MORSE: Patriots at Raiders Game Observations; Bills Release Punter

The Patriots finished the pre-season with another loss. The Patriots did not look good on offense or defense and the starting offense is in shambles. The installation of the new zone blocking scheme has been a disaster. Who installs a new offense with a second-year quarterback? Mac Jones has regressed badly as a QB heading into his second season.

Here are my observations from the Les Vegas game.

O-line can’t zone block, one lineman blows his assignment and the whole play blows up
Owenu misses his block and Stevenson gets tackled for a loss. I don’t think Owenu can play RG in this blocking scheme
Montgomery’s ankle injury will make an impact on the final 53-man roster. One good point is that he flew home with the team and will get further examinations in Boston.
I told you Stidham was playing well. He was 4-6 and in total control. That was the QB we were hoping for when we drafted him.
Pats’ Defense held Las Vegas to 82 yards rushing on 30 carries for a 2.7 average. However, the Raiders’ backups scored on 3 of the 1^st 4 possessions
As bad as the Patriots ran the ball to start the game, they finished 17-104 for a 6.1 average. This was mostly on the back of Kevin Harris late in the game.
Two penalties called back two TDs. Parker’s Offensive Pass Interference was the correct call, he pushed off with two hands. However, veteran WRs don’t have that called during the regular season. The holding call against TE Jordan Wydermyer nullified a TD run. He will get cut over this mistake.
Former Patriot Isaiah Zuber played both ways and seemed to have found a spot on the Raiders. He had an interception from a poorly thrown pass by Bailey Zappe and followed that up with a TD catch
Another former Pat, Tashawn Bowers had a big game with 5 tackles and two sacks. It looks like he secured his spot on the Raiders’ 53.
JJ Taylor’s fumble recovery has to be highlighted. He came back to the fumble from a ways away to wrestle the ball from the D-linemen. Plays like that are what earn a player a spot on the roster. He may not make the final 53 but I predict he will see time (if not claimed) on the team during the season.
The Patriots’ 1^st offensive series was a 9-yard slant to Parker, 2^nd, and 1, a stretch run (zone blocking) in which both inside LBs blitzed and made a Tackle for a Loss of -5. The third down was -13 sack. Jones must recognize the blitz and change the play at LOS. The blitzing CB Robertson came clean when Wynn failed to recognize the blitz and looked inside.
On that play, there was a high hit on Mac Jones that was not called. CB Amik Robertson blitzed and launched himself at Jones and hit him in the head.
Why is Jahlani Tavai in the starting lineup at ILB? He and Bentley together are begging the opposition to pass the ball.
Las Vegas backups drove right down the field against the Patriots starters for an FG. Kyle Dugger was playing Free Safety and got burned by a good play-action that sucked Dugger up as the backup TE got behind him for a big gain.
Jack Jones has impressed with some fine tackling. He forced a fumble on a 3^rd down tackle (short of the 1^st down). Later he made another immediate tackle. His closing speed is very noticeable.

Buffalo Releases Punter Matt Araiza

Araiza was named in a Civil Lawsuit for gang-raping a 17year old girl while at San Diego State. Buffalo claimed they knew nothing of this incident. But they knew of it when they released P Matt Haack and handed the job to Araiza. There are e-mails posted on the internet documenting the Bills knew. Dan Gilleon the lawyer for the victim contacted the Bills in July, yet they still cut Haack and kept Araiza. They are also very disgusting from Araiza’s attorney Kerry Armstrong asking what number (payoff) the girl was looking for. The lawyer goes on to say they better keep this quiet or there won’t be any money to be had. The decision to cut ties with the 22-year-old represents a major reversal for the Bills, coming two days after they backed the player based on the findings of what the team called its “thorough examination” of the allegations filed in the lawsuit. In Buffalo, per the noise on talk radio, the fans were nearly 100% behind getting rid of Araiza. Buffalo’s management finally succumbed to the pressure!

I wondered why the Patriots passed on Araiza in the draft, and why he lasted until pick 180. Now we know the reason. San Diego State is not looking good in this case either. They hid it from the public and worse off from their own students. I have read reports that Araiza admitted in a phone conversation that the police were listening to, that he knew the girl was 17 and had sex with her. At a minimum that is Statutory Rape and a crime. There are other disturbing data that the Bills knew about this, drafted him anyways, and kept him on their roster while cutting the other punter. I believe that Araiza should get suspended by the league for equal or more games than DeShaun Watson who was never charged by a grand jury. This case is just now going to the Grand Jury.

The NFL is so two-faced. If you are a star QB you can get a multi-year mega-deal contract while awaiting discipline from the league for sexual misconduct (21 women). If you’re a punter, you are gone immediately. I don’t think the victim is looking for money, she is looking for revenge. Her lawyer released pages from her diary describing what happened during that time.

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About Mark Morse

Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

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