FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - The New England Patriots are kicking off their preseason opener Thursday night as they host the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium.
The team has been hammering away on the fundamentals at training camp and are eager to take the field.
“You just need to go play, you need to have fun,” safety Devin McCourty said. “There’s one time a week we get to go play in a game. You know, this isn’t a period where working on this particular thing, you just go play and be free.”
The matchup against the Redskins is New England’s first chance to measure their progress as they get closer to the regular season.
“We don’t know how we look,” McCourty said. “I’m confident that we’re gonna work to get to whatever level we need to get to. Week by week, day by day, so I’m very confident with the work this team put in.”
There is no telling how much action quarterback Tom Brady and the starters will see.
However, the young players are looking to leave an impression on the coaching staff.
“Film doesn’t lie. You know, we’re going to see if you’re studying, if you know the defense on film,” safety Patrick Chung said. “You can be in your book, you can do whatever you want, but on the field, we’re gonna see it.”
Thursday’s preseason opener begins at 7:30 p.m.
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