That bit of progress built on their final drive of last Friday's preseason game apparently didn't carry over for Mac Jones and the Patriots' first-team offense.
Reporters on the ground for joint practices in Las Vegas are painting a bleak picture of the team's offensive performance in team drills against the Raiders, who are now led by former Patriots offensive coordinator Mac Jones.
Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald called it the "most troublesome offensive practice of the summer," which is a very poor sign after how badly the unit performed on the Monday before the preseason opener against the New York Giants.
Callahan charted Jones as completing just 7 of his 17 passing attempts and finishing off the first-team offense's two minute drill with an interception that reportedly went to Raiders linebacker Jayon Brown.
Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston noted Jones pacing the sideline after the segment ended -- yet another sign of frustration in a training camp filled with them for the second-year quarterback.
On top of that, Kendrick Bourne, who has been the subject of headlines for all the wrong reasons recently, dropped what would have been a touchdown pass from Jones.
However, Callahan and others note the offense finished strong in another two-minute drill against the Raiders' top defense with Jones reportedly going 6-for-7 (with one would-be sack) and Bourne catching a touchdown to cap it off (and putting a little extra on the celebration).
The defense also had a strong ending period, "sacking" Raiders quarterback Derek Carr several times.
With the offense this much of a work in progress heading into the season, the Patriots might need a whole lot of sacks on opposing quarterbacks to keep them in games. But perhaps if there are any silver linings to these reports, it's that Jones and company don't throw in the towel when things start off ugly.