FOXBOROUGH — Practice No. 6 finished earlier today, and there was a lot to break down. Let's run down all you need to know: all the stats, one-on-one pass rushes and punting charts, 3 up/down, and odds and ends:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
No. 1 looks like QB1: Of the 58 reps I counted between Cam Newton and Brian Hoyer — Jarrett Stidham (lower body) sat out team drills for a second-straight practice, Newton took 68 percent of them and had his heaviest workload of camp so far. That needs to be put in context, however. In the first practice after a day off, the team was in shells and it was less than competitive. Typically, the Patriots have a review day going over everything covered in the first week. It's almost like a mid-term exam to see what players have retained the corrections made. Both quarterbacks played well without much pressure or intensity, although it was more than a walkthrough.
Absences grow: The Patriots had five new players not take part in practice — RB James White, CB Michael Jackson, TE Jake Burt, RB J.J. Taylor, WR Jeff Thomas. While it's believed Thomas tweaked his knee in Friday's session, there was a report the Patriots were one of several NFL teams that was dealing with false-positive Covid tests. The NFL released a statement:
Saturday's daily COVID testing returned several positives tests from each of the clubs serviced by the same laboratory in New Jersey. We are working with our testing partner, BioReference, to investigate these results, while the clubs work to confirm or rule out the positive tests. Clubs are taking immediate precautionary measures as outlined in the NFL-NFLPA's health and safety protocols to include contact tracing, isolation of individuals and temporarily adjusting the schedule, where appropriate. The other laboratories used for NFL testing have not had similar results.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: RB Sony Michel (foot), RB Lamar Miller (knee).
Red non-contact jerseys: QBs.
Returned to practice: WR N'Keal Harry, CB D’Angelo Ross, OL Yodny Cajuste, DE Derek Rivers
Out: S Adrian Phillips, CB Stephon Gilmore, DT Beau Allen, DL Tashawn Bower. RB James White, CB Michael Jackson, TE Jake Burt, RB J.J. Taylor, WR Jeff Thomas (knee), S Kyle Dugger.
Limited: Ross, Cajuste, Jakobi Meyers.
New injuries: None.
DRESS CODE
Shells.
LENGTH OF PRACTICE
2 hours in a brutal sun ... it was hot.
QB STATS
NOTE: This was not a 100 percent competitive practice.
Cam Newton: 27 of 38 (71 percent)
Brian Hoyer: 12 of 18 (66.7 percent)
Jarrett Stidham: None.
QB Of The Day Award: Newton.
His confidence seems to be growing by the day and his accuracy has been pretty good. One of the things I liked today is that he alerted several plays and his judgment seemed to be right, judging by the reaction of the coaches and David Andrews — that was not always the case last week.
That being said, it's time for Newton to up the degree of difficulties of his throws. He has been very reticent to air it out down the field — in fact I noted several times where he passed up an open receiver down the field for a low crosser or a checkdown. If this keeps up, Newton may be taking on the Captain Checkdown moniker.
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: TE Devin Asiasi (Cassh Maluia), WR N'Keal Harry.
Drops: TE Paul Butler, WR N'Keal Harry, TE Devin Asiasi
Pass breakups: LB Terez Hall, S Terrence Brooks, CB Myles Bryant, CB Justin Bethel
Interception: Justin Bethel (Hoyer to Damiere Byrd, but there was a little push).
TOP PLAYS
- Newton threw a nice TD pass to Ryan Izzo that was well-placed, and Izzo high-pointed the ball.
TE Devin Asiasi: Had a fumble and a drop, and also missed his blocking assignment and that blew up a play. Not a good day for the rookie who is still tracking to be a big contributor. They need him to be on point.
WR N'Keal Harry: Not going to kill the guy because I think he was coming back from an illness on a hot day, but he had a fumble and a drop, couldn't get separation against Bethel on one rep, and had to tap out late in practice, likely due to the heat.
Newton's downfield throwing: Can we see some, please? Probably the last shot play we've seen from Newton when he was late and overthrew Damiere Byrd on a seam route last week. Enough of the checkdowns ... let's dial up a few shot plays.
QUICK HITS
- Today's practice was heavy on "deceptive" plays — screens, reverses, trick plays, etc. There's always at least one of these in camp
- They might be challenged as far as their positional depth charts, but some of the players who are still heavily in the mix for special teams are Joejuan Williams, Brandon Copeland, Cassh Maluia and Scoota Harris.
- Deatrich Wise keeps showing up in the middle of plays. And it looks like he finally added some good weight, which will help him hold up against the run better.
- Julian Edelman busted the chops of the assembled media in the stands early in practice.
- Target numbers in a deceptive-heavy practice:
- Yeah, look at Sanu's targets. Very telling.
SCHEDULE
Monday: 10 a.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.