Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ preseason loss to the Giants in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
Keion White, Jabrill Peppers only starters to play: Mike Vrabel said before the game that a lot of guys wouldn't be playing. He wasn't kidding. When Bill Belichick was coach, he used to make everyone suit up, if they were healthy. Vrabel did not do that. Just interesting to note.
Here's the final did not play lists for each team:
CB 0 C.Gonzalez, WR 1 Ja.Polk, LB 2 H.Landry, WR 3 D.Douglas, RB 4 A.Gibson, CB 7 C.Davis, WR 8 S.Diggs, WR 9 K.Boutte, QB 10 D.Maye, QB 11 J.Dobbs, WR 13 M.Hollins, LB 14 R.Spillane, WR 18 K.Williams, S 21 J.Hawkins, CB 25 M.Jones, RB 26 T.Jennings, RB 32 T.Henderson, LB 33 A.Jennings, K 37 J.Romo, RB 38 R.Stevenson, S 41 B.Schooler, LB 44 K.Chaisson, LB 48 J.Tavai, LB 53 C.Elliss, C 65 G.Bradbury, T 66 W.Campbell, OL 71 M.Onwenu, T 76 M.Moses, TE 81 A.Hooper, WR 84 K.Bourne, TE 85 H.Henry, WR 86 E.Chism, DT 90 C.Barmore, DL 95 K.Tonga, DE 97 M.Williams
OLB 0 B.Burns, WR 1 M.Nabers, CB 2 D.Banks, QB 3 R.Wilson, OLB 5 K.Thibodeaux, WR 5 D.Cambre, S 8 J.Holland, WR 9 D.Felton, K 9 G.Gano, WR 17 W.Robinson, WR 18 D.Slayton, RB 20 E.Gray, CB 21 P.Adebo, S 24 D.Belton, CB 25 K.Black, RB 26 D.Singletary, S 27 T.Nubin, RB 29 T.Tracy, CB 37 T.Hawkins, ILB 41 M.McFadden, S 43 R.Layne, LB 44 D.Flannigan-Fowles, TE 48 J.Terry, OLB 52 V.Dimukeje, LB 53 D.Muasau, OL 55 J.Hudson, ILB 58 B.Okereke, C 61 J.Schmitz, OL 72 J.Eluemunor, G 74 G.Van Roten, OL 75 J.Ezeudu, G 76 J.Runyan, T 78 A.Thomas, TE 82 D.Bellinger, TE 84 T.Johnson, TE 85 C.Manhertz, DL 93 R.Nunez-Roches, DT 95 R.Robertson-Harris, DL 97 D.Lawrence
"We had a couple good days that you guys were able to watch," Mike Vrabel said after the game. "And so that's kind of where I was, and decided to do that and give us a chance to evaluate some other players."
Interesting that both Keion White and Jabrill Peppers suited up for the Patriots. White played about the entire first half, and didn't make much of an impact against the Giants' reserves. He finished with two assisted tackles officially, possibly a few hurries. But you were hoping to see White dominate in that situation — Abdul Carter was noticed in his brief playing time — but that was not the case. Peppers played about a quarter and had one assisted tackle.
"Because I decided and talked to Keion, and wanted to see him work on some things and continue to, you know, develop and try to continue to improve," Vrabel said of White's playing time. "And he was excited about playing. He wanted to play more. That's kind of our whole job is to be ready to play and prepare it until told otherwise. So, you know, just try to work on some things that we have been talking about and do it in game action."
On Peppers: "We got to have 11 out there. But wanted to see him play with Craig (Woodson) alongside. Pepp has played a couple different spots, and wanted to just see him play safety, alongside Craig. He's played some and nickel has played some, in the box, on third down, he's played some different places, and really, where we, you know, tonight, wanted to see him was, was alongside Craig, playing safety exclusively."
Kyle Dugger and Marcus Epps were the second-string safeties and played well into the second half. Dugger at least looked the part of a veteran against scrubs with a few standout plays, including an easy interception in the end zone.
On Dugger: "I think that he's continued to take advantage of the opportunities and the reps. And I think he's feeling more comfortable. We talked about a long rehab process in the off-season that he committed to, but it wasn't a quick rehab process. I mean, he had, you know, had surgery, and so that, I think that he's gotten better. I think he's improved. I think he's feeling better. It looks like he's feeling better on tape so that's good to see. Those are all positive things make it play two interceptions. I thought he, you know, I thought he flashed. I thought he triggered. I thought he tackled. Thought his length showed up. All these things, and we didn't blitz anybody tonight. We didn't do any of that, but just playing in our base scheme, and those things I thought showed up tonight."
"Veterans" on the field in the fourth quarter: Dugger, Javon Baker, Caeden Wallace, Sidy Sow, Cole Strange, Jaheim Bell, Marcus Epps, Demontrey Jacobs, Marte Mapu, Dell Pettus.
Patriots starters: Some interesting lineups.
Offense
QB Ben Wooldridge
LT Vederian Lowe
LG Jared Wilson
C Ben Brown
RG Sidy Sow
RT Marcus Bryant
WR Jon Jiles
FB Jack Westover
TE Cole Fotheringham
RB JaMycal Hasty
WR Javon Baker
One more
Cole Strange was next at center. Wilson did not play at center.
Defense
DE Elijah Ponder
DT Jeremiah Pharms
DT Joshua Farmer
DT Kyle Peko
DE Keion White
LB Jack Gibbens
LB Marte Mapu
CB DJ James
CB Alex Austin
S Craig Woodson
S Jabrill Peppers
One more?
Parker Romo didn't kick at all today. Borregales did everything.
It's just the preseason finale, but ...: I think Mike Vrabel is going to be pretty pissed about this one. The Patriots, largely, looked pretty poor compared to the Giants. I think this game showed off the Patriots' lack of depth that I've been talking about, but the Giants had guys running wide open, the tackling was poor, etc. Basically, this was the complete opposite of the Commanders' game, and the score shows that. Vrabel prides himself on his entire team playing a certain way, and this wasn't it. That will bother him. We could get Cranky Mike in the postgame.
Update ... he wasn't thrilled.
"Disappointed with just, you know, how we played or executed," he said. "But, I mean, I think there's glimpses of football in which we'd like to play it, and, you know, continuing to improve each day. We're so far from being where we need to be, and just trying to get that message across, stringing one good day together, putting another day together. So we've got four big days this week that will have to, will really have to work."
Vrabel also didn't like the Ja'Lynn Polk surgery report out there, as he had no update.
"No, I don't know, other than I'd like to find out where some of these come from," Vrabel said. "You know some of these rats around here. So we'll figure that out."
THREE UP
S Kyle Dugger: Wasn't great on the 43-yard easy catch and run TD by Jonathan Ward in the third quarter, but he looked like a starter should look against backups. Couple of big tackles, good coverage plays, and an easy interception in the end zone when Jameis Winston and the receiver weren't on the same page.
DT Kyle Peko: The veteran continued to show up with a couple of pressures and good work against the run.
WR Jeremiah Webb: Had a 22-yard punt return and three catches for 31 yards as he showed some juice in his legs.
FIVE DOWN
OG Sidy Sow: Gave up at least two pressures, and one where he got turned around.
DE Keion White: Barely noticed him out there against backups. He's been on a skid since the Commanders' joint practice.
WR Javon Baker: His best play was on special teams when he forced his blocker into the punt returner for a fumble. He was 0 for 2 in the pass game and had a penalty. He played into the fourth quarter.
CB Kobee Minor: Gave up four catches for 50 yards.
K Andy Borregales: Missed wide right from 49 yards with perfect operation. Not great.
"Well, I think he's hitting the ball okay," Vrabel said. "I think that we needed to try to, you know, we expect to make those kicks. And, you know, we'll just have to kind of see where this thing plays out. Again we've got two kickers that we have a lot of faith in. And, you know, I think he, again, swung it pretty well. I just don't think that it went in. It wasn't obviously straight enough. Last week's was just disappointed in the operation, in the manner in which he got out there in a timely fashion and kind of rushed it. That I thought improved, but we didn't make the one we needed to make, the long one tonight."
INJURIES
None.
NOTES
I don't really have any. This was a terrible product and a complete waste of everyone's time.
