After a week of practice at the facility Bill Belichick called the “Taj Mahal of football,” the Patriots will wrap up the preseason Friday night against the Josh McDaniels-led Las Vegas Raiders.

Days before the deadline to trim the roster to 53 players, this game is the last shot for several players to show they deserve a spot.

It’s also a chance to see if Mac Jones and the Patriots’ offense can string together a more consistent performance than last week against Carolina.

New England’s defense has been a strength this preseason, particularly on the defensive line. Will that success continue during the Patriots’ biggest preseason test?

Here are five things to keep an eye on:

What started out as a quiet camp for Kendrick Bourne eventually led to him getting kicked out of joint practice last week, taking reps with the second-team, and missing the game.

Other teams started to inquire about him, sparking trade rumors.

He’s reportedly playing better this week, which is a good sign for the Patriots. With 55 catches for 800 yards last season, Bourne was one of Jones’s most productive targets.

It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll make some noise Friday night and show some flashes of what he’s capable of.

After spending nearly two decades in the Patriots organization, and more than half that time as offensive coordinator, it’s safe to say the Patriots are familiar with McDaniels.

That familiarity gave the Patriots a boost in practice this week.

“I thought it was funny, we didn’t have noise,” McDaniels said. “So we were calling out things in the two-minute offense, and their whole sideline’s yelling what it is,” McDaniels said. “Thought that was funny. Didn’t have much success with [the two-minute drill].”

There’s only been a small sample size to judge Mac Jones on during the preseason.

Basically, two bad drives that ended in three and outs, and one good drive that led to a beautifully thrown 45-yard deep ball to Nelson Agholor and set up a short touchdown.

So, to date, there’s been more bad than good. But some of that is to be expected when there’s been so few reps of game action. Nothing major seemed wrong with Jones last week, just some passes that were slightly off target.

Gaining more of that timing and rhythm with more reps this week should help.

From start to finish last week, the Patriots’ defensive line was its most dominant unit.

They produced five sacks, including a fourth-quarter forced fumble recovered by Sam Roberts in the end zone that sealed the win.

This group has the potential to be a major strength this year, with Christian Barmore’s strength on the interior, Deatrich Wise making plays off the edge, and Josh Uche bringing speed rush capabilities.

Dazzling special teams play that showcases the level of effort coaches love to see? Check.

Knowing the Patriots are much thinner at tight-end than receiver and being willing to give a hybrid role a shot? Check.

Leading the team in receiving yards last week? Check.

It’s not a given that Lil’Jordan Humphrey makes the 53-man roster, but his play last week combined with Tyquan Thornton’s injury make his chances quite a bit better.

A repeat performance this week would help his case even further.

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