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Football fans, rejoice. There are less than three weeks until the Patriots’ regular-season debut.
On Thursday in New Jersey, New England will play the Giants to wrap up the preseason, and there will be a lot to watch.
Under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots lost 2-0 in the preseason finale.
TreVeyon Henderson, a rookie running back, has been outstanding. He scored in both games last week against Minnesota with a 9-yard dash and a kick return for touchdown in the opener.
One of the preseason’s more intriguing stories has been undrafted rookie receiver Efton Chism, who has caught two touchdown passes and entered the discussion over who should be on the 53-man roster.
Neither of those two nor quarterback Drake Maye should be expected to play much. Instead, as the preseason draws to a close, here are five things to watch.
The middle of the offensive line
As the starting left tackle, pencil in Will Campbell, the fourth overall pick. There isn’t much for him to prove Thursday night, given he has received excellent marks for his performances in the first two preseason games.
Don’t keep an eye on 34-year-old Morgan Moses because he hasn’t played a single snap in the preseason.
Pay attention to the offensive line’s interior. With veteran Garrett Bradbury at the forefront, center has been a mystery. In practice, botched snaps have been common. Ben Brown and Cole Strange have been given the chance to mix in at center by the Patriots.
It’s been a little difficult to play left guard. For the most of camp, rookie Jared Wilson has been the starting quarterback. He played with the second team last week while recovering from a minor ailment after struggling in the preseason opener.
The depth at both guard positions has been inconsistent, but Mike Onwenu is as reliable as they come at right guard.
Watch the pressure (or lack thereof) rising through the center.
Veterans playing late
Veteran players who played late in these preseason games and were once important contributors to this club have been one of the season’s more interesting plotlines.
It was unexpected that Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings were on the field at all, even though they made significant plays in the second half last week. According to reports, the Patriots are willing to trade both players.
Watch for veterans who usually wouldn’t be out there in the second half of preseason games as cutdown day draws near.
Usually, it’s a bad omen for their chances of getting on the team.
The return game
The Patriots’ kick and punt return teams units have looked fantastic thus far, thanks to special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, lightning-fast return players Henderson and Marcus Jones, and all the blocks here.
The tone was set by Henderson’s 100-yard return against Washington.
On a 37-yard return last week, Jones appeared to have the punter as his only opponent. A kick return nearly resulted in a score for Jeremiah Webb.
This preseason, New England’s returners have been explosive; it will be interesting to see if that continues or changes.
Life on the EDGE
With Harold Landry and K Lavon Chaisson added, the Patriots look deeper at the EDGE rusher spots than they did the previous season.
This Patriots pass-rush may be intriguing if you include a better Keion White, youngster Bradyn Swinson, and 25-year-old Truman Jones.
Although Jennings had three sacks last week, he is a seasoned and effective player who faced players who would not be starting for Minnesota.
Although it appears that New England’s depth at this position is about to push Jennings out, Vrabel praised Jennings’ output and competitiveness in spite of the roster shortage at his position.
Reducing pressure off the edge will be crucial for New England, as their pass rushes were among the least effective in the league the previous season.
Here s the kicker
Andy Borregales may have one more chance to beat Parker Romo in the kicker fight.
Over the first two games, Romo has not missed a kick, and he hit a 57-yarder that might set him apart from the opposition.
The Patriots selected Borregales in the sixth round, and he has made two of his three field goal attempts, with the only one missing from a distance of fifty yards or more.
Although there has been fierce competition throughout training, Romo appears to have a tiny advantage based on game results.\
Boston.com’s Khari Thompson reports on professional sports. Khari worked as a college football reporter for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, prior to joining the team in 2022.
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