If the Patriots enable Mac Jones to face stress on the fee he did Saturday in opposition to the Packers, there’s a non-zero probability he’ll end the season in a hospital mattress.
But if Jones stares down that stress, and beats it with the regularity he managed in Green Bay, the Pats ought to be playoff-bound.
This is the place Bill O’Brien’s offense finds itself by two preseason video games: caught between the hope of Jones’ enchancment underneath new teaching and the cruel actuality that one other free rusher is simply across the nook. Both of the sacks Jones took in Saturday’s exhibition killed drives. Packers edge-rusher Kingsley Enagbare strong-armed his means into Jones’ lap on the primary, then cracked him from behind with no discover on the second.
But round these sacks, Jones went 3-of-4 for 45 yards in opposition to stress, per the Herald’s charting. On his closing sequence, Jones hit rookie receiver Demario Douglas to transform on third-and-10, then lofted a 17-yard completion to Kendrick Bourne whereas falling away. His solely misfire underneath stress was a 50-yard bomb launched simply past the outstretched arms of DeVante Parker.
As far as incompletions go, it was among the many prettiest you’ll see. Jones climbed a collapsing pocket, cocked his arm and rifled a prayer downfield with no concern of incoming hazard. For a quarterback who graded because the second-worst passer underneath stress final season, per Pro Football Focus, the strides Jones took Saturday felt vital.
Defensively, the Pats went backwards. Bill Belichick’s pleasure and pleasure didn’t register a single quarterback hit, not to mention a sack, and acquired routinely washed out on operating performs. Packers middle Josh Myers drove nostril sort out Davon Godchaux three yards previous the road of scrimmage on the opening snap. Fellow D-linemen Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Carl Davis and Sam Roberts had been of little assist from then on.
Of course, the best concern for the Patriots is the well being of rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden. The seventh-rounder was launched from an area hospital Sunday and flew residence with the workforce. His timeline for a potential return is unclear.
While Bolden continues along with his restoration, the Pats will start preparations for Friday’s preseason finale at Tennessee. And they’d be sensible to use the teachings discovered over the weekend.
Here are the Herald’s full movie observations from Saturday’s win at Green Bay:
Studs
WR Kendrick Bourne
He’s again.
Bourne caught three passes for 34 yards and delivered a strong run-block to assist spring Rhamondre Stevenson for 23 yards within the first quarter, the longest run of the sport. On his catches, Bourne gained on a slant contained in the pink zone to arrange an eventual landing, and skied for a third-down move thrown excessive and barely behind him. Bourne’s sluggish begin to coaching camp looks like ages in the past.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Two days earlier in a joint follow, Stevenson went 2-of-4 on the purpose line in opposition to the Packers protection. On Saturday, he was excellent.
Stevenson powered by subpar blocking to attain a 1-yard landing on the Pats’ opening drive. He additionally compelled two missed tackles, greater than some other ball-carrier on the workforce. Basically, Stevenson appeared just like the burgeoning star he’s.
RB J.J. Taylor
Taylor stays squarely on the roster bubble, even perhaps on the again finish, however he helped his trigger in Green Bay. The 5-foot-6 again caught three passes, tied for many on the workforce, and ran 4 instances for 29 yards. He was elusive in area and helped restart a stalling Patriots within the second half.
Duds
OT Andrew Stueber
Enagbare victimized Stueber on his second sack, tossing apart the 2022 seventh-round decide to succeed in Jones. Stueber all however fell over on the play, which adopted a rush he allowed earlier within the sport. The Pats want extra from their (possible non permanent) backup left sort out.
OL James Ferentz
No offensive lineman produced uglier tape than Ferentz, who usually supplies a steadying veteran presence up entrance. He surrendered two run-stuffs, a quarterback hit and one hurry.
DL Sam Roberts
After starring within the Pats’ preseason opener, Roberts was a legal responsibility in Green Bay. He dedicated two penalties and was ridden out of his hole on a fourth-and-1 conversion within the second quarter.
WR Malik Cunningham
Malik Mania took a serious hit, with Cunningham dropping certainly one of his 5 targets and failing to catch any of the opposite 4. He struggled to separate on brief, intermediate and deep routes and didn’t take any snaps as a quarterback.
Offensive notes
- Aside from the move safety numbers (extra beneath) and Mac Jones’ stats underneath stress, essentially the most telling numbers from Saturday had been snap counts.
- The Pats rested operating again Rhamondre Stevenson after two drives. Wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne sat after three, together with tight finish Hunter Henry. These are Jones’ core weapons till additional discover.
- The different offensive snap depend to know: three. That’s what number of reps Demario Douglas noticed Saturday, bringing him to a grand whole of 5 for the preseason. The Pats are each designing performs for Douglas — as evidenced on his second catch — and hiding him. Douglas will likely be, at worst, their No. 4 receiver to begin the season.
- Another rookie receiver, Kayshon Boutte, was liable for the spotlight of his night time along with his 42-yard landing catch. Boutte ran a slant in opposition to 10 yards of cushion, then sprinted into open area after the Packers’ nearest security took a nasty angle to the ball.
- Boutte ought to be recommended for ending the play with a rating, however most receivers on the Patriots’ roster may’ve managed what he did given the circumstances. Boutte’s different catch was a 7-yard curl route that settled right into a lifeless spot in Green Bay’s zone protection.
- Mac Jones shared just one snap with Boutte, which he spent handing the ball off to Kevin Harris for no acquire on second-and-10.
- Jones’ most notable snap — other than his completions to Bourne, sacks and deep incompletion to Parker — was his incompletion meant for Bourne. Jones pulled to throw on a downfield run-pass possibility (RPO), the second he tried in eight dropbacks. The Patriots known as one all final season.
- Bailey Zappe performed with fireplace a lot of the night time, slinging a number of overthrows, hanging onto the ball properly after his inside clock ought to’ve gone off and throwing into thick protection. Any discuss of Zappe competing for the beginning job ought to be over.
- Again, tough night time for Malik Cunningham. If he’s waived, it’s troublesome to see one other workforce claiming him based mostly on his preseason tape alone; making it a curious choice for the Patriots who may conceal him in Friday’s preseason opener and hope to stash him on their follow squad.
- Among the backup tight ends, Anthony Firkser edged Matt Sokol barely along with his general play. Neither impressed as in-line blockers, however labored successfully in area. Firkser caught two passes for 13 yards.
- Up entrance, left sort out Trent Brown and middle David Andrews had been restricted to 2 sequence. Right guard Riley Reiff, as soon as the Pats’ projected beginning proper sort out, performed 31 snaps at proper guard and allowed a QB hit on Jones’ second dropback (one other downfield RPO).
- Reiff’s 31 snaps matched Sidy Sow, who continues to begin at proper sort out. Packers edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare beat Sow for a sack with a long-arm transfer that drove him straight again into Jones and adopted a profitable pace rush two snaps earlier.
- Sow might have been cautious of that pace rush that generated a fast hurry and left himself susceptible to the lengthy arm transfer. Chalk it as much as a rookie studying curve at a brand new place.
- Fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi, the brand new beginning left guard, confirmed poor pad degree at instances, particularly on the hurry he yielded within the first half. Mafi later allowed a sack on an inside stunt that tied up the Pats’ O-linemen a number of instances.
- Backup left sort out Andrew Stueber and left guard Chasen Hines constantly completed robust as run-blockers. Hines climbed to the second degree in addition to any Patriots O-lineman, however nonetheless tasks to be on the surface trying in come closing roster cuts.
Player stats
- Broken tackles: Rhamondre Stevenson 2, J.J. Taylor 2, JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Drops: Malik Cunningham
- Sacks allowed: Sidy Sow, Andrew Stueber, Atonio Mafi
- QB hits allowed: Riley Reiff, James Ferentz, Mafi, Team
- Hurries allowed: Ferentz, Mafi, Sow
- Run stuffs allowed: Team 2, Ferentz 2, Anthony Firkser
- Penalties: OT Trent Brown (false begin), TE Anthony Firkser (unlawful block above the waist)
Defensive notes
- With one or two exceptions, the Patriots possible teased their Week 1 beginning protection with the lineup they rolled out Saturday: defensive linemen Deatrich Wise, Davon Godchaux and Christian Barmore, linebackers Matt Judon, Mack Wilson and Jahlani Tavai and defensive backs Christian Gonzalez, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers and Jack Jones.
- The exceptions: Ja’Whaun Bentley, if wholesome, will begin over Wilson at inside linebacker, and Jack Jones’ regular-season availability stays unclear. The NFL may droop him or place him on the Commissioner’s Exempt listing at any time, citing his June arrest at Logan Airport.
- If Jones is unavailable, one other will change him: Jonathan Jones (injured) or Marcus Jones who, like Bentley and rookie defensive lineman, didn’t play Saturday. According to the Herald’s Doug Kyed, Marcus Jones acquired dinged up at joint practices.
- Whether or not Marcus Jones returns quickly, fourth-year veteran Myles Bryant is monitoring to begin at nickelback every time the Patriots deploy three corners. He was restricted to seven snaps at Green Bay and earned a move breakup, knocking away a Jordan Love move on third right down to kill the Packers’ second drive.
- Dugger (one sequence) and Judon (two sequence) had been the primary Patriots to take a seat, a mirrored image of their standing within the protection. Godchaux and Barmore alternated possessions with fellow defensive tackles Lawrence Guy and Daniel Ekuale over the primary 4 sequence, then Godchaux and Barmore sat for good.
- None of the defensive tackles bathed themselves in glory, particularly in opposition to the run. Godchaux, Guy and Barmore all acquired dealt with by single blocks on separate snaps, and struggled versus double-teams.
- In the primary half, Packers ball carriers sometimes went untouched for three-plus yards on operating performs, all because of their O-line out-muscling the Patriots’ entrance.
- Wilson additionally exacerbated these woes with some false steps, whereas Tavai typically remained regular off-ball and on the sting. Tavai additionally served as the first signal-caller with Bentley out.
- While his backs loved regular positive aspects on the bottom, Love killed the Pats with a 42-yard sideline bomb to Romeo Doubs on his third drive. Love additionally took benefit of a constantly absent move rush.
- He had 3.3 seconds to throw on his landing move to Jayden Reed, a play when the Patriots’ plan to switch Devin McCourty at free security may additionally deserve scrutiny. Adrian Phillips was the lone deep security and didn’t impression Reed’s crosser over the center, although Doubs was proper behind him on one other in-breaking route.
- Overall, Judon, Barmore, Guy, Godchaux and Josh Uche mixed for zero pressures, an unacceptable quantity contemplating their mixed expertise. The solely move rusher to indicate up, Deatrich Wise, tallied two hurries over six snaps in opposition to the move.
- Uche additionally endured an up-and-down versus the run, contributing to 1 run stuff and twice shedding the sting in opposition to rookie tight finish Luke Musgrave. The latter loss resulted in Packers operating again Patrick Taylor coasting across the left finish for an 8-yard landing.
- In the secondary, Jack Jones (38) and Christian Gonzalez (34) noticed the third and and fourth-most defensive snaps, respectively. Gonzalez performed into the second half, a rarity for a rookie anticipated to begin Week 1. He allowed two catches.
- At security, Phillips and Jalen Mills each flashed robust play recognition within the first half, triggering instantly to rally and cease the run. Those veteran instincts change into much more useful in opposition to offenses like that Packers that marry their operating sport and play-action passing schemes so properly.
Player stats
- Interceptions: None
- Forced fumble: None
- Pass breakups: Jack Jones, Julius Peppers, Myles Bryant, Rodney Randle Jr.
- Sacks: None
- QB hits: None
- Hurries: Deatrich Wise 2, Daniel Ekuale 2, Carson Wells
- Holds drawn: None
- Run stuffs: Team, Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- Missed tackles: Isaiah Bolden, Jalen Mills, Davon Godchaux, Carl Davis Jr., Anfernee Jennings, Joe Giles-Harris, Randle Jr.
- Penalties: DL Sam Roberts (pointless roughness, unlawful use of arms), CB Christian Gonzalez (move interference)
Special groups
- Rookie punter Bryce Baringer boomed his 61-yard punt within the second with a hold time of 4.89 seconds. The beginning job ought to be his every time the teaching employees will get round to saying it.
- Kickers Nick Folk and Chad Ryland didn’t try any area purpose, however cut up three extra-point alternatives. Folk hit two, Ryland hit the opposite.
- Core particular groups Matthew Slater and Brenden Schooler, linebackers Chris Board and Calvin Munson and rookie cornerback Ameer Speed began on all 4 particular groups models. One-time particular teamer Raleigh Webb solely began on kick protection and punt return, maybe an indication he’s fallen behind Munson and Speed on the roster bubble.
- Penalties: Board (holding), LB Joe Giles-Harris (holding)
Source: www.bostonherald.com