What Mike Vrabel said about Anfernee Jennings and Kyle Dugger playing so late in preseason games
Dugger and Jennings played well into the second-half on Friday, which is unusual for veterans with their stats.
Anfernee Jennings is entering his fifth season with the Patriots.
The 27-year-old linebacker was fourth on the team in tackles (78) last season, and posted 12 run stuffs.
But, over the course of the last two Patriots preseason games, Jennings has been on the field late into the second-half. Veteran contributors with numbers like the ones Jennings posted last year typically aren’t playing during that time in preseason games.
Jennings took advantage of the snaps on Saturday, posting three sacks. He was the only player on either team with multiple sacks in Saturday’s contest.
“I’ve seen a competitiveness (in him) and Anfernee has been around,” Vrabel said. “We’ve had really good conversations. You try to draft some guys and there’s some young guys in here and it’s a fine balance.”
“To his credit, he’s done nothing but compete in practice, earn reps in the games and take advantage of every one that he’s gotten and to factor into today and last week.”
Vrabel was asked why Jennings and Dugger were playing so late into Saturday’s game. Dugger played until the very end. He made an interception on the final play of the game.
Dugger had previously served as a team captain under the Jerod Mayo coaching staff, and had been a starter for several years under Mayo and Belichick.
Dugger and Jennings aren’t the kinds of players that are typically involved in the third and fourth quarters of preseason games. Those spots are generally for younger players and players who are further down the depth chart.
“We only have so many guys,” Vrabel said. “There’s guys who didn’t travel, guys who didn’t play and we have to have 11 out there every play. And so, this is the third week of our first training camp as a coaching staff and as a team. That’s what I want everybody to realize. It’s the third week of our first year and we have to get this right.
“Everybody just be prepared to play for however long that you’re in there or whenever your asked or to help out on special teams,” he added. “Somebody’s got to protect the punter, somebody’s got to go out on the field-goal unit. Somebody has to be on kickoff return. Our obligation is that we have to protect the guys who have the ball and we have to be able to play and get stops just like we did. That builds confidence and trust throughout everybody on the team.”
Jennings and Dugger made an impact during their reps. Jennings got after the quarterback, and Dugger delivered several big hits along with the interception.
It’s not that they played bad, but the timing for when they were out there may have been somewhat of a surprise.
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