Patriots
It appears like a decade in the past with all the things that has occurred since, however the Patriots opened the 2024 season with a stirring 16-10 victory over the Bengals to start the Mayo period.
Welcome to Season 14, Episode 1 of the Unconventional Preview, a critical but lighthearted, nostalgia-tinted take a look at the Patriots’ weekly matchup . . .
Right here’s a bizarre however true factor to say on the creation of a brand new Patriots season, one that includes a brand new teaching employees and a complete lot of latest gamers:
Hopefully, Mike Vrabel’s debut will go in addition to Jerod Mayo’s did final yr.
It appears like a decade in the past now with all the things that has occurred since, however the Patriots opened the 2024 season with a stirring 16-10 victory over the Bengals to start the Mayo period. Turned out that it additionally was the excessive level of the Mayo period, which ended after 4 victories and a single season.
The Patriots are in additional skilled and succesful teaching fingers with Vrabel — a three-time Tremendous Bowl champ and franchise Corridor of Famer as a participant — and his skilled employees, which incorporates three assistants with NFL head teaching expertise.
Vrabel’s debut, with a work-in-progress roster led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye, comes up towards a Raiders group that has many similarities with and ties to the Patriots. The Raiders, who additionally went 4-13 final season, introduced in Pete Carroll as coach, and bought veteran Geno Smith at quarterback. Raiders with Patriots ties embrace center linebacker Elandon Roberts, receiver Jakobi Meyers, and naturally, minority proprietor Tom Brady.
Each season, a group or two makes the leap from cellar-dwelling afterthought to playoff contender. Each the Patriots and Raiders start their quest to be one among this season’s much-improved groups on Sunday.
Kick it off, Borregales, and let’s get this factor began . . .
Three gamers value watching apart from the quarterbacks
Ashton Jeanty and TreVeyon Henderson: Sure, sure, we’re already copping out right here and shoehorning two gamers right into a single spot. However we will justify it by making a prediction that maybe doesn’t even rely as daring:
With apologies to Travis Hunter and Cam Ward, Jeanty and Henderson will take the gold and silver as essentially the most dynamic rookies within the league this season, with Chargers working again Omarion Hampton incomes the bronze.
The Raiders took Jeanty with the No. 6 decide in April’s draft, the primary working again taken within the prime six spots since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 total to the Giants in 2018. One look at Jeanty’s stats or wide-eyed take a look at his highlights must be sufficient to validate his choice.
At Boise State final season, he had an absurd 374 carries for two,601 yards and 29 touchdowns, and his highlights have been paying homage to the Better of Barry Sanders from the Corridor of Famer’s time at Oklahoma State. Jeanty completed second to Ward within the Heisman Trophy race. In his NFL debut, Jeanty ought to show a problem for the Patriots’ run protection, which incorporates newcomers Milton Williams at deal with and former Raider Robert Spillane at center linebacker.
Henderson, shrewdly selected by the Patriots with the 38th overall selection, starred for a a lot higher-profile program — The Ohio State College, the 2024 nationwide champion — however with a lighter workload. Henderson shared time with Browns draft decide Quinshon Judkins for the Buckeyes, working 144 instances for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Henderson was electrical in preseason — together with returning the opening kickoff 100 yards for a landing towards the Commanders. The Patriots might use him extra selectively than the Raiders will Jeanty, nevertheless it appears doubtless that he’ll instantly be essentially the most harmful weapon at offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’s disposal. Fairly cool that working backs of Jeanty and Henderson’s promise are making their NFL debuts in the identical recreation.
Will Campbell: Right here we go. Let’s start to search out out, lets?
After Maye and maybe Henderson, Campbell is essentially the most intriguing participant on the Patriots’ roster. The No. 4 total decide within the draft out of Louisiana State, the 6-foot-6-inch, 320-pound Campbell seems like a certainty to be a cornerstone of the Patriots’ offensive line for years to return.
However the largest query might be answered solely as soon as the actual video games start: Will that be at left deal with, or will his comparably quick arms — perhaps you’ve heard about his arm length — pressure an eventual transfer to protect?
As a go blocker in preseason, Campbell’s play was spotty. He was taken to highschool in joint practices with the Vikings by Professional Bowl exterior linebacker Jonathan Greenard, who beat him for 2 sacks and drew a penalty in a single follow. Afterward, Greenard did reward Campbell, saying he’s going to be a “actually good” deal with and simply wanted extra follow reps. Appeared like he meant it, too.
At left deal with, Campbell is charged with one of the vital jobs on the group: defending Maye’s blind facet. If Campbell struggles with go blocking early in his profession with out regular indicators of enchancment, there will probably be discuss of transferring him to protect, as a result of he already is a hellacious run blocker within the Logan Mankins mildew.
However the Patriots drafted Campbell to be a deal with, and he should be given each likelihood to succeed there. His first check is available in his debut, although he’s catching a little bit of a break. As a result of Raiders pass-rushing pressure Maxx Crosby — who has 34.5 sacks over the previous three seasons — extra usually traces up over the appropriate deal with, he’ll doubtless be Morgan Moses’s problem rather than Campbell’s.
Campbell doesn’t essentially have a simple project in Malcolm Koonce, who missed final season with a knee harm however had eight sacks in 2023. But it surely’s a better problem to navigate in his NFL debut than matching up with one of many league’s premier go rushers straight away. Our eyes will probably be on Campbell as he begins his quest to turn into the sturdy left deal with the Patriots want.
Brock Bowers: How dominant was the Raiders’ tight finish final season as a rookie? Let’s put it this manner: His statistics appeared like they got here proper out of Rob Gronkowski’s or Travis Kelce’s prime.
Bowers, the No. 13 decide in final yr’s draft after a sensational profession at Georgia, set the league report for receptions by a rookie at any place (112), and posted essentially the most yards ever by a rookie tight finish (1,194), becoming a member of Mike Ditka (1961) and Kyle Pitts (2001) as the one first-year gamers on the place to eclipse 1,000 yards. (I do know, I’m surprised Pitts is right here, too.) Bowers additionally set the Raiders’ report for receptions, breaking fellow tight finish Darren Waller’s 107 set in 2020.
The Patriots had frequent hassle with tight ends a season in the past, with Kyle Dugger usually struggling in protection. The Patriots checklist Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie fourth-rounder Craig Woodson as their starters at security on their “unofficial” depth chart. It will be sensible for brand new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to keep away from getting cute or overly advanced along with his scheme, and prioritize testing the Patriots’ revamped defensive backfield with Bowers early and sometimes.
The flashback
Query: Is it doable for somebody to assist run a soccer group and hang-out that group on the similar time? It’s objectively hilarious that Raiders followers must be reminded of the Snow Bowl and the tuck rule each time they see Brady, minority proprietor and vital voice in the case of the franchise’s soccer choices. Out of respect for these long-suffering, uh, Las Vegas soccer followers who would possibly come upon this preview, we’ll resist yet another pleasant rehash of the Snow Bowl and as an alternative supply a quick reminder of a Patriots-Raiders season opener from 20 years in the past. On Sept. 8, 2005, Corey Dillon rumbled for two touchdowns, Brady threw landing passes to Deion Department and Tim Dwight, and the Patriots defeated the then- (and nonetheless must be) Oakland Raiders, 30-20. For Oakland, Randy Moss had 5 catches for 130 yards and a landing. It will not be his final spectacular efficiency at Gillette Stadium. Additionally, it didn’t snow.
Grievance of the week
Vrabel goes to get the advantage of the doubt right here, after which some. He’s precisely what the Patriots want as a coach after the franchise’s gradual fade into malaise late within the Invoice Belichick tenure and failed one-year check run for Mayo, who was neither prepared for prime time nor 1 p.m. on Sundays.
However I’ve to acknowledge being perplexed over Vrabel’s obvious mission to pare so many veterans — together with all six captains from the beginning of the 2024 season — off the roster, particularly since their depth chart doesn’t have . . . properly, a complete lot of depth.
However the decision to cut safety Jabrill Peppers is essentially the most perplexing transfer of all. Peppers’s aggressive type appeared a great match for the id Vrabel desires the Patriots to have. Two weeks in the past, nobody amongst us would have thought his spot was endangered. Most of us would have ranked him amongst, what, the highest dozen gamers on the roster?
Vrabel, who has confirmed a grasp of authoritatively and sometimes amusingly saying nothing of substance when he doesn’t wish to talk about a sure topic, supplied a phrase salad of imprecise platitudes when requested in regards to the determination to chop Peppers. Even when it was a query of his match within the Patriots’ defensive scheme, it doesn’t make a lot sense to chop a high quality veteran participant when the roster is so skinny at a number of spots. Perhaps there’s extra to this. Or perhaps Vrabel’s want to have a contemporary begin with His Guys has gone a step or two too far.
Prediction, or James Jett was the most effective identify for a large receiver ever . . .
The Raiders have by no means overwhelmed the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, having misplaced the aforementioned 2005 matchup, in addition to in 2014 and ’20. In addition they have misplaced to the Patriots all thrice the franchises have met in a season opener — in 1964, ’71, and 2005. So, who’re we to guess towards one creating streak, not to mention two? Henderson breaks an extended one for a landing, the aggressive Patriots protection seems sooner than it has in latest seasons, and Carroll chomps his gum in frequent bewilderment on the sideline. Patriots 23, Raiders 15.
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