Patriots Jones, Boutte, Bourne Impressive vs. Packers: Preseason Notebook

The New England Patriots rode a roller coaster of emotions in their preseason matchup with the Green Bay Packers. With the health of rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden showing promise, what will the Pats take away from their 21-17 win at Lambeau Field?

Ordinarily, the New England Patriots earning their first preseason victory would be the lead storyline taken from their contest against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday evening at Lambeau Field. 

However, the 21-17 final score appropriately paled in comparison to the collective concern for the well-being of Pats rookie Isaiah Bolden. New England’s promising cornerback was carted off the field following a scary collision with teammate Calvin Munson on a tackle attempt with 10:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

The NFL, in conjunction with both Pats coach Bill Belichick and Packers coach Matt LaFleur, chose to end the game following Bolden’s injury — each side united in their best wishes for the Patriots seventh-round selection in April’s draft.  

With Bolden’s condition thankfully trending in the right direction, New England will once again evaluate their performance as they prepare for their final preseason tilt against the Tennessee Titans on Friday. Accordingly, there are several positives, as well as areas in need of improvement, to be taken from preseason game 2. 

In that vein, here are a few items from Saturday night’s matchup on which New England’s coaches and players may be especially focused. 

Solid Showings from Jones, Zappe

Albeit in limited action, Mac Jones looked sharp in his preseason debut. The 24-year-old completed 6 of 9 passes for 52 yards, demonstrating solid mechanics and confidence both in and out of the pocket . In fact, a strong argument can be made that two of his incompletions could have just as easily been connections — especially a deep pass intended for receiver DeVante Parker, which was merely a millimeter beyond his reach. On the whole, Jones exhibited an ability to complete his reads and extend routes for his receivers; two traits which eluded him last season.

Not to be outdone, Bailey Zappe also performed well during his three-plus quarters in relief of Jones. The Western Kentucky product completed 10 of his 22 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown pass and a rushing score. Facing second-and-10 from the Green Bay 42-yard line, Zappe delivered a strike to rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte on a slant, who advanced to the end zone for a 42-yard score. With time expiring in the third-quarter, he showed poise in leading his team 88-yards on 17 plays, culminating in a six-yard touchdown run to give the Patriots a 21-17 lead. Though his performance was likely not enough to rekindle any talk of competition between he and Jones for the starting job, Zappe re-staked his claim as the Pats primary backup at the position. 

Offensive Line Woes Continue

While the Pats quarterbacks displayed solid fundamentals in navigating the offense, each continued to find themselves under pressure more often than not. Jones especially fell victim to collapsed pockets, forcing him from his comfort zone at times. Unsurprisingly, inconsistencies along the offensive line continue to be the culprit. The Pats starting unit consisted of Trent Brown at left tackle, Atonio Mafi at left guard, David Andrews at center, Riley Reiff at right guard and Sidy Sow at right tackle. To a great degree, Mafi had difficulty holding his positioning, while second-year reserve tackle Andrew Stueber was easily bypassed by Packers linebacker JJ Enagbare for a strip sack on Jones. With their practice struggles beginning to seep into game settings, New England must work diligently to correct these issues with the start of the regular season fast approaching. 

Pats Defense Showed a Blemish

Though New England’s defense has largely been praised for its work throughout training camp and the preseason, the Packers were able to exploit what could potentially be an area of concern in the coming weeks. The Pats defense had some difficulty adjusting to Green Bay’s running concepts, both outside zone and split-zone. During the Packers second touchdown drive, rookie tight end Luke Musgrave was able to find success against both Josh Uche and Lawrence Guy. Running back Emanuel Wilson took advantage of the extra attention afforded to Musgrave by collectively rushing for 63 yards on 15 carries — including a 14-yard rip through a large gap in the Patriots defensive line. While New England is expected to more frequently utilize their depth at safety in such situations in the regular season, their troubles against the Packers are almost certain to have caught the eye of Belichick and the coaching staff.   

Boutte Made His Case

One of the key tenets of Bill O’Brien’s offensive strategy is fielding the quarterback’s throw in a manner which facilitates gaining yards after the catch. Boutte exemplified such skill against the Packers. Trailing 14-7 late in the second quarter, Zappe found the Pats sixth-round rookie on a second-and-10 slant, which he took 42-yards for the score — thanks largely in part to his quick burst at the catch point. The LSU product was one of the team’s standouts during both joint practice sessions, making catches both in the open field, as well as the red zone, often showcasing an inherent speed to be elusive when changing direction. With his standout performance on Saturday, Boutte has likely taken a major step toward earning a spot on New England’s 53-man roster. 

Versatility is the ‘Bourne Identity’

Destiny having yet to command a major share of the spotlight at receiver, Bourne reminded the masses that he may be the Pats most versatile offensive weapon in their arsenal. In addition to catching three passes for 34 yards — his longest coming on a 17-yard strike from Jones on a third-and-8 to begin the second quarter — the Pats veteran also showcased his blocking ability by disrupting a charging Packers defender, thus freeing running back Rhamondre Stevenson for his 23-yard touchdown run. If Bourne continues to demonstrate his multi-faceted skill set, he may provide the Pats offense with an added, and perhaps unexpected, dimension. 

Up Next: 

In light of Bolden’s injury scare, the Patriots and Tennessee Titans have agree to cancel this week's scheduled joint practices originally scheduled for Tuesday-Wednesday in Nashville. 

The Pats will remain in Foxboro this week before flying to Tennessee for Friday night's final preseason game against the Titans at 8:15 p.m. from Nissan Stadium. 

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