Unfortunately, rookie defensive back Isaiah Bolden’s injury was the story Saturday night in Green Bay. The seventh-round pick was carted off the field in the fourth quarter and the game suspended at that point with 10:29 to play.
After the 21-17 New England victory, captain Matthew Slater praised Bill Belichick for leading the charge to end the game and said teammates were “praying” for Bolden.
Prior to the Bolden injury, the Patriots and Packers brought the chippy play from two days of joint practices onto the game field. The teams had a minor scuffle during pregame warmups as well as some pushing and shoving early on in the competitive action that included mostly starters for both teams on both sides of the ball.
For New England, Mac Jones had his ups and downs in a quarter-plus of action, making some plays but also missing some throws while completing six of his nine passes for 52 yards, including a short drive to a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown in the first quarter following a Green Bay turnover.
As is the case in every preseason game, there was plenty of good for Belichick’s team to build on as it heads toward meaningful regular season action. There were also plenty of areas that need to be solidified, including ongoing offensive line issues.
Now, New England will remain on the road traveling to Tennessee for scheduled joint practices with Mike Vrabel’s Titans leading up to next Friday night’s preseason finale in Nashville. Before turning the page to the Titans, and with Bolden’s status clearly the primary concern in New England, here are some of the other highs and lows from the preseason win in Green Bay.
Thumbs up
Bill O’Brien – It was just a preseason sampling and the offensive line was still a problem, but you got a taste of some of what the new-look New England offense will be. There were some RPOs and WR screens. There was some tempo. The potential competency and creativity of the 2023 New England offense is obvious. The talent and execution, that still remains to be seen.
Rhamondre Stevenson – The signing of Ezekiel Elliott got a lot of attention this week – Zeke was dressed but did not play against the Packers – but it’s the budding young star Stevenson who will be one of the biggest keys to the Patriots’ offense. He got his first summer action in Green Bay and produced. He punched in a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He had a nice 23-yard run off Trent Brown’s block on the next series. Stevenson only had four touches for 27 yards, but it was a good handful of snaps for the potential centerpiece of the offense.
Kendrick Bourne – No one was happier to turn the page from 2022 to 2023 than Bourne. He showed a bit of what he brings to his role in Green Bay with a nice completion from Jones on an RPO in the first quarter on a slant. Later he put an impressive block on a Packers defender to spring Stevenson. Then he had a high-point catch from Jones in the second quarter.
Bourne finished with three catches for 34 yards as he reminds people what he might be able to do to help this offense.
Bryce Baringer – The rookie punter is starting to boom the ball in preseason games the way he has more often than not on the practice field. His first effort of the night in Green Bay was a 59-yarder. His second went for 61 yards. Both were inside the 20. Baringer appears to be getting used to a live NFL punt rush and is settling in nicely, well on the way to winning the punting job and maybe serving as the kind of punting “weapon” Belichick has an affinity for.
J.J. Taylor – Taylor is the smallest guy on the New England roster but often comes up big with the ball in his hands, especially in the preseason. The veteran Taylor used his trademark quickness to make plays in both the running and passing games in Green Bay. He finished catching 3 balls for 27 yards while rushing 4 times for 29 yards. Taylor’s size may always limit his upside and value, but he always seems to maximize his opportunities.
Thumbs down
Offensive line – Trent Brown had a false start on the first offensive snap. Sidy Sow got pushed into Jones for a sack. Then Andrew Stueber was in at left tackle and allowed a strip sack. The run blocking was also inconsistent. While it was good to see Brown on the field, the rest of the line other than center David Andrews remains very much a work in progress. At this point there remains a lot of work to do and the progress seems slow, with the regular season drawing nearer by the day.
Tyquan Thornton – Over the first year-plus of his NFL career it always seems to be one step forward and two steps back for the former second-round pick. That continues to be the case this summer and this week in particular. Thornton had a diving deep ball catch from Jones in practice work in Green Bay after which he had to be cared for by the medical staff. He was inactive for the game against the Packers. And while he continues to fight to stay healthy and carve out a role for himself, rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte continue to prove their worth. Boutte, in particular, had a nice 42-yard touchdown against Green Bay turning a slant up field for the big-play score. Thornton needs to get healthy, stay healthy and start showing up more consistently.
Sam Roberts – When the game was a little chippy early, Roberts was a big part of it. He hit Jordan Love late after the Packers QB slid on a scramble. That earned Roberts a 15-yard penalty and led to a little scuffle in which he needed to be restrained by teammates. Later Roberts got a penalty for illegal hands to the face in the red zone that aided a Green Bay touchdown drive. Roberts is a roster bubble player at best and penalties won’t help his chances.
