Random Observations from Patriots Preseason Game 1 vs. Giants
Michael Dwyer. Shutterstock Images.Most years when I post these recaps to the Pats preseason games, some well-meaning, loyal, and incredibly attractive readers who buy Barstool merchandise and support our sponsors, will reach out to ask why I'm not calling it a "Knee Jerk Reaction" and wonder if I'm changing the format. So for them, I'll just remind you that with these blogs, I try to be as halfassed about it as the fauxball games being discussed. August football is watched from a vacation house or an outdoor bar somewhere. I'm not capable doing deep dives into a bunch of guys on both teams who might be three weeks away from creating their LinkedIn profiles and wishing they'd actually gone to class at their FBS football factory. And if it were up to me (as it should be), I'd turn the scoreboard off. Preseason wins and losses should be regarded as a metaphysical exercise; like debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. For the teams, this all about scouting, evaluating, teaching, and exposing rookies to simulated game conditions. They're about getting the livest look we can, with actual hitting and full tackling. (Though someday they'll all be played in the Metaverse, I promise you.) And some of the best August players I've ever seen never amounted to Jack Squat, and guys who barely stood out went on to long and distinguished careers. With that in mind, these are all impressions, not conclusions:
--Judging by the fact the Patriots starting lineups on both sides of the ball were as easy to spot as the intended targets on Ghost Hunters, Bill Belichick's priority wasn't getting his team ready for Week 1. He did get some rookies playing time, but mainly this was him snapping a pool cue over his knee and telling 40 guys they were fighting for about 5 spots on his roster bubble. So that's how we ended up with Matt Sokol taking all the reps at tight end, Tre Nixon and Kristian Wilkerson as the WR1 and WR2 and Bailey Zappe taking 48 snaps. Though I hear Felger and Mazz spent yesterday screaming that he benched his starting offense so they wouldn't "embarrass" themselves in front of Daniel Jones (and actually admire their unparalleled troll game), if Belichick thought they needed work, he'd have given them work. Besides, I think this reflects the growning belief around the league that joint practices are much more useful for regular season preparation than these pretend games.
--As far as the new guys who really acquitted themselves well, we might as well start with Tyquan Thornton, the rookie receiver who has been chosen to take up Julian Edelman's mighty mantle:
(Note that 11 has been my number since I was a kid and my favorite non-Red Sox player was Cubs shortstop Ivan DeJesus. So it looks like I'm fated to getting one.) The knock on Thornton coming through the draft process is that while he's metahuman fast, he was made out of sticks by the Blair Witch and will snap in half when he's hit by NFL defenders. But repeatedly in practice we've seen him fight through contact and win contested catches. Then against the Giants he hand-fought to get free from a flagged defensive hold in the end zone:
Whether Thornton can hold up to the constant pounding. But so far he's given us no reason to think he's not strong enough to fight off jams and press coverage. And given that the league just announced it's going to be even more super strict on defensive contact, there's reason to be optimistic about his chances.
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--Another new guy, though not a rookie, who stood out was Mack Wilson, who came in the Chase Winovich trade and played about a third of the snaps at inside linebacker. He spent time in the Giants backfield, dropped a tight end where he caught the ball for zero YAC on a 3rd & makeable. And generally looked, to not only have the speed the linebacking corps lacked last year, but to understand the defense's concepts, coverages, spacing and so on. He was just a role player in Cleveland, but hopefully will be that cog that fits right into the gears of Steve Belichick's machinery, the way Kyle Van Noy was. Stay tuned.
--Speaking of understanding the concepts, rookie Jack Jones - the second of the two Jones cornerbacks - was among the leaders in defensive snaps. And at no point did he look confused or on a different page from everyone else. At one point he was lined up opposite a split tight end who went in motion, he called it out, let tight end cross the formation, switched to cover the slot receiver on an out route, forcing the Giants to look back to the play side motion man and it fell incomplete. Later Jones was with Joejuan Williams lined up on a Giants stack formation, signaled that he was taking the outside leverage as they both stayed with their man and again forced the QB to look elsewhere and Shaun Mills broke up the pass. And while he failed to jump a route early on, in the 2nd half he showed a great closing burst to come from behind his receiver and knock the ball away. Marcus Jones got the night off, along with the starters, which should indicate the coaches love him alongside Jonathan Jones (this is going to be tough) and Jalen Mills as the starting CB unit. Where Jack Jones needs the reps. So far to my vision-corrected eyes, he looks like he's on the path to dependability as a depth corner.
--Williams is another story altogether. He was out there well into the 4th quarter, which is a terrible look for a 2019 second round pick. And didn't play like a guy fighting to salvage his Patriots career. The Giants first touchdown was a pass right over the middle between Williams (coming off the line of scrimmage) and Brad Hawkins (high safety). He got called for a facemask penalty. Dropped an interception on an overthrow he had high-pointed. Though he did have a pass broken up. Which is to say, an interception broken up on a ball that was floating right into Jalen Elliot's open arms. Elliot slapped the sides of his helmet as his chance to make the highlight reels fell harmlessly to the turf. Which is pretty much the body language I've been using on Williams for three years now. I'm still not sure I've ever seen him make a positive play, in games, practices, or practice games.
--Bailey Zappe was what you'd expect from a rookie out of Western Kentucky who was deemed worthy of a fourth round pick. Meaning he was that 12-can variety pack of summer beers (that the stores will soon replace with Pumpkin Ales and Octoberfests). He got stronger as the game went on. Showed some ability to get the ball out quickly. Connected on some deep balls, though a few were underthrows that would've been sweet candy to experienced, professional defensive backs:
And his interception was your classic rookie … learning experience. He didn't try to throw it into a tight window. It wasn't even a porthole. It was the little triangular window on my mom's old Country Squire station wagon that she would open to toss Virginia Slims butts out of. This will be a coaching point in film study today, for sure. On constant repeat:
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--While we're talking about coaching, there was absolutely no indication given of who'll be calling the shots on offense. By all accounts, Joe Judge was the voice in Brian Hoyer's helmet for the two series he was out there, and the scheme looked pretty much like it has for 20-plus years, a lot of gap runs. Then Matt Patricia took the conn when it was Zappe, where it had more of the elements of the Kyle Shanahan system, with outside zones and tighter splits. Which is especially curious, since Hoyer played under Shanahan in San Francisco and Zappe, unless I've been misinformed, hasn't. Belichick's Great 2022 Mindfuck continues unabated.
--Then there was a little bit of old fashioned power football at the goal line, perhaps the best run by either rookie RB. Kevin Harris finding the seam and getting what he could:
--Cole Strange had a few reps with the first unit. And apart from giving us the "Strange 69" jersey we all hoped for, didn't do much to make himself noticeable. And I mean that as a compliment. No mistakes. Gave up no tackles or pressures. On a couple of plays he got to demonstrate his pulling speed. But with him especially, the joint practices with the Panthers this week will give him the best chance to show how he stacks up against pro tackles and linebackers.
--Along with Wilson, a few of the front-7 guys who are absolutely going to have to step up this season, stepped up. Josh Uche showed the ability to split blockers and get into the backfield that he flashed as a rookie but was almost nonexistent last year. Anfernee Jennings hauled down Daniel Jones as he was attempting to scramble. Ronnie Perkins stuffed a few runs and late in the game penetrated into the QB's face to bat down a ball. Without at least a couple of these guys getting off the bench and justifying their draft status, everything else the Patriots have done this year won't matter.
--Because people will never stop caring about such things, I can confirm that the all-important postgame body language between Belichick and one of his former assistants was, in a word, beautiful.
And as long as that's the case, does losing on a last minute scoring drive really matter?