Casting Couch
Footballguy
The pain of losing Trent Brown will be monumental.
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Indefinite New England Patriots Thread (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter captain_amazing
- Start date
in2win
Footballguy
Can Demaryius Thomas make some noise on the Pats this year?
Yes I know an Achilles is tough to come back from at this point in his career as it already seemed he was beginning to lose a step.
Can he be a viable option in this offense? Josh Gordon is a very similar player to what Thomas was in his prime.
Would have loved to see a prime Thomas getting balls from Brady
Yes I know an Achilles is tough to come back from at this point in his career as it already seemed he was beginning to lose a step.
Can he be a viable option in this offense? Josh Gordon is a very similar player to what Thomas was in his prime.
Would have loved to see a prime Thomas getting balls from Brady
SeniorVBDStudent
Footballguy
This is true. Players who won't conform (Asante Samuel, Butler, etc.) are shipped out.
In the system, wide receivers, running backs and cornerbacks are widgets. Do your job, or get out.
Bossman
Footballguy
So true.
Butler ... great example. Jumps a route to win them a SB. Literally snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. IN A SUPER BOWL!
But get rid of him. He's a "risk taker". Not gonna work on THIS team. (not that this was the reason they parted ways ... but could have been)
The INT's that these NE CB's get are not because of great instincts or exceptional ball skills ... they're mistakes made by the other team ...
bad passes by a QB making a bad decision ... or a deflected / tipped pass ... or WR running the wrong route.
I'm sure the stats will show NE having above avg INT's ... but likely because other teams are playing from behind and giving the NE D 25% more chances.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Won more Super Bowls and more games than another team by far in the last 20 years. They set the record for most wins by a team in a decade LAST decade. And if they get something like 3 wins this year they will break their own record THIS decade.
Is BB or the team perfect? No. Have they been wrong on picks or players? Of course. But eye on the prize, big picture, they are so far ahead of 31 other franchises, to pick nits, find minor blemishes, or try to identify some chinks in the armor is just silly.
They won last year with a team that likely would not have even made the playoffs with another coach. They made a playoff run riding one RB and one WR on offense. And they played defense with smoke, mirrors, and confusing the opposition. And yet they STILL won the Super Bowl.
And the scary part is, IMO, the 2019 team is probably the deepest team and most well rounded squad they have had since the 2007 team . . . and the best defensive unit they've had since 2004. If they can stay healthy, with their schedule, they could be a 14-2 team and go back-to-back. I think they are that much better than last year, even without Gronk.
rockaction
Footballguy
Take it from someone who roots for the Jets, this is absolutely the craziest and most prolonged dynasty I've ever seen in sport. To "pick nits," as Anarchy99 puts it, is silly. Enjoy it. Very few people avoid blind spots in certain areas when drafting. Perhaps the secondary isn't the best place they evaluate talent or devise scheme, but they more than make up for it.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I have watched all their games back from before they drafted Bledsoe. I could go into detail all the things they don't do very well and the things they've done wrong. Drafting receivers and defensive backs is definitely not their strong points. So they have whiffed on some second round receivers and defensive backs. But then they hit on an UDFA that wins them the Super Bowl on the last play. Their pluses far outweigh their minuses. The difference is they learn from their mistakes . . . or figure ways how to overcome them.
The odd part is, in watching them so much, I could come up with better schemes and strategies than real NFL coaching staffs do. I generally can tell what their tenancies are, what schemes they will use in certain situations, how they will bait defenses and then pull out the play they need at just the right time. I feel like I owe the rest of the NFL and should write a 1,000 page manifesto on how to attack the Patriots.
I've posted many times in terms of roster management and salary cap decision making that other teams need to just look at what NE does and doesn't do. It may not work the same for each individual franchise, but you see teams do the exact opposite of what NE does. That should be a clue that that franchise may not be doing the right thing.
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rockaction
Footballguy
^ Agreed.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Demaryius Thomas cut but expected to resign. NE needed a roster spot. Whispers of Harry maybe going on IR designated for return. Gunner apparently given a roster spot after the Pats traded Keion Crossen to HOU.
NE said to be one of the teams interested in LeSean McCoy . . . which on the surface makes very little sense (unless they are ready to move on from Burkhead and McCoy would take less money).
NE said to be one of the teams interested in LeSean McCoy . . . which on the surface makes very little sense (unless they are ready to move on from Burkhead and McCoy would take less money).
GroveDiesel
Footballguy
Bodine released already. You win some, you lose some. Bills finally win something over the Patriots.
Bossman
Footballguy
Well at least they gave him a fair chance to prove himself ...Bodine released already. You win some, you lose some. Bills finally win something over the Patriots.
1 week? He must be HORRIFICALLY bad. ... or just a bad attitude, or late for practice, or sleeping in team meetings, or lazy in the weightroom, or a democrat.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Bossman
Footballguy
Sanyo Michel 15 carries, 14 yards ... oof
Goes down soooo easy and can NOT fall forward for the extra 1/2 yard. This guy was falling down in anticipation of contact near the end of this game.
Burkhead looked like twice the RB that Michel was. James White is an obvious upgrade.
I understand why Pats drafted Damien Harris. I'm looking forward to the day he takes Michels spot. Hopefully soon.
... and the defense looked SHARP against a good Steelers team.
Goes down soooo easy and can NOT fall forward for the extra 1/2 yard. This guy was falling down in anticipation of contact near the end of this game.
Burkhead looked like twice the RB that Michel was. James White is an obvious upgrade.
I understand why Pats drafted Damien Harris. I'm looking forward to the day he takes Michels spot. Hopefully soon.
... and the defense looked SHARP against a good Steelers team.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
We'll have to see how Antonio Brown's contract is set up and who the Patriots end up releasing to open a roster spot, but this may mean Gronk won't be coming back this season. They won't have the cap space.
If the numbers being reported on AB are accurate ($9M signing bonus, $1M salary, $5 million in incentives), as currently constituted, the Patriots have less than $10M in cap room. They probably will get creative with Brown's contract and give him a dummy second year option to be able to spread out the signing bonus across two seasons. Dumb as it may sound, by declining the option for next year, they would still be entitled to a compensatory pick for Brown if he made it through this season and then signed elsewhere next season.
Unless the Pats start reworking and extending multiple deals with their rostered players, I don't see how there is room to bring back Gronk unless he is willing to play for beer money and not much else.
If the numbers being reported on AB are accurate ($9M signing bonus, $1M salary, $5 million in incentives), as currently constituted, the Patriots have less than $10M in cap room. They probably will get creative with Brown's contract and give him a dummy second year option to be able to spread out the signing bonus across two seasons. Dumb as it may sound, by declining the option for next year, they would still be entitled to a compensatory pick for Brown if he made it through this season and then signed elsewhere next season.
Unless the Pats start reworking and extending multiple deals with their rostered players, I don't see how there is room to bring back Gronk unless he is willing to play for beer money and not much else.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Brunell4MVP
Footballguy
This team is really good this year. I think better than the last few years. Edelman, Gordon, AB, Dorsett, James White. ####### awesome WRs, and a great QB throwing to them. And a bevy of RBs that can get hot when BB game plans for lots of runs. The rest of us are envious. Even if AB gets booted by BB in the long run, they are still stacked.
Bossman
Footballguy
As a Pats fan, that was great to see. It's going to be interesting though if O-linemen keep going down.
WR's are pretty useless if you cant pass protect. Now Cannon with the shoulder (looked like a collarbone to me)
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Casting Couch
Footballguy
Judge Smails
Footballguy
Completely classless. That is all.
Casting Couch
Footballguy
Isaiah Wynn hurt today. Any updates ?
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Insoxicated
That stings... OL injuries piling up.
Hoping Cannon is ready next week, but seems like a deal for Williams is a foregone conclusion of Wynn’s foot is that Achilles again....
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Insoxicated
A quick rundown if what happened yesterday in case you didn't figure it out. Belicheck ran it a lot, knowing that there was no way Miami could win. Since it was a firmer coach he was going against, he didn't want to run it up and embarrass him. However, Miami had other plans. They were there to embarrass themselves. Dropped passes, one looked like a lateral to the Pats defender for a TD. Game over before the half but Miami didn't get the memo that they should also run the ball, eat the clock and go home. So when they started chucking 20 yard passes at the NE defense and were not using up the clock, Belicheck had enough and had Brady go ahead and throw another unneeded TD pass late in the game. Just wanted to also the former coach in the face for not listening so that come week 17, he will know not to try that again or face further embarrassment. That's what you saw yesterday.
Edelman got shaken up on that last TD drive, up by 37, with less than 5 minutes in the game, on a pass recepton. Luckily for him, it was only a poke in the eye and he missed only one play. I'm pretty sure Brady audibled to a 4-wide no back formation on the beginning of that drive, on his own, and threw to Burkhead. Running with the FB Develin would've been the smarter option.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
IIRC, Gronk broke his arm on an XP try for the team’s 59th point against the Colts in 2012. BB doesn’t believe in taking guys out all that often.
AngryPatriot
Footballguy
Pats look solid for sure. Gordon was meh.... seems a bit slow and not on the same page as Brady, Gostkowski was off, O-line is thin, very little at TE it seems. But thats about it, DEF looks great, Brady is on point. What will play out and could really change the team is Gordon and Brown. Can they be a part of the team throughout a whole season? THat's a real question mark to have hanging... Interesting= N'Keal Harry in the wings.
RB's= I don't even think Damien Harris was active... Michel looked better, Bulkhead looked very good. White is White, used little. The team is loaded.
Def line= excellent, 7 sacks
RB's= I don't even think Damien Harris was active... Michel looked better, Bulkhead looked very good. White is White, used little. The team is loaded.
Def line= excellent, 7 sacks
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Judge Smails
Footballguy
yeah go ahead and believe that. The losing team doesn't have to stop throwing. The team up 35-0 does. Actually, they don't. Just don't have your starters in doing it. Should have back u up QB, RB, WRs in getting work. Mainly run the ball but still try to execute on 3rd down. But Brady chucking it all the way down with White in? Injury will be the only thing to stop them. See it all the time. It will happen to them. No whining when it does..
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I happen to think that last NE drive was due to the defense having back-to-back pick sixes and the NE offense not getting on the field for a long time in real time. I think they wanted to work on some additional passing plays early in the 4th but didn't have the football and couldn't do it because they didn't have the ball. They punted near the start of the 4th quarter and the one drive they had after that, Michel fumbled on the first play. Still not the wisest decision, IMO, up by 37 points, but Bill does as Bill wants.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Based on BB's post-game comments to the team, it was Bill sending a message to the team that they need to be ready to play all 60 minutes. He wanted the offense playing like it mattered and he really wanted the defense not to give up a TD at the end of the game. His message and focus to the team was not playing the entire game last year cost them in the fiasco that saw Gronk missing a tackle at the goal line and MIA grasping victory from the jaws of defeat. For those that don't remember, the offense drove the length of the field and stalled at the goal line that would have sealed the game against the Dolphins. The kickoff team didn't do a great job on the pursuing kickoff and the defense didn't do squat on the multi-lateral play. So all three facets of the game failed when any one of them could have won the game MIA last year and didn't.
SeniorVBDStudent
Footballguy
Understand your perspective. Two points to counter:Judge Smails said:
1. In 2007 when various players were complaining about the Pats running up the score, Joe Gibbs' feedback was, paraphrasing, I have no problem with what they did; if you want to stop them, play better football.
2. Also from that era, the argument can be made that putting in your seconds, running the ball up the middle, and kicking field goals is far more disrespectful to your opponent than giving them an opportunity to get better. I understand this is a "radical perspective" that doesn't jibe with the fraternity mentality, but the more you know....
Anarchy99
Footballguy
There aren't many legit arguments of things that BB hasn't done well over the years, but IMO one of them is playing starters too much / too long into games and not getting backups and rookies more reps. That might keep the starters fresher late in the season. That might get the next man up player better prepared. It might get younger players better acclimated to the NFL. And it would get BB to see who else he has available and get creative on how best to use them. But they haven't operated that way and they aren't about to start now. But I would have liked to see them get some late game snaps to the depth players and maybe they could have uncovered or developed another asset that would have made them even stronger.
SeniorVBDStudent
Footballguy
Maybe. I gave up questioning the dude after he stuck with Brady when Bledsoe was healthy again.
SeniorVBDStudent
Footballguy
Bossman
Footballguy
Horrific games to start the season.
I was BEGGING for MIA to score a TD last week just to make it somewhat interesting.
Pats could legit go the first 3 weeks of the season giving up a TOTAL of 3 points. Another record for BB I'm sure.
Suppose that would be something to watch for. ... but I really need to find something else to do this Sunday. Golf or go for a bike ride or something.
Then Bills and Redskins. Meh.
Thurs night Giants. What a joke.
Then Mon night vs Jets (another MNF game for the Jets?? WTF?) and then Browns. Really? How pathetic.
First quality matchup will be Ravens Week 9.
What a boring first half of the season. How did the NFL get so lopsided?
Maybe Pats are going for some season records at that point. Most points scored in a season. Least points allowed in a season. etc. Not sure what else to watch for.
Thank goodness for fantasy football to keep interest I suppose.
I was BEGGING for MIA to score a TD last week just to make it somewhat interesting.
Pats could legit go the first 3 weeks of the season giving up a TOTAL of 3 points. Another record for BB I'm sure.
Suppose that would be something to watch for. ... but I really need to find something else to do this Sunday. Golf or go for a bike ride or something.
Then Bills and Redskins. Meh.
Thurs night Giants. What a joke.
Then Mon night vs Jets (another MNF game for the Jets?? WTF?) and then Browns. Really? How pathetic.
First quality matchup will be Ravens Week 9.
What a boring first half of the season. How did the NFL get so lopsided?
Maybe Pats are going for some season records at that point. Most points scored in a season. Least points allowed in a season. etc. Not sure what else to watch for.
Thank goodness for fantasy football to keep interest I suppose.
Bossman
Footballguy
The only question-mark on this team is the O-line.
Decimated by injuries. This could prove to be the achilles heal if Brady gets smacked around and misses some time ala Drew Brees.
Not wishing harm to Brady but this team with Jared Stidham at QB would at least make the outcome of these first 8 games less of a given.
Decimated by injuries. This could prove to be the achilles heal if Brady gets smacked around and misses some time ala Drew Brees.
Not wishing harm to Brady but this team with Jared Stidham at QB would at least make the outcome of these first 8 games less of a given.
Bossman
Footballguy
really only 5 teams that will be interesting to see NE play:
BAL (wk9), PHI (wk11), Dal (wk12), HOU (wk13), KC (wk14),
5 out of 16. Yikes.
----------
I get that they play the entire NFC East this year.... but why are they playing the entire AFC North? Is that something new?
I thought they only needed to play division winners if they won their division?
Other teams that I would have liked to see NE play this season instead of PIT / CLE / CIN:
GB, SEA, LARams, LAC, NOS (with Brees), MIN, or even OAK
No reg season SB rematch with the Rams? ... and such a shame we won't get a Brady/Rogers or Brady/Brees or Brady / Rivers matchup this year
(unless it's in the playoffs)
BAL (wk9), PHI (wk11), Dal (wk12), HOU (wk13), KC (wk14),
5 out of 16. Yikes.
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I get that they play the entire NFC East this year.... but why are they playing the entire AFC North? Is that something new?
I thought they only needed to play division winners if they won their division?
Other teams that I would have liked to see NE play this season instead of PIT / CLE / CIN:
GB, SEA, LARams, LAC, NOS (with Brees), MIN, or even OAK
No reg season SB rematch with the Rams? ... and such a shame we won't get a Brady/Rogers or Brady/Brees or Brady / Rivers matchup this year
(unless it's in the playoffs)
Anarchy99
Footballguy
New since 2002. There is a template they have used since the league went to 32 teams. For every team:. Each team in division x 2. One complete out of league division. One complete in conference division. The remaining two games are the teams in the other two divisions in conference that finished the same as you. In NE’s case, the other two first place teams in the AFC.
Road Warriors
Footballguy
The NFL schedule for each team consists of the following elements:
2x each team in division
1x each team in another division in conference ( rotates every 3 years )
1x each team in a division in other conference ( rotates every 4 years )
1x each division team in same finishing spot as you from prior year ( outside the in conference division your team plays in that year )
There is no wiggle room for creating matchups. It's all set in stone years in advance except for the 2 games based on final position in your division.