coolguy

Chad johnson was too old to be utilize the way the patriots wanted him to be used.

Brady_to_Moss

age had nothing to do with it

supafly

I'm not seeing it personally.

Brady had more attempts this season (2012) than in any other year, and the numbers have grown substantially from the offense's record pace set in the 2007 season.

2012---637

2011---611

2010---492

2009---565

2007---578

If anything, the Moss years proved to be the most pass-happy years that we've seen, and those years fail in comparison to his attempts now. That is also taking into acct the use of hurry up, which probably averages at about 10 more plays per game on average usage.

I think the average ratio has been approximately 59/41 pass to run in Brady's years, although this is a number that I remember from a discussion either last year, or the year before.

The ratio this season was 56/44 pass once again, so even though it looks like we're rushing more significantly some of the numbers are skewed due to the fact that there are more actual plays per season due to the hurry up.

Either way, the team showed more balance which was definitely needed. The point is that I'm not necessarily sure that we can definitely take away the premise that they are now moving to a 3 WR, run-first attack though.

New England Patriots 2012 Statistics - Team and Player Stats - ESPN

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Patiently waiting to defend the next "bubble" player in this summer's training camp.....

Brady_to_Moss

^^ How many min did the O have the ball this year compared to those other years? I am going to say much more due to the great TO ratio

supafly

I will agree that age has less to do with it than many here realize, although we can also assume that a young, fast WR would certainly be speedier than some of the other deep older threats we've had in the past obviously too. In the case of C.Johnson it did not seem to be his age though.

We all saw the video of the workouts with Mike Wallace and Ochocino, and Chad looked damn good in most of the drills, some much better than Wallace.

The failure of many of these WR's certainly has a lot to do with the fact that they simply cannot pick up the read/react timing, route tree system, the audibles, where to line up, the playcalls themselves, and all of the smaller nuances that are practiced again and again and again to perfection in many instances.

Then there's also the fact that they tend to take plays off, they don't block effectively enough on running plays because they aren't used to it on this level, and overall chemistry and reliability failures with Brady and the rest of the offense.

We can all want guys like G.Jennings or M.Wallace, but the truth is that it may work and it may not work.

This is also why I really wanted R.Wayne over Llyod this past year, because I think that overall smarts and reliability are better used in this system than actual breakaway speed is. Finding the right combination of both is not easy to do, but in my opinion Wayne could have still stretched the field for us.

The only answers would either be to part with the house for someone like Fitzgerald etc, or to take another shot in the draft or lower level FA.

Deus Irae recently brought up the question of Titus Young, who has been a malcontent in DET but does have speed and talent. Maybe that kind of exploration (not necessarily him, but someone in that frame) may be the best way to go, I really don't know at this point.

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supafly

Pass to run ratio and number of overall plays are really the best ways to look at it due to the simplicity. It's easy to look at the overall number of offensive plays and say "how many were runs vs how many were passes."

Like I said, I would certainly take into acct the fact that the hurry up averages more plays on offense per game. IIRC, that number was approx. 10 or so earlier in the year. That fact is indeed brought up and compared to the 2007 record setting attack. Like I said, most seasons are usually about 60/40 pass, but there has certainly been a trend to run the ball with better balance and more efficiency, so I agree with that.

As far as TOP this year, the team definitely improved by a couple of minutes if I recall correctly, as compared to last year, which certainly goes hand in hand with the more balanced attack.

I'm certainly not arguing against our attack being more balanced, far from it. It's what they needed and it worked out great. All I am saying is that it's hard to have conclusive evidence that we are "moving to a 3 WR, run-first" attack, which was what the poster said.

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Patiently waiting to defend the next "bubble" player in this summer's training camp.....

fumbrunner

ugh, this again.

First of all, the offense is predicated on short to medium routes, with lots of rubs and slants, with the occasional post routes by our TEs. It is the nature of the offense and it isn't going to change to a more vertical style.

Second, Brady does not have a good deep ball. Never has. It's just not his strength. And pleas dont point to 2007, because Moss comes around once in a lifetime. How many catches did he make in double and triple coverage? Overthrown, underthrown balls? Tons.

Wether it was bethel johnson, or stallworth, we have had burners on this team and they were marginal contributors.

What the Pats need is a physical, go get em receiver that could make plays in the medium range routes. A Boldin type, for example. Or a dez bryant-type with his head screwed on right. Now that is something that has been missing in the past decade.

coolguy

One can say that brady could be suffering froma dead arm, but i don't want to go that far.

AndyJohnson

So they are better than other TEs. OK, gotcha. How does that mean signing 2 TEs for 8 years means they are becoming a 3 WR offense?

ausbacker

It's so painful to know Jennings and Wallace could have been Patriots through the draft.