How Patriots’ Defense ‘Tested’ Packers In First Joint Practice

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots offer the veteran savvy and defensive versatility to make opposing offenses consistently question what’s coming next.

The Packers learned that Wednesday while hosting the Patriots for the first of two joint practices in Green Bay.

“Definitely on the blitz pick up side, they show it one way then they bring it another way, disguising,” Packers running back Aaron Jones told reporters following the session, per the team. “Or just guys that you don’t think are going to come at all, they might be flat-footed or eight, seven yards back and they’re coming.

“And they have some pretty good blitz packages so definitely think it tested us on picking up blitzes,” Jones continued. “… So, I think it was a really good test, I think we handed it pretty well.”

First-year starting quarterback Jordan Love added, per the team: “They threw a lot of stuff at us. … I think they mix up a lot of looks. They do a good job at that. They threw a couple all-outs (blitzes) at us, which is something we need a lot of work at, continue to grow at that.”

MassLive’s Mark Daniels shared Matthew Judon and Deatrich Wise, specifically, gave the Packers offensive line plenty of trouble and recorded multiple sacks each.

Belichick has been known to give younger quarterbacks headaches with his defensive schemes, which at times are difficult for even the most veteran signal-callers to decipher. New England’s positional versatility on that side of the ball this season is expected to lead to similar results as years past.

The Patriots will have their second joint practice against the Packers on Thursday in lead up to Saturday’s preseason game at Lambeau Field.