Final, Redskins 23-6: I shouldn’t have to tell Patriots fans not to panic after a decisive victory for the Redskins. The Patriots benched their best players, including Tom Brady, and let Ryan Mallett and Jimmy Garoppolo lead the way.
Jimmy G was much better than Mallett, who might have felt the pressure of auditioning for NFL teams, either in a trade or as a free agent next offseason.
Garoppolo was very impressive however, playing much better than he has in any practice throughout the offseason. Cornerback Malcolm Butler and wide receiver Brian Tyms also shined for the Patriots.
The Patriots’ next preseason game comes against the Eagles next Friday. Brady likely will suit up and start in that one.
Fourth quarter, 1:23, Redskins 23-6: This Jimmy Garoppolo fella is pretty darn good.
Garoppolo continues to shine, connecting with wide receiver Brian Tyms on a deep touchdown down the left sideline. Garoppolo is 8-for-12 for 141 yards with a touchdown now on the night.
Fourth quarter, 2:23, Redskins 23-0: The Patriots have one more shot to score here late in the fourth quarter. Patriots linebackers Deontae Skinner and Darius Fleming ended the Redskins’ drive with a tackle for loss on fourth down.
Fourth quarter, 6:42, Redskins 23-0: Well, Bill Belichick will have plenty of teaching points for his team in the next week before the Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles in next week’s preseason game.
Jimmy Garoppolo had a nice nine-yard scramble, but the Patriots couldn’t pick up the extra yard for the first down. Jimmy G just missed running back Roy Finch on a wheel route on third down.
Fourth quarter, 8:18, Redskins 23-0: The Redskins’ lead increases after another Kai Forbath field goal. The Patriots’ front seven was getting annihilated by Washington running back Lache Seastrunk.
Patriots pass rusher Michael Buchanan ended the drive with a sack, looping around the Redskins’ offensive line.
Fourth quarter, 14:30, Redskins 20-0: Jimmy G completed a beautiful deep ball to wide receiver Brian Tyms for a 53-yard gain. Garoppolo has been more impressive than Mallett so far, though we’re only looking at a small sample. Garoppolo has been much better in his first game than he has been all training camp.
The Patriots lost the ball on a Stephen Houston carry. It was the rookie running back’s first action of the game.
End third quarter, Redskins 20-0: The Patriots exit the third quarter still down 20-0. It doesn’t look like the Patriots are winning this one, unless Jimmy G has some fourth quarter magic.
Third quarter, 1:20, Redskins 20-0: The Patriots allowed a 40-yard reception, then did a nice job of stopping the Redskins’ offense.
Safety Travis Hawkins took a bad angle on the deep completion. Cornerback Logan Ryan had a nice pass breakup on third down, forcing the Redskins to punt.
Rookie running back Roy Finch bobbled the punt return, but recovered the football. The officials ruled that Finch had called a fair catch. Julian Edelman worked with Finch on the sideline on how to catch those punts.
Third quarter, 5:00, Redskins 20-0: The Patriots (and officials) robbed Jimmy Garoppolo of his first preseason touchdown on a blown call in the end zone. The rookie QB threw a beautiful deep pass to wide receiver Brian Tyms, who bobbled the ball going to the ground and wound up with the football in the back of the end zone. The ball never hit the ground, but the officials ruled it incomplete with pass interference.
The Patriots wound up scoreless on that drive, but Garoppolo made some nice throws and maneuvered the pocket well. He looked better than Ryan Mallet on his first drive.
Third quarter, 8:46, Redskins 20-0: The Redskins continue to pick on linebacker Steve Beauharnais, who allowed a touchdown to tight end Ted Bolser from quarterback Colt McCoy.
The Patriots let McCoy and the Redskins steamroll down the field. Butler finally allowed a reception, but he had his receiver, Ryan Grant, covered well. It was just a better play by the offense.
Safety Nate Ebner and linebacker Chris White came into the game on that drive. Defensive tackle Chris Jones officially is questionable with an ankle injury, though it looked like his knee got rolled up on.
Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is coming into the game to make his preseason debut.
End half, Redskins 13-0: The Patriots are lucky to get out of the half down 13-0 to the Redskins.
Granted, the Patriots didn’t start any of their best players, but it was an ugly half filled with penalties and incompletions. Mallett finished the first half 5-for-12 for 55 yards.
The Patriots’ defense, led by Butler, Fleming and Wilson, made some nice plays, but they still let the Redskins drive down the field for three scores.
Rookie QB Jimmy Garoppolo will get a shot in the second half.
Second quarter, :36, Redskins 13-0: The Patriots held the Redskins to a field goal, but they might have have got out of the drive without a serious injury.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones limped off the field after his teammate, defensive tackle Marcus Forston, rolled into his left knee. Jones headed into the locker room.
Cornerback Malcolm Butler has continued to shine. He made two nice plays in coverage on this drive.
Second quarter, 2:00, Redskins 10-0: We’ve reached the two-minute warning quickly in the Patriots’ first preseason game. There haven’t been a lot of standout moments for the Patriots, but linebacker Darius Fleming has been a shining star so far. Other than his penalty, Butler has played well at cornerback, as well.
Second quarter, 3:31, Redskins 10-0: The Patriots’ offense still is having trouble moving the football. Its most impressive play was a 13-yard catch and run by fullback James Develin.
Running back Jonas Gray came into the game as the bell cow back. Roy Finch came in on third down and didn’t see a Mallett pass coming at him on a wheel route. If Finch had turned for the ball, it could have been a first down.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski hit the uprights on a 54-yard field goal attempt. The Patriots are still down 10-0.
Second quarter, 6:17, Redskins 10-0: The Redskins drove down the field, but kicker Kai Forbath couldn’t drill a 46-yard field goal.
Linebacker Darius Fleming and safety Patrick Chung made some impressive plays in the run game on that drive. Beauharnais has struggled in coverage early.
The penalties continued for the Patriots when cornerback Malcolm Butler was flagged for a personal foul when he tackled wide receiver Ryan Grant out of bounds.
Will Smith was inserted into the “regular” defense as a 5-technique defensive tackle in the Patriots’ 3-4. He played outside linebacker in the Saints’ 3-4 last season and tore his ACL.
Second quarter, 12:48, Redskins 10-0: The Patriots couldn’t get on a roll as the second quarter began, and Ryan Allen had to come in to punt. Mallett is now 3-for-5 for 31 yards. He’s made some really nice throws, and he’s thrown two incomplete passes to LaFell.
Mallett hasn’t targeted either rookie tight end so far.
End first quarter, Redskins 10-0: The Patriots’ offense is finally starting to get hot. Ryan Mallett showed off his live arm on consecutive impressive passes to Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce.
The Patriots showed a new wrinkle, with two running backs on the field for third down — rookie James White and traditional third-down back Shane Vereen.
On first down, Mallett’s pocket starting collapsing, and he scrambled up the middle. His knee appeared to be bothering him after an awkward slide on his left knee brace.
First quarter, 2:06, Redskins 10-0: The Patriots’ backup defenders might be getting chewed out by Bill Belichick right now.
Cornerback Brandon Browner got called for illegal contact and defensive end Michael Buchanan was penalized for a personal foul. The Redskins scored on a Kirk Cousins — in for RGIII — pass to Aldrick Robinson, who beat slot cornerback Logan Ryan off the line.
Rookie defensive end Zach Moore had some nice rushes off the edge. Rookie linebackers Steve Beauharnais and Michael Buchanan looked lost at times.
Duron Harmon got some play at free safety, so he was not “benched” because he’s a starter. He’s competing for the starting strong safety role with Patrick Chung and Tavon Wilson.
Roy Finch just showed off some good moves on a kick return, then he coughed up the football. Fortunately for the rookie running back, the Redskins were offsides. Finch’s next return attempt wasn’t as impressive, but he also held onto the ball.
First quarter, 6:30, Redskins 3-0: Another quick three-and-out drive for the Patriots. Mallett threw a low, incomplete pass intended for LaFell, then the fourth-year QB got sacked by Brian Orakpo. Nate Solder, not off to a hot start, allowed the sack. The drive ended on a short Shane Vereen run.
Rookie tight ends Justin Jones and Asa Watson both have got looks so far in the Patriots’ offense. LaFell and Kenbrell Thompkins got the start at wide receiver.
Special teamer Kanorris Davis made a special teams tackle without a helmet after getting driven to the ground on the sidelines.
First quarter, 7:58, Redskins 3-0: The Patriots didn’t run out their full starting defense against the Redskins. Only Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly and Brandon Browner took the field out of their regular starting 11. Chris Jones started at defensive end in a 3-4, Malcolm Butler at cornerback, Patrick Chung and Tavon Wilson at safety and Steve Beauharnais, Darius Fleming, James Anderson and Michael Buchanan at linebacker. Cornerback Logan Ryan and defensive end Zach Moore took the field in nickel.
The Redskins had no trouble moving the football until they got into the red zone, when Butler made a couple of impressive plays at cornerback, including a pass breakup in the end zone on a Robert Griffin III pass intended for wide receiver Aldrick Robinson.
First quarter, 12:48: The Patriots’ offense, with Mallett under center, didn’t get off to a hot start. They went three-and-out thanks to a holding penalty from Nate Solder. Mankins, Ryan Wendell, Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman joined Brady on the bench to start the game.
Wide receiver Brandon LaFell would have caught a first-down pass from Mallett if Solder wasn’t called for holding. He also caught a screen pass.
Josh Kline started at right guard, Jordan Devey at left guard and Dan Connolly at center. Marcus Cannon and Sebastian Vollmer swapped snaps at right tackle.
First quarter, 15:00: The Patriots won the kickoff and elected to receive. The Patriots’ captains were Devin McCourty, Logan Mankins, Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork.
Running backs James White and Roy Finch were back deep to return the kickoff, which went out of the end zone for a touchback.
Ryan Mallett is on the field, starting at QB.
First quarter, 15:00: We’re minutes away from kickoff now. Tom Brady is in uniform, but he will not play for the Patriots.
7:08 p.m.: Out of the Patriots players who traveled to joint practices with the Redskins, cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, wide receiver Matthew Slater, tight end D.J. Williams, defensive end Jake Bequette and defensive tackle Sealver Siliga haven’t been spotted in uniform by the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe. Wide receivers Aaron Dobson and Jeremy Gallon, cornerback Jemea Thomas, running backs Tyler Gaffney and Brandon Bolden, linebackers Cameron Gordon and Ja’Gared Davis, tight ends Michael Hoomanawanui and Rob Gronkowski, center Bryan Stork, offensive tackle Chris Martin and defensive tackle Dominique Easley also won’t play tonight.
Dennard’s absence should clear the way for more reps for first-year pros Daxton Swanson, Malcolm Butler and Travis Hawkins. Williams’ absence was expected and leaves just Asa Watson and Justin Jones as the team’s lone healthy tight ends. Defensive ends Michael Buchanan and Zach Moore will get plenty of reps with Bequette out.
7:03 p.m.: Hey, look who’s wearing a Patriots uniform:
[tweet https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/497517814014820353 align=center]
6:54 p.m.: Patriots head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that quarterback Tom Brady will not play tonight against the Redskins during an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub. He also said Rob Gronkowski likely will return to practice next week after sitting out of joint practices with the Redskins. The Patriots will hold joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles starting on Tuesday.
6:05 p.m.: Wide receiver DeSean Jackson is officially out for Redskins against the Patriots, NFL Media’s Albert Breer reported Thursday evening. Breer reports that Jackson is fine, and that he’s being held out of the game as a precautionary measure.
5:30 p.m.: Ryan Mallett might as well be holding an open audition for NFL scouts and general managers Thursday night in the New England Patriots’ preseason opener against the Washington Redskins.
The Patriots backup quarterback will get the start against the Redskins, and scouts are on hand from the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, as well as three CFL teams, the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe reported. It’s normal for scouts to attend NFL preseason games, but Mallett certainly will be on full display.
Mallett is a free agent after the 2014 season, and while it’s still possible that the fourth-year pro could be traded before September, rookie QB Jimmy Garoppolo would have to show major improvement over the summer for the Patriots to feel comfortable unloading their No. 2 signal-caller.
Mallett isn’t the only Patriots player worth paying attention to in Thursday night’s game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Wide receiver Brandon LaFell, tight end Justin Jones and safety Duron Harmon have a lot riding on the Patriots’ first preseason game of 2014. It will be interesting to see who starts along the Patriots’ offensive line and whether defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly are ready for in-game action coming off injuries from last season.
Stay here for updates leading up to kickoff and analysis throughout the game.
Photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
