What To Watch For: What Will We See From Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady, Reggie Wayne?
BOSTON (CBS) -- Training camp and the preseason can be a long, arduous journey -- and that's just from a spectator's standpoint.
While everybody loves football, the "football" that takes place through most of August is not exactly what we've all grown accustomed to watching on Sundays throughout the fall. Backups quartebacks playing behind backup linemen, facing a backup pass rush while trying to throw to backup receivers going against backup cornerbacks is not exactly the product that has made the NFL No. 1 in this country. Yet, we all still watch.
Fortunately, this week's contest should more closely resemble the game we know and love, as the third preseason game has come to be known as the "dress rehearsal" for the regular season. Cliched as that may be, it's generally true.
So here's what to be on the lookout for when the Pats don their costumes and hit the stage.
The Bubble Wrap Boys
Tom Brady is the most important player on the Patriots roster, of course. But he's not all that useful without his pals Julian and Rob.
Those two players have essentially been kept in bubble wrap throughout the summer. Rob Gronkowski has dressed in both preseason games, but has been forced to stand on the sidelines like a poor caged puppy staring at a field full of butterflies. Poor Rob.
Julian Edelman, meanwhile, has been essentially taken to quarantine during Patriots practices lately, as he's gotten in his conditioning work on a separate field away from his teammates.
The reason for the caution with both players is obvious. The duo combined for 174 receptions, 16 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards last season. They came through with 42 receptions for 475 yards and four touchdowns in the team's three playoff games. After absorbing a season's worth of punishing hits, they then had a super-short offseason before reporting to camp.
So the Patriots are taking it easy with both of them. But might Bill Belichick try to get them at least a little bit of live action on Friday night, if only to give them a taste of full speed before the season begins less than two weeks from now? That will depend on how it helps the football team. But from a viewer's standpoint, it would certainly add to the entertainment value.
The New Guy
Hey, speaking of the guys who catch the passes, will we get to see Reggie Wayne in a Patriots uniform, running routes in Tom Brady's offense?
If we do see it, it will be more than a little jarring. Wayne has only worn a Colts No. 87 jersey in his 14-year career. With No. 87 being occupied by the aforementioned caged Gronkowski, Wayne has made the switch to No. 15. So the mere image of Wayne in a Patriots get-up should take some time to get used to.
And if Wayne is able to learn at least a dozen or so plays, perhaps he can even get in this game, run a few routes and catch a pass or two from Brady.
Given the injuries to Brandon LaFell and Aaron Dobson, the continued absence of Edelman and the ineffectiveness of Josh Boyce, the Patriots may well need Wayne to catch up to speed in time for Sept. 10. He may dip his toes into life as a Patriot with a few plays on Friday.
A Corner Problem
Malcolm Butler looks really good. That's great for the Patriots. The problem lies on the opposite side of the field, where thus far through the summer there has been no clear solution to fill the void.
Last week, if it wasn't clear enough by his performance against the Saints, Devin McCourty made it clear that his days as a cornerback are behind him -- far, far behind him. To be clear, McCourty's performance was not quite as bad as it's been made out to be, but moving an All-Pro-caliber safety out of position, and moving him to a position where he's not very good, is a decision that just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
So, that vacant cornerback slot remains up for grabs, and someone is going to have to take advantage.
By all accounts, veteran Tarell Brown may be on the fast track toward earning it. He's been shining on the practice field, both against the Patriots offense as well as the Saints in last week's joint sessions. But we've yet to see him perform in game conditions. While an eight-year veteran doesn't really need to prove anything in the preseason, it would at least be reassuring to the New England fan base if Brown could get some work in with the starting defense on Friday night.
Beyond Brown, there aren't many folks left who believe Logan Ryan is up to the task, and Bradley Fletcher still carries the question marks that came with him when the Patriots signed him this offseason.
Everybody knew there would be a drop-off after the departure of Darrelle Revis and, to a lesser extent, Brandon Browner. But through half of the preseason, the results have been shakier than anticipated at cornerback, and the secondary really could use a strong performance to boost confidence heading into the season.
(It should be noted that two years ago, Cam Newton had one of the best games of his career against the Patriots, when he went 19-for-28 for 209 yards, three TDs and no INTs while also running for 62 yards on seven carries.)
All Eyes On Jimmy
Tom Brady is most likely going to start this game, and the future Hall of Famer might be really looking forward to the work. Thus far in the preseason, it's been a rough go, as he's just 3-for-9 for 23 yards. The offense has been choppy for Brady thus far, and while he could probably just show up to work when the regular season begins and be just fine, he still probably wouldn't mind putting together one drive of substance this summer.
But of course, the suspension still looms over Brady, and while it feels like the quarterback will be playing in Week 1 -- whether it be via ruling from Judge Richard Berman or from an injunction that would postpone the punishment -- the suspension is still there. The possibility of a settlement that could force Brady to sit out a game, however remote, still exists as well.
And so, the job for Jimmy Garoppolo becomes all the more complicated. It's hard enough being a backup QB and never knowing when your number might get called; it's doubly so when you're backing up a future Hall of Famer who's currently facing a suspension.
With that being established, it'll be interesting to see how Garoppolo is used on Friday and how he responds.
It wouldn't be beyond Belichick to pull Brady in the first quarter to insert Garoppolo, only to put Brady back in a series later, just to test the backup's ability.
Or maybe the script will get flipped entirely, and Garoppolo will get the start. He played well last week (28-for-33, 269 yards, TD) but didn't face the Saints' best players. Even putting the Brady situation aside, it wouldn't hurt for the Patriots to really see what they have with Garoppolo by giving him some starters' reps against the Panthers.
He talked this week about adapting to the increased spotlight this year, and getting some serious playing time on the road, under the lights, in the "most important" preseason game might be a big step forward in that regard.
