FOXBOROUGH - A lot happened during the Patriots' lone joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday. Greg and I did the divide-and-conquer approach, with yours truly focusing on one-on-ones (Pats WRs) and DeMarcus Covington's defense during seven-on-sevens and team periods. It was significantly better than what the artist formerly known as the Big Boy saw on the opposite field.
Wide receivers/Tight ends vs. Eagles DBs
(Brissett)
Kelee Ringo locks up Kayshon Boutte on an in cut. INC.
Austin Hooper goes up and over Eli Ricks. Nice catch.
Pop Douglas runs a hard stop on Quinton Mitchell, but the ball is behind him. INC
Jalen Reagor gets open on a comeback vs. Darius Slay but drops the ball
K.J. Osborn stops on a dime and secures a pass against Zach McPhearson.
(Maye)
Mitchell Wilcox is open on a dig route, but the ball is too high and glances off one hand before falling INC
La'Michael Pettway is open on an out, and Maye throws wide of him
Tyquan Thornton runs a post corner and has a step on Isaiah Rodgers, but the ball hangs up and is broken up
Best ball of the period. Maye hits Ja'Lynn Polk on a go route. He had a step on Shon Stephens but does have to dive to make the grab. TD.
(Brissett)
Jaheim Bell runs a go but misjudges the flight of the ball. Incomplete.
On a flag route, David Wallis is beaten by Parry Nickerson and surrenders on the route. INC.
Javon Baker pushes hard toward the sideline on a comeback and makes a strong hands catch against Eli Ricks
Kawaan Baker with a late shake of Ringo coming out of the slot. Nice play.
Hooper wins on a stop.
Douglas gets loose on a deep over route against Mitchell — a good amount of separation.
JaQuae Jackson gets mugged by Josh Jobe. INC, but flags are thrown
(Maye)
Reagor has a step on Stephens but the ball is out of his reach. There was no real burst there.
Wilcox high points a flag route over James Bradberry — his nicest catch of camp.
Jacob Warren wins on a corner route, but Maye overthrows him
Can't connect again with Reagor on a go route.
(Brissett)
Misses Osborn on a post corner. Had him.
Rodgers breaks up the slant to Bell
Wallis toasts Rodgers on a fade. TD.
Thornton gets held by Lew Nichols. Flag.
Polk spins Stephens like a top coming out of the slot. Excellent rep.
Warren on hook vs. McCallan Castles (sir, this is not a polo field)
Incomplete to Pettway on a stop (Mitchell)
Javon Baker is open on the post, but he's led too much. INC (Ricks)
(Brissett)
Kawaan Baker with an outside/in move on Ringo. Easy
Hooper stop in the seam. Easy.
Warren stop (on Nichols). Easy.
Hard comeback by Jackson vs. Avonte Maddox
(Maye)
Boutte wins on a slant (Stephens)
Post to Boutte is there, but the ball goes off his hands. INC
Wallis over Rodgers. Nicely done.
Thornton on a dig vs. Rodgers
Return route by Polk creates space vs. Ringo. Catch, and he got held.
7-on-7s Eagles offense vs. Pats defense
Quick completions to DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown.
Brown runs a comeback against Gonzalez, and the CB gets his hands on it. PBU.
Brown is open underneath the LBs.
Brown wins on a comeback against Gonzalez
Smith runs a deep over and gets past Kyle Dugger. Nice ball by Hurts. Nice catch
(Kenny Pickett in)
Slant to John Ross.
Hole shot to Ross. Nice throw and catch. Alex Austin the closest defender
E.J. Jenkins underneath the backers
Swing pass goes nowhere (and defenders get lost along the sidelines)
Quick hitch to Gonzalez
Marcellas Dial Jr. runs stride for stride with the receiver (missed number) and breaks up the pass with his head (yes, you read that right. Hit him right in the noggin')
TEAM PERIOD EAGLES OFFENSE VS. PATS DEFENSE
Snap issue
Out to Brown is perfectly thrown before Brown makes the break. Austin in coverage
Brown on a crosser/slant (Austin)
Saquon Barkley busts through the left side of the line.
Kenneth Gainwell runs into the middle of the line. Nowhere to go. Ja'Whaun Bentley in on the action
Deatrich Wise sack
(Pickett)
Will Shipley stuffed
Shipley gets the edge and shakes Azizi Hearn. Nice gain
Shipley again into the left side. Not much there
Pickett hits Ross on a dig (vs Hearn). Came off play action
Christian Elliss swallows up Tyrion Davis-Price
Josh Uche pressures Pickett. Flag thrown. Pickett runs
(Hurts)
Barkley run off read option. Left side. Some space
Keion White pushes the pocket and takes two offensive linemen down, forcing Hurts to run
Shipley touch, but in full disclosure, Christian Barmore walks onto the field, and I was observing Pats' personnel going over to say hello to him
Shipley run
Curl by Smith in front of both corner and safety
TEAM PERIOD IN RED ZONE
Matthew Judon pressures Hurts. He runs
Barkley finds some space up the middle (Godchaux/Ekuale)
Barkley gets isolated on Judon as he comes out of the backfield. Nice pitch and catch for a TD
The defensive line stuffed Barkley
Johnny Wilson scores off play action, taking a screen to the house
Oshane Ximenes sack
(Pickett)
Austin with good run force on Shipley
Flag route to Jenkins for a TD. Safeties Joshuah Bledsoe and Dell Pettus are the closest in coverage
Ximines and Armon Watts with a run stuff
Shipley catches the ball in the left flat. Elliss is there for the tackle
Wise pressure disrupts play
Gainewell runs into Uche
(Low red zone)
Pocket collapses. I don't care what happened after. Team sack
Pressure from Ekuale and White. Hurts holds it
Smith is in the right flat. Excellent footwork to make the catch. Austin and Bentley in coverage)
Barkley was stuffed by Bentley and interior DL
TEAM STARTING FOR OWN 20 YARD LINE
Barkley on a toss right. Gains about five
Brown on a corner route over an unidentified CB and in front of Peppers. Great ball.
Barkley up the middle. Not much there
Hurts throws a slant route behind Brown, but he sticks his mitts out and makes the catch
Play action pass to Armani Rogers in the left flat. Judon tries to punch the ball out.
Austin had a PBU on a deep ball down the sideline to Smith. His head, not hand, deflects the pass
Swing pass that Austin gobbles up
Team pressure
Smith, on a quick slant
Hurts throws behind Smith on a slant. Marco Wilson is in coverage
Brown is good on a slant. Wilson on his back
Hurts run
Brown comeback on Wilson. Easy
Jaylinn Hawkins with a pass deflection on post to Rogers
Sack. Mass of humanity. Appears to be White and Jeremiah Pharms
Brian Covey is open in the right flat. Wilson closes quickly
Peppers gets home on a blitz
TAKEAWAYS
1. The pass rush was consistent against one of the best OLs in football. It wasn't just one guy who got home. It was a fleet of dudes finding their way into the backfield. "I think they're stout - really good players," said Eagles tackle Lane Johnson. "Jabril Peppers came out from safety and smacked a few guys. Really strong guy. But no, they're just, they're very strong, very technique sound. And if you do any uncharacteristic stuff with your technique, they do take advantage. So that's really how it's always been playing these guys."
2. Cornerback depth is a problem. With Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones both missing yet another practice, guys like Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, and Isaiah Bolden got a lot of reps against two of the better wideouts in football, A.J. Brown (the best player I saw today) and DeVonta Smith. It didn't go very well, as you would expect. Some of the reps against Brown was the classic "man against boy" scenario. Others, including a couple with Christian Gonzalez, were competitive, but Brown was still winning. Peppers, though, wasn't so sure.
"Having a good day is - you know - I seen him catch two of three passes that would have been completed in a game, but if we could hit in those..." he said, voice trailing off. "He definitely did his thing. That's a guy who's going to do his thing. That's a guy we just got to slow down. We think highly of him. They think highly of him."
3. A happy Davon Godchaux is a productive Davon Godchaux. The nose tackle was immovable on a majority of these running plays. During his contract pitch made public to us, Godchaux mentioned how he's effectiveness shouldn't be measured in stats. Today, he strongly stated his case. He also did a nice job helping to keep Hurts in the pocket, a primary focus going into the day.
"We did good," Godchaux said, smiling.
I concur, Davon.