Getty Chase Winovich has 1.5 sacks in his preseason debut.
It was a successful preseason opener for the New England Patriots, taking a convincing 31-3 decision over Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. Though many of the starters got the night off, albeit still in full pads on the sidelines, it was a good chance to see some of the fringe players in action.
Still very early in the preseason, some younger players battling for roster spots made strong first impressions, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, it was the pass rush making most of the noise.
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There’s still a lot of work to be done, according to Bill Belichick, and it is definitely too early to start proclaiming Super Bowl. But the depth on display Thursday at all positions is a sign of good things to come for a team that has played more football than any other franchise over the past five seasons.
Thursday was a small sample size, but we learned a lot about who fits where. Here’s how it all played out with top performers and those who need improvement.
Good: Jakobi Meyers
Making six catches for 69 yards is usually a strong night for a receiver, and Meyers did so in his preseason and NFL debut. He snared two touchdowns on routes over the middle, one each from Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham. Undrafted because of a drop in his 40-yard dash time, Meyers proved his route-running ability is as good as any receiver on the team. Looks like Belichick found another undrafted rookie steal, no surprise there.
Bad: Duke Dawson Jr
A second-round pick from last year, Dawson started the Patriots preseason opener and was burned on the Lions’ first passing play for 24 yards by Brandon Powell. With defensive back looking pretty set, Dawson’s days in New England may be numbered despite such high optimism a year ago.
Good: Brian Hoyer & Jarrett Stidham
Both quarterbacks played incredibly well for the Patriots, providing no edge in the battle for Brady’s backup. Hoyer started the night by going 12 for 14 with a pair of touchdown passes. Stidham came on in relief late in the second quarter and responded by going 14 for 24 with 179 yards. A few of his incompletions were drops, but Stidham was poised in the pocket and not afraid to throw a deep ball into coverage.
Bad: Stephen Gostkowski
Or “Gostowski” as his jersey incorrectly read. There’s been so much talk about Jake Bailey replacing Ryan Allen, and while the competition is still hot, it’s definitely possible for the Patriots to be considering Bailey as a replacement for their veteran kicker. Gostkowski missed a field goal from 37 yards out while sitting out the kickoffs.
Good: Derek Rivers
The defensive end in his third year is looking to find a role after a pair of rough seasons to start his career. He certainly got off on the right foot, making three tackles, including two of the Patriots nine sacks. He looked strong off the edge and put his foot in the door.
Bad: Ryan Izzo
The tight-end got a few looks and made a nice catch on a comeback route. But he was targeted three times and couldn’t out-muscle his defender on two occasions. His blocking could also use work, as fellow fringe tight-end Andrew Beck had an edge in that category.
Good: Braxton Berrios
The second-year receiver who missed all of last season with an injury looked Edelman-esque in his preseason opener. He caught all three passes thrown his way for 45 yards while returning four punts for 35 yards, including one that set up the Patriots in Detroit territory on a scoring drive.
Bad: Danny Etling
It doesn’t feel like this experiment is going to work with the former LSU quarterback at receiver. He was targeted once, dropping the pass in tight coverage. He also took a penalty when he failed to cover up an ineligible receiver in the slot. He was the last receiver to enter the game and saw most of his looks on special teams. Maybe he’s practice squad bound given his versatility?
Good: Chase Winovich
The former Michigan Wolverine felt right at home in Detroit. He recorded three tackles, two solo, while getting to the quarterback on the pass rush for 1.5 sacks. His edge presence was definitely felt, and his rawness was apparent when he showed up to his postgame press conference in full pads. But assigned the number-50 jersey which has been given to pass-rushing linebackers like Mike Vrabel and Rob Ninkovich, he looks like he could be next in line in that string of legendary players to come through the program.
VOTE: Player of the Game
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