Patriots-Eagles Kick Off New Season
Saturday, August 10, 2013
It's only pre-season. But it's also hard not to be excited - or concerned - about the New England Patriots, depending on your point of view.
Behind a surprising effort from the running game early, and just enough defense at the end to thwart a late Philadelphia threat, the Patriots beat the Eagles 31-22 Friday night in the pre-season opener at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
From the outset, it was clear the Patriots wanted to create a rhythm on offense, and emphasize the running game. They certainly did that - covering 80 yards in a mere six plays, with a 62-yard burst from Stevan Ridley on the first offensive snap of the contest. After Michael Vick led the Eagles to a score on their opening possession - connecting with DeSean Jackson for a 47-yard score against Aqib Talib - it was Tom Brady's turn to test his new receivers.
For the record, the first targets were both newcomers - Danny Amendola and rookie free agent Kenbrell Thompkins. Mixing in rookie Aaron Dobson as well, Brady found Shane Vereen from 13 yards out to make it 14-7 New England, completing a 10-play, 80-yard drive with 5:05 still to play in the 1st quarter. Normally, the defense is a bit ahead of things at this early stage of the (pre) season.
Not the case in Philadelphia Friday night. Although, the teams did settle in a bit, with the Patriots defense recording a four-and-out on the Eagles' next possession...before the Patriots offense brought in QB Ryan Mallett. And somewhat predictably, Mallett and the offense went three-and-out (Mallett 0-for-2) in his first series.
Just before the end of the period, with 1:49 remaining, the defense came up with the first turnover as an incomplete pass by QB Nick Foles was ruled a fumble, with the ball knocked away from behind thanks to pressure from DT Tommy Kelly and LB Rob Ninkovich. After recovering the ball at their own 37, Stephen Gostkowski missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt, leaving the Pats with a 14-7 advantage early in the 2nd quarter.
Foles led the Eagles on a 10-play, 66 yard march after Gostkowski's miss, with Bryce Brown capping the drive with an eight-yard scoring run to tie the score at 14-14 with 10:37 to play before the half, as the Patriots began to work in their substitutions - including rookie LB Jamie Collins, who narrowly missed sacking Foles during the drive. Following a 13-play drive that fizzled at the Eagles' 27, Gostkowski righted the previous wrong by hitting a 34-yard FG to give NE a 17-14 lead with 5:45 to play in the period. Rookie TE Zach Sudfeld had an impressive 22-yard catch and run from Mallett to help set up the score.
LeGarrette Blount, a former thousand-yard rusher at Tampa Bay, certainly gave notice of his intent to compete for playing time, turning in a 51-yard scoring run with 4:24 left in the quarter to stretch the Patriot lead to 24-14. With 1:22 to play in the half, Tim Tebow made his first appearance at QB after Mallett was shaken up...and went three-and-out with two incompletions and a sack.
After a failed Philly drive to open the 3rd quarter behind rookie QB Matt Barkley, Tebow returned to the QB spot as Mallett (head injury) was withheld for precautionary reasons. And Tebow took advantage of the extra playing time, as did Blount. He finished off an eight-play, 57 yard drive with a one-yard TD run as the New England ground game appeared to be in better-than-mid-season-form...with more than 200 yards rushing in the game to this point with 9:15 left in the period.
Barkley found one-time Patriot Greg Salas for a 12-yard TD on the first play of the 4th quarter to make it 31-22, finishing off a 57-yard drive with a two-point conversion toss. With a chance to close even more, QB Dennis Dixon led a drive to the NE 30 before a 4th down try fell incomplete with 7:58 remaining, and another drive to the NE 15 before being stopped short by the Pats defense on a 4th down run, and just 2:33 left. A final last-gasp effort ended at the New England two yard line.
Playing more than half of the game, Tebow finished 4-12 for 55 yards passing, with four carries for 31 rush yards. Blount finished the night with 101 yards rushing on 11 carries and two TD's, and Ridley added 92 more (62 on the opening play of the game) on eight carries and one score.
Other than the opening drives against the Patriots defense, the other negative to come out of the opener might have been from the leg of Gostkowski, who missed two field goal attempts (one in the 3rd quarter from 53 yards) and finished one-for-three overall. A good batting average, perhaps. And even though it is the pre-season, the Patriots are also 1-for-1 in the win column.
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