The New England Patriots used a fourth-quarter surge to outlast the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21, in week two of the NFL preseason. We break down whose stock is rising — and whose is falling — after Saturday night’s contest.
The New England Patriots capped-off a highly-intense week of competition against the Philadelphia Eagles with a thrilling last-minute, come-from-behind victory, 24-21, in preseason game number two on Saturday night.
On this week’s episode of the Patriots Roundtable Podcast, hosts Eddie Marotta and Tyler Geis review their key takeaways from the week that was. From joint practices that were controlled by New England’s starters on both sides of the ball to a preseason bout that was filled with highs and lows, we break down whose stock is rising — and whose is falling — as the Patriots prepare for the preseason finale and inch closer to cutdown day.
Offensively, seventh-round rookie quarterback Behren Morton was the catalyst for New England as they mounted a late comeback. He engineered separate drives of 12 plays, 59 yards and 11 plays, 73 yards that resulting in lead-changing fourth quarter touchdowns and finished the night 13-of-17 with 129 yards and the game-winning touchdown pass. Morton also added contributions on special teams as the Patriots’ punter when Bryce Baringer exited the game early.
In the backfield, Lan Larison asserted himself as the leader for the third running back role, while injury luck on the offensive line in front of him continues to be non-existent. Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant left the game on the first offensive possession of the night after suffering an ankle injury, adding to a growing list of unavailable linemen in Foxboro. Sixth-round rookie Dametrious Crownover performed well in his stead, but another shaky showing from first-rounder Caleb Lomu may be more cause for concern. On the boundary, wide receiver Kyle Williams erupted on a 69-yard touchdown reception, but hauled in just two of his six targets on the night.
The Patriots' struggles up-front also extended to the front-seven on defense. They surrendered 51 yards on nine carries to Will Shipley in the first quarter, prompting an early timeout from Mike Vrabel and a comment on their “dogs*** defense” by the head coach post-game. Promising developments came in the secondary, where cornerback Kindle Vildor and safety John Saunders Jr. continue to make pushes for roster spots.
As New England puts a bow on training camp, two weeks of joint practices, and home preseason games, the days ahead will shape many of their impending roster decisions. With a quick turnaround from the preseason finale on Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns to cutdown day on Sunday, the Patriots will use the upcoming week to determine the standing of the roster’s depth. The returns from early preseason action show where the team’s strengths and weaknesses lie heading into the fall — and highlight those surprise roster hopefuls that are making their cases for inclusion on the 53-man roster.
Who stood out to you in the Patriots’ preseason win over the Eagles? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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