If no one got seriously injured, it’s a win.
If someone did, nothing else matters.
But this season hits different.
We’re 13 days away from a new era and there are still major questions left unanswered.
So this one counted for a lot.
Drake Maye can carry an offense.
He’s gonna to have to.
This wasA Game of Two Cities.
The best of times, the worst of times.
It was Harvey Dent after the Joker burned half his face away.
We’ll get back to the 99 problems this team had later.
He proved that from the moment he subbed in for an injured Jacoby Brissett.
The first of many bad snaps on the night from Nick Leverett backed the Pats up inside the 5.
And these live games put those skills on display in ways practices don’t.
But Maye’s size/speed/arm represent a Combo Meal the likes of which no Patriot has ever possessed.
A season ago, drives like that were the stuff of ayahuasca-induced fever dreams.
Now they look like our reality at some point in the next couple of months.
Because they were struck from the record thanks to somebody else’s screw up.
Beginning with this non-TD to KJ Osborn:
To review: That was him escaping the pocket.
Buying himself room to throw.
Launching it while in a full sprint without getting his feet set.
And putting it on target with 40ish air yards.
Most especially to the Patriots defense.
It’s also exactly what I envisioned when this team locked up the 3rd overall pick.
Making this a beautiful day to be alive in the City of Champions.
He sailed the ball over his target on a simple flow screen.
But he also put one on Jalen Reagor’s hands in traffic that was dropped.
With another 32 rushing yards on 7 attempts and a TD.
Despite playing in a completely rebuilt offensive scheme and behind an O-line that is in total disarray.
And this Friday is his 22nd birthday.
Maye’s future is so bright I might start putting all my money in the Sunscreen Futures market.
–The present though, remains dark.
And four months since he more or less ignored the position in the draft.
(Pundits consider Caeden Wallace more of an OG/OT ‘tweener.)
It’s still possible some veteran will end up in the discard pile that he can pick up.
But that’s a hell of risk to be taking at this point in the game.
–On top of that, there’s the mental errors.
Strap in and prepare yourself to be watching them all season long struggle to find a combination that works.
Hint: This wasn’t it.
–Joe Milton remains what Joe Milton has been all along.
An extremely interesting prospect with high end traits who needs a lot of time, work, and patience.
Bailey Zappe’s spot, to be specific.
With what appeared to be roster bubble guys getting the bulk of the snaps.
White in particular stood out.
Well, his emergence and tens of millions of dollars.
–The true standouts defensively were the Hyphenated Guys.
But showed some promise as a depth guy.
–Similarly, Giles-Harris’brother in three part namesWilliam Bradley-King was disrupting all along the line of scrimmage.
He had a QB hit on a very effective stunt.
–The most encouraging thing defensively overall is something Devin McCourty talked about after the game.
How more than anything else, this unit has always been in the hands of the players.
That they’re allowed to call the game based on what they’re seeing.
–Obviously, the offense is the polar opposite situation.
And still needs to be sorted out.
