More Drake Maye and everything else we're watching for in Patriots-Eagles preseason tilt
FOXBORO -- The New England Patriots are just over three weeks away from playing a real football game, and Jerod Mayo's squad does not look ready. We're hoping for some signs of growth Thursday night when the Pats host the Philadelphia Eagles for the team's second preseason game.
The Patriots are coming off a rough week on the practice field. Sunday was just OK when the team practiced in front of season ticket holders. While the offense played well, Monday was a rough day for the defense as they were forced to run laps on a few occasions because of pre-snap penalties. The defense played better on Tuesday in a joint session with the Eagles, but after a decent start, the offense had a horrendous finish that saw New England's quarterbacks either running for their lives or forcing bad passes.
Mayo said that he viewed Tuesday's joint practice as a "measuring stick" for his team. But all it did was solidify what we already thought: The Eagles are a very good football team, and the Patriots are not.
The Patriots may not measure up to the Eagles. but it would be nice to see some steps forward in Thursday night's second preseason game. Here's what we'll be watching for when the exhibition tilt kicks off at Gillette Stadium.
We All Want More Drake Maye
Jacoby Brissett needs some snaps to get ready for the season, but we all want to see Drake Maye. Let the kid show us what he's got.
Maye got just six snaps last week (plus a pre-snap penalty) with the team's "top" offensive line, which was not enough Drake Maye for anyone watching. He should get a lot more run Thursday night, even after he put in a good amount of work in Tuesday's joint practice.
Hopefully the offensive line can keep him protected and upright enough for him to actually make some throws downfield. (Much more on the O-Line in just a second.) A nice night from the future of the franchise -- with some connections with fellow rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker -- would go a long way in easing some of the concern surrounding the organization.
And Then We All Want More Joe Milton
We know what Bailey Zappe can bring to the field. We don't need to get Zapped any more unless it's a real emergency.
What the fans who stay through the second half really deserve is more Joe Milton III, who was absolutely electric to close out last week's preseason opener. The sixth-round pick gave the team a spark with an exhilarating scramble and a nice touchdown throw. He's earned more playing time this week, and could once again make the end of a preseason game entertaining for Pats fans.
Discipline And Progress From The Offensive Line
The concern over the offensive line, specifically the two tackle spots, continues to grow. While the middle of the line -- with David Andrews at center and Sidy Sow and Mike Onwenu at the two guard spots -- is in good shape, the Pats seem set to go with Vederian Lowe at left tackle and Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackle. That is extremely worrisome, especially given what they showed on Tuesday.
The line was a disaster in full team drills against the Eagles' top defensive line on Tuesday. Brissett was under constant pressure and completed just 12 of his 24 passes and finished with a pair of interceptions. Maye would have been sacked six times in his last nine dropbacks, including three times in a putrid two-minute drill. The Philly defense also blew up a number of screens because they had a free path to the backfield.
The line was hit with a number of flags during the session, including a trio of false starts and a pair of holds. It's not just that the Patriots don't have the talent at tackle, but they are making mental mistakes too.
This issue needs to somehow get fixed and fixed fast. But for now, we'd just take some disciplined play from the offensive line.
Running Back Depth
Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson have the top of the running back depth chart locked down. But we're waiting for someone to emerge from the back of the running back corps.
Kevin Harris had a touchdown last week, but he averaged just 2.8 yards on his eight carries. Rookie Terrell Jennings had a nice 20-yard run, but he had just 18 yards on his other five carries. JaMycal Hasty picked up just 10 yards on his five carries.
The Patriots re-signed undrafted rookie Deshaun Fenwick this week to build out the competition. All four should get plenty of run Thursday night, and maybe someone will emerge from the pack.
The Defense Should Give Us Some Hope
The Eagles have a great offense with quarterback Jalen Hurts, star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert. Matching up against them is a great test for the New England defense, which held its own during the joint session on Tuesday.
Christian Gonzalez has had an up-and-down camp, but he was solid against Brown on Tuesday. Let's see if that carries over into Thursday's game, which would greatly relieve any concern about the second-year corner as he returns from last year's season-ending injury. On the other side, we'll be looking to see if Alex Austin or Marco Wilson continue their strong play in place of the dinged-up Jonathan Jones.
Along the D-Line, we'll be watching for Oshane Ximines, who had a sack and two QB hits last week against Carolina. He had another strong day in practice on Tuesday, and is really making a strong push to not only make the roster, but be a part of New England's pass rush.
Tune in to Thursday's Patriots-Eagles preseason game on WBZ-TV -- your home of the New England Patriots! Pregame coverage begins at 6:30pm with Patriots GameDay, kickoff is set for just after 7pm, and after the game stick around for Patriots 5th Quarter!
