The 2018 regular season is fast approaching, but there are still important things to watch during the New England Patriots Week 2 preseason matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Thursday night the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles face off once again in a Super Bowl LII rematch. The circumstances this time around are just a little different.
Instead of being on the biggest stage this time around, it is just a preseason game in Foxborough. However, that does not mean this game is not important.
There are some key things to watch for on Tuesday that are important for the team going forward.
1. How will the wide receivers perform
All eyes as of late have been on the New England Patriots wide receiver corps. With the departure of Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Hogan and Julian Edelman are the only guys on the roster with lots of experience, and the ladder is suspended for 4 games.
Long story short, guys have to step up.
Phillip Dorsett seems to be having a good camp and flashed promise last year. However, a quick slip up in Tuesday’s practice might mean he sits this one out.
Opposite of Dorsett, Eric Decker has not been a recipient of raved reviews. The recently acquired vet has had lots of negative reports come out about work ethic and dropped passes. If he wants to prove the naysayers wrong, he would need to have a strong preseason outing.
Devin Lucien played very well last week leading the team in receiving yards. It will be interesting to see how he and 2018 7th round pick Braxton Berrios preform.
2. Backup quarterback spotlight
Tom Brady is 41 years old. That is a fact that will come up all season when watching New England Patriots games and deservingly so.
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The age of beloved TB12 is a major concern, as no amount of Avocado Ice Cream can protect him from some of the league’s premier pass rushers.
So for precautionary reasons, establishing a backup quarterback is necessary.
It is extremely doubtful Danny Etling nor Brian Hoyer are the heir to Bradys thrown, however, their performance can determine whether or not they are on the team.
Brian Hoyer played very solid Week 1 as he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes.
All eyes this week though are on Danny Etling. The 2018 seventh-round pick did not get a chance last week, as he only threw 5 passes with two completions for 21 yards. The LSU product still found the experience a rewarding one.
"“It was cool,” Etling said earlier this week. “It was good to get that experience and get in there to get the first one over with. Now I can focus on how to get better from that and what do I have to do to take the next step this week in practice.”"
Etling should get more involvement this week, so we can correctly gage where he is at as a rookie.
3. The running back carousel
As usual, the New England Patriots backfield is open for business, and there are lots of people wanting to work.
James White and Sony Michel are virtual locks to make the roster, but that leaves a spot or two to be filled.
Last week the hype revolved around Ralph Webb. Yes, he did well scoring two touchdowns, but his 3.3 yards per carry was fairly bad.
If Webb wants to make the roster, he needs to do more than punch the ball in from the goal line.
Mike Gilislee was not as fortunate. On his 14 carries, GIllislee only managed to muster 43 yards and did not record a single score.
It is imperative he performs well against the Eagles to keep his roster hopes alive.
"“You don’t think about that. You just look at it as an opportunity. I’m still on the football team today,” Gillislee said Tuesday after practice. “My job is to come out here and get better and make the team better. That’s what I stay focused on.”"
On the flip side of things, Jeremy Hill looked great last week and another solid showing should mean he makes the cut.
Watch for who the Patriots give the ball to in the red zone, and who carries the ball on 3rd down.