The Patriots won this game, but it didn’t feel like a win. All the Patriots issues, or THEE Patriots issue (Drake Maye) was totally on display here...the Pats 1st-team struggled with the Vikings 2nd/3rd-team defense.
Still, the Vikings almost came back to tie this game at the last second...a Vikings pass was intercepted by the Pats in the end zone, at the buzzer/as time expired...but the Vikings receiver skillfully ripped the ball away from the Patriots interceptor as he ran it for second but then tried to fall to the ground...it was recovered by the Vikes for a TD...but replay showed the Patriots interceptor just hit the ground a millisecond before the ball popped out.
Pats win...but, to me, it was a big loss.
Player Notes....
-- The biggest takeaway here was how utterly terrible Drake Maye (4-7 for 46 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) looked...an ongoing theme, because he is a bad NFL QB. Right in the running with Bryce Young and ‘the Colts’ for the worst QBs in the NFL.
Maye was forced to play with the 1st-team here as a sort of penalty, something the game announcers kinda-sorta alluded to...that the NE offense was struggling and Vrabel made them play here...and it was not good here either. Maye was sailing passes all over the place, guys were having to make great catches just to save Maye’s errant passes on 1-2 of his completions. Maye just does not look like a legit/good NFL QB. He looks like Daniel Jones...a guy you have to keep everything simple for and hope you win via simple passes/less mistakes/a lot of screen passes...a.k.a. the Arthur Smith offense that Vrabel is a proponent of.
The Pats are so good everywhere else...got so much better this offseason, they have tons of fresh talent, but then they have a liability at QB...which is the most important component of an NFL team. It would not surprise me if not the not-great, but a ‘gamer’ QB Josh Dobbs (11-16 for 106 yards, 1 TD/0 INTs) is not the QB at some point this season.
And the QB issue hurts the Pats WRs for FF-outputs as well. There are a lot of ripple effects because Maye isn’t very good.
-- Our second glimpse of TreVeyon Henderson (4-20-1, 0-0-0/1)...looked as good as his first glimpse. He’s looked better than Jeanty or Omarion, so far (but it’s way too early to fully judge)...incredibly quick...confident...tough. I could argue Henderson might deserve to be right with Jeanty-Omarion in the DRD rankings...and could argue he’ll have the best 2025 season of either of them, in PPR -- because Maye is so bad, so limited...he loves screen passes to the RBs for safety, and New England will need to use TreVeyon that way heavily to help limp by with Maye.
If I could, I would bet Henderson to lead all NFL RBs in pass catches for 2025...making him a very valuable FF piece.
-- Just a note on the best thing I saw from the Vikings this game, so far this preseason...this defense is really, really good...and deep. The Vikes 2nd/3rd-team defense that started the game bested the Pats 1st-team offense, mostly because of Maye being so bad.
The one thing that got over on the Vikes backup defense...TreVeyon Henderson, he was noticeably better than the defense in the same way Maye was noticeably worse than the Vikes defense.
-- Patriots WR report...
The starters for NE: Mack Hollins (3-38-0/3) and Kayshon Boutte (1-8-0/1). I still do not understand why Boutte is starting. Demario Douglas (0-0-0/1) was sparsely rotated in with them.
Kyle Williams (3-24-0/3) should have been groomed to be a starter by now, and he did play a few snaps with Maye, but all his catches came when Maye left the game. On his final catch, he got wailed in the head and was taken out of the game...he walked off under his own power, but he was gone from the game for good.
Williams should be being discussed as a Ladd McConkey type of WR prospect...but it seems his gifts are not as appreciated here just yet. The Pats seem to be more enthralled with UDFA WR Efton Chism (6-71-01/6). My fear for Kyle Williams...when WRs land with defensive minded head coaches, it’s a potential problem...then combine that with a crappy QB, and the outlook can be shaky. Eventually, Kyle will ascend but man it could be a slow start.
It’s not crazy to bypass Kyle Williams in the DRD, and bet on a slow start, then trade for him in-season at a discount when the rookie vibes start to slow down/wear off.
Just for a final note... Mack Hollins looked really good with Drake Maye. And when you consider how weak a WR group the Pats are trying to start with Boutte and if Diggs flakes out -- Hollins may be a mild shocker for FF. He’s really talented.
-- Vikings RB report...
Zavier Scott (10-28-0, 3-44-0/4 is going to beat out Ty Chandler (3-12-0, 0-0-0/1) for the #3 RB spot, which will get Ty cut ahead of the 53-man roster announcement. Scott is a decent backup...physically big, decent hands...if he got thrust into play time he’d be OK.
-- Vikes free agent WR Tim Jones (5-68-0/8) is gonna make this roster...a perpetually overlooked WR in Jacksonville has been found by Minnesota. The heavy targets could be a ‘tell’ on how Kevin O’Connell like Jones, but I would trump that with...they mic up KOC in-game in the preseason, and he takes questions midgame, which is always interesting...and I’ve watched the Minnesota feed for the two Vikings preseason games so far, and KOC is always mentioning Jones.
Who cares?
Well... Jordan Addison will be suspended for 3 games, so someone needs to be the #3 WR...either rookie Tai Felton (2-32-0/2) or Jones...I think it will be Jones...just a hunch.
-- Patriots DB report...
The Pats 1st-team-ish D was out there for a series or so, and we got a quick glimpse of free agent Pats signee CB Carlton Davis (0 tackles, 1 PD)...a reminder that the Pats may have the best starting CB duo in the NFL.
And Marcus Jones in the slot is pretty sweet for a CB trio...he reminded us of his existence when he fielded a punt and broke it for a 37-yard return. He’s very good/unique.
The Patriots are starting to have it all...good defense, top DB group, improved O-Line, TreVeyon...but the achilles heel of defensive-minded head coaches is going to neutralize all that -- a bad QB situation and a weak WR group where their most talented WR (Kyle Williams) is not getting a serious push/treatment.
