Bedard's Breakdown - Defense: Thoughts on Marte Mapu's debut and Patriots preseason totals

Will have more film analysis of Marte Mapu in the coming days, but with cuts looming, I have to get game thought/analysis out quickly or it will never get done, and then an updated 53. So we're just going to cut to the chase with some thoughts on the game, the game chart and a chart with the preseason totals.

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My overall impression of Marte Mapu was that he was pretty green and tentative. That's understandable given how much he has missed this summer and the big leap up in competition. It was similar to Christian Gonzalez's debut. He learned from the tape and was much better and more assertive against the Packers.

Mapu played a lot of strong safety to start, matchup with linebackers and running backs on passing downs, and later played some free safety.

I had him for one plus play and three minus plays in the game.

Plus

Second play of the game where he was a box safety against the run, took on the guard and won to assist on the tackle. Good stuff.

Minuses

Playing free safety on the second series, he was a tad late reading the route on 1-10 at NE 46 and then missed the tackle coming up. (He was also late to the flat on the first play of the series but did make a nice stick).

On the last two plays of the Titans' scoring drive Mapu could have been better.

On 3rd and 9, both Mapu and Joshuah Bledsoe jumped the crossing tight end while Chestnut was left open for 30 yards. An obvious bust. I'm not sure who's responsible so I split it between them. Everyone else was in man coverage, Bledsoe had the TE at the snap, Mapu had Chestnut but expected a switch. Who was wrong? I think Mapu being a rookie but I'm not sure obviously.