FOXBORO — Two snaps.
That’s all it took over a drizzly Monday afternoon apply for the Patriots offense to once more remind viewers of its shaky basis. Whatever performs Bill O’Brien may design on the white board or passes Mac Jones could hearth from the pocket or upgrades the entrance workplace most likely made at huge receiver and tight finish, the offensive line stays suspect. And till the Pats can block persistently, issues will persist.
The Patriots’ beginning protection “sacked” Jones on his second snap of stay workforce drills, when defensive deal with Davon Godchaux burst by the center of the road just like the Kool-Aid man. Jones obtained a pleasant reprieve within the subsequent interval, once they confronted the Patriots’ third-string protection and took turns dicing it up with Bailey Zappe. But when the beginning protection met them once more contained in the purple zone, and later over ensuing two-minute drills, the offense stalled.
Why?
The offensive line allowed Jones and Zappe to be sacked a mixed six instances and drew 4 flags, with the referees for Thursday’s preseason opener on-hand to officiate apply. The working sport went nowhere, and the progress proven final week started to really feel prefer it was being washed away by an intermittent rain. The questions of when beginning left deal with Trent Brown, left guard Cole Strange and proper guard Mike Onwenu will return from their respective accidents can’t be answered quickly sufficient.
Elsewhere, defensive deal with Christian Barmore pulled off the go rush transfer of camp, the huge receivers remained a blended bag, rookie quarterback/huge receiver Malik Cunningham placed on a present, Marcus Jones snatched an interception and the kicking competitors beat on.
Here are the Herald’s full apply observations.
Attendance
Returned: C David Andrews
Absent: CB Jonathan Jones, C David Andrews, OL Cole Strange, ST Matthew Slater, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Bill Murray
Limited: OT Trent Brown
Non-contact jersey: LB/S Marte Mapu, TE Johnny Lumpkin
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Andrews returned after a one-day absence. Jonathan Jones and Slater have now missed three straight practices. Murray sat out his first. Montgomery has been out for shut to 2 weeks, whereas Strange is closing in on one. He watched the late levels of apply from the sideline with Anderson, who was in road garments.
Brown didn’t take part in workforce drills or put on full pads, although he did don shoulder pads and carry his helmet round after partaking in particular person drills.
Play of the Day
Kayshon Boutte’s landing
Boutte has pulled down as many, if no more, spotlight grabs than every other receiver because the begin of final week. His complete catches and targets proceed to path the opposite wideouts, however with extra performs just like the one he made Monday, that would change.
On a rollout play-action go, Boutte discovered himself on their lonesome on the fitting aspect of the tip zone, as undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham (taking part in his listed quarterback place) sailed the ball a pair toes over his head. Boutte, although, had no bother slowing his momentum, taking pictures one arm skyward and snaring the go earlier than tumbling backwards. Good catch, nice play.
Player of the Day
DL Deatrich Wise
The solely participant to notch two sacks in workforce drills, Wise reached Mac Jones twice in the identical interval. He sniffed out a decent finish display screen on the opening snap of red-zone work, then knifed contained in the pocket to kill one other play.
Wise additionally went 2-0-1 throughout particular person go rush. He beat fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow, fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi and tied projected beginning proper deal with Riley Reiff.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats under have been tallied throughout aggressive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 intervals solely. The stats in parentheses characterize the quarterbacks’ camp-long efficiency.
Mac Jones: 12/18 (100/153, 4 INTs)
Bailey Zappe: 11/20, INT (92/147, 3 INTs)
Trace McSorley: 1/2 (44/76, 4 INTs)
Studs
CB Jack Jones
Before Davon Godchaux “sacked” Mac Jones in 11-on-11s, Jack Jones swatted away the quarterback’s first go. He jumped JuJu Smith-Schuster’s curl route alongside the fitting sideline and knocked it away, regardless of sporting massive, flat mitts worn to stop defensive holding and go interference. He additionally earned a go breakup at first of 1-on-1 drills whereas defending Kendrick Bourne.
Ok Nick Folk
The veteran kicker went 5-for-6 making an attempt discipline targets of 43 yards or extra. He missed from 47, but in addition hit from that distance and 50 yards away. Fourth-round rookie Chad Ryland stays the heavy favourite to win the beginning job, however Folk isn’t going away simply but.
Duds
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
The Patriots’ projected No. 1 receiver hardly regarded prefer it Monday, dropping one go throughout 1-on-1 drills and letting one other get batted away. He solely caught simply two of 4 passes in 11-on-11s intervals, with each incompletions ensuing from poor separation.
OT Sidy Sow
Rough day for the rookie.
Sow, a university guard, continues to play proper deal with in workforce intervals and received beat for 2 sacks. Perhaps even worse, he went 0-3 throughout particular person go rush. Due to varied accidents, he’s been repping because the Patirots’ second-team proper deal with, although it’s honest to marvel how for much longer that may final.
Offensive notes
- Let’s begin on the end. Jones led a pair of two-minute drills to nowhere on the finish of apply. The latter sequence went Stevenson run, DeVante Parker slant catch versus Jack Jones, a scramble, low incompletion to Parker and a sack.
- Jones’ preliminary two-minute drill additionally started with a run, then featured a profitable display screen go, Matt Judon sack, Hunter Henry catch within the flat, a second holding penalty on the offensive line, lengthy Mike Gesicki seize and incompletion to JuJu Smith-Schuster in a crowd.
- Inside the purple zone, Jones took a pair of sacks, hit Kendrick Bourne and J.J. Taylor on passes to the flat and overthrew Parker within the again nook of the tip zone round a run stuff.
- Jones’ higher completions principally got here in opposition to backups, together with Parker beating seventh-round rookie nook Isaiah Bolden for a 30-yard sideline bomb that was barely underthrown. He additionally discovered Gesicki on a deep crosser in opposition to Kyle Dugger.
- Until his two-minute drill, Zappe was even worse; getting intercepted on a deep ball supposed for Tyquan Thornton, having two passes batted on the line and misfiring badly on three different throws.
- His two-minute drill consisted of a brief run, Demario Douglas catch within the flat, poor throw to Gesicki, Pierre Strong display screen completion, Gesicki beating rookie linebacker Marte Mapu on a deep out, a quick-out completion to Bourne and Mack Wilson go breakup.
- The greatest quarterback information, although, got here courtesy of undrafted rookie Malik Cunnigham. In the spring, Cunningham informed reporters he was transformed to receiver full-time, however he went 4-of-7 in workforce drills as a passer.
- Cunningham additionally ripped off designed and spontaneous runs. His athleticism helped him hold a number of performs alive even when the offense struggled total, particularly in a single interval versus the beginning protection.
- Rhamondre Stevenson loved a lighter day, taking just a few hand-offs and catching one go throughout workforce intervals. Second-year backs Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong proceed to hold a lot of the load in coaching camp.
- Out huge, Bourne began his day with a drop in a 1-on-1 receiving drill and butter-fingering one other go in workforce drills. He completed sturdy, nonetheless, with two catches versus rookie nook Isaiah Bolden and one other pair in opposition to zone protection.
- Tyquan Thornton’s struggles seemingly haven’t any finish. He went 1-of-3 on targets in workforce intervals, together with a accomplished tunnel display screen and a fade thrown backup nook Shaun Wade simply blanketed within the purple zone.
- Sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas once more labored out of the slot with the highest offense and caught all three passes he noticed — though none got here from Mac Jones. Douglas as an alternative linked twice with Zappe and one other time with Cunningham.
- Douglas additionally beat Marcus Jones for a fourth time this summer time in 1-on-1s. His quickness and explosion is unparalleled among the many receivers.
- Quiet day for Hunter Henry, who snatched one go to the flat and one other on a decent finish display screen that probably would’ve been blown up earlier than the go was launched.
- Gesicki had one among his sharper practices of the summer time, reeling in three of 4 targets, together with intermediate throws from Jones and Zappe.
- The story alongside the offensive line stays the identical with pads or no pads: the go safety isn’t sturdy sufficient.
- With David Andrews again within the lineup, the highest unit went, from left to proper: Riley Reiff, fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi, Andews, Kody Russey and Conor McDermott.
- Top targets in workforce drills: Bourne 4/5, Gesicki 3/4, Smith-Schuster 2/4, Parker 2/4, Nixon 2/4, Douglas 3/3
- Drops: Bourne 2, Smith-Schuster
- 1-on-1 receiving drill winners: Douglas 2-0, Nixon 2-0
- 1-on-1 receiving drill losers: Smith-Schuster 0-2, Bourne 0-2
- 1-on-1 pass-blocking winners: James Ferentz 2-1, Conor McDermott 1-0
- 1-on-1 pass-blocking losers: Sidy Sow 0-3, Kody Russey 0-2, Atonio Mafi 0-1-1
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel throughout workforce intervals: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Chris Board, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Josh Uche, Marte Mapu and Anfernee Jennings, and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Jabrill Peppers, Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden and Ameer Speed.
- Interceptions: Marcus Jones
- Pass breakups: Jack Jones, Mack Wilson
- Would-be sacks: Team 2, Deatrich Wise 2, Matt Judon, Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy
- 1-on-1 protection drill winners: Christian Gonzalez 2-0, Jack Jones 1-1, Myles Bryant 1-1, Marcus Jones 1-1
- 1-on-1 protection drill losers: Rodney Randle Jr. 0-2, Shaun Wade 0-1
- 1-on-1 go rush winners: Daniel Ekuale 2-0, Keion White 2-1, Deatrich Wise 1-0-1, Josh Uche 1-0-1
- 1-on-1 go rush losers: Carl Davis 0-1
- The beginning protection has bested Mac Jones and Co. for 2 straight practices thanks virtually completely to its go rush.
- While the shortage of O-line expertise must concern, the depth of the Pats’ entrance seven — significantly with Matt Judon again — is spectacular.
- The Patriots pressured Jones and Zappe from all angles, with Godchaux and Guy flying up the center, Wise and Judon off the sting and Barmore and second-round rookie Keion White taking part in throughout the road.
- Barmore mesmerized along with his opening rep in 1-on-1 go rush, when he lifted second-year guard/heart Kody Russey off the bottom with a “counter hump” transfer he realized from learning tape of the late, nice Reggie White.
- Barmore’s emergence within the center may forestall groups from doubling Judon and/or Uche on the sides, safety techniques their teammates have adopted in apply.
- Daniel Ekuale, an inside pass-rushing specialist, swatted James Ferentz’s fingers away and burst by throughout one other notable 1-on-1 rep.
- Uche tried to energy by his opponents to blended leads to 1-on-1s. His breakout final yr was constructed on the counter strikes he’d developed off his patented velocity go rush.
- Judon didn’t take part in 1-on-1s or the opening 11-on-11 drills, however was a staple of the red-zone interval and two-minute drills in opposition to Mac Jones.
- Marcus Jones’ interception got here on a right-to-left deep put up throw Zappe supposed for backup receiver/particular teamer Raleigh Webb. The ball drifted again proper, the place Jones leapt and spun for it greater than 40 yards downfield earlier than making the catch.
- Jones noticed two different targets, solely one among which was accomplished. His roller-coaster camp has not offered any readability but whether or not he’s higher suited at nickelback, exterior nook or splitting time between each positions AKA the Myles Bryant mannequin.
- The Patriots’ beginning protection once more featured Jack Jones at exterior nook, one other indication his transient departure from apply final week hasn’t impacted his standing with the workforce.
- Backup security Joshuah Bledsoe, who starred on Sunday, was overwhelmed for 3 catches.
- The defensive backs wore mitts for the preliminary workforce intervals to stop them from committing holding and/or go interference penalties.
Special groups
- While Folk went 5-of-6 on his discipline aim makes an attempt, rookie kicker Chad Ryland didn’t try a single kick.
- Folk’s final try, his profitable 50-yarder, was made with out a stay rsh.
- The Patriots drilled kick returns, with Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden and Demario Douglas again deep.
Extra factors
- Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla visited with Bill Belichick throughout apply. Mazzulla additionally traveled to Foxboro final summer time earlier than his promotion to interim head coach.
- The Patriots will maintain their subsequent apply on Tuesday at 1 p.m., their final earlier than Thursday’s preseason opener versus Houston.
Source: www.bostonherald.com