The Patriots did not impress in their preseason finale against the Raiders. However, a few players stood out, some in a good way and some in a wrong way. Here is who caught my eye.
Stud – RB Kevin Harris
Rookie running back Kevin Harris impressed Friday night; he ran for 54 yards over four carries. One of the game’s biggest plays came off a 36-yard gain by Harris. Although he fumbled late in the game, his big night may be enough to sneak on the roster.
Stud – rookie cornerbacks
Marcus Jones and Jack Jones made a name for themselves against the Raiders. Jack Jones is a natural ballhawk who loves to get his hands on the ball, and it shows. Jack had two tackles and one pass deflection. Meanwhile, Marcus Jones averaged 16 yards per punt return and excelled on special teams.
Stud – RB J.J Taylor
Although Taylor did not run the ball particularly well, he had two catches for 22 yards and had a jaw-dropping hustle play. When former Patriot edge Tashawn Bower stripped sacked Brain Hoyer, it seemed as if things were getting worse, but Taylor made an all-out hustle play and got to the ball before any of the Raiders could retrieve it. That is a type of play that makes a roster.
Dud – QB Mac Jones
Mac Jones did not look sharp against the Raider’s back-ups and often looked frustrated. According to NESN reporter Zack Cox, Mac was only blitzed one time. As a result, Jones looked disgruntled and had what some would call the worse interception of his career.
Dud – The offensive lines
The veteran offensive line unit looked like they were full of rookies. There were many plays in which it seemed there was little communication on who was blocking who. Center David Andrews said post-game, “We need to have better fundamental execution… Just fundamental execution.” Former Quarterback and now ESPN Analyst Dan Orlovsky posted a video on Twitter Saturday morning about the Patriots front unit.
The Patriots’ next game will be their season opener in Miami on Sept. 11.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
