FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots turned down the intensity during training camp on Thursday after an exceptionally chippy practice on Wednesday.
The Patriots were in full pads, but contact was limited during the two-hour session. Cornerback Darrelle Revis still managed to stand out, however, notching a pick-six against quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady was targeting wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins from the one-yard line when Revis casually stepped in front, snatched the ball and cruised five yards into the end zone.
Revis has been even better than advertised so far for the Patriots, and it appears the Patriots’ secondary will be a nuisance for opposing teams this season.
Check out the rest of NESN.com’s observations from Thursday’s practice.
— The defense was hyped up after they stopped running back Stevan Ridley on a goal line carry. It appeared that rookie running back James White was able to get the touchdown on the next snap, however.
— White has been impressive catching out of the backfield and as an “every-down” back, especially on the goal line. White is undersized at 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, but he hasn’t had trouble finding holes in the Patriots’ stout front seven to run through.
— Brady was 7-for-13 in 11-on-11s and 4-for-4 in 7-on-7s. Backup quarterback Ryan Mallett was 5-for-9 in 11-on-11s and 3-for-4 in 7-on-7s. Jimmy Garoppolo was 0-for-4 in 7-on-7s, and he threw an interception to Malcolm Butler in 11-on-11s.
— Thompkins, wide receivers Brandon LaFell and Wilson Van Hooser, tight end Justin Jones and running back Stevan Ridley had drops during practice.
— The Patriots helped prepare their defense for the Washington Redskins by running some read-option looks. Chances are we won’t see Brady rushing around the edge very often during games.
— Cornerback Justin Green and safety Devin McCourty had pass breakups during team drills.
— Mallett got jostled to the ground during 11-on-11s. Defensive end Michael Buchanan inadvertently ran into Garoppolo during 11-on-11s, as well.
— The Patriots are seeing better performance in coverage out of their linebackers this summer. Jamie Collins, James Anderson and Steve Beauharnais have made plays in 1-on-1s and team drills.
— Wide receiver Matthew Slater was back on the practice field on Thursday, but safety Kanorris Davis still was working heavily on special teams. Davis rarely plays defense, so if he makes the roster, it will have to be as a core special teamer.
— Justin Jones continues to flash positively and negatively. His size is both a blessing and a burden. At 6-foot-8, 275 pounds, he’s easy to find and he can box out defenders, but he also has trouble staying low in his blocks. He’s proven to be easy to budge by defensive ends. He also needs to work on his hands.
Jones could make the roster, since the Patriots are shallow at tight end, but he hasn’t been as good as tight end Zach Sudfeld was as an undrafted rookie in 2013. Veteran D.J. Williams has a better chance to crack the 53-man roster at this point in training camp.
