From TreVeyon Henderson taking the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to young cornerbacks D.J. James and Jordan Polk both registering interceptions, the New England Patriots\u2019 preseason opener against the Washington Commanders saw several noteworthy performances. But while big plays like these tend to grab the general public\u2019s attention \u2014 and for good reason \u2014 there are countless other moments that make up a football game and factor into it being a success or failure on a team and individual perspective.<\/p>\n
Falling into the \u201csuccess\u201d category on Friday were the aforementioned Henderson and company, but also several players who largely flew under the radar during the 48-18 victory. Maybe their roles are anything but flashy or maybe their stat-lines did not properly reflect their contributions, but they played their part in New England starting the preseason on a positive note.<\/p>\n
In turn, they themselves can feel good about the game against Washington. While there are other players worth pointing out, four in particular caught our eye upon studying the film.<\/p>\n
On paper, the Patriots\u2019 third-round draft pick had a quiet game. Despite playing 25 of 64 offensive snaps for a playing time share of 39 percent \u2014 third among the team\u2019s wideouts \u2014 Williams finished with no receptions on the day. It wasn\u2019t for a lack of targets either: the ball was thrown his way on four occasions.<\/p>\n
Looking only at those numbers, one might be quick to point toward Williams having a stinker of a game. That was definitely not the case: maybe more than any other player on Friday night, he was hurt by the circumstances.<\/p>\n
Playing with backup quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge, Williams was put in a challenging spot by his passers. His first target of the night set the tone in that regard, and already showed that the potential for production was there if given a proper chance.<\/p>\n
Facing a 3rd-and-goal from the 4-yard line, the Patriots called a quick slant with Williams as the intended target. He did his job, showcasing an impressive release package to get open against cornerback Bobby Price. While this left him wide open, the ball arrived behind him and eventually almost resulted in a red zone interception; the rookie reaching back helped break up the pass which was a favorable outcome considering the alternative.<\/p>\n
Whether Dobbs or Williams are to blame for the failed connection is impossible to tell without knowing the details in regards to timing and landmarks, but the young wideout getting open immediately certainly was encouraging to see. So where other moments on Friday, but they did not result in any statistical impact whatsoever.<\/p>\n
The Patriots started their preseason with a three-rookie offensive line. While left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson are naturally the headline names, right tackle Marcus Bryant actually played the most snaps out of the trio: he finished with 43 on the day (67%) while lining up both on the right and the left throughout the game.<\/p>\n
His performance itself showed why he is a realistic candidate to earn the third\/swing tackle role when all is said and done.<\/p>\n
Bryant did not play a perfect game \u2014 there is room for growth particularly in his pass sets \u2014 but he did his job well enough. Outside of one hurry and one penalty for holding, the seventh-round selection was mostly on point in his NFL debut, something that also was not lost on Mike Vrabel.<\/p>\n
\u201dHe\u2019ll have to play both sides for us, and I think he\u2019s just a young player that is taking the coaching,\u201d the Patriots\u2019 head coach said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was one of the players I remember when we first put pads on had a really high pad level. We talked about it, we coached it, we showed him, and I think that has improved. I mean, he\u2019s 6-foot-6, so first day, I guess we\u2019ll cut him some slack, and it\u2019s improved. All we ask of the players is that each day they continue to improve and focus on improving. So, I kind of liked Marcus. He\u2019s kind of a happy-go-lucky kid, and I think there\u2019s a lot of good football in front of him.\u201c<\/p>\n
The top of the Patriots\u2019 outside linebacker depth chart is in the able hands of three-down options Keion White and Harold Landry as well as pass rush specialist K\u2019Lavon Chaisson. Behind the top trio, however, the rest of the roster spots are open for competition. Truman Jones, an in-season pickup in 2024, already threw his hat into that particular ring earlier in training camp \u2014 and quite emphatically, we might add.<\/p>\n
The first game of the season was more of the same for the 25-year-old. Getting the start and playing exactly half of New England\u2019s 72 defensive snaps, he was not flashy but managed to show up in multiple areas.<\/p>\n
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, Jones offers good size for the outside linebacker position and combines it with some burst and physicality off the edge. Playing mostly on the defensive left as a two-point edge, he showed some diverse pass rush moves against Washington and also played with discipline as a run defender.<\/p>\n
He might not be the flashiest of players, and two quarterback hurries and a pair of tackles are not necessarily a stat-line to write home about. Nonetheless, he very much keeps stating his case for a roster spot due to his all-around solid and consistent contributions as a defender, and his four-unit special teams role.<\/p>\n
His first two years in the NFL were a challenge for Marte Mapu, who struggled with injuries and was unable to carve out a consist role on the Patriots\u2019 safety depth chart. The new regime under Mike Vrabel, however, gave him a carte blanche: he was moved up to linebacker in an attempt to better use his skillset and increase his chances of making the roster.<\/p>\n
Whether or not he will do that remains to be determined, but he is off to a solid start.<\/p>\n
Mapu played a team-high 40 defensive snaps versus Washington (56%) plus 11 more on special teams (37%), and finished with four tackles. More important than his tally, however, was the play that led up to it.<\/p>\n
The former third-round draft selection read his keys well in the running game and was not easily misplaced from his gap, showed patience and vision playing downhill and maneuvering through practice, displayed good range as a zone defender and competitiveness in coverage, and looked good as a tackler. While the quality of opposition needs to be considered, Mapu performed well relative to who he was going up against.<\/p>\n
That stands in stark contrast to the statistics: Pro Football Focus had him credited with five receptions for 69 yards surrendered on six targets. However, as the tape above shows, his role as a zone defender factored into that; when passes were caught in his zones, he was generally quick to close in and make the tackle.<\/p>\n
If nothing else, Friday\u2019s game was therefore a promising debut as an official linebacker.<\/p>\n