PostGame Thread REACTIONS: Preseason Game 1: NE vs HOU

[TheRainMaker]

I had a question on a call in the game. Isn't an illegal shift a pre-snap penalty? If so, how can there be an offsetting defensive hold?

It’s not a pre snap penalty. Refs call it after the play.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

First preseason game is like an extension of training camp: No scheming, vanilla plays, and the guys who are playing are more about individual evaluation than trying to find the right combinations and put them in the best place to succeed. With that in mind, what I think we learned is:

- The OL (other than McDermott) were all guys likely to be inactive on gameday when everyone else is healthy. But we learned that, individually, they don't hold up. That said, put ONE of them on a line with four legitimate starters, then add actual schemed offensive plays, and the results will probably be different. But until we see that happen, I don't blame anyone for throwing up in their mouths a bit.

- Keion White belongs in this league. He's got the tools and the attitude to be a disruptive defender. Hopefully he keeps building on that.

- Malik Cunningham is VERY gifted athletically. I'm not going overboard on him until I see him play against some better competition and see him running more traditional plays. He can beat 3rd/4th stringers on designed QB draws, but dude almost had his head ripped off one of his first runs. I want to know he can stay a bit more clean and still be productive. Still, fun to watch!

- Not going to get on the other QB's too much because the OL was a sieve, but McSorely just doesn't look the part. Zappe was "fine" under the circumstances.

- I only remember Russey and Davis leaving with injury. Hopefully they were the only ones and they're back soon. OL depth needs all the dice rolls it can get, and Davis (when healthy, which admittedly has been rare) is a decent space eater on running downs. All in all though, not a terrible day injury wise, which is the most important thing for preseason game 1.

Great post.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Looks fine for a backup. Didn't turn the ball over, had a nice completion percentage.

I meant more for the "start zappe!" Crowd that has dominated this board. He didn't do anything particularly "bad" like fumbles and picks. But he didn't exactly do anything amazing other than check down and "not" throw picks

Well he did basically the same thing Mac would have done if he played with the same weapons and the same OL. I would add that on some of those pressure Mac would have bailed much sooner than Zappe.

I saw guys open

I saw plenty of guys open last year too when Mac couldn’t throw to them.

I mean come on, Zappe shouldn’t start over Mac and he won’t but can we be fair a little. Nothing Zappe could’ve have done last night behind that OL without better weapons. They couldn’t even run the ball. As soon as the hand off was made there was already multiple Houston players in the backfield.

 

[DaBruinz]

Not one starter from Houston last year on Defense played last night. Look it up yourself.

Texans 20-9 Patriots (Aug 10, 2023) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots NFL game from August 10, 2023 on ESPN. Includes all passing, rushing and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

You didn't do a vey good job looking:
Jalen Pitre - Starting Safety
Jonathan Greenard - Starting DL
Steve Nelson - Starting CB
Desmond King II - Starting FS
Christian Harris - Starting LB

 

[Patsfan1958]

I posted this in another thread yesterday but it seems relevant to this thread as well.

 

[DaBruinz]

Bill spent a 4th round pick on Sow who they could have probably had as an UDFA with this profile


"Missing the fundamentals"... oof.

Bill or whoever the next GM is... it's time to start paying up for real talent up front not invest picks or $ for projects.

*SMH* Nothing like parsing a statement and completely missing the point SB1. Extended block sustainment is where he's missing the fundamentals and body control. That's just ONE aspect of being an O-linemen. Not to mention that they're moving Sow from OG to OT. So the kid is learning A LOT.

Claiming the guy woulda been a UDFA is ridiculous.

 

[1960Pats]

Always liked the kids grit and he was a sharp kid.

Pennington was available after the 2007 season and I was hoping the Pats would pick him up as Brady's backup. CP still wanted to be a starter though and he went to Miami. Things would have been different in 2008 with the Pats if I got my wish.

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[Lagaffe_07]

The starters, for the most part, did not play. The backups, for the most part, were playing. Reiff was not playing, McDermott was playing. Should be a clue. McDermott is a backup at best.

I am not sure Reiff is a starter. McDermott has been the RT with the starter for the majority of camp and Reiff was move to LT with Brown out. Why would you move your starting RT to LT to cover an injury. It doesn’t make sense. Instead of weakening one spot you are weakening two. I think Reiff is closer to done than being our starting RT.

Either way I don’t feel good with Reiff or McDermott to be honest.

 

[1960Pats]

I think it's a safe bet we won't be seeing any team go 7 for 7 on TD drives with no punts vs this defense.

I think you're right but I thought the same thing in 2021.

The key to the team's success seems to be the offense.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I am not sure Reiff is a starter. McDermott has been the RT with the starter for the majority of camp and Reiff was move to LT with Brown out. Why would you move your starting RT to LT to cover an injury. It doesn’t make sense. Instead of weakening one spot you are weakening two. I think Reiff is closer to done than being our starting RT.

Either way I don’t feel good with Reiff or McDermott to be honest.

I don't feel good about either as well. Anderson is supposed to be the backup LT but he is out with a mysterious illness, and they have not brought anyone else in. I think, maybe am hoping, that Anderson will be back soon and he was standing on the sidelines this week. Who moves to LT with Brown out? Rieff is the only one left, everyone else is a RT. Brown, Anderson, and Reiff are LT1, LT2, and LT3, in that order. So you move your LT3 over to play LT. What is better, a weaker LT and RT, or a stronger RT and a turnstile at LT? Not sure why you don't think it makes sense.

 

[PatsFan2]

Wasn't impressed with check down Zap at all last night I hope these QB's don't hold Tyquan back. Tyquan skill set works with a QB who can sling it down the field you're losing me Zap.

 

[Chevy]

Keion White looks like a MAN out there. He's all business and hits like a truck. When you consider that he's only been playing DL for a short time...wow. What a steal.

I only got to see the highlights, but it seems to me that the QB pursuit is a lot more disciplined. Instead of the mad dash, I saw White square up and make sure he covered the outside QB run before closing in.

 

[The Brandon Five]

One thing I noted about Zappe is his delivery is exactly the same as last season, he looks like he has to heave the ball with all his might to get it anywhere. I've seen commentary that he's working on adjusting his release to compensate for lack of height/batted balls at the LOS. But that seldom translates from practice (where it's consciously deliberate) to the heat of battle (where instincts/ingrained muscle memory take over). We saw this with Tim Tebow. In practice, Tebow threw perfectly because he was thinking about it but in games he unconsciously resorted to the same horrid throwing motion that eventually killed his NFL career.

Zappe throws about a quarter sidearm; his arm isn't very strong but his accuracy is reasonable, a la that ball to Thornton. He makes good decisions yet unfortunately, he isn't big or athletic enough to compensate with his feet when necessary. If Mac gets hurt again and Zappe is pressed into service for any length of time I'd wonder if pass blocking/drops, etc. would require adjusting to give him clearer passing lanes.

Of course, Cunningham is the kind of athlete that can make something happen when the offensive line is conducting Chinese fire drills. Excitement can be contagious, who knows what his potential might be.

Malik also made the best throw in the game, which Nixon dropped in the EZ.

 

[PatsFan2]

I think you're right but I thought the same thing in 2021.

The key to the team's success seems to be the offense.

And that's where the problem lies too many ???.

 

[1960Pats]

Hyperbolic panic mode enabled...

It was game one of preseason, did some offensive linemen get beat... I'm sure, I'd have to go back and watch the tape. But it wasn't just a case of the offensive line stinking up the joint, the offense as a whole was disjointed.

On the very first drive, on the final play Zappe dropped back to pass on third down and got swarmed. It wasn't simply that the line sucked, they left five guys in to block and the Texans brought a zero blitz, they brought everybody... only Zappe had no outlet receiver nearby. It was a poor play design or poor recognition by him.

This offense is in its infant stage, it's just learning how to walk... it's not ready to run yet. They have a lot of improving to do, the line, but especially the offense as a whole. The rookie linemen need these reps, this is how they learn and improve. No time to panic...

Exactly.

As the old saying goes, patience is a virtue.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

To follow up on this, not sure if posted anywhere else, but on the postgame show Mike Reiss said he spoke with Carl Davis in the locker room, who said he was fine.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Malik also made the best throw in the game, which Nixon dropped in the EZ.

Agreed. Nixon starts dropping passes in camp like last year. The kid has the skills to play in the league, but his eye-hand coordination is not great. I am afraid he will not make it.

 

[50-yard-line]

I only got to see the highlights, but it seems to me that the QB pursuit is a lot more disciplined. Instead of the mad dash, I saw White square up and make sure he covered the outside QB run before closing in.

And he was considered "raw," which is why he fell to round 2. That play you mention was a veteran-level read.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Lining up Keion White with Barmore, Wise, and Judon is going to be a nightmare for opposing offenses. Just Keion White by himself last night was a wrecking crew....considering our offense, we may see some interesting final scores in games such as the Patriots winning 2 to 0 or 5 to 0.