5 takeaways from the Patriots’ preseason-closing loss to the Giants
With notes on Demaryius Thomas, Stephen Gostkowski, Jarrett Stidham, and more.
COMMENTARY
Five takeaways from the Patriots’ final preseason tilt, which featured cameos from Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon as part of a 31-29 New England loss to the Giants …
DEMARYIUS THOMAS STARS
Basing decisions on the fourth game of an increasingly irrelevant preseason slate isn’t the best way to build a roster, but in the past couple years a player popping in the exhibition finale has appeared to affect the Patriots’ actions on cutdown day. Last year, JC Jackson locked up a spot with a couple of interceptions against the Giants. The year before, Jacoby Brissett gave the Colts something to like, and New England subsequently sent him to Indianapolis in exchange for Phillip Dorsett.
And this year, the player who capitalized on that last crack to make the club may have been Demaryius Thomas.
By the middle of the first quarter, Thursday night had begun to look like an audition for the veteran receiver. After rehabbing a torn Achilles throughout the spring and early summer, he was somewhat-surprisingly activated from the physically unable to perform list a couple of weeks ago, and returned to practice. That maneuver meant the Pats would be forced to make a decision on whether to keep him when rosters were reduced on the afternoon of Aug. 31, and removed the option to stash him by extending his recovery into the regular season. That paper transaction suggested they wanted to see him earn his place in practice, and potentially in preseason action.
At 31 and having seen his production decline in each of the past four seasons, it reflected that Thomas was no lock to make the only team that showed interest in him during his free agency. He still isn’t. But Thursday night he was thrust into the fray, became a focal point, and responded nicely.
It wasn’t perfect, particularly in the case of the fumble he committed on the exchange of an end-around. And it wasn’t against elite competition, considering he was covered at times by a cornerback plucked from the failed AAF. But he looked smooth, caught seven of the eight first-half targets tossed his way, and facilitated those grabs with the sort of adjustments to be expected of an accomplished veteran.
There was a subtle slowdown to snag a throw Jarrett Stidham put behind the back of a defender for a 35-yard touchdown. Then there was a scrambling route adjustment before he reached low in going to the ground for his second score of the night.
At the least, it offered a suggestion that Thomas has something left. Is it still that Thomas could be cut before the end of Saturday, and told to stay in shape in case the Pats need him later (when his contract would no longer be guaranteed for the season)? Certainly not. But with his size, savvy, and experience in Josh McDaniels’s system, Thomas is a guy that makes sense for the Pats — particularly if Thursday was legit, and he can still play a little bit.
GOSTKOWSKI ON THE MONEY
After missing a field goal try in each of the first three exhibition games, Stephen Gostkowski and the Patriots kicking operation were on point Thursday — perhaps allaying some of the concerns that had surfaced regarding rookie Jake Bailey’s ability to handle the holder’s role.
Bailey had been the one to put the ball down on each of Gostkowski’s two previous misses, but against the Giants the execution was flawless. They eased in with a 31-yarder. Then, before the half, Bill Belichick sent them out for a 51-yarder on second down instead of trying to improve field position with 11 seconds left in the quarter. The distance didn’t ultimately matter, as Gostkowski practically split the uprights with plenty of leg.
Gostkowski made 84.4 percent of his field goal tries last season after exceeding 90 percent in four of his first five seasons with Ryan Allen as the holder. Bailey beat out Allen for the punter’s job this preseason on the strength of his leg — but given that the field goal operation can be as much mental as it is physical, Thursday’s success could prove to be an important sign of progress.
STIDHAM LOOKS LIKE A ROOKIE
For the second straight week, Brian Hoyer didn’t play a snap behind center, and with Tom Brady kept safe on the sideline that meant Stidham played the whole game as the Patriots’ quarterback.
The rookie fourth-round pick looked, well, like a rookie fourth-round pick. Finishing 18 of 28, for 225 yards, he flashed some of the promise that had Pats fans excited in earlier exhibitions, highlighted by his first touchdown toss to Thomas and in the course of leading scoring drives of 75 and 61 yards. But there were some rough spots, too.
After getting away with a couple of near-interceptions in previous weeks, he was hit as he threw and picked for the first time as a pro during the opening quarter. On the next offensive play from scrimmage, he and Thomas botched a handoff, turning the ball over again.
He showed good pocket presence on several occasions, gaining 47 yards on his first six rushing attempts — including a 19-yarder — but there were also times that his choice to run looked like a premature reaction to pressure, and with more seasoning he might’ve moved within the pocket while still looking to throw.
All told, it wrapped a strong and encouraging preseason for Stidham, who showed promise as a pro passer with good athleticism. He belongs on this team. But so does Hoyer.
CROSSEN AND DAWSON BATTLE IT OUT
Depending upon how the Pats decide to divide their roster positionally, and discounting the possibility of a surprise cut among the veterans, there’s a chance the final spot in the defensive secondary could come down to Keion Crossen or Duke Dawson. If that’s the case, Thursday night gave the coaches a bunch to consider.
Both players made interceptions on balls that weren’t really intended for receivers they were covering, Crossen snagging his with nifty footwork along the sideline, and Dawson reacting swiftly to a deflection.
However, both also dropped easy picks in the second half. Crossen’s could’ve saved the Pats three points, but he dropped a ball that fell through his arms in the end zone. Dawson undercut a route nicely to get himself in front of a receiver, though he failed to finish the play by squeezing the pigskin.
Crossen made 11 tackles and had his hands on five passes over the course of the night, but was caught peeking into the backfield while getting burnt for a touchdown, and seemed to be picked on when matched up with established receiver Golden Tate in the early going. Noteworthy about Dawson’s night was that he spent significant time playing corner, which is the position he played when the Pats drafted him in the second round of the 2018 draft, although he is projected to play safety if he sticks with New England.
Dawson has that versatility on his side. Crossen, meanwhile, had a presence on special teams last season. After Thursday, the choice between them could simply come down to which asset the Pats staff deems more valuable.
EXPECT A TRADE
The Patriots made a couple of trades for backup offensive linemen on Wednesday, fortifying those reserve roles. But with roster reduction looming, Thursday night only strengthened the notion that the Pats may not have spots for all of their talent, and will look to trade off those excess commodities.
Dawson, as a former second-round choice, could be one of those players who is dealt before he can be cut. Another may be Deatrich Wise Jr., the defensive end who has been quiet this preseason, and was on the field deep into the first half on Thursday night. He fits better in a 4-3 front than the 3-4 look the Pats appear poised to deploy, and may be the odd man out up front. With eight starts and 9.5 sacks over his two seasons, he may have too much value to merely leave on the free market.
Another who may be made available after a run as part of the Pats’ championship core is Elandon Roberts. He was a spectator Thursday while Calvin Munson wore the green dot as the defensive play caller, and capped a strong exhibition campaign. Roberts is a stout run stuffer, but Munson may offer more speed and special teams acumen.
It will also be interesting to see if the Patriots make a move to create a roster spot for Gunner Olszewski. He has been New England’s punt and kick returner each of the past two games, flashing abilities in both realms, and Thursday he added a 29-yard reception while playing cornerback on the other side of scrimmage. (He surrendered the Giants’ game-winning touchdown pass on the final play.) That’s just the jack-of-all-trades type Belichick salivates over — but may not be able to fit within the 53 without first clearing out some space.
