Patriots Preseason Game 1: A Statue-Worthy Display of Dominance

If this is how the team responds, maybe Mr. Kraft should unveil a statue every week.

I say for about the 20th year in a row, I don't care about the score in a Fauxball game. If it were up to me - and by some accident of the universe, it is not up to me - I'd turn off the scoreboard except for the game clock, down & distance, and the kiss cam, because you never know what marriages it'll ruin. I'm just looking for how guys looked, how well the team is run, who understood the assignment and who didn't, whether they're lining up in the right place, whether they're playing with discipline, and so on. And if somehow the Patriots managed to turn their opponents into a wasteland, burn their crops and salt their fields the way they did Washington but by through some fluke the score was reversed, it wouldn't change any of my opinions. But that didn't happen. They scored 48 points, won by 30, and it wasn't that close. I can't ever recall them being so dominant in one of these dress rehearsal games. And they did it against a 12-5 team. That's not everything, but it's certainly not nothing.

As always, these are impressions, not conclusions. There's a long way to go still:

--In the melodic words of Sister Maria, let's start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start:

There was only one way to top the high of that emotional ceremony on the plaza. And it was a highly promising rookie whose athleticism has been on full display since OTAs, coming out on the very first play and showing the football world what it's in for. TreVeyon Henderson got blocks from fellow rookie Craig Woodson, Christian Elliss and Jaheim Bell, and Elijah Ponder put a Commander on his ass at the point of attack. Which created more than enough of a seam for him. Henderson showed that kind of top end speed where you know he's gone while he still has defenders ahead of him. We're going to be wondering how he managed to fall to No. 38 in the draft, if we're not already. This roster needed to get faster and more athletic. Mission, accomplished.

--And if that were all Henderson managed, he'd have had a hell of a debut. But he was only getting started. He showed great vision on one of Josh McDaniels' signature toss-crack plays, cutting inside to hit the hole for a 1st down. On the second drive, he caught a pass in the flat, slipped a tackle, and gained YAC to set up a 1st & goal:

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And on top of all the kick returning, running backing, and receiving, we still haven't seen him in blitz pickup. There are personnel people in the league who called him the best pass protection back they've ever scouted. You know how your dog gets a favorite chew toy and won't let it go? He's going to be McDaniels'. 

--Looking bigger picture for a second, this was one hell of a performance by Mike Vrabel and his staff. Night and day from what we saw the past few seasons. They had their team prepared in all three phases. There was one mental error which I'll get to shortly. But none of the unforced errors we became accustomed to. No false starts, lining up in the neutral zone, 12 men on the field, 10 men on the field, guys not knowing where to line up. The calls came into the huddle with plenty of time. If it all looked familiar to you, then you have a long memory because it hasn't looked like that around here in about seven seasons. Certainly not in the first preseason game. Special teams coach Jeremy Springer's crews had a great night, stacking a 62-yard return by Antonio Gibson on top of that opening TD. In the 4th quarter, the broadcast crew of Scott Zolak and the McCourty Twins interviews TEs/Passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, who talked about how physicality and violence are non-negotiable on this team, and it was impossible not to hear the words of a future head coach in his voice. In all, after the chaos of the last few seasons, last year in particular, it felt like having SEAL Team 6 when you'd gotten used to having Sgt. Hulka's platoon from Stripes. And the team responded to these words:

--OK, not all of them. The biggest self goal of the night was from Drake Maye on that fumble:

Maye forgot the old adage that you're never going to bring the punting unit onto the field saying, "That play just cost us the game." Particularly in the 1st quarter. Making that the easiest teachable moment of his career so far. Vrabel doesn't even have to show this play in team meetings, though there's no doubt on Earth he will. 

--Watching in real time, it looked like Will Campbell got beat, but he didn't. He had the edge set, but the inside guy slipped Jared Wilson and stunted around behind the edge defender Campbell had full control of. I don't know what the rules of engagement are in that situation, but it looks to me like it was just a good move by the DT and Campbell had no chance to come off his guy and pick him up. 

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--Regardless, you have to come away feeling good about your offensive line. They opened holes all night. Gave all three quarterbacks clean pockets for the most part. Especially the first unit, which saw those two rookies, plus 7th rounder Marcus Bryant starting at RT. And still they seemed to be working in unison all night under Doug Marrone's tutelage. For instance, this scheme, which had Wilson kicking out the edge defender while Campbell came inside to the second level and take an inside linebacker out of the play:

The last two touchdowns featured blocking schemes that were just as effective. Terrell Jennings scored on a pitch behind a Demontrey Jacobs pull, with TE Jack Westover at fullback. Then did it again on Lan Larison's score. Lining up in an "I" but attacking the edges and making Washington defend sideline-to-sideline.

--And sticking with the offensive rookies a while longer, even the plays that didn't get made showed incredible promise. Kyle Williams showed elite separation skills on a play that absolutely should've been a touchdown, except Joshua Dobbs made a Career QB2 throw:

If you've seen the way all the recent high WR picks - all the Ja'Lynns and Tyquans and N'Keals - have run all their routes with DBs sticking to them like they're slow dancing to Journey's "Faithfully" at Junior Prom, you have every reason to be excited about a guy who can get so much distance from a defender in a short area like this, just with footwork and head fakes. Now they just have to get him the ball.

--Another rookie wideout who made the most of his opportunities was Spring Practice Media Darling Efton Chism III, who has been a non-factor in camp for the most part. Of course there was his touchdown catch and run, off a pass tipped at the line that came to him like a wobbly Frisbee toss on a windy beach:

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He also hauled in consecutive passes with DBs draped on his back like superhero capes. Just as impressively, he buried his head along the sidelines to take on a tackler and got a huge reaction from a bucket-hatted Stefon Diggs. Later he took a bubble screen and wormed his way through defenders and blockers to set up a 1st & goal from the 2 that resulted in the Jennings TD:

--On the defensive side of the ball, it's hard not to be happy with the way DJ James played. It certainly would be hard for DJ James:

Ordinarily, I worry about guys who talk about themselves in the Third Person. Until they back it up. I once heard Wade Boggs say, "There's nothing wrong with Wade Boggs that can't be cured by Wade Boggs hitting like Wade Boggs." Three Third Persons in the same sentence, his second most impressive record after the 73 Miller Lites on a cross country flight. James had that interception. Came across the field in pursuit to close on a receiver and make a tackle. Made a first contact tackle on a kick return. And added another pass defended. There's a history of obscure cornerbacks getting an opportunity in Foxboro and making the most of it. Nobody cares if you're a UDFA from West Alabama or Seattle's 6th rounder in 2024 as long as you earn the coaches' trust. James did last night.

--I'm not big on making roster projections at this time of year. Not because it's too early, but because I'm too lazy. But it's hard not to see Anfernee Jennings taking significant reps with the third and fourth units and wonder if his time is coming to a close. Especially when the starters were on the field for the first four Washington possessions.

--As far as the wide receiver depth chart, I like the point Zo and the McCourty's made about how with Mack Hollins' size (6-foot-4, 221 pounds) you can see him pulling extra duty as a third "move" tight end, freeing the team up to carry two TEs and seven wideouts. And you have to think Chism made a strong case to make the cut, where Ja'Lynn Polk was a non-factor before injuring his shoulder and not finishing the game. So the roster bubble at that position is going to be the biggest story on cut down day.

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--All things considered, you couldn't have a better start to Fauxball Season. You know it's good when I drone on for 1,600 words about a game we'll forget about in a month. The Summer of Hope continues.