Welcome to the Friday 5!
Every week through the NFL common season, I’ll drop 5 Patriots-related ideas on Friday to recap the week that was in Foxboro and stay up for kickoff.
Prepared, set, soccer.
1. Season-opening shock
4 years in the past, Tony Dews stared throughout the sphere throughout a season opener in full shock.
Dews, then a Titans assistant and now the Patriots’ working backs coach, had ready his gamers for the Cardinals’ protection for weeks. He knew it entrance to again. However the protection earlier than him had taken a form he by no means anticipated.
That day, en path to a 38-13 win, Arizona fully shifted its identification as a protection, forming a 6-1 entrance throughout from Tennessee’s run recreation. It throttled their most popular outdoors zone scheme in the identical approach the Patriots had shut down Sean McVay’s Rams in Tremendous Bowl LIII with the identical recreation plan.
“It was a very tough outing,” Dews stated. “They have been doing a little issues that we hadn’t fairly ready for, and also you be taught. Yeah, you be taught.”
Come Sunday, it could be time to be taught once more. As a result of, apart from just a few fireworks, what can we presumably count on from this recreation?
The Patriots have a brand new head coach, a brand new (however acquainted) offensive coordinator and a first-time defensive coordinator. The Raiders have a brand new head coach, quarterback and offensive coordinator, who spent the final seven years in faculty. The schemes have modified, the rosters have been overhauled. If this isn’t essentially the most unpredictable Patriots’ season opener, what was?
All of which is to say each result’s on the desk Sunday, and changes will likely be paramount. The Patriots might draw back or get dropped by 20. From the sidelines to the stands, it’s time to buckle up.
2. Rhamondre Stevenson, therapeutic
This Sunday, Rhamondre Stevenson may have 13 members of the family within the stands for the Patriots’ season opener. A 12 months in the past, it might have been 14.
Final spring, Stevenson misplaced his father, Robert, and remained away from the group for weeks after his passing. Dews flew out to go to him in his hometown Las Vegas. Stevenson stayed in common contact with Vrabel by way of textual content because the Patriots started their offseason program. Stevenson ultimately returned for spring practices and briefly spoke about his loss with reporters.
In a current sitdown with WBZ’s Dan Roche, he revealed a bit extra. This season, Stevenson will likely be carrying a few of his father’s ashes in a bracelet he plans to put on all through the season, beginning Sunday in opposition to his hometown Raiders.
“Me and my dad (Robert) have been finest mates,” Stevenson stated, as transcribed by ESPN. “Each time I come out right here, I hear his voice speaking to me … I do know he’s nonetheless with me and carrying that love with me and my household.”
3. Belichick bans Pats scouts
From the petty division: Invoice Belichick has banned Patriots scouts from attending College of North Carolina practices to guage his gamers, sources confirmed to the Herald.
NFL scouts visiting faculty practices has been commonplace for many years. It permits groups to go to with younger prospects earlier than they emerge as faculty stars and collect info unavailable in settings just like the scouting mix and Professional Days. Belichick is aware of all of this, having spent loads of time scouting on the street himself.
To be frank, what a child.
Belichick clearly has ample cause to be upset with Robert Kraft, who blew the duvet on their “mutual parting of the way” in January 2024 when, on a podcast lower than a 12 months later, he admitted he’d truly fired Belichick. However this doesn’t punish Kraft. It hinders poorly paid scouts who’re on the street for 300-plus days a 12 months, and dims the highlight on faculty gamers who got here to play for Belichick so they may make the NFL.
As a substitute, all these youngsters been handed thus far is a 34-point ass-whooping on nationwide tv, and restricted time with scouts, together with these from different groups who’ve reportedly had bother on campus, too.
That is the thirty third NFL group?
That is Belichick performing in the most effective curiosity of his gamers?
That is ignoring the noise?
No, Invoice, this can be a circus. And you’re its ringmaster.
4. Dugger rebounding?
At Monday’s follow, Kyle Dugger swapped out his No. 23 jersey for a contemporary No. 11.
The explanation?
He had been tasked with simulating Raiders security Jeremy Chinn, a fellow hard-hitting security, on the Patriots’ scout-team protection. Scout-team duties typically fall to gamers lowest on the depth chart, who run opponents’ performs in opposition to the beginning models to organize them for recreation days.
On Wednesday, nevertheless, Dugger took the sphere in his previous No. 23 jersey. And he did so once more Thursday, maybe reflecting a change in mindset from the teaching employees who handed the No. 11 jersey to new defensive again Charles Woods. Is Dugger rising again up the depth chart?
Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams didn’t say when requested Thursday afternoon, however he did reward the 29-year-old security for the progress he’s proven after a disappointing summer season that put him on the commerce block.
“Dugger has accomplished an excellent job of doing the issues that we’re asking him to do,” Williams stated, “and I be ok with the place he’s proper now.”
5. Vrabel’s changeup
Satisfied the Patriots should win the second half Sunday to beat the Raiders, Vrabel modified his follow script this week to simulate halftime changes.
Enable him to elucidate.
“We truly put a break in there halfway by follow the place we have now two group durations left,” Vrabel started Wednesday, “and I stated, ‘You guys are going to assume that is some gimmick, however it’s going to be me saying, Hey, coaches, get collectively, inform them, that is how follow began, no matter’s happening, let’s be aware right here to complete sturdy, win the second half. Win the second half.’
“And I believe it’s only a good reminder, and dealing on our conditioning.”
On Monday, Vrabel claimed 12 of the 16 groups who have been victorious in Week 1 final 12 months outscored their opponents within the second half.
The Patriots, oddly sufficient, have been one of many 4 exceptions, holding on to a 16-10 victory in Cincinnati regardless of being outscored by 4 after halftime.
