The New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles will meet on Thursday evening for the second preseason game for both teams. Although this competition is the closest to a dress rehearsal in the NFL format with three preseason games, the two clubs will use their regular players differently.
After using their 1s sparingly against the Carolina Panthers last week, the Patriots are expected to use several of them on both sides of the ball against the Eagles. According to a report According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the team plans to use starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett for the first quarter.
Last week, Brissett and the top offense played a series. The unit ran four plays, gained 11 yards and punted for a first down; Brissett was 0-of-3 passing before being traded for first-round rookie Drake Maye.
Maye also played just one series – completing 2 of 3 passes for 19 yards – but he too should get more opportunities Thursday. Once Brissett is ready, he will come on the field in the second quarter and play into the third. Behind him, Joe Milton will serve as the third quarterback and Bailey Zappe will serve as the fourth option to close the game.
The Eagles, on the other hand, will rest most of their core players. According to a report by John Clark of NBC Sports, not a single offensive player will play against New England, while only a few will play on defense.
The Patriots and Eagles held a joint practice session on Tuesday in preparation for their season opener. The session gave both teams the opportunity to use their top players extensively in a relatively controlled environment.
