FOXBOROUGH — Practice No. 11 is in the books, let's run down all you need to know: stats, observations, one-on-ones, 3 up/down, etc:
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Rain comes down pretty good: The entire practice took place in the rain, which I'm sure pleased Bill Belichick. Even better: no fumbles, not many ball issues. Couldn't really tell it was raining. Adding to the practice: officials in town for Thursday's game against the Texans worked the practice. Flags were flying at a disappointing pace.
Varied practice: Patriots were back in pads, which brought a round of one-on-ones (a whole three so far in camp), but the pace and energy were once again low, especially on offense. This was kind of a kitchen sink practice where they worked on a bunch of things, including two extended periods were the offense and defense got looks at the Texans' schemes through "cards" (coaches literally put up a card with the play for the unit to run). Malik Cunningham, a QB in college but only a WR to this point in New England, got a ton of QB snaps - perhaps to get him prepared to play on Thursday night.
Offense was again not good: In truly competitive periods, we had the top two QBs a combined 16 of 27 with seven sacks and Bailey Zappe had three passes batted down. Pressure was again a huge issue with Trent Brown back in pads for the first time, but he only watched practice. David Andrews was back after a day off achoring a "starting" line of Riley Reiff, rookie Atono Mafi, Andrews, Kody Russey and Conor McDermott.
There's no sugar-coating it: the offense has not been good. The last three snaps of team drills had Mac Jones getting sacked on all three with no chance.
It's been fairly efficient, especially with Jones, but that's because they are taking a lot of checkdowns and short sideline throws. Zappe had one of his worst practices - he's been very inaccurate and holding onto the ball lately. He had an interception I didn't count because he was working off cards.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: OG Mike Onwenu, ST Cody Davis
Non-football injury list: OT Calvin Anderson.
Red non-contact jerseys: S Marte Mapu, TE Johnny Lumpkin.
Returned to practice: C David Andrews,
Full participants: None.
Out: RB Ty Montgomery. LG Cole Strange (left knee), CB Jon Jones, ST Matthew Slater.
Limited: OT Trent Brown, OG Bill Murray.
New injuries: None.
DRESS CODE
Full pads.
LENGTH OF PRACTICE
2 hours in the rain.
QB STATS
Mac Jones: 9 of 13, 6 sacks, drop
3 of 5, sack, drop
2 of 3, 2 sacks
3 of 4
1 of 1, 3 sacks
Bailey Zappe: 7 of 14, sack, 3 batted passes.
3 of 5, sack
0 for 3, 2 batted passes
4 of 6, batted pass
STATS
Fumbles: None.
Drops: Kendrick Bourne.
Pass breakups: Jack Jones, Mack Wilson, Anfernee Jennings
Interception: Marcus Jones (Zappe using cards).
Sacks: Wise 2 (Mafi), Godchaux (Reiff), Perkins, Uche
ONE ON ONES
Receivers via Giardi
Once again, we had dueling quarterbacks, with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe working with wide receivers while Trace McSorley had backs and tight ends. I focused my attention on the top 2 signal callers.
First three reps had Mac as the thrower.
- Go route to DeVante Parker that was broken up by Marcus Jones (one of his best reps of camp in coverage). It was a good ball.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster ran an in-breaking route on Myles Bryant and the slot corner undercut it and broke the pass up.
- Kayshon Boutte put about a half-dozen moves on Christian Gonzalez and it did not go well, with Gonzalez fighting thru his fellow rookie’s hands and forcing an incomplete.
Bailey Zappe took over for the next three.
- Corner to Tyquan Thornton. Really nice touch on the throw.
- A dig route to Kendrick Bourne but Jack Jones fought through Bourne’s hands and the pass was incomplete.
- Tre Nixon hit Shaun Wade with a nasty hesitation move and spun the corner around and left him in a different area code.
From this point on, the two QBs alternated snaps for a handful of plays.
- Corner Quandre Mosely worked over Pitts and forced an incomplete.
- Solid coverage by Marcus Jones on an out route to Demario Douglas. Incomplete.
- Mac hung one up to Raleigh Webb but Webb should have caught it and did not.
- Nixon wins on an inside route vs. Ameer Speed
- A stutter and go for Thornton that was blanketed by Gonzalez (Mac at QB)
- Douglas beats Rodney Randle inside (again with Mac)
- Malik Cunningham beats Mosely on a quick in route (Zappe)
- Smith-Schuster drops an in cut versus Bryant. Good ball by Mac.
- Bourne drops a ball that hits him right in the breadbasket from Zappe. Jack Jones was trailing the play.
Linemen
Decisive wins
- Christian Barmore had an unreal reverse hump move where he got under Kody Russey's pads and tossed him to the ground. Reggie White would have been impressed.
- Daniel Ekuale went around Jake Andrews like he was standing still. Great speed.
- Deatrich Wise made Sidy Sow look like a late-round rookie. Slapped his hand down, and went right around. Made Wise look fast, which he is not.
Notable edge-setting reps
- Matt Sokol handling Anfernee Jennings ... that's a good win for Sokol. Great technique.
- Chasen Hines dominating Sam Roberts. The second-year guard is having a little upswing.
- Deatrich Wise making James Ferentz look bad.
SHANK IT OFF
Nick Folk got the only kicking duties and seemed to convert all his chances.
TOP PLAYS
- DeVante Parker hauled in a deep pass from Jones over Isaiah Bolden, who couldn't believe the catch was made on him.
- Kayshon Boutte might have had the best catch of camp where he made a twisting one-handed grab over his head from, yes, Malik Cunningham.
FOUR UP
DE Deatrich Wise: Was great in one-on-ones and had two sacks in team periods.
DT Christian Barmore: Not sure he did much the rest of practice, but that one-on-one rep was that good. I would not want to be Russey in film review.
C/G James Ferentz: Went 2-0-1 in one-one-ones. He's like a cockroach, you're never killing him.
CB Marcus Jones: Got his hands on a lot of balls. One of his best practices of camp.
TWO DOWN
QB Bailey Zappe: He was really not good in this session and continues to have issues with batted passes. Yesterday it was paddles, today it was live players.
C/G Kody Russey: Had a rough one-on-one period and that continued in team drills. The Patriots are looking really shaky behind Strange and Onwenu. Only Mafi has looked OK in their playing time to this point.
QUICK HITS
- The Patriots reportedly hosted former Pats DE Trey Flowers on a visit. Pretty sure that's his second in recent years.
- Jack Jones was the starting CB in place of Jon Jones. Marcus Jones got the slot start over Myles Bryant.
- Zappe got a few reps with the starting line but it felt like some preseason reps.
- If I had to guess, I think the true starters on this team get a lot of reps tomorrow, light work on Thursday.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday: 1 p.m.
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Texans at Patriots, 7 p.m.