Game Day Thread Official Preseason Game Day Thread- Pats @ Eagles

[PScottman]

That is the best fundamentally Cam has looked as a Patriot. He still is what he's always been - a spectacular athlete playing quarterback - but this was demonstrably better than all of last season.

Soooo....my camp surprise cut....might just be James White (sorry fnord) - with Harris, Michel, Stevenson, and JJ all showing the ability to catch the only unknown left if pass protection.

DL (without their best technician - Guy) wasn't as good - 4.3 YPC 19 carries / 82 yards as they were against WFT, but encouraging signs (such as the 3d and 1 stuff) that when deployed as a unit (they played a bunch of new personnel combinations last night too) they will be improved from last year especially on the edge.

Ja'Juan Williams is gaining confidence. He's never going to be Gilmore, so why TF are we comparing him to Gilmore (who likely is just doing the sit out training camp thing, while 'there' to avoid the fines and will get a pay bump to start the season)? He's another big CB that needs to learn, like Browner did, to maximize his strengths (such as strength, rerouting WRs, clobbering them at the LOS, etc). He's starting to get that now. It's a skill set this team can really use BTW.

Speaking of CBs - JC Jackson (just realized we don't have a Jackson Five...we have a Jackson Two) simply erased the 'wunderkind' Smith a couple times last night. He's not quite a CB #1, but he's damn close.

Yes, last night was against #2s. Got it. Still have to execute fundamentals and ultimately, is it that much different than an SEC team beating Northwest Vermont Technical State University 342 to 3 in September? Work on fundamentals, get some confidence, and continue to shape the roster. I'd much rather the beat down to the alternative (i.e. "the Patriots starters had trouble with Eagles backups last night").

The Michel hate was strong around here last night. I've still never figured out the "some other team drafted so and so, henceforth I will always hate who my team drafted" approach to fandom.

 

[fightingirish595]

You talking about Florida/Bama? Either way, I was going to go to that game… until the school made masks mandatory for everyone in attendance. Masks in The Swamp in September, when that bowl can get up to 120? Hah. Good luck with that. Hope the hospitals have IV bags ready to go.

Florida Tennessee

 

[fnordcircle]

Soooo....my camp surprise cut....might just be James White (sorry fnord) - with Harris, Michel, Stevenson, and JJ all showing the ability to catch the only unknown left if pass protection.

I love JJ but keeping him over White would be like keeping Gant over McCourty.

 

[sb1]

Boy, are you a Patriots fan. Good lord, how anyone can watch that game and come away with "we learned nothing" is incredible. They executed well, both QBs were throwing darts and hitting the dart boar. The running game was in sync and executing beautifully. Judon is absurdly good. Winovich and Perkins looked good. Barmore looked strong in the middle. Heck, even JJ Williams played very well.

Just be happy.

And this idea that the Eagles weren't trying to compete...almost everyone on that field for them was fighting for their football life. Get out of here with that nonsense. The Patriots bullied the Eagles, plain and simple. Sure, many of their starters weren't in there, but that was a true beat down.

If you walk away from that game unhappy, I don't know what to tell you.

Read that Pats put up more yards last night than any NFL team has in a preseason game in 4 years. LOL

I feel like even in preseason Mac showing he might have the ability to elevate his offense around him and make them better than they actually are. We haven't had a QB like that in 19 long months. LOL. Sure they were playing backups but Mac was also on an offense full of backups and they still looked like they could beat a lot of teams. We haven't had an offense that can string together drives like Mac did in those same 19 months. Mac was throwing darts and showing that his arm isn't nearly as weak as advertised.

The running game depth is unreal. We'll find out in week 3 and especially week 4 how good the run game really is. If they can run on the Bucs....look out.

 

[Froob]

I love JJ but keeping him over White would be like keeping Gant over McCourty.

No way White is cut for JJ Taylor lol. White is the best utility back we've ever had. JJ is unproven in a few areas. There's a lot to the utility/passing back role.

 

[PScottman]

I love JJ but keeping him over White would be like keeping Gant over McCourty.

I don't disagree. It's only a surprise in the "year early rather than year late" motif. Ultimately the one thing White has over all of them is the "clutch" gene - cant teach it, cant coach it. You either have it or you don't.

But then I never thought they'd cut Lawyer Malloy when they did either.

 

[BTTA]

That was fun to watch.
Can anyone on the Pats catch a pass over the shoulder?! That and Nordin's reversal are the only concerns I'm left with.

 

[Kontradiction]

Hah. He **** his pants.

 

[Kontradiction]

That was fun to watch.
Can anyone on the Pats catch a pass over the shoulder?! That and Nordin's reversal are the only concerns I'm left with.

Agholor and Bourne will get there. Bourne will be an interesting one to watch once he gets the offense fully digested. He is explosive in and out of his cuts.

 

[ashley]

Good performance by Wino last night, the O line, our two QB's, Rb's, defense...pretty much everyone except Nordin. lol.....

 

[Le Numéro Douze]

Read that Pats put up more yards last night than any NFL team has in a preseason game in 4 years. LOL

I feel like even in preseason Mac showing he might have the ability to elevate his offense around him and make them better than they actually are. We haven't had a QB like that in 19 long months. LOL. Sure they were playing backups but Mac was also on an offense full of backups and they still looked like they could beat a lot of teams. We haven't had an offense that can string together drives like Mac did in those same 19 months. Mac was throwing darts and showing that his arm isn't nearly as weak as advertised.

The running game depth is unreal. We'll find out in week 3 and especially week 4 how good the run game really is. If they can run on the Bucs....look out.

What impressed me the most last night was Mac's poise. That 3rd and long play during his first series was just so good. He stayed calm, stepped up in the pocket at the right moment and delivered a dart... from his own end zone, to gain the first down. I know it was preseason, but it was a very high-level play. Those are the kind of plays that can win/lose you a game. Get sacked there and you give up points. Incomplete? You punt from your own end zone and likely give up points.

I am no expert and I know Mac is not Fields in terms of athleticism, but I do not think he is as immobile as a Brady or a Manning. He moves well in the pocket, he has great awareness and he can escape if needed. Won't gain you 20 yards with his legs out of no where, but he'll take what is there. Same with his arm strength... it seems more than fine to me. That deep throw to Harry was a thing of beauty, too bad Harry could not complete the catch. He might not be as good as an athlete as the guys picked before him, but he seems to have the mental aspects of the position nailed down. The ceiling might be a little lower than some, but the floor is VERY VERY VERY high. People love the dual threat QBs, I get that, but I still prefer a guy like Jones... unless you get a guy like Rodgers or Mahomes who can do both.

I do not know what BB will decide to do, but I know that we have a solid QB of the future.

 

[farn]

Despite limited competition, I think the game showed some of what I’m hoping for the season : good OL, good RBs, good D.

With Folk’s return (hopefully) and Bailey and the ST aces likes Bethel & Slater, these are the ingredients for a VG team.

Solid QB play is a bonus and would be the difference between “going to the playoffs” and “having success in the postseason”.

 

[Ring 6]

Well what would he have to do for you to consider he did a good job, go 9-9. Have you seen even ONE of the bouncers he was doing last season. His decisions have been quicker over the last 2 weeks. His throws have real velocity AND accuracy. People wanted to stone him for his alleged "hospital ball" in practice, did anyone praise him for the non-hospital ball to Meyers. Evidently the strategy is to ignore anything he does well and just wait for a mistake and dwell on it.

Forget about last season, he sucked and we all know it. But recognize there were legitimate circumstances that helped lead to that result, and if you can't see that under much better circumstances he has looked decent last week and improved THIS week. Hope fully the progression will continue week to week. Hell they haven't even implemented Cams run offence yet.
'
QB was a really big shadow that loomed over the Pats chances for a good season. By ANY measure a lot of that "shadow" is being uncovered to the point where QB play and depth can be a real strength to the offense regardless of who plays. Be happy about that. You don't have to tear someone down in order to build another guy up.

You didn’t answer my question.
And yes he did suck last year, because that’s who he is. 4 drives in preseason games against defenses missing many starters and not game planning at all doesn’t change that.
I think we have a misunderstanding or 2.
First, of course he isn’t incapable of making any plays. I’m not surprised he made a few. I also wasn’t surprised he threw to his first read on 3rd and 7 when the guy was 5 yards downfield moving laterally and double teamed. The problem is that he cannot consistently play the position well enough for the team to have a legitimate passing offense and we can’t win with that. Hoping he is a different player in his 11th year because he put together a good drive or 2 is silly.
Secondly I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish with your last statement. I am assessing players. You seem to think there is something personal about it and I do not understand that. We both want the team to win don’t we?

 

[Ring 6]

What impressed me the most last night was Mac's poise. That 3rd and long play during his first series was just so good. He stayed calm, stepped up in the pocket at the right moment and delivered a dart... from his own end zone, to gain the first down. I know it was preseason, but it was a very high-level play. Those are the kind of plays that can win/lose you a game. Get sacked there and you give up points. Incomplete? You punt from your own end zone and likely give up points.

I am no expert and I know Mac is not Fields in terms of athleticism, but I do not think he is as immobile as a Brady or a Manning. He moves well in the pocket, he has great awareness and he can escape if needed. Won't gain you 20 yards with his legs out of no where, but he'll take what is there. Same with his arm strength... it seems more than fine to me. That deep throw to Harry was a thing of beauty, too bad Harry could not complete the catch. He might not be as good as an athlete as the guys picked before him, but he seems to have the mental aspects of the position nailed down. The ceiling might be a little lower than some, but the floor is VERY VERY VERY high. People love the dual threat QBs, I get that, but I still prefer a guy like Jones... unless you get a guy like Rodgers or Mahomes who can do both.

I do not know what BB will decide to do, but I know that we have a solid QB of the future.

Jones liked REALLY good last night. I am 100% confident he can take over right now. Yes there will be bumps but he has command of the offense, he is decisive, he throws the ball accurately.
They need to get him on the field week 1 and then they need to give him a game plan to ramp up his play. Start out run heavy, screen heavy, use play action. Let him get comfortable by throwing a little less than normal but creating situations where he has easy reads and safe throws. Then ramp it up. Let game situation and down and distance determine when you start opening up and cutting him loose.

 

[ashley]

Other than the Seattle game last year, I thought Cam looked better than he ever has since joining our team. Mac continues to impress me. His poise, the way the offense runs, the fluidity it has when he is in there and also I was very impressed with his arm strength. The two passes that stood out to me were the bomb to Harry and the rifle to Gunner.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Mac is now the highest graded rookie QB PFF has recorded in the preseason.

 

[Kontradiction]

If the ones play, I seriously hope we see Mac play with them next week. Otherwise, it seems pretty obvious that BB, unfortunately, still considers Cam the starting QB. At least for the time being.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Triumph]

Per Fakebook

The Pats vs Eagles game began with Eagles fans booing the Patriots.

The game ended with Eagles fans booing the Eagles.

 

[Sicilian]

All of the following comments acknowledge that Philly didn't play a lot of starters. There was still a lot to enjoy about this win (I mean, who doesn't take joy from a 35-0 blowout regardless of circumstance? Hootenannies, that's who.).

Both QBs looked GREAT. I think we can all agree that Newton needs to do consecutively before we say "this is the new Cam" but if you can't objectively look at his performance in this game and say it was good, you're bringing a pre-determined opinion into the equation. Mac is the future, but Cam played well in THIS game. There's nothing wrong with saying that.

All the RBs look good as well. Stevenson will get an earful for the fumble, but every player made positive plays. With Harry likely out now, meaning Wilkerson (who plays some ST) has a good shot at making the roster, I wonder if Bolden becomes the odd man out. I have a hard time cutting any of these guys right now. Also, Michel looks much more comfortable in the passing game which is huge. He could take over something closer to the Burkhead role this year.

JJ Williams didn't look out of place with the 1's. Not a guy you want out there all the time or against every matchup, but he actually held his own against Smith on a few routes who, while a rookie, is no doubt physically gifted enough that you'd assume Williams would get torched. Good step for him.

Winovich has a place on this team.

Barmore looked good in his first action. Was in on some run stops, and was at least around the QB on a couple pressures. Keep building kid.

I'm happy for Langi and Colbert getting INTs, fun moments for those guys. But I don't see either making the 53. MAYBE Langi if there are more injuries to the LB group.

On that front, hopefully Uche is okay.

All of Nordin's misses looked identical: Pushed to the right. I'm not versed enough in kicking mechanics to know if that's a good thing (something identifiable and correctable) or a bad thing (kid's got the Bangkok loonies now). But I'd feel a lot better if we knew why Folk was missing so much time...