JAGUARS LACK TEETH VS. PATRIOTS DEFENSE
Time and time again, the whistles blew and the play was ruled dead.
In Tuesday’s joint practice session, the New England Patriots’ pass rush outmaneuvered the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line. And when quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Chad Henne actually had time to throw, the Patriots defensive backs smothered the Jaguars receivers down the field.
It was a pair of rookies who did the most damage for New England.
Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and linebacker Harvey Langi consistently generated pressure and disrupted the timing of Jacksonville’s offense. Patriots coaches moved Wise all over the line throughout practice.
“I’m just showing the coaches how versatile I am, playing inside and outside, right, left,” Wise said after practice.
“It doesn’t matter who I play with. That’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what I’m able to do — play with anybody, anywhere.”
During 11-on-11 team drills, officials blew seven plays dead when the Patriots rushed Bortles and Henne.
Jacksonville is still sorting out its offensive line after its projected starting left tackle, Branden Albert, surprised many by deciding to retire July 31. On Friday, however, Albert approached the Jaguars about returning to the team, according to a team spokesman. On Monday, the franchise put Albert on the reserve/retired list.
Rookie Cam Robinson, for whom the team traded up to select with the No. 34 overall pick, has taken the majority of firstteam reps at left tackle.
“He has had two good days of work,” Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin said in a news conference. “He’s had some good, some bad. He’s improving as a result of that. This is good stuff. This is great work going against another team.”
Patriots cornerbacks Malcolm Butler, Stephon Gilmore and Justin Coleman made several big plays to break up passes, though the Jaguars quarterbacks didn’t throw an interception Tuesday. Butler looked like he had snared one pass from Bortles, but he appeared to drop the ball on his way to the ground.
On one of the defensive highlights of the day, Bortles was flushed to his right. Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson ran toward the sideline and Bortles fired a pass to Robinson. Gilmore dived at the pass and swatted the ball harmlessly to the ground.
During 11-on-11 drills, Bortles and Henne completed only eight passes.
The Patriots and the Jaguars will have a joint walkthrough Wednesday and will play in their respective preseason openers Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.