Pretty good quick pre-game column from Jeff Howe
Howe: 5 things to watch for in Patriots preseason opener
- To summarize, don't expect Brady, Gronk, Cooks, Edelman or some other veterans to play since they got plenty of reps in the joint practices .
- That will in turn mean that Jimmy Garoppolo will receive plenty of reps - though it will unfortunately be without many starters.
- This is the first opportunity for rookies on defense (Wise, Rivers, Langi, A Butler, etc) to show what they can do under semi-real game conditions.
- OL: there's not enough room for both Waddle and Fleming, so both will likely be given extended playing time to help determine which one might make the roster.
- Kony Ealy and Cyrus Jones need to show more than they did last year.
- The new guys at TE, WR and RB, many of whom are on the bubble, get their first live action with the team.
