an interesting development as in the past with 4 preseason games, game 3 was always the dress rehearsal. Now it seems with just 3 preseason games, the last game may be the dress rehearsal. Something to watch for to see if Bill has the same approach.
I am going to be totally bummed if the starters don't really play tonight.
Mazz22
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.
Big/Sky/Fly
370hssv vw6!s tu36v
I remember suggesting that they try Harry at TE...
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- Joined
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Flagg the Wanderer
Mourning Algernon
The most important things I'm looking for tonight:
QB: What are they asking each QB to do? What plays are they calling for each? Does Mac get any time with (and against) full starters?
OL: How does our OL hold up against another really strong DL? I'm especially interested to see how Onwenu holds up against Cox, when that's the matchup.
WR: Can our WRs get separation against an average-to-weak DB corps? How are they going to use Harry, and does he come through?
TE: Can Asiasi show something that would make anyone think we could get something from him this year?
DBs: There's some talent and depth in the Eagles WR, and especially when you lump in the TEs. Much more so than v. WFT. How do they hold up without Gilmore and Jones? I'm specifically looking at Williams and Mills, but also at Phillips (and to some extent Duggar) vs. the TEs. How much of a difference does having McCourty's steady presence back there make?
Front 7: Who is getting time with the starters? How much time will they give Barmore, and how disruptive can he be?
I'm assuming, of course, that the coaches communicated and will actually be playing starters for a reasonable amount of minutes. If not, this list changes pretty dramatically.
QB: What are they asking each QB to do? What plays are they calling for each? Does Mac get any time with (and against) full starters?
OL: How does our OL hold up against another really strong DL? I'm especially interested to see how Onwenu holds up against Cox, when that's the matchup.
WR: Can our WRs get separation against an average-to-weak DB corps? How are they going to use Harry, and does he come through?
TE: Can Asiasi show something that would make anyone think we could get something from him this year?
DBs: There's some talent and depth in the Eagles WR, and especially when you lump in the TEs. Much more so than v. WFT. How do they hold up without Gilmore and Jones? I'm specifically looking at Williams and Mills, but also at Phillips (and to some extent Duggar) vs. the TEs. How much of a difference does having McCourty's steady presence back there make?
Front 7: Who is getting time with the starters? How much time will they give Barmore, and how disruptive can he be?
I'm assuming, of course, that the coaches communicated and will actually be playing starters for a reasonable amount of minutes. If not, this list changes pretty dramatically.
Mazz22
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.
I think our secondary is really going to struggle which is OK given we don't have Jones or Gilly.