FOXBOROUGH — A closer look at Practice No. 2 for the 2020 Patriots, complete with QB stats, QB Of The Day Award, top plays, punt times, 3 up/3 down and odds and ends:
ONE MORE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW (FIRST FOUR HERE)
Red zone emphasis goes in favor of the offense — that's good and bad
Here are the sequences in the red zone:
Stidham completion to Mohamed Sanu
Burkhead over LT
Burkhead over LG (Dalton Keene dives at Adrian Phillips' knees)
Hoyer scramble
Hoyer complete to Damiere Byrd
Running play — bad rep by Yodny Cajuste
Newton doesn't find anyone open and scrambles as LB Cassh Maluia beats OL Mike Onwenu
Damien Harris around left end
Newton playaction pass to Harris, who juggled it several times and still caught it.
Goal line
Burkhead LG TD
Burkhead LG TD
Newton playaction TD to wide-open Devin Asiasi
Harris left end, stuffed by Darius Kilgo
My takeaways? A lot of people, including myself, had a lot of concerns about the front seven — and that was before Beau Allen missed the first two practices.
Didn't love how Ja'Whaun Bentley didn't factor into these plays, or many the first two days. Josh Uche is very boom and bust — sort of like Jamie Collins, Uche has been very good going forward and being aggressive, but struggles reading and reacting (but it is his second day, not seventh year in the NFL). John Simon and Shilique Calhoun also haven't flashed yet.
In the middle, Lawrence Guy, Byron Cowart and Adam Butler will make some plays, but that's about it.
Let's call it like it is: the defensive front seven got its ass whupped today.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: RB Sony Michel (foot), RB Lamar Miller (knee)
Red non-contact jerseys: QBs.
Missing from practice: DT Beau Allen, WR Jeff Thomas, LB Anfernee Jennings, LB Tashawn Bowers.
Left practice: WR Julian Edelman (unknown), WR Will Hastings (unknown).
DRESS CODE
Full pads.
LENGTH OF PRACTICE
1:45.
QB STATS
(Today's stats will not count due to lack of competitiveness.)
From 11-on-11s:
Jarrett Stidham: 6 of 7, INT
Cam Newton: 7 of 11
Brian Hoyer: 7 of 9
Bedard's QB winner of the day: Stidham.
Covered most of this earlier, but I'm not bothered by the interceptions (he threw two more in 7 on 7 but I didn't see a ton of competitiveness). Stidham consistently makes tougher throws than the other two competitors and he usually throws with better anticipation.
There was a throw in an early play-action period that the other two QBs would have missed. There were multiple levels to the play and Stidham made a quick and decisive read that even impressed Belichick.
Note: I do not have the number of reps that some other writers have because I do not count when the offense is "working off cards." Those are plays when an assistant coach literally brings out a play on a card and shows it to one side of the ball. They are not running their own plays so since there are so many x-factors — including the receiver running the right route, and blockers executing correctly — so I do not count those reps.
HANDS TEAM
Fumbles: None.
Drops: Dalton Keene. Gunner Olszewski. Damiere Byrd.
Pass breakups: None.
Interception: Stephon Gilmore, Kyle Dugger, Michael Jackson. .
TOP PLAYS
- Stidham out to Damiere Byrd.
- Stidham crosser in traffic to Dalton Keene.
- Hoyer 50-yard bomb to Olszewski over CB Myles Bryant.
- Hoyer and Devin Ross teamed up again to get Jason McCourty deep down the left sideline.
- Jake Bailey's punt to the 1 that stopped and was tipped back by Justin Bethel to Matt Slater.
- David Andrews looks stronger in his return but the rust is there, as he dropped matchups to Bill Murray and Adam Butler (Andrews won an earlier battle against Butler).
- Joe Thuney looked like a Pro Bowler in his 2-on-2 reps with Isaiah Wynn and Justin Herron.
- Decided reps by: Rashod Berry (vs. Korey Cunningham); Derek Rivers (vs. Jermaine Eluemunor); and Mike Onewnu (vs. Nick Thurman).
- Hjlate Froholdt won both his reps. He's much more aggressive this season. Looking to fill Steady Teddy Karras' spot.
THREE UP
RB Damien Harris: Lot of snaps out there when there are really on three running backs, and Harris is making the most of his opportunity. His vision and cutbacks and been very good, even if he looks a little bigger and slower this season.
"My biggest concern is to get myself mentally and physically prepare to do whatever it takes for me to help this team be successful," Harris said. "Day in and day out in practice, I show up with the mentality to improve in every area that I can and do whatever the coaches need for me to do in order for this team to be successful."
TE Devin Asiasi: Rookie TE seemed to be a favored target today and just overall seemed more comfortable than the first practice.
WR Devin Ross: All the guy does is show up and make big plays.
S Kyle Dugger: Had the interception but was very active overall, and the coaches are putting a lot on his plate. He's reacting well.
THREE DOWN
CB Myles Bryant: The UDFA got burned several times during this season, but there appears to be a lot on his plate as a CB/S because Devin McCourty remarked how Bryant is in their room.
WR Gunner Olszewski: Got let down by his hands a few times in this one and seemed to have a tough time shaking that.
QB Cam Newton: Was hesitant on a few passes and blew a big opportunity to hit former Panthers teammate Damiere Byrd for a big play on a wide-open post down the middle when Newton was a) late with the pass, and b) overshot Byrd, who can really run.
QUICK HITS
- Impressed by TE Devin Asiasi's route running. Even against air, he's very precise with his foot placement. You don't see that with many rookies at the position.
- Chase Winovich and Deatrich Wise set some excellent edges against the run.
- On two of his first six throws, Cam Newton held the ball a very long time.
- Big no-no: Dalton Keene tried a chop block on Adrian Phillips as the lead blocker on a running play.
- After he dropped a Newton pass, Olszewski was beside himself and ripped off his gloves.
- UDFA LB Scoota Harris is doing a good job with the green dot on secondary unites.