With a competitive joint practice against the Eagles in the books, New England and Philly will now meet on Thursday night for each team's second game of the preseason.

This signals a transition from the days of pure training camp to more of a regular season feel, as practices will no longer be open to the public and media will get only a contained glimpse of any on-field activities.

That elevates the importance and impact of the preseason games, and this is an important one for the Patriots as they look to get on track and build some momentum.

The Eagles defense made life hard on the fledgling Patriots offense on Tuesday, with protection issues being a primary concern. Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye once again saw the bulk of reps in practice, leaving it unclear how reps in the game will be divided. No matter who is in there, protecting the quarterback and stringing together some consistent drives would alleviate some of the concerns that rose to the surface in the joint session.

Defensively there are questions, but mostly regarding depth, as once again this looks like a flexible unit that can stick with even the league's most explosive offenses. The next two games will be about finding which depth pieces can contribute.

The regular season is rapidly approaching, putting a bigger spotlight on the preseason games. Here are 10 things to watch for as the Pats search for some positive sparks against the Eagles.

Drake Maye – Maye played just six snaps against the Panthers but got plenty of action against the Eagles in joint practice, setting the stage for a second preseason game where everyone would love to get an extended look at what the rookie third-overall pick has to offer. It seems certain that Maye will play more than he did in Week 1, but who will he be surrounded by? Will the team keep their top offensive line in to reinforce Maye's protection? One thing remains clear for the Patriots, Maye is the future and fans and pundits alike are itching to see some of the special talent that made him so highly regarded. He's shown consistent flashes of those talents throughout the summer. Doing so in a game would be a refreshing boost for the offensive outlook.

Backup Backs – Backup running back remains a fluid competition behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Kevin Harris picked up a touchdown in the first preseason game, while undrafted rookie Terrell Jennings had the biggest gain of the game on the ground. Vet JaMycal Hasty has brought some shiftiness to the group, and the team also re-signed undrafted rookie Desahun Fenwick this week who was with the Patriots through the spring. All four of the backs vying for jobs should get their fair share of carries. Like many depth battles on the roster no one has truly separated themselves yet.

Jaheim Bell – Bell is one of the remaining unknowns for the Patriots offense. The rookie tight end missed a good chunk of time early in camp but has been showing up recently in practices as well as the first preseason game, despite limited snaps. Bell's size and athleticism are intriguing traits and, like the running back position, nothing is certain behind the top two starters. The seventh-round pick should get plenty of chances to shine over the last two weeks of the preseason and perhaps carve out a foothold on the depth chart.

Marco Wilson/Alex Austin – Austin and Wilson have had a healthy rotation at outside corner across from Christian Gonzalez as veteran Jonathan Jones continues to have his reps managed. Both saw plenty of high-level snaps in the joint practice as the team continues to evaluate what their best options are for depth at the cornerback spot. This is one roster competition spot that could go down to the wire and the last two preseason games will be vital to both Wilson and Austin. Given the overall injury history at the position, both have real chances to make the team.

Isaiah Bolden – Similarly, the slot cornerback role has also been in flux with Jonathan Jones and his versatility mostly sitting out competitive periods as of late, as well as the prolonged absence of Marcus Jones, who got off to a strong start in camp and appeared to be the team's top option inside before going down. Bolden is not a traditional slot cornerback build, his length and speed make him a better outside fit, but recently he's been getting the most opportunities inside. Perhaps Bolden can offer a new twist to the Patriots secondary and maybe his abilities will fit better with the slot-capable Jon Jones back on the field. He's another player who will have a lot of opportunities on Thursday night. Bolden's kickoff return ability could be another trait that helps him separate himself.

Oshane Ximines – The Patriots pass rush looked potent against the Eagles in the joint practice and Ximines was a part of it, coming up with a would-be sack in 11s. With Matthew Judon and Joshua Uche also in the mix, Tuesday's practice was a glimpse of what might be possible with all the team's best pass rushers participating at once. With a strong camp and another strong performance in a preseason game, Ximines has been making a strong case for not only a roster spot but a pass rushing role on defense. He's a high-effort player who has been among the few new players to see opportunities to fit into the veteran defense.

Offense Tackles – Tackle continues to be a major position of concern as the team looks to shore up their protection. Understandably they had problems with Philly's defensive front in the joint practice as any NFL team would, but too often plays were blown up before they even had a chance. The offense has been settled on their personnel groupings along the line since before the last preseason game, but at some point this group either needs to start clicking or the team will need to evaluate other options. Caedan Wallace's development remains the biggest mystery piece of the pie. As a rookie his potential is unknown, leaving optimism that perhaps he can take control of one of the tackle spots.

Outside Receivers – After the offensive line, perhaps the biggest question facing the Patriots offense is how they'll attack the field vertically. Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor, Javon Baker and Kayshon Boutte have been among the top options on the outside and each brings a different twist. Like most of the offense, the four potential x-receivers have had their standout moments and quiet practices, but time is quickly becoming more critical. The team wants to build their offense off the run and there's promise there, as there is at the tight end position and at inside receiver where Pop Douglas has offered a big boost, Ja'Lynn Polk has been the most consistent contributor and K.J. Osborn seems to get more comfortable every time he takes the field. There is promise in the team's ability to attack the short and intermediate portions of the field, but a consistent outside threat is the piece that will set the ceiling for the offense. Can one of those four separate themselves and make a case for a major field-stretching role on offense?

D-Tackle Depth – Jeremiah Pharms made the most of his opportunities in Week 1 of the preseason as the team continues to reset their depth chart following the loss of Christian Barmore. While Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale look like the top two interior options at this time, Pharms, Trysten Hill and Armon Watts are among the depth players still looking to solidify their roster case. Big vet Mike Purcell is a nice fit as a space-eating nose tackle who can take some pressure off of Godchaux, but finding an interior rusher who can push the pocket is an important task over the last two weeks of preseason. Another strong performance from Pharms would be a positive development.

Kicker Competition – Joey Slye and Chad Ryland continue to be neck-and-neck in the kicking competition, with both getting the day off from competition during the joint practice against the Eagles. Last Monday's practice was the most competitive yet though, as players gathered around the kickers during the practice's final session to try and break their concentration. Now that practices will no longer be open to the media, we'll only have the games to judge how things are unfolding. ESPN's Mike Reiss has the summer totals as Ryland 28-of-33 and Slye 27-of-33. It's too close to call.

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