NFL joint practices aren’t televised, but they routinely draw more attention and coverage than a typical preseason game. Based on the reporting this week, Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, and the New England Patriots got the best of the visiting Philadelphia Eagles during Wednesday’s competitive workout outside Gillette Stadium.
Thursday’s Day 2 was a different story.
The Patriots and Eagles went head-to-head in some 11-on-11 red zone periods, and Philly’s stout defense proved to be a handful in that area. According to Patriots reporter Evan Lazar, Maye faced plenty of pressure in the pocket and was picked off by cornerback Riq Woolen on a pass intended for A.J. Brown near the front pylon. Woolen may have taken that interception back for six had it been a real game.
Philly’s defense has stepped it up to start practice today. Drake Maye feeling some pressure in the middle of the pocket, especially from Jordan Davis.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 20, 2026
Eagles CB Riq Woolen just pick-sixed Maye targeting AJ Brown on a quick out to the front pylon. Looked like a fourth down play.
Maye was quick to address the team’s red-zone woes in his post-practice session with reporters.
“It was tough down there in the red zone,” Maye said. “A lot of bodies in a short amount of space. I feel like we could’ve done more in the red zone. And I think that’s something for us to learn. That’s one of our focuses this year, so we’ve got some work to do.”
The Patriots’ offense still has a clear point of emphasis this preseason
The Eagles were an excellent test for the Patriots’ new-look offense this week. New England ranked 20th in the NFL in red zone scoring percentage during the 2025 regular season. The Eagles were 11th in red zone scoring defense in what was a down year by their standards; in 2024, they ranked sixth.
What’s a bit concerning, now less than a month away from the regular season opener at Seattle, is Maye still flagging the red zone as a point of emphasis.
The Patriots should be better in that area with improved wide receiver play, led by Brown and fellow new addition Romeo Doubs. But it’s not a huge surprise that their struggles around the goal line have bled into training camp.
The interior offensive line remains a major question mark entering 2026, along with the team’s depth at tight end. The Patriots also left their offensive backfield largely unchanged, aside from adding fullback Reggie Gilliam in free agency. Gilliam, however, has had a quiet training camp.
As head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters on Wednesday, it’s hard to gauge the running game during joint practices, when tackles aren’t finished to the ground. Their major upgrades at wide receiver aside, if the Patriots continue to struggle to protect Maye and run the football down in the red zone, their offense could struggle to make the major leap that fans are expecting.
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