Seriously, what even was that game in Foxborough? While the starters were chilling, Patriots rookie quarterback Behren Morton, the seventh-round pick, absolutely flipped the script. He came out in the second quarter and punted the ball in place of Bryce Baringer, dropping a 48-yard bomb into the end zone for a touchback. You heard that right: the dude was punting!
The Behren Morton Show Was More Than Just Punts
This wasn’t some random fluke, either. Morton was a kicker and punter back in high school, so maybe it makes a little sense, but it still caught everyone off guard. After a failed minute-long drive at the end of the first half, Morton was back at it with a 43-yard punt. But the night wasn’t over for him! In the second half, the Patriots threw him in at quarterback. He got sacked on an opening drive, then stayed on the field to punt again. Talk about doing it all! By the time the final whistle blew, Morton had completed 13 of 17 passes for 129 yards and even threw a touchdown. And his punting stats? Three punts for 133 yards, averaging a cool 44.3 yards per kick. What a wild night for the kid!
Injury Scares and O-Line Woes Plagued Foxborough
The game kicked off with a genuinely scary moment when Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson went down hard on the opening kickoff. His teammates immediately flagged down the training staff, and the entire sideline rallied around him as he was loaded into an ambulance. Thankfully, Philly quickly updated everyone that he had “strength and movement in all extremities” and was off for further evaluation.
Back to the Patriots, their offensive line depth just keeps taking hits. They already lost Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich in their first preseason game, and then Marcus Bryant went down with an ankle injury early in this one. He was helped off the field and eventually to the locker room, out for the rest of the game. Guard James Hudson struggled, getting flagged for two offensive holding penalties on the opening drive, one accepted. Dametrious Crownover got hit with a false start, and rookie tackle Caleb Lomu and center Jacob Rizy gave up a sack in the second quarter. Lomu played almost the entire game, a marathon for a rookie, only leaving in the final minutes.
It was definitely an eventful preseason matchup. Cornerback Kindle Vildor also got some shine, standing out in practice and continuing to take advantage of his opportunities. This early season, you’re looking for guys to step up and show what they’ve got, especially with injuries piling up. What a bizarre, unexpected performance to emerge from the chaos!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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