The first Patriots preseason game didn’t tell us a whole lot, but there still were some hints
I’ll admit it. I think the coverage of NFL preseason — games and especially practices — is a little much. Sometimes a lot much.
This trend in recent years of tracking the passing stats of quarterbacks in (Allen Iverson voice) practice is the bridge way too far for me. Too often context gets lost while we feed the content machine. Bailey Zappe isn’t threatening, let alone taking, Mac Jones’s job because he went 12 for 15 one day and Jones was 11 for 17 with a pick, you know?
Anyway, now that I’ve chased most of you practice-stat-spewing whippersnappers off my lawn, I’ll acknowledge this: It was satisfying to see the 2023 Patriots take the field Thursday night in their preseason debut, even if the game itself — a 20-9 loss to the Texans in which most of the Patriots’ core players were sideline bystanders — was something of a snoozer.
The Patriots revealed some things and reminded us of others. There are no grand conclusions to be drawn, not yet, not until the full varsity participates.
(For example: Daniel Ekuale and Anfernee Jennings were everywhere in the first half. I’m not sure that means anything other than they were two Patriots defenders who can be pleased with how their preseason began.)
Still, in their first actual football game since their season-ending 35-22 loss to the Bills on Jan. 8, there were plenty of clues, hints, and even confirmations regarding who these Patriots are now and what they might become.
Here are three observations, with the first being the one I am most certain about:
· Keion White is going to be a problem: Even if you’re one who tries to temper enthusiasm on what you see in preseason, it’s impossible not to come away from Thursday’s game with immediate high hopes for the massive rookie defensive end out of Georgia Tech.
The second-round pick popped in a Jamie Collins how-can-someone-so-big-be-so-athletic? way, whether he was running down Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (the No. 2 overall pick) from behind on a third-and-4 play in the first quarter, or burying running back Dare Ogunbowale in the second quarter while he was trying to recover a dropped pitch.
I understand now why the Patriots were said to be considering him with their first-round pick, and it feels like they hit the jackpot in the second round. Can’t wait to see how Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick deploy him.
· The rookie class overall is super-athletic: OK, so maybe we’ll leave kicker Chad Ryland and punter Brice Baringer out of our conclusion here, if only because of the positions they play. But it’s apparent that the Patriots prioritized their overall athleticism in the draft.
Christian Gonzalez, a no-brainer of a pick when he fell to the Patriots in the first round, looked the part of Day 1 starting cornerback. He did take a pop from Texans receiver Steven Sims on the first play from scrimmage, but later knocked the ball away from Sims after a catch over the middle. Had the loose ball stayed inbounds, it might have resulted in a turnover.
Gonzalez is going to have his ups and downs just based on the position he plays and the quality of receivers he will face (Sauce Gardner types at cornerback come around once a generation) but he appears to be exactly what the Patriots needed.
Who else? Well, Isaiah Bolden nearly took back the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. Maybe he did learn a few tricks of the return game playing for Deion Sanders at Jackson State.
I was hoping to see more from late-round receivers Demario Douglas (a dazzler in camp) and Kayshon Boutte. A familiar tradition of training camp is getting attached to an unheralded receiver, but for every David Givens or Julian Edelman, there are a dozen Bam Childresses, Brian Tymses, and Shockmain Davises. I’m still buying stock in Douglas, though.
And remember this: Linebacker/safety Marte Mapu, who may be the most athletic of all of the newcomers, didn’t even play.
· The Patriots need another running back: Rhamondre Stevenson’s workload last season as far and away the Patriots’ best offensive player wasn’t overwhelming: He had 210 carries and 69 receptions while playing in 17 games. But the unimaginative offense and a line that struggled to run-block conspired to make sure that so many of Stevenson’s yards were hard-earned. He took way too many lumps.
With Damien Harris, whom the Patriots should have kept, matriculating on a cheap deal to the Bills, second-year backs Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong have a chance to take on a bigger role. But even if they improve, the dropoff from Stevenson would be huge.
The Patriots would be better off bringing in a bigger name to support Stevenson, with the most notable option being former Dallas star Ezekiel Elliott. Let’s get that done before the next preseason game, shall we, Bill?
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