GILMORE AIM: LEARN ROPES, PULL WEIGHT
FOXBORO — Cornerback Stephon Gilmore is still waiting for that signature, breakout performance.
This would be a good day for it.
The Patriots gave Gilmore a five-year, $65 million contract in the offseason, essentially to upgrade from outgoing free agent Logan Ryan, and Gilmore had an outstanding training camp and preseason but has had mixed results through two regular-season games.
Gilmore was asked to assess his performance to this point with the Texans on tap today at Gillette Stadium.
“Learning, just learning to play with my teammates, trying to get better and better,” said Gilmore, who is questionable for the game with a groin injury. “It’s a new team, so I’m just trying to go out there and make plays.”
Gilmore has allowed four catches on seven targets for 158 yards and a touchdown, and he also has a pass breakup. There was a rash of miscommunication during Tyreek Hill’s 75-yard touchdown in Week 1, but Gilmore was most responsible for his coverage. It was the only catch he surrendered that night.
In Week 2 against the Saints, Gilmore got pancaked at the line of scrimmage, which allowed Brandon Coleman to break free for a 42-yard gain. And Gilmore was in coverage when Drew Brees threw a perfect pass to Michael Thomas for 33 yards.
“Just got to try to fight to get it out,” Gilmore said of the latter play, which was basically indefensible. “It’s a great throw. It’s one of those things that you’ve just got to live with.”
Gilmore was signed with a game like today in mind, as Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best in the league. They’ve squared off twice in the NFL, but their duels stretch back to the SEC when Gilmore played for South Carolina and Hopkins was at Clemson.
“We’ve been competing for a while,” Gilmore said. “He’s gotten better and better since college. He’s gotten better since he’s gotten to the league, so I’m not surprised (at Hopkins’ success).
“(It will be a) physical battle. Big guy, likes to make plays downfield, got great hands. It’s going to be fun.”
Ryan, who received a three-year, $30 million contract from the Titans, was especially strong against Hopkins over the past couple seasons. Really, it became one of Ryan’s favorite matchups during his four-year tenure with the Patriots.
The Pats haven’t yet used Gilmore in an exclusive matchup situation, and there’s no guarantee it happens today because Texans rookie quarterback
Deshaun Watson isn’t a tremendously daunting threat. But if given the chance to shadow an elite receiver, now or in the future, Gilmore is all about the idea.
“I love that type of stuff,” Gilmore said. “Whatever coach puts me in position to do, I’m happy to do it. Whatever I can, stop a guy, tackle a guy, whatever I can do.”
Fleming on call
If right tackle Marcus Cannon is unavailable today, the Patriots will turn to Cameron Fleming to start in his place. Cannon is questionable due to a concussion and an ankle injury.
Fleming did well in 2016 with a pair of early-season starts, but he got mauled by the Texans last month during joint practices in West Virginia. It was a slightly different scenario, as Fleming was practicing at left tackle in place of Nate Solder, but the results were ominous that week.
“The Texans have a really good line,” Fleming said. “Obviously, they have a lot of good guys up front. They’ll be a challenge for us. I’m just practicing hard and trying to do what the coaches tell me to do. Be where they put me, and be ready if my number is called.”
Fleming is in a contract year, so this could be an important day for him as far as his bank account is concerned. He has been the Patriots’ top swing tackle when healthy despite competition from veteran LaAdrian Waddle.
“Nobody works harder than Cam,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He works extremely hard. He’s very smart. And when you tell Cam, ‘This is what you need to work on,’ then you’re going to see him spending considerable time every day, a half-hour or an hour every day working on those things. He’s a great guy to coach. Really takes his job (seriously). He’s very pro- fessional and well-prepared, smart. Whatever you ask him to do he really works hard to try to do it just the way you wanted it. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Keep the book, Tom
Tom Brady has a history of being generous to his team- mates, whether he’s giving out some of his endorsed products or something off a Christmas list. But if given the choice between the quarterback’s new cookbook or another round of Uggs boots and slippers, safety Devin McCourty knows what he’d prefer.
“Uggs, no offense,” McCourty said. “Uggs just seem a little more comfy, and they do very well if you need to wrap them up and pass them on as a gift.”