How Good Did The Patriots Look Thursday Night?

 Once again, after a so-so offseason for the New England Patriots, many analysts are expecting a down year for the Patriots. Colin Cowherd of FS1 believes that the Patriots with Brady and Belichick will barely win ten games this year. What evidence does he have to say that? Patriots haven't won less than twelve games in a season since 2010. Since 2013, people have been predicting a fall for the Patriots' dominance. Again and again, Tom Brady and the Patriots get to embarrass them by finishing the season with twelve wins or more, and at least as the second best seed in the conference. Yet, they will never learn. Yes, Brady is getting old by the day, but did you see him play last season? Did you watch him play in the postseason? Yes, he didn't win the big one, but he did throw for 500 plus yards in the game. So is he falling off the cliff this year? Are the Patriots only going to win ten games or less? Do they have any good players on their roster? How about we evaluate some of the players who played against the Philadephia Eagles this past Thursday night?

How was Tom Brady's preseason debut?

All I can say is that Brady looked in great shape. The way he was moving in the pocket, attacking with no-huddle offense, and throwing darts to his receivers had me believe that he is going to have another pretty solid season. I know it's only preseason. but we have to remember he is forty-one years old. To see someone at this age, move like he is in his early or mid-thirties, is impressive. Since he didn't have any issues with his footwork and throwing quick passes, I don't see him falling off the cliff just yet. The one throw he made to Chris Hogan in the end-zone for the touchdown on third down, after escaping pressure brought by two defensive players, was pure textbook work. He might not win the Most Valuable Player award this season, but his numbers will be pretty close from last season.

Patriots won't miss Dion Lewis because of what James White can do for them.

  Dion Lewis gave the Patriots three very good seasons. When he was on the field, he was very productive. His best game as a Patriot, in my opinion, was the playoff game against the Houston Texans during the 2016-17 season. In that game, he ran for a touchdown, caught one, and had a kick return for a touchdown. Dion Lewis with the Patriots became a threat to score every way he touched the ball. He became special. However, I like James White even more. I like James White for three reasons. First of all, he can pretty much do what Dion Lewis can. Secondly, he is less injury-prone than Dion Lewis. Finally, his performance against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 was one of the greatest performances of all-time. Along with Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Danny Amendola, he was another guy who said that he won't give in and accept the defeat to the Falcons after the Patriots trailed 28-3 by midway into the third quarter. In that epic comeback win, White caught a record fourteen balls, scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion, and ran for the game-winning touchdown. What James White did in the big game was pretty impressive. If the NFL had decided to give him the Super Bowl MVP instead of Tom Brady, it would have been totally fine with me.

  How did White look against the Eagles in the preseason game? He seems ready to become the featured running back for the Patriots. Six passes were thrown in his direction and he caught all of them, including a short screen for the touchdown! He also added four carries for thirty-one rushing yards. One of White's run was good for twenty-two yards. White knows the Patriots' offensive system and now he is ready to flourish in it. Yes, Patriots have running backs like Jeremy Hill, first-rounder Sony Michel, and Brandon Bolden besides White, but he is going to get the most touches this season because Tom Brady trusts him the most. Plus, he is battle-tested. Given the opportunity, I might draft James White for my fantasy draft, in the fifth or sixth round.

Adrian Clayborn, Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise Jr, and Ja'Whaun Bentley are ready to rock and roll!

  Last year, the Patriots' defense did finish the regular season as the fifth best scoring defense. However, that defense lacked pass rush and superstar play. They don't have any superstars for this year's roster, but they have studs who can make the defense way better this year than last year. They will have players like Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Stephon Gilmore, come back and play together. Along with them, they are going to be joined by Adrian Clayborn, Derek Rivers (who missed all of last year), Deatrich Wise Jr, and Ja'Whaun Bentley. What are these four guys going to do for the defense? These guys will make the Patriots' pass rush relevant. Last year, the Pats' pass rush was a joke. This year, it could finish in the top ten in terms of sacks and with pressuring the opposing quarterbacks.

  When I saw these four guys play together this past Thursday night, I got to see the defense giving the offensive line some serious trouble. I saw the defense getting into quarterback's face and making him get rid of the ball early. Times when the quarterback didn't get rid of the ball on time, he got sacked to the ground. On one play, Adrian Clayborn came from the side, knocked the ball out of Nick Foles' hands, then Ja'Whaun Bentley recovered the football and took it into the end-zone for the touchdown. All that happened so fast it caught Nick Foles by surprised. He must have been thinking on that play, 'how in the world Patriots' defense figured out to get to me?' I so wish the Patriots' defense had made one or two plays like that in the Super Bowl last year. Brady would have entered Gillette Stadium, Thursday night, flashing all six of his rings to all the doubters and haters. Oh well. Let's see how good this new-look defense of the Patriots plays this year. I'm very excited to watch them play.

Cordarrelle Patterson's speed is going to bring a new element to Patriots' offense.

  About eleven years ago, the New England Patriots made a trade for a guy named Randy Moss. He was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings and then he went to play for the Oakland Raiders before the Patriots made the trade for him. We all know what happened during Moss's time in New England. Fast forward to present day, Patriots have Cordarrelle Patterson on their roster. Like Moss, he was drafted in the first round by the Vikings and then went to Oakland for a year before the Pats made a trade for him. Well, it would be completely foolish to think Patterson is the same player or could be a player like Randy Moss. But just like Moss, he could find his true potential in New England.

  Patterson during his time with the Vikings, couldn't do anything close to what Moss did in his days in Minnesota. So I'm not expecting Patterson to do the similar things in New England, as Moss did in his three years with the team. However, after watching Thursday night preseason game against the Philadephia Eagles, I think Cordarrelle Patterson with Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense, is going to bring a different kind of fear to all of the defenses that the Patriots are going to face this year. On one play against the Eagles, Patriots' backup quarterback, Brian Hoyer threw a quick lateral pass to Patterson, who was single covered, but then he made a sweet dodge move against the corner and went ten plus yards for the score. That was pretty exciting to watch. In the regular season, when Patriots' offense will be taking on opposing teams' defenses, Patterson is going to be the fourth option on passing situations. Meaning he will be going up against the third or fourth best corner of the defense. I can see Brady and Patterson completely destroying corners for many big-time plays throughout the season. Patriots' offense won't miss a beat this season.

  The other Patriots' players I'm excited to see for the rest of the pre-season are Eric Decker, Ralph Webb, Danny Etling, and Phillip Dorsett.