![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="439" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
The New England Patriots took on the New York Giants in the third and final preseason game ahead of the 2021 NFL season.
Cam Newton started, Mac Jones played and Brian Hoyer finished. Scroll to the bottom to catch the events from the beginning.
Patriots 22 vs. Giants 20 – FINAL SCORE
OK, now, the Patriots finish this preseason perfect.
Hold that thought.
Damien Willis beats newcomer Shaun Wade for a late and embarrassing TD to make it 22-20. The 2-point conversion is no good.
Patriots go for a late 53-yard field goal with Quinn Nordin who hooks it way left. That guarantees he’ll wind up released or on the practice squad at best. Giants try to get on the board with 30 seconds remaining, but it isn’t to be as New England finishes the preseason a perfect 3-0.
Another Hilarious Cam Newton GIF
The 2015 NFL MVP was determined not to be denied on a high five attempts after Mac Jones led the team on a scoring drive:
Hoyer and the Patriots driving with just under 3 minutes remaining in the game. Lots of backups on the field trying to make one last impression to coaches.
Patriots have some noteworthy guys still on the field late in the fourth quarter, including Chase Winovich, Henry Anderson and Bill Murray, who just got consecutive sacks as New England is teeing off on Mike Glennon.
Hoyer leads the Patriots on a scoring drive that results in a 37-yard field goal from Quinn Nordin. The rookie kicker has seemingly righted the ship after a shaky performance last week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Patriots lead 22-14 with just under 7 minutes remaining. Has Nordin done enough to beat out Nick Folk? Probably not, but maybe he’ll be on the practice squad.
NFL Network’s Mike Giardi has perhaps the understatement of the Patriots’ preseason with this one:
Taylor has been fantastic this preseason as a runner, receiver and return guy. He’s got some Tarik Cohen and Darren Sproles vibes.
Brian Hoyer is in as Mac Jones’ day and preseason are in the books. It is hard to ask for him to have been better than he was during these three games.
Here is another look at the impressive back-shoulder throw from Jones to tight end Devin Asiasi:
The Giants get on the board with a solid TD drive that culminates with a TD pass to a tight end who probably isn’t going to make the team. Patriots still lead 19-14.
Patriots 19 vs. Giants 7 – 3RD QUARTER
Mac Jones takes a coverage sack with no one open down the field which leads to a punt. Jones’ day might be over, and we could see Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter unless the Patriots get another position.
Jones takes some criticism for perhaps holding on to the ball for too long. There is some validity in this statement:
Mac Jones takes a bad sack as he missed a wide-open Isaiah Zuber to his left, which sets up a tough third down, and a penalty will make the conversion even tougher.
Patriots cornerback Dee Virgin has not looked good. He’s been beat on double moves by the Giants’ second and third-string receivers, and has also gotten lucky with New York wide outs dropping passes.
Patriots defense holds the Giants to a field-goal attempt, but Graham Gano cannot convert and New England stays in control with the score at 19-7.
Rhamondre Stevenson is a MONSTER. He powers his way through several defenders for a 9-yard, GROWN-MAN TD.
Patriots leading 19-7 after Quinn Nordin makes the extra point.
That’s a beautiful back-shoulder throw from Jones to Devin Asiasi while under pressure from the Giants’ defense. Patriots have it first and goal.
The Patriots’ defense has mostly outplayed the Giants’ offense tonight, but New York has consistently been victimized by drops, ill-advised throws and penalties.
It might be a long year for the G-Men. Patriots take over after yet another drop from the Giants’ receivers.
After J.J. Taylor and the Patriots’ O-Line pounded the Giants’ second-string defense, it set up a pretty easy TD throw from Mac Jones to Isaiah Zuber for a TD.
It doesn’t get more dominant than that over a three or four-play span. Patriots go for the 2-point conversion, which is a sweep to the left with rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson, but the Giants stop it. Patriots lead 12-7.
Mac Jones starts the third quarter and he has the Patriots moving after a completion to Kristian Wilkerson. The latter might be gaining on Olszewski.
J.J. Taylor taking over for Gunner Olszewski?
Patriots rookie QB Mac Jones gets on Gunner Olszewski for being out of position. Leadership on the rise. It will be golden in 2022.
Patriots 6 vs. Giants 7 – HALFTIME
Here is a look at a breakdown of the key stats from the first half:
Patriots 6 vs. Giants 7 – SECOND QUARTER
To end the first half, Lorenzo Carter sacks Mac Jones who struggled to get anything going on offense, with no thanks to some penalties and drops from his receivers.
Daniel Jones gets time to put the ball up and on target to tight end Caden Smith for a TD, and the Giants are on the board and in the lead with 25 seconds remaining in the first half.
The Giants are trying to get into field-goal range with less than a minute remaining in the first half, but how about this chip block from J.J. Taylor to set up a checkdown reception.
The Giants have an opportunity to drive for a score with just 2 minutes remaining in the first half.
Patriots forced to punt after Jones’ pass deflected in front of Olszewski. Jones showed off some nice subtle footwork in the pocket to create some space, but the ball didn’t reach its target.
Jones continues to look promising, but as of now, there is nothing apparent that says he should be the starting quarterback.
A drop by Gunner Olszewski highlights the reason he should exclusively be a special teams guy. It appears USA Today’s Henry McKenna agrees.
Patriots still driving, but the drops have to stop. This was worst than Meyers not making a tough catch on Newton’s throw, but the receivers need to make some plays.
Giants’ offensive tackle is being beaten regularly by the Patriots’ pass rushers, and it is essentially blowing up New York’s drafts. Give credit to Josh Uche and others as they have forced the Giants into another punt.
Jones and the offense will take over at the 20-yard line.
ICYMI: Here is a nice completion from Jones to Asiasi:
USA Today’s Henry McKenna suggests Newton’s limited snap count suggests he is going to be the Week 1 starter:
Drive ends with a sack on Jones who couldn’t escape the Giants’ pressure, but rookie kicker Quinn Nordin drains a 48-yard field goal and the Patriots take a 6-0 lead.
Nice completion from Jones to Kristian Wilkerson:
Jones pushing the ball downfield, which is putting some pressure on Giants secondary, and drawing penalties. Playaction pass to Devin Asiasi has the Patriots on the move.
Mac Jones is IN!!
Patriots come up huge in the red zone. The Patriots sniff out a bootleg, put pressure on Daniel Jones who lets go of an inaccurate and ill-advised pass that is picked off by Devin Ross in the end zone.
Patriots defense bails them out.
Giants driving now inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line.
Giants take over and are still having some offensive line issues. A lot of it has to do with an impressive pass rush from New England.
Patriots 3 vs. Giants 0 – FIRST QUARTER
Here is a look at the pick by Martinez. It was a great play.
Khari Thompson of BDC Sports speaks the truth about the interception:
Crippling false-start penalty against Trent Brown makes it 3rd and 7 from their own 6-yard line. Newton uncorks an on-target pass to Jakobi Meyers, that he has wrestled away from him by linebacker Blake Martinez for an interception.
The Giants will take over.
Patriots and Cam Newton starting their drive at their own 3-yard line. Space-creating HB dive to start to create some room.
How good has the Patriots’ pass rush been so far? Zack Cox of NESN tells us:
More great pressure by the Patriots’ pass rush. They get into the backfield with multiple players, but Ja’Whuan Bentley gets the sack to make it 3rd and 13. The Giants fail to convert and Darius Slayton egregiously drops an easy catch that would have been a first down.
Terrible. Punt lands inside the 5-yard line.
Patriots defense comes up big with deceptive look at the line of scrimmage showing blitz. They forced a fourth-down decision, which the Giants converted, and they are in Patriots territory.
Key play of the drive, Patriots RB Damien Harris’ big run as O-Line gashes the Giants.
Patriots’ opening drive ends in a 41-yard field goal made by Nick Folk after Newton had nowhere to throw the ball on third down. Patriots lead 3-0. USA Today’s Henry McKenna points out Patriots receivers struggling to get open:
Patriots starters tonight:
Huge run for Harris on first down for a big gainer down to the Giants’ 26-yard line.
Cam Newton gets the start and the Patriots run the ball for 4 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and then completes a pass, with great protection, to Jakobi Meyers. It’s a first down.
Very impressive opening draft for the Patriots’ defense. Gave up a short completion on first down, but followed that up with a dominant push upfront on second down to stop a rushing attempt for a loss. On third down, Josh Uche showed off his impressive pass-rushing skills beating former first-round pick Andrew Thomas off the edge for a sack.
It’s a three-and-out and the Patriots’ ball.
The New York Giants take the opening kickoff to the 25-yard line.
And it’s time, one of the Patriots’ captains calls heads.
The Giants will have the ball first. Legendary Giants linebacker and former Bill Belichick player Carl Banks is on the color commentary.
Pre-Game Warm-Ups and Notes
Bill Belichick Comments on Sony Michel Trade
The Patriots’ head coach was asked about the decision to trade Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this week. This was his response, per Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal:
Mac Jones and Cam Newton Working Out Ahead of the Game
NBC Sports Boston’s Twitter account went double box with the men of the hour.
Scott Zolak Apologizes to Cam Newton
Over the weekend, former Patriots QB Scott Zolak made some waves after he made some comments that came off as racially insensitive on air. He has apparently apologized to Cam Newton and anyone he offended.
Both Cam Newton and Mac Jones to Play in Preseason Finale
FPC Patriots’ G.T Bobby Thompson gave us a bit of a preview of the preseason finale from both teams’ perspective:
Cam Newton Set to Start Preseason Finale vs. Giants
If you were wondering who the starter will be tonight against the Giants, based on the take from the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride, it’ll be Cam Newton:
Cam Newton Takes the First QB Warmups
The Patriots and Giants are on the field at MetLife Stadium in New York ahead of tonight’s game.
NBC Sports’ Phil A. Perry has some early looks at the Patriots’ quarterbacks:
Also Read:
- Cam Newton Makes Bold ‘QB1’ Statement on Instagram
- Cam Newton’s Situation in New England Compared to NFC North Veteran
- Twitter Reacts to Patriots Sending Super Bowl Champion RB to Rams
- Patriots RB ‘Probably Looking Really Appealing’ to LA Rams, per Analyst
- Twitter Slams Patriots’ Cam Newton for COVID-19 Protocol Misstep