PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Can We Be Excited About 2018 Patriots Now?

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The Patriots’ preseason win over the Eagles was a different viewing experience for me as I got tied up down the cape on a beautiful and perfect day and had to listen to the first half in the car on the way home. I actually kind of enjoyed it. Obviously, Dan Roche and Matt Chatham know their stuff and are fun to listen to but it was also a bit of a throwback to the old days when catching a Patriots game didn’t always trump everything else. You’d tune into Gino and Gil as you ran your Sunday errands and the Pats *most likely* got toasted.

There was also no way to consume any kind of social media or worry about blogs, it’s was just old school football consumption and from the sounds of it, it was a bit of an old school win. Of course, I started re-watching the game as soon as I got home, eager to see how many of the impressive plays I’d heard actually looked, and it was every bit as delightful as it sounded.

Yes, I’m excited the defense was so disruptive, but let’s also remember that this was a far cry from that fearless gameplan offense we saw from the Eagles the last time these two teams met in Minnesota. The good news is that we can still feel good, and you can bet your five Super Bowl rings that Eagles fans definitely feel pretty miserable about being 0-2 in the preseason.

It feels like it will be hard for even the most negative Patriots fans to piss and moan about this one, which could possibly mean that the local narrative will become one that is excited about this Patriots team, instead of gleefully awaiting an internal soap opera to destroy the entire franchise from within.

But I’m sure they’ll do their best to keep fans angry and calling in about their trash takes.

Here are my rapid-fire notes on a preseason game that felt like it announced the 2018 Patriots’ presence.

— I have to start with Ja’Whaun Bentley who has exploded onto the scene after barely registering a blip on my radar in the camp practices I watched. Am I going to get overexcited about him? Absolutely. He was all over the place against the Eagles, culminating with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. That makes two defensive touchdowns in two preseason games for the defense, when they haven’t had one in a regular season game since 2015. Bentley did it all, looking active against the run, filling gaps hard and playing both in the two- and three-linebacker packages. He looks so quick in coverage which just gets me so hot and bothered I can’t even deal with it. I said all offseason that a mobile middle linebacker would be the easiest way to upgrade this entire defense. I’m not ready to say Bentley is for sure that guy, but what I do know is that he’s going to be an active rotational linebacker piece that they desperately needed. If he develops into a rangy impactful mike, this defense will be on the right track.

— The twitter docs felt like Isaiah Wynn might’ve torn his Achilles and really, injuries are all that truly matters in the preseason. It’s not a devastating blow as much it’s disappointing to potentially see the rookie’s season already over. The Patriots top line seems pretty set, and if Marcus Cannon can get (and stay healthy) they’ll be one of the best lines in the NFL with a combination of monstrous size and fluid athleticism. Wynn saw time at a number of spots on the line and it will still be unclear where exactly he’ll end up.

— So, the defense. Look, I get that it’s preseason, but for some reason they played like they had something to prove. Maybe that was the Super Bowl. Maybe it was just last week’s preseason game, but that’s as good a defensive first half-ish that we can expect at this point. We’ll just have to wait and see what Brian Flores’ defensive personality is, but I can say this — I love seeing him on the sideline, no offense to any of my fat bearded friends. Do you want a DC who inspires toughness and attititude? B-Flo fits the bill. And the fact that he’s sending actual blitzes (like Patrick Chung) in the preseason is a very good sign for an uptick in agression. Belichick still holds the keys as always, and he’s conservative with his rushes, but maybe Flores will have some leeway. I’ll say this though, regardless of blitzing, the Pats front personnel was just winning and when your front four wins, you don’t have to blitz.

— I’m not quite crushing on Derek Rivers like I am Bentley, but I’m officially on board with him as well. Rivers looked really strong once again. Wasn’t sure where he’d end up in the Pats defense but he looks like he can handle either defensive end spot which is really valuable, especially with Trey Flowers in a contract year. Rivers, along with Flowers, Adrian Clayborn, Dietrich Wise and Adam Butler should make for a far more potent front pass rushing four than anything the Pats could muster last year.

— That was just the kind of performance I didn’t want to see out of Phillip Dorsett. Missed deep connections, no catches in traffic. One catch on three targets. The Pats seem intent on making him the third WR with Hogan and Edelman, but as much as I try to talk myself into him I keep finding myself feeling like he’s one of those guys who looks the part, has all the measurables, works his ass off, but when it comes to actual games he just doesn’t have “it”. Someone out of Dorsett, Decker, Britt really needs to emerge.

— Cordarelle Patterson will be a utility/gadget player along with special teams ace, but we’ve seen far more out of him on offense than Dorsett this summer. I really hope Kenny Britt can get healthy and make a push. I think the team will need him, especially with Eric Decker struggling to catch the Hoyer-balls.

— Okay let’s talk about Tom Brady‘s new helmet. I wrote about his history of wearing other helmets here but he’s always come back to the original, the one that makes him look so badass with its low fit and old style. Welp, it looks like this one is here to stay and while it brings Brady into a more modern look it just doesn’t have that Hall of Fame look the original did. We’ll always look now at the Brady Ride or Die years as wearing this new helmet. The end of Brady will come while he’s wearing this helmet. I think that’s why it bothers me so much. Like your hair going gray or falling out, it’s a sign of age and of mortality and I don’t like it.

— Keionta Davis got a long look at defensive end last night with the “starters” but I didn’t see much of anything out of him. Always interesting when BB throws some rando into the fire with the big boys. Some, like Bentley, stand out and excel with better players around them. Others, like Davis, just don’t do much.

— If things go according to plan on the injury front, Jordan Richards should never play a defensive snap, but man has he become the punchline target of all Patriots nation, and deservedly so.

— Another game and still little clarity or excitement on the punt return front. McCarron had four punt returns for 15 yards. Blah.

Overall I feel like I have a pretty good sense of how the team is shaking out. So far, no critical injuries but there’s still two games and two weeks of practices to go. The defense is far deeper and while there are some roster questions at the mid-to-low range of defensive backs, it’s pretty clear who’s expected to play big roles and what the packages will look like.

Offensively there’s still some mystery. They can always lean on the 2-TE sets with Edelman out early. Expect Dwayne Allen and Jacob Hollister to be key pieces there. But who’s going to move the chains on third and long outside of Gronk? Hogan can’t do it alone. As it stands now I’d expect large doses of Jeremy Hill and James White. Burkhead was reported to have a “minor” tear in his knee by Jeff Howe. I didn’t know tears in a knee could be minor. I had a torn meniscus last year and damn, it sucked for six months.