FOXBORO – The Patriots ran about 70 plays on both offense and defense during their joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday. For the decision-makers at One Patriot Place, there was a lot to process in just one day of work.
So what do you want to see in Thursday’s preseason game at Gillette Stadium?
Offensively, they’re still trying to establish their line, and on that side of the ball, Jerod Mayo told reporters during a recent press conference that he’s hoping for a little more urgency. A matchup with the Eagles will give Alex Van Pelt’s unit a chance to show it can get in and out of the ball pile with some quickness.
Defensively? The Patriots would probably like to see more of that. Against the Eagles offense earlier in the week, New England had quarterback Jalen Hurts trying to navigate dirty pockets, and the Patriots were the more physical team in the early attempts.
With these big picture considerations in mind, let’s dig a little deeper and see what to look for when the Patriots take the field for their second preseason game of the summer…
Quarterback repetitions
One thing we do know, however, thanks to some recent public comments from Mayo: Drake Maye will play more than a half-dozen snaps. There will be no repeat of the brief cameo Maye made in his preseason debut last week.
Now that Patriots fans will have the opportunity to see the 3rd pick in more detail, the question now arises: How much more detailed?
The Patriots will likely want to get Jacoby Brissett playing with the starters early. He seems to be the first choice for the regular season and could still need some time to improve his timing and rhythm with his teammates. Perhaps a quarter or so would be enough for him to feel like he has made progress in that regard.
From there, the Patriots would be smart to give Maye a large portion of the midgame. Allowing him to play well into the second quarter, giving him a two-minute break before halftime, allowing him to experience an NFL halftime, and then bringing him back on the field for the third quarter would be valuable experience for a player at Maye’s position.
If the team could accomplish all of this and add a few training sessions with the regular offensive line players, it would be a great preseason preparation for the soon-to-be 22-year-old as he gets used to life as a professional.
One would expect fellow rookie Joe Milton to get plenty of work after Maye, especially given his impressive preseason debut last week.
Scott Zolak commented on how the Patriots’ offensive scheme compares to other teams with rookie quarterbacks.
Pass Rush Plan
The Patriots made a “prudent” decision to trade Matthew Judon this week, and now that he’s gone, it’s worth keeping a close eye on the pass rushers on the Patriots’ sideline and seeing how they’ll be used in a situation like the one they’ll face Thursday night.
The Eagles, under head coach Nick Sirianni, are not considered a team that will give its regular players a lot of play in the preseason games, but Keion White, Anfernee Jennings, Oshane Ximines and Josh Uche are the fullbacks who are expected to get the biggest increase in responsibility after the Judon transfer.
White is perhaps the most intriguing player in this group, as he has a physical skill set that has allowed him to play everywhere from nose tackle to outside linebacker in training camp. Jennings has been a stalwart on early downs since last season and will likely continue to be a starter in Judon’s absence, just as he did last year when Judon was out injured.
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Uche has a chance to be a problem for opposing offensive lines if he makes the most of his opportunities in the future. Ximines, on the other hand, impressed in the season opener against the Panthers – making plays on special teams, against the run game and in the passing game – and looks like he’s on track to make the roster after a strong training camp.
There is no one-on-one replacement for Judon, but with a creative scheme that has recently relied on blitz packages and stunts at the line of scrimmage to generate pass-rush opportunities, the Patriots have ways to maintain their status as one of the most imposing defenses in football.
Path to protection
The Patriots have relied on the following group of starters on the offensive line throughout most of training camp: right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, right guard Mike Onwenu, center David Andrews, left guard Sidy Sow and left tackle Vederian Lowe.
That unit, as well as the secondary, had their hands full against the Eagles on Tuesday. Okorafor, Onwenu and Sow all struggled to protect Brissett. Still, the five names mentioned above are expected to be the first to take the field on Thursday.
However, that doesn’t mean Mayo and Van Pelt can’t experiment with rotation.
It would be interesting to see if they would push Onwenu off the roster at right tackle and allow fourth-round rookie Layden Robinson to play right guard on the top team. The first-year guard from Texas A&M had a good night last week against the Panthers and a good practice against the Eagles.
Even though Onwenu’s best position is inside, if it’s beneficial for the entire unit to use Robinson at guard and move Onwenu to the edge, the Patriots need to think about it.
Cornerback puzzle
The Patriots have three players who will likely be in their top three when the season begins: Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones. But they’ll need more than that. And both Joneses have already battled injuries this summer, making a reliable reserve even more important.
Which defensive backs will provide this depth? That’s anyone’s guess at the moment. Marco Wilson and Alex Austin have been training with the top defense recently. But freshman Marcellas Dial, second-year player Isaiah Bolden and veteran Shaun Wade also had their moments in training camp. Can any of them impress against the Eagles?
Whether the fourth or fifth cornerback spot is being contested on defense or special teams, Thursday night will give the players who appear to be in the running another opportunity to audition.
Pursuit of cadre candidates
Other players who are less in the spotlight and are hoping for a role of their own?
Leading the way could be linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, who has impressed his coaches with his work ethic and ability to get to the ball in zone coverage. His teammates Christian Elliss and Raekwon McMillan may want to keep their positive momentum going after playing well in recent weeks.
Edge defender William Bradley-King is worth a look on Thursday, as depth at that position has diminished following the Judon transfer. Then there are players like Jeremiah Pharms Jr. – one of the best players in the season opener – Mike Purcell and Trysten Hill who hope to carve out a niche for themselves on the defensive line.
Offensively, tight end Jaheim Bell could shine, as Hunter Henry is not expected to play as the veteran deals with an injury that kept him out of practice this week. Austin Hooper is still the more reliable option in the lineup, but the seventh-round rookie from Florida State should have plenty of opportunities to play.
Receiver and returner David Wallis put in an impressive performance against the Panthers last week, as did fellow undrafted rookies running back Terrell Jennings and receiver JaQuae Jackson. Now it’s time for them to step up and shine again.
