Patriots vs. Raiders 3 to Watch: OFFENSE

As the New England Patriots prepare to take on the Las Vegas Raiders in their 2022 preseason finale, Patriots Country highlights three offensive players on whom Pats fans might want to keep watch.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots are set to partake in their third and final preseason game of 2022.

New England will face the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, Aug. 26 at 8:15 p.m ET at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Prior to their matchup, the Pats and Raiders participated in joint practices, on both Tuesday and Wednesday at the Raiders practice facility.

With final roster cut downs set for Tuesday, Aug. 30, both teams should be expected to expand upon their schemes, installations and positional matchups as they prepare for the upcoming season.

After two productive days of joint practices with the Raiders on Tuesday and Wednesday, most of the starters including quarterback Mac Jones, are expected to see minimal playing time on Friday.

In that vein, here are three players on offense that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Raiders.

Bailey Zappe

While Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer are likely to take at least a handful of snaps, Zappe should one again see the majority of offensive snaps in the preseason finale. The Western Kentucky product has had some notable moments in the Pats previous pair of preseason matchups. In New England’s matchup with the New York Giants, Zappe orchestrated an impressive scoring drive of 84-yards, capped by a three-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Kevin Harris. He once again led the Pats 69 yards on nine plays, ending with a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey. Against the Carolina Panthers, Zappe saw the field for 68 percent of New England’s offensive snaps. He finished the night going 16 of 25 for 173 yards and one costly pick-six. While he continues to demonstrate solid arm strength, Zappe is still in need of some work with fundamentals and field awareness at the pro-level. Unlikely to see significant snaps in the regular season, Zappe will look to make the most of his opportunities on Friday.

Lil’Jordan Humphrey

Though his signing with the Pats in June failed to raise many eyebrows at the time, Humphrey is quickly becoming a valuable piece in the team’s offense. In New England’s preseason opener against the Giants, Humphrey caught six passes for 62 yards and one touchdown, with his longest reception going for 20 yards. The Texas product finished the Pats matchup with the Panthers with five catches for 71 yards on six targets. Humphrey’s size (6-4, 225 pounds) and crisp method of running routes make him a potential hybrid receiver/‘move’ tight end. However, there are benefits to keeping him at the receiver position, as well. His frame makes it difficult for defenders to compete at the catch point, due to his strength and length. Humphrey is also quite adept on special teams, which could earn him a spot on the 53-man roster. As such, he is expected to play a notable part in both phases against the Raiders.

Pierre Strong, Jr.

Following the retirement of running back James White, the Patriots are in search of a reliable presence on third-down, as well as a potential receiver out of the backfield. While the team seems content to split those duties between Rhamondre Stevenson and Ty Montgomery, Strong can make his case as a potential dual-threat on third down. During his time at South Dakota State, Strong compiled 4,527 rushing yards [ranked third on the school’s all-time list] and 40 career rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 100 yards or more in 18 of his 48 appearances with the Jackrabbits. Strong is the type of runner who can move with ease between-the-tackles, while demonstrating great patience in finding his seam. Once he does so, he has an above average burst through the hole and the speed necessary to break away. Despite some struggles as a backfield receiver, he still averaged 6.8 yards per catch in 2021. Though Strong is expected to secure a roster spot for 2022, his usage against the Raiders will be worth the watch in the Pats preseason finale. 

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