TreVeyon Henderson, rookies shine and 23 more takeaways – Boston Herald

Minutes earlier than Friday’s preseason opener in Foxboro, one workforce dominated out nearly all of its starters.

The opposite didn’t.

That’s the most crucial piece of context upon reviewing the Patriots’ opening exhibition of the Mike Vrabel period, a 48-18 whooping of Washington. The Patriots handled the opening few collection like a regular-season sport, comfortably sped to a 17-0 lead and continued to pound the Commanders whereas their backups took over the remainder of the night time. Few Patriots gamers, not to mention positions, left the sphere having been really examined, although most all of them produced good tape.

“I believed this was place to start out,” Mike Vrabel mentioned post-game.

Sure, it was. Listed below are the Herald’s full movie observations from Friday’s 48-18 win:

Studs

RB TreVeyon Henderson

It’s unattainable to start out higher than Henderson did, working the opening kickoff again 100 yards for a landing. He additionally added three catches and one rush for 18 yards on offense.

CB DJ James

A prime performer in coaching camp practices, James introduced himself to the football-watching world with a second-quarter interception. He learn his receiver’s route, jumped the cross and once more boosted his possibilities of making the lower.

WR Efton Chism III

Chism is an undrafted rookie who saved his greatest for the intense lights, catching six passes for 50 yards and a landing. As Vrabel talked about post-game, Chism’s play energy stood out, a pleasant complement to his elite quickness.

How Patriots rookie Efton Chism impressed Mike Vrabel in preseason debut

Duds

QB Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs sprayed errant passes all night time, lacking Kyle Williams for a landing close to the purpose line and a number of deep throws the place receivers have been open.

CB Kobee Minor

A seventh-round rookie, Minor missed two tackles and allowed a few catches. He was at all times a longshot to make the roster, however Friday night time’s efficiency did not assist.

Offensive notes

• Let’s begin with the rookies. Left sort out Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson each failed to dam the two-man stunt that led to Maye’s sack-fumble within the first quarter. Except for that, they allowed zero pressures and mauled Commanders defenders within the run sport.
• Campbell, particularly, completed performs a bit of previous the whistle, demonstrating the imply streak he was identified for in faculty and Vrabel got here to like within the draft course of. His athleticism additionally stood out, as seen on the “crack toss” performs – the place he was the lead blocker – on the opening snap of the Patriots’ first two drives.
• TreVeyon Henderson would possibly steal the beginning working again job earlier than we all know it. He had 4 touches in seven offensive snaps, additional proof he might be a focus of this offense.
• How about third-round rookie receiver Kyle Williams? He caught none of his 4 targets, however the tape confirmed a a lot better efficiency than the field rating indicated due to the quarterback play.
• Joshua Dobbs, who struggled together with his accuracy all night time lengthy, might have had two landing passes to Williams had he not thrown behind him on a slant within the first half and later been late to throw the ball to Williams’ wide-open fade route earlier than stress arrived.
• Williams did have a drop on a ball thrown low and away, however general separated on brief and deep routes utilizing quite a lot of releases that made him a pretty prospect forward of the draft.
• Drake Maye missed veteran wideout Mack Hollins at the back of the top zone on his scramble landing, a play the teaching workers will certainly assessment with him to once more emphasize they need him to scramble to throw, not run.
• The entire Patriots’ working backs ran with an edge, initiating contact on a number of runs that gained additional yards due to their physicality.
• Another rookie to say: seventh-round offensive sort out Marcus Bryant, who logged 43 offensive snaps, second-most on the workforce. Bryant is in a battle with Demontrey Jacobs to turn out to be the Pats’ new swing sort out.
• It is a unhealthy signal for Cole Unusual that Ben Brown snapped forward of him because the workforce’s backup middle and performed left guard, the place Unusual misplaced his starter job earlier this summer time.

Participant stats

Damaged tackles: RB Rhamondre Stevenson 2, RB TreVeyon Henderson 2, RB Lan Larison 2, WR Efton Chism III 2, WR Jeremiah Webb 2, WR John Jiles

Drops: WR Kyle Williams, WR Javon Baker

Sacks allowed: OG Jared Wilson (half), OT Will Campbell (half)

QB hits allowed: OT Demontrey Jacobs 2

Hurries allowed: OG Mike Onwenu, OG Cole Unusual, OT Marcus Bryant, OG Layden Robinson, C Alec Lindstrom, OG Mekhi Butler

Run stuffs allowed: Staff 3, OL Jack Conley

Defensive notes

• Extra stress, higher tackling and stronger edge-setting. For a protection that solely allowed 18 factors, there might be lots to choose on from this sport for Vrabel and the teaching workers.
• Beginning with the great: defensive sort out Khyris Tonga carried over his pass-rushing success in observe to the preseason with two pressures, and the younger corners (Alex Austin and DJ James) each impressed.
• For a defensive position now abiding by an attack-at-all-times philosophy, the Patriots reacted nicely to misdirection and house performs; two frequent counters to their fashion of protection.
• That mentioned, zero sacks, one QB hit and a handful of pressures in opposition to a workforce that sat its starters and dropped again to cross greater than 40 occasions just isn’t adequate.
• Outdoors linebacker Truman Jones, who performed within the first and fourth quarters, tied for the workforce lead with two pressures, but additionally misplaced the sting on an extended Commanders run within the second half. He’s preventing for a backup roster spot among the many edge defenders.
• Jones additionally missed a sort out, as did veteran security Kyle Dugger, who’s had a down summer time. Dugger nonetheless seems to be a half-step gradual from the final time we noticed him absolutely wholesome, and isn’t fitted to a scheme that may process him with extra 1-on-1 protection.
• Jaylinn Hawkins, then again, thrived together with his play recognition. He, Dugger and Jabrill Peppers all rotated into the free security function throughout snaps of single-high protection.
• Extra scheme notes: a lot of man-to-man protection and five-man zone pressures sending a blitzer from the slot or at inside linebacker. Rookie security Craig Woodson tallied one stress this manner.
• With out Christian Gonzalez, Christian Barmore, Carlton Davis and Okay’Lavon Chaisson and others, it is unattainable to mission but how this protection will look come Week 1. Nonetheless subsequent week’s joint practices in Minnesota, when Gonzalez would possibly return, ought to supply a telling glimpse.

Participant stats