The Saints are marching in again.
Late Tuesday, the Patriots announced via the club's official Twitter account (@patriots) that there will be joint training camp practice sessions between New Orleans and New England, here in Foxborough, on August 7 and 8, in advance of their opening preseason game that Thursday night, the 9th. The two teams first did this two summers ago, much to the delight not only of players and coaches, but also fans — more than 15,000 of whom came to view the joint workouts.
Normally, the practice the day before a game is only a walkthrough — no pads, and the players literally walk through their drills and plays. And that appears to be the case again this time (the Saints indicated on their website that the August 8 practice will be a walkthrough). So, if you're planning to pay a visit to Gillette to see the joint practices, you stand a better chance of seeing full-speed and contact action on that Tuesday. However, on Wednesday, you'll still get the chance to score some autographs, take photos, and even see the players up-close and, better yet, with their faces fully exposed (Tip: bring a pair of binoculars, as drills often take place on the far field, away from the seating areas).
Back in 2010, New England not only hosted joint practices, but also was a guest when the team visited the Atlanta Falcons at their training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga. Recent media reports indicate that the Patriots are discussing an arrangement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their third preseason opponent this summer, before their August 24 contest. Stay tuned for details, if those plans come to fruition.
Visit the Patriots' 2012 Training Camp section for the latest camp-related news and information.
