Rob0729

Gronk is just as effective as Julio Jones as a difference maker on offense, probably more so. Jones had 79 catches for 1,198 yards and 10 TDs in 16 games. Gronk had 55 receptions for 790 yards and 11 TDs in 11 games which projects out to 80 catches for 1149 yards, and 16 TDs.

Unless the Pats replace Welker with a big bodies deep threat, the only way they can get one is they find one in the second or third round because they probably cannot afford to waste a first round pick on a receiver when they have other needs.

Every team can have only so many difference making receivers. The Pats arguably have two with Welker and Gronk. Assuming Welker is back, it is poor management t spend big money on another receiving target.

Fact of the matter, the Pats had control of the game until Flacco started to air it out and keep his defense off the field to regroup. The collapse of the Pats' defense is what killed the Pats in the AFCCG. Yet everyone wants is another receiving target. What people should be calling for instead of trying to get Greg Jennings or Dwayne Bowe, we should be calling for the Pats to pursue Dashon Goldson or Henry Melton or any number of top defensive free agents that are out there.

Triumph

The Pats have a nice run game that could be great if they used it more.

I dont why NE didnt throw Baltimore a curve and come out running the ball with Ridely, Vereen, Woody and Bolden? Baltimore knew it would be Brady back there passing all night and the Pats obliged them. The old Pats would never let a TE injury stop the whole machine. No one part was greater than the other with the exception of Brady.

Sometimes it seems like McDaniels has too many weapons and doesnt know what to do with them all.

KontradictioN

Hunter, IMO, would be exactly what I'm talking about. A physical, big bodied specimen that can make all the catches, run all the routes, and threatens every level of the field. If we draft him, and he sticks, he would help the red zone offense should Gronk ever have to leave the field for an extended period time again.

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Rob0729

I think it had to do with the fact the TEs couldn't block a 90 year old grandma with a bad hip.

MoneyFX

I agree. I thought the Patriots offense may have played right into the hands of the Ravens defense.

Patriot Missile

I agree. Although the Pats weren't lighting it up with the running game and would of been better served with Gronk as a blocker. They were still averaging just around 4 yards a carry which wasn't too bad. It was also slowing down the edge rushers that hounded Brady all day long. A little more patience by the coaches and we might have been able to create rhythm in the running game and possible better play opportunities instead of being in shotgun. Then again maybe they fall flat on their faces if they go that route? Bottom line they lost running plays and TOP by not converting some of those 3rd downs.

RIpats88

I guess I just question whether the "welker centric" offense is the way to go...so far in our playoff losses we haven't been able to even put up 20points...and thats pathetic.

since switching over to a more tight-end oriented offense with Hernandez/Gronkowski, welkers role sort of becomes redundant....sure we've been able to put up great stats in the regular season...but i'm more concerned about the post-season where teams have learned how to bottle up this passing attack because it's too predictable.

I view acquiring a physical mis-match outside the hash-marks WR and defensive help as more of a priority than giving welker 10-11million$$ IMO

I would like to see McDaniels draft a WR early(this guy drafted some absolute studs for Denver). given that Gronk/hernandez stay healthy I feel like an offense of:

Outside WR/Gronk/Hernandez/Lloyd would be much harder to defend.

Deus Irae

1.) Welker's role is not redundant. That's a fallacy. There's only one receiver on the team that does close to what Welker does, and that's Hernandez. However, Hernandez is nowhere near as capable of getting open in the small spaces as is Welker.

2.) The notion of points is really not accurate either. In 2007, the offense was Moss-Centric: 14 points. In 2009, Welker didn't play: 14 points. In 2010, the Brady screen INT wasn't to Welker and the drop in the endzone was to the TE: 21 points. In 2011, with Gronk out: 17 points.

It's not about Welker-centric. It's about the offense in general.

2001 - 16, 24 and 20
2003 - 17, 24 and 32
2004 - 20, 41 and 24
2005 - 28 and 13
2006 - 37, 24 and 34
2007 - 31, 21 and 14
2009 - 14
2010 - 21
2011 - 45, 23 and 17
2012 - 41 and 13

The question we need to answer is: How much of the problem is the offensive game planning, how much is injury/freak turnovers, and how much is other factors like the opposing game plan, opposing defensive style, etc....? The consistency of low scoring games essentially rules out Welkercentrism as the problem.

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RIpats88

well, I would say that outside of Gronkowski, we are just lacking a physical mismatch at wide receiver...and without him we are limited to a very "scheming" sort of passing attack...maybe with a healthy Gronk we would be different. but we havent yet seen that in the playoffs

generally teams who can get physical with our wide receivers tend to limit our passing game..even the welker TD had to do with scheming.

at some point you have to be able to just go mano-e-mano throw the ball out there and expect your receiver will be able to just go out and get it . that is what Gronkowski offers..and what Boldin gives the Ravens

I dont think welker is a problem, but I do think we NEED a Big physical outside receiver. who can just bully these smaller CB's.

you see guys like Flacco, matt ryan just throw the ball out there and their receiver is able to manhandle the defender and come up with the ball...on the other end Brady needs to put a perfect pass into his receivers hands to move the chains

Deus Irae

I think there's truth to this, although what I'd say is that the outside receivers have 2 weaknesses (struggle with getting off the line, lack of top end speed) that allow teams to keep them flat inside the same distances as the inside trio far too often.

This is why I wish the Patriots would incorporate more motion into the offense. Why they let undersized/understrengthed receivers get locked up on is something I just don't have an answer to.

Welker also gives them this. In fact, he's better at it than anyone in the league besides Megatron and Fitzgerald. It's just that he does it in a smaller area.

I'll take the bully, but I'll also take the speed guy, as long as they work to get him a clean start.

Flacco's got Smith, who's basically Mike Wallace. Ryan's got two legitimate studs who were both deserving first round picks and arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history, but the Falcons will be watching the game from home the same as the Patriots.

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