FOXBORO — Two days before any regular-season game, Patriots practices usually follow the same script.
No pads. A walkthrough pace. Emphases on situational football, trick plays and tweaking any parts of the game plan that weren’t quite executed to the coaches’ liking in prior practices.
But on Tuesday afternoon, almost 48 hours away from the Patriots’ preseason opener, Bill Belichick took the opposite approach — at least with his starters.
Mac Jones and Co. took most of the competitive reps during 11-on-11 periods, as strong a sign as any they will sit for most of, if not all, Thursday’s exhibition versus Houston. Jones went 11-of-14 in team drills, including a successful red-zone period where tight end Mike Gesicki made the undisputed catch of the summer.
Earlier, Bailey Zappe, Trace McSorley and undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham took the bulk of quarterback snaps during walkthrough periods. The Pats also rehearsed plays they expect to see from the Texans, another staple of regular-season game prep. On the defensive side, starters and backups mixed and matched throughout 11-on-11s, just as can they can be expected to do Thursday night.
Elsewhere, hulking left tackle Trent Brown finally rejoined team periods, a veteran returned after missing three straight practices, the pass rush dominated again and the secondary had a quiet day.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.
Returned: ST Matthew Slater
Absent: CB Jonathan Jones, OL Cole Strange, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Bill Murray, DL Trey Flowers
Limited: OT Trent Brown
Non-contact jersey: LB/S Marte Mapu
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Injury: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Brown took his first reps in a padded practice all summer, working at left tackle with Mac Jones during 11-on-11 periods. Slater reappeared after a string of three straight missed practices dating back to last Friday’s in-stadium session. He was a full participant.
Jones has missed four straight practices for reasons unknown. Flowers did not practice on the first day of his second stint with the team. Backup tight end Johnny Lumpkin ditched his red, non-contact jersey.
A high throw. Double coverage. Less than a foot of space to stay inbounds.
The level of difficulty Mike Gesicki overcame to secure a touchdown at the end of Mac Jones’ red-zone period was the highest any receiver has faced in camp. Running along the back line of the end zone from left to right, Gesicki watched Jones’ pass sail over the heads of defensive backs Jabrill Peppers and Myles Bryant, shot his right arm out and plucked it with one hand. Then, with his back to the pylon and inches to spare, he improbably tucked both feet inbounds.
This was why the Patriots signed him.
Like Deatrich Wise the day before, Jennings tallied a team-high two sacks in team periods. He also scored an impressive win to open 1-on-1 pass rush. Jennings has proven to be little more than a steady, unspectacular edge-setter in New England, but like many of their 2020 draft picks, he might just be on a delayed track to playing the best football of his career.
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks’ camp-long performance.
Uche smoked his opposition during 1-on-1 pass drills and later tallied a sack in team periods. It remains to be seen whether he can hold up on early downs — something he did a lot of when Matt Judon was sidelined earlier in camp — but Uche’s pass-rushing talent is still undeniable.
An honor more for his progress than any stellar production, Thornton went undefeated in 1-on-1 drills against cornerbacks (including a win over Christian Gonzalez) and caught three passes during team periods. He skied over the middle for one of those throws, high-pointing a ball in a way he hadn’t demonstrated yet despite his 6-foot-2 frame.
The Patriots’ starting right tackle — for now — got beat badly by rookie Keion White and Josh Uche during 1-on-1 pass rush. He was also on the field for multiple would-be sacks during team periods. The sooner the Pats’ projected starters can return to health, the better.
The long-shot corner went winless in 1-on-1s against the receivers and was beat for two catches on team period.
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