Joint practices are well organized and orchestrated practices where two teams compete against each other over the course of three practices prior to a pre-season game.

The Patriots begin joint practices with the Detroit Lions today ahead of their pre-season game on Thursday night. Here is what you can expect between the two teams.

Individual stretch period: The two teams will stretch separately to start the two hour practice sessions. After stretching, they will break off into individual team periods.

Special teams: The Patriots and the Lions will start off with a special teams period where they work together. While they are doing that, all non-specialists will work together. For example, the offensive and defensive line might do one on ones while the quarterbacks and receivers might do one on one’s against the other team’s defensive backs.

Individual drills: Once the horn sounds to end the special teams period, the two teams will break off into individual drills. “Indy” as it is known is typically 15 minutes that are broken down into three five minute periods.

7 on 7 “Skelly”: The two teams will then move onto 7 on 7 or “skelly”. The quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs will work route combinations versus coverages. Some of the running backs will be involved in this period as well. The backs that are not in skelly are participating in inside run.

Inside run: Inside run is when the offense team reps inside the tackles running plays. The defense on the other hand is calling fronts that emphasize the “core” of the defense. Outside linebackers and secondary players are not involved in inside run.

11 on 11 “Team”: Once the two teams have completed skelly and inside run, they will break off into a team period. The team period is situational. Typically these joint practices are broken down in a such a way that the first team period is 1st and 10 situations and 2nd and 3rd and medium. Both teams will be on offense and defense. A second 11 on 11 team period will take place which will emphasize long down situations.

After team, special teams will get another extended period to work on a different phase of the kicking game. From there, the two teams will do a red zone offense versus defense period.

Red zone period: The focus of this period is to finish drives and score touchdowns for the offense and to get stops for the defense. This is a highly competitive period and like one on one’s or group period (7 on 7 and inside run) this is when tempers flare and a fight could break out.

After eight to ten practices of competing against your own teammates, it is a good opportunity for the players to compete against another team and it gives the coaches an opportunity to evaluate their team against someone else.