The Dallas Cowboys just handed our Seattle Seahawks a 17-7 loss, a brutal gut punch right out of the gate to kick off the season. While we’re all still reeling from that one, out in Foxborough, the New England Patriots were easing into their own grind, putting their newest talents through the preseason paces against the Indianapolis Colts. With the big names like Drake Maye watching from the sidelines, it was all about the young guys proving their worth.
Lomu’s Line: Raw Talent Meets Rookie Walls
First up, their top pick, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. The dude logged all 39 of his snaps at right tackle, and you know they kept it pretty vanilla for him. Lots of quick games, plenty of chip help, basically, give the kid a soft landing. And hey, he looked mostly comfortable in those situations! Get this, he didn’t allow a single pressure in the passing game. That’s a huge win for a rookie in his first outing. You saw his athleticism on a fourth-down conversion, too. But let’s keep it real: he definitely struggled at times moving defenders in the run game. It’s a preseason debut, so you expect some growing pains, but that’s a spot he’s gotta clean up if he wants to be the real deal.
Jacas and Raridon: Flashes of Fire, Pockets of Pushback
Then you’ve got outside linebacker Gabe Jacas. His night was a classic mix of ‘wow’ and ‘whoops.’ He showed off that raw power in the run game, even pushing a defender right into Anthony Richardson’s lap for an early interception. You love to see that kind of disruptive force! But he was also a bit too aggressive sometimes, and that cost them on some big plays in the option and screen game. Coach Vrabel actually called him out on special teams, saying, “Keep coaching and keep working with Gabe, knowing that some of those things that’ll translate from special teams have to translate to defense, and we try to explain to him that whatever it was in the joint practice, it’s going to be faster in the game. Things happen quicker.” That’s a direct challenge, and you know Jacas has to answer it.
And let’s not forget tight end Eli Raridon. The box score? A measly one catch on four targets for eight yards. Oof. But he actually had a sweet 24-yard gain off a catch in the flat, which got totally wiped out because Lomu was illegally downfield. Classic rookie mistake costing another rookie! Later, Raridon laid a great block working to the second level on New England’s longest run of the night. As a blocker overall, he got in the way, but Vrabel noted his “willingness” to block, which he was “pleasantly surprised with.” Sounds like a foundation to build on, but he needs to generate more push.
So, the Patriots’ young guns definitely gave us a mixed bag of early returns, and they’re about to crank up the intensity with joint practices against the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ve got to sort out these rookie jitters fast if they want to get things humming. For us, here in the Emerald City, after that crushing 17-7 defeat to Dallas, the focus is immediately on what’s next for our Hawks. Every single game counts from day one, and you know our 12s are ready to see a monster bounce back. That sting from the opener is real, and we’re demanding a response!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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