HENDERSON, Nev. — For the process-obsessed Patriots, how a lot does an ending matter?
Because the end of Tuesday’s scorching joint follow with the Raiders was terrific.
Mac Jones went 6-of-7 over a profitable two-minute drill, cruising downfield till he rifled a cross to Kendrick Bourne ultimately again of the tip zone. Jones was largely unbothered by Pro Bowl cross rushers Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby. The Patriots marched seemingly at will.
But till then, the Pats had been monitoring for his or her worst offensive follow of the summer time. Jones had thrown a choose on his final cross try and gone 8-of-18 in staff drills. Each of the staff’s prime three receivers from final season dropped a cross. Five of the beginning offense’s seven dashing makes an attempt did not cross the road of scrimmage.
Defensively, the Patriots misplaced most battles towards Las Vegas, too. But Bill Belichick’s bunch additionally stepped as much as ship Derek Carr and Co. in reverse throughout their two-minute drills, incomes three would-be sacks of Carr throughout probably the most high-leverage snaps of the day.
For nearly two hours, the Raiders – who started practising every week earlier than the Pats resulting from their additional preseason recreation – had firmly established themselves as the higher staff. And but, the Patriots, even after stumbling and bumbling underneath the Sin City solar, left on a sweaty excessive observe.
What, if something, is that price? How a lot does it imply?
Here are the Herald’s full follow observations:
Attendance
Returned: TE Hunter Henry, OL Isaiah Wynn, OL Justin Herron
Absent: WR Tyquan Thornton (clavicle), WR Kristian Wilkerson (concussion), LB Ronnie Perkins
Limited: S Jabrill Peppers, CB Shaun Wade, OL Bill Murray
Non-contact jersey: None
NFI: OL Andrew Stueber
Notes: Henry, Wynn and Herron all returned to the sector Monday for a lightweight follow that didn’t contain the Raiders. Wynn shed his non-contact jersey Tuesday. Wade and Murray left at totally different factors throughout Tuesday’s follow and returned in road garments. Peppers went out and in resulting from obvious heat-related points.
Play of the Day
DeVante Parker’s 15-yard landing
An oasis in a desert of catastrophe.
During the offense’s second 11-on-11 interval, Jones rifled a landing left for DeVante Parker. Parker had sliced proper by means of the Raiders’ secondary on a thin publish and didn’t break stride as he snagged Jones’ cross and crossed into the tip zone. The timing, throw and catch have been all image good.
Player of the Day
OLB Matt Judon
Judon was a wrecking ball on the Raiders’ last two-minute drive, drawing one maintain and incomes a would-be sack. He didn’t flash in 1-on-1 cross rush, however Judon confirmed his price throughout staff intervals. The Patriots want extra from him Wednesday.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats under have been tallied throughout aggressive, full-speed intervals of 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 solely. The stats in parentheses symbolize every quarterback’s passing totals for coaching camp.
Mac Jones: 14/26, INT (196/273, 9 INTs, 8 drops)
Studs
S Adrian Phillips
Phillips snagged an interception throughout a 1-on-1 protection drill towards operating backs and linebackers and had a cross breakup in staff drills. He’s additionally taking reps forward of Kyle Dugger because the staff’s beginning robust security.
Duds
Offensive line
The run-blocking is a serious, main situation. At least 5, probably six, of the beginning offense’s seven operating performs have been stuffed. The Pats have averaged fewer than 4 yards per carry within the preseason, and haven’t proven a lot progress on this division by means of coaching camp.
QB Mac Jones
Even accounting for the drops, Jones threw a catchable cross on fewer than two-thirds of his cross makes an attempt in staff drills. He appeared skittish within the pocket at instances, like he couldn’t belief his cross safety. Several of his 14 completions have been checkdowns. Jones additionally had a choose.
On paper, the Raiders’ protection is much from an elite unit. But it appeared like one Tuesday.
Offensive notes
- Like his first two drives towards Carolina, Mac Jones appeared spooked towards a dwell cross rush. He was 9-of-17 in full-team intervals with uncommon bouts of inaccuracy, together with an interception at linebacker Jayon Brown.
- Jones went 5-of-9 in the one 7-on-7 drill, together with two checkdowns to operating backs.
- Over his two-minute drill, he opened with a middle-of-the-field completion to Hunter Henry, then had one other cross for Henry damaged up by former Patriots security Duron Harmon. Jones subsequent transformed third-and-5 with a sideline throw to Jakobi Meyers, took a sack, hit DeVante Parker on a deep out and located Jonnu Smith on a brief cross over the center.
- After spiking the ball to cease the clock, he slung a frozen rope to Bourne behind the tip zone. Bourne spiked the ball in celebration.
- The drive exemplified what the Patriots need their passing recreation to be: a balanced assault that first wins over the center of the sector.
- No broad receiver noticed greater than 5 targets from Jones throughout staff intervals.
- Kendrick Bourne was the one beginning broad receiver to run with the second-team offense.
- As for the operating recreation, it’s nonetheless ugly. Rhamondre Stevenson broke the one profitable run, bouncing off the fitting facet of the road and into daylight on an out of doors zone play.
- Isaiah Wynn returned to his outdated publish at proper deal with throughout staff drills. Justin Herron backed him up, whereas Yodny Cajuste remained at left deal with.
- The Patriots ran extra RPOs throughout an early-down staff interval.
- Top targets in staff drills: Nelson Agholor 3/5, Jakobi Meyers 1/4, DeVante Parker 3/3, Kendrick Bourne 2/3
- 1-on-1 broad receiver winner: Parker
- 1-on-1 broad receiver losers: Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Tre Nixon
- Drops: Agholor, Bourne, Meyers
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel throughout staff intervals: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Henry Anderson, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillan, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai and Anfernee Jennings and defensive backs Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Terrance Mitchell, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones and Myles Bryant.
- Interceptions: Kyle Dugger
- Pass breakups: Adrian Phillips, Jonathan Jones
- Would-be sacks: Team, Matt Judon, Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley
- 1-on-1 protection winners: Jack Jones 2-2, Justin Bethel 2-1
- 1-on-1 protection losers: Jalen Mills 0-3, Terrance Mitchell 0-2
- Davante Adams destroyed the Patriots secondary with six consecutive catches in staff drills till Jonathan Jones broke up a sideline providing from Carr within the last half-hour.
- Adams additionally beat Mills in all three of their matchups in a 1-on-1 protection drill, although Mills was aggressive on two reps.
- Star slot receiver Hunter Renfrow went 1-2 in his matchups with new beginning nickelback Myles Bryant.
- Up entrance, the Patriots’ run protection impressed. Davon Godchaux held the center in addition to he has all summer time, whereas Ja’Whaun Bentley and Raekwon McMillan have been constantly close to ball carriers.
- Bentley slid to the sting for Carr’s 2-minute drill and earned a sack on the primary snap of the six-play sequence. He and Jahlani Tavai have seen extra outdoors linebacker snaps the previous two weeks, a la their predecessors, Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy.
- The last 5 snaps of mentioned two-minute drill went as follows: completion to tight finish Foster Moreau, Phillips cross breakup, incompletion deep to Brandon Bolden, Uche sack and Judon sack.
- The Patriots’ entrance was the bellwether for his or her protection for a lot of follow. Raiders cross catchers had little hassle working towards their secondary, however Carr naturally struggled underneath strain.
- Jabrill Peppers began within the first interval of 11-on-11s, when the Patriots deployed a dime package deal with three corners and three safeties.
Special groups
- Starting punt staff: Jake Bailey, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, Brenden Schooler, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mack Wilson, Raekwon McMillan, Jahlani Tavai, Kevin Harris
- Punt returners: Myles Bryant, Marcus Jones, Kyle Dugger.
Odds and ends
- Former Patriots broad receiver Julian Edelman attended follow and visited with director of participant personnel Matt Groh.
- The on-field temperature on the finish of follow hit 95 levels.
- The Patriots and Raiders will reconvene for his or her second and last joint follow Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. EDT.
Source: www.bostonherald.com