5 Things to Watch for In Tonight's Patriots Preseason Game
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
5 Things to Watch for In Tonight's Patriots Preseason Game
The New England Patriots are in preseason action tonight when they host the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Despite it being only the preseason, with the circumstances surrounding the team and specifically the first four games, one could argue this is one of the most interesting and most important preseasons we have seen in awhile.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHow will Jimmy Garoppolo look after having his struggles in camp? Who will step up in the absence of Rob Ninkovich?
Those are just two of the many questions that will at least begin to be answered starting tonight.
Here are 5 Things to Watch for
5 Things to Watch for: Saints vs. Patriots Preseason Game
Cyrus Jones
Jones was the Patriots first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of College Football power Alabama.
In college, he played in 51 career games and totaled 108 tackles, one sack, seven interceptions and four forced fumbles.
While he is third on the Patriots depth chart right now at the right corner back position, he has been fielding punts in camp, something he did at Alabama.
Aaron Dobson
As GoLocal has highlighted throughout training camp, this could be a make or break training camp and preseason for Aaron Dobson.
He should get plenty of looks tonight with no Edelman, Amendola, Gronkowski.
Running Backs
The Patriots have a lot of bodies at the running back position with Dion Lewis, LeGarrette Blount leading the way.
Dion Lewis will not play tonight as he is on PUP which means there will be opportunities for Tyler Gaffney, Joey Iosefa and James Develin, who is coming off an injury himself.
Who fills in for Ninkovich?
Rob Ninkovich is gone for the foreseeable future, likely the month of September, with torn triceps meaning someone will need to fill his spot.
Newcomer Chris Long is the next man up at the defensive end position but after him it will come down to Trey Flowers and Geneo Grissom.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Prior to camp starting, Bill Belichick said that the priority was to get Jimmy Garoppolo ready to start week one, and that is what we are going to get.
Expect Garoppolo to play most of the game tonight after having his struggles in training camp to this point.
While the spotlight will certainly be on him, there is a caveat to all of this, and that is that he regular receiving core of Edelman, Amendola and Gronkowski are not likely to play tonight.
