Patriots' offense has rough day of practice vs. Raiders
BOSTON -- Through about a month of training camp and preseason, the theme of the Patriots has been consistent: They're having a tough time on offense.
The struggle continued on Tuesday, with the Patriots practicing in the desert heat with the Las Vegas Raiders. And by some accounts, the Mac Jones/Matt Patricia offense looked as bad as it has all summer -- at least up until the end of practice.
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan described the session as "the most troublesome offensive practice of summer."
Man, this is bad. The most troublesome offensive practice of summer.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) August 23, 2022
Jones 7/17 after his 2-minute drill ends in an INT.
- Run stuff
- Agholor shallow cross completion
- Incomplete Agholor (drop)
- Run stuff
- Incomplete Meyers (drop)
- Interception https://t.co/E5egsu6fXi
NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry noted that Mac Jones was pacing on the sideline after the third 11-on-11 drill, in which Jones threw an interception and the Patriots' offense struggled mightily.
Mac Jones pacing on the sideline after the latest 11-on-11 period:
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 23, 2022
Run stuff
Crosser complete to Nelson Agholor
Incomplete to Agholor (PBU)
Run stuff
Incomplete to Jakobi Meyers
Intercepted by LB Jayon Brown https://t.co/o91cj0cjjC
NESN's Zack Cox said the offense was "really scuffling out here," The Athletic's Chad Graff said "the offense was especially bad," and Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard called it the "worst offensive practice of camp."
Clearly the Raiders, coming off a 10-7 season and a playoff performance, have presented a bit more of a challenge than the Carolina Panthers did a week ago.
Still, Jones and Co. managed to salvage the practice -- somewhat -- by putting something positive together in a two-minute drill to end the session.
Bedard said the final two-minute drive from the Patriots was "really strong," and Callahan echoed that notion.
#Patriots offense and defense rebound with strong finishing drives against the Raiders’ top units.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) August 23, 2022
- Defense earns 3 would-be sacks of Derek Carr (Judon, Uche, Bentley)
- Mac goes 5/6 with a sack and a TD pass to Kendrick Bourne. He finished 13/25 overall in team drills.
The strong ending of course provides some reason for positivity within the Patriots. But everything that happened beforehand certainly won't help quell concerns about an offense that lost a ton of coaching experience and has some serious question marks hovering as the season rapidly approaches.
After another joint practice session on Wednesday, the two teams will meet for their final preseason game on Friday night, the final tune-up for the regular season.