Preseason Game 1: Saints vs Patriots

[SDGuy73]

Mitchell......sounds like he is done for the season.

 

[patspa]

The Boston Herald reports Malcolm Mitchell has been diagnosed with a dislocated left elbow, may only miss 4 weeks. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday to confirm the extent of the damage.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

I only saw bits and pieces without the commentary. From what I saw;
D looked pretty good
White looks like he may be a good fit
Karras had some good snaps at center
G Hill taking charge of setting the D is impressive
Feel bad for Mitchell, that arm was pointing in direction it wasn't designed to point
How did I do?

 

[CreepCreep2014]

Didn't watch, but will get to in on Sat. If there is no ligament damage to Mitchell, he might be back sooner than 4 weeks. So lets hope that is the case. He seems to really get the playbook, and that is nice for a rookie. I heard the OL was not very good tonight. Interesting that Andrews, Stork and Karras were taking snaps.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

I try....thanx.

I know that there are a lot of guys who don't get preseason broadcasts.

Busy night for me last night, I didn't even have the TV on until late.
Great job BK, just read through all of your posts this morning.

Nicely done on the Play by Play.

 

[Carnzo]

Collins returns an INT for 40 yards and a TD White scores on a 2 point conversion. 8-0 Pats.

Pats punt. Saints fumble it. Returner picks it up and the Pats special teams blow coverage and give up a 55 yard return. 4 plays later the Saints score and get the 2 point PAT. 8-8.

JG is not playing well to start. Low passes, bad position of the passes to the sideline. Sacked on the first series because he just waited so long to get rid of the ball.

Defense is playing extremely well. Offense not so good.

Thank you Ken

 

[TxHeat]

Just thought I'd stick my head in and say - hey guys! GO PATS!!

 

[SDGuy73]

The Boston Herald reports Malcolm Mitchell has been diagnosed with a dislocated left elbow, may only miss 4 weeks. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday to confirm the extent of the damage.

Great news.

 

[Carnzo]

Great news.

I'l say, the kid looked great out there.
Note to him, don't try to put your arm out for the fall, just hang on to the ball.
Two hands on the ball. I know he didn't fumble but if he had the ball wrapped up he would have landed on his shoulder

 

[BigKen]

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) — The Patriots, for the most part, looked good on Thursday night.

They looked like a team playing the first preseason game of the year, sure, but they did a lot more good than bad in their 34-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

As always, no grand proclamations can be made based off the performances of an exhibition football game in early August, or else Zach Sudfeld would already have a bust in Canton. With that being the case, instead of a traditional “Four Ups, Four Downs” from the game, let’s go with a more basic look at the highs and lows from this one.

HIGHS

The highs need to start with Jamie Collins. The fourth-year linebacker picked up right where he left off in 2015, as he picked off quarterback Grayson Garrett in the first quarter and returned it 43 yards for the game’s opening score. On the next drive, he flew into the backfield and laid the wood on running back Tim Hightower. Collins looks every bit as powerful as he did last year.

Moving along chronologically, running back James White was certainly a bright spot for the Patriots, as he broke off a 56-yard reception on a screen pass in the second quarter. With a crowded backfield, White’s spot on the roster has been questioned a bit by outsiders this summer. Plays like that one (and his near-touchdown which was ripped out of his hands) can help keep him in Foxboro.

To get a dosage of special teams in here, Stephen Gostkowski was a high point. Yes, he hit his two field goals and two extra points, but he notably got some work in to try to capitalize on the new touchback rules. With touchbacks now bringing the ball out to the 25-yard line instead of the 20, teams may force the issue and try to get receiving teams to try to actually return the ball. While Gostkowski did kick four touchbacks, he did get the ball just barely into the Saints’ end zone on three other kicks. Two of those resulted in the Saints starting inside their 25, with one drive starting on the 12. You know how much Bill Belichick likes to find advantages within the rules, and that may prove to be a useful method going forward.

In terms of newcomers, Chris Long had a decent performance and looked extremely focused on proving he’s still a high-caliber NFL player. Terrance Knighton also proved to be a disruptive force on the defensive line.

Second-year defensive lineman Trey Flowers will get a lot of looks in Rob Ninkovich’s absence, and he made the most of at least one snap on Thursday when he broke through the line, sacked Luke McCown, then scooped up the football and scampered 17 yards for the defense’s second touchdown of the night.

Also, undrafted rookie Cre’von LeBlanc made a very impressive interception in the end zone, catching the ball out of the corner of his eye before twisting his body and making a one-armed pin against his chest, all while falling to the turf. And third-year running back Tyler Gaffney finally got to see action in an NFL game, and he made the most of it, breaking off a 44-yard touchdown run after making a cutback behind the line of scrimmage.

Of course, heading into the game, the story was all about Jimmy Garoppolo. That’s how it works with quarterbacks. He’d probably end up somewhere in between the highs and lows, as he had his moments, both good and bad. He completed a couple of passes to Martellus Bennett for first downs, and he later connected with rookie Malcolm Mitchell for a gain of 24 yards up the left sideline. But he also had some bad balls and at least one bad decision, when he threw across his body into traffic over the deep middle of the field while rolling left on a third down in the red zone. He was fortunate to have avoided an interception on that one.

LOWS

Entering the game, one of the biggest storylines was the offensive line. And the results were .. not spectacular. Running the ball was an issue last year, and that continued to be the case on Thursday. LeGarrette Blount and James White picked up just 32 yards on 12 combined carries, a 2.67-yard average that was largely due to an unsuccessful line. The line also gave up two sacks with Garoppolo under center, one of which involving starting left tackle Nate Solder getting beaten cleanly by Kasim Edebali. There remains work to be done for Dante Scarnecchia.

The starting O-line, presented for the purpose of record-keeping, was Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon.

The biggest blow to the Patriots was definitely the injury of rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell. He was having himself quite the night, hauling in four passes for 55 yards. But it was on that fourth reception that he fell on his left arm as he was bracing himself on his way down to the turf, and he immediately grabbed his left arm in pain. Early reports say it was just a dislocation and not a break, so he could still be able to return in time for the real games. Still, he’s going to miss some very valuable practice time as a rookie receiver in a complicated offense.

On special teams, the punt unit was not good. Marcus Murphy broke free for a 48-yard return in the first half, a play on which punter Ryan Allen ended up getting clobbered while pursuing the return man. That return set up the Saints for an easy early score.

This may ultimately be a small issue, but there was a third-and-1 on the New Orleans 8-yard line late in the second quarter, and LeGarrette Blount easily could have picked up the first down if he had just run hard up the middle. Instead he stopped his fight, tried to make a cut, and ended up losing a yard. It wasn’t the greatest instance of situational football.

Considering he’ll likely be the team’s backup once the regular season begins, Jacoby Brissett cannot enjoy a rookie summer without scrutiny. Physically, he was very much up to the task, as he displayed a rocket for an arm and some shifty speed to break free for a couple of decent runs (two rushes, 19 yards). However, as one would expect from a rookie quarterback, there was certainly a lack of command of the game. It’s not problematic, because this was his first professional action, but it’s just something to be noted in the event that Garoppolo suffers any injury that keeps him off the field for any amount of time in September.

 

[Southieinnc]

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) — The Patriots, for the most part, looked good on Thursday night.

They looked like a team playing the first preseason game of the year, sure, but they did a lot more good than bad in their 34-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

As always, no grand proclamations can be made based off the performances of an exhibition football game in early August, or else Zach Sudfeld would already have a bust in Canton. With that being the case, instead of a traditional “Four Ups, Four Downs” from the game, let’s go with a more basic look at the highs and lows from this one.

HIGHS

The highs need to start with Jamie Collins. The fourth-year linebacker picked up right where he left off in 2015, as he picked off quarterback Grayson Garrett in the first quarter and returned it 43 yards for the game’s opening score. On the next drive, he flew into the backfield and laid the wood on running back Tim Hightower. Collins looks every bit as powerful as he did last year.

Moving along chronologically, running back James White was certainly a bright spot for the Patriots, as he broke off a 56-yard reception on a screen pass in the second quarter. With a crowded backfield, White’s spot on the roster has been questioned a bit by outsiders this summer. Plays like that one (and his near-touchdown which was ripped out of his hands) can help keep him in Foxboro.

To get a dosage of special teams in here, Stephen Gostkowski was a high point. Yes, he hit his two field goals and two extra points, but he notably got some work in to try to capitalize on the new touchback rules. With touchbacks now bringing the ball out to the 25-yard line instead of the 20, teams may force the issue and try to get receiving teams to try to actually return the ball. While Gostkowski did kick four touchbacks, he did get the ball just barely into the Saints’ end zone on three other kicks. Two of those resulted in the Saints starting inside their 25, with one drive starting on the 12. You know how much Bill Belichick likes to find advantages within the rules, and that may prove to be a useful method going forward.

In terms of newcomers, Chris Long had a decent performance and looked extremely focused on proving he’s still a high-caliber NFL player. Terrance Knighton also proved to be a disruptive force on the defensive line.

Second-year defensive lineman Trey Flowers will get a lot of looks in Rob Ninkovich’s absence, and he made the most of at least one snap on Thursday when he broke through the line, sacked Luke McCown, then scooped up the football and scampered 17 yards for the defense’s second touchdown of the night.

Also, undrafted rookie Cre’von LeBlanc made a very impressive interception in the end zone, catching the ball out of the corner of his eye before twisting his body and making a one-armed pin against his chest, all while falling to the turf. And third-year running back Tyler Gaffney finally got to see action in an NFL game, and he made the most of it, breaking off a 44-yard touchdown run after making a cutback behind the line of scrimmage.

Of course, heading into the game, the story was all about Jimmy Garoppolo. That’s how it works with quarterbacks. He’d probably end up somewhere in between the highs and lows, as he had his moments, both good and bad. He completed a couple of passes to Martellus Bennett for first downs, and he later connected with rookie Malcolm Mitchell for a gain of 24 yards up the left sideline. But he also had some bad balls and at least one bad decision, when he threw across his body into traffic over the deep middle of the field while rolling left on a third down in the red zone. He was fortunate to have avoided an interception on that one.

LOWS

Entering the game, one of the biggest storylines was the offensive line. And the results were .. not spectacular. Running the ball was an issue last year, and that continued to be the case on Thursday. LeGarrette Blount and James White picked up just 32 yards on 12 combined carries, a 2.67-yard average that was largely due to an unsuccessful line. The line also gave up two sacks with Garoppolo under center, one of which involving starting left tackle Nate Solder getting beaten cleanly by Kasim Edebali. There remains work to be done for Dante Scarnecchia.

The starting O-line, presented for the purpose of record-keeping, was Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon.

The biggest blow to the Patriots was definitely the injury of rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell. He was having himself quite the night, hauling in four passes for 55 yards. But it was on that fourth reception that he fell on his left arm as he was bracing himself on his way down to the turf, and he immediately grabbed his left arm in pain. Early reports say it was just a dislocation and not a break, so he could still be able to return in time for the real games. Still, he’s going to miss some very valuable practice time as a rookie receiver in a complicated offense.

On special teams, the punt unit was not good. Marcus Murphy broke free for a 48-yard return in the first half, a play on which punter Ryan Allen ended up getting clobbered while pursuing the return man. That return set up the Saints for an easy early score.

This may ultimately be a small issue, but there was a third-and-1 on the New Orleans 8-yard line late in the second quarter, and LeGarrette Blount easily could have picked up the first down if he had just run hard up the middle. Instead he stopped his fight, tried to make a cut, and ended up losing a yard. It wasn’t the greatest instance of situational football.

Considering he’ll likely be the team’s backup once the regular season begins, Jacoby Brissett cannot enjoy a rookie summer without scrutiny. Physically, he was very much up to the task, as he displayed a rocket for an arm and some shifty speed to break free for a couple of decent runs (two rushes, 19 yards). However, as one would expect from a rookie quarterback, there was certainly a lack of command of the game. It’s not problematic, because this was his first professional action, but it’s just something to be noted in the event that Garoppolo suffers any injury that keeps him off the field for any amount of time in September.

Well said Ken.
I am not going to let Blount and White off the hook so easily - blaming it all on the O-line.
The O-line needs a lot of work still but Neither White nor Blount can run - early, I know.....

 

[BigKen]

These are my opinions.......the BigKen observations:

Missing......Donald Brown and DJ Foster. I don't believe that either of these guys played. I just finished watching the DVR for the second time and never saw them.

(13) WR DeAndre Carter. Had a good game. Caught at least one pass and drew two penalties on the same play by #20 of the Saints. Both plays resulted in first downs.

(86) TE AJ Derby Not a great blocker, but adequate. One the plus side great hands and great ability to get open 12-15 yards downfield. He just may replace Clay Harbor as the #3 TE.

(98) DT Tre Flowers. Awesome game. Strop sack and he picked up the fumble and scored a TD. Inside speed and power. He's a keeper.

(36) RB Tyler Gaffney. After two years of injury, it was easy to see why Bill Belichick didn't give up on him. This kid knows what he's doing and how to do it. An absolutely beautiful cutback run for 46 yards and a TD. He may well be Blount's replacement, only with extrodinary speed.

(48) LB Kamu Graingier-Hill. He's small for a LB 6'2" 228 lbs but he's going to be a hybrid LB/Safety. He'll play special teams too. Fast, can tackle and best of all, Belichick actually let him call defensive signals on the field. Everyone was trying to remember and find anywhere in Belichick's tenure where he had let a rookie call the defense, especially in the first preseason game. This guy will be a star.

(31) CB Johnathan Jones. This guy is an excellent cover corner. I love the fact that he can run (4.3) and turn and look for the ball without falling a step or two behind the WR. He broke up two passes in the end zone and got his hands on both. He'll be a starter along side Malcolm by the Bye Week.

(35) CB Cre'von LeBlanc. Incredible hands. Made a left hand, one handed interception in the end zone. Fast enough to stay with the WR and make the plays. Could be the perfect slot corner.

(52) LB Eldon Roberts. Nothing spectacular, just solid play. Stopped three runs at the line of scrimmage and can cover the TE in short coverage. When he was in, the defense did not give up a short pass underneath. When he was out, they gave up three underneath. I like this kid.

That's 7 new guys who made really positive impressions on me after watching the game three time.

 

[SDGuy73]

Mitchell......sounds like he is done for the season.

I'm happy I'm wrong.

 

[Southieinnc]

Biggest problem for the Patriots remains, we can't keep them all.
Practice squad is going to be better than some 1st team rosters.......

 

[BigKen]

Scarneccia is in love with Thuney and Karras. When the Stork sandwich is on the field, the middle of the Pats O line is a nasty threesome. The problem is that Solder and Vollmer are not. When Mankins played, he spread his attitude across the line. The odd thing is that when Cannon is playing RT with these three, he's a totally different player and plays like a Pro-Bowl tackle. Andrews is tough, but isn't "nasty tough".

Don't be surprised if Thuney and Karras are the starting guards Week 1.

Karras' play was featured on Sports Tonight yesterday. He also got some ink in the Boston Herald today. If we can keep Storks head from getting bumped, maybe a couple of "nasty" tackles will emerge.

 

[SDGuy73]

Scarneccia is in love with Thuney and Karras. When the Stork sandwich is on the field, the middle of the Pats O line is a nasty threesome. The problem is that Solder and Vollmer are not. When Mankins played, he spread his attitude across the line. The odd thing is that when Cannon is playing RT with these three, he's a totally different player and plays like a Pro-Bowl tackle. Andrews is tough, but isn't "nasty tough".

Don't be surprised if Thuney and Karras are the starting guards Week 1.

Karras' play was featured on Sports Tonight yesterday. He also got some ink in the Boston Herald today. If we can keep Storks head from getting bumped, maybe a couple of "nasty" tackles will emerge.

Attitude is everything. Especially if you are down (losing) in a game or the line gave up a big play. Mankins was an enforcer type as well. He wasn't someone to fuck with. I love what I hear about Karras. Bulldog.