MORSE: The Good the Bad and Ugly from Friday Nights Patriots Scrimmage

This is a phrase I borrowed from a good friend David Levine of Portland ME. After every game he would write a GBU story and distribute it to our tailgate group and friends. Friday night’s scrimmage felt like there was a lot of Good, Bad and Ugly at the in-stadium scrimmage.

In a bizarre workout in front of Season Ticket Holder and residents of Foxboro, the Patriots were broken down into two separate teams. There was the White Team and the Blue Team. Starters we mixed in throughout both teams which was meant to provide some type of competition. The scoring was something similar to the Calloway Method of Scoring in Golf (don’t ask me to try to explain). The arbitrary scoring was kept by John Strech Streicher and it involved certain types of plays and the teams were awarded points.

Non-Participants

WR Mack Hollins
CB Christian Gonzalez
CB Carlton Davis
DL Keion White
C Garrett Bradbury
RB Antonio Gibson
LB Jahlani Tavai
DL Joshua Farmer
OL Sidy Sow
OL Vederian Lowe (PUP)

Hollins went through warm-ups. The Keion White absence is a new one and we have not heard of any injury issue with him.

The Good

The two kickers were outstanding as they made all of their kicks. Andy Borregales had an extra point and 3 FGs of 34 yards, 42 yards, 53 yards. Parker Romo had two extra points, and a 33 yard FG
Lan Larison had a nice TD run. He made a cheeky jump cut for a rushing TD.
Joshua Dobbs had a nice day passing, going 8 for 9 and a TD. His TD to Kayshon Boutte down the sideline was a beauty, beating Marcellus Dial.
Kyle Williams had a TD reception from Drake Maye on a trick play
Jaylinn Hawkins had Two INTs. An interesting note was that Hawkins was selected as one of the three Captains for the Blue Team. Out that little nugget in the back of your head when it comes down to who makes the final cut.
Robert Spillane had an INT off of a tip by Kobee Minor.
Alex Austin had what should have been a pick six (but Austin knelt down at the 2 yard line).
DE Truman Jones was very active tonight with two would be sacks and another pressure. Jones was lauded by Coach Vrabel before the scrimmage as one of the off-season award winners. We may have to pay closer attention to Jones
There was a lot of the pass rush pressure. Jeremiah Pharms (sack, hurry)
Christian Barmore, Bradyn Swinson, Harold Landry, Anfernee Jennings and Spillane jumped out in in the Pass Rush game.
Ja’Lynn Polk had a very good end around play, and also had a catch
Pop Douglas beat Marcellus Dial with an Out and Up move but Dobbs overthrew him. That was the only incompletion for Dobbs.

The Bad

Drake Maye was 9 of 18 and two INTs. I just praised him for not throwing one INT all of Training Camp. One was a miscommunication between rookie Kyle Williams and Maye in a 2-minute drill. That was the Alex Austin INT.
Will Campbell had another tough practice, giving up two would be sacks to Truman Jones
Three new injuries to report: Kendrick Bourne pulled up and went to the Medical Tent, then to the locker room. He told everyone within earshot that it was only a cramp; Caedan Wallace went to the tent and then to the locker room, as did K’Lavon Chaisson. Brandon Crossley was the one that took Bourne to the ground (which they were not supposed to do).
Is Milton Williams MIA or in the witness protection program?
The scrimmage only went an hour despite the fact the team has two days off in a row

The Ugly

Lan Larison let a ball go right through his hands that was picked off by Hawkins
Efton Chism dropped a ball that was an easy reception from Maye
Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble after a long run. It was knocked out by Brandon Crossley.
There were officials on the field – Demontrey Jacobs had a false start (sounds like a repeat of last season).
Some of the calls by the officials were planted by Mike Vrabel. He wanted to see how the teams would react to penalties that either broke up a drive or extended a drive. The example of that was Marte Mapu after making a stop, picked up the ball and flung it downfield which came with a 15-yard unsportsmanike conduct penalty. A Defensive Pass Interference call may have been another one of those made-up calls too!
Demario Douglas tried a pass and threw the interception to Hawkins. They can put that play back in the can, never to run it again.
I didn’t like how all the line units were jumbled up. You have precious few days until the opening game and these guys need to work together as a unit. Mike Vrabel wasted an opportunity to do that.

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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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