New England Patriots Training Camp Practice #9 Observations
(PHOTO: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 3 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots News
(PHOTO: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 3 minutes
New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
(PHOTO: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports) The Patriots wrapped up their ninth practice of the 2017 training camp and their seventh practice in full pads in a row. The team ratcheted down the intensity today as the players had a full team scrimmage yesterday. Today the focus seemed to be on individual drills, the running game, and situational football.
Jimmy Garoppolo continues to struggle a bit in practice and had some bad misses intermingled with some good throws. His consistency remains an issue. While many pointed this spring as this training camp where Jimmy G. may push Tom Brady a bit for the top QB position. But we haven’t seen that and right now Brady remains far ahead of Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.
No Shows: Alan Branch, Dont’a Hightower (PUP) and Andrew Jelks (NFI) didn’t practice but were in sweats on the sidelines. Matthew Slater was not seen. Mike Gillislee, Danny Amendola, David Jones and Nate Solder worked with the training staff of the lower fields.
Quick Hitters:
Hot Takes:
Stephon Gilmore spoke with the media after practice and said there are no friends on the field if they’re wearing a different jersey.
“There really are no friends on the field to me,” he said. “Once I’m on the field, we’re not friends, but off the field, I am very respectful. I respect everybody on the team, talk to them…it’s nothing personal. Just when I’m on the field, I’m super competitive and there are no friends.”
Stephone Gilmore says there are no friends on the field. (SBalestrieri photo)
Danny Amendola told the media the reasons he re-signed back with New England. “I love playing for this city, I love playing for this team, and I love the atmosphere [Bill Belichick] brings,” Amendola said. “I want to play good football, and I feel like this is the place where I’ll be able to challenge myself and play the best football I can, and ultimately that’s why I’m here.”
Trey Flowers has kept his humble pie cap firmly on and spoke to the media about always trying to improve his technique. And Brandon Bolden cracked up the beat writers with his tales of having his baby daughter around. “She’s great, eats and poops a lot. Who doesn’t want that?”
Play of the Day: Devin Lucien made a fantastic catch of Jimmy G. deep post throw in the pouring rain. Lucien was running stride for stride with Cyrus Jones who had blanket coverage. The pass began to tail over Lucien’s opposite shoulder and he made a tremendous adjustment in mid-air to snag the ball down with Jones all over him and somehow hold on. Great play by a young WR that needs those splash plays if he wants to make the roster.
Two plays later Garoppolo threw his worst pass of the day, badly overthrowing Tony Washington down the right sideline where Nate Ebner easily picked off the pass. That sequence has been Jimmy G’s camp so far in a microcosm. One great play, one bad one.
After practice, I was asked by Mike Petraglia to record some video on our observations from the session on the field for CLNS.
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