Preseason game No. 1 is in the books and when it comes to the Patriots quarterbacks -- Cam Newton and Mac Jones -- both played well in their first game action of the summer Thursday night.
Newton started and played the first two series, going 4-for-7 passing for 49 yards. Jones then came in and played the next five series, which went into the third quarter. The rookie went 13-for-19 passing with 87 yards.
Bill Belichick knows both players, like all on the roster, still have room to get better.
"I think really, it's pretty much the same for everybody," he said Friday morning when asked about Jones specifically. "Some good things. Some things we need to -- just in general we need to play faster and react faster. That's every position across the board. Practice is practice, but things happen at game speed and that's something everyone needs to improve on. Certainly the quarterback position, but every other position, too. We haven't had the real live game exposure until last night. That's a good opportunity for us to recognize how fast things are going to happen and have to match that speed. I think the speed of the game for all the rookie players was different certainly than anything we've been able to practice."
And as for what he's seen from Newton?
"Definitely way ahead from where we were last year," Belichick said. "Again, as I said, it's the same for everybody, practice the fundamentals and then taking that to the execution we need to have at game speed again for all of us -- players, coaches, everybody. Last night was the first step, but we have a long way to go and we all need to improve in those areas."
The quarterback competition will continue next week with joint practices and the preseason game against the Eagles.
