PATRIOTS NEWS Patriots / Vikings Joint Practice - Aug. 14, Day 2

[Triumph]

High variance TC with the Vikings

Me thinks yesterday they were coming a bit overconfident bc they are the better team, and we showed up big

This time, the opposite, since we "won" yesterday, they wanted some payback and maybe we were thinking too highly of ourselves

Really sucks that again we might not see Starters vs Starters Saturday. We need as much as repetitions as we can, our team is too young or new everywhere

According to one of the Vikings boards, no Vikes starters will play in the preseason games.

 

[signbabybrady]

Why can't you have patience? You've been a football fan long enough to know that the O-line takes the LONGEST to gel. Especially when you have any rookies on it, Let alone 2. And 4 new starters.

You being frustrated about the O-line having a bad day against one of the top 5 D-lines in the league isn't justified, honestly.

Claiming that no LG has emerged when Wilson has emerged speaks volumes.

I'm not fan of Elliot Wolf, but your expectations are the issue right now.

Our 6th best OL appears to be a rookie too.

 

[Triumph]

I’m saying the OL will be better than last year which is not a high bar.

My expectation is 8-10 wins, which could be a playoff team, but might not be. It’ll be a thin margin. If they make it in, they probably won’t go far, but that’s fine.

I agree with you.

Maye has not looked sharp at all. The 2025 Pats OL will face the premier pass rushers in the NFL - Max Crosby, TJ Watt, Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson. Plus guys like Brian Burns who fly under the radar. There is going to be highs and lows, but the good thing is that the other teams will have them too.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

You don’t understand, the rookie LT who has never played in an NFL game giving up a sack versus a top 5 DE in the league means he’s a complete and total bust, FOREVER

Pretty sure no one said that.

This is Ashley level dramatic.

Is this the “we’re back to no one can ever be critical or objective” board?

I can adapt if so but y’all have to tell us the situation.

I don’t believe Campbell is a LT.

I believe he’ll be a terrific guard.

But they have no LT so the kid’s being selfless.

It’s not that deep.

 

[JohnJH]

If your starters are Campbell, Wilson, Bradbury, Onwenu, Moses...

Your backup LT is either Jacobs or Lowe; your backup LG is either Wallace or Strange; your backup C is probably Brown; your backup RG is I don't know, probably Sow, but he's been hurt; your backup RT is probably Bryant.

If the backup RG is Sow but he needs more time, they may keep Wallace and Strange with Strange being the temporary backup RG and also third C. Once Sow is healthy, they may have other injuries to contend with, but if they don't, they may cut Strange and put him on the PS. Strange's deal this year is guaranteed anyway so little reason for him to leave mid-season.

Barring injury, Bryant is looking like he's at least going to be our Swing Tackle. And if he continues to improve, he could be the long term answer at RT when Moses retires, Etc.

 

[patfanken]

Here is what I see that:

Jonathan Allen (vikings #93) starts on the Bradbury's Left shoulder, but moves to the Bradbury's right shoulder almost immediately. Bradbury is actually positioned as if to wall off Allen going to the right instead of being squared up. Bradbury's first step is back with his left foot and is immediately out of position to handle Allen's move.

Blake Cashman #51 looks to be lined up opposite Jacobs, but, at the snap moves as if he's going to stunt around Allen, only to cut back towards Jacobs Moses. Onwneu looks like he's initially going to take Cashman, sees Cashman move as if too stunt, so he move's to take Allen, but backs up too much, having fallen for Cashman's fake.

Hooper full turns and engages with Dallas Turner, but let's him go, not realizing that Cashman faked stunting inside and is still coming at Jacobs Moses.

Jacobs Moses is left hanging as to whether or not to engage Cashman or move out to Turner. That's why he was late picking Turner up.

To me, the issue starts with Bradbury's stance telegraphing what he's going to do blocking wise. Which throws off Onwenu's actions and then Jacobs Moses.

I would love @patfanken to weigh in because, to me, that seems like screw-ups by Bradbury and Hooper since Hooper should be aware of the rusher opposite Jacobs Moses and that he's likely to be tied up..

EDIT: Corrected for the proper OT in the picture.

Thanks for the excellent description, and I hope I do it justice with my response.

Without seeing it my self, I don't think my response would be much different if I did. You probably are correct in your individual comments on the mistakes being made. My solution, while simplistic, is probably the correct one.

To quote a Viking all pro DE, "Reps man, they need reps". It's a new offense, new language, all new players playing together for the first time. Regardless of the individual talent an OL is a UNIT and not just individuals, each playing one on one.

In your description you gave a good description of all the movement and things that occur in a single play. And its a LOT of ****. The thing that worries me most right now are not the individual players, but are they going to get enough LIVE reps against challenging defenses to develop the cohesion that is necessary to become a solid OL capable to power an offense?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question, for me, is NO. At least not to the ceiling we have for this group. Maybe it's not just that this has been "camp cake". Perhaps even the boot camps of old wouldn't be enough reps to do the job. Like most things it's a "process" and must run it's course, and it's the staff's job to minimize the damage while the learning process occurs.

It is what it is, etc. So when it looks bad some games we just have to take it and hope that it is just a bump in the road that we have to overcome. EVERY good team overcomes MULITIPLE bouts of adversity over the course of a season.

If I can infer from the stats I read. Maye dropped back 22-24 times and Campbell allowed 2 sacks and a pressure against good talent and complex looks. When you think on it, that doesn't suck really You want it to be better, but for the 2nd time out. Let's see how the actual game goes. Ideally I'd like to see Mike give the starters at least 3 series.

 

[Ross12]

Pretty sure no one said that.

This is Ashley level dramatic.

Is this the “we’re back to no one can ever be critical or objective” board?

I can adapt if so but y’all have to tell us the situation.

I don’t believe Campbell is a LT.

I believe he’ll be a terrific guard.

But they have no LT so the kid’s being selfless.

It’s not that deep.

I am posting as an individual.

 

[KCSVEN]

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I am posting as an individual.

Fair enough.

 

[captain stone]

Chism having his best day of Camp so far.

Edit: Is this not playing for some reason?

At least Hollins knows how to pick a defender while still looking enough like he's waiting to make a catch.

 

[Ring 6]

Directionally fair but…guessing you said that before last season too.

I knew Mayo was trash after his press conference.

I knew that O line wasn’t NFL quality it training camp.

I LOVE Vrabes and Josh.

But just don’t see much in the way of “upgrade” on the O line.

Love to be wrong.

I was the most anti Mayo poster on this board. Pretty much from day 1.

4 of the 5 starters have never played a down for the Patriots. Perhaps you let them play before you wrote them off and blame them for the play of last years OL.
Lowe doesn’t belong in the NFL and he was replaced by the consensus best LT in the draft.
Jacobs was worse and he is replaced by a long time quality starter in the league.
Wilson has earned a starting spot, and no one, literally no one, has had a bad thing to say about him. Last years LG didn’t belong in the NFL.
We replaced practice squad poach with a 5 year 80 game NFL starter.
If you don’t see upgrade you are lying or not too bright.

 

[Ring 6]

They have the LG for 2026.

Will Campbell.

He’ll be all pro IMO.

Brandbury is what he is…solid run blocker who can’t lass pro.

Pressure up the middle isn’t what you want.

Again, truly hope to be dead wrong.

Rarely am.

Campbell is the left tackle on this team, will be for years and will be a pro bowl caliber player. There is absolutely no reason to move him from his natural position

By my count you actually are wrong an awful lot.

 

[captain stone]

Chaisson was in coverage there, and that was awful, just clueless. No help from "Double-A" either.

 

[captain stone]

More crap from Mister Less-Than-Irrelevant.

 

[Ross12]

Fair enough.

I apologize if it seemed like I was chastising you. The pessimism just irritates me sometimes. I didn’t mean to give you crap.

 

[Ross12]

This is kinda funny. Bedard is normally “Mr Negative” but today he’s one of the few saying the Patriots did well. He says today was “a draw” but I’ve seen multiple other outlets with headlines like “Patriots LOSE BADLY”…

 

[mike_usagisan]

This is kinda funny. Bedard is normally “Mr Negative” but today he’s one of the few saying the Patriots did well. He says today was “a draw” but I’ve seen multiple other outlets with headlines like “Patriots LOSE BADLY”…

He might just be trying to counter that narrative, basically saying “It wasn’t that bad.”

 

[Ross12]

He might just be trying to counter that narrative, basically saying “It wasn’t that bad.”

Lmao. Could be. He tends to follow the beat of his own drum though, not necessarily a guy just trying to be contrarian.

 

[n1997y]

Yes, having as much speed as possible will instill fear and defenses and force them to respect it. Williams and Henderson i can see Josh having them both out there in a 2nd and 2 or 2nd and 4 situation Williams taking the coverage down field and or Henderson catching it out the backfield.

I can see Josh having to make that four hour phone call seeking medical assistance as he contemplates how to use them together.

And I’m fine with that.

 

[Ross12]

Yes, having as much speed as possible will instill fear and defenses and force them to respect it. Williams and Henderson i can see Josh having them both out there in a 2nd and 2 or 2nd and 4 situation Williams taking the coverage down field and or Henderson catching it out the backfield.

They’ve been scoring on wheel routes all camp. I think even Hollins and Chism ran wheel routes for scores… McDaniels loves that route. Henderson will eat on those big time