FOXBOROUGH, MASS. (AP)
The New England Patriots spent the offseason trying to stabilize their
shaky defense.
So far, so good.
Players
counted on to play key roles performed well in the Patriots exhibition
opener. Their time on the field was limited in Thursday night's 7-6 win
over the New Orleans Saints, but the result was satisfying for a team
that allowed the second most yards in the NFL last season.
''We
held them to two field goals, so that's a good thing for the first
game,'' linebacker Rob Ninkovich said. ''A good first step.''
Drew Brees played just two series and completed one of four passes for four
yards. The Saints didn't get a first down while the quarterback, who
set an NFL record with 5,476 yards passing last year, was in the game.
On
one play, Brees was forced out of the pocket by rookie first-round
draft pick Chandler Jones, who figures to see considerable action at
defensive end during the regular season. The Patriots took the 6-foot-5
Jones out of Syracuse with the 21st choice. Jones also forced starting
left tackle Jermon Bushrod into two holding penalties.
''All the players that I saw, especially the rookies, some of them did
some good things,'' coach Bill Belichick said.
Only the Green Bay Packers gave up more than the 411.1 yards the
Patriots allowed per game last year.
So
New England (No. 2 in the AP Pro32) used six of its seven draft picks
on defensive players in April. Besides Jones, it took linebacker Dont'a Hightower with the 25th pick, defensive back Tavon Wilson in the second
round, defensive end Jake Bequette in the third and defensive backs
Nate Ebner (sixth) and Alfonzo Dennard (seventh) later on.
The
Patriots also stocked up on veteran free agents - defensive linemen
Jonathan Fanene, Marcus Harrison and Tim Bulman, linebackers Trevor Scott and Bobby Carpenter and defensive backs Steve Gregory, Will Allen, Marquice Cole and Derrick Martin.
Safety in numbers, perhaps.
But
progress was evident, albeit in a preseason setting. Gregory and
Patrick Chung, the starting safeties, each intercepted a pass against
the Saints.
''Definitely felt comfortable,'' said Gregory, a
starter in the last two of his six seasons with San Diego. ''Every game
is so important and every game you can get out there and play in a live
situation like that against another great team is so valuable.''
It
was a costly night for linebacker Dane Fletcher, who started five games
last season. He started in place of injured Brandon Spikes at inside
linebacker but suffered a possible season-ending knee injury covering a
punt in the first quarter. Belichick didn't address specifics, but was
hardly optimistic.
''The news on Dane doesn't look very good. He
might be out for a while,'' Belichick said during a conference call
Friday. ''It's unfortunate. He's worked hard. He's had a really good
offseason and training camp. We've had good competition at that
position.''
The Patriots have depth at linebacker with Spikes,
Ninkovich, Hightower, Scott, Carpenter and Jerod Mayo. Some of them
will get the playing time Fletcher would have had.
''We'll just
have to see how that goes,'' Belichick said. ''Those players have
played multiple positions through training camp and even (Thursday)
night.''
The Patriots pass defense - from a poor rush to
inconsistent coverage - was a particular problem last season, ranking
next to last in the NFL. That didn't keep them from reaching the Super
Bowl, but they lost 21-17 to the New York Giants on a last-minute
touchdown set up by Mario Manningham's excellent 38-yard reception on
the left sideline on a pass from Eli Manning.
Andre Carter and
Mark Anderson, who led the Patriots with 10 sacks each, are gone. But
the secondary, battered by injuries last season, appears stronger and
healthier. And then, there are the youngsters, who are a major part of
Belichick's plan.
''It's definitely important for us to be able
to get out there and show what we can do,'' Wilson, who had three
tackles against the Saints, said of the rookies. ''But we've got to
keep going from here.''
The next stretch will be critical for
development since the Patriots don't play again until Aug. 20 when the
Philadelphia Eagles visit Gillette Stadium. Players will have plenty of
practice time to get better after taking Friday and Saturday off.
''The
big thing for us this week,'' Belichick said, ''is we just have to take
advantage of really the only chance we have in the whole preseason now
to actually string some practice days together so we get the most out
of them and try to improve our team.
''Because when we play again, we play three games right in a row.''
After
facing the Eagles, the Patriots go on the road for their final two
preseason games, at Tampa Bay Aug. 24 and at the Giants Aug. 29.
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