Five things to watch in the Patriots’ second preseason game

Author Alex Barth

August 19th, 2021 5:00 AM

The Patriots first preseason game went more or less as expected. Aside from a few personnel decisions and one lackluster performance, most of what the team showed against Washington was what they had shown throughout training camp.

That’s not good or bad, it’s just the way things happened to go that week. However, things are unlikely to stay that way throughout the preseason.

Which players have the most pressure to snap out of their slumps to make a late run at the roster? And who needs to prove their strong starts weren’t flukes? Here’s who to keep an eye on during Thursday night’s preseason matchup with the Eagles.

• The quarterbacks

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  In his preseason debut, Mac Jones did what he needed to do - prove he could hold his own against NFL action. That may sound like a relatively simple task, especially for a guy taken in the first round - but it's not as simple as it seems. He picked up the pace of the NFL game and looked to be in control, setting a base level moving forwards.
  
  Now, the question becomes how he builds on that base. Although he looked the part of an NFL QB against Washington, he didn't lead a single touchdown drive. Can he string together some third down conversions and punch the ball into the end zone this week?
  
  As for Cam Newton, the big question is how much will we see of him. He didn't play enough last week to truly warrant an evaluation one way or the other. The new three game preseason means the usage of each player is somewhat unpredictable. Will he see the field more this week? We won't know until we know.

• N’Keal Harry

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  N'Keal Harry has been impressive this summer in non-padded practices, padded team practices, and this week's joint practices. But after a dud against Washington last week, he still needs a breakout preseason game for training camp bingo.
  
  Last week, he played the most snaps of any Patriots skill possession player, yet only received one target on a drag route. Whether it's getting himself open more or simply expanding his chemistry with the quarterbacks, he'll need to see the ball more moving forward.
  
  Harry will have another chance to prove himself on Thursday, working against Eagles cornerbacks he spent Monday and Tuesday dominating. Pending his trade request being fulfilled, his roster spot seems safe at this point. But can he catch any of the top three receivers on the depth chart (Agholor, Meyers, and Bourne) and earn more playing time? That conversation starts based on his performance Thursday night.

• What happens at tight end?

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  Thursday night's game should be an interesting one for the tight end position. With Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, and Matt LaCosse all dealing with injuries, Devin Asiasi is the team's lone healthy true tight end (although he himself is just two weeks removed from returning from COVID-IR).
  
  How will the Patriots handle this extreme lack of depth at a position that is supposed to be the most important in their offense this year? Will Asiasi play the full game? Will we see fullback Jakob Johnson step in, or other players playing out of position? Or will there be an increase in four wide receiver and/or two running back sets?
  
  Having depth this thin during the preseason in relatively unprecedented, and stuck up on the Patriots rather quickly (Smith was injured on Sunday, LaCosse on Monday, then Troy Fumagalli was cut on Tuesday). It will be interesting to see how Bill Belichick responds.
• Henry Anderson

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  Perhaps the biggest surprise of last week was the way the team used Henry Anderson. Anderson was considered an 'ideal fit' for the Patriots even before signing with the team in the spring, and besides missing a few days due to injury seemingly had a strong start to camp.
  
  However, his time on the field in the preseason opener didn't seem to reflect that. Anderson played just 17 snaps against Washington, with most of those coming late in the game - not the typical preseason workload from a player who is expected to make the team.
  
  That being said, it's possible the Patriots were just easing Anderson back in due to his injury. But with Akeem Spence getting a starting nod, and Carl Davis surging, Anderson is becoming an interesting candidate for the 'surprise cut' of training camp. He'll look to put that narrative to bed Wednesday night.

• An emerging third cornerback?

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  Over the last week, there's finally been some movement in what had seemingly been a battle of attrition for the depth spots at boundary cornerback. With Stephon Gilmore's absence ongoing, that spot becomes more and more important.
  
  2019 third-round pick Joejuan Williams followed up an interception in the preseason opener with two solid practices in Philly. He hasn't exactly been lockdown, but he's been completing his assignments, which may be enough for the third cornerback spot. He'll look to keep the momentum going Thursday night.
  
  Justin Bethel is another player to watch. Bethel has been primarily a special teams player since arriving in New England in 2019, and hasn't played significant snaps on defense since he was with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017. However, he's seen more cornerback work in both practices and the lone game so far this summer, and the team may be preparing him to fill that role on an emergency basis. His development on defense is worth keeping an eye on as well.

MORE: Patriots roster projection 2.0

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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2021 Patriots preseason,2021 Patriots Training Camp,Alex Barth,Cam Newton,devin asiasi,Henry Anderson,joejuan williams,Justin Bethel,Mac Jones,n'keal harry,New England Patriots,NFL,patriots,patriots-eagles