FOXBOROUGH – It’s not hyperbole to call this the most important week of the offseason for the Patriots.
With a two-day preseason litmus test against the Eagles coming up in joint practices, we’ll know exactly where the Patriots stand against one of the teams that (should) be in the Super Bowl hunt.
It was back to work in full pads on Monday after a walkthrough on Sunday. Here’s how everything went down in what felt like another productive, encouraging day…
Early 7-on-7 period
Drake Maye: Short completion to Hunter Henry, dart on a slant to AJ Brown, drop by Romeo Doubs (coverage by Charles Woods), short swing to Doubs, completion to Efton Chism III on the sideline.
Tommy DeVito: Short completion to TreVeyon Henderson, short completion to Kyle Williams, Eli Raridon sits down in hole to make a grab, short completion to JaMycal Hasty.
Behren Morton: Deep post to Nick DeGennaro, short completion to DeGennaro, short completion to Lan Larison, incomplete deep looking for DeGennaro.
Lengthy team period
Had to be the longest team period of the summer so far…
Maye: Swing to Rhamondre Stevenson, combo run stuff for Carlton Davis III and Dell Pettus, intermediate completion to Raridon across the field, short run for Henderson (nice job opening up some space by Morgan Moses and Mike Onwenu)…combo run stuff (multiple guys), completion to Mack Hollins over the middle (nice pocket maneuvering from Maye).
DeVito: Hard run by Hassan Haskins, deep-ish completion to Chism III, hard run for Hasty (ran over Kindle Vildor), Jeremiah Pharms Jr. blows up a run, short completion to Hunter Henry and one to Chism III on a little rollout.
Maye: Short completion to Stevenson (Robert Spillane would have blown him up), deep ball TD to AJ Brown (blew past Woods at the LOS), short pass to Stevenson, sideline completion to Doubs, deep-ish sideline catch for Doubs vs. Woodson and a quick pass to Henderson.
DeVito: Would-be blown up short pass to Larison for Vildor, deep incompletion to Boutte with Vildor in coverage, short completion to Raridon, dart to Hollins over the middle, Leonard Taylor III blows up a screen for an incompletion, incompletion to Doubs (ball at his feet along the sideline).
Morton: Near interception down the seam for Riley Wilson, run stuff for Kobe Minor coming up to meet Jam Miller, would-be sack for Pharms Jr., Isaiah Iton smokes Miller on a run, quick hitter to Cam Dorner, drop by Tejhaun Palmer, would-be sack for Eric Gregory, Q Hutchins makes a tackle on Miller after a short run (nice inside move to get off his block), PBU Brandon Crossley.
Field goals
Kicking on the skinnier goal posts again, Andy Borregales went 3-5 with kicks ranging from 37-52 yards. He made the 52-yarder and one of the misses probably would have been good on a regular goal post setup.
Team period
Maye: Stevenson stuffed on a run, short run for Stevenson, incompletion on a short throw to Brown (Woods on him), quick gain for Pop Douglas, incompletion (no one in the area, looked like a miscommunication between Maye and Hollins)…quick completion to Doubs vs. Davis III and short run for Stevenson.
DeVito: Deep out to Hollins vs. John Saunders Jr. (most likely a would-be sack for Gabe Jacas), hand off to Larison for minimal gain, (I missed the next snap here sneezing)…combo would-be sack for Joshua Farmer and Kenneth Harris (ball still thrown and Marcellas Dial Jr. makes a PBU)…deep pass PBU for Karon Prunty vs. Kayshon Boutte, run stuff by K. J. Britt.
Situational (1:05 on the clock)
Maye: Deep-ish ball for AJ Brown after moving the pocket, toe-touch grab on the sideline for Doubs against Craig Woodson, quick completion to Douglas, quick completion to Boutte (Maye clocks it), short pass for Stevenson (gets out of bounds with 30 seconds left), Maye centers it and takes a couple of knees. Borregales drills a 40-yard ‘game winner’ on the skinny goal posts as time expires.
Next up
Another walkthrough is scheduled for Tuesday before the fun starts with the Eagles on Wednesday. Wednesday and Thursday is open to the public with gates opening at 9:16 a.m. Practice starts at 10:15.