{"id":18737,"date":"2018-08-19T05:00:38","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T09:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=18737"},"modified":"2018-08-18T22:52:19","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T02:52:19","slug":"new-england-patriots-news-8-19-afc-east-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2018\/08\/19\/new-england-patriots-news-8-19-afc-east-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"New England Patriots News 8-19, AFC East Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, Here is your <\/span>Sunday Patriots news 8-19, & AFC East Notes<\/b>. <\/p>\n

The Patriots have to be pleased with much of what they saw on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. They got off to a much quicker start and seemed ready to play this week at the kickoff, something that was missing in the preseason opener. <\/span><\/p>\n

The pass rush by the defensive linemen was certainly better as, with no game planning, the players were winning their one-on-one battles. And Tom Brady looked sharp and ready for the season after his first game action of 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was also plenty to work on as the backup corners did not have a strong game and wide receivers Eric Decker and Phillip Dorsett were total non-factors in the passing game. <\/span><\/p>\n

Quick Hitters: \u00a0<\/b>
\n<\/b>Cordarrelle Patterson<\/b> had a big night on Thursday, catching four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown where he just put a filthy move on an Eagles corner for a score off a bubble screen from Brian Hoyer. Patterson nearly had another 40 yards and another score when he juuuuuust stepped out of bounds while racing down the sideline on a pass from Tom Brady. He\u2019s been a very exciting player to watch thus far and he hasn\u2019t even returned a kick in a game yet. While he probably will not be a big part of the offense in 2018, I do believe he\u2019ll be a productive one. <\/span><\/p>\n

It never fails to amaze how some people use the same tired schtick year after year and continue to spew on Tom Brady and the Patriots. Every year, Max Kellerman dusts off his passe \u201ccliff\u201d speech and <\/span>Rob Parker<\/b> (how does he even have a job?) with his latest \u201csound the alarm\u201d drivel. Parker, it should be recalled, after the 2011 Super Bowl said that Brady would never be in another one and keeps repeating it year after year. We always hear, \u201cthe league is in a down year\u201d, I guess sports talk has been in a funk for several if you use these yahoos as a measuring stick.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bret Bielema<\/b> is on the Patriots staff this season as a consultant to the head coach. Bill Belichick was asked about his role and it seems he does a bit of everything. The former Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach is primarily known as a defensive coach and Belichick told the media on Thursday night, \u201cHe\u2019s dealt with a lot of different players, situations, and he\u2019s primarily worked on defense as an assistant coach, so he\u2019s given us some help there between the defensive ends and tackles.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s also been somebody that I\u2019ve used and has helped me with some overall head-coaching-type responsibilities \u2014 planning and team management and things like that.\u201d During minicamp we watched him help out with the special teams’ players and coordinator Joe Judge a bit as well. So it is safe to say, Belichick trusts him to help out wherever it is needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keionta Davis <\/b>was signed by the Patriots as a UDFA last spring after a bulging disc in his neck was discovered right before the NFL Draft. Davis, who had 31 sacks at Chattanooga, was never bothered by the issue and was unaware of it. So, instead of being drafted in the middle rounds he went undrafted. The team stashed him last season but now, healthy and raring to go, he\u2019s quietly having a very good summer. Davis is a bigger edge guy (6\u20194, 280) who has been kicked inside as an interior rusher quite a bit this summer and has looked strong. Will he make the 53-man roster? Time will tell but the move to stash him away for a year seems like a smart one. He had a sack and a half and had about 5 QB hits on Thursday. That is pretty good work.<\/p>\n

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Tom Brady<\/b> has been sporting a new different helmet the past week and the QB, unlike other experiments with different helmets, likes it. While he looks pretty different in it, the new helmet certainly didn\u2019t adversely affect his performance on Thursday night. \u201cI kind of like it, man,\u201d Brady said. \u201cI gotta get the mask right but I do like it. It\u2019s very comfortable. Much better than my old one.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cI think it\u2019s a little heavier but I\u2019d say if the old one was like a Chuck Taylor, this is like one of those Under Armour HOVRs,\u201d Brady said, putting in a plug for a company he and his wife own a piece of. \u201cSo comfortable. Trying to make the switch, man. Get ahead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pats Offense Revolves Around #12 Once Again:<\/b>
\n<\/b>What a difference a week makes. Last week, the Patriots offense looked moribund and slow with Brian Hoyer at the helm in the first half. They didn\u2019t get anything going until just before the half and moved for a field goal. Against Washington\u2019s backups, they ran the ball well and dominated. This week was a different story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom Brady came out and started the game this week and the offense looked quite different. Brady processes things and gets the ball out much quicker than Hoyer, which isn\u2019t necessarily a slam on him, he does it better than anybody. The result was a Patriots drive where he quickly moved them down the field and then, 41-years old and all and could sense the pressure in the pocket and expertly slid to his right, buying time and keeping his eyes downfield, found Chris Hogan for an easy touchdown.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the best parts of football season is having Brian Baldinger back doing his breakdowns of plays and for any team and any game, his analysis is absolutely top notch. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

.@Patriots<\/a> #GOAT<\/a> #TomBrady<\/a> at 41 hasn\u2019t lost anything. And the offense is expanding. Simple, yet, Scary. #BaldyBreakdowns<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FNHQAPFX4U<\/a><\/p>\n

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 17, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n