Patriots-Packers movie overview: Mac Jones makes delicate progress and 29 extra takeaways

If the Patriots allow Mac Jones to face stress on the payment he did Saturday in opposition to the Packers, there’s a non-zero likelihood he’ll finish the season in a hospital mattress.

But when Jones stares down that stress, and beats it with the regularity he managed in Inexperienced Bay, the Pats should be playoff-bound.

That is the place Invoice O’Brien’s offense finds itself by two preseason video video games: caught between the hope of Jones’ enchancment beneath new educating and the merciless actuality that one different free rusher is just throughout the nook. Each of the sacks Jones took in Saturday’s exhibition killed drives. Packers edge-rusher Kingsley Enagbare strong-armed his means into Jones’ lap on the first, then cracked him from behind with no uncover on the second.

However spherical these sacks, Jones went 3-of-4 for 45 yards in opposition to emphasize, per the Herald’s charting. On his closing sequence, Jones hit rookie receiver Demario Douglas to remodel on third-and-10, then lofted a 17-yard completion to Kendrick Bourne whereas falling away. His solely misfire beneath stress was a 50-yard bomb launched merely previous the outstretched arms of DeVante Parker.

So far as incompletions go, it was among the many many prettiest you’ll see. Jones climbed a collapsing pocket, cocked his arm and rifled a prayer downfield with no concern of incoming hazard. For a quarterback who graded as a result of the second-worst passer beneath stress closing season, per Professional Soccer Focus, the strides Jones took Saturday felt important.

Defensively, the Pats went backwards. Invoice Belichick’s pleasure and pleasure didn’t register a single quarterback hit, to not point out a sack, and bought routinely washed out on working performs. Packers center Josh Myers drove nostril kind out Davon Godchaux three yards earlier the highway of scrimmage on the opening snap. Fellow D-linemen Christian Barmore, Lawrence Man, Carl Davis and Sam Roberts had been of little help from then on.

After all, the very best concern for the Patriots is the properly being of rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden. The seventh-rounder was launched from an space hospital Sunday and flew residence with the workforce. His timeline for a possible return is unclear.

Whereas Bolden continues alongside along with his restoration, the Pats will begin preparations for Friday’s preseason finale at Tennessee. They usually’d be wise to make use of the teachings found over the weekend.

Listed here are the Herald’s full film observations from Saturday’s win at Inexperienced Bay:

Studs

WR Kendrick Bourne

He’s once more.

Bourne caught three passes for 34 yards and delivered a robust run-block to help spring Rhamondre Stevenson for 23 yards throughout the first quarter, the longest run of the game. On his catches, Bourne gained on a slant contained within the pink zone to rearrange an eventual touchdown, and skied for a third-down transfer thrown extreme and barely behind him. Bourne’s sluggish start to teaching camp appears like ages up to now.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Two days earlier in a joint comply with, Stevenson went 2-of-4 on the aim line in opposition to the Packers safety. On Saturday, he was wonderful.

Stevenson powered by subpar blocking to realize a 1-yard touchdown on the Pats’ opening drive. He moreover compelled two missed tackles, better than another ball-carrier on the workforce. Mainly, Stevenson appeared identical to the burgeoning star he’s.

RB J.J. Taylor

Taylor stays squarely on the roster bubble, even maybe on the once more end, nevertheless he helped his set off in Inexperienced Bay. The 5-foot-6 once more caught three passes, tied for a lot of on the workforce, and ran 4 situations for 29 yards. He was elusive in space and helped restart a stalling Patriots throughout the second half.

Duds

OT Andrew Stueber

Enagbare victimized Stueber on his second sack, tossing aside the 2022 seventh-round resolve to reach Jones. Stueber all nevertheless fell over on the play, which adopted a rush he allowed earlier throughout the sport. The Pats need additional from their (attainable non everlasting) backup left kind out.

OL James Ferentz

No offensive lineman produced uglier tape than Ferentz, who often provides a steadying veteran presence up entrance. He surrendered two run-stuffs, a quarterback hit and one hurry.

DL Sam Roberts

After starring throughout the Pats’ preseason opener, Roberts was a obligation in Inexperienced Bay. He devoted two penalties and was ridden out of his gap on a fourth-and-1 conversion throughout the second quarter.

WR Malik Cunningham

Malik Mania took a critical hit, with Cunningham dropping actually one in all his 5 targets and failing to catch any of the alternative 4. He struggled to separate on transient, intermediate and deep routes and didn’t take any snaps as a quarterback.

Offensive notes

• Other than the transfer security numbers (additional beneath) and Mac Jones’ stats beneath stress, basically probably the most telling numbers from Saturday had been snap counts.
• The Pats rested working once more Rhamondre Stevenson after two drives. Broad receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne sat after three, along with tight end Hunter Henry. These are Jones’ core weapons until further uncover.
• The totally different offensive snap rely to know: three. That’s what variety of reps Demario Douglas seen Saturday, bringing him to a grand complete of 5 for the preseason. The Pats are every designing performs for Douglas — as evidenced on his second catch — and hiding him. Douglas will seemingly be, at worst, their No. 4 receiver to start the season.
• One other rookie receiver, Kayshon Boutte, was responsible for the highlight of his evening time alongside along with his 42-yard touchdown catch. Boutte ran a slant in opposition to 10 yards of cushion, then sprinted into open space after the Packers’ nearest safety took a nasty angle to the ball.
• Boutte should be beneficial for ending the play with a ranking, nevertheless most receivers on the Patriots’ roster could’ve managed what he did given the circumstances. Boutte’s totally different catch was a 7-yard curl route that settled proper into a dull spot in Inexperienced Bay’s zone safety.
• Mac Jones shared only one snap with Boutte, which he spent handing the ball off to Kevin Harris for no purchase on second-and-10.
• Jones’ most notable snap — aside from his completions to Bourne, sacks and deep incompletion to Parker — was his incompletion meant for Bourne. Jones pulled to throw on a downfield run-pass chance (RPO), the second he tried in eight dropbacks. The Patriots generally known as one all closing season.
• Bailey Zappe carried out with hearth loads of the evening time, slinging plenty of overthrows, hanging onto the ball correctly after his inside clock should’ve gone off and throwing into thick safety. Any focus on of Zappe competing for the start job should be over.