Seeing a game end in a tie in a preseason football game is very frustrating and disappointing. Overall, it was a very Disappointing Showing by the New England Patriots.
I had high expectations of the two Patriots QBs going into the game. They both played below those expectations.
Everything was a bit off, from the timing on the routes and the throws to the drive-killing penalties. I blame the coaches for this. They have been too soft on the players who played undisciplined football.
There is always some Good, bad, and a lot of Ugly when you play a pre-season game with just backup players, many of whom will be unemployed in a few weeks.
These are my observations:
Good
Bryce Baringer had a terrific game with 6 punts averaging 51.5 yards per punt, and three of those were inside the 20.
I thought Bradyn Swinson was pretty impressive in the game. He finished with 3 Solo tackles, one of which was a Tackle For Loss. He also had the big pass knockdown at the Line of Scrimmage on a 4th-and-goal at the 6. Keep in mind he was playing against the third team. I would like to see him against the 2nd team players to see if he can sustain this good play next week.
Lan Larison led the team in receptions with 6 and had two more underthrows land at his feet. He also had another big gain on a screen called back for a ticky-tac block in the back. Larison had a nice kickoff return on a line-drive knuckleball kickoff, which he fielded cleanly and returned past the 30.
Jam Miller led all rushers with 14 carries for 55 yards, 3.9 YPC and no TDs.
Gabe Jacas had a nice pressure on Richardson on a bull rush where he knocked the Right Tackle into the feet of Richardson, which resulted in the Kindle Vildor Interception.
The Defense had 4 turnovers and a goal-line stand. Isaiah Iton and Dell Pettus had Fumble Recoveries. KJ Britt knocked the ball out of Richardson’s hands, and the other was a goal-line punch-out on a play that could have been called a TD if they had all the camera angles you would have had in a regular-season game. Kildor’s Interception we mentioned above, and John Saunders had one in the middle of the field with a nice 25- yard return.
Kyle Williams had an easy pitch-and-catch for his TD by leaving the DB at the Line of Scrimmage on a quick release.
Eli Rairdon looked good in his debut despite being credited with only one catch for 8 yards. He had two others called back because of penalties. He threw a nice block downfield, allowing Jam Miller to gain a big 15-yard run.
Bad
EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins started over Bradyn Swinson. He was horrible! Hutchins was seen on Special Teams, and he registered just 2 tackles, 1 solo. His start was quite unexpected.
Tommy DeVito was very inconsistent, going 13 of 22 for 138 yards and a TD without any picks. His stats were a bit misleading because he had at least 3 chunk plays called back because of penalties. He also flat out missed plays with underthrown passes. He also missed a play down the middle where he stepped up in a clean pocket and just overthrew the receiver.
Lan Larison ran the ball 7 times for 1 yard. This was on the O-line more than Larison.
Jam Miller: He may be able to run the ball, but he can’t catch, dropping an easy swing pass that would have been a big gain.
Mack Hollins should have caught a long pass on the 1st drive despite the fact that he was held. That lack of effort cost 15 yards and possibly a TD. Later, he dropped a pass across the middle.
Penalties derailed at least two drives. Caleb Lomu got called for Ineligible player downfield, but Greg Bedard called it unfair. Bedard felt that Lomu should have been called for holding on another play. An illegal block by Efton Chism took away an Eli Rairdon big play.
Gabe Jacas was invisible on the pass rush after that bull rush, and he was out of position on several plays. He lost containment on Richardson, resulting in a big scramble by Richardson (6 rushes for 58 yards).
Q Hutchins whiffed on a tackle of Richardson in the backfield, allowing another big run.
Kyle Williams blew past the DB and was open for a deep pass that was underthrown by DeVito. Williams failed to slow down and draw an easy Pass Interference by the DB because the DB wasn’t playing the ball but face-guarding Williams. Williams made no attempt to come back for the ball, which any veteran receiver would do, and get the cheap call. Vrabel was seen running down the sideline to get in his face after that play.
Cobe Prentice was the primary Punt Returner and did nothing with his opportunity
Ugly
Andy Borregales’ Night – he missed three of five Field Goals, and two weren’t even close. The last, with 13 seconds left, he missed a 47-yard game-winning kick. I have not reviewed the game video yet, but it appeared the snaps on two of the kicks were high, which may have thrown off the kick. Mike Vrabel was asked in his post-game press conference if he was sending Borregales a message: “I don’t have a message. We’re expected to make them.”
Penalties took away four chunk plays: two Illegal players downfield (Lomu and Hudson), holding (Hudson), and then the Chism block in the back (which I thought was Ticky-Tac).
Injuries
The most serious was to backup Center Ben Brown, who had to be helped to the sideline and then directly to the Locker Room. This injury bears watching as he was the backup at Center and Guard as the 6th O lineman. Later, Andrew Rupcich was rolled up on and left the game. He remained on the sideline, so that may not be a significant injury.
Mekhi Butler was beat cleanly up the middle, which allowed a sack of Behrens Morton
Christian Gonzalez Contract Negotiations
“What my understanding is, Christian Gonzalez does not want his contract to be obsolete within seven months. When the new league year comes, and the salary cap goes from $301M to $330M, the first corner who comes up under that new cap is going to sign for $34-$35M? So what Christian Gonzalez would like is not to be treated as if he’s at the table in 2026, but be treated as if he’s at the table in 2027. And he’d prefer for his contract to not be obsolete in 2028 either.” – Tom Curran
Gonzo seems to want his cake and to be able to eat it too. He wants to set a significantly higher salary number (somewhere around $35M AAV) than the $31.1M AAV that is the highest for a cornerback. If the salary cap goes up by 10%, he wants a piece of that pie too. It doesn’t work that way. You get what the market rate is in your re-negotiation window, or you wait for Free Agency. The players risk getting injured during those two years (4th and 5th year option years). Then they reach Free Agency.
Gonzalez is beginning to lose all the leverage he had from the fans, and this could get pretty ugly. The fact that Devon Witherspoon is still without a contract means that the agent, who represents both players, is calling the shots.
Greg Bedard reported that Gonzalez wants a percentage of the salary cap as opposed to a fixed number. That way his status as the top CB doesn’t get washed out with the increases of the Salary Cap. That’s not going to happen.
Terrell Jennings to IR
The Patriots announced just before the game that they moved Jennings to IR and re-signed JaMycal Hasty. Hasty was with the team last year and actually played in the game last night. Kudos to Hasty and Hassan Haskins, who played in the game on very short notice and looked pretty good.
Myles Montgomery Reverts to IR
After clearing waivers/injured, Montgomery reverts to the Patriots IR list.
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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.
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