Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots won their first preseason game of the year 48-18 over the Washington Commanders Friday night.
Here is who caught our eye for better or worse upon live viewing.
RB TreVeyon Henderson: It didn’t take long for the rookie running back to make his mark, as Henderson fielded the opening kickoff and found himself 100 yards away in the opposite end zone in seconds — topping 21 MPH in the process. Henderson’s acceleration and game breaking speed were on display, while the back later broke down the sideline for an 18-yard rush. He then added three receptions as he finished the opener with four touches for 30 total yards.
WR Efton Chism III: The undrafted wide receiver ended the night by leading the Patriots in targets (eight), receptions (six), and receiving yards (50) in addition to finding the end zone after breaking a tackle from 12 yards out. Chism also had a 20-yard gain on a screen while Mike Vrabel highlighted the receiver’s play strength as a blocker and ball carrier. It wasn’t a surprise to see Chism find success in the preseason, and time will tell if the performance earns him increased reps with Drake Maye moving forward.
CBs Alex Austin and D.J. James: With no Christian Gonzalez or Carlton Davis, New England has thrusted Austin and James into their top two corner roles this summer. They continued to ride their positive momentum into Friday night, as Austin had a clean pass breakup in the end zone against K.J. Osborn while James jumped an intermediate route for an interception. While the rest of New England’s secondary had positive moments as well, the duo are the frontrunners for depth spots on the roster.
Special teams: In addition to Henderson’s opening return — which featured big blocks from Jack Gibbens, Elijah Ponder, and Brenden Schooler — New England also broke a 62-yard return courtesy of Antonio Gibson. The Patriots kicker competition then continued their hot streak. Rookie Andy Borregales connected on a 22-yard field goal and three extra points while Parker Romo knocked through a 57-yard field goal in addition to three extra points of his own. It was a strong opening night for Jeremy Springer and Tom Quinn’s crew.
QB Joshua Dobbs: While Dobbs did find the end zone on the ground, it was a rough night accuracy wise for New England’s top backup quarterback. Dobbs completed just 5-of-12 passes for 45 yards and had several bad misses — including a pair to rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams.
LB Anfernee Jennings: Jennings’ fit in a four-down attacking defensive front was in question the moment Mike Vrabel was hired in New England. Despite the veteran’s ability to play the run at an extremely high level along the edge, Jennings playing into the fourth quarter Friday night does not sit well for his standing on the roster.
