EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bring on the regular season.
The Patriots played mostly their second- and third-teamers in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Giants, and that group led the way to a 17-12 win over New York at MetLife Stadium.
The guys on the bubble who did the most to help their cause? Ralph Webb ran for 41 yards and added a touchdown catch. Before he left with a case of dehydration in the second half, cornerback J.C. Jackson had a pair of interceptions. And Cyrus Jones handled all the punt and kick return work cleanly and without incident.
In his first start of the summer, rookie Danny Etling was under center for the Patriots, and he finished 18-for-32 for 157 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. (He added five carries for 115 yards, including an 86-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.)
Receiver K.J. Maye may have also played his way into the conversation as a possible practice squad candidate with five catches for 71 yards. And linebacker Nicholas Grigsby — who was primarily a special teamer last season — added a handful of impressive tackles on defense late into the contest to make his case to be included in the front-seven rotation.
As for the scoring, Stephen Gostkowski opened things with a 33-yard field goal late in the first quarter, but New York answered with its only touchdown of the night when Kyle Lauletta found Amba Etta-Tawo on a really nice 41-yard pass play. The extra point was no good, but the Giants took a 6-3 lead into the half.
The Etling-to-Webb touchdown — a 1-yard pass play — came early in the third to put the capper on a six-play, 58-yard drive and make it 10-6. The exclamation point came late in he fourth when Etling dashed 86 yards for a touchdown. The Giants added a late touchdown to cut the lead to 17-12, but could get no closer.
UPDATES
10:03 p.m.: Giants pull to within 17-12, but the two-pointer is no good with 48 seconds left.
9:49 p.m.: Helluva run there for Etling. Good for him -- 17-6.
DANNY VICKLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/i6hlcoFa2v
— Prime Bam Childress (@fearthe_beard11) August 31, 2018
Danny Etling to Ralph Webb for the @Patriots TD! #NEvsNYG pic.twitter.com/446BorNnmz
— NFL (@NFL) August 31, 2018
Maye'd ya miss.@kjmaye_4 | #NEvsNYG | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/owP8hDatjc
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 31, 2018
Makin' plays. #NEvsNYG | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/okdRCSrVy9
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 30, 2018
? Tom Brady and Julian @Edelman11 with a pregame hug for @OBJ_3 #Patriots vs #Giants preseason finale at 7pm on #WBZ pic.twitter.com/ULbkdDpF2c
— Joe Giza (@JoeGiza) August 30, 2018
Source: the Patriots and TE Dwayne Allen have agreed to reworked contract, reducing his compensation for 2018. Allen was previously due $4.5M with a $5M cap number, which will now be lowered.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 30, 2018