Four Ups, Four Downs From Patriots' Preseason Loss To Packers
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Football was played on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. It may not have been full-fledged NFL football, and it might not have been particularly captivating football ... but it was football.
That's always a welcome sight in these parts around this time of year, as it is at the very least a sign that real football will be here shortly.
So while not too much should be gleaned from a game in which 28 Patriots did not play at all, there were some performances worthy of analysis after the Packers walked away with a 22-11 victory.
FOUR UPS
Jonas Gray
The common thought is that LeGarrette Blount is the Patriots' No. 1 running back. And that may very well be the case. But Jonas Gray is going to at least force the Patriots to think about it.
Gray, last year's one-hit wonder, will be fighting this summer and fall to earn more carries in the offense. He got off to a great start vs. Green Bay, as he broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. He added the cherry on top by running in the two-point conversion to account for eight points. He finished with 74 yards on seven carries, for an average of 10.6 yards per rush.
All of this took place while Blount was a spectator, and while one preseason performance won't flip the depth chart, Gray showed that he at least bears watching throughout this preseason.
Shaq Mason
A slightly underrated storyline for New England this summer is the need for a rookie lineman to really look good. After the September that last year's O-line suffered through, it's fair to assume the Patriots might not feel too confident in having Josh Kline or Jordan Devey or even Marcus Cannon taking the bulk of snaps on the interior.
And while it's hard to properly judge anyone's work on the offensive line (on account of the mishmash of players filling in on Thursday night in the absence of Ryan Wendell, Bryan Stork, Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder), rookie Shaq Mason earned a spotlight here for his block on Gray's big run, which was captured and shared by Pats Pulpit's Rich Hill:
The Patriots selected Mason in the fourth round out of Georgia Tech, and it seems like it's between him and Tre' Jackson to make an impression this preseason. It was a decent start for Mason.
James White
Apologies for going running-back heavy, but White's impact was notable. As you well know, Shane Vereen is now a New York Giant, and someone's going to need to catch passes out of the backfield. And for the first time as a pro, White looked capable of contributing to the offense.
White showed some creativity, escapability and a desire to put his head down and get upfield on a number of screen passes,finishing the night with four receptions for 54 yards. He also played through some pain after taking a hard hit down low late in the second half.
He really had an almost nonexistent rookie season, so he has a lot to prove. He took positive steps on Thursday.
Tom Brady
Sure, including the quarterback on this list is the equivalent of handing out a participation ribbon. But come on. The man's been embroiled in the biggest nonsense controversy in sports history for the last seven months. He finally got to go back out on the field and not have to worry about judges or commissioners or lawyers or PSI measurements or off-colored pool covers. He got to play football.
And though it was a nothing performance (1-for-4, 10 yards), it was still something.
Extra Point: Stephen Gostkowski
Hey, when you drill a 56-yard field goal and leave some room to spare, you land yourself in the Ups column. That's just a fact of life.
FOUR DOWNS
Josh Boyce
The third-year receiver has nine career receptions, and he may not get the opportunity to make catch No. 10 this year in a Patriots uniform.
He started the night by letting a Tom Brady pass slip through his hands. His start to the second half was worse, as he failed on a comeback route to fight through some contact by cornerback LaDarius Gunter. Boyce looked like he gave up on the pass, thereby allowing Gunter to intercept Jimmy Garoppolo. The Packers scored two plays later.
In all, Boyce came up with two receptions on 11 targets. It was not a good night.
Darryl Roberts, Trey Flowers
They didn't play poorly, but they both left injured. It's always a downer to suffer an injury in a preseason game.
Flowers did make the highlight reel though, with a first-half sack of Aaron Rodgers.
Jimmy Garoppolo
The biggest knock on the second-year quarterback throughout camp has been his inability to get rid of the ball quickly. He didn't do much to dispel that criticism in this game.
He finished the night 20-for-30 for 159 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, and he took seven sacks. That's a whole lot of sacks. Some of those weren't Garoppolo's fault (see: makeshift offensive line), but overall Garoppolo didn't look supremely confident in the pocket.
Of course, he shouldn't really look all that comfortable, considering he was playing for Eastern Illinois two summers ago. This is the NFL, and he's playing the most difficult position, so to expect him to look like a seasoned vet at the start of year two would be preposterous.
But Thursday night should serve as a reminder that in the unlikely scenario that Brady actually has to serve a four-game suspension, it might not be easy-breezy smooth sailing for the Patriots.
New PAT Rules
The NFL will institute a modification to the point-after touchdown process this year, with the one-point kick moving back to the 15-yard line. It turns an automatic chip shot into a nearly automatic chip shot, while keeping the two-point conversion at the 2-yard line if coaches are feeling so bold.
Given the change, both Bill Belichick and Mike McCarthy felt like experimenting on Thursday night by going for two after the first three touchdowns of the game. The Patriots converted theirs. The Packers went 0-for-2.
It's fine, but if you like the comfort of the football scores you've grown accustomed to seeing over the years, you're in for a rough ride. The scores on Thursday night went:
Green Bay 3, New England 0
New England 8, Green Bay 3
Green Bay 9, New England 8
New England 11, Green Bay 9
Green Bay 15, New England 11
Green Bay 22, New England 11
Those aren't normal scores right there. No, siree.
It's obviously not a big deal, and it wouldn't be surprising to see coaches use the preseason as a big test tube for new rules. But ... it's not like the two-point conversion got any easier. If this keeps up, scores will be wacky.
(By the way, Mason Crosby kicked a newfangled 33-yard extra point in the fourth quarter. It was still boring.)
5-Yard Penalty: DNP For Rob Gronkowski
It's a treat to watch Rob Gronkowski play football, mostly because it's funny when he runs over and through adult human beings. But Gronkowski didn't play Thursday night despite getting all suited up, all the way down to the eye black. That's a downer for everybody who tuned in.
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
