FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots suffered a 14-13 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, but nobody cares about the score.
From a Patriots perspective, the postgame fallout will center around the performances of New England’s top two quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye.
And though Brissett struggled in limited opportunities, Maye finally offered a glimpse at the player fans hope will return the Patriots to relevance.
Brissett started and completed three of his seven passes for 17 yards and an interception. Maye, after seeing just one series in the preseason opener, played two full quarters while completing six of 11 passes for 47 yards — though his stats should’ve been better. He also scored the Patriots’ only touchdown, a 4-yard scamper in the second quarter.
Joe Milton III played late in the third and most of the fourth, completing two of seven passes for just 20 yards. The Patriots, trailing by one point, inserted Bailey Zappe with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the third-year pro couldn’t pull off a game-winning drive.
The Patriots finished with 159 yards of total offense and 11 first downs compared to 287 yards and 16 first downs for the Eagles.
Let’s get into the best and worst performances from the Patriots’ second preseason game.
Best Players for Patriots in Loss to Eagles
Front Seven
This group was dominant, especially in the first half.
The Patriots had four sacks in the first two quarters, three by edge rushers (Joshua Uche, Keion White) and one by cornerback Isaiah Bolden.
White was particularly impressive, which wasn’t surprising considering his impressive training camp. Oshane Ximines added a sack in the second half and continued to have a strong summer.
Check out these plays:
KEIONNNNN ‼️
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/VuFtH1uAEK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 15, 2024
.@_Uche35 gets to Pickett 😤
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/3l5ABarJL4
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 15, 2024
.@wisehog94 gets home on 4th down 💪
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/92V6KtlDiK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2024
Overall, the Patriots finished with five sacks, including four from members of the front seven. Sure, the Eagles weren’t playing their top offensive line, but the Patriots couldn’t control that.
Should Thursday night’s performance make Patriots fans feel any better about the Matthew Judon trade? No, but it was a good start.
WR Jalen Reagor
Reagor made a trio of nice plays in the first quarter.
He made a nice catch on a 7-yard pass from Brissett, returned a punt 15 yards, and broke off a 32-yard kickoff return. It was a sold all-around performance for Reagor, who continues to distance himself from the roster bubble.
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If he were just a receiver, Reagor might not be good enough to earn a roster spot. But his added value as an elite kick returner gives him a good shot.
LB Raekwon McMillan
McMillan was a standout performer during Tuesday’s joint practice, and he carried that success into the preseason game.
The veteran linebacker delivered some big hits in the first half while racking up six tackles on defense and one on special teams. He finished with eight tackles, including one for a loss.
McMillan, who first signed with the Patriots in 2021, missed two of the last three seasons due to injuries. He still is on the roster bubble but helped his case Thursday night.
“It’s been really fun to see him compete,” de facto general manager Eliot Wolf said during the Patriots-Eagles TV broadcast. “The key for him is staying healthy, and he’s been able to do that so far.”
Jerod Mayo also was asked about McMillan during the broadcast.
“He’s a great player,” the Patriots head coach said. “He just needs to stay healthy, and we’re expecting a lot from him.”
Honorable mentions: Drake Maye, Ja’Lynn Polk, Joshuah Bledsoe, Joey Slye, David Wallis
Players who Struggled in Patriots-Eagles
QB Jacoby Brissett
This was a rough showing for Brissett, who didn’t do anything to make Patriots fans feel better about the team’s new starting quarterback.
Brissett went three-and-out on his first drive, threw an end zone pick to Avonte Maddox on his second drive, and nearly threw another interception on his third drive.
The Maddox pick was especially bad, as the Patriots will have no margin for error this season and can’t afford that kind of mistake.
AVONTEEEEEE!!!!! pic.twitter.com/fk1ZjRiQzh
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 15, 2024
It wasn’t all Brisssett’s fault, as both of his starting tackles had issues. But protection wasn’t an issue on the end-zone interception, nor did it contribute to Brissett missing an open Ja’Lynn Polk on a downfield shot in the first quarter.
Brissett needs to be better, plain and simple.
Starting Tackles
This is the second consecutive week the Vederian Lowe-Chukwuma Okorafor combination has landed in this section.
Okorafor had problems with pass protection and run blocking on Brissett’s first drive. Lowe gave up a pressure that nearly resulted in an interception on Brissett’s final drive and false-started on Maye’s first series.
Both players had some good reps but also were inconsistent, which has been the running theme of their training camps.
Just for good measure, Lowe allowed Maye to get walloped by Nolan Smith late in the third quarter.
Will Lowe still be the top left tackle and Okorafor the top right tackle when the Patriots return to practice on Saturday? We’ll find out soon enough.
WR Javon Baker
The rookie receiver had a tough week.
In Tuesday’s practice, Baker committed two offensive pass interferences and generally struggled against Philly’s defensive backs. But it was Baker’s hands that failed him Thursday night.
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The fourth-round pick had three catchable balls bounce off his hands, most notably committing a drop on a beautiful deep throw by Maye in the third quarter. Baker also ran a sloppy route and failed to make a strong play on the ball when Maye targeted him on a sideline route in the second quarter.
I am SO disappointed Javon Baker didn't come down with this. What a gorgeous throw by Drake Maye pic.twitter.com/LTQw0sGRfO
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) August 16, 2024
His big-play potential is undeniable, but Baker won’t see any meaningful reps as a rookie if he continues struggling with drops.
Honorable mentions: Joe Milton, Atonio Mafi, Marcellas Dial Jr., Liam Fornadel