Final thoughts and some context
With the joint practices wrapping up, I thought that it would be a good idea to put a bow on this but it looks like Mike Reiss has done that more succinctly than I would have:
Of all Patriots joint practices in last decade or so, the last two days with the Titans were among the best I’ve seen. Would imagine coaches Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel are pleased. Today was red-zone/two-minute heavy. If reducing preseason games is goal, this would be model.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 15, 2019
The practice was competitive between two good teams that focused a lot on key scenarios that could make a big difference when the regular season comes around.
Both HCs put an emphasis on trying to get better at things that actually matter and they did it all while remaining as healthy as you could hope.
You had rookies learning lessons from veterans, rising stars having their moments against established talent and you had time for your best players to make big plays. That is what these practices and the preseason should be all about and the two teams did it well.
One last note, remember that the biggest note from last year’s training camp joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was that Mike Evans was impossible to guard and that the defensive backs could be an issue.
Later we saw the Tennessee Titans turn into a top-10 unit or a top-5 unit depending on what you value the most (turnovers and yards allowed or points and sacks/TFLs).
So while some things may be concerning, remember that there is still three weeks before the Titans get ready to start the season and any problems can still be fixed.