5 positives from Pats preseason game #1
The Patriots took the field at Gillette last night in their first preseason game of the 2022 season. Normally I avoid preseason games, never had to watch it, I knew what we had and come the first game of the regular season my eyes were on the product until February, but with Mac in his second year and a whole new offensive scheme I will be fully invested in all 3 of the preseason games. Last night I fully enjoyed what I saw on that field. The Patriots played their backups for the most part and went up against the Giants starters. Thought it would be a blood bad but I was very wrong. Here are 5 things from the first game that should put a smile on every Patriots fans face today.
#5 THE SECONDARY
I’ve said it throughout the off season. This is the scariest spot on this team, with a pass heavy league you need to have at least one look down corner, we do not. But last night I saw some guys stepping up against the 1’s. The two that stuck out to me was Shaun Wade and Terrance Mitchell. Mitchell was targeted by Daniel Jones on a sequence of throws and Mitchell stood up to the test. Now i’m not saying we have our guy that can shut down all the best receivers, just that Bill knows how to use these guys and mask their weaknesses as best he can. Shaun Wade was a pickup we had last year that didn’t see the field, a lot of talk in camp about how he was performing and with 4 tackles and an int I can see what the hype is about him coming from camp.
#4 Brian Hoyer
Good ol reliable Brian Hoyer, for all the beat guys saying this offense looks like trash, Hoyer came out and just marched down the field on two drives going 5/8 with 59 yards and TD he was reading the defense and making the adjustments at the line. The only worry I had was late in the first quarter, it was 1st and goal and the play wasn’t getting called out and the Patriots had to call a timeout. Other than that, if Mac were ever to go down or struggle Hoyer will be here to pick up the pieces and be able to lead this offense.
#3 Tyquan Thornton
Rookie Wide Receivers and Bill Belichick do not go hand and hand, his track record is terrible so seeing them go in the 2nd round and draft the speedster out of Baylor, Tyquan Thornton I rolled my eyes. Will this be another N’keal Harry, a guy that they should have stayed away from and address other holes in the team. I feel as Tyquan may have made some Patriots fans, me included, come to terms that he will not be a N’keal Harry and that he does have upside. That kid is fast, that one sideline throw Brian Hoyer had to him was under thrown but if it was on target he was gone. Upside for sure, a true burner that we haven’t seen on the Patriots in a while. Can’t wait to see what him and Mac do this season.
#2 Fast Linebackers
The boys have stated it to me, we don’t need shut down corners, we need fast linebackers to get to the QB to hurry them up and make mistakes, last night seemed like an indication that we them. They came at Daniel Jones fast and in a hurry, and they made him make mistakes. A couple throws came quicker than expected and forced incompletions, however the tackling wasn’t all there last night. Couple sacks, or tackles for a loss could have been made but the tackling was sloppy and produced positive plays because of that. Hey, it’s preseason that’s what we are doing, working to get better and I already like what I see.
#1 The Play Calling
Bill is still trying to find out who his guy will be but from last nights game both Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in my opinion called a very good offensive game plan. We saw zone runs, runs up the middle, we saw slants and we saw them spread the field trying for the big play. The whole game was a huge positive, yes it’s preseason but the questions we as fans had going in to this camp looked to be getting addressed. The joint practices with the Panthers this week before the game Friday will be a good test for Mac and the offense seeing something new since they didn’t play Thursday. All in all I like the direction this team is going in.