MORSE: Good, Bad, and Ugly as Patriots Embarrass Themselves in 37-13 loss to Browns

This game was the ugliest Pre-Season game I have ever seen in Patriots history. When Mike Vrabel said last week that the team lacks depth, he wasn’t kidding! Arena football is better than what the Patriots put out there tonight.

Mike Vrabel isn’t ruling out the possibility of Harold Landry and Brenden Schooler being ready to go for Week 1, adding that they “have to pass certain things” before being activated off the PUP/NFI list.

Ashton Grant called the Offensive plays Thursday night.

The following 37 players did not play Thursday:

Christian Gonzalez
AJ Brown
Harold Landry
DeMario Douglas
Craig Woodson
Dre’Mont Jones
Carlton Davis
Drake Maye
Mack Hollins
Robert Spillane
Marcus Jones
Mekhi Butler
Kevin Byard
TreVeyon Henderson
Rhamondre Stevenson
Brenden Schooler
Reggie Gilliam
Marcus Bryant
Christian Elliss
Jared Wilson
Xavier Holmes
Khalil Jacobs
Will Campbell
Greg Van Roten
Mike Onwenu
Lorentz Metz
Alijah Vera-Tucker
Morgan Moses
Ben Brown
Eli Raridon
Hunter Henry
Romeo Doubs
Christian Barmore
Elijah Ponder
Corey Durden
Milton Williams
Bryce Baringer

Baringer, Butler, Bryant, Holmes, Jacobs, and Metz feel like they’re injury-related. The rest I’d say are roster locks. – Evan Lazar

Aug 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Dixon (83) catches a pass in front of Cleveland Browns defensive back Jeremiah McClendon (47) during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images — **(PHOTO: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)**

Good

Matt Haack: The veteran made his debut on Thursday and had a great night. Haack punted four times for 186 yards with a 46.5 average. He also pinned three punts inside the 20-yard line.

In the second half, Haack had multiple highlights. He had a 42-yard punt stopped at the 2-yard line at 11:57 of the third quarter. Then, at 8:22 of the third quarter, he booted a 63-yard punt, and that too was downed at the Cleveland 2-yard line.

Haack also had a very good hold on a snap that was wide right and got the ball down for Borregales to make the kick.

The Patriots worked out veteran punter Jamie Gillan on Thursday.

Kyle Dixon: He had a very good game with 8 receptions on 8 targets for 81 yards. That was a spectacular game, and he is a candidate for the Practice Squad. Dixon signed as a much-hyped UDFA with a large signing bonus.

Kyle Williams: He had 2 catches on 2 targets for 55 yards and a 45-yard TD. The other catch was a 10-yard comeback for a 1^st down. That’s progress.

Kayron Prunty: He had the best game of all secondary players (which isn’t saying much). He had 5 tackles and a TFL where he pushed the receiver into the backfield into the RB on a screen, and he blew up the play. Prunty also played well on Special Teams as a gunner on punt coverage.

James Hasty: He had 6 carries for 37 yards against 3rd-team players with a big 20-yard run.

Hassan Haskins: He runs very hard and led the team with 38 yards on 11 carries. He had a play where he was hit in the backfield and fought through it for a 7-yard gain and a 1^st down. If they keep 3 RBs, I think Haskins will make the team. Haskins returned kickoffs, and I wasn’t impressed by his return skills. He had a tackle on the Opening Kickoff.

Namdi Obiazor: He may have played well enough to make the team. He led the team with 12 tackles. He has the speed that the other linebackers don’t have.

Aug 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Behren Morton (15) surveys the field against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images — **(PHOTO: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)**

Bad

Behren Morton looked like a QB that had never taken a snap under center. I’d be looking at QBs that are being cut for the 3^rd QB spot. Morton had two interceptions and a third nullified by a Browns Pass Interference.

Lan Larison lost the 3^rd running back competition. He was targeted twice, and although both passes were bad, he should have caught the 1st pass that was thrown behind him, but he got both hands on the ball and dropped it. Later, a pass was tipped at the LOS and fell near his feet, which I thought he should have caught. He had 2 carries for 5 yards.

Ugly

Overall Patriots Defense. “I saw dog [expletive] defense,” Vrabel said last week, and there was more of the same in this game. They had Cleveland pinned inside the 2-yard line and gave up a 98-yard, 15-play drive that chewed up 9:15 from the 3^rd Qtr into the 4^th Qtr. They had Green pinned against the endline and allowed him to get away for a 30-yard gain.

Maybe Gabe Jacas just sucks? I’ve never seen a Patriots player make the same exact mistake so many times. -Pat Lane

If Jacas wasn’t a 2nd-round selection, he would be cut. He has been so bad. He has zero football instincts and keeps getting sucked in by play-action passes. Bites on the run fakes every time, leaving the edge exposed.

Ugliest

Chad Muma has played his way off this team. He was on my initial 53-man roster list. He whiffed again tonight on an open-field tackle.

Charles Woods played awful tonight, and he may now be gone. On a simple drag route across the middle, he gives up the completion and doesn’t make the tackle for a 9-yard gain and a 1st down. He did have 10 tackles, but that was because they were picking on him.

Mekhi Butler was a turnstile tonight. He gave up a 10-yard sack by completely whiffing on a block.

Did anyone on the coaching staff inform the Defense that Jaylen Green is a running QB? The Edges lost containment on numerous occasions. Green ran for 66 yards (leading the team) on 8 carries.

Kindle Vildor, for all he did well last week, stunk the joint out with a big 22-yard pass interference penalty on 3rd down when the Defense had the Browns stopped. Two other big receptions were against Vildor

(PHOTO: Dec 22, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; **New England Patriots** wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Kayshon Boutte Pens a Letter of Appreciation

He addressed the Owners, Coaches and Fans of the New England Patriots.

“New England, it’s hard to put into words what these last few years have meant to me. Being selected with the 187th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots was a dream come true. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed into an organization built on hard work, accountability, and a standard of excellence. I want to thank Mr. Kraft, Coach Belichick, and everyone behind the scenes who poured into me. I also want to give a special thank you to Coach Vrabel, Todd Downing, and Josh McDaniels. Thank you for believing in me, trusting in my abilities, and helping me grow, not just as a football player, but as a man. Your guidance, your honesty, and your confidence in me played a huge role in my development, on and off the field. I’ll always have the utmost respect for each of you and will forever be grateful for the time, effort, and belief you invested in me. Thank you for helping shape the player and person I am today. I’ll carry those lessons with me for the rest of my career. Patriots Nation, thank you for embracing me from day one. Your support through every high and low never went unnoticed, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to wear the Flying Elvis on my helmet. I’ll always look back on my time in New England with nothing but gratitude and respect. Once a Patriot, always grateful from requesting a trade in March 2026, not knowing what the future holds. I thank the Patriots for doing right by me and sending me to an Organization I truly wanted to be a part of. I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead with the Houston Texans”

How do you think Christian Barmore, Mike Onwenu, Pop Douglas, and Mack Hollins think of the Gonzalez negotiations in light of the fact that they are all Free Agents next season?

Next up is the roster cutdown to 53. The roster has to be cut down by 6:00 Sunday night. Some of the cuts will be announced as early as Saturday. I will have an updated 53-man roster projection for Saturday.

Like this article?
Support Mark and buy him a coffee.

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.

View all posts by Mark Morse