Another Patriots preseason game is upon us, and in Week 2 there’s a chance to build on everything that was revealed in the comeback victory of week 1. The team has since wrapped up practices that are open to the public as we continue to build up toward a regular season that is just a few weeks away.
Are you excited? You should be because the Patriots dynasty is very much alive. The end will suck and likely come suddenly, but until then all is still right with the world, just as it’s been for nearly the last two decades.
Again, this won’t be a usual gameplan because, well, there just aren’t gameplans in the preseason. Only a collection of simple schemes that give the coaching staff a sense of players when they have little other than their own skills to rely on. But what matters most is the fight in the team and there appeared to be no problems against the Redskins. Just the usual sloppy start followed by a stellar finish, done mostly by guys who will be looking for other jobs in a few weeks.
Here are five things to watch against the Eagles.
-
28-3 (34-28 Final on Back) T-Shirt
$25.00 – $27.50 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
28-3/34-28 Hoodie
$41.00 – $48.50 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Malcolm Go Tee
$20.00 – $25.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
The 28-3 Comeback Mug
$15.00 – $20.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
1. Ja’Whaun Bentley
Bentley shocked me against the Redskins as he did even those who have watched more training camp practices than I did. In fact, it was Christian Sam who appeared to be the best rookie linebacker, at least as far as the reps were going. Then Bentley exploded onto the scene in the first preseason game, playing a variety of linebacker roles, grading out extremely well by PFF and continuing to get first-team reps this week in practice. For a player labeled simply as a “thumper”, Bentley showed great reaction time in his first NFL game look far quicker than I had ever hoped for. So now the question is, can he actually help this defense? Can he unseat Elandon Roberts as the top middle linebacker? Or at least be a viable rotational linebacker who isn’t a total liability in pass coverage? If he can do that he could really improve the defense in an area of critical need that the team didn’t appear to have a slam dunk improvement for this offseason. All eyes will be on Bentley, especially if/when he gets in the game during the first few series.
2. Eric Decker/Phillip Dorsett
I am hopeful we’re going to see Tom Brady in this one, and I’m really hoping he’s not wearing the new helmet he’s been trying out in practice. While I love the depth the Pats brought in at the receiver position over the last year, it’s time to start seeing some results or else I’m going to start worrying about the receiver position like Felger and Mazz want us all to so badly. The first guy is Dorsett, who has seemingly been a staple of the offense since early in camp. I’m not going to get too worried about his when Hoyer’s throwing him passes, because he’s had a bunch of nice grabs from Brady in camp. But we have to see it in a game. Decker has only been here a little over a week, but some kind of connection with Brady would really go a long way. Edelman and Hogan are known quantities and if Gronk’s still upright the Pats have solid Super Bowl contending pieces, but who are the third and fourth guys? Patterson will be a gadget and specialty guy, but it’s up to Decker, Dorsett or Britt, who can’t seem to get healthy enough for a full practice, to show they’re going to be contributors in the offense and not just along for the ride on the coattails of those who have already been doing it for a few seasons.
3. PUP’sters
Jonathan Jones and Cyrus Jones returned from the PUP list last week and have taken increasingly expanded roles in practice. Jonathan could step into the slot job where he played really well last year. Cyrus could snap up the punt return job, a positional competition that has lacked excitement to this point. Having no punt returns last week against the Redskins wasn’t helpful either. Cyrus is the most talented college punt returner on the roster, but that doesn’t mean much. Both need a splash play for the fans and coaches to take notice. There are roster spots there for the taking.
4. Ralph Webb
I hate to rain on the parade but despite Webb’s impressive performance last week, I remain unconvinced he can make the 53-man roster. There’s one spot up for grabs, not including Brandon Bolden who could be cut and re-signed like he was last year. Jeremy Hill has looked like a beast in camp, and despite battling an injury this week he still looks like an odds-on favorite to be the go-to running back when the season opens. Put it this way, Webb has to build on his performance this week and that’s going to be tough to do as he starts to face better defenses later in the game. Running wild over third stringers in the fourth quarter might get fans excited but it’s a loaded performance. I won’t completely shut the door on Webb due to the injury issues for Burkhead and now, Hill, that have popped up, along with the general ineffectiveness of Mike Gillislee, but he’s going to have to blow us all away once again, and this time do it in the first half.
5. Derek Rivers
I saw a lot of pieces this week about how good Derek Rivers looked against the Redskins but I thought he was just okay. He’s playing the hardest position on the Pats defense, the Trey Flowers-Ninkovich LDE spot that requires a hard edge, some pass coverage drops and pass rush. Rivers had his moments but a little rust is to be expected coming off an ACL tear, especially for a defensive end. If Rivers can build on that performance and develop into a solid rotational defensive end with Flowers, Clayborn and Wise, the Patriots will have restocked a position that was barren for much of last season.