Joint practices at the TCO Performance Center stood in the rearview. More stood ahead at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The New England Patriots outlasted the Minnesota Vikings there by a score of 20-12 on Saturday, improving to 2-0 in preseason play under head coach Mike Vrabel.
Here’s a first glance back on the 1 p.m. ET matinee.
Settling down at quarterback
While 2024 NFL draft classmate J.J. McCarthy sat out for the Vikings, Drake Maye stayed in for two drives for the Patriots. A week removed from fumbling, the sophomore starter was nearly
intercepted on a high, tipped throw intended for slot receiver DeMario Douglas. It was followed by a penalty for delay of game.
Last year’s No. 3 overall pick finished 4-of-7 passing for 46 yards, led by a long of 20 to veteran wideout and fellow North Carolina Tar Heel Mack Hollins. They connected three times, including while out of the pocket on third down and under duress. It was a step forward in settling down.
By the 4:10 mark in the first quarter, it was time for backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. The former Vikings trade acquisition completed his first three throws, but the fourth was missed under pressure on fourth-and-5 in the back of the end zone. The next possession gave way to a punt after a miss along the sideline. A 13-play, 93-yard scoring drive was put together going into intermission, however. It featured four conversions through the air on third down. Altogether, Dobbs went 11-of-16 passing for 106 yards and a touchdown in what was a much more even outing than his previous. Undrafted rookie Ben Wooldridge took over the offensive huddle with 8:44 to go in the third quarter and closed things out with a 7-of-13 line for 55 yards.
Breaking tackles and the 53, Chism leads the receivers again
A week removed from leading the Patriots in targets, receptions, receiving yards and finding the end zone, Efton Chism III wanted more. He drew a facemask penalty and secured all six passes sent his way for 71 yards and a touchdown by halftime, including a long of 33.
Four Vikings defenders couldn’t bring down 5-foot-10, 198-pound slot. Five Vikings defenders couldn’t, either, as the ball extended over the plane to make it 14-0. A long line of transactions may be imminent. An undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington won’t find himself among them. Fellow rookie Kyle Williams was also off to a strong Saturday. The No. 69 overall pick from Washington State caught all three of his early looks for 24 yards, including on back-to-back plays in tight windows. Yet after going up to move the chains on third down, a pad-cracking hit by linebacker Austin Keys sent him to the blue medical tent and locker room.
No member of the New England wideout room eclipsed Javon Baker’s seven targets. Only one completion was in the cards for the 2024 draft choice, who had a toe-tapping comeback route on third-and-7 in the closing minutes.
Henderson revisits the end zone in a hurry
TreVeyon Henderson’s slugging percentage continues to rise. After turning his first NFL touch into a 100-yard home run in the preseason opener, he made an early return to the end zone on Saturday. The rookie running back out of Ohio State turned a third-and-10 draw into a first down in the blink of an eye. With burst and balance, he soon broke around the edge for a touchdown on third-and-4 behind fullback Jack Westover & Co.
All-purpose veteran Antonio Gibson served as New England’s starter, while August re-signing JaMycal Hasty went on to lead the backfield with 52 scrimmage yards on a dozen touches.
The depth chart went without Rhamondre Stevenson and Terrell Jennings. Recent attrition saw Lan Larison and Deneric Prince land on injured reserve.
Change at left guard
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ front posed a tough test in Eagan. In Minneapolis, the Patriots’ offensive line appeared to get by.
Will Campbell continued to pave the way for the ground game at left tackle on a touchdown from I-formation. Starting next to the No. 4 overall pick from LSU, it was Ben Brown at left guard, ex-Viking Garrett Bradbury at center and Mike Onwenu at right guard. And with 166-game veteran Morgan Moses resting, towering seventh-rounder Marcus Bryant out of Missouri again got the nod at right tackle and later went to the blindside.
But Jared Wilson, who was among the line’s trio of rookie starters the week prior, entered with the initial switch at quarterback. The Georgia Bulldog, taken in April’s third round, went in at left guard as Brown kicked over to center. That was the move as Cole Strange checked in at right guard and Vederian Lowe did so at right tackle. More substitutions were on the horizon. So were quarterback hits. Although by exhibition’s end, Minnesota had been kept out of the sack column.
Jennings chases down three sacks off the edge after halftime
Starting at quarterback for the Vikings, Sam Howell was soon met by heat. That heat included K’Lavon Chaisson chasing him out of the pocket to set up an errant throw as well as an interception midway through the first quarter.
But the story was what followed off the edges after halftime.
On a runway to the backfield, Anfernee Jennings swept up rookie quarterback Max Brosmer’s shoestrings for a loss of 14. It quickly became fourth-and-35 as the veteran outside linebacker notched his second sack in as many snaps. There would be a third sack on deck in the final frame. Perhaps not the ideal fit for the 2025 Patriots scheme, Jennings looked like a football player who has contributed and will do so again. He looked 37 starts into a tenure that shouldn’t end at the 53-man roster deadline.
From Austin to Polk to Dugger in the secondary
It would be rookie Craig Woodson and Jaylinn Hawkins starting at safety for the Patriots on Saturday. It would be Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones at cornerback. And Alex Austin, who corralled an interception in the first frame and then provided a man-to-man blanket on fourth down in the slot, was more than present for the secondary.
So was Jordan Polk. Following an interception his NFL debut, undrafted corner by way of East Texas A&M and Texas State secured his first sack from shotgun in the third quarter. He prevented a touchdown on a broken contain, too, putting the pedal to the floor and tracking down an 81-yard kickoff return. Solid work in the red zone from the defense made it a field goal instead.
But the fall down the safety depth chart resulted in a busy afternoon for Kyle Dugger. The 29-year-old downhill hitter had signed a four-year, $58 million deal in the spring of 2024 before being slowed by a high-ankle sprain that led to offseason surgery. He logged a handful of tackles while playing from the second quarter all the way through the final down. An interception and a touchback to bring the 20-12 game to an end held up upon review.
Check-in at kicker
A punt return of 37 yards by Marcus Jones and a kickoff return of 59 yards by Jeremiah Webb nearly went the distance for the Patriots’ special teams. Things also proved to be eventful in the kicker department.
After staying through the uprights at Gillette Stadium, headlined by a 57-yard field goal, it happened to be another 57-yarder that hooked left at U.S. Bank Stadium.
It was off the foot of Andres Borregales this time. The draft investment went 1-of-2 on field goals, making good from 51 and on both of New England’s extra points. Futures signing John Parker Romo converted his lone field goal from 28 yards out. Both took turns on kickoffs. The latter was flagged in that capacity for launching one short of the landing zone.
