Preseason, even the infamous “dress rehearsal” 3rd preseason game, is fraught with equal parts unreasoning elation and unfounded doom. We can make way too much of a single series, even a single play and yet, the siren call of the hot take is simply impossible to resist.
So, I’m just going to roll with it…
Garoppolo is Italian for “In Crisis Lies Opportunity”
Before the game, I was wondering just how crazy the Internet would go if Jimmy G put together a couple of touchdown drives against the Carolina Panthers defense. Well, not to worry about clickbait urging the Pats to trade Brady after Garoppolo’s underwhelming performance Friday night.
Still, I’m going to take the positive spin. We learn more from adversity than we do from success and Jimmy G will have plenty of material to work on from this game. And that, as they say, is a good thing.
Tommy
Perhaps Garoppolo was pressing a bit knowing that Brady would be playing (never underestimate the human element). Not that it’s an excuse. The reality that Brady would return and be the starter was established and reinforced by Bill Belichick weeks ago. But I digress.
Most of the chatter surrounding Brady’s return has focused on the dime dropped on Chris Hogan and rightly so. It was a perfect, undefensible pass that hit Hogan in stride. It was classic Brady, as it seemed he knew exactly what was going to happen before the snap. And it was good on multiple counts as we not only got to see Brady being Brady in game action but it was off-season acquisition Hogan on the receiving end.
Brady’s pass to Aaron Dobson was also noteworthy in that it demonstrated Brady’s confidence in the star-crossed wide receiver who not only made a tough catch in traffic but then turned upfield for 10+ years after the catch. Dobson also had a nice tapdance catch on the sideline as he keeps his fingernails on the roster ledge.
For me, though, the most reassuring moment in Brady’s return to action was watching him on the sidelines during the 4th quarter, goofing around with his teammates, a man a million miles from the slings and arrows of Deflategate and his impending four-game suspension.
The Running Men
Perhaps the best thing about Tyler Gaffney’s return to health has been its impact on LeGarrette Blount.
My bromance with Gaffney is well documented, as is my support for the chronically and unfairly underrated Blount. I may be reading too much into this and it’s certainly a subjective, small data sample observation but I don’t think I’ve seen Blount look any better. He seems quicker, more decisive. He has been, in a word, electric. I’m excited by the one-two punch of Blount and Gaffney and what the competition between these two for lead running back has brought to the Patriots running game.
The hype-eaters have full bellies after D.J. Foster’s first appearance of the preseason and I must admit, I too was impressed by what I saw. Yes, it was late game action but Foster flashed a little Dion Lewis-like capabilities in his brief cameo. Foster had 5 touches for 42 yards, catching all three passes thrown his way.
Blount, Gaffney, James White and James Develin all appear to be locks as does special teams stalwart Brandon Bolden. With Dion Lewis starting the season on PUP it looks like the Patriots may be able to keep Foster on the Final 53. That’s important as I don’t see him making it through waivers to the practice squad. As to what happens when/if Lewis returns, well, that’s a good problem to have.
I’ve Heard Defense Wins Championships
Without Jabaal Sheard, Rob Ninkovich, Shea McClellin or the newly acquired Barkevious Mingo (is there a better name in all of sports?), the Patriots defense looked pretty damned good while making Cam Newton look pretty damned bad. Bill Belichick said before the game that the 3rd preseason game isn’t a dress rehearsal or anything at all like the regular season because there’s no game planning. Well, it sure looked like the Pats D had a plan for Cam Newton; rush to contain with a linebacker spying on Newton, make Cam beat you with his arm, not his legs.
And it worked.
Everyone who has ever mocked Bill Belichick’s propensity for drafting Rutgers defensive backs should note that Devin McCourty, Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon all came away with picks.
If there was a negative to take away on the defensive side of the ball Friday night it was the DNP by Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton. I certainly had high hopes for what Knighton could bring to the defense when he was signed but it now seems unlikely those expectations will be met. Belichick’s explanation was both reasonable and disconcerting. Sure, you need to see the kids play but what does it say about Knighton’s ability to learn the defense when rookie Vincent Valentine is starting?
On the other side of that spin, it’s good news if Valentine has outplayed Knighton. And let’s also hope that whatever led to Alan Branch’s team imposed suspension that all is forgiven.
Trey Flowers seems to be in every play and Chris Long continues to look like he’s got plenty of gas in the tank. The performance of Flowers and Long has me thinking good thoughts about this defense. I believe the Patriots will cut a defensive back who will wind up starting for another team. Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower are absolute studs. Yes, I’m anxious to see Jabaal Sheard and Shea McClellin return to action, of course, but more than that, I’m intrigued by the acquisition of Mingo.
After Akeem Ayers a few years ago and more recently how well other former Cleveland Browns - Sheard and Lewis - have done once they donned a Patriots jersey, I’m probably overly optimistic about what Mingo can bring to New England’s defense but I’m also not discounting Mingo’s motivation in his contract year. He’ll be a free agent in 2017 and what he does on the field this year will go a long way to determining his long-term financial well-being.
You’re So Very Special
Julian Edelman is one of the very best punt returners in NFL history and I hope he never returns another punt for the rest of his career. After Friday night and Cyrus Jones’ 60-yard return, maybe that will happen. Jones has shown up on defense and looked like he would return excellent value on his 2nd round draft investment before his field tipping punt return.
I’m setting the over/under on punt return TDs for Jones at 2.5. Not that I’m encouraging gambling.
And let's hope Edelman plays all of his snaps on offense in 2016.
The QB Carousel
There’s still some chatter from the local pigskin pundits and bobbleheads that the Patriots should pick up a veteran “just in case” quarterback for Brady’s unjust September sabbatical.
Well...
Granted it was garbage time but let’s check out Jacoby Brissett’s line from Friday night:
9 for 9, 85 yards, 9.4 YPA, 1 TD, 0 INT, 143.1 passer rating.
Alright.
Preseason. Garbage time. Small data sample.
Agreed and stipulated.
From my perspective, the roster spot is too precious to waste on a Geno Smith or Mark Sanchez or any other QB who wasn’t good enough to make another NFL roster and who would have to pick up the Patriots notoriously complex playbook on the fly. I’d rather see the Patriots keep Aaron Dobson or D.J. Foster or Anthony Johnson just to name a few on the roster bubble.
Freedom is Worth It
A quick note on Colin Kaepernick and what must surely have already been called Anthemgate by someone, somewhere.
Agree or disagree, whether you believe his actions to be sincere or crass opportunism, what Kaepernick did last night is the very essence of what makes the United States of America great.
It’s important to remember the tradition of playing the National Anthem before sporting events started during World War II, when it felt morally uncomfortable to continue playing baseball, basketball and football while 60 million people were being killed, conflating sporting events with celebrations of patriotism. More recently, there was the pay for play scandal involving the NFL and its “celebration” of our nation’s military. We’ve conflated sports with patriotism and the military for decades and have become uncomfortably comfortable with referring to athletes as warriors, referring to the line of scrimmage as the trenches and so on.
From my perspective, that only serves to legitimize Kaepernick’s actions. What better place to exercise his 1st Amendment?
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