Patriots vs. Raiders Notebook: Turn The Page, On To Miami

An uneven performance in their preseason finale leads to a 23-6 New England Patriots loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in their 2022 preseason finale.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots 2022 preseason slate is now in the books.

After partaking in two joint practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders closed their preseason on Friday evening at Allegiant Stadium. 

Quarterback Mac Jones completed 9 of 13 passes for 71 yards and one interception. Rookie cornerback Marcus Jones led all defenders with seven tackles. However, an uneven performance on the offensive side of the ball allowed the Raiders to amass a 17-point lead, en route to a 23-6 victory over New England in the preseason finale. 

Roll Call

Running back Damien Harris, cornerback Shaun Wade, tight end Devin Asiasi, offensive lineman Bill Murray, wide receivers Tyquan Thornton and Kristian Wilkerson and linebacker Harvey Langi were not in uniform for the Patriots.

Thornton fractured his clavicle in last Friday’s 20-10 preseason victory the Carolina Panthers. Wilkerson is still recovering from a head injury suffered during joint practices with the Panthers. 

Drive of the Game

New England earned their only points of the first half on the leg of kicker Nick Folk. The veteran connected on a 35-yard field goal, capping an 11-play, 46-yard drive to open the second quarter. Jones and the offense seemingly found a rhythm, earning first-down completions to receivers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and tight end Hunter Henry. While in the red zone, Jones had previously found receiver DeVante Parker for a would-be seven-yard scoring strike. However, Parker was called for offensive pass interference on the play, nullifying the touchdown. 

Mac in Time

The night’s most notable storyline belonged to Jones’ apparent struggles with timing and comfort within the pocket. 

The Alabama product was sacked twice, while absorbing an additional hit in his four drives. While these statistics may not inherently be alarming, Jones made uncharacteristic and costly mistakes. His most glaring miscue came midway through the first quarter when he attempted to find receiver Kendrick Bourne over the short middle. His pass was intercepted by linebacker Luke Masterson as the Las Vegas 38-yard line. Despite Jones’ best effort to create time in the pocket, he seemingly did not see Masterson in his throwing window. Masterson returned the pick 30 yards to the Pats’ 32-yard line.

Ultimately, Jones will finish the 2022 preseason completing 62 percent (13 of 21) of his passes for 132 yards and one interception. While the Pats starter demonstrated notable improvement in his conditioning, arm strength and leadership, he has periodically looked out-of-sync while navigating the Patriots offense. 

Whether it be due to the change in offensive scheme, poor protection from his offensive line, or questionable decision-making, Jones and the Patriots have plenty of work to do heading into their regular season opener against the Miami Dolphins. 

Jack Jones Has a Bright Future

While Friday night’s contest was largely devoid of standout performances, Jones continues to lay the foundation for a bright future in Foxboro. 

Jones finished the night with one tackle, one pass break-up and a forced fumble. The rookie cornerback continues to blend excellent route recognition with tremendous athleticism. Despite some inevitable rookie growing pains, Jones looks to be a solid prospect as a man-cover corner due to his stellar foot speed and ability to change direction to stick with his targets. His sound field awareness and instincts to close in on the football should make him effective in zone coverage, as well. 

Though he may see limited action in the early portions of the 2022 season, Jones will be a factor in the Pats secondary sooner than later. 

Injury Watch

In the first quarter, hybrid runner/receiver Ty Montgomery suffered a lower leg injury. Montgomery was helped to the sideline by New England’s training personnel, where he slammed his helmet in frustration. After a brief evaluation, he was taken via cart to the locker room. Montgomery was eventually rules out with an ankle injury. Further information on his status is expected to be learned within the coming days. 

Up Next

The Patriots will set their 53-man roster, in accordance with NFL mandate, by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

New England opens the regular season at 1 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium as it takes on the Dolphins. 

 

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