New England Patriots Second Preseason Game Wrap Up

The New England Patriots rebounded nicely from a tough first half of play as they roared back from a 21-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Saints 26-24, Saturday night in New Orleans.

Garoppolo Builds Off Of Strong First Half- Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo continued to play well in the second half after a strong first half performance, with the exception of a fourth quarter interception. Garoppolo finished the game 28-33 for 269 yards and one score to go along with the picK. He also lead the team into field goal range on their final offensive drive, to win the game.

Offensive Line Steps Up- After a rather poor performance by the starting offensive line group, the second unit, led by veteran Josh Kline, stepped up for New England. While they got most of their reps against the second and third string options for New Orleans, the group played well and allowed Garoppolo and the rest of the offense to move the ball effectively as they scored 16 second half points.

Third Down Back Race Heats Up- Two of New England's top options to snag the team's third down running back role, James White and Dion Lewis, both stepped up as they looked to make their case for playing time when the season begins. Each back scampered into the end zone in the second half, as well. On the night, White rushed nine times for 23 yards and snagged one catch for 20 yards. Lewis had 12 rush yards on just 3 carries but played a large role in the passing game as he made five catches for 36 yards.

Backup Receivers Step Up- Along with the rise of both White and Lewis, New England saw a strong effort from multiple possible backup wide receiver options. Veteran Brandon Gibson led the way with eight receptions for 68 yards, though he did pull up a bit lame towards the end of the game. Jonathan Krause also had quite a night snagging six receptions of his own for 55 yards, while rookie Chris Harper continued to make waves in the preseason as he brought in five receptions for 69 yards and the groups only score. Harper also added three punt returns for an average just under 11 yards and three kick off returns for an average of 27.5 yards. His versatility in the return game could be a differentiating factor when final roster spots are decided.

Defense Steps Up- Aided by a forced fumble by linebacker James Morris, the New England defense looked strong in the second half. Big stops in the passing game by staring options Logan Ryan and Bradley Fletcher also proved to be big. The only score allowed b the second and third units was a field goal on a drive started at their own 15 yard line after the Garoppolo interception.

All in all, the second half should have Pats fans excited about this team. Not only did they win but some new potential options stepped up. As always there are always areas for improvement but in the end the night was successful on many levels.