Patriots First Offensive Drive of Preseason: There's Hope?

The New England Patriots offense showed signs of life in its first drive of preseason.

FOXBORO -- The New England Patriots' offense started with Brian Hoyer at quarterback and the second-string line and receivers as well. Though, notably, rookie Cole Strange (who is predicted to be a starter) did start at left guard.

A quick slant to Kristian Wilkerson and power run from running back J.J. Taylor immediately set the tone of an offense looking to put together a methodical drive down the field.

Given that penalties were a significant issue for the offensive line in 2021, they remain a point of emphasis for the team entering the season. Right tackle Justin Herron jumped for a false start call, resulting in the offense backing up five yards. 

A screen pass to Taylor and run with Taylor later, the team had a favorable third-and-two. However, receiver Tre Nixon dropped an easy first-down on an out route, resulting in a Jake Bailey punt and the end of the drive.

As a whole, this is the first true scrimmage for the 2022 Patriots. After a surprisingly light training camp with multiple days of padded practice but very little actual contact, initial growing pains are to be expected. Especially considering the offense's well-publicized struggles.

On the other side of the field is a Giants squad led by new head coach Brian Daboll. A former Patriots' assistant and most recently the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator, he was the engineer of one of the most explosive passing attacks in recent football memory last season. In his tenure with the Bills, New England gave up an average of 21.9 points per game over nine games. However, in the last five matchups, that number ballooned to 30.4.

Despite New York quarterback Daniel Jones struggling to live up to his No. 6 overall draft hype, Daboll's presence as an offensive mastermind presents a solid challenge for the Patriots defense.