FOXBOROUGH — Practice No. 13 is in the books. Here's what went down:
FREE PRACTICE REPORT FROM LAST SATURDAY
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Frustrating day for Tom Brady, offense: It was a sloppy day in equally sloppy conditions for the offense, as they dropped a camp-high nine balls in competitive 11-on-11 drills (there were more in individual work), Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer were each intercepted once, and Brady's first group stalled in a starters vs. starters series. That led the quarterback to request the poorly thrown final ball to James White from a ballboy, and Brady promptly punted it into the stands. It was that kind of day, but Brady — who had a normal workload for the second-straight day — was sharp overall.
J. McCourty, Wynn, Bentley mix in with starters: While linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley continued his rise for a second-straight day by playing with the starters even more regularly, Jason McCourty and Isaiah Wynn saw a dramatic uptick in their first-team reps today. McCourty often lined up opposite Stephon Gilmore, and Wynn rotated at starting right tackle with La'Adrian Waddle.
Decker continues to struggle: It's often tough for veteran receivers to get up to speed, but Eric Decker has been in this system before and is known as a smart player who should get the playbook quickly. That hasn't really been the issue to this point. Decker has just struggled to catch the ball, and if it doesn't turn around soon, it makes you wonder how long the Patriots — already light at the position — will wait. To add insult to injury, Decker did run a wrong route today, which elicited a, "Come on, Deck!" from one of the coaches. He's definitely scuffling.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: None.
Red non-contact jerseys: Just the QBs.
Not participating: OT Marcus Cannon (left ankle/foot), RB Sony Michel (unknown), LB Harvey Langi (chest), RB Rex Burkhead.
Rehab group: DE Trey Flowers, OL Jason King.
Returned to practice: None.
Limited: CB Cyrus Jones (knee), WR Kenny Britt (leg).
New injuries: CB Duke Dawson (leg), did not return; RB Jeremy Hill (leg), did not return; WR Julian Edelman (leg), stayed in; WR Cordarelle Patterson (unknown); WR Matthew Slater; CB Ryan Lewis.
DRESS CODE
- Hogan had a terrific catch on a ball from Brady where he wrestled the ball away from Gilmore.
- Edelman did the same thing on a ball from Brady, taking it away from Crossen.
- Patrick Chung made an excellent PBU on a Brady ball for Gronkowski over the middle. Really nice play.
- Brady for Edelman deep down the sideline on a really nice ball. Edelman got behind Rowe and when the ball was in the air, Rowe slowed slightly to give the pass room to get in there.
- Braxton Berrios had a terrific diving catch of a Hoyer pass
- This was the first time Allen beat Bojorquez head-to-head and it was a complete blowout as the rookie got off to a rough start.
- Bojorquez's 3.45 hangtime was his worst since the first day of camp.
- With today's result, the punting competition is basically a dead-heat for the first time since it started.
- If you thought Bojorquez needed to make the decision easy for Bill Belichick and Joe Judge to cut Allen, that has not happened.
- Brady had a pass to Riley McCarron that really sailed on him.
- The second-team offensive line was usually LT Matt Tobin, LG Ted Karras, C James Ferentz, RG Luke Bowanko, RT Ulrick John. Karras and Bowanko mixed in at center.
- Hoyer had three-straight passes dropped at one point.
- There continued to be a lot of scouting card work — for Thursday or the regular season? — and Brady got into the spirit of the scout team by throwing four passes, two of which were dimes to Decker (on the sidelines and over Jonathan Jones) and James White (wheel over Bentley).
- Bentley-Van Noy, and Roberts-Hightower seemed to be the LB pairings.
- Rowe and Jackson were a second-team CB pairing. Jonathan Jones was the slot again. Cyrus Jones worked some slot for the scout team.
- Brady was picked off going against the defensive scout team when he severely underthrew Phillip Dorsett in triple coverage.
- In the 1s vs. 1s drive, Patriots went: Brady complete to McCarron; Gillislee run; Gronk drop; Brady complete to Edelman with Rowe in tight coverage to convert third-and-long; James White run; Brady to White; 3rd-and-5: an off-balance Brady threw high and behind White, which led to the punt in the stands.
- The second-team offense got a victory when Hoyer led them on a nine-play scoring drive that resulted in a nice catch from Decker. Additional highlights were third-down conversions from Hoyer to Hogan and Dorsett before Decker's TD on third down.