It's just preseason. It was just the Detroit Lions.
Yeah, yeah, okay. I hear you. I don't care. You're not going to slow my roll.
Second and Third Thoughts on Second and Third Stringers
I do believe defense wins championships, I do believe defense wins championships...
Jamie Collins could make the Patriots linebackers group one of the best in the NFL. Dont'a Hightower is having one of those "best shape of his career" training camps, Kyle Van Noy looks like he was genetically engineered to play in a Bill Belichick defense, promising redshirt soph Ja'Whaun Bentley looks like he's ready to pick up right where he was before injury ended his rookie season, and Elandon Roberts is coming off his best season as a Patriot.
They're "who're you going to cut?" deep across the board on defense. Michael Bennett, Dietrich Wise, John Simon, Derek Rivers, Chase Winovich, Shilique Calhoun on the edge, Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, Mike Pennel, Danny Shelton, David Perry inside, Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, J.C. Jackson and now I feel like I'm just naming everyone on the roster so let's just move on...
The Patriots starters in cameos/backups/future Dolphins sacked Lions quarterbacks nine times. One can only salivate over what this defense can do with Bennett, Van Noy, and Gilmore on the field.
The kids are alright…
N'Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers can flat out ball.
Harry does need to get over to the TB12 Sports Therapy Center for some deep tissue massage. #Pliability.
Tom Brady has weapons...
Suddenly, the wide receiver group has new questions to be answered.
Who do you keep at WR4?
Do you keep five?
Edelman is a lock and so, it would seem are Harry and Meyers. Who's next on the depth chart? Phillip Dorsett? Maurice Harris? Braxton Berrios? Dontrelle "Invisible Man" Inman showed up in game action. Gunner Olszewski has me hoping he can slip through to the practice squad.
That's not even counting Demaryius Thomas, and what if Josh Gordon is reinstated?
The depth chart is deep…
Did I even remember Nick Brossette was on the roster? I did not. Have we seen his name on those insanely early 53-man roster predictions? Anyone? No?
Jarrett Stidham passed the eye test…
Would you trade Brian Hoyer?
If you're Braxton Berrios I know you're nodding your head.
If the Patriots carry three quarterbacks, that means one more waiver wire pickup by the Lions, Titans, or Dolphins. If New England carries two QBs, it means Berrios, or maybe Derek Rivers, or a safety net TE like Andrew Beck might not have to break their lease and join a team that will not be playing in Super Bowl 54.
I doubt even Trader Bill could turn Hoyer into a swing tackle or an above replacement level tight end - or even a 3rd round pick - but who knows? In a couple more weeks, maybe there will be a team desperate for a quarterback not named Colin Kaepernick.
Still a long way to go…
I know Bill Belichick is right when he says it. The field was littered with yellow hankies last Thursday night. For all the good things we saw - and there were plenty of good things - in the Pats first preseason game of 2019, it's the smallest and least reliable of data samples. Still, it's hard not to jump on board the hype train.
If the Patriots team that demolished the Lions last Thursday night has a long way to go, I can hardly wait to see them when they get there.
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