Football has returned to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, marking the Patriots’ first appearance in the 2023 season. Despite a 20-9 loss to the Texans in their preseason opener on Thursday night, the focus remains on player evaluation rather than the final score or statistics.
Preseason games serve as a platform to assess player performance, especially for those who are new to the NFL or the Patriots’ system. Notably, Christian Gonzalez and Keion White, the top two draft picks for New England, showcased their abilities, particularly White, who displayed moments of dominance. The experimentation with Jalen Mills in the safety position is showing promise, Tyquan Thornton made progress, and insights were gained into the rookie receivers’ development.
However, the central narrative surrounding the team revolves around the offensive line’s health and performance, a theme that has persisted throughout training camp. Despite starting quarterback Mac Jones and key pass-catchers being absent from Thursday’s game, the absence of projected starting guards and some veteran players raised concerns about the team’s offensive line depth.
The challenges faced by backup players competing for roster spots were evident, spotlighting the question marks surrounding the Patriots’ offensive line depth. This issue is not isolated to a single game but has been observed over the past few days of practice. The offense struggled to generate positive plays due to inconsistent blocking, emphasizing the significance of a strong offensive line.
As the focus remains on evaluating alternative options, notable players like Mike Onwenu (on the PUP list) and Cole Strange (sidelined due to practice injury) continue to be absent. While Trent Brown is gradually increasing his involvement, the absence of a key right tackle presents a challenge. The competition for the position narrows down to veterans Riley Reiff and Conor McDermott, as Calvin Anderson, a free-agent addition, remains unavailable due to a non-football illness.
Until the primary starting lineup takes the field, attention will remain on the development and performance of alternative players within the Patriots’ roster.
As we enter the later stages of summer, the pivotal role of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm in assembling a formidable offensive line becomes increasingly apparent. The team’s overall success hinges on the effectiveness of the offense, a task that requires not only a well-designed system but also the presence of talented players.
Following the Patriots’ loss to the Texans in their preseason opener, here are eleven key observations from the game:
1. Standout Moment of the Game sponsored by Enel: Bailey Zappe Links Up With Tyquan Thornton for a 27-Yard Reception
In a game largely lacking offensive highlights for the Patriots’ “starting” offense, a standout moment emerged, offering promising signs for second-year wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Throughout the summer, Thornton had encountered difficulties in successfully completing catches while under contact at the catch point. Despite showcasing his speed for downfield separation, he struggled in contested situations against defenders.
However, the game against the Texans marked a turning point for Thornton. Collaborating with quarterback Bailey Zappe, he executed a 27-yard completion between two zone defenders within a cover-two structure. At the outset, Thornton had to overcome an aggressive jam by the corner, who intended to disrupt the play in the flat. Undeterred by the initial contact, Thornton maneuvered to find an opening in the cover-two zone, adeptly adjusting to a back-shoulder throw and skillfully high-pointing the ball as the safety closed in.
In post-game interviews, Zappe provided an insightful breakdown of the play’s development. Meanwhile, Thornton shared with Patriots.com that he had dedicated extra practice time to enhance his hand strength, a commitment that paid off with the catch on Thursday night.
“[Tyquan Thornton] was assigned a mandatory release vertical go route. Coincidentally, the defense clouded that side. For us, it resembled a hole shot,” Zappe elaborated. “I anticipated the corner squeezing down on the out route, allowing me to loft the ball up and provide Tyquan an opportunity to contest the catch. His remarkable execution was evident as he secured the ball in the air. Witnessing his exceptional play was truly gratifying.”
Thornton possesses explosive speed and has consistently created separation downfield. If he can consistently excel in contested situations, his performance may gain the momentum needed for further success.
2. Rookie Keion White Steals the Show Amongst the First-Year Patriots With most observers waiting to see first-round pick Christian Gonzalez and the rookie receivers, it was second-round pick Keion White who stole the show. White, who has a handful of flashes in practice, was a game-wrecker in his 27 snaps. White rushed from multiple alignments and stances, converting a good first step into power with a push-pull technique tossing a Texans offensive lineman to the turf for one pressure and a nice press-and-shed rep to force a cutback into the teeth of the defense on an outside zone scheme. White’s ability to be the contain defender on bootlegs was also impressive, and he made an instinctual play to pounce on Dare Ogunbowale to force a fumble when the Texans running back dropped a pitch. White was a little late getting off the ball from a two-point stance and still needs a go-to counter to his long arm/bull rush. But the second-rounder is oozing with talent. White is going to be an immediate contributor. 3. Christian Gonzalez Has Fine Rookie Debut in First Preseason Action New England’s first-round draft choice played 25 snaps in his preseason debut, with 24 plays at outside corner, as expected. Gonzalez was in phase (good position) most of the night, especially on a third-down corner route where he smothered Nico Collins. My eyes were on Gonzalez for most of his snaps, and he lived in the receiver’s hip pocket. With that said, cornerback is a position where you can have 23 good plays, but people will talk about the two bad ones. There were a few “down” plays for the Pats rookie, mainly a 12-yard completion to Steven Sims where Sims beat Gonzalez coming across the field on a crosser where it looked like Gonzalez was a beat late reading the release. The rookie did a nice job of punching the ball out to force a fumble on the play, though, showing impressive closing burst. Although the fact that he was open wasn’t his fault, someone was late to the flat when Gonzalez had the deep third in cover-three, Collins also lowered the shoulder into Gonzalez for a few extra yards on the first play from scrimmage. Overall, it’s a passing grade for Gonzalez, but the 21-year-old still needs to improve his route anticipation. With his movement skills, he’ll get there. 4. Replacing D-Mac: Jalen Mills Shows Well in Safety Dress Rehearsal In the first game without Devin McCourty anchoring the backend in over a decade, the Patriots continued cycling through several options to play the deep safety role in Bill Belichick’s predominantly single-high defense. Although he only took a few snaps in centerfield, Jalen Mills, who is converting to safety from cornerback this season, was impressive. .@greengoblin on the moveeeeee!! 📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/stlkdFB9eZ — New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 10, 2023 Mills had the defensive highlight with an early interception of Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was making his NFL preseason debut. Mills had the tight end in man coverage, but the tight end stayed in to block, so Mills became a free defender. After Stroud canceled out the left side, he came to his right, thinking it would be clear to throw an outside in-breaker. Instead, he threw it right to Mills, who read the quarterback’s eyes the whole way. Mills also registered a tackle for loss from the star/nickel position, where he said he overheard the O-Line communicating and anticipated a run. Mills’s versatility to play multiple spots makes him a valuable defender in the secondary. 5. Backup QB Bailey Zappe Not Given Much to Work With in Preseason Opener It’s difficult to hold much against backup quarterback Bailey Zappe. With starting quarterback Mac Jones sitting this one out along with New England’s other frontline players, Zappe played through the first series of the second half, and the offense only produced three first downs with him under center. Although the numbers weren’t pretty, the offensive line made the conditions extremely difficult in the pocket. Zappe had two opportunities to convert third downs where receivers uncovered downfield, but the pocket collapsed quickly. First, the Pats tried dialing up a post-wheel concept to Zappe’s left, and it looked like rookie Kayshon Boutte was winning on the post, but pressure forced Zappe to throw the ball away after escaping the pocket. Then, the Pats ran a rub concept to get tight end Anthony Firsker free at the sticks. Firsker flashed open, but there was too much pressure in Zappe’s face for him to deliver a pass. Although the biggest piece of the blame pie goes to the offensive line, Zappe’s ability to deliver the ball from congested pockets is a concern due to his height (6-0). I’m not trying to pick on the guy, but the Firsker play, in particular, was one where you’d like to see him stand tall and deliver, and I don’t think it’s a poise issue with Zappe. He has been practicing throwing from different arm/sight angles to get the ball over the trees, and seeing over the line is sometimes challenging. It was somewhat surprising to see Zappe lead six drives, not including the end of the first half, on Thursday night. Most likely, Zappe stayed out there because the coaching staff hoped he’d put at least one scoring drive together. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. 6. Bill O’Brien Doesn’t Show his Full Deck, But the RPOs are Coming We’ll have a more detailed breakdown of the maiden voyage for Bill O’Brien’s second stint as the offensive coordinator in After Further Review. But my initial impressions were that O’Brien ran a very vanilla script in the first preseason game, which isn’t surprising at all – why give anything away right now? That said, O’Brien was calling run-pass options at a high rate, with six RPOs during the six drives that Zappe was in the game, and it might’ve been more. That’s the number we had in live charting. For now, the Pats are attaching bubble screens to the run actions. Hopefully, they’ll start running more downfield routes, such as slants and seam routes, once they graduate to more complex schemes. 7. Are the Patriots Hiding Rookie WR Demario Douglas (plus: Boutte Thoughts)? Besides one punt return (fair catch) and two snaps as a slot receiver, training camp star Demario Douglas didn’t get much run on Thursday night. My read on that is that the coaches view Douglas as a fringe core guy already. Douglas is still a rookie, so he isn’t quite in the JuJu, Parker, and Bourne group yet, with the Pats veteran wideouts taking the night off. In his post-game press conference, head coach Bill Belichick explained Douglas’s limited workload: “Guys that have gotten more work in practice got less time in the game. Guys that got less work in practice got more time in the game so that we could evaluate everybody.” Either the Pats don’t want the film out there on Douglas, making it easier to pass him through waivers to the practice squad if it comes to that, or he has already graduated. I’m leaning toward it being more the latter. As for fellow rookie Kayshon Boutte, the Pats other sixth-round pick at the position, played 26 snaps primarily as an outside receiver. Boutte only registered two catches for seven yards, but he challenged the coverage downfield on a few other plays. Boutte’s straight-line speed and strong hands are standout traits that could earn him a roster spot. 8. Second-Year Running Back Audition Runs Into a Roadblock Another surprising move regarding snap distribution was how much J.J. Taylor we saw rather than second-year running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris. The preseason is a great audition for the 2022 draft selections. They need to prove they’re trustworthy backups to lead back Rhamondre Stevenson, or Belichick needs to get Ezekiel Elliott’s agent on the phone. Like the quarterbacks, the running backs didn’t have a chance on several plays, including a fourth-and-short stuff by Houston where Harris was contacted in the backfield. Strong also had one opportunity to move the chains on third-and-two, but Zappe had to loft his pass over linebacker Cory Littleton, giving Texans rookie Henry To’oTo’o time to cut down Strong in the flat. Maybe you’d like to see Strong break the tackle there. But it was a bang-bang play where he didn’t have the ball in his hands until To’oTo’o was already there. Strong also had a nice jump cut to produce an eight-yard run. It wasn’t the flashy showing we were all hoping for, but Harris and Strong didn’t have much open space. 9. Let the Malik Cunningham Hype Begin Cunningham is the perfect roster hopeful/undrafted rookie signing to give the fourth quarter of a preseason game some intrigue. Cunningham is an explosive, agile ball carrier who can be a difference-maker with the football, which we knew from his college tape. Now Texans linebacker Jake Hansen knows after Cunningham claimed his ankles on Thursday night. Is he a quarterback? The throw to Tre Nixon was a good one, a drop. Is he a receiver? That’s a long, long path. I’m not sure where Cunningham fits in or how they get him on the roster. But he was moving at a different speed out there. It’s worth continuing to explore it. 10. Rookie Punter Bryce Baringer is Wrapping Up Punter Competition In practice, Baringer was already winning the job, and averaging 50 yards per punt with two punts downed inside the 20 was another box checked. Corliss Waitman hasn’t been bad, but Baringer is a weapon. 11. Rookie LB/S Marte Mapu Works the Sideline with Defensive Play-Caller Steve Belichick Following a glance at the sideline to observe the defensive play-calling responsibilities, my initial thought was that nothing had changed, with Steve Belichick calling the defense and Jerod Mayo aiding with substitutions. However, I quickly did a double-take when I spotted a player standing directly next to Steve with a notepad. That player was third-round draft selection Marte Mapu, who has been practicing in a red non-contact jersey due to offseason pec surgery. Mapu isn’t cleared for contact or game action yet, but he was taking super-mental reps by charting plays while Steve relayed them to the players on the field. The Patriots may view Mapu as a future green-dot wearer. It speaks to Mapu’s football IQ and how locked in he is despite being unable to play.
Analysis and Observations from the Patriots’ Preseason Opener Against the Texans
As the 2023 season approaches, the Patriots’ success on the field appears to be intricately tied to the coordination of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm. While last season’s offensive system underwent adjustments, the focus now lies on assembling a talented roster.
Here are eleven key observations following the Patriots’ preseason opener against the Texans:
- Keion White Shines Amongst Rookies: Despite anticipation surrounding top picks like Christian Gonzalez, it was second-rounder Keion White who stood out. With impactful flashes during practice, White showcased his potential in the game. He demonstrated versatility by executing effective rushes from different positions, showcasing power and technique. While he still needs refinement, White’s potential is undeniable.
- Gonzalez’s Promising Debut: First-round pick Christian Gonzalez played outside corner for 25 snaps. His positional awareness and coverage skills were evident, though some plays highlighted areas for improvement. Gonzalez’s performance showcased promise but also room for growth.
- Jalen Mills’ Adaptation: With Devin McCourty absent, Jalen Mills showcased his versatility as a safety. His interception and defensive contributions highlighted his adaptability, making him a valuable asset to the secondary.
- Backup QB Bailey Zappe’s Challenge: In the absence of Mac Jones, backup quarterback Bailey Zappe faced challenging conditions due to offensive line struggles. Despite limited opportunities, Zappe’s height affected his ability to navigate congested pockets.
- Bill O’Brien’s RPO Emphasis: Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien kept the playbook simple, with an emphasis on run-pass options (RPOs). While a basic approach was expected, RPOs were a noticeable aspect of the game plan.
- Demario Douglas’ Limited Exposure: Training camp standout Demario Douglas had limited snaps, indicating potential strategic considerations or his advancement within the team’s plans.
- Kayshon Boutte’s Potential: Fellow rookie Kayshon Boutte’s performance demonstrated potential, with glimpses of his speed and strong hands.
- Running Back Audition and Challenges: J.J. Taylor saw significant playing time, overshadowing other running back options. Second-year backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris faced difficulties, hindered by the offensive line.
- Malik Cunningham’s Intriguing Impact: Malik Cunningham’s explosive play style added intrigue to the game. His versatility led to speculation about his potential role within the roster.
- Bryce Baringer’s Punting Dominance: Rookie punter Bryce Baringer showcased his skill, potentially solidifying his role as the team’s punter.
- Marte Mapu’s Sideline Presence: Despite not playing due to injury, Marte Mapu’s involvement on the sideline demonstrated his engagement and potential as a future asset.
The preseason offers glimpses of player potential and areas needing improvement. While individual performances contribute to evaluation, the focus remains on refining team dynamics and assessing player adaptability before the regular season commences.
