Thursday night’s mostly dull first preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers marked the beginning of the Jerod Mayo era for the team. You would think there wouldn’t be much to learn from the game considering that the majority of the starting players for both sides didn’t play much, if at all.
That would be incorrect, however. Let’s discuss the lessons we learnt from the Patriots’ 17-3 victory.
The Panthers are a bad team, and several of their players were sidelined, thus defence wins out. The Patriots’ dominance on the defensive end of the ball was still evident. They were able to consistently leave the field since Carolina was only able to convert two of their fourteen third-down attempts, resulting in five sacks overall.
Neither Christian Barmore nor Matthew Judon appeared on the pitch, therefore the team was without two of its finest players. It made little difference; the Patriots controlled the whole game and produced several noteworthy plays.
Following the match, head coach Jerod Mayo said, “They play with a lot of energy.” We were the most physically demanding team on the pitch today, in my opinion, as a collective. The offensive line and the defensive line are where it all begins up front. I felt those players had good playing.
This struggling Patriots squad can only succeed consistently this season if their defence plays a strong role. The team under new coordinator DeMarcus Covington ought to be strong once again this year, if Thursday night is any guide. Although the Panthers game doesn’t demonstrate how excellent they are, the early outcomes were nonetheless positive.
Playing time enquiries: The preseason ought to be a chance to see players in competitive settings. Playing Bailey Zappe for an excessive amount of time seems to have cost the Patriots that chance. He saw action on 36 of 65 offensive plays, which is the highest of any quarterback by a wide margin. He also received seven series.
Drake Maye seems to require as many repetitions as possible, therefore the team’s decision to give him only one drive is insufficient. Moreover, it detracts from the performance of the receivers. With the third-string offence, Zappe hasn’t been able to do some of the same tasks as Joe Milton and Maye. Why not check out the youngsters’ abilities? What use does it serve to play Zappe for so long?
“It was all about opportunity,” Jerod Mayo said after the contest. It has to do with possibilities. Zappe walked out there and, see, he had prior NFL victory. However, I felt it was a good idea to simply bring Joe in when we needed a spark, and he did exactly that.
Zappe completed the contest with a 12-for-20 yard gain. Drake Maye was 2-for-3 for 19 yards, Joe Milton 4-for-6 for 54 yards and a score, and starter Jacoby Brissett was 0-for-3.
That quarterback use seems illogical from the outside. It makes more sense for Brissett to play several series than for Zappe to play seven. Given the offense’s recent changes and the large number of new players the Patriots have added, it seems sense to give them some time to gel as a unit.
From that vantage point, however, what the Patriots accomplished on Thursday night was peculiar.
Coach Judon: Although Matthew Judon didn’t play any snaps on Thursday night, his influence was still felt. When he was caught inside on an outside run, he was seen by the CBS cameras coaching up teammate edge defender Oshane Ximines. Judon’s leadership qualities align with the Patriots’ expectations, which is the primary rationale for the team’s desire to retain him.
It is hoped that he and the organisation can move beyond the previous issues and agree on a new deal at last.
Ximines O-shines: The Patriots signed Oshane Ximines as a surprise this summer. In training camp, he immediately gave the impression that he might be a contributor for the squad, and on Thursday night, he performed well in his first game action. It should be noted that he wasn’t facing the whole starting offensive line, but it was encouraging to see him perform well.
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They may have an end like Keion White go in as Christian Barmore is likely sidelined for some time. Because of Ximines, in such case, they would also have an abundance of depth externally.
Kayshon Boutte is up and down: There are a lot of players vying for a spot at wide receiver, with second-year player Kayshon Boutte among them. In the first half, Boutte made several very impressive plays, such as a high-point catch on third down after Bailey Zappe’s pass.
Unfortunately, he also failed to convert two third-down throws that would have resulted in first downs in the second half. Even though both of the receptions were difficult, he has to demonstrate that he can regularly make them if he hopes to crack the starting lineup.
Joe Giles-Harris is a good player. Another position where there is some competition at the bottom of the depth chart is linebacker. Against Carolina, Joe Giles-Harris presented a compelling case to be one of the last players added to the squad. He was physically aggressive, intercepting many passes, and he also gave off the impression of being a confident tackler.
With Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, and an injured Sione Takitaki as the Patriots’ only guaranteed off-the-ball depth, guys like Giles-Harris might have a chance to make the squad if they can prove themselves in the preseason. On Thursday, the 27-year-old undoubtedly did.
Vederian Lowe replaced third-round rookie Caedan Wallace last week after Wallace had been practicing with the first team offence at right tackle and then left tackle early in training camp. After being acquired by the Patriots late in the preseason, Lowe had a difficult debut season in 2023. On Thursday night, the outcomes were very similar.
But when he was in there at left tackle, Wallace seemed to be in good shape. down fact, he seemed to struggle more when he moved to right tackle. However, it could be time to bring him back into the starting lineup to settle down at left tackle, where the club still has a lot of questions about it.
Flashes from David Wallis: On Thursday night, the Patriots’ regular punt returners were not available, but undrafted rookie receiver David Wallis capitalised on it. He seemed to be moving fluidly out there and had a few excellent returns. He carried a kickoff back 24 yards and gained 36 yards overall on two punt returns.
Especially at his competitive main position of wide receiver (where he had 0 targets on 19 offensive plays), is it enough to get him into the active roster? Most likely not, but it may allow him to be on to the practice squad, giving him the opportunity to push for a roster place in 2025 or perhaps be called up at some time this year.
Bazooka Joe Milton: Drake Maye only saw one series, but when the Patriots did let him to play for a longer amount of time, he did not disappoint. Joe Milton, a sixth-round pick, was electrifying with the ball in his hands and seemed to make some pretty smart choices as well. He didn’t seem to be hesitant to create some plays with his legs or to force passes.
After the game, Milton remarked, “I think the coaches and the team itself have put a lot of work in to get us where we need to be, especially at a quarterback position.” The specifics were very important to the OC, Coach [Alex Van Pelt], T.C. McCartney, and Ben McAdoo. Your feet don’t match your eyes, therefore you should simply follow your foot’s instructions and walk on if something isn’t there.
“Having the ability to trust the guidance, the men in your immediate vicinity, and the information they are imparting is crucial. being ability to just observe everything while present.
Although facing the Panthers’ third-string defence undoubtedly aided him, Milton continued to look downfield even as he moved in the pocket. He seems to have performed well enough for the Patriots to use him as their third-string quarterback going into the game the following week.
Eagles to town: The Eagles will visit town on Tuesday for a combined practice before the Patriots face them at home on Thursday. This practice might be even more significant than the game on Thursday, given how the team handled those joint sessions under Bill Belichick, Jerod Mayo’s former head coach. It should be exciting to watch the first teams play each other, something that may not occur in the exhibition match.
Try to make it to Gillette Stadium on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. ET to see the practice, if you can. This is an excellent opportunity to see how the Patriots perform against a top-tier squad. There should be a lot of enthusiasm, and this might be a great chance for players to prove that they belong on the team.