It’s probably no surprise that one of the first drills the Patriots did during Wednesday’s practice was ball-security work. One player runs with the ball, a teammate tries to punch it out or dislodge it.
The drill is a frequent one in Foxborough, whether it be in offseason workouts and training camp or in-season practices.
But there is obviously a little more focus on the drill this week and holding onto the football. New England did, after all, fumble four times in the season opener against the Dolphins including lost fumbles for running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris, the latter ending a would-be game-winning drive in the red zone in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots aren’t avoiding the ball security topic. They are attacking it head on, intent on moving past the issue quickly.
“I think it’s definitely necessary,” wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said of the practice emphasis on ball security. “It’s not really the elephant in the room, we all know we fumbled a good amount of times. It’s our responsibility as a team to go out there and fix it. So, the coaches are putting us in that situation and we’re just working hard to make sure we correct those mistakes.
The fumbles were certainly a big factor in the Patriots 17-16 loss to the Dolphins on opening day. Players have made it clear the mistakes, which also included being penalized eight times, made for miserable film sessions early this week but the hope is that this coming Sunday’s trip to New York to take on the Jets offers up a chance at early season redemption.
“Just to get that nasty taste out of our mouth,” Meyers said of the kind of response he’s looking for from his team against the Jets. “I know every week is different. But to just go out there and just be able to win and show that we got better. Because that’s all it’s about honestly. Just getting better every day. Showing that we fixed the mistakes that we put on tape. And just going and being able to celebrate as a team afterwards.”
Sounds like a solid plan. The Patriots will get the opportunity to make it happen Sunday at 1 p.m. at MetLife Stadium against rookie QB Zach Wilson and the rest of the Jets (0-1).
