Studs and duds from Patriots’ preseason win vs. Packers

Who were the studs and duds of the weekend for the Patriots?

The New England Patriots made the trek to Lambeau Field on Saturday to face thousands of screaming cheese heads and the Green Bay Packers.

It was mostly a mixed bag performance for the Patriots, who ultimately came out on top in  a 21-17 victory. The game was suspended early in the fourth quarter after Patriots rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden suffered a head injury that required him to be rushed to the hospital.

It was later reported that Bolden was released from Aurora Bay Medical Center and allowed to travel back home with his teammates.

Although the Patriots didn’t play a full football game, there were more than enough moments to pick the studs and duds from a little over three quarters of action. Here’s who stood out the most for New England in the game.

Madden 24 ratings for every Patriots defensive tackle and edge rusher

The “Madden NFL 24” ratings are in for the Patriots’ defensive tackles and edge rushers

EA Sports has been revealing player ratings for the upcoming “Madden NFL 24” video game, and two of the initial positions they’ve highlighted are defensive tackle and edge rusher.

No one from the New England Patriots defense joined the 99 club at those positions this year, but defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. did get an 81 overall rating on the game.

Despite all of the defensive success, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Patriots players are still being underrated. Barmore might be one of the best defensive tackles in the league, but he obviously hasn’t stayed on the field long enough to prove it.

That could all change in the 2023 season and potentially lead to a ratings increase in a future patch for the game. Keep your fingers crossed, Patriots fans.

Here are the ratings for every defensive tackle and edge rusher for the Patriots in “Madden NFL 24”.

Patriots 2022 sixth-round pick Sam Roberts poised for Year 2 leap

Is Sam Roberts a 2023 breakout candidate for the Patriots?

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New England Patriots 2022 sixth-round draft pick Sam Roberts showed some promise in Year 1, highlighted by his raw frame and athletic ability.

We got to see those talents early in preseason, but with some key veterans still in the mix, Roberts didn’t get a chance to crack the rotation as much as he would have liked.

I asked Roberts what he worked on this offseason to prepare for Year 2, and he mentioned he was “looking to improve in all aspects” and that he “wants to contribute on every down.”

Every NFL player feels the same way, but what makes Roberts different is his ability to learn, grow and adapt at rapid paces.

“Sam has been a sponge dating back to the pre-draft process and understanding how the business side of things work,” Roberts’ agent, Darian Yahyavi, said in a text message. “It’s just in his nature to want to learn and improve.”

Roberts has the makings to become an impactful NFL player very soon along the defensive front. Yahyavi even went as far as predicting a long and successful career for his client, assuming he puts the pieces together.

“He has all the tools to have longevity in this league, it’s just about putting it all together,” said Yahyavi.

With Roberts coming from a small college like Northwest Missouri State, there was expected to be some growing into the NFL speed, but Roberts has handled that well, working with veterans like Carl Davis and Lawrence Guy to improve his game on the field and adjust to life at the next level.

Roberts is entering Year 2 and wants to be seen as “a guy the staff can rely on when called upon for 17 games.” But he also realizes that he “has so much more room to grow” to reach the high ceiling he set himself.

With the Patriots making changes across their team, Roberts will have a real opportunity to beat out some of the veterans who have taken him under their wing. Roberts has upside on special teams blocking field goals and punts, which adds some staying power to his name during camp.

If the Patriots wish to get younger and more explosive all across the team, Roberts could join 2023 draft pick Keion White in replacing some of the aging depth pieces like Guy, Davis, Daniel Ekuale and even Deatrich Wise.

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Regular season rookie grades for Patriots’ 2022 draft class

How did the Patriots’ rookies do this season? Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity is handing out end-of-season grades to the 2022 draft class.

As the season comes to a close, there’s a full body of work now to look at just how well the New England Patriots’ 2022 draft class panned out.

Even though it is too early to make determinations on the entire class, we can see the potential of each player and piece together the reasons they were ultimately drafted by the team.

Were they hits or misses in their rookie seasons?

We’ll take a look at multiple things with the players, including their 2022 stats and PFF grade. And then they’ll be receiving a letter grade for the season when taking into account their total body of work.

Patriots list seven inactives, including four starters, for Sunday’s game vs Dolphins

The Patriots will be dangerously thin at the cornerback position.

The New England Patriots will be dangerously thin at the cornerback position when heading into a must-win game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Even without Tua Tagovailoa under center at quarterback, the Dolphins will still have the luxury of Teddy Bridgewater throwing to elite speedsters at receiver with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Meanwhile, the Patriots will be without Jalen Mills and Marcus Jones.

It’s a big problem considering rookie cornerback Jack Jones went on injured reserve on Saturday.

The good news for the Patriots is they’ll be getting running back Damien Harris back. So they’ll have their two-headed monster in the offensive backfield with the former University of Alabama product and Rhamondre Stevenson carrying the ground load.

The Patriots will also catch a break with the Dolphins missing multiple key players as well.

Along with Tagovailoa, both tackles Eric Fisher and Terron Armstead have been ruled out for the game. The team will also be without veteran pass-rusher Bradley Chubb and defensive standout Xavien Howard.

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Rising rookie Jack Jones listed among seven Patriots’ inactives vs Bengals

The Patriots could have big problems in the defensive backfield.

There could be big problems looming in the defensive backfield for the New England Patriots when looking at the team’s inactive list ahead of Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The two names that stand out immediately are cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Jack Jones, particularly with the Patriots facing one of the more prolific passing attacks in the NFL. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is sitting pretty in an offense that includes the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd at the receiver position.

Not having Mills and Jones in the backfield could prove to be a detriment for the Patriots in this must-win matchup.

The team will also be without wideout DeVante Parker and running back Damien Harris on offense. Both players have missed multiple weeks with injuries, and their absences won’t help an offensive unit that’s already struggling this season.

The Patriots are entering this game with a 7-7 record and their backs against the wall as far as playoff contention is concerned. They’ll somehow have to turn things around as underdogs at home against one of the hottest teams in football.

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WR Laquon Treadwell one of four practice players of the week for Patriots

The Patriots’ practice players of the week have been revealed

Former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Laquon Treadwell is making himself at home with the New England Patriots. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the former first-round draft pick was practicing in a black jersey on Wednesday, which indicates he’s one of the team’s practice players of the week.

Treadwell was actually coming off a career-season with the Jaguars before signing to the Patriots’ practice squad in early September. He hauled in 33 receptions for 434 yards and one touchdown in a one-and-done year in Jacksonville.

It’s a good sign to see that he clearly hit the ground running when arriving in New England.

Tight end Matt Sokol, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon and defensive tackle Sam Roberts were also wearing the honorary black jerseys at practice.

Roberts flashed throughout the preseason and even did a fun interview with Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity heading into the season.

Meanwhile, Cannon has a long history with the team as a three-time Super Bowl champion. He was signed to the practice squad following the Patriots’ season-opening loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Sokol, on the other hand, has an uphill battle with Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith on the main roster. It could take an injury for him to receive the call up to play in games, but the black jersey on his back says he’s prepared to do exactly that if given an opportunity.

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Fun Q&A with Patriots rookie defensive tackle Sam Roberts

Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity goes one-on-one with rookie defensive tackle Sam Roberts.

Sam Roberts is one heck of an athlete and one of my favorite players the Patriots selected in the 2022 NFL draft.

His rare size (6’5, 295lbs) and explosiveness should translate very well to the NFL game. In an interview through Twitter messenger, I had the pleasure of connecting with Roberts and asked him a few questions about life in the NFL and who he is as a person.

He was selected in the sixth round at No. 200 out of Northwest Missouri State. In four seasons with the Bearcats program, he most notably won the Cliff Harris Award, which honors the best, small college defensive player in the nation. Current Patriots’ safety, Kyle Dugger, was also a recipient of this award in 2020 when he was selected in the second round.

 

Cam: It’s been a few months since you were drafted. What’s it been like for you jumping into NFL training camp?

Sam: “It’s definitely been an adjustment coming from Northwest Missouri State. Everything at this level is elevated and everyone is good, so there’s never-ending competition. It’s been a fun experience so far and I’m ready for what’s to come.”

Cam: I know you mentioned before that you were a Patriots fan growing up. What moment sticks in your mind most in Patriots’ history?

Sam: “The 2017 Super Bowl, coming back from that 28-3 deficit. That was my freshman year of college. So I watched it in my dorm…had a few noise complaints…”

Cam: What is your favorite part about being in the NFL, so far?

Sam: “Favorite part is competing against the best daily. Being around great players pushes you to be better. The vets also pour a lot of wisdom into us young fits. So getting that knowledge is awesome.”

Cam: What is one area of your game you feel is the strongest, and one area you wish to improve on?

Sam: “As for improvement, I’m just trying to improve my overall game, all facets of my game to be able to EXCEL at this level.”

Cam: What is your go-to, pre-game meal?

Sam: “Definitely gotta get me some seafood in the day before the game and some pasta. The best pasta is “Anthony’s Pasta” from A&G in Maryville Missouri!”

Cam: Favorite movie of all time?

Sam: “Real Steel 🔥

Cam: Favorite TV show right now?

Sam: “Stranger Things or Sweet Life”

Cam: What’s your guilty pleasure that probably isn’t on the nutrition plan for NFL athletes?

Sam: “Love me some white macadamia nut cookies and chocolate chip”

Cam: Are you into conspiracy theories? What’s one you totally believe in if so?

Sam: “I believe there may be a little truth in all theories 😅

Cam: If you could pick one superpower what would it be?

Sam: “Ability to read minds”

Cam: If you weren’t playing football, what would you be doing? Is there any specific hobby or passion you have outside of the game?

Sam: “Grad school working towards something in the healthcare field. Love working with the elderly.”

Cam: Last Question! What’s one thing you want to let Patriots Nation know as we get closer to the season?

Sam: “IM ONE OF THEM! AND I LOVE THE PATS!”

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