What its like to be the Patriots emergency punter, throw game-winning TD in same game

The New England Patriots hosted the Philadelphia Eagles for some joint practices and then a preseason game on Saturday. In the game, head coach Mike Vrabel was not happy with how the defense was playing early in the contest.

While Vrabel was not happy with the defense, he should be happy with Behren Morton. Morton may not be a lock to make the 53-man roster, but he showed some versatility in the game, playing both quarterback and punter. Morton enjoyed the experience, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Bryce Barineger, the regular punter for the Patriots, left the game because he was not feeling well. In the second quarter, Morton entered the game for the first time, hitting a 48-yard punt after Tommy DeVito, who started the game at quarterback, was sacked. Morton went on to punt three times in the game, with an average distance of 44.3 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time he had punted since high school, and his first punt was nearly blocked.

“In high school, they didn’t rush that fast,” Morton said. “So the first rush kind of threw me by surprise.”

Morton got that first punt off, and then took over as the quarterback in the second half. After the first drive he led stalled, he stayed in the game as the punter.

“Tonight was fun. I wasn’t expecting to punt. It’s been since high school since I’ve punted. You’ve just got to make the most of your opportunity when it comes, so I tried to do that tonight,” Morton said. “Coach came up to me and just said, ‘If we’ve got to punt on this drive you’re going out there.’ I went over to the net, hit a few balls. I asked [long snapper Julian Ashby], ‘How far do I need to stand back?’ He told me 15 yards, catch the ball and then just put it down there.”

Morton was also solid at quarterback. He completed 13 of 17 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown came with just 57 seconds left in the game and proved to be the game-winner.

Morton may have made a case to make the Patriots’ final 53-man roster, which will be decided by August 30.

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