We Still Don't Know Anything

So the first preseason game has come and gone and what do we know that we didn't know already? That Tom Brady is insanely competitive? That Josh Boyce looks like Exhibit 27 in the case against Bill Belichick's ability to draft wide receivers? That preseason games aren't worth missing episode 2 of "Project Runway?" Okay. That last one is probably just me.

 

Like most preseason games, there was some good news and some bad news.

As noted in the lede, it's time for those of us who've been rooting for Josh Boyce to take the next step to start planning the going away party. From the "One Door Closes, Another One Opens" file, Brandon Gibson was solid and if he can recapture his pre-injury form looks like solid depth behind the likely starting trio of wide receivers, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola. Boyce? Aaron Dobson? Brian Tyms? Yeah, still a chance but I think it's in the ball park of…

Scarlett Johansson: "Maybe. If you were the last man on earth and the survival of the human race depended on it."

Me: "So, you're saying there's a chance?"

Scarlett Johansson: "Second thought. No. Not even."

Hey, it's early. Anything could happen. 

Okay. 

Not anything. 

The number of possible futures is narrowing at a furious pace right now.

Jimmy Garoppolo didn't make anyone think the Patriots would be just fine if the unthinkable happens and Brady can't play but it's worth remembering he got off to a slow start last year. That's not really reassuring but it is worth remembering. Only Bill Belichick and his coaches know for sure but the consensus amongst the gridiron cognoscenti is that Jimmy G's performance had more to do with a shaky effort from his receivers than his head or his arm.

On the good news front, Jonas Gray's 55-yard TD run was impressive. The blocking, including rookie Shaq Mason pulling and sealing off the inside, was pretty close to "that's how we draw it up." To the best of my recollection, Gray went untouched off-tackle and up the sideline, and showed an extra gear in outrunning the Green Bay defense. And while James White didn't get much traction running the ball, he looked pretty good catching it.

The defensive front seven looked pretty good and that without Dont'a Hightower. Chandler Jones, Jamie Collins and Jabaal Sheard were active and productive. Just a glimpse of what this group is capable of, yes, it's way too early, yes, but I'm feeling much better about the post-Revis defense right now. Let's hope rookie Trey Flowers' injury was one of those "if this was the regular season he'd have gone back out there" things. And let's hope his sack of Aaron Rodgers was a sign of more to come.

On the other hand, what happened to rookie-year Logan Ryan? Did his evil twin – the one with no athletic ability at all – kill him and take his place? On the touchdown he gave up, he looked more like an offensive lineman who had lost a bet in practice. Jam the receiver? Nope. Give him some cushion and keep him in front of you? Not really. Stay between him and the end zone – turn and run and give up an intermediate gain if you have to? He wasn't even close enough to grab the receiver and take a penalty rather than give up the score. How do you do so many things wrong on one play?

On the other, other hand, it looks like the Patriots might have a 7th round pick (Darryl Roberts) and a guy who went undrafted (Malcolm Butler) as their starting cornerbacks and be just fine.

Wishful thinking?

It's the best kind.