PFF’s Worst New England Patriots Performances vs. Philadelphia

The New England Patriots fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 14-13 in their second preseason game of the season. The loss drops New England’s record to 1-1, with one more game to be played before the games count for real. There were several impressive individual performances for the Patriots against the Eagles. However, not everyone made the honor roll.

Several New England players struggled against the Eagles. Unfortunately, many of them are on the cusp of making the roster. More poor performances could mean the end of their time with the team. While some veterans are assured roster spots despite last night’s outcomes, not everyone is in such a fortunate position. Here we take a look at the Patriots players who received the lowest grades last night from Pro Football Focus.

PFF Grading System

Before getting into the best Patriots performances from Thursday night, a review of what the grades represent. There are five possible tiers a grade places a player in:

90-100 = Elite
85-89 = Pro Bowler
70-84 = Starter
60-69 = Backup
0-59 = Replaceable

Also Read – Eight Takeaways From the Patriots 14-13 Loss to the Eagles

Worst of Preseason Week 2

CB – Marcellas Dial Jr. (28.5). Last week Dial received the New England Patriots highest special teams grade. This week he got the lowest grade among defensive players. Dial was targeted 10 times in coverage and allowed eight receptions. He added a missed tackle as well. Tough night for the rookie.

ST – Joshuah Bledsoe (30.0). Bledsoe played well at safety for New England, but this is for his special teams performance. It is a bit misleading. He played only five special teams snaps and had no penalties or missed tackles. Just as Joshua Uche’s outstanding special teams grade is a bit of a mystery, so is Bledsoe’s poor one.

DT – Daniel Ekuale (33.6). Ekuale excels as a run-stuffer, but 11 of the 14 snaps he played were on passing plays. Unable to generate a pass-rush, his grade suffered, though it is slightly misleading.

TE – La’Michael Pettway (35.4). The reserve tight end played only nine plays. He was credited with a drop on his only target.

DL – Trysten Hill (36.0). Hill gets hurt by a small sample size. He played nine snaps and missed his only tackle attempt. However, he did draw a holding penalty that seems to have gone uncredited.

OL – Nick Leverett (38.9). Leverett played exclusively at guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has been only used at center in the two preseason games. The team is trying to find a solid backup for David Andrews. After playing well a week ago he struggled on Thursday night, scoring poorly in both pass protection and run blocking.

QB – Joe Milton III (39.6). A star in the opener, Milton came back to earth in Week 2. He completed 2-of-7 attempts for 20 yards. He rushed for nine yards on three carries and fumbles. The offensive line did him no favors.

Dishonorable Mention:

QB Jacoby Brissett, TE Jaheim Bell, OL Atonio Mafi, CB Christian Gonzalez, ST William Bradley-King

These 12 New England Patriots had a strong debut in Week 1 of the preseason schedule. They need to continue playing at a high level moving forward to earn a starting spot, stick on the 53-man roster, or showcase themselves for a practice squad spot.