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Post by mgoetze on Dec 28, 2015 15:50:25 GMT -5
The thing about the Jets is that they are able to field 4 receivers capable of getting open, which is a problem when your secondary is Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon and, uh... those other dudes. And they have an offensive line capable of producing running plays even with all 4 receivers on the field. So you kind of have to hope that Ryan Fitzpatrick does Ryan Fitzpatrick things, which he hasn't been doing consistently this season.
Speaking of teams with 4 receivers capable of getting open, that's like 4 more than the Patriots had yesterday. Brandon LaFellOffACliff and company were awful. And if you're forced to rely on your running game and screens against the Jets' D-Line, you're in serious trouble. I am truly in awe of what Brady accomplished given what he had to work with, some of those throws while backpedaling at full speed were incredible.
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Post by texs31 on Dec 28, 2015 16:40:39 GMT -5
I think K Martin did pretty well but he is what he is (or should be). When it counts, he should be no higher than your 5th Option (Gronk, Edelman, White, Amendola then Martin/LaFell)
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Post by rjp313jr on Dec 29, 2015 9:34:05 GMT -5
Big IF... Edelman, Amendola, McCourty and Chung all are back healthy and Hightower gets a little better then this team will smoke the Jets in a playoff game or at least should. The Losses of Chung and McCourty were massive and the Patriots had such a conservative game plan, yet they still almost beat the Jets in NY. The Jets aren't terrible but they aren't very good either.
It's all about health with this Patriots team. I would rather not have to go to Denver but wouldn't mind Cincy do Denver winning last night sucked.
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 16:01:57 GMT -5
Right now, this is not a very good team, with a bottom-five offensive line that Vollmer won't be able to fix, a bad group of running backs, and a mediocre group of wide receivers even with Edelman's return.
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Post by mgoetze on Jan 3, 2016 16:11:51 GMT -5
The last two games have been demoralizing. It's not just that the Patriots lost, it's how they lost. The offense can't move the ball at all. The opponents didn't score many points, but it didn't feel like that was due to any good plays by the defense, just impotence on the part of the Jets and Dolphins.
If you can't beat the Jets or Dolphins, how are you going to beat the Cardinals, Panthers or Seahawks?
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Post by ray88h66 on Jan 3, 2016 16:17:55 GMT -5
Easy guys. Some of the guys that didn't play would have if it meant making the playoffs. Have to root for S.D. now for home field.
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 16:20:13 GMT -5
The biggest issue is the offensive line, and it's clear that Belichick knows that (going conservative at the end of halves, the run-heavy game plan this week, subbing in Garoppolo). It's been mediocre all season, with the quick passing game covering up for it early in the season, and now they're really feeling the loss of Solder and the inexperience of their interior linemen. Maybe Edelman's return lets them go back to the quick passing game, but I wouldn't be sure about that-- he's really the only one of their remaining receivers who can consistently separate early, and teams have adjusted by daring them to beat them deep (which I'm not sure they can do, Edelman or not).
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Post by ray88h66 on Jan 3, 2016 16:23:58 GMT -5
The biggest issue is the offensive line, and it's clear that Belichick knows that (going conservative at the end of halves, the run-heavy game plan this week, subbing in Garoppolo). It's been mediocre all season, with the quick passing game covering up for it early in the season, and now they're really feeling the loss of Solder and the inexperience of their interior linemen. Maybe Edelman's return lets them go back to the quick passing game, but I wouldn't be sure about that-- he's really the only one of their remaining receivers who can consistently separate early, and teams have adjusted by daring them to beat them deep (which I'm not sure they can do, Edelman or not). We really have become spoiled when a 12 and 4 team and mediocre are used. 32 teams, I'd step back. |
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 16:33:49 GMT -5
This is not the same team that they had earlier in the year. They're missing Lewis, Blount and Solder, the offensive line has stagnated, and guys like LaFell and Chandler and White have shown themselves unable to pick up the slack.
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Post by philarhody on Jan 3, 2016 16:36:43 GMT -5
The worst part about this loss to me was seeing Ndamakong Suh go completely unblocked past the right tackle and nearly amputate Brady's leg. It's unfathomable to me that the most important player on the defense could go unnoticed on a 4 man rush.
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 16:42:31 GMT -5
The worst part about this loss to me was seeing Ndamakong Suh go completely unblocked past the right tackle and nearly amputate Brady's leg. It's unfathomable to me that the most important player on the defense could go unnoticed on a 4 man rush. I had the same reaction-- what happened was that the DT engaged Cannon (playing RT) and held him up long enough for Suh to get the edge. The RG needs to recognize that and provide help, but he stayed in place (probably to protect against a stunt). So less egregious than at first glance, if still clearly a bust. |
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Post by philarhody on Jan 3, 2016 16:46:07 GMT -5
The webster dictionary's simple definition of mediocre is "not very good."
"Not very good" is a positive way of describing the recent performance of this offensive line.
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Post by philarhody on Jan 3, 2016 16:54:41 GMT -5
The worst part about this loss to me was seeing Ndamakong Suh go completely unblocked past the right tackle and nearly amputate Brady's leg. It's unfathomable to me that the most important player on the defense could go unnoticed on a 4 man rush. I had the same reaction-- what happened was that the DT engaged Cannon (playing RT) and held him up long enough for Suh to get the edge. The RG needs to recognize that and provide help, but he stayed in place (probably to protect against a stunt). So less egregious than at first glance, if still clearly a bust. The edge rusher should have been Cannon's responsibility from pre-snap on. |
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Post by mgoetze on Jan 3, 2016 17:23:20 GMT -5
Have to root for S.D. now for home field. LOL Good luck with that... SD is toast. |
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 17:23:38 GMT -5
Suh was his responsibility, but Cannon thought they were running a stunt (in which case he should pass off Suh to the RG) and he didn't recognize his mistake until it was too late. Like I said, still a mistake, but an understandable one.
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wcp3
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Post by wcp3 on Jan 3, 2016 17:26:38 GMT -5
This is not the same team that they had earlier in the year. They're missing Lewis, Blount and Solder, the offensive line has stagnated, and guys like LaFell and Chandler and White have shown themselves unable to pick up the slack. Not sure why you're including White in that group. |
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 17:32:10 GMT -5
White has had a couple big plays, but he's not been the consistent chain-mover that they need. He doesn't separate from linebackers quick enough to be a regular threat on those little option routes and swing routes that third-down backs need to have in their repertoire.
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Post by ray88h66 on Jan 3, 2016 17:32:25 GMT -5
Have to root for S.D. now for home field. LOL Good luck with that... SD is toast. Denver must be butter. They are all over them 7 to 3. Pats should just go home. |
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Post by chavopepe2 on Jan 3, 2016 17:43:07 GMT -5
I think Whites actually been quite good. I do think he's been underutilized though.
And of course, Lewis was on another level so it's still a downgrade.
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Post by kingofthetrill on Jan 3, 2016 20:23:35 GMT -5
Does anyone think that the Pats really tried for the entirety of both games?
The Pats had a chance at the end of the first half against the Jets and ran the ball and took a knee. I felt that the Pats cared more about getting healthy than they did winning the game, partially because losing allowed the Jets to possibly overtake Pittsburgh, which would be the team I'd be the most afraid of right now.
Anyway, the Pats kept some people home that may have played if it were a playoff game, and Brady threw 5 pass attempts in the first half. For a team that has little reason to run the ball in normal situations, the Pats really did not appear to try against the Dolphins until the 2nd half. And I thought the Pats didn't really try against the Jets until they realized it was still a close game despite their obvious attempts to throw the game.
Furthermore, getting the first round bye was the important part, not the #1 seed. Yes, the Patriots lost at Denver in the AFC championship game a few years ago, but the Pats also had to have significant injuries and about 5-6 questionable calls and a punt return fumble to lose at Denver earlier this season. I'm NOT afraid to go into Denver. Factor in the questionable motivation against the Jets and the Dolphins, and the only game I felt the Pats truly lost was against Philly, and even then they almost tied it at the end. That being said, I consider the Giants game more of a loss than Denver/Miami/Jets.
And I think that being the #2 seed helps avoid Pittsburgh.
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Post by jmei on Jan 3, 2016 22:03:57 GMT -5
They didn't go conservative because they didn't care about winning the game, they went conservative because they knew the offensive line couldn't stop a nosebleed and every passing attempt was risking the health of the one guy who actually is a prerequisite to winning. Yes, they strategically rested guys, but everyone else who was available kept trying their darnedest and were found woefully lacking. The team that played the last two weeks would maybe be .500 over the course of the season, and maybe adding Edelman and Hightower et al brings that up to a championship level team, but there's a decent chance it does not.
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Post by mgoetze on Jan 4, 2016 5:25:55 GMT -5
Denver must be butter. They are all over them 7 to 3. Pats should just go home. Osweiler is butter. Denver has now put the ripe cheese back on top. |
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Post by costpet on Jan 4, 2016 17:49:02 GMT -5
I think Bill is smarter than all of us put together. He didn't care if he won or lost. It made no difference to him. The difference between a #1 or #2 was little or nothing. He wanted to test out his running game and also see what Stephen Jackson had left. He kept most of his starters on the bench. He had 8 starters hurting and didn't play. They only threw to Gronk twice. I didn't notice Butler at all. But, why didn't he give Jimmy G. a chance? That, I don't know. Maybe Brady insisted on playing. Now he's hurt.
Anyway, they have 2 weeks to heal up and be the team they were at the start of the season. Yesterday looked more like a preseason game plan. In 2 weeks we'll see the real Patriots. And it doesn't matter who they play.
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Post by rjp313jr on Jan 6, 2016 11:00:47 GMT -5
Is there a worse "deep ball" receiver in football than Brandon LaFelle? My God does he suck. First he can barely run and look for a football without falling over. Second, little corner backs make leaping breakups bc he has no clue how to get in their path and slow down to box them out. That freaking 101 in any sport you play. Cut in front of the defender so he either runs into you or slows down to get around u. Not too difficult. Makes me question the coaching back there too. Brady isn't a very good deep ball thrower but a number of those should be caught.
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mobaz
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Post by mobaz on Jan 6, 2016 11:34:54 GMT -5
Is there a worse "deep ball" receiver in football than Brandon LaFelle? My God does he suck. First he can barely run and look for a football without falling over. Second, little corner backs make leaping breakups bc he has no clue how to get in their path and slow down to box them out. That freaking 101 in any sport you play. Cut in front of the defender so he either runs into you or slows down to get around u. Not too difficult. Makes me question the coaching back there too. Brady isn't a very good deep ball thrower but a number of those should be caught. My biggest regret about Deflategate punishments is that it kills my dream of a Corey Coleman pick at #32 (not that BB would EVER use a 1st round pick on a WR). Short shifty guy who is actually FAST and can make himself open in a heartbeat. Good hands, great in space. Heir to underneath Edelman role, while also serving as outside threat now. The death of Brady's long ball doesn't help the situation. |
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