I know most of us came out of Friday’s preseason game with a bland taste in our mouths but after reviewing the film of the game, I’m feeling pretty good actually. That’s usually the case, especially in games that get overreacted to. My favorite example being the 2014 Chiefs blowout, which showed up in film review as just a game of bad fundamentals, something that is often quickly fixed.
It’s clear who the 2018 Patriots are now. And while there are still some questions toward the bottom of the roster, the top lines of the offense, defense and special teams have taken shape. Yes, even without adding another huge name wide receiver.
It’s impossible to know how the health of the team will hold up. So far so good. If they stay healthy no one can tell me this isn’t a Super Bowl roster. As always things will remain a work in progress but all the elements are there. Now it’s just a matter of bringing them all together under an actual gameplan and executing. There will be steps forward and steps back, but the aim of this team is the same as it’s ever been under Bill Belichick.
Here’s what jumped out in the film review against the Panthers.
— I was again nice to see Phillip Dorsett catching the ball cleanly with his hands and making plays with his speed. I can’t believe how little discussion Dorsett is getting. Not to say that it should be all praise and excitement, he really hadn’t shown up until this game. But he’s going to be a huge part of the offense right out of the gate, likely playing close to every snap with Chris Hogan. There’s not a question in a my mind that the Patriots see Dorsett-Hogan-Edelman as the preferred top trio of receivers in the 2018 season. They are not going to go out and sign anyone to replace Dorsett’s planned role at this point. So discussion of him, of his promise, the kind of receiver he is and what he may or may not add to the offense is far more interesting and pertinent than debating Demaryius Thomas‘ fit (which just seems stupid to me considering how soft he is).
— Yes, there were blown coverage and blown contains by the defense, but pieces are all there, if not playing in total conjunction with each other just yet. Hightower looks as mobile as I can ever remember. Danny Shelton combined with Lawrence Guy has given them more beef in the middle. The young front-end guys are still learning, and containing a mobile QB like Newton challenges even the best defenses. The games that they were playing up front were just a bit off and allowed Newton to get out of the pocket. Still, on the plays where everyone did their job, things looked clean and promising.
— Cordarrelle Patterson won’t be an every-down receiver but he’s going to come on in special packages and cause problems. The Pats have shown enough end-around, gadgety stuff to get the word out that they have plans with Patterson and defenses will have to account for him. He had some nice catches and showed good hard-nosed running to get to the first down marker on one. He’ll have some drops and miscues in the regular season like he did in this one, but his overall value will be significant to the Pats even if he’s not a go-to X-receiver.
— I was even more impressed by how healthy and strong Cyrus Jones looked in the rewatch. He looked like a player knowing this might be his last chance. His play was the most pleasant surprise of the game for me. As I said in the Posits after the game, if he can be a factor in the slot and return game he could be close to a roster lock, especially because he looks further along than Jonathan Jones does.
— How the defensive packages are shaping up:
- Regular : Flowers, Guy, Shelton, Clayborn — Hightower, Roberts, Van Noy
- Nickel Rush: Wise, Flowers, Butler, Clayborn – Hightower, Van Noy
- Four DB: Gilmore, Rowe, McCourty, Chung
- Big Nickel: Gilmore, Rowe, McCourty, Chung, Harmon
- Small Nickel: Gilmore, Rowe, C. Jones, McCourty, Harmon
The guys on the edges of being part of the gameplan are Derek Rivers, Malcom Brown and perhaps Jason McCourty. Outside of those names I’m not sure there are plans to play anyone else in a significant defensive role, though expect Ju’Whaun Bentley to get rotated in.
— Right now a big question is what the 11 personnel (3 WR) package looks like weeks one to four. Is Patterson that ready? Or will they lean more on the two tight end sets? I’d expect Allen-Gronk, Hogan-Dorsett with Burkhead to be the out-of-the-gate package. That can shift heavier with Develin-Hill, or using Jacob Hollister in a slot role to balance out Patterson-Dorsett.
— Elandon Roberts moved to the outside in the second half as Bentley got a look inside. Love when these two play together because I wonder which will be playing more a year from now. Seems like a great competition and they should push each other.
— I could honestly seem the Pats dangling Malcom Brown as trade bait and giving Vincent Valentine the third DT spot. He seems a better fit and always plays with a ton of effort anyway. Might get more for Brown now than next offseason when walks and it’s a compensatory pick.
