FOXBORO — If the Patriots and Colts kept score during Tuesday’s joint practice, counting all the head-to-head reps in every drill and team period, they would have finished somewhere in the neighborhood of a tie.
Drake Maye out-performed Colts quarterback Daniel Jones for most of the 11-on-11 periods, despite the fact the Patriots defense played without its top three cornerbacks. But then Maye threw an interception on his final drive, a 1-minute drill that Jones followed with a touchdown pass at 0:01 remaining on his own drive. The Patriots’ reserves then won both of the ensuing 1-minute drills, when Tommy DeVito struck deep for Mack Hollins and reserve safety John Saunders Jr. picked off Colts backup quarterback Riley Leonard to end practice.
But prior to stopping Leonard cold, the Pats allowed 11 straight completions during one stretch of team drills, a time that came after Leonard opened 8-of-8 with a couple of sacks. Additionally, All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor looked the part rushing behind a powerful Colts offensive line facing a Patriots defensive front practicing without Christian Barmore. And yet the Patriots’ defense balanced out that disappointment with two surprising performances from little-known defensive backs.
Elsewhere, Kyle Williams went deep again, a starting edge rusher finally popped and a small skirmish broke out on the Patriots sideline.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations:
Attendance
Returned: DL Christian Barmore, CB Charles Woods
Absent: CB Christian Gonzalez, S Mike Brown, WR Kyle Dixon, LS Julian Ashby
Limited: LB Christian Elliss, CB Carlton Davis, Woods, Barmore
PUP: OLB Harold Landry
NFI: S Brenden Schooler
Notes: Elliss left practice early and was attended to by members of the training staff, who looked at his lower leg. He did not return. Barmore and Woods participated in the initial periods of practice but did not take the field during team drills. They both missed the last two practices.
Gonzalez and Brown were absent for the first time all summer. It’s unclear whether Gonzalez’s absence was related to his ongoing contract negotiations. Ashby reportedly is dealing with an ankle injury, and has been out for two straight days.
Play of the Day
Tommy DeVito’s deep TD
Well, that was easy.
On his first snap of a 1-minute drill at the end of practice, DeVito looked long and found Hollins on a go route just outside the right numbers. Hollins broke free through a secondary that may have experienced a coverage bust, but the 50-plus-yard throw was right on the money. DeVito hit him in stride for what would have been a walk-off touchdown if the Patriots didn’t go for two against the Colts’ second-team defense on the very next play. DeVito hit that, too, connecting with rookie tight end Eli Raridon.
Player of the Day
S Dell Pettus
Pettus was everywhere.
He broke up a pass during a 1-on-1 drill against Colts receivers, then tallied two run stuffs during team periods and pressured Leonard on a blitz. Pettus has ascended in the backup safety battle the last week or so, and Tuesday’s practice will only help him continue that rise.
New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito, right, throws as fellow quarterback Behren Morton looks on as the Patriots and Colts practice together on Tuesday. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks’ camp-long performance.
Drake Maye: 15-of-23, INT (114-of-171, 6 INTs, 7 sacks)
Tommy DeVito: 11-of-16 (85-of-125, INT, 7 sacks)
Behren Morton: N/A (36-of-56, 3 sacks)
Notes: Maye started full-team drills by connecting twice with Hunter Henry around an incompletion for TreVeyon Henderson. The latter pass, a seam ball, led to back-to-back completions that found A.J. Brown and DeMario Douglas, who beat All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner with a one-handed grab on his reception. Two misfires followed, the first intended for Williams, who tripped, and the second for Kayshon Boutte who couldn’t shake free of Gardner. Then Brown tripped, which nearly led to an interception, before Maye closed out the initial 11-on-11s on a high note.
First, he found Raridon, fired incomplete for Boutte, returned to Brown, hit Romeo Doubs deep down the right sideline and Henderson underneath. After a brief 7-on-7 period, Maye took a would-be sack, ripped a completion to Brown, had a pass batted at the line and lofted a touchdown to Rhamondre Stevenson. Doubs caught the next ball, another touchdown, which preceded an incompletion for Brown and a successful throw to Boutte.
To open his 1-minute drill, Maye stepped up to avoid pressure on his left side and hit Douglas over the middle for the first of two completions. Then, he scrambled, the offense took a false start and gained back a few yards on a quick out to Efton Chism. On second-and-long, the Colts showed all-out blitz and backed out, giving Maye time in the pocket where he launched an ill-advised 30-yard pass down the middle for Douglas in the end zone that Colts safety Cam Bynum instead picked off.
Studs
OLB Elijah Ponder
Ponder knocked the ball out of Daniel Jones’ hands during the Colts’ 1-minute drill. He also drew a holding penalty and batted a pass on consecutive snaps earlier in practice.
CB Marcellas Dial Jr.
The third-year corner broke up a team-high two passes in team drills, including a potential touchdown. Dial also started on multiple special teams units.
TE Eli Raridon
Raridon was the only pass-catcher to see four or more targets and catch them all. DeVito found him for a 2-point conversion on his last pass. Raridon also won his only rep in a 1-on-1 receiving drill.
Duds
CB Marcus Jones
Jones allowed three catches in team drills, tied for the most among defensive backs with Craig Woodson. The difference: the last catch Jones allowed was a touchdown in and end-of-game situation.
OT Marcus Bryant
Bryant lost both of his reps in a 1-on-1 pass rush drill and ended up on the ground both times.
DL Joshua Farmer
Farmer was in the middle of the Patriots defense on at least two runs where the Colts gained significant yards.
Offensive notes
New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs, left, battles Indianapolis Colts defender Cam Taylor-Britt for the pass as the Patriots and Colts practice together on Tuesday. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
Top targets in team drills: WR A.J. Brown 5/8, WR Kayshon Boutte 3/7, TE Hunter Henry 4/5, WR DeMario Douglas 3/5
Drops: N/A
Top offensive line: LT Will Campbell, LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, C Jared Wilson, RG Mike Onwenu, RT Morgan Moses
1-on-1 pass rush winners: RG Mike Onwenu 2-0, RT Morgan Moses 2-0, C Jacob Rizy 2-0
1-on-1 pass rush losers: OT Caleb Lomu 0-2, C Jared Wilson 0-2, OT Marcus Bryant 0-2
Running backs
Rhamondre Stevenson: still very much the leader here. He took the first two hand-offs from Maye and led all backs with two catches in team drills.
Stevenson’s touchdown catch in the back corner of a red-zone period was a highlight, while TreVeyon Henderson reeled in just one of three targets.
Terrell Jennings remains ahead of the other reserves, who saw little action Tuesday and appear primed for heavy workloads in Thursday’s preseason opener. He also started on kick return.
Wide receivers
A.J. Brown beat Colts corner Sauce Gardner on the opening rep of 1-on-1s, beating him on a curl route. Brown was Maye’s most common target later in team periods, though he didn’t feed Brown on his first few dropbacks like he has in recent practices.
DeMario Douglas, who won both his 1-on-1 reps, has developed deeper trust with Maye this summer, as evidenced by seeing four of the quarterback’s four passes in the unsuccessful 1-minute drill.
Speaking of building trust, Romeo Doubs’ chemistry with Maye — particularly on deeper targets — is growing steadily. Doubs high-pointed a second touchdown in as many days during red-zone work, and made a nice over-the-shoulder grab on a long Maye pass down the sideline.
Like Doubs, Kyle Williams has flashed in each of the last two practices with another deep catch Tuesday from Tommy DeVito in 11-on-11s. Unlike Doubs, and, more importantly, Efton Chism, Williams hasn’t produced with the same consistency.
Chism caught all three targets, including one on Maye’s final series. He’s taken more snaps with Maye, as he battles for the last roster spots in the receivers room, which may house seven players after cutdown day.
Down practice for Kayshon Boutte, who didn’t lack for opportunity in team drills.
Colts’ Sauce Gardner posts, deletes response after viral A.J. Brown matchup
Tight ends
For a third straight practice, Hunter Henry took fewer first-team reps in favor of third-round rookie Eli Raridon. What gives?
Raridon’s simply become a more consistent and trusted target for both quarterbacks.
More specifically, Raridon is winning more decisively at the top of his routes and creating enough separation to pull away, which helps immensely as a long strider who can win short but primarily threatens defenses at the intermediate level.
How Raridon handles more physical coverage bears watching moving forward. His lone target and catch from Maye against the Colts was on an in-cut over the middle where he got a free release as an in-line player.
As for Henry, he turned in one of the more productive days by any offensive player between team periods and 1-on-1 drills.
Offensive line
First-round rookie Caleb Lomu worked as the backup left tackle for a third straight practice. He lost both reps during 1-on-1 pass rush, including one on a spin move.
Lomu’s summer thus far should only firm up Will Campbell and Morgan Moses’ places at the Patriots’ starting left and right tackles, respectively. Both handled their business in 1-on-1 pass rush, and Maye was subject to just one would-be sack in team drills.
With Lomu protecting his blind side, DeVito was also well-protected. Lomu and Marcus Bryant, who started again at right tackle, are battling for the swing tackle job.
Inside, center Jared Wilson went 0-2 during individual pass rush work, and Alijah Vera-Tucker fought off one-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner in their matchups. Strong day for right guard Mike Onwenu, too.
No changes to the backup O-lines, where backup left guard Andrew Rupcich could be tracking toward a roster spot given the lack of depth behind top backup center/guard Ben Brown.
Defensive notes
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel chats with Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen as the Patriots and Colts practice together on Tuesday. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
Interceptions: S John Saunders Jr.
Pass breakups: CB Marcellas Dial Jr. 2, Marcus Jones, DL Leonard Taylor III, OLB Bradyn Swinson
Would-be sacks: OLB Gabe Jacas, OLB Elijah Ponder, S Kevin Byard, OLB Jesse Luketa
1-on-1 pass rush winners: DL Milton Williams 2-0
1-on-1 pass rush losers: DT Eric Gregory 0-2, DT Isaiah Iton 0-2
Defensive linemen
A rocky day overall for this group. Milton Williams dominated 1-on-1 pass rush, Cory Durden earned one pressure and Leonard Taylor III batted a pass, but run defense was a consistent struggle.
Granted, the Colts boast one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league and Christian Barmore was absent, but running back Jonathan Taylor zipped through open rushing lanes far too often.
Williams and Durden started team periods, while former fourth-round pick Joshua Farmer and Eric Gregory opened on the second team.
Farmer was twice cleared out of the gap where the Colts hit interior long runs. He was next to Leonard Taylor on one such play. Taylor, who is more of a pass-first player, had a batted pass and one hurry.
Linebackers
Welcome back, Elijah Ponder! After a disappointingly quiet stretch that lasted more than a week, Ponder popped multiple times in 11-on-11s with a would-be strip sack of Daniel Jones on the Colts’ final drive, plus a drawn holding penalty and batted pass earlier in practice.
Veteran Dre’Mont Jones, who’s typically a stout run defender, wasn’t immune to the edge-setting problems that plagued the outside linebackers throughout practice. Backups Bradyn Swinson and Jesse Luketa also got washed out at times, but flashed on other snaps with a batted pass and would-be sack, respectively.
Second-round rookie Gabe Jacas tallied a would-be sack on his first snap of team drills, but was invisible most of the day.
Christian Elliss’ early exit put backup inside linebacker Chad Muma with the starting defense for most of practice, though they again shared the field in early snaps of 4-3 base defense (four defensive backs).
Muma initially started on the second-team defense with undrafted rookie Khalil Jacobs, one of the biggest risers of training camp. Jacobs was active in ways both good and bad, while veteran Robert Spillane recorded a rare run stuff made by a front-seven player.
Defensive backs
No Christian Gonzalez, no Carlton Davis, no Charles Woods … lots of problems. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones went 15-of-22 overall, including 7-on-7s.
Outside cornerbacks Kindle Vildor and Kobee Minor were first off the bench. Vildor allowed two catches, and Minor got flagged for a deep defensive pass interference penalty. Neither forced an incompletion in team drills.
Behind them, fifth-round rookie Karon Prunty got beat twice for receptions, including a touchdown and a long wheel route run by star tight end Tyler Warren. Prunty and undrafted rookie Channing Canada rotated into the top defense late in 11-on-11 periods.
Don’t forget about Marcellas Dial. One of the two remaining players from the Patriots’ 2024 draft class, he should still be considered a core special teamer first, but Dial broke up two passes working on the third-team defense. Dial also took second-team reps at nickelback, a crucial position on this defense.
As for the starting nickel, Marcus Jones had the first pass breakup of the day working against slot stud Josh Downs, then allowed three catches in team drills, including Downs’ touchdown.
At safety, Kevin Byard roamed all over the secondary, gave up one reception and tallied a would-be sack on a blitz. Craig Woodson got beat three times, including twice in the end zone during red-zone work.
Special teams
Kicker Andy Borregales went 5-of-7 on field goal attempts. His two misses were 50-yard attempts.
Kick returners: Kyle Williams, Efton Chism, Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison
Punt returners: Marcus Jones, DeMario Douglas, Romeo Doubs, Kobe Prentice, Chism
Starting kick return team: Marcellas Dial, Reggie Gilliam, Peter Manuma, K.J. Britt, Mack Hollins, Khalil Jacobs, Dell Pettus, Namdi Obiazor, Eli Raridon
Extra points
Former Patriots Devin McCourty and Stephen Gostkowski attended practice.
The Patriots will hold a walkthrough Wednesday that is closed to the public and media.
The next training camp practice open to the public will be Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 10:15 a.m. The Patriots are scheduled to host the Eagles that day for the first of two joint sessions.