Patriots Ups & Downs: Who stood out in a preseason loss to the Eagles?
FOXBORO — The New England Patriots fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 14-13 in preseason action on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. Here are 10 players that we graded “UP” or “DOWN” based on the game…
UP: QB Drake Maye
Maye looked better than his 65.3 passer rating would suggest. Arguably his best throw of the night was dropped; a deep ball down the middle intended for receiver Javon Baker (more on him below) was in his grasp, but the rookie couldn’t complete the process.
However, Maye did hit Baker with a strike on a dig route for a third-down conversion earlier in the game. He engineered the only touchdown drive of the game, running it in off a read-option. Other than one botched snap on one play, the fundamental operation looked smooth with Maye under center.
That bad snap may be the one sign the Patriots need to keep Maye in the second quarterback slot, for the time being. It’s also important to note that Maye was going up against mostly backups and his night may have gone differently had he faced the Eagles’ formidable defensive starters. But the rookie’s talent is for real, and he looked surprisingly comfortable.
That performance may have been enough to ignite a good-old-fashioned quarterback controversy in the media. Realistically, the competition hasn’t begun just yet, but Maye could be closer to playing in real games than once thought.
DOWN: QB Jacoby Brissett
If Brissett suddenly finds himself in more of a quarterback competition at the next set of practices, he has no one to blame but himself. Brissett finished 3-of-7 for 17 yards and an interception in three drives – a 10.7 passer rating.
The interception was infuriating, mostly for Brissett himself, who slammed his helmet on the bench after throwing it. He locked onto Austin Hooper in the end zone and threw it off the mark for the pick to the Eagles’ Avonte Maddox, when he probably should’ve just thrown it away, as no one was open at the time of the throw.
Brissett has been the clear leader to start throughout the summer just based on the practice reps. But if Maye starts to get reps with the projected starting offense, it’ll be interesting to see how Brissett responds over the final two weeks of the preseason.
UP: WR Ja’Lynn Polk
The rookie did just enough to excite fans desperate for hope in the Patriots; future. He caught a short pass from Maye and made not one but two tacklers miss for some impressive yards after the catch. He finished with just two grabs for six yards, but that one play should be enough to intrigue those hoping the Patriots’ new QB-WR connection can pan out.
DOWN: WR Javon Baker
Baker caught just one of his four targets on the night. He could have had a much bigger game, if not for his drop on the aforementioned long throw from Maye, and another incomplete deep ball in which he stepped out of bounds. Keeping both feet in has been an issue for Baker. He’s a lock to make the team and has certainly flashed, but he has a long way to go in terms of consistency and getting his details down.
UP: TE Mitchell Wilcox
Wilcox caught his only target on the night, on a slick sidearm throw by Maye, so that alone was a step forward for him. Despite his inconsistency in both receiving and blocking, Wilcox continues to rep as the next tight end after Hunter Henry, who sat out Thursday’s game, and Austin Hooper. He looks well on track to making the team, and if he doesn’t he’ll be a lock for the practice squad.
DOWN: OT Vederian Lowe
It’s just not right to keep putting Lowe on these lists, but it’s impossible to ignore his struggles as the Patriots’ projected starting left tackle. He almost got both Brissett and Maye hurt, first getting pushed back directly into Brissett on a third-down play in the first quarter, then in the third quarter giving up inside pressure to let Maye take a scary-looking hit.
This experiment can’t possibly last much longer, especially as rookie Caedan Wallace checked in after Lowe as the next left tackle up. The rookie has to get a real shot to play that spot at some point soon.
UP: DE Keion White
White made one sack and his burst was on full display on every pass-rush snap. With Matthew Judon officially gone via trade, White is going to have to step up if the Patriots want to get an appreciable amount of pressure on quarterbacks. He’s had a great summer and looks primed for a step forward.
DOWN: LB Joshua Uche
Uche played well into the third quarter, which for a veteran player is often a sign that his roster spot could be in jeopardy. That may not be the case for Uche, as the likely reason he played so much is because he got in a fight during Tuesday’s joint practice, after head coach Jerod Mayo warned that veterans who fought would play the whole game. Frankly, the Patriots may need Uche to be a premier pass-rushing specialist without Judon. But this wasn’t his best week.
UP: DE Oshane Ximines
Another productive night for the former Giants defensive end. Three total tackles and a sack for Ximines, who appears to have sewn up a roster spot as a rotational edge defender. In the post-Judon era, they’ll need all the pass-rush production they can get. Ximines looks poised to play some of the best football of his career as a Patriot.
DOWN: CB Marcellas Dial Jr.
The rookie sixth-round pick out of South Carolina played most of the second half and had a rough go of it, allowing multiple catches. The fact that he was second on the team with five tackles as a cornerback is not necessarily a good thing. Dial is not a lock to make the team as a late draft pick, and didn’t do himself many favors Thursday night.
