Wednesday’s joint session between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles was probably as close to a game atmosphere as you can get in practice. Thousands of spectators were in the stands and watched an entertaining two-hour event, one that featured many positive moments for the Patriots. To recap, head over to our Patriots training camp notebook. In the meantime, here’s who caught our attention, for better or worse. QB Drake Maye: The NFL MVP runner-up looked great Wednesday and was the best player on the field for both teams. It wasn’t just going 4-for-6 at 7-on-7 and 16-for-19 at 11-on-11, but also the way he distributed the ball, maneuvered around the pocket and made shots downfield, especially to his top four targets, AJ Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. Maye was in charge all day and gave the Eagles defense all it could handle, and more. Other notable performances WR AJ Brown: Probably the biggest story of the week is Brown’s reunion with the team that traded him to New England earlier this offseason. On Wednesday, the veteran receiver was quite busy and was the top pass catcher on both sides. He finished with seven receptions during the team, including four in 11-on-11. His connections with Drake Maye included a pair of receptions in the field, as well as two slants. The running game: Even though the Eagles’ defensive line was one of the best units in the league, the Patriots’ offensive line held its own, particularly in the running game. With the left side of Will Campbell and Alijah Vera-Tucker leading the way, New England opened up some holes for a very good Rhamondre Stevenson. The run defense, on the other hand, was not at the same level. Establishing the lead in particular remains a concern, while Saquon Barkley found some serious holes on multiple occasions. DT Milton Williams: AJ Brown wasn’t the only ex-Eagle to face his former team on Wednesday. Williams did too and, like Brown, had a very good day. He set the tone from his position in the heart of the defensive line and constantly showed his disruption, even at one point when he put Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson on skates. His ability to create chaos also kept New England’s run defense from having an even worse day. S Craig Woodson: The Patriots secondary had an appetite for a big game Wednesday, and no player was hungrier than Woodson. The second-year safety intercepted a pair of passes and recorded a sack, and remains on track to make a significant jump in Year 2 as a starter alongside veteran Kevin Byard. Also getting interceptions were cornerbacks Marcus Jones and Kindle Vildor, as well as safety John Saunders Jr, who each had an INT. The rapidly rising Sanders Jr. has had three picks in three days against another team this summer. K Andy Borregales: Missed his first kick of the day, hitting the uprights on a 33-yard attempt. He responded by making his next six to close the session, including three from more than 50 yards — he split the uprights on two 52-yard field goals and one 57-yarder. That kick plus a 52-yard kick came in high-pressure situations that simulated the end of the game. Unlike the first preseason game, Borregales was up to the challenge this time. Other players worth highlighting include Lan Larison, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams. The former looked solid working as a receiver out of the backfield, while the latter two dominated their 1-on-1s: Douglas beat Cooper DeJean in all three reps, while Williams went 0-for-3 against Kelee Ringo. On the other hand, Hassan Haskins lost a fumble while Kayshon Boutte deflected a pass from Tommy DeVito that ended up being intercepted. Will Campbell, meanwhile, had an up-and-down day that included a bad 1-on-1 loss, but also plenty of solid reps. The two teams will return to the practice fields on Thursday for what will be the last open practice of this year’s Patriots training camp. The session is again scheduled to begin at 10:15 a.m. ET.
