Patriots Practice Review: Sloppy Day for the Offense
The Patriots returned to the confines of Foxborough for practice Monday and, despite the low-intensity nature of the "shells" (shoulder pads, helmets and shorts; no live hitting) workout, Coach Belichick couldn't have been happy with the execution of his offense.
Drops and poor timing in the passing game seemed to crop up throughout the workout, with backup QB Ryan Mallett being the primary offender. Mallett returned to practice after being knocked out of Friday's preseason opener early with an injury and simply looked off today. The quarterback's accuracy wavered throughout the day, as he missed some of the passes he was throwing well earlier in camp. There didn't appear to be any lingering physical effects from the hit Mallett took on Friday, but rather just a case of the inconsistency issues that have plagued the young signal caller rearing their ugly head once again.
That's not to say Mallett was the only offender. Running back LeGarrette Blount looks great taking handoffs into the teeth of the defense, but the big back had several passes go right off his hands throughout the workout. Blount can be a hammer on the goal line and on early downs, but he brings little to the table in the passing game.
Tight end Jake Ballard, still noticeably hampered by his surgically repaired knee, also had a rough day. Ballard had one particularly bad sequence in which he followed up having a pass batted away from him by Brandon Spikes (if Brandon Spikes can blanket you in one-on-one coverage, you have speed issues) by jumping offsides. This prompted Coach Belichick to disgustedly say "get me another tight end" before sending Ballard to do a punishment lap around the field for his penalty.
There was one red zone sequence that was particularly painful to watch, as both quarterbacks struggled to get the ball in the end zone. It was also hard during this drill to not notice Rob Gronkowski, who was standing with his teammates on the sidelines in a t-short and shorts, and wonder how much his return should change things for the offense.
Despite the overall sloppy execution, it wasn't all bad for the offense. Tight ends Daniel Fells and Zach Sudfeld both had solid days catching the ball, with Fells in particular standing out with several nice catches on Mallett passes (he really has become Mallett's binkie). The wide receivers had another strong day catching the ball, with Kenbrell Thompkins standing out once again for his ability to snag the ball away from his body.
The first day hitting the practice field after a game is always more useful for getting back into gear and working out the kinks than intense scrimmaging. However, the team will look to turn things around quickly, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming into town tomorrow for three straight joint practices before Friday night's game.
