Patriots 2020 season thread

3 in 3 weeks...

I'm not taking anything negative from that game. People aren't going to look good when they can't practice. They were missing so many players, by the second half the line had two rookies and a 2nd year guy getting his first playing time. That crap will kill any team, especially when you can't practice and get guys ready. They were working Wynn at guard before the game, that's all he got.

A few things do standout though, draft experts had Herron as a guard in the NFL, Bill certainly see's him as a tackle though. To the extent that he moves Wynn inside, which is interesting if not a little crazy. Froholdts finally plays yet they insert him at first at RT, then readjust and put him at guard. Not sure why that happened. Not sure why Bill is moving so many guys around like Thuney at center, Wynn at guard, Froholdt at RT. I don't ever remember him doing so much of this crap. Almost no practice time and he's asking guys to play positions they haven't in years and never have in the NFL.

One thing is clear though, we seem to have gotten steals in the six round with Onwenu and Herron. It literally looks like you got a very high end starter at guard and a starting tackle. Which is just crazy. They also don't see Froholdt as a center currently and they think Herron is better at LT than Froholdt is at guard.

Yet with all that the line wasn’t an issue yesterday. I also don’t know if Bill was in charge of all that mixing - the o-line coaches could be as well. They’ve done an excellent job this year...

That was the worst game I’ve seen Bill coach. There were 2 pretty inexcusable mistakes that could have been the difference in the game.

1. Not challenging the clear White first down

2. Not accepting the penalty to push them out of FG range.

It was a 54 yard FG... not a gimme but McManus is a stud and the penalty knocks them out of FG range.

Teams do that now on the first TD when you need a 2 point conversion because if you miss it you can manage the game differently knowing you still need 2 more scores. They were already in a spot where they knew they needed to go for 2 at some point so once you get there you do it right away so you have time to adjust.

Since the mood is down around this team at the moment let’s play a scenario... let’s say they lose the next two games and are 2-5... very possible even if not likely...

Should they sell pieces at the deadline? Assuming they have a solution at QB next year, they have a ton or cap space and this team has pieces, especially on the line and on defense so it’s not some long term down turn - at least it doesn’t need to be.

Who should they look to trade? What’s their market?

Of course they could win the next 2 games; not suggesting they can’t or won’t. I don’t think they’ll add to the team though. If they do, maybe a defensive tackle, but they may be getting Allen back as he was finally at practice.

I’d like to see them extend Thuney still. I think he’s proven to be way too valuable to let go. Trade Mason if you are convinced that Herron can be the RT of the future. The fact Thuney is an iron man and can play everywhere on the line is just something you don’t let go.

If you can get a 4/5 for Edelman or White you’d have to consider it.

IF they lose the next 2 or at least the next one, it’s because Cam was the lousy Cam from weeks 3 and 5 and not the good one from weeks 1 and 2 so I doubt he’d have much value.

What does Herron at RT have to do with Mason? Do you think Thuney is twice as good as Mason? I'm a big believer that guards are the easiest guys to replace, so I still do it for a big offer. Thuney wants top guard money.

I can't pay Edelman salary and get a 4/5, I'd keep him. I need a third. Package to Bucs for 3 and 5 round picks. Brady needs those guys, the vertical attack isn't working that well in Tampa. Maybe that young WR they just drafted.

We've seen Newton play well and lose, so I don't get that. He's played well all year minus last game with no practice time after a few weeks off with Covid. Dallas is screaming to overpay to get him and win that Division at 7-9 lol. A first maybe not, yet a 2nd and 4th, something like that, maybe a young player added in. Reports have that owner going crazy.

I actually really like this team minus current weapons at WR and TE. You need guys a defense fears to take the top off. At TE Njoku and Engram are rumored available. Say Njoku because he likely doesn't cost much. At WR there are a bunch of guys Golladay, Stills, Fuller, Green, Samuel, Gallup. Kenny Stills seems like the best fit given his current role. If you pay his salary the cost should be rather low. I certainly prefer a few others, yet Stills is crazy fast and is kinda perfect. Go get the guy, Lee opted out and Thomas was waived leaving you no one to take the top off of the D. You can hope maybe more practice time gets Asiasi more involved, there is zero hope at WR for what we need.

Didn't complete what all camp long? A deep pass? Umm I have seen a 49 yard bomb to Edelman. Byrd was wide open and missed what in that video you posted? That's your wide open miss by 15 yards? Please tell me that's not the play you are talking about because if it is you're overstating how open he was and how far he missed him by. Nevermind the no practice for two weeks and he had Covid. Newton looked darn good throwing before last game.

He had about 2 yards of separation, so he was open and Newton missed him by a few yards. It was a 50 yard throw after one practice in three weeks for him. BTW it was a lot better than a ton of Brady's throws the last few years. You don't complete 50 yard bombs at a high rate outside of maybe one guy in the league with crazy elite WRs. Byrd is fast, yet small and isn't that proven so he scares no one. Stills is a proven deep guy. Nevermind taking the top off the D, doesn't have to be 50 yard bombs. Anything over 20 yards will do that. Still is also bigger. It's not perfect, you really need a big huge fast guy like Claypool who I wanted us to draft. Yet it's going to help a ton.

I think you're confusing a run first offense, like it means we can't throw it. Newton has looked good throwing, the one game he had to air it out he looked great. We were up 36-13 in the late 4th against the Raiders, what did Cam do bad in that game? The offense is like early 2000s with Brady, not post 2007 offense with Brady. It seems you forgot what that offense was like.

You're about the only person who thinks Newton doesn't look good given his lack of time in the system and his lack of weapons. You really are making judgements by saying Stills won't matter if Cam can't hit him and acting like he hasn't hit any deep passes all year.

You get you're crazy negative about just about everything lately right? You made that 6-10 projection and now it's like you hope everything fails so your right. Just pointing that out incase you didn't know you were doing it.

You know Kenny Stills has 37 TDs in his career right? 15.6 ypc right? He's 6'1" and is just as fast as Byrd yet 4" taller and 20 pounds heavier. Why does that matter? Well your crazy quick guys are usually slot guys like Jones and you remember what Stills did to Jones right?

He's a very realistic, low cost option because he's behind Fuller and Cooks in Houston as an outside guy. Take his salary he might cost a pick swap or something low cost like that.

I'm not looking to replace anyone, just actually give us some weapons and options. Like the ability to go four wide with two actual outside WRs. Byrd on one side, Stills on the other, Edelman and Harry underneath. If you want big passing numbers you have to be able to field four WRs and have guys to stretch the D. Stills will scare guys a lot more than Byrd will. He's like a faster Chris Hogan, a guy you never thought was that good till he was gone and had no one to take his place. If he takes a guys spot so be it, production wise he's clearly the #2 guy and given how banged up Edelman is, he might be the most talented guy. He's not going to put up all world numbers, yet it's a massive upgrade to our top four WRs. It gives you depth and different options.

I'm all for a bigger name if that is available, Kenny Golladay would totally change the offense. Will Fuller is similar to Stills just better, yet are those teams going to trade them? Are we willing to pay a big price for a rental? Stills looks to be the best low cost option. Like do you use a bunch of cap space on AJ Green? Do they even trade him with a rookie QB?

I wouldn't be against bringing in a few guys frankly as we've got almost nothing from Zuber, Gunner and Myers.