Here are 5 things to watch in the New England Patriots' final preseason game
The summer flies by when you’re having fun. It seems like yesterday that Patriots' training camp opened. Before you know it, the summer is almost over and the Pats are about to take on the Las Vegas Raiders in their preseason finale.
Friday night’s game in Vegas will mark the final time we’ll see the Patriots until their Week 1 season opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 11.
This summer, we’ll have seen three preseason games, two sets of joint practices and 16 live training camp practices. Despite all that, there are many unknowns when it comes to this team. By now, they’ve whittled their roster down to 80 players — after placing linebacker Ronnie Perkins on injured reserve and offensive lineman Andrew Stueber on the reserve/NFI list.
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The Pats will cut their roster to 53 players on Tuesday, but before that, players will state their cases Friday night before 27 cuts or roster moves are made next week.
Here are five things to watch for in Las Vegas:
Will the New England Patriots offense take a step forward?
Three series, two three-and-outs and one touchdown drive. That’s all we got last week in the Patriots' second preseason game against Carolina with quarterback Mac Jones and his offense. They finished strong, but the sluggish start against Panthers backups left a lot to be desired. This past week, reports out of Las Vegas weren’t great as Jones and his group struggled against the Raiders' starting defense.
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It would be nice to see Jones & Co. finish strong on Friday. We’ve talked all summer about the new offensive system and new play caller. It’s about time to see that group take the field and look efficient.
How will the secondary look against the Las Vegas Raiders?
The Patriots' defense has had a solid training camp. They’ve made life difficult for Jones and the offense. Last week, against Carolina, they stifled the Panthers' offense — but that was the backup quarterback and backup offense. Let’s see how they fare against the likes of quarterback Derek Carr and his Pro Bowl receivers, Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow. It was reported in Las Vegas that the secondary struggled against those wideouts.
It’ll be a solid test for Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant and the rest of the cornerbacks. After all, their first game will pit them against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. A strong showing on Friday could ease fans' concerns.
Will the offensive line come together?
A lot of moving pieces on the offensive line have been on display this summer. That’s one reason why the group has struggled. Right tackle Isaiah Wynn returned to practice this week in Nevada after missing the previous few weeks of training camp. In the Pats' second preseason game, the lineup was Yodny Cajuste (left tackle), Cole Strange (left guard), David Andrews (center), James Ferentz (right guard) and Michael Onwenu (right tackle).
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Only Andrews and Strange are projected to start in those spots. Both tackles — Wynn and Trent Brown — did not play. It would be nice to see the complete offensive line take on the Raiders' pass rush that features defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
Will a backup receiver make a splash?
Rookie Tyquan Thornton was having a great first training camp before he suffered a broken collarbone in last week’s preseason game. He’s expected to miss anywhere from eight to 10 weeks. It’s likely that the Pats will put Thornton on the initial 53-man roster before moving him to injured reserve. That would allow him to return before the season ends.
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When that happens, it’ll be fascinating to see how the Patriots handle their fifth receiver spot behind Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne. The underdog story to watch is Lil’Jordan Humphrey. He currently leads the Patriots with 11 receptions in the preseason to go with 133 yards and a touchdown. Fighting for a spot behind him are Tre Nixon and Kristian Wilkerson, who is still out with a concussion. Another strong showing for Humphrey on Friday could earn him a job.
Will an under-the-radar player earn a roster spot?
The Patriots usually have a surprise or two when it comes to their initial 53-man roster. We’re talking about players whom observers think will not make the team but end up with a coveted roster spot. There are a couple of candidates to watch for on offense, defense and special teams.
The offensive line is a spot at which a backup such as Arlington Hambright or undrafted rookie Kody Russey could find their way onto the roster. Russey has been solid this summer and might end up as the Pats' top backup center.
On defense, cornerback Shaun Wade has had a really strong preseason and leads the Pats in passes defended with two. Sixth-round defensive end Sam Roberts also has stood out.
Undrafted free agent safety Brenden Schooler also looks like a promising core special teamer.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Patriots face the Raiders in last preseason football game
