The New England Patriots were without QB Tom Brady in Thursday night's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars but it didn't seem to matter. Backup QBs Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett did just fine in a total rout of the Jaguars, 47-12.
Jaguars Vs. Patriots: Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett Look Great
The Patriots didn't stop there. RB Stevan Ridley scored three times and WR Taylor Price had over 100 yards receiving. All around, they looked as expected -- very, very good.
SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit has an initial reaction to the game and runs down all the positives the Pats saw on Thursday night. The quarterbacks’ play was the biggest story coming out of this game.
Brian Hoyer led the team to four straight scoring drives to close out the first half. He completed 15 for 21 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown. Hoyer was accurate on his throws, and looked very poised in the pocket. Ryan Mallett completed 12 of his 19 throws for 164 yards and a touchdown. He showed a lot of zip on his throws, finding a groove and looking really comfortable for his first professional game.
As Pats Pulpit points out, all four of Mallet’s drives (excluding the knee down) lead to touchdowns. He had the potential to be a major steal in the draft and the Patriots needed him to perform well in preseason. One game down, and he’s looking pretty good.
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