Offensive line, running game in spotlight for Patriots vs Panthers

The last time we saw the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers on the same field, old rivals Steve Smith and Aqib Talib turned their bitter feud into a street fight and Panthers' linebacker Luke Kuechly mugged Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone as time expired, sending quarterback Tom Brady into a frothing rage.

Ridley (22) and Develin expect to see many snaps on Friday night

That Monday night game became an instant classic that carried on the rich tradition between the inter-conference rivals, a rivalry that continues on Friday night as the Panthers travel to Foxborough to take on New England in the third preseason game for both clubs.

But while Smith and Talib took their punk acts elsewhere, the Patriots' offense and Panthers' defense have remained essentially the same, save the Carolina secondary that lost three of it's four starters and replaced them with aging journeymen, which could negatively impact one of the NFL's best defenses from last season...

...which is neither here nor there as far an an exhibition game is concerned, but the schedule makers didn't do the Patriots any favors as the Panthers played just five nights ago with their starters playing well into the contest, those two facts possibly impacting the playing time for the Carolina defenders.

It isn't a stretch to say that turnovers changed the entire complexion of last season's game, what with a Stevan Ridley fumble deep in Carolina territory destroying a long drive that would have answered a Panthers' touchdown in the first quarter, then a Brady pass that would have been a game winner picked off in the end zone to end the game instead.

In between, the Patriots' offense routed the second-ranked Carolina defense to the tune of 390 total yards, the second most yards given up by the Panthers all season.  But while that ultimately wasn't enough, it should give us an idea of what to expect on Friday night.

Boyce is looking for some consistency to assure himself a roster spot

Before Kuechly's blatant pass interference / hold that prevented Gronkowski from getting to Brady's throw into the end zone that would have won the game - leading to an epic Brady meltdown when the officials decided to pick up their flags because they claimed the pass was uncatchable - the Patriots had scored on four consecutive drives.

Granted, two of those scores were drives that fell short of the end zone due to mistakes by the Patriots and not really anything that the Panthers were doing on defense - a Logan Mankins personal foul ruining one drive and suspect play calling stalling another, both drives leaving points on the field as New England forced themselves to settle for field goals.

Point being, even against one of the league's top defenses, the Patriots offense pretty much had their way, and only their miscues prevented them from blowing out the eventual NFC South Champions on their home turf - and since then the Panthers' secondary has taken hits in free agency this offseason, while New England's offense has been strengthened simply due to better health - facts that should manifest themselves on Friday night.

Of course, last season Brady had to endure breaking in almost all new receivers - and as painful as that was, the diligence shown by he and coach Bill Belichick should pay off in spades this season, as the three rookies Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins each have a year and two camps under their belts...

...free agent signee Danny Amendola has had a full offseason to get used to not having an adductor muscle and Belichick signed Brandon Lafell away from the Panthers to join the dynamic talents of receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski to form the most scheme-specific talented pass catching corps in the league.

But the success of the Patriots' offensive attack both this season and last was - and is - dependent on the power running game that lends a balance to a scheme that is one of the most difficult to defend in the NFL - particularly since running backs Shane Vereen and rookie James White are excellent options for Brady out of the backfield in addition to what they bring with Ridley up the gut.

That said, the key to it all is the play of an offensive line that was atrocious in the first preseason game against the Washington Redskins as Belichick tried out several different lineups, but seemed to gain some continuity against the Philadelphia Eagles last week and Belichick will be looking to solidify the starting five as the first unit for the Patriots should play into the third quarter in this dress rehearsal for the regular season opener.

It appears that veteran Dan Connolly is the favorite to rekindle his role as New England's starting center from two years ago while the battle for Connolly's right guard spot still seems up in the air between second year men Josh Kline and Jordan Devey, but the rest of the line is set with Mankins at left guard, Nate Solder at left tackle and Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle...

Who spells Brady in the third quarter?

...though Vollmer is suffering through a foot ailment of some sort and probably won't play on Friday night, perhaps being replaced in the lineup by swing tackle Marcus Cannon, though the possibility exists that rookie drive blocker Cameron Fleming could man the right and leaving Cannon free to go left should Belichick choose to employ Solder as a tackle-eligible tight end to get extra push in the running game.

Which isn't such a bad idea, considering that the Panthers front seven is about as stout as it gets.

Panthers' coach Ron Rivera invested heavily in his interior defensive line last season, drafting Utah's Star Lotulelei and Purdue's Kawann Short, two 320 pound rocks in the middle of Carolina's 4-3 alignment, with ends Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson form perhaps the best set of pass rushing bookends in the game - and even more so when one considers that the depth at end include rookie terror Kony Ealy and former CFL All Star Alex Hall.

Even more difficult to comprehend is that as good as the line is, the linebackers may be even better.  Gronkowski mugging aside, Kuechly is one of the top middle linebackers in the league while Chase Blackburn and Thomas Davis are exceptional outside linebackers and are backed up by second year man A.J. Klein as the nickle linebacker, though none of these men are liabilities in the passing game and don't need to come off the field...

...which in keeping the state of the Panthers' secondary in mind may be their saving grace.

Gone is corner Captain Munnerlyn and both starting safeties in Michael Mitchell and Quintin Mikell, replaced by grey beards Roman Harper at free safety and Thomas DeCoud at strong while veteran backup Antoine Cason gets elevated to starter at corner across from the lone returner from last season, Melvin White.

White actually serves as an example for Patriots' cornerback Malcolm Butler as he made the team as an undrafted free agent last year and earned the starting gig opposite Munnerlyn six games in.  Rotating in at corner will be Josh Norman and Charles Godfrey while rookie Tre Boston and second year man Robert Lester provide depth at safety.

But as tempting as it will be for Belichick to just let Brady air it out and abuse the Panthers' secondary, it is the running game that needs the most attention, and there is not a better front seven to try and get it on track against than Carolina's.

Thus far in the preseason, none of the backs that are likely to make the regular season roster have shown up with anything significant in either game, although Ridley started to get untracked against the Eagles before putting the ball on the ground and being removed, while rookie Roy Finch and second year load Jonas Gray have flashed enough potential to warrant another look.

That look may not come on Friday night as the Patriots need to assess the play of Vereen and White, neither of whom have had any impact in games, but have flashed skill in practices - though Gray has earned some time in the four minute offense and could be seen in short yardage and end of the half roles.

H-back James Develin will get plenty of snaps, both in the four minute offense and also as a flanker and as an inline tight end, his role expanding to the point that Brady called him the "best fullback in the NFL" - high praise for a former Ivy League defensive end.

As one may guess, Develin will be joining newbie Steve Maneri in handling the tight end duties for the evening - perhaps joined by Solder as previously mentioned - while both Rob Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui slowly make their way back from injury, which by nature will leave the bulk of the receiving duties to the wide receivers and the passing backs.

Aaron Dobson may not play, but that only leaves room for the other receivers to display their wares.  Josh Boyce is hoping to find a little consistency in his game to match what Kenbrell Thompkins, Brandon Lafell, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman and rookie Brian Tyms have shown - with Tyms hoping to match up against top level competition as part of some first team personnel packages...

...with White and Vereen trying to find room in the flat to show what their shiftiness in space out of the backfield.

Throwing to them will be Brady, of course, and probably into the third quarter as the third preseason game affords the team their first opportunity to make halftime adjustments for the team to bond further in a game situation - but the real story at quarterback will be which one backup relieves the old gunslinger.

Jimmy Garoppolo was first in against the Eagles and got some good snaps against better competition than he did against the Redskins, building upon that game and gaining some downhill momentum in his quest to overtake Ryan Mallett as Brady's number two. 

Mallett did an admirable job against the Eagles as well so whoever it is coming in for Brady in the third quarter can probably be assumed to be in line for some primary clipboard holding in the regular season.

New England Patriots Projected 53 Man Roster - Fly Like An Eagle Edition

Did big back candidate Jonas Gray (35) give Belichick something to think about last Friday night?

What the heck happened?

In perhaps the New England Patriots last realistic chance to see fringe players in game action before the cutdown from 90 players to 75, very little was decided in Friday night's 42-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Normally, there is a clean and obvious divide between the have's and the have not's, but in the 2014 version of the Patriots' annual right of passage, most of the starting spots were guaranteed from the start, with the coaching staff merely needing to ascertain which players were good enough to line the team's depth chart, and which were not.

Turns out, defacto General Manager Bill Belichick stocked his camp roster with so many quality players that slicing 15 players just a few days after next Friday's third preseason game against the Carolina Panthers is going to be far more difficult than in seasons past - not to mention cutting 22 more a week later in advance of the first regular season game at Miami.

But all things considered, that is an excellent problem to have.

The reality is that Belichick is going to have to release some pretty good players back into the wild with hopes that a select few happen pass through waivers unscathed and unclaimed to stock his practice squad - and those players, plus guys that will end up on the shelf on either the IR or PUP lists must be carried on that 75 man roster, making Belichick's margin for error even smaller.

In all, the Patriots have to trim but 14 players as the currently are carrying 89 on their preseason roster by 4:00pm on August 26th, then an additional 22 by 4:00pm on August 30th, and here is what we think that final 53 man roster - actually 55 man roster with the exclusions for Brandon Browner's and Brian Tyms' suspensions - is going to look like:


Quarterbacks (2)

12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)

No changes from original projection

Garoppolo had another solid outing, but this time Patriots' fans were looking to see if last week's performance against the Washington Redskins was an anomaly, or if the kid was for real - and even the fans who chastised Belichick for "wasting" second round draft capital on a "project" from Eastern Illinois have been converted.

Mallett also turned in a nice effort.  Not coincidentally, the offensive line gave him a bit of a cleaner pocket than they did for him against the Redskins and he was able to step into his throws more consistently, and even showed some pocket presence in giving himself some room to operate with some subtle movement around the pocket.

That said, the race for the backup gig to Brady - who looked sensational against Philadelphia, by the way - will probably come down to the final preseason game at New York, though both should see action next Friday when the Patriots host the Carolina Panthers...

The old gunslinger Brady

...and given that the third preseason game is considered the "Dress Rehearsal" for the starters on both teams, whoever relieves Brady against the Panthers will most likely get to face a more stout defense than they did in the first two contests.

If it's Garoppolo and he does well, circumstances would dictate that Mallett - in his fourth year - would be classified as dead weight and perhaps dealt, but if it's Mallett and he does well, that changes things a bit as several variables come into play - which is hardly fair, but that's the reality in the NFL...

Running Backs (5)

22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
35 - Jonas Gray
46 - James Develin
  
Added Gray from original projection

Sometimes it's tough to pump the brakes on a player when working with such a small sample of work, but Jonas Gray was the best running back on the field on Friday night - for either team - and causing people to do a double take to make sure LeGarrette Blount didn't sneak in to Gillette Stadium and suit up for old time's sake will surely get you noticed.

Can Gray make this team?  Well, why not?

None of the other backs have really done anything of note and, as a matter of fact, haven't really looked that good.  Ridley had some nice moments on Friday night, but just happened to fumble on the play before he was scheduled to leave the game - at least that's what he says, but many think it a curious coincidence that he didn't see the field again.

Vereen has been inconsistent in the pattern out of the backfield and White seems to be struggling with his transition from the drive blocking scheme that made him so effective in college at Wisconsin to the stretch zone blocking scheme that his vision and toolbox full of moves were supposed to be perfect for.

Blocking has been inconsistent for sure, but seemed to come easier later in the games when Gray and jitterbug Roy Finch are handling the ball - perhaps because the personnel stayed consistent along the line against the third layer of the opposition's depth chart.

With contracts coming due on Ridley, Vereen and Brandon Bolden, it goes to figure that the Patriots are not going to be able to negotiate contracts for all three, so dumping Bolden now and training replacements for the other two is just smart business - though it is possible that Ridley and Vereen could be around beyond this year if their price is right.

Develin is looking more and more like a classic H-Back with his versatility, and will figure as a tight end as well as a fullback in this offense.

Tight Ends (2)

87 - Rob Gronkowski 
86 - Steve Maneri

Maneri added and Hoomanawanui subtracted from original projection

To say that the reason the Patriots are going to run with just two tight ends is because the position is being devalued in the offense is a bit of a misnomer.

The philosophy has changed, refocusing the personnel package from a fleet-of-foot matchup gimmick to a heavy, physical presence in support of the running game as the primary duty on their job description, with Gronkowski being one of the most feared receiving threats in the National Football League to boot.

Michael Hoomanawanui has been missing in action for weeks, and D. J. Williams was rolled up on last week and hasn't been seen since - and both are candidates for the IR, which means that Maneri sticks on the roster in his second attempt with the Patriots.  Maneri may have run an improper route in the Eagles game which resulted in Brady's pick-six, but he vindicated himself nicely with crisp blocking.

Develin and others make it possible to carry just two tight ends

Of course, there is also H-back James Develin who factors in here as well. Develin has been a bit of a revelation to Belichick's penchant for getting the most our of his players, and has been the Patriots' best all-around tight end in the preseason, albeit pretty much by default, but has soft hands and actually looks for people to run over as he turns upfield.

Receivers (8)

80 - Danny Amendola 
11 - Julian Edelman 
17 - Aaron Dobson 
19 - Brandon Lafell  
85 - Kenbrell Thompkins  
18 - Matthew Slater 
82 - Josh Boyce
84- Brian Tyms (suspended 4 games)

Added Tyms since original projection

Perhaps the most diverse set of weapons in the league.

With Dobson back in the fold and expected to be ready for week one, he seeks to join Amendola and Edelman as the top three weapons for Brady to throw to - but Brady has shown a chemistry with every pass catcher in camp and says that he trusts them.

Brady has a good rapport with all receivers

Edelman has evolved into an elite receiver through hard work and dedication to his craft, and runs such precise routes that even the great Darrelle Revis has a hard time covering him one-on-one - he sets the gold standard for the Patriots in practice and on the field.

Brady gushes about Lafell and Thompkins, but hasn't had the opportunity to target Tyms in a game as yet - and if that is going to happen, it will have to be this coming Friday because Brady won't play against the Giants and because Tyms is suspended for the first four games of the season.

Boyce has been very inconsistent, but has flashed in spots, so he should make the roster but can't afford the inconsistency going forward, because Tyms may well have passed him for sixth receiver, which would mean Boyce would be replaced upon Tyms' reinstatement.

The status of Dobson's foot and the thought that his conditioning will be an issue upon his return may upset this apple cart, otherwise, this is a solid group with a good mix of individual skill sets.

New addition Lafell is a veteran who understands coverages and where the sticks are, and could be in the mix at the "move" type tight end position.

Offensive Linemen (9)

77 - Nate Solder 
70 - Logan Mankins
76 - Sebatian Vollmer
63 - Dan Connolly
61 - Marcus Cannon
67 - Josh Kline
71 - Cameron Fleming (R)   
69 - Jon Halapio (R) 
65 - Jordan Devey 


Added Connolly since original projection

With the change in philosophy on offense that finds the tight end position no longer the primary focus, diversity along the offensive line is paramount.

In other words, if you can't slide in and back up at least one other area on the line other than your primary assignment, you are likely not going to find a roster spot on this team - which is why you won't find Ryan Wendell on this list.

Connolly (63) and Mankins (70) form a solid interior with Kline

Even with rookie Bryan Stork's status very much up in the air, even possibly to the IR with a designation to return, if Wendell can't win the starting center gig, he will be looking for work elsewhere because he is a center - and that's it.  Sure, he could try out right guard, but how many right guards does the team really need?

Connolly can still man his old position to the right of center should Wendell make a move, but there is still Kline, Devey, Cannon and Halapio to fill in, while Devey and Cannon have proven to be capable in spot duty at tackle as well...

...which is important, because from all appearances, starting tackles Solder and Vollmer and even Kline have shown an aptitude as tackle-eligible tight ends to provide more bulk in the running game, supplementing the thin depth at tight end - and with Devey having some tangible experience at the pivot as well, he could become sort of a Swiss army knife of the offensive line.


Defensive linemen (10)

50 - Rob Ninkovich 
75 - Vince Wilfork 
93 - Tommy Kelly 
95 - Chandler Jones 
99 - Michael Buchanan
74 - Dominique Easley (R) 
94 - Chris Jones 
96 - Sealver Siliga
71- Zach Moore (R)

Added Moore since original projection

If Sealver Siliga's hand or wrist injury involves a fracture, the recovery time frame involved will place him three to five weeks into the regular season, so the team must make a decision as to whether it keeps Siliga - who has proven his worth in filling in for Vince Wilfork last season - on the active roster and make him a game day inactive until he's ready to return, or place him on the IR.

Wilfork is clearly recovered, but there is no depth with Siliga out

If placed on the IR, the Patriots could give him their lone designation-to-return tag provided there isn't an injury to a starter that would severely limit the team, in which case Siliga would be lost for the season and his salary still counting against the cap.  One of these two options would open the door for Joe Vellano to stick with the team, particularly with Chris Jones also being hobbled but expected to be ready for the opener.

The Patriots have the built-in flexibility to switch between many different four and three man fronts, but in every case, they have no suitable backup for Wilfork, himself coming off a season-ending Achilles injury - so the best option for all involved would be to keep Siliga on the active roster.

And that is really the only question left to answer along the line, where the pecking order is pretty much set, though an injury may open the door for Vellano or veteran 4-3 defensive end Will Smith,  though his coaches in New Orleans thought of him as more of an outside linebacker and he hasn't really shown up as hoped in camp.

The trades for Brandon Bass and Jerel Worthy in separate transactions last week could have an impact on the depth, but for now their ambiguous injury status looks to have them stashed on the IR until 2015.

Linebackers (6)

54 - Dont'a Hightower 
91 - Jamie Collins 
51 - Jerod Mayo 
45 - Steve Beauharnais
44 - Darius Fleming
55 - James Anderson

No changes from original projection

Regardless of whether the Patriots line up in a 3-4 or 4-3, the starting linebackers are of the highest quality - but the depth behind them is very much subject to the scheme.

The team has always featured some 3-4 and nickle elements to their base 4-3 over the past few seasons, and they have players with enough versatility to pull off a switch to a primary three man front, and also on the second level, but it's an odd mix of tweeners as far as inside or outside designations.

Ninkovich and Hightower for an excellent strong side

Belichick has been running with Hightower and Collins on the interior of the 3-4 with Mayo and defensive end Rob Ninkovich on the wings - and it appears that Beauharnais and Fleming will be primary backups on the inside with Fleming also able to slide out to the strong side if needed.

James Anderson is the only other true weakside linebacker on the roster, but he is destined to be the nickle cover 'backer and actually is an all-around veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme, and even manned the middle against the Redskins.

Cornerback Brandon Browner could also double as a nickle linebacker/safety hybrid - more commonly known as the Big Nickle - giving Belichick both an enforcer over the middle and the latitude to engage in some exotic blitz and rush packages with Hightower and / or Collins on passing downs. 

Corners (6)

24 - Darrelle Revis 
39 - Brandon Browner (suspended 4 games) 
26 - Logan Ryan 
37 - Alfonzo Dennard 
25 - Kyle Arrington 
29 - Malcolm Butler

No changes from original projection

Undrafted rookie free agent Malcolm Butler has pretty much assured himself a spot on the roster, though this is not going to be a typical depth chart.

Revis is a no-brainer at one outside spot, but the other is open to debate and conjecture.  Butler has taken over the spot opposite Revis in recent practices and started the game against Philadelphia - which actually gives Belichick even more latitude to hatch his evil plots each week, and more.

Harmon (30) is excellent at both safety spots

His emergence has aided Belichick in being able to turn his competition at safety into a full-blown reality show, with talented young cornerback Logan Ryan and grizzled slot corner Kyle Arrington both taking reps at strong, but Ryan is more suited for corner at this point, as he enjoys equal success both in the slot and on the wing.

Many are starting to see Brandon Browner for what he is, which is a unique hybrid between a cornerback and a cover 'backer who is a Big Nickle defensive back if there ever was one.  He has always been able to mask his lack of speed by using his long frame to shield receivers from the ball, but last season in Seattle was getting toasted by double moves down the sideline...

...but if allowed to stalk underneath as the second corner or nickle linebacker, it also gives Belichick the confidence to use Hightower and Collins in some exotic blitz packages.  Of course, he is on suspension for the first quarter of the season, so any daydreaming about such things are premature and based on the overall health of the defense.

A somewhat forgotten figure in this mix is incumbent starter Alfonzo Dennard, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and the depth that exists at corner - even sans Browner - is enough to allow Dennard to fully recover at a pace that the team is comfortable with.

Safeties (4)

30 - Duron Harmon  
32 - Devin McCourty  
43 - Nate Ebner    
27 - Tavon Wilson 

Removed Jemea Thomas since original projection

Kyle Arrington is a real threat to make a career-enhancing move to strong safety.

The solid slot corner started the Philadelphia game, and though Belichick tried to discount the start to being just something that the circumstances dictated, it makes too much sense to not be real.  4.4 speed and quick-twitch change of direction skills mixed with heavy striking in run support equals strong safety.

Of course, that can't happen until Browner joins the team in week five - or can it?

Penciled in strong safety Duron Harmon is actually an outstanding candidate for to back up both safety spots as he is an instinctive and quick centerfielder, as he showed with authority in relief of Devin McCourty against the Eagles, which means that the last two safety spots can be reserved for a couple of core-four special teamers.

Nate Ebner should be one of the specialists as he always seemed to be involved in the heavy hitting and Tavon Wilson should take the other, unless his injury status impedes his progress, in which case Patrick Chung would be the choice.

Specialists (3)

6 - Ryan Allen 
3 - Stephen Gostkowski 
48 - Danny Aiken

Aiken wins out over Tyler Ott in the competition for long snapper, though Aiken will probably be on a short leash after his late season air mail struggles.  Allen and Gostkowski are as dependable as they come - though both had some shaky moments in the game against Philadelphia.

Offense: 26
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3 
Total: 55

Balanced Patriots roll over Eagles, but still much work to be done

Quarterback Tom Brady uncorks a deep ball in the first quarter of New England's 42-35 win over Philadelphia

If you came into the New England Patriots' Friday night preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles looking to be entertained, then mission accomplished - but if you came in looking for any clarification as to who's going to be where when the 53 man roster is announced in two weeks, then you came away disappointed.

Jonas Gray rumbled for 98 yards on 12 carries while Ryan Mallett bounced back nicely after the debacle against the Redskins last week with a solid second half showing as the Patriots outlasted the Philadelphia Eagles 42-35 on a perfect summer evening for football at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

New England quarterbacks combined to go 21 of 33 for just 226 yards, but also threw for four scores, rookie Jimmy Garoppolo with two of them in a little over a quarter of work - the only miscue a pick-six off Tom Brady on a miscommunication with freshly signed tight end Steve Maneri who zigged when he should have zagged...

Jimmy Garoppolo spelled Brady in the middle of the first quarter

...Philadelphia cornerback Carey Williams - of all people - taking the easy interception down the sideline for the opening score of the game, but that was only freebie the Eagles would get as New England scored touchdowns the next three times they had the ball and the starters on defense yielded no points to the Eagles in a quarter-and-a-half of work.

As expected, the Patriots featured their power running game, plowing for 250 yards on 46 carries for the game,closing out the game on Gray's brutish downhill running, gaining his game-high 98 yards on just 12 punishing carries as he made a case for himself as New England's clock killer in the four minute offense, a position vacated by LeGarrette Blount's defection to Pittsburgh.

New England's run defense, abysmal in the preseason opener, showed statistical improvement, partially because the starters played until midway through the second quarter, yielding a miserly 19 yards on six LeSean McCoy carries, with only four yards up the gut, which was a point of blame for the run woes last Thursday.

Stevan Ridley started at tailback and rushed for 45 yards in 9 carries

The second and third team defenses continued to struggle up the middle, however, giving up 70 yards on 15 carries as the defensive line couldn't keep the guards off of the linebackers, causing contact to occur four to five yards into the second level.  The only reasons the rushing total wasn't higher for the Eagles is that their receivers were finding big chunks of yardage underneath, and they were in a shootout with the potent Patriots' offense.

Philadelphia quarterbacks went an absurd combined 28 of 34 for 330 yards, with second-stringer Mark Sanchez doing most of Philadelphia's damage, going 11 of 12 for 117 yards and two of the Eagles' four scores.

Rookie Jordan Matthews paced all receivers with a game-high nine catches on as many targets, the second round pick out of Vanderbilt going for 104 yards and a score, while the Eagles' tight ends and their screen game had their way with the Patriots' reserves.

After Williams took Brady's errant pass to the house from 77 yards out, Brady came back with a surgical nine-play, 53 yard drive capped by a gorgeous back shoulder toss to Kenbrell Thompkins to tie the score at 7-7 - then Garoppolo came on and led the Patriots to two quick scores, hitting James Develin in the right flat and the H-back rumbled in from 15 yards out...

Brady and Thompkins after the first score

...the same distance a sizzling Garoppolo rocket traveled to find Brandon Lafell in the back of the end zone for a two touchdown lead.  The rookie showed once more that the offense wasn't too complicated for him and the spotlight not too bright.

The two score lead would evaporate quickly however, as Philadelphia starter Nick Foles victimized Patriots' safety Patrick Chung with tight end Zach Ertz, the second year load out of Notre Dame hauling in a six yard strike a play after having his helmet dislodged by a vicious Chung hit over the middle, holding on to the pass to set up the score.

Then on the next Eagles' series Sanchez would take advantage of Patriots' linebacker Chris White in coverage of wide receiver Arrelious Benn out of the backfield where he was lined up as a running back - Benn slashing into the flat and taking the pass in stride for a quick hitter and a 21-21 tie going into the locker room at halftime.

A Ryan Mallett six-yard scramble for a touchdown was matched by another Sanchez scoring toss and made the score 28-all before Roy Finch sliced for a 10 yard score and Brian Tyms went up high to snag a Mallett offering in the corner of the end zone to give the Patriots back their two score lead in the third quarter, then Gray closed out the Eagles with his powerful bursts into the heart of their front seven.

Four Philadelphia turnovers didn't help their cause but helped the Patriots' immensely as three of the four set up Patriots' touchdowns - and the number of penalties didn't help anyone, as 21 accepted penalties - mostly illegal contact and hands to the face infractions - netted nearly 170 yards and at a couple of points slowed the game to a crawl.

Running game in focus for Patriots against Eagles - on both sides of the ball

Ah, Bill Belichick.  Will you ever be understood?

The answer to that is a resounding "probably not", which is sad since he gives us peeks into this psyche almost every time he speaks, though most people are so ingrained in their beliefs in what Patriots' football should be, that they can't see the forest through the trees.

And it's his fault, after all.  It was Bill Belichick that introduced us to the wonders of Randy Moss, Wes Welker and the brutal tight end-centric offense, then yanked them out from underneath us like a vaudeville magician would a tablecloth from beneath a place setting.

Don't expect Gronk on Friday night, but Revis will play

The laws of inertia were overwhelmed by the gravity of each player's circumstance.  Moss was traded after he began to exhibit conduct detrimental to the team.  Welker couldn't keep his mouth shut to save his life and took his sleazy act to Denver.  Aaron Hernandez couldn't resist shooting folks and ended up in La Pinta, and Rob Gronkowski kept breaking like cheap glass...

...each player becoming the fabled external force that disrupted the integrity of the offensive concept - and while it wasn't Belichick who committed these transgressions, it was he who brought them to our attention, brought them to Foxborough and piqued our interest with delusions of grandeur, then left us always wanting more.

So it is not surprising that fans still pine for these players - or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof, and summarily reject the notion that everything that the Patriots need to win a championship is already on the team.

But here's the thing, and there's really no way of getting around it: with those players of yore and the gimmick offenses that they were the center of, the Patriots have gone 6-5 in the playoffs, including 2-3 in five conference championship games and, of course, 0-2 in Super Bowls...

...and when you stop to consider that their regular season record during that time span is an astonishing and almost obscene 78-18, the numbers suggest that the Patriots went with style over substance since their last World Title, looking pretty and scoring almost at will in the regular season - but with a lack of substance against championship caliber teams, all it got them was a dismal 2-5 record in trophy games.

So when you see names like Dustin Keller on the street waiting for a tight end needy team to pick him, well, there's a reason why no one has.  There are more teams than just New England that needs tight end depth, and no one wants to take a chance - same with Jermichael Finley - and the Patriots' title teams carried tight ends that could do it all, but their primary responsibilities were in blocking for the power running game.

Those offenses weren't flashy - in fact they barely made a ripple in the style points - it was all about three yards and a cloud of dust setting up play action, and the offense was so balanced that they were almost impossible to defend, as evidenced by their 34-4 total record in their back-to-back title run in 2003-04, including winning 21 straight, an NFL record spanning regular season and playoffs.

Maneri represents a new tight end philosophy

The 2014 version of the New England Patriots are built upon the same principles as those title teams.  There are few big names and the offense is loaded with veteran professional pass catchers and a powerful corps of running backs - a grinding ball control offense that will be more methodical than flashy, but with the audacity and daring manner that enables a team to drive the field when its winning time on the biggest stage.

Remember those teams?

Tight end corps no longer the focus:

Tight ends?  Well, there's Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and a constantly growing list of one night stands - and none of them a suitable compliment to the pass catchers already on the roster - because that's not what Belichick is looking for.  What he wants is beef, and that's all Patriots' fans will get on Friday night when New England hosts the Philadelphia Eagles.

Newly signed Steve Maneri and H-back James Develin are the only healthy "Tight ends" that New England will be able to scrape up for the team's second preseason game, and neither are what one might call a "natural" tight end.

Maneri comes to New England for a second stint, but his first as a tight end as he has since converted from an offensive tackle to what has amounted to being purely a blocking tight end for the past four seasons with a plethora of different teams, while Develin is a converted defensive end that has shown enough versatility as a fullback to warrant a look-see as an H-back.

Both are capable pass catchers but are seldom targeted, so expect the Patriots to showcase their power running game against the Eagles as both will be end-of-the-line supplements to New England's zone blocking scheme.

More mixing and matching along the offensive line:

In practices this week, both Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer have taken reps as tackle-eligible tight ends as well, with Marcus Cannon and rookie Cameron Fleming manning the left and right tackle positions, respectively, which pretty much sums up the rest of the offensive line.

There is little doubt that the opening night right tackle will be Vollmer and left guard will be capably manned by tough guy Logan Mankins, but everything else is up for grabs - especially at center and right guard, where we may need a program and a spotter to recognize who is on the field at any given time on Friday night.

Dan Connolly should start at center to give line a semblance of continuity and Josh Kline will probably start at right guard, but with regular left tackle Solder hobbled in Thursday's practice - as well as suffering through a dismal camp - Cannon will likely get the start in his stead.

Connolly should start at center...

Expect to see Jordan Devey in spot duty at guard, as well as Jon Halapio, with the intriguing road grader Fleming taking over for Vollmer when the team grinds out the running game.

How does Tyms look against better competition?

Receiver Brian Tyms burst onto the scene last week in Washington, albeit against second and third string competition, and the natural evolution would be to see him get some snaps with the first team as Belichick attempts to ascertain where the third-year deep threat fits into the concept.

With four legitimate pass catchers over the height of 6' 2" - Gronkowski at 6' 6", Aaron Dobson and Tyms at 6' 3" and Brandon Lafell at 6' 2" - Belichick has built a red zone nightmare in which he can spread out defenses with in an attempt to improve on last year's red zone efficiency, while 6' 1" Kenbrell Thompkins and 6' 0" speedster Josh Boyce join the aforementioned to help improve 3rd down efficiency.

Dobson (L) won't play but Thompkins and Boyce will have big roles

Munchkins Danny Amendola (5' 11") and Julian Edelman (5' 10") are pretty much locked in with just about an concept and are known quantities so don't expect them to play much beyond quarterback Tom Brady's snap count and, of course, don't expect Gronk or Dobson at all.

Don't sleep on rookie free agent Wilson Van Hooser who will see plenty of reps and is an Austin Collie-type possession receiver, and expect that James Develin and the running backs will see some balls coming their way as well.

How much does Brady play, and who replaces him when he comes out?

It will be nice to see Tom Brady running the offense for the first time this preseason, but how long we get to see it depends on the fluidity of the offense.

If the first team struggles to gain traction against the Eagles' defense, perhaps we see Brady and his cohorts play extended reps in trying to iron out whatever bugs that ail them, while smooth sailing may mean an early night for the sure-fire Hall of Fame signal caller.

But who replaces him in the game?  Ryan Mallett has been limited in practice this past week - in fact missing two practices - so it is difficult to determine how much he will play, if at all.  Rookie Jimmy Garoppolo has taken full advantage of his increased reps in practice and is looking to build upon the momentum he set in last week's loss to the Redskins...

...and when the circumstances collide, particularly if Mallett's knee is still an issue, that might mean that "Jimmy Football" will get some quality early snaps under center.

Running the ball and stopping the run.

With most of New England's starters along the offensive and defensive lines either taking the night off or hitting the showers early last Thursday, the Patriots could neither run the the ball on offense, nor stop the run on defense - so look for both to be in focus on Friday night against the Eagles.

Rookie runner White should see more opportunities

With it looking more and more like the Patriots keeping just three running backs on the roster this season to accommodate a larger than usual receiving corps, the top three - veterans Stevan Ridley and Shave Vereen along with rookie James White - look to be locked in with roster spots, so we expect a heavier dose of that trio than we saw against the Redskins.

The Redskins ran for 177 yards against New England's front seven last week, which at first glance is horrific, but it took them 44 carries to get there and most of that coming right up the gut.  The outside linebackers did a good job of setting the edge and funneling plays inside where the big bodies lurk...

...but without their big bodies, the Redskins manhandled the Patriots in the middle to the tune of five yards per carry as New England's tackles couldn't keep the guards off of the inside linebackers, causing Steve Beauharnais and James Anderson to have to shed blocks to get to the ball carrier instead of filling downhill - and the result would have been the same regardless of who was playing on the second level.

The issue being that the backups for starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly have been sidelined for the rest of the preseason with injuries, leaving third stringers to do the dirty work once those two leave the game - so any improvement in the run defense from last week will mean improvement among the reserves, and still should not be indicative of what the product will look like when game start to count.

Where, oh where do the defensive backs line up:

Right now, Darrelle Revis is a myth - like Sasquatch or the elusive chupacabra - as he has been spotted in and around Foxborough and even in uniform last week in Washington, but Patriots' fans have yet to see the creature on the field.

That should change on Friday night, and hopefully at full speed.

The uber-confident owner of his own island has little to prove, but will play at least a series or two before giving way to any number of reserve cornerbacks, any of whom are capable as Belichick has assembled perhaps the best cumulative group in the league.

The big story has been the emergence of Malcolm Butler, who has taken first-team reps opposite Revis in practice and started last week's preseason opener.  Of course, Butler's reps could be the result of Belichick rotating his veteran corners in and out of the safety corps as he attempts to get them acclimated with the role of the big nickle, but he has held his own regardless of whom he is matched against.

That said, who will start opposite Revis in this game is pretty much anyone's guess.  It could be Brandon Browner, though his best position is in the slot or as the big nickle covering tight ends.  It could be Logan Ryan, who struggled in Washington but has had a good week of practice against the Eagles.

Maybe it could even be Butler, who has earned the opportunity - but one thing is for sure: whoever it is should expect many balls coming at them with Revis on the other side.

Shift in defensive philosophy on display:

Jamie Collins showed last season that he can handle tight ends coming out into the pattern, and if this week's practices against the Eagles is any indication, he can also handle the better running backs in the league as well - which is important to remember, as the defense is undergoing a transition from a read-and-react entity to an aggressive, attacking unit.

Collins is a big part of that and is proving to potentially be one of the best cover linebackers ever seen in New England, and can play any position along the second level - either inside or out, though to limit him inside doesn't play to his strengths on the outside, where he can easily handle both the strong and weak sides.

This versatility is what makes it possible for the Patriots to run their big nickle, either in the 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 base - and we are likely to see that versatility on Friday night, particularly if Jerod Mayo isn't in the lineup.  Mayo typically lines up on the weak side and takes care of running backs in the pattern or in the flat, as does James Anderson - who is also not expected to play...

...so expect to hear Collins' name a lot, along with Darius Fleming's who will most likely man the strong side as well as play inside if the team goes to a 3-4 base against the run.

New England Patriots' Projected 53 Man Roster - remastered...

The following is a rolling 55 man roster that will be updated as situations warrant.  Generally there are but 53 players on an active NFL roster, but the Patriots have received an exemption from the NFL to carry two extra players in advance of Brandon Browner's and Brian Tym's four game suspensions to begin the season.  

When Browner and Tyms are reinstated for Week 5 - assuming both are kept on the inactive/suspended list - they will be added to the active roster and the 54th and 55th players will be waived or an injured player can be placed on the IR.

The emergence of wide receiver Brian Tyms as a legitimate downfield threat for the New England Patriots has caused us to revisit our original projected 53 man roster - as has Bill Belichick's recent propensity for favoring the 3-4 base defensive alignment over the 4-3 defense that has been his "base" for the past four seasons.

In our previous pre-camp roster, we projected that the Patriots would keep just two quarterbacks - Tom Brady and second round draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo - and the results in the first preseason game against the Washington Redskins qualify the notion.  In fact, despite the passage of time and Belichick's multi-dimensional shift in defensive philosophy, there are only a few changes from the original:

Quarterbacks (2)

12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)

No changes from original projection

Yes, still only two quarterbacks.  This is not to say that Ryan Mallett will be traded, but the fact that he was limited in OTAs and in minicamp and was wearing a brace on his left knee was a curious development, and he didn't do himself any favors in his preseason opener meltdown.

His awkward slide at the end of a seven yard scramble against the Redskins would be the perfect excuse to land him on the PUP list to start the season - and the timing would be right as the activation of players that start the season on the PUP occurs just before the trade deadline.  He looked ok after the slide but, well, you know?  This is Bill Belichick we're talking about here. 

Rookie running back James White

Running Backs (4)

22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
46 - James Develin
  

No changes from original projection

With contracts coming due on Ridley, Vereen and Brandon Bolden, it goes to figure that the Patriots are not going to be able to negotiate contracts for all three, so dumping Bolden now and training replacements for the other two is just smart business - though it is possible that Ridley and Vereen could be around beyond this year if their price is right.

Develin is looking more and more like a classic H-Back with his versatility, and will figure as a tight end as well as a fullback in this offense.

Tight Ends (3)

87 - Rob Gronkowski 
47 - Michael Hoomanawanui
45 - D. J. Williams 


No changes from original projection

Gronkowski appears to be on track for the start of the season, which clears up the tight end picture a bit.  While Gronk is an all-around force, Hooman is a decent blocker and has shown good hands in his few targets.

Williams has been in the elague for a few seasons, but has never shown the type of production that Green Bay had hoped for when spending 5th round draft capital on him in 2011.  In college, he was considered one of the top pass catching tight ends in the country. H-back James Develin factors in here as well.

Second year receiver Josh Boyce

Receivers (8)

80 - Danny Amendola 
11 - Julian Edelman 
17 - Aaron Dobson 
19 - Brandon Lafell  
85 - Kenbrell Thompkins  
18 - Matthew Slater 
82 - Josh Boyce
84- Brian Tyms (suspended 4 games)

Added Tyms since original projection

The status of Dobson's foot and the thought that his conditioning will be an issue upon his return may upset this apple cart, otherwise, this is a solid group with a good mix of individual skill sets.

New addition Lafell is a veteran who understands coverages and where the sticks are, and could be in the mix at the "move" type tight end position. Tyms has flashed in practice and came through with the performance of the night for the Patriots in the Washington loss.  Boyce and Slater figure prominently on special teams as well.

Offensive Linemen (9)

77 - Nate Solder 
70 - Logan Mankins
76 - Sebatian Vollmer
63 - Dan Connolly
61 - Marcus Cannon
67 - Josh Kline
71 - Cameron Fleming (R)   
69 - Jon Halapio (R) 
66 - Bryan Stork (R) 

Added Connolly since original projection

Noticeably absent from this list are last season's starting center, Ryan Wendell as incumbent right guard Dan Connolly has played first team center in practice and in Washington - and he will stick as the starter at the pivot until the injured Stork is ready to take over, but that may be a while if he doesn't return to camp soon.

Halapio and Fleming are rookie depth at this point as Kline has seized the right guard position. Cannon provides quality depth on the bookends and at guard in a pinch.

Defensive end Michael Buchanan (99)

Defensive linemen (10)

50 - Rob Ninkovich 
75 - Vince Wilfork 
93 - Tommy Kelly 
95 - Chandler Jones 
99 - Michael Buchanan
74 - Dominique Easley (R) 
94 - Chris Jones 
96 - Sealver Siliga
71- Zach Moore (R)


Added Moore since original projection

Siliga and Chris Jones have suffered injuries in the past week, making depth at tackle a bit light, but if the team is truly switching to more of a 3-4 base look, they are not as debilitating as the would in a 4-3 look, but they do limit the versatility of the group as a whole.

The Siliga injury also leaves Wilfork as the only true nose tackle on the roster, so the status of Siliga bears watching.  The five techs are in abundance, however, with Kelly, Chandler Jones, Moore and Easley, if he doesn't start the season on the PUP list.  Veteran 4-3 defensive end Will Smith may find a spot if Easley can't go, though his coaches in New Orleans thought of him as more of an outside linebacker.

Buchanan and Ninkovich are outside linebackers in the 3-4 but we keep them as line depth because they could fill many different roles, including Ninkovich as an edge setter as a defensive end.

Linebackers (6)

54 - Dont'a Hightower 
91 - Jamie Collins 
51 - Jerod Mayo 
45 - Steve Beauharnais
44 - Darius Fleming
55 - James Anderson


No changes from original projection

This group is being subjected to a possible change in philosophy, though the team has always featured some 3-4 and nickle elements to their base 4-3 over the past few seasons, and they have players with enough versatility to pull off a switch to a primary three man front, and also on the second level, but it's an odd mix of tweeners as far as inside or outside designations.

The starting four on the second level in a 3-4 is subject to much conjecture, as Hightower and Mayo were terrific interior defenders in college but have been playing on the outside in the Patriots' 4-3 since.  Collins is a pure strong side linebacker if there ever was one, but the weakside has been manned by Mayo for the past couple of seasons, and the only other pure weak side 'backer on the roster is newly acquired James Anderson.

Rookie free agent corner Malcolm Butler

Anderson actually is an all-around veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme and the coaching staff likes Beauharnais a lot, and he is also versatile enough to play in the middle or on the weak side.  Fleming is a pure edge defender, and was a terrific one in college, but in both of his seasons since being drafted in the 5th round by San Francisco in 2012, he has torn the ACL in his left knee.

Corners (6)

24 - Darrelle Revis 
39 - Brandon Browner (suspended 4 games) 
26 - Logan Ryan 
37 - Alfonzo Dennard 
25 - Kyle Arrington 
29 - Malcolm Butler

No changes from original projection

Undrafted rookie free agent Malcolm Butler has a big opportunity to make the Patriots' roster - and even stick once Brandon Browner returns from his suspension. Redskins' quarterbacks targeted Butler seven times but the rookie allowed only two catches, and both of them he still had tight coverage, losing one by being outjumped and the other was just a perfect throw and a terrific catch.

The other corners are absolute locks.

Safeties (4)

30 - Duron Harmon  
32 - Devin McCourty  
23 - Patrick Chung    
27 - Tavon Wilson 

Removed Jemea Thomas since original projection

Solid group of safeties, with Chung brought back to be that intimidating presence in the middle in the nickle and dime situations. Tavon Wilson has shown an immense amount of growth in his game over the offseason, perhaps working with Revis for a month in Arizona had something to do with it.

Wilson looks decisive and brought the wood against the Redskins.  Obviously, it takes more than one game to turn around a couple of years of futility, but he's off to a good start and may end up giving Harmon a run for his money at strong safety.

Specialists (3)

6 - Ryan Allen 
3 - Stephen Gostkowski 
48 - Danny Aiken

Aiken wins out over Tyler Ott in the competition for long snapper, though Aiken will probably be on a short leash after his late season air mail struggles.  Allen and Gostkowski are as dependable as they come.

Offense: 26
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3 
Total: 55

Mallett's limitations trumped by Garoppolo's potential; Patriots find a "Gamer"

Assessing a team's overall performance in the first preseason game is akin to going on a blind date: You spend most of your time trying to get to know the other person, then when it's over you sit in the car wondering if you want a handshake or a kiss.

For certain, the New England Patriots' Thursday night loss to the Washington Redskins gave us every reason to drop them off with a quick handshake and a hollow promise to call them later, at least on a superficial level - but once home and weighing the pros and cons, you realize the date that started out shockingly bad actually ended on a high note.

When Mallett can't step into his throws, trouble ensues

So maybe the promise to call them for another date wasn't so hollow after all.

We weren't catching the Patriots at their best, and we had a pretty good idea what we were getting ourselves into from everything that our "friends" were trying to tell us about them, but from our own research and observing our date from afar, we form our own expectations, setting our standards low or high, depending on our degree of desperation.

It didn't help that after six months of no football we were about as desperate as one could get, and knowing that since the Patriots would be resting mostly all of their starters we wouldn't be getting a super model, our standards were set pretty low.

Even so, no one expected this date to be so offensive, as it were.

The concern with Ryan Mallett is not so much that he makes the wrong decisions or can't make all the throws that an NFL quarterback should be able to make, it's that unless he has a clean pocket, those traits disintegrate.

While it's true that the offensive line did him no favors, it is equally true that he needs the radius of the Grand Canyon to step into his throws, or he gets very little on them.  To be fair, when he can step into his throws, he has an absolute cannon - but how often in the course of a game can a quarterback count on a clean pocket?

Obviously, Mallett is a scout team quarterback that can prepare defensive backs like it's nobody's business, but is inconsistent and harried when faced with a live rush - much more so than rookie Jimmy Garappolo, who actually looked like the more seasoned signal caller on Thursday night.

Forget the stats, the exorbitantly high expectations for Mallett and the abysmally low expectations for Garoppolo, the fact is that one quarterback dealt with the pressure and the collapsing pocket and made the plays in spite of it all, and one was a stationary target worthy of a blindfold and a cigarette.

Garoppolo was pressured, but showed natural playmaking ability

The offensive line was as disheveled as one could expect from a unit pieced together with ambiguity at the pivot and players not starting in their preferred position. - all except for Nate Solder, who looked lost in the carnage that was the natural result of unfamiliar pieces lumped together in a zone blocking scheme.

A zone blocking scheme relies on synchronicity on the part of all members of the line, and if even one player makes the wrong decision or loses his battle, it's usually a fail for the entire unit - and the quarterback pays the price...

...or the running backs, because when a team with capable backs like the Patriots have average only 2.3 yards per carry against an average defensive line in Washington, the most likely culprit is consistently missed assignments along the offensive line - which is bound to happen with a mixed and matched unit.

The best run the Patriots had all night was a scramble by Garoppolo.

That said, Solder had a time with Washington weakside linebacker Brian Orakpo, being called for a holding penalty and giving up a sack, but that had more to do with Mallett being pressured from the strong side and forced to step up in the pocket, where Solder had Orakpo locked in a stalemate until Mallett ran right into him.

Solder had Orakpo locked up, but backside pressure forced Mallet to step up

When the ball did come out of the pocket cleanly - as when Mallett had a clean pocket and when Garoppolo was in the game - the pass catchers were tremendous.

Brian Tyms was fantastic, Garoppolo's pretty deep ball consistently finding him in stride, causing the Boston beat writers to proclaim them "Brady to Moss, Part Deux" - and while those cats were either starting overreaction Friday an bit early or were hitting the sauce at halftime, it was a sight to behold.

Brandon Lafell showed sure hands and Josh Boyce had a decent game as well, while James Develin showed the world why he has been working out with the tight ends during camp, his soft hands, quick pivot to turn upfield and desire to finish the play demonstrated on one powerful catch and run.

Overall, the Patriots' offense looked like a unit that had been together for just a short time - because they had - but the biggest disappointment transformed into the most pleasant surprise, as Mallett's ineffectiveness under duress was trumped by Garoppolo's poise and playmaking ability...

...which hadn't shown up in practice, but as we noted in the game preview, some guys are workout warriors and some are "Gamers" - and on Thursday night, we discovered who was who.