FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Gradual recreation with Maye: When the Houston Texans visited the Patriots within the 2023 preseason opener, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had a plan for then-rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. He’d play sparingly.
Ryans later defined that the aim was to provide Stroud a small style of “stay reps” and “actual seems”, whereas on the identical time acknowledging some issues alongside the offensive line because the Texans had “issues to wash up” in that space. So Stroud performed 12 snaps over two sequence in his NFL debut, which included being intercepted by Jalen Mills, with Ryans holding agency that much less was extra regardless of Stroud lobbying to remain within the recreation.
The strategy is well timed to revisit due to what unfolded Thursday night time within the Patriots’ 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers within the preseason opener.
No. 3 total choose Drake Maye, who brings the identical hope to New England that Stroud has to a revived Texans franchise, performed solely seven snaps over one sequence. The ultra-conservative strategy has led some to surprise if first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and his workers squandered an opportunity to assist Maye’s growth, particularly because it appears clear they do not plan to play him at the beginning of the common season.
It is potential they did. It is also potential they helped Maye’s growth, because the Texans’ strategy confirmed final yr with Stroud — who hadn’t been named the starter when the preseason started — finally successful Related Press Offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all playbook for tips on how to strategy preseason openers with extremely drafted rookie quarterbacks, because the variance of taking part in time for latest high picks exhibits.
Prime rookie QBs (since ’21) and what number of snaps they performed in preseason opener:
(counting Caleb Williams’ Week 2 recreation as a result of Bears have additional preseason contest after preliminary HoF Recreation; additionally counting penalties as snaps performed for 2024 QBs, with Bo Nix to be added Sunday) pic.twitter.com/TiM4yQ9i6c
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 10, 2024
Some coaches, resembling Invoice Belichick and former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, consider in taking part in rookie quarterbacks extra. That is why within the 2021 preseason opener, then-rookie Mac Jones totaled 33 snaps in his debut, setting the stage for him to finally overtake starter Cam Newton and writer a productive rookie season that had some asking if he ought to have been drafted greater than choose No. 15.
“Observe is observe, however issues occur at recreation pace and that is one thing everybody wants to enhance on — actually on the quarterback place,” Belichick mentioned when explaining Jones’ excessive taking part in time complete in his preseason debut. “It is a good alternative for us to match that pace.”
One may suppose Mayo would endorse an identical philosophy, contemplating he performed eight seasons beneath Belichick after which coached on his workers for 5 seasons. As a substitute, he is bucking it, leaning closely on the workers he employed — led by coordinator Alex Van Pelt, quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney and senior assistant Ben McAdoo — to set the plan for Maye and Co.
“Every of those quarterbacks has a person growth plan that I’ve gone over with AVP and the remainder of his workers, and we’re sticking to that plan till it is time to change,” Mayo mentioned.
One of many main aims the workers set for quarterbacks within the opener was “clear operation and communication,” based on veteran starter Jacoby Brissett. That takes on added significance for Maye, who did not name performs within the huddle at North Carolina. Mayo additionally acknowledged the offensive line and a few of its notable struggles in coaching camp had been an element within the restricted taking part in time, too. The wet forecast, which wasn’t anticipated, provides one other layer of context to contemplate.
Of his seven snaps on Thursday night time, Maye handed the ball off thrice, handed thrice, and there was one false begin penalty on proper deal with Chukwuma Okorafor. Maye completed 2-of-3 for 19 yards.
The Patriots return to the observe area Sunday and Monday for his or her twelfth and thirteenth exercises since coaching camp started, earlier than welcoming the Eagles to city for a joint observe on Tuesday. Then the groups play at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night time.
Will probably be a shock if Maye is restricted to seven snaps in his second recreation.
“This can be a large week for everybody to observe in opposition to the Eagles after which actually we’ll see how the reps type of break down within the recreation,” Mayo mentioned. “I anticipate Drake to get extra reps than he did within the first recreation in opposition to the Eagles.”
2. All about OL: For all of the discuss concerning the Patriots’ pursuit of receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and Maye’s growth, a case may very well be made that the state of the offensive line is the group’s high concern. On Maye’s solely drive Thursday night time, my overview had Okorafor chargeable for three breakdowns, left guard Sidy Sow one and left deal with Vederian Lowe one other. That is partially why Maye confronted a third-and-12 and third-and-11 state of affairs. And the depth on the second unit, which was led by a stable efficiency from rookie proper guard Layden Robinson, can be shaky. Till that every one will get sorted out, it would not look like an overstatement to say not a lot else will matter.
3. Judon standing: Matthew Judon is perhaps sad with slower contract negotiations that may give him a elevate, however he did not present it throughout Thursday’s preseason opener when he was teaching up fellow exterior linebacker Oshane Ximines on the sidelines in entrance of Mayo.
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That sparked among the most notable commentary through the group’s tv broadcast, as a result of it was delivered partly by Judon’s former teammate, Devin McCourty, and his twin brother Jason, who performed 13 NFL seasons.
“All people is questioning, ‘Judon is there however is he actually glad?’ I feel what you fail to appreciate, from knowledgeable athlete [perspective], whenever you’re there and across the guys each single day — no matter your contract state of affairs — when you’re on the sphere and within the constructing you wish to be there in your guys.”
McCourty added that Judon was managing a nagging damage, and that was the explanation he did not play within the recreation or observe earlier than that.
4. Brady in sales space: When may Tom Brady go to Gillette Stadium for the primary time as a Fox broadcaster? As a result of the Patriots do not at present have a lot nationwide enchantment, and Brady is on Fox’s No. 1 group, there are not any ensures it should occur in any respect. But when Fox values the thrill it’d create and needs to strike early if projecting a tough season in New England, maybe Week 5 in opposition to the Dolphins suits finest.
At this level, Fox has solely introduced Brady’s Week 1 task — Cowboys at Browns. In line with league sources, the Week 2 Seahawks-at-Patriots recreation is not at present a consideration to be on his schedule.
5. “Greater than me”: Third-year security/particular teamer Brenden Schooler mentioned he approached Mayo close to the top of Thursday’s preseason win to congratulate him as a result of it was his first victory as coach. He mentioned Mayo advised him, “This is not about me, it is about we.” Schooler relayed the story when requested what the brand new signal Mayo has erected within the group assembly room — which reads “BIGGER than me” — means in his view.
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6. Harris as RB3? The Patriots know that Rhamondre Stevenson can be their high operating again, with free agent signee Antonio Gibson behind him. After that, it is rather less sure, however 2023 sixth-round choose Kevin Harris might be the main candidate. The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Harris, who stored his pads low on a 2-yard landing run Thursday night time, has “performed an excellent job within the weight room and on the sphere,” based on Mayo.
7. Brady’s remaining INT: The soccer that Brady threw in his remaining cross as a Patriot, which was a pick-6 by his former teammate Logan Ryan in a playoff loss to the Titans at Gillette Stadium, had a whole lot of which means to Ryan due to his historical past as Brady’s teammate in New England from 2013-2016. So when the 2 grew to become teammates once more with the Buccaneers in 2022, Ryan included the ball with a couple of different objects into the spot the place Brady welcomed teammates to depart issues for him to signal.
“Tom had enjoyable with it, and went together with it, even by way of he was type of tricked into doing it,” Ryan mentioned.
Then the 2 received speaking that if the soccer may finally result in one thing optimistic, it could be the best-case state of affairs for each of them, so it is at present being auctioned off with proceeds going to animal rescue work. That’s one in all Ryan’s passions off the sphere and one thing Brady grew to become concerned with by way of his daughter, Vivian.
Ever the great sport, Brady signed his title and wrote on the ball: “Final cross as a Patriot … 1/4/20 … Logan Ryan INT.”
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8. “Broad open” at kicker: Mayo declared the competitors between incumbent kicker Chad Ryland and six-year veteran Joey Slye as “extensive open,” with Slye given the nod to try the lone area aim in Thursday’s preseason opener — a profitable 42-yarder. Ryland made each point-after makes an attempt, the second of which was slicing proper because it approached the uprights. Including these kicks to what has unfolded in observe in coaching camp, Ryland is 26-of-29 and Slye 23-of-28.
9. Kickoff nugget: Groups across the NFL are dissecting kickoff returns and the way groups are aligning with the league’s new guidelines. On Thursday, the Patriots aligned eight blockers throughout the sphere on one stage, with only one participant behind them, after which two returners within the touchdown zone. Particular groups coaches could be shocked if the Patriots make it an everyday factor, as that sort of 8-1 alignment limits their potential to create double groups from completely different ranges, which appears to be one of many keys to the brand new rule. It would simply be a case of the Patriots, who had two returns for 44 yards on Thursday night time, not wanting to indicate an excessive amount of.
10. Do you know? The Patriots have two gamers on the present roster that had been teammates with Mayo throughout his remaining season taking part in in 2015 — middle David Andrews and lengthy snapper Joe Cardona. Houston’s Ryans is the one different present NFL head coach that has been teammates with two of his gamers — from final season with security Kareem Jackson and snapper Jon Weeks.
