New England Patriots links 8/06/21 - When it rains, Mac Jones pours it on

TEAM TALK

• Training Camp: Everything you need to know.
• Paul Perillo’s Day 8 blogservations: Heavy rain made life difficult on the quarterbacks in soggy Foxborough.
• Mike Dussault’s Camp Notebook: Every minute counts for Pats QBs.
• Press Conferences: Bill Belichick - Cam Newton - Mac Jones - Brian Hoyer.
• Training Camp Cast 8/5: Day 8 recap, competition on offense, injury updates. (7.14 min.)
• Patriots Unfiltered 8/5: Takeaways from Day 8, QB and WR competition. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Evan Lazar’s Camp Notebook: Mac Jones is closing the gap at Pats camp. Jones made several big-time throws in extended 11-on-11 work...the play that stood out the most wasn’t a downfield throw but rather a quick slant to Harry. Before the ball was snapped, Jones sniffed out a blitz by linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. He tapped his helmet to “alert” the protection to the blitz, moved his running back over to block Bentley, and threw “hot” and in stride to Harry to beat the pressure. That’s the good stuff.
• Andrew Callahan recaps Day 9 of training camp under steady rain: Mac Jones shines again. Play of the day: James White goes long, lays out. Studs: Trent Brown, J.C. Jackson, Carl Davis; More.
• Tom E. Curran shares his perspective from Thursday’s wet, fully-padded practice: Another busy, productive day for Mac Jones; With Nick Folk down for practice, bazooka-legged rookie kicker Quinn Nordin was front-and-center. And left. And right. The Michigan signee just hasn’t been nearly accurate enough so far to give the Patriots any cause to think twice about running it back with the always-accurate Folk; More.
• Andy Hart’s observations from Day 8: Mac Jones was impressive in his accuracy, decision making and execution of the offense in some pretty poor conditions; In early positional drills the defensive linemen worked on recovering fumbles, or at least batting the ball back inbounds; Punter Jake Bailey did a strange drill early in practice in which he stood near the sideline on 10-yard line and then worked on angled punts across the field toward the opposite upright on the goal posts; More.
• Zack Cox’ Day 8 observations: Mac Jones Shines in rain; QB report; Player of the day: Jones, Carl Davis, who showed out in 1-on-1s against Patriots offensive linemen; Play of the day: The long ball to White was an excellent throw and catch. The block of the day came courtesy of tight end Jonnu Smith, who blasted Josh Uche off the edge during a half-line rushing drill; More.
• Alex Barth’s training camp notebook: Mac Jones’ best day yet; Another so-so day for Cam Newton; Side throwing sessions featuring Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, focuses on block-and-release routes; J.C. Jackson has been all over the field the last few days; More.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Getting ready in the rain: Patriots training camp observations from Day eight. Mac Jones gets more work, the defense disrupts and the o-line shines.
• Karen Guregian explains how the Patriots are putting Mac Jones on a training camp fast track. Jones is getting more reps because “he’s earned them...But more to the point, McDaniels and Bill Belichick keep putting more on his plate to see if he can handle it; from the installation of new plays or, as seen Thursday, inclement conditions during a full-padded practice.”
• Phil Perry’s Patriots QB Report: Mac Jones gains momentum. Here are the numbers for both QBs from Thursday.
• Andy Hart feels the momentum now on Mac Jones’ side in the Patriots QB competition.
• Zack Cox mentions Bill Belichick seeing a ‘healthy’ battle between Cam Newton, Mac Jones. ‘I think competition makes us all better.’
• Murph (E2GSports) Dont’a Hightower: New England Patriots’ number one quarterback.
• Karen Guregian says Cam Newton sees a more confident N’Keal Harry making plays in the Patriots offense. “he’s taking the initiative and he’s more comfortable. I think before the play is even called, he understands the personnel groupings, he understands what Josh is trying to do to him and for him — and with him. And I think that’s important.”
• Clare Cooper (PatsPropaganda) Tight endage excitement and expectation!
• Arnav Sharma (PatriotMaven) N’Keal Harry: Training camp’s biggest winner. The third-year Patriots receiver has turned heads all camp and is finally earning fans’ respect.
• Ryan Hannable relays Mac Jones giving his thoughts on getting yelled at by Josh McDaniels.
• Ryan Hannable highlights Brian Hoyer with his take on QB training camp stats.
• Sean T. McGuire finds Joejuan Williams says he’s willing to do whatever it takes to stick in the secondary in 2021.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) How to study like a NFL player with Kendrick Bourne.
• CBS Boston notes Bill Belichick channels his inner Ivan Drago on the weather: ‘If it rains, it rains.’
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Best of social media: Sights and sounds from days 7 and 8 of training camp.
• Nick Goss relays Max Kellerman explaining why the Patriots are dark horse Super Bowl contenders.
• Ryan Hannable passes along a report that the team hosted five players for workouts.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) The Patriots reveal the final five public training camp dates.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Patriots and 2021-22 NFL key dates.
• CBS Boston points out Troy Brown is looking jacked at camp.
• Andrew Callahan notes Cam Newton, Mac Jones dodge questions about vaccination status, each declaring it a personal matter. /Belichick keeping the good ship “Silent Lips” afloat in 2021.
• Alex Reimer talks about the Forbes report that lists the Patriots’ worth at $5 billion, which is more than ever.
• Patriots Beat podcast: Evan Lazar and Alex Barth break down day eight of Patriots training camp. They talk Mac Jones, Cam Newton, Jonnu Smith, O-Line/D-Line drills & more! (59 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Clare Cooper talk tight ends and fullbacks at training camp, the performances of both Smith and Henry, some camp surprises, and the prowess of Jakob Johnson (49 min.)
• Patriots Talk podcast: Tom E. Curran explains why he thinks the Pats are giving so much work to Mac Jones, and more. (27 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick calls quarterback competition “healthy.”
• Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Cam Newton not concerned about number of practice reps he’s receiving.
• Sam Monson (PFF) NFL offense power rankings: All 32 offenses ranked into 5 distinct tiers. Pats in last tier: The Patriots look to be zigging with their schematic approach as the rest of the NFL zags, and it remains to be seen whether that will lead to increased success.
• Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) 2021 NFL Survivor Squad: Building a 32-man juggernaut with one pick from every team.
• Josh Edwards (CBS Sports) NFL Rookie of the Year award odds: Why quarterbacks are overwhelming favorites and identifying sleepers.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) 2021 NFL training camps: 14 first-stringers who could lose starting jobs. No Pats.
• Gil Brandt (NFL.com) Cornerbacks set for Year 2 breakout in 2021. No Pats.
• Nora Princiotti (The Ringer) What should the NFL offseason look like?
• Doug Farrar (TouchdownWire) Preseason power rankings. Patriots 11th. “...the Patriots are clearly angling to be all the way back after a bit of a waste year in which they missed the postseason for the first time since 2008. Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in…”
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) What we learned from Steelers’ win over Cowboys in Hall of Fame game.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Texans still want too much for Deshaun Watson.
• Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) A grand jury could ultimately hold the key to Deshaun Watson’s legal and football future.
• Madeline Coleman (SI) Texans, Watson at a ‘standstill’ in trade talks as sexual assault lawsuits loom.
• Ben Pickman (SI) Forbes: Average NFL team value increases 14%, Cowboys hold top spot.