2022 Dynasty/Fantasy Preseason Week 3 Game Report: Raiders 23, Patriots 6
Boy, oh boy, is the Patriots 'reign' over…or so it would appear. This embarrassing loss ends the heavily critiqued preseason on a depressing note for New England -- the Pats 1st-team offense and defense got pushed around/beaten by the Raiders 2nd-team everything.
New England looks like they've had the life sucked out of them…and, I'd say they have. The Patriots are nothing more than another failing Northeast/Midwest NFL franchise players don't want to play for (unless overpaid to go there or drafted/kidnapped to go there) led by a (great) old school coach that players aren't interested in playing for, especially offensive weapon players.
The Patriots players have been lifeless this preseason, whether in game or joint practices. Mac Jones isn't a swashbuckling franchise QB. Bill Belichick is getting exposed for being a historically elite coach, rapidly falling behind the times with a coaching staff loaded with his kids and former assistants who failed out on their own, and have now returned.
Las Vegas, on the other hand, played backups…and the backups looked good, played with energy/passion and confidence as they moved the ball nicely on offense…and their defense (again, backups) stuffed/perplexed the Pats 1st-team offense. D-C Patrick Graham is a very good defensive coach and he's starting to make a mark on the Raiders defense (and it's gonna leave a different mark on his last place of employment, NYG).
The Raiders are probably too undermanned to compete in the AFC West this season, but they'll be a tough out most weeks. The Patriots have two road games right off the bat, and if they lose Week 1 at Miami…and then lose to the Steelers Week 2 -- all hell is gonna break loose among the spoiled Patriots fanbase. Since Brady has left, the Pats have been a .500-ish team…a boring one at that…and then if this 3rd-year without Brady is more regression, we could see a Belichick firing in January 2023 if he won't retire -- Bob Kraft has been waiting to fire Belichick for a decade. He's on the verge of having his chance.
Dynasty/Fantasy Player Notes…
-- Mac Jones (9-13 for 71 yards, 0 TD/1 INT) is a very limited QB right now. Everything he gets is from a play action pass/defense sucked in for a moment playing the run, then Jones quick fires over the middle on a slant past the sucked-in linebackers. When that window isn't open…he's in trouble. I'm not impressed with Mac's play last year, and it looks like a regression under new O-C/QB coach management this preseason.
Mac Jones is like a good backup masquerading as a starter/franchise QB.
Bailey Zappe (10-14 for 84 yards, 0 TD/1 INT) is a better vision/pocket QB than Mac…but Zappe is much smaller physically and is getting the same coaching…downward. Zappe hasn't progressed this preseason like a lot of the day three drafted QBs have. Zappe is playing the safe, small ball game that Mac is…they're coached to it…and it doesn't look good. Zappe is better than this. Mac might be too. It's just they're in a box.
Jared Stidham (4-6 for 72 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) looking better than Mac or Zap, which he has all preseason, and in this game, is another worrisome sign for New England. Stidham, the former Patriot, looked tight/in a box every preseason I watched him (and I liked Stidham out of Auburn, so I watched him intently) in New England. I just wrote him off…but he looks reborn and loose/freewheeling (and dealing) away from New England.
-- Perhaps the best thing(s) I saw in this game was two young/rookie/UDFA defenders for the Raiders…
1) UDFA ILB Luke Masterson (6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD) was the MVP of this game. A terrific looking, instinctual middle linebacker. A little undersized coming out Wake Forest but has added muscle and really patrols the middle well. It might not be long before he's a starter…maybe, in a year…maybe this season if injuries hit.
2) UDFA CB Sam Webb (5 tackles, 1 PD) is a rangy/lengthy corner…a very athletic one -- a 4.48 runner with a 6.94 three-cone and a 42.5” vertical. He's a future starter for LV…and the future might not be too far away. Keeps up with WRs with his athleticism, but needs more training to read the WRs cuts. Webb played ball at Missouri Western, and his lack of training shows…but not his natural gifts, they are good.
-- Patriots RBs…
Rookie Kevin Harris (4-54-0, 1-7-0/1) fumbled twice, one officially…and was cut this week, but put on the practice squad.
Ty Montgomery (1-4-0) could be getting a run as the 'James White' for NE in 2022. He got hurt here and is now questionable for Week 1.
-- Raiders RBs…
I know Zamir White (5-17-1) is the #2 RB here, but he doesn't do a thing for me watching him play. He's a straight-ahead runner behind a weak O-Line and he's more liability than positive in the passing game.
When rookie Brittain Brown (11-28-1, 3-23-0/4) comes into the game, then I'm intrigued. I didn't think there was anything here with Brown, from my pre-Draft brief scouting…but now his being drafted (which I initially thought was insane, and still do…he shoulda been a UDFA) makes more sense. It looks like he can play. He's more agile than White. He plays bigger and tougher than White, despite a 5-10-pound weight difference. He's a better pass catcher. But he doesn't have the media-hype White does…and that will keep him down for a bit fighting to work his way into the lineup.
-- One Pats IDP note…
Rookie CB Marcus Jones (7 tackles, 1 PD) has some moments in this game…a nice job covering in the slot and pretty confident in the punt return game. He was battling veteran Keelan Cole for a while and stuck to him pretty well.
Jones is going to be the main punt returner, but a backup slot CB…eventually, probably in a year, he'll be the main slot corner. No signs of using him on offense yet…if it ever happens, it will likely be 2-3 years down the road after getting established as a slot corner.
