Patriots Daily News Thread Patriots practice 8/22/23

[Patsfan1958]

 

[Sicilian]

With the joint practices cancelled, are these ones still open to the media, or are we now starting the time period where we get an attendance report and then they close the doors?

 

[BTTA]

Up to now it hasn't mattered, but this is the week that the starting OL guys need to start showing signs of life, as in showing up for practice. Brown leaked in, now its time for our starting guards to do the same. Whoever is going to play RT needs practice time with them.

 

[long distance]

#1 question for the week is if - no matter the OL inj situation - the Sow starting RT experiment continues
it looked ugly in a game vs GB

i was all for this experiment - more as a hail marry considering alternatives - but after the other night i have to give it to Brandon Thorn who was very sceptical about this experiment at least in year one.

he looked like he played on roller skates, no anchor, jumping like a bunny, looked strangely undersized as well due to lack of poise and tech..
had a great rep on a goal line TD run but most of the game he looked worse than McDermott if thats possible. At least the later one has size (plus some experience) people have to go around him but with Sow they just ran through him.

Reiff looked solid at RG so another interesting thing to monitor is if they keep him there or move back to RT?

From what ive seen there is only one lineup that id consider solid for NE in ideal scenario:

Brown - Strange - Andrews - Reiff - Onwenu

This would also give perfect spots for young IOL backups: Sow (LG/RG), J.Andrews (C), Mafi (RG/LG) and Anderson, McDermott backing up T.

Unfortunately there are lots of IFs attached to this scenario - not only injuries - but for whatever the reasons the reluctance or even plain stubbornness of NE staff..

-.-

 

[BTTA]

#1 question for the week is if - no matter the OL inj situation - the Sow starting RT experiment continues
it looked ugly in a game vs GB

i was all for this experiment - more as a hail marry considering alternatives - but after the other night i have to give it to Brandon Thorn who was very sceptical about this experiment at least in year one.

he looked like he played on roller skates, no anchor, jumping like a bunny, looked strangely undersized as well due to lack of poise and tech..
had a great rep on a goal line TD run but most of the game he looked worse than McDermott if thats possible. At least the later one has size (plus some experience) people have to go around him but with Sow they just ran through him.

Reiff looked solid at RG so another interesting thing to monitor is if they keep him there or move back to RT?

From what ive seen there is only one lineup that id consider solid for NE in ideal scenario:

Brown - Strange - Andrews - Reiff - Onwenu

This would also give perfect spots for young IOL backups: Sow (LG/RG), J.Andrews (C), Mafi (RG/LG) and Anderson, McDermott backing up T.

Unfortunately there are lots of IFs attached to this scenario - not only injuries - but for whatever the reasons the reluctance or even plain stubbornness of NE staff..

-.-

Agree in general, and that's certainly one option. Onwenu is all-star quality at guard and (I think?) average quality at OT, so we'd be weakening one position to strengthen another. Might still be the best bet, at least for a while.
I suspect that what looks like reluctance or stubbornness to us is the result of them having more information, experience, and wisdom than all of us combined.

 

[Wozzy]

#1 question for the week is if - no matter the OL inj situation - the Sow starting RT experiment continues
it looked ugly in a game vs GB

i was all for this experiment - more as a hail marry considering alternatives - but after the other night i have to give it to Brandon Thorn who was very sceptical about this experiment at least in year one.

he looked like he played on roller skates, no anchor, jumping like a bunny, looked strangely undersized as well due to lack of poise and tech..
had a great rep on a goal line TD run but most of the game he looked worse than McDermott if thats possible. At least the later one has size (plus some experience) people have to go around him but with Sow they just ran through him.

Reiff looked solid at RG so another interesting thing to monitor is if they keep him there or move back to RT?

From what ive seen there is only one lineup that id consider solid for NE in ideal scenario:

Brown - Strange - Andrews - Reiff - Onwenu

This would also give perfect spots for young IOL backups: Sow (LG/RG), J.Andrews (C), Mafi (RG/LG) and Anderson, McDermott backing up T.

Unfortunately there are lots of IFs attached to this scenario - not only injuries - but for whatever the reasons the reluctance or even plain stubbornness of NE staff..

-.-

Based on one sack of Mac where he had 5 seconds to make a throw and didn’t?

Mac made 8 other throws and Sow didn’t give up a pressure. He stuck around after Mac exited and Zappe was untouched. Rhamondre averaged almost 7 yards a carry and his lone TD came running off tackle behind Mafi and Sow.

Sow played well beyond one third and long sack where a starting defender made a great play. He’s a rookie, it’s not going to look perfect all the time, but saying he has played poorly is complete fiction.

 

[Family]

We can continue the Sow discussion forever.

I thought he looks off balance nearly all the time on passing, and that in a real NFL game, Sow will get chewed up.

He appears to be a quality run blocker, so I think he's an NFL starter, just not ever at the tackle position, except for maybe a few scattered games.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I suspect that what looks like reluctance or stubbornness to us is the result of them having more information, experience, and wisdom than all of us combined.

This is correct. Not to pump BB, but the coaching staff thinks Onwenu belongs at RG. But PatsFans keeps putting Onwenu at RT. I can't explain it, but the Pats coaches all seem to agree that Onwenu is a RG. It is not reluctance. That is their professional wisdom, understand it or not.

 

[BTTA]

We can continue the Sow discussion forever.

I thought he looks off balance nearly all the time on passing, and that in a real NFL game, Sow will get chewed up.

He appears to be a quality run blocker, so I think he's an NFL starter, just not ever at the tackle position, except for maybe a few scattered games.

And it'll go on until he's been provided adequate time to learn how to pass block as an NFL OT, making the transition from college guard. There isn't any reason why he would be good at it at this point. So we wait and see. If he's going to get good at it, it'll probably be later in the year, or next, before that happens.

 

[Zuma]

All I care about today is who was a full participant in practice and who wasn’t. Maybe we won’t find out… but hope we do.

 

[Sciz]

With the joint practices cancelled, are these ones still open to the media, or are we now starting the time period where we get an attendance report and then they close the doors?

“Beginning the first day of preseason training camp through Thursday, August 24, all daily practices must be open in their entirety to local media.”

NFL Media Access Policy | PFWA

2023 NFL Media Access Policy (PDF Version) Reasonable cooperation with the news media is essential to the continuing popularity of our game. The Media Access Policy is reviewed and updated annually and remains standard operating procedure: 1. POST-GAME ACCESS – After a reasonable waiting...

www.profootballwriters.org

 

[mike_usagisan]

With the joint practices cancelled, are these ones still open to the media, or are we now starting the time period where we get an attendance report and then they close the doors?

I believe it's the second, where they close the doors. But generally we get some reports afterward.

 

[p8ryts]

We can continue the Sow discussion forever.

I thought he looks off balance nearly all the time on passing, and that in a real NFL game, Sow will get chewed up.

He appears to be a quality run blocker, so I think he's an NFL starter, just not ever at the tackle position, except for maybe a few scattered games.

At this point all the RT candidates seem to be for effective run blockers and have the same weakness against a quicker pass rusher. Rieff and McDermott are unlikely to get better at handling speed rushers. Sow has the potential to improve in that aspect so I would expect the Pats to continue putting him out there and I support that approach. Can't consider Anderson until you at least see him in a uniform.

 

[Love The Drake]

I see Schuster and Douglas being those hot reads for Mac two step drop boom 6 to 8 yd pass.

 

[Love The Drake]

I see Schuster and Douglas being those hot reads for Mac two step drop boom 6 to 8 yd pass.

I think Mac has a really good release just needs to either stop over trusting his line, I can imagine when guys are being shuffled in and out as well as strength of a opponent it’s easier said than done.

I am rooting for Mac we can’t take away what he did at Alabama even with a stacked squad.
We can’t discount his physical transformation when people thought he has a beer belly.
We can’t discount how accurate his placement of the football is.
We can’t ignore how much his teammates openly praise and support him.
Let’s go Mac.

I almost picked him up as a 3rd QB in my one league but I went Steelers defense to alternate with the Patriots defense instead.

Pats fans forgive me I went Tua and love as my 2 QBs.

 

[Sicilian]

I see Schuster and Douglas being those hot reads for Mac two step drop boom 6 to 8 yd pass.

I know this will sound weird given our conversation about Bourne yesterday (I swear I like the kid!), but he's good at those routes too. I could see a slant to Bourne being a staple hot read for Mac this year.

 

[n1997y]

I know this will sound weird given our conversation about Bourne yesterday (I swear I like the kid!), but he's good at those routes too. I could see a slant to Bourne being a staple hot read for Mac this year.

How about a simple slant to Boutte? I’d think anything that gets him the ball in open space could be dangerous.

 

[Sicilian]

How about a simple slant to Boutte? I’d think anything that gets him the ball in open space could be dangerous.

Agreed, also because he's a bigger body, which helps box out a defender if they're playing him tighter. Someone like Douglas is great in space but if he's pressed you're not going to hit him on a quick slant. Boutte could, in theory. It'll be really interesting to see how these roles/snaps all play out if everyone is healthy.

 

[Kasmir]

I think Mac has a really good release just needs to either stop over trusting his line, I can imagine when guys are being shuffled in and out as well as strength of a opponent it’s easier said than done.

I am rooting for Mac we can’t take away what he did at Alabama even with a stacked squad.
We can’t discount his physical transformation when people thought he has a beer belly.
We can’t discount how accurate his placement of the football is.
We can’t ignore how much his teammates openly praise and support him.
Let’s go Mac.

I almost picked him up as a 3rd QB in my one league but I went Steelers defense to alternate with the Patriots defense instead.

Pats fans forgive me I went Tua and love as my 2 QBs.

Mac actually has a quick release; he was either tied for 1st (time to pass or pressure) or at worst 10th (time to release) in the league last year.

Those who doubt that can do their own homework if they don't believe me.

 

[Zuma]