Patriots training camp: Defense dominates on Day 10

FOXBORO – The Patriots won’t have any preseason games this summer, due to Covid-19, but on Thursday, the team held a practice that was ultra competitive and felt like a scrimmage. The elements were also there as it was raining, the music was blaring and the team even had officials on the field for the play.

Overall, Day 10 of training camp was a reminder that the Patriots defense still reigns in Foxboro. As the practice wore on, the hooting and hollering from the [...]

FOXBORO – The Patriots won’t have any preseason games this summer, due to Covid-19, but on Thursday, the team held a practice that was ultra competitive and felt like a scrimmage. The elements were also there as it was raining, the music was blaring and the team even had officials on the field for the play.

Overall, Day 10 of training camp was a reminder that the Patriots defense still reigns in Foxboro. As the practice wore on, the hooting and hollering from the defensive sideline became louder. With each quarterback incompletion, the more trash talk we heard.

Cam Newton led off for the Patriots and had one of his most successful runs on the first series. On the first play, Damien Harris ran for an 80-yard touchdown. Newton then went 3/5 with a touchdown pass to James White in that drive. However, Newton was also intercepted by Terrence Brooks on a play where he would’ve been sacked by Deatrich Wise and Ja’Whaun Bentley. Newton’s pass to White was a nice way to recover.

It only got harder for Newton after that. The veteran finished 11/23 with an interception and that one touchdown. He thought he hit N’Keal Harry for a touchdown on the second drive, but the officials waived off the score as Harry didn’t get both feet down in the back of the end zone. Newton had a rough ending to practice going 2/8 over the final two series. He had passes knocked down by Wise and Brooks. Both Wise and Brooks have stuck out during camp.

White led Newton’s group with four receptions and Edelman had two.

Jarrett Stidham got on the field after Newton’s first series. It was a tough start for the second-year quarterback going 0/4 with passes broken up by Justin Bethel, D’Angelo Ross and JoeJuan Williams, which happened in the end zone. Ross outmuscled Harry for a jump ball in the end zone, which was a nice play for the 5-foot-9 undrafted cornerback, but a big thumbs down for the 6-foot-4 first-round pick.

Stidham finished the session better going 3/3 in his final series, but finished the day completing 4/11 passes. Rex Burkhead led Stidham’s group with three receptions.

Brian Hoyer had a rocky start completing one of his first five passes. He rebounded in his first series with a touchdown pass to Gunner Olszewski. That second score was the last the defense allowed on Thursday. Hoyer finished 5/11 on the day and J.J. Taylor led his group with two receptions.

Undrafted quarterback Brian Lewerke finished the day going 2/4 with passes to Taylor and Isaiah Zuber. We also saw a pass breakup from Scoota Harris in the final series.

Overall, it was a nice day for the Patriots defense, but not a great showing for all the quarterbacks on the team.

The Patriots also ramped up the kicking competition during this scrimmage. Justin Rohrwasser and Nick Folk attempted five kicks each during the session. Folk led the way and looks ahead in this competition as he went 5/5 connecting from 43, 45, 50, 53 and 53 yards. (All distances are estimated.) Rohrwasser went 3/5 with hits from 43, 53 and 55 yards. He missed at 45, clanking the ball off the field goal post. Then he missed from 50 and was wide left.

Prior to the scrimmage, the Pats held 7-on-7 drills. Newton went 2/5, Stidham was 2/2 and Hoyer was 1/2.

During the 1-on-1 portion of practice, J.C. Jackson intercepted Stidham while covering Edelman. Jackson beat Edelman in the rep before as well. Stephon Gilmore had to pass breakups while covering Edelman and Mohamed Sanu. Olszewski went 3-0 while Damiere Bryd went 2-0.

Joe Thuney suffered an apparent injury. He was down after one play and holding an area that suggested it was either his left arm, hand or wrist. He didn’t leave the field, but didn’t participate after that happened.

Devin McCourty, Lamar Miller, Cassh Maluia, Will Hastings, Josh Uche and Beau Allen were absent on Thursday. Maluia and Uche were new to this list.

Up next, the Patriots will practice on Friday inside Gillette Stadium for the first time this summer.

mdaniels@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @MarkDanielsPJ