Digging Deeper: New England Patriots Preseason Game Two Analysis of the Offense

Aug 13, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback

(10) throws a pass during the second half against the Green Bay Packers in a preseason NFL football game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

With two preseason games in the books for the New England Patriots and a 26-24 win in their match-up Saturday night in New Orleans, question marks still abound for the defending Super Bowl champions. Beyond the ridiculous four-game suspension for quarterback Tom Brady for the “deflategate” scandal that leaves the team guessing who will be behind center on Thursday night on September 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, there are still significant question marks on both sides of the ball.

Heading into training camp, there were few depth questions as the Patriots seemed deep on both sides of the ball. However, injuries have continued to chip away at that depth. With backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo having a strong performance Saturday night, there are bigger questions at running back, tight end, wide receiver and the offensive line to monitor. On defense, the Patriots still have questions on the defensive line, linebacker and even in the secondary to figure out in the next few weeks.

Game two of the preseason did little to resolve the position battles raging on both sides of the ball. However, analysis reveals some clues. Starting off with the offense, here is a look into the performance and status of the running backs, the tight ends, offensive line, and wide receivers with the defense to follow soon.

Next: Reviewing the Running Backs