PostGame Thread REACTIONS: Preseason Game 1: NE vs HOU

[Chevy]

If this team has ever needed him more, I cannot recall.

We must summon the Dikembe!

 

[Nunchucks]

Better than throwing INTs. Maybe his receviers could not get open. Shocking, I know...but I could not tell since the amazingly bad TV coverage was more concerned with Mayo's foot gear than analyzing the WR play.

I saw guys open

 

[Thunderhead]

OL will render the offense as a whole non functional against strong defensive fronts. I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel, even with perfect health. Connor McDermott at RT..... really?????

 

[Wozzy]

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...

 

[50-yard-line]

I was kind of surprised to see Houston running blitzes early in the first preseason game. They weren't playing vanilla.

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.

Jennings looked a lot quicker than I remember. Could be a big leap for him.

Mills might just be the FS we need.
In short, not worried at all about the D.

The OL was as bad as any OL I've ever seen - other than maybe KC's in the Superbowl. Couldn't open any holes and couldn't give Zappe any time to process - and speaking of that...
I thought Zappe looked...AWFUL. I get that he's trying to protect the ball, but he wasn't even looking or anticipating anything at all down the field. Check down, check down...in nearly 3 quarters of football, how many passes did he actually throw at a WR? Unless there's a hurricane blowing, you'll never win in the NFL doing that.
He really looked tentative out there. Again, the OL truly sucked, though, with backups of the backups and backups out of position, so maybe they were working on the check-down game. Borderline unwatchable - and as others have noted, that broadcast coverage was pure puke.

Why did Folk kick the field goal? We KNOW who Folk is. Ryland?

Nixon won't make it. Got to catch that TD! He;s very active, but GOT TO CATCH THAT TD!

Speaking of that, after looking at the college production and watching him throwing on the run, or just running, how the heck did Malik Cunningham go undrafted? He's running away from pressure, his eyes ALWAYS downfield, and makes a true NFL throw to Nixon in the EZ. There aren't enough QBs in the league who could do that for him to go undrafted. The Pats will never be able to hide him on the PS - glad there's a 54th slot for an emergency QB, I guess.

I liked what I saw of Bolden. Boutte broke clear at the top of the screen on one play, but alas, he's not wearing a running back number, so Zappe wasn't looking at him.

 

[jdlboot14]

It must be asked - did BOB and BB purposely trot out a team set at "scrimmage" - just to put them in difficult positions and see who shows anything?
OR - is this offense (and BOB) falling behind, or handcuffed by BB, and just not going to cut it?
If the offense is as impotent as they looked last night, the first 2 weeks - it's going to be mayhem.

 

[50-yard-line]

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.

Really surprised me to see Houston dialing up blitzes in the first preseason game. If I remember correctly, BB was livid when someone did that a few years ago. Maybe the Lions?

 

[Sicilian]

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.

 

[Steve102]

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.

Good level headed take on Malik. I am all in on KW as well.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Starting LT? Didn’t play.
Starting LG? Didn’t play.
Starting C? Didn’t play.
Starting RG? Didn’t play.
Starting RT? Didn’t play.

Backup LT? Didn’t play.
Backup LG? Assuming it’s Bill Murray, didn’t play.
Backup C? Played one or two series.
Backup RG? Played.
Backup RT? Played - but he played LT, not RT.

They were down their top OL and then also down three out of five of their backup OL, and after a couple series, four out of five. And the one backup that did play more than a couple series - Russey - got hurt and left.

And the RT (Sow) was a guard in college who is now learning learn to play tackle.

 

[Wozzy]

Really surprised me to see Houston dialing up blitzes in the first preseason game. If I remember correctly, BB was livid when someone did that a few years ago. Maybe the Lions?

Yeah, the Texans were playing like it was the first game of the season. They threw Stroud out there ahead of Davis Mills, then put Mills in afterwards.... talk about placing the cart before the horse. They're still doing Texans things, I suspect they'll still suck.

Davis Mills is still their best QB. If he can escape Houston and find a great offensive coach with a line and weapons he could become a good QB.

 

[50-yard-line]

Yeah, the Texans were playing like it was the first game of the season. They threw Stroud out there ahead of Davis Mills, then put Mills in afterwards.... talk about placing the cart before the horse. They're still doing Texans things, I suspect they'll still suck.

Davis Mills is still their best QB. If he can escape Houston and find a great offensive coach with a line and weapons he could become a good QB.

Davis Mills sees the whole field. I like him a lot.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Pats have done a great job for over 30 years to avoid players with such terrible names. That streak is ending with names like ***ot, Hines, Zappe, Boutte, McSorely and Bill Murray to name a few. They are becoming the Colts who never failed to have players with awful names.

 

[Wozzy]

It must be asked - did BOB and BB purposely trot out a team set at "scrimmage" - just to put them in difficult positions and see who shows anything?
OR - is this offense (and BOB) falling behind, or handcuffed by BB, and just not going to cut it?
If the offense is as impotent as they looked last night, the first 2 weeks - it's going to be mayhem.

It was definitely the most vanilla offense they have, and even then it was probably that way because the line was made up of rookies and second year players, the entire offense was. They weren't trying to win the game, it's preseason, they were trying to improve.

Putting a 6'3" 203 pound CB like Isaiah Bolden on Tank Dell, who is tiny like Demario Douglas, is exactly the type of mismatches they wanted to see. Those things are going to pop up in real-world games and players are going to have to adjust.

They'll go back and watch the film to see what they can improve, and who is so far away from improving they may have to cut them and move forward.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

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?

 

[turkeyneck]

Why did Folk kick the field goal? We KNOW who Folk is. Ryland?

Bill giving Folk a courtesy showcase before he gets cut.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Most of the players seen will not be who is starting come September.

Most of the players seen will not be on the team come September.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I was mad to see McDermott at LT - he's maybe our best bet at RT for week 1 OL, so why not get him more reps there before the season.

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.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Connor McDermott at RT..... really?????

Agreed. PatsFans loves McDermott for some reason. Dude sucks.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]