This should be easy. There is very little Good to report from this game. The Patriots should just burn the video tape of this game. I have a list of bubble player later and perhaps one player showed enough to be worth keeping.
The Good
Ben Woolridge had a nice pass to Jeremiah Webb for a TD. He dropped the ball in the bucket in the end zone.
Patriots Cam Riley recovered a fumbled punt inside the 20.
Keon White was a surprise participant in this game and he made the most of it. He had a very good pressure and on another play he contained the QB and forced a Jack Gibbens sack.
Jabrill Peppers also played and Coach Vrabel in his post-game interview stated that he wanted to see Peppers and Craig Woodson play together in a game.
Kyle Dugger played and had 6 tackles, many of which were hard open field hits. He might have played well enough to be kept.
Jeremiah Webb had a nice Punt Return of 22 yards. Looks like he has played himself onto the Practice Squad.
Marcus Epps had a nice open field tackle preventing a TD.
Dell Pettus had 7 tackles to lead the team.
OK those are the highlights of the game!
The Bad
The Patriots secondary made Tommy DeVito look like Tom Brady. DeVito was 17-of-20 for 198 yards and three TDs. If the Giants waive him, I will add him to the roster and cut Joshua Dobbs.
Coach Vrabel was unhappy about being asked about the Ja’Lynn Polk surgery. He said in his post-game press conference there are so many “rats” around here. Coach Vrabel was also annoyed by a pre-game interview with Scott Zolak, about possibly trading Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings. Was it a shot by Vrabel either the players, coaches or front office leaking information?
Myles Battle and Kobee Minor were picked on often.
Giving up 42 points is disgusting.
Ben Woolridge was awful, going 10-of-20 for just 82 yards while playing a complete game. He also threw a pick six. I’m not sure we should even sign him to the Practice Squad. Several of his passes were behind his receivers, particularly the pick six and another pass to Javon Baker, who had beaten his defender on a slant at the goal line. Baker was 0-of-2, but not his fault.
The Patriots ran for 105 yards and just a 3.1 YPC.
The Defense let the Giants run wild with 24 carries for 111 yards and a 4.6 YPC.
The Ugly
This whole game was ugly. Thankfully Josh McDaniel started to run the ball because the offense under Woolridge was pitiful.
This team has no depth. This is what happens when you don’t draft well. It’s well documented that the drafting under Bill Belichick was bad his last few years. Eliot Wolf completely whiffed outside of Drake Maye last year. The trade of the 34th draft pick (Ladd McConkey) for Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker is a complete disaster. Wolf and staff were not prepared for the run on OTs in the draft and they tried to make a Right Tackle (Caedan Wallace) into a left tackle. The guy can’t play, period.
The Offensive line was truly offensive. Jared Wilson and Ben Brown played a little. However, none of the bubble linemen distinguished themselves and I think I would cut all of them if they can find something better on waivers or via a trade. I have 7 locks on the line which include Marcus Bryant and Jared Wilson. I think there are two open spots on the roster for Offensive Linemen.
Cole Strange had a very bad night, and I think he has lost his spot on the roster.
I was very disappointed in Vederian Lowe. Caedan Wallace was horrible at Guard. Where was Tyrese Robinson? Did Layden Robinson even play Thursday night? Sidy Sow was a sieve. I think they are all gone.
Did Andy Borregales lose the kicker battle with his wide right miss? His Kickoffs were bad too. John Parker-Romo didn’t play. Does that mean he has made the team?
Dell Pettus had a bonehead unnecessary roughing penalty. On the play he had the runner stopped but he turned the player around and threw him to the ground.
Did Isaiah Bolden play? He was not listed on the list of players that did not play. He had no tackles.
On The Bubble Players
Alex Barth had an article on the 98.5 website about bubble players. In his recent article he states the following players are battling for 10 roster spots. I think JaMychal Hasty as a vested veteran will be released with a nod and a wink and told not to clean out his locker. The Pats might keep Bourne if they can’t find a trade partner, then put him on IR after the 53-man roster is set. Then they will re-sign Hasty to add a 4th RB to the team. I have only 8 spots up for grabs.
-RB JaMycal Hasty
-RB Terrell Jennings
-WR Kendrick Bourne
-WR Javon Baker
-OL Vederian Lowe
-OL Cole Strange
-OL Caedan Wallace
-OL Sidy Sow
-OL Tyrese Robinson
-EDGE Anfernee Jennings
-EDGE Truman Jones
-EDGE Elijah Ponder
-LB Jahlani Tavai
-LB Monte Rice
-CB Miles Battle
-DB Jordan Polk
-S Kyle Dugger
-S Dell Pettus
-S Marcus Epps
We also have the Kicker battle between Andy Borregales and John Parker-Romo. One will have to go, and this game will make a difference. I suspect that either one gets waived will likely be claimed by another team on waivers. Could they trade either one of them?
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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.
Thanks for your validation. It was a pitiful performance. The team lacks depth at the most vital positions: QB and OL. Dobbs and Woolridge need to be cut and not resigned to the PS. It’s hard to imagine Tommy ‘Cutlets’ DeVito as the best option out there; but he’s upgrade over the present backups. We’ll be better than last year but we’re still got several players away from competing.