The third preseason game is supposed to be a dress rehearsal for the regular season. If Friday night's game is any indication, the New England Patriots still have plenty of work before the season officially kicks off. The Patriots were outworked in every facet of the game and head coach Bill Belichick offered a blunt assessment.
“The Panthers obviously did a good job tonight,” Bill Belichick said Via Pro Football Talk. “Coach Rivera, his staff, their team played well in all three phases of the game and outplayed us across the board for four quarters. We have a lot of work to do, it really wasn’t any part of the game that was very competitive. We just have to go back to work, and see if we can find a way to do a few things better that we did them tonight.
One of the biggest concerns facing the Patriots is the wide receiver position and they really didn't show anything in the third game to ease those concerns. Riley McCarron, who spent last year on the Patriots practice squad, led the way with four receptions for 49 yards. With Julian Edelman suspended the first four games of the regular season, the Patriots need to find guys to step up and fill the void in his absence.
It's still the preseason and the Patriots will probably be fine but Belichick wants all of his guys to play well, no matter if it is a scrimmage or the Super Bowl.
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