Football is back.
Malcolm Butler is back.
Sterling Pingree’s Patriots notebook is back.
Preseason week 1, starting with the Giants, which feels weird yet familiar. Weird in that the Patriots have ended the preseason with the Giants every year since 2004, yet familiar in that the Patriots never play starters against the Giants. It’s the Danny Etling Bowl!
— My list of players to watch revolves around the linebacker position. Josh Uche, Raekwon McMillan, Anfernee Jennings, Cameron McGrone and Mack Wilson. The Patriots’ lack of speed on defense last season really stemmed from the linebacker position.
Facing the Giants 1’s, you could see the difference in speed at the second level. It’s been well documented that Wilson is a new type of Patriots linebacker in that he’s much smaller than the Hightowers’ and Jamie Collins’ we’ve seen before, but Wilson looks like a tackler.
The speed was evident on a couple of blitzes early when Jennings and McMillan were able to pressure Daniel Jones. With the only addition to this unit, outside of Wilson, being the re-signing of Ja’Whaun Bentley, this is an area where guys like Uche, McMillan, Jennings and Cam McGrone can improve the unit by elevating their individual levels of play. A lot of positives to take away from night one of the new-look Patriots linebacker corps.
— No Mac Jones. Cue another week of pundits slamming the Patriots’ offense in practice and the wringing of hands over who is calling the plays. It will be interesting to see how Mac and the offense performs in their upcoming joint practices with the Panthers and Raiders. But the uncertainty over the play calling during a week of practices with Josh McDaniels’ Raiders will make talk radio in the area insufferable.
— Positives to take away from the offense were some of the timing of throws downfield to Tyquan Thornton, Kristian Wilkerson and Tre Nixon. Thornton was able to create some separation, he’s small but has an easy speed. Like a pitcher who seemingly flicks his wrist and fires 100mph. The word I would use for Thornton through half a preseason game is poise. He has better instincts than N’Keal Harry could ever dream of and something about him wearing #11 adds to his grittiness. I like Nixon and Wilkerson, both showed the ability to go get the football. Something the Patriots haven’t had a lot of. They may be playing for one spot.
— The best moment for the offense didn’t even happen when the Patriots offense was on the field. Late in the first half, Tyrod Taylor threw the ball away to the Patriots’ sideline. (Raise your hand if you knew Tyrod Taylor was on the Giants. Me neither.) Kendrick Bourne made the catch and his teammates celebrated like the grab sent them to the playoffs. Mac and KB then engaged in an elaborate 12-part handshake with the dexterity of a pair who have executed this maneuver with such regularity that this seemingly complex ritual was no more challenging to pull off than a simple good morning head nod. You have to believe that this level of enthusiasm will serve this team well.
— Two seconds left in the first half, Giants have the ball on the Patriots’ 45-yard line, fourth down and 10 yards to go. Bill Belichick called time out. Never change, Coach!
— James White announced his retirement on Thursday. One of the great Patriots of the second leg of the dynasty. One of the most reliable players; when the offense sputtered, a screen to #28 could always get the engine cranking. He’ll be remembered for his otherworldly performance in the Super Bowl LI comeback, but I’ll always remember his reliability week in and week out. With three rings on his hand plus a Super Bowl MVP-worthy performance, a red jacket is surely in his future.
— What does this mean for the running back room? Not a lot for first and second down. Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson have those two locked down. The signing of Ty Montgomery suddenly makes a lot more sense.
A former receiver, converted to running back, could very well become your third down and pass catching back. JJ Taylor could play himself into that role with a strong preseason, he got a lot of the work in the Brian Hoyer portion of last night’s game, but it feels like a make or break camp for him.
— How bad must Dalton Keane and Devin Asiasi be that I didn’t see them at all in the first half, in a game where Smith and Henry didn’t play? Two of the greater whiffs of the last decade.
— Troy Brown doesn’t age. He’s listed as being 51 years old and the dude looks younger than I do. Someday he’ll be 75 and nobody will believe it.
— Cameron McGrone is a name I’ve heard a lot this offseason. Last night was his first game since November of 2020 when he tore his ACL at Michigan. McGrone was all over the field against the Giants, coming within an eyelash of two interceptions off all out effort on tipped passes.
— Through one preseason game we don’t know much more about the offense than Bailey Zappe likes to throw the ball downfield and the defense has added a lot of speed. Next week the Patriots welcome in Sam Darnold/Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers for a week of joint practices leading up to their Friday night preseason tilt.
Football is back!