Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ victory over the Giants in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
A lot of good defensive players played a lot of snaps: Just 19 non-injured defensive players sat out the preseason finale against the Giants, which left a lot of good players — or at least players we thought had potential — on the field for the balance of the game. On the Giants' final touchdown with 48 seconds remaining, you had Cyrus Jones (2016 second-round pick), Vincent Valentine ('16 third), Marquis Flowers (361 snaps in '18, including 18 in the Super Bowl), and special-team heroes Nicholas Grisgby and Geneo Grissom all on the field. Not too long before that, Jason McCourty (at safety), Derek Rivers, Keionta Davis, Adam Butler, Keion Crossen, Jordan Richards and Eric Lee were making plays. Who should be most worried about playing in this game? Valentine, Jones, Flowers, and McCourty.
Who didn't play and are viewed as the core of this team? Who might be trade bait?: I think this table is pretty accurate. I have 24 offensive players (not counting Julian Edelman) sitting out this game, and it's the usual suspects.
[table id=125 /]
Some things to note. You want to be around 25 on offense and defense to give you a split of the 50 remaining roster spots after the three specialists. That 24 only accounts for six offensive linemen, and the Patriots will likely keep eight at a minimum. So that's three more spots to account for, and you'll be cutting from running back and receiver. Easiest cuts? Gillislee, Bolden, McCarron and/or Berrios. Sometimes teams hold out players to keep them healthy for a trade. Gillislee and Brown would be the only candidates for that in my mind. Valentine and Flowers could be on-field positions.
Could be the end of the road for Jason McCourty: It's never a good thing when you're a 10-year veteran playing a lot of snaps in a final preseason game. (He said after the game it was the first time he had played in the preseason finale since his rookie year.) It's also not good if you're playing out of the position you've played for 10 years, as McCourty was against exclusively a safety. And it's really bad when you're called back into the game late in the third quarter, as A.J Moore battled an injury. If this is it for J-Mac, it's been one really weird camp. He didn't do much of anything in OTAs and the first two weeks of camp, and then when given an opportunity, he got more snaps at safety than corner.
FOUR UP
CB J.C. Jackson: Finished off a tremendous camp and preseason with two interceptions. Yes, he contributed to a bad touchdown, but he also had a sensational pass breakup — in many ways more impressive than the picks — after getting beat with 3:40 left in the second quarter. He's been on my 53-man roster since Version 2, and he definitely looks like a keeper. There's no way he makes it to the practice squad with the film he's put out.
DT Adam Butler: Got some run early to, probably, stretch his legs on all three downs (instead of his usual subpackage role) and he continued to make plays with two knockdowns and good run tackle in the first half.
LB Nicholas Grigsby: Led all players with 13 total tackles. Didn't really make any big plays but, man, that kid can run down the ball.
OL Ted Karras: Had a clean sheet in the first half as he was switched among all three interior spots.
THREE DOWN
WR Paul Turner: Continued a porous preseason with a drop of a perfect deep pass from Danny Etling and also failed to break off a route.
QB Danny Etling: Certainly made some plays — let's see TB12 try to run 86 yards for a touchdown — but he messed up a play, threw two interceptions and had a host of other poor throws as he continues to battle issues with his footwork.
DE Keionta Davis: Wasn't all that bad, but if this guy is supposed to making the 53-man roster, he should be making more plays against the scrubs of the Giants. Instead, he had just one hurry, one tackle and blew two edges in the first half.
INJURIES
OT Ulrick John (foot): A player who was in competition for one of the backup offensive line spots (he's mostly been a right tackle but got some looks at guard tonight) limped off with a foot injury.
CB J.C. Jackson (dehydration): Was carted off the sidelines but it appears that it was just a cramp and not something serious for a man who probably earned himself a spot on his team before snagging two INTs tonight.
LB Marquis Flowers (head): The injury spotter whistled the ref to stop the game to get Flowers checked for a concussion. He returned to the game.
S A.J. Moore (unknown): Returned to the game.
ONE MORE TAKE BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Patriots' recent drafts continue to look poor, at least for the 2018 season: So the first three picks of the '18 draft (Isaiah Wynn, Sony Michel, Duke Dawson) either are out for the year or haven't had a meaningful practice in weeks, so they are unlikely to contribute early in the season. Top '17 pick Derek Rivers still couldn't make plays in a fourth preseason game. Two of '16's top four picks (Cyrus Jones, Vincent Valentine) were on the field at the end of the game and the fifth-highest pick (Malcolm Mitchell) was already released. The top three picks in '15 (Malcom Brown, Jordan Richards, Geneo Grissom) are no sure bets to be on the team to start the season. Those draft classes should be the lifeblood of this team. Instead, there's a decided second wave of talent that is missing and could end up costing this team when all is said and done.