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6. Will "Medical Marvel'' replace "Mighty Mite" as an apt description for New England's Wes Welker?
All indications continue to point to the Patriots' highly productive slot receiver being cleared for full participation at some point this preseason, and possibly even getting significant practice time during training camp. That's a fairly remarkable timetable for his return given that he tore both the ACL and MCL in his left knee on Jan. 3 of this year, on a non-contact play in New England's Week 17 loss at Houston. But when we saw Welker doing most of the same work everyone else was doing in New England's OTAs and mini-camp practices in late spring, it became apparent that his presence in the Patriots lineup for the Sept. 12 season opener was a pretty safe bet.
The Patriots, no doubt still reeling a bit from that first-round playoff beatdown by Baltimore at home, could certainly use Welker at full speed from day one of this season. In their opening seven games, they face five 2009 playoff teams in Cincinnati, the Jets, Baltimore, San Diego and Minnesota. A slow start in that stretch of the woods by New England and those brash-talking Jets might own the AFC East by Halloween.
Banks lives in the area and he does have some good Pats sources. Most likely he is just speculating based on Welker's minicamp's performance, but I wonder if he might have some inside information that says Welker will be activated in the preseason.
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Banks lives in the area and he does have some good Pats sources. Most likely he is just speculating based on Welker's minicamp's performance, but I wonder if he might have some inside information that says Welker will be activated in the preseason.
Aside from Baltimore, that list of 2009 playoff teams somehow doesn't faze me...maybe becasue it's collectively struggled to phase this team for a decade, even in their most battered and beaten phases.
As for his read on Welker, I think it's just common sense in the face of mounting evidence. Two weeks before TC he's moved past rehab and onto football training. With 2 months to go before the bell sounds, barring a setback it's pretty clear he's poised to return to the field along side his teamates when it does.
Aside from Baltimore, that list of 2009 playoff teams somehow doesn't faze me...maybe becasue it's collectively struggled to phase this team for a decade, even in their most battered and beaten phases.
As for his read on Welker, I think it's just common sense in the face of mounting evidence. Two weeks before TC he's moved past rehab and onto football training. With 2 months to go before the bell sounds, barring a setback it's pretty clear he's poised to return to the field along side his teamates when it does.
Yeah, I agree somewhat with the playoff teams. I think Cincy is on the decline and snuck up on a lot of teams early last year. San Deigo could be without both Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil. The Jets will be without Holmes and I still think they did too much tinkering with their running game. I also wonder if Brett Favre can repeat his last year's performance another year older coming off of surgery (he hasn't been the model of consistency the last decade or so). None of those games are gimmes. I think those teams have questions, but those questions could be answered to make them better just as much as they could be worse.
As for Banks' information, I think you are probably right. But I still wonder if he is hearing things that aren't being published because he does have a few good sources with the team.
Aside from Baltimore, that list of 2009 playoff teams somehow doesn't faze me...maybe becasue it's collectively struggled to phase this team for a decade, even in their most battered and beaten phases.
Not to hijack this thread, but how does that list of playoff teams not phase you? We got our asses handed to us on a silver platter by a team (Baltimore) who was essentially playing without their quarterback. Imagine what they could have done if Flacco was healthy? I wouldn't want to see it. That team then went on and got THEIR asses handed to them in Indy the next week by a Peyton Manning team that's always given us problems and went on to the Super Bowl. Aside from Week 2 in 2007, the Chargers have never been an easy out for us and blew us out in 2005 and 2008, the last time we played them... and with a better defense than we had last year. Really, the Bengals and the Jets should be the only two teams that don't frighten you and even then, I can't see us beating either of those teams by two TD's or more. Should we even look at the NFC, we would be looking at the Saints as of right now who cut through us like a hot knife through butter when we played last year.
I'm not sure what the basis is in not being phased by these guys. We're not in 2004 anymore and this team has a lot of uncertainty on both sides of the ball. I've said before that I'm optimistic but even I'm willing to admit that in 2009, the Pats were probably the second worst team in the AFC playoffs.
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Not to hijack this thread, but how does that list of playoff teams not phase you? We got our asses handed to us on a silver platter by a team (Baltimore) who was essentially playing without their quarterback. Imagine what they could have done if Flacco was healthy? I wouldn't want to see it. That team then went on and got THEIR asses handed to them in Indy the next week by a Peyton Manning team that's always given us problems and went on to the Super Bowl. Aside from Week 2 in 2007, the Chargers have never been an easy out for us and blew us out in 2005 and 2008, the last time we played them... and with a better defense than we had last year. Really, the Bengals and the Jets should be the only two teams that don't frighten you and even then, I can't see us beating either of those teams by two TD's or more. Should we even look at the NFC, we would be looking at the Saints as of right now who cut through us like a hot knife through butter when we played last year.
I'm not sure what the basis is in not being phased by these guys. We're not in 2004 anymore and this team has a lot of uncertainty on both sides of the ball. I've said before that I'm optimistic but even I'm willing to admit that in 2009, the Pats were probably the second worst team in the AFC playoffs.
Yeah, and we were missing our best receiver and our QB was battling through tougher issues than a sore hip. We've always played Baltimore tough, because of their defense. Their offense may be improving, although I'm not sold on Flacco when healthy.
We've had more than our share of success against Manning and came within inches of experiencing it again when we clearly weren't at our best. Colts got a few discontented cracks appearing in the foundation in case you hadn't noticed, and they're coming to our house for dinner this season.... SD is a fraud team that notoriously starts slow and eventually folds under pressure and their top WR has been MIA and talking holdout. We've even beat them when we were sucking fumes. They own Manning particularly on the road fwiw...the JETS, not so much apparently. Matt Cassel also isn't going to be under center this season in case you hadn't noticed.
You don't need to win by 2 TD's unless they changed the rules in regulation, too.
No team with Tavaris Jackson or Brett Favre at the helm ever scares me. Brett will occasionally pull a game out his ass. But by and large Bill has his number. Our toughest matchups occur at home this year, and I like that. This team was in full blown defensive transition last season, lacked depth on offense coming out of camp, was fronted by a rehabbing QB off a one year absence who got multiply cracked or broken early on, and then we had a little leadership void develop particularly on defense that flummoxed coaching down the stretch. I don't forsee nearly that much simultaneous adversity happening again this season. We've kept our FA (Mankins will show, believe me). Had a mahvelous draft. Mayo is healthy. Brady is healthy. Moss is healthy and motivated in a contract year. Welker who was dinged early and went down late will be back I believe better than expected. Neal will at least start the season... Edleman will be better with experience. We have depth at the position with Holt, Chief, Tate and Price. We got 3 new TE's including two the Ravens coveted. Vollmer will be starting at RT. We have excellent depth on the OL. It's the last hurrah for these RB's so they too should be motivated. O'Brien has another year under his belt coordinating an offense. Matt Patricia is being groomed as a DC while BB is essentially replacing Dean Pees.
This isn't 2009 anymore. It's 2010. I expect to win a couple of more games than we did staggering through 2009 in transition. I think the FO sent a message and rid themselves of bad apples and dead wood and the next generation of the dynasty is being molded even as we speak.
Not to hijack this thread, but how does that list of playoff teams not phase you? We got our asses handed to us on a silver platter by a team (Baltimore) who was essentially playing without their quarterback. Imagine what they could have done if Flacco was healthy? I wouldn't want to see it. That team then went on and got THEIR asses handed to them in Indy the next week by a Peyton Manning team that's always given us problems and went on to the Super Bowl. Aside from Week 2 in 2007, the Chargers have never been an easy out for us and blew us out in 2005 and 2008, the last time we played them... and with a better defense than we had last year. Really, the Bengals and the Jets should be the only two teams that don't frighten you and even then, I can't see us beating either of those teams by two TD's or more. Should we even look at the NFC, we would be looking at the Saints as of right now who cut through us like a hot knife through butter when we played last year.
I'm not sure what the basis is in not being phased by these guys. We're not in 2004 anymore and this team has a lot of uncertainty on both sides of the ball. I've said before that I'm optimistic but even I'm willing to admit that in 2009, the Pats were probably the second worst team in the AFC playoffs.
True. i am a bit concerned at how this season will play out. We have some tough teams to take on this season with the 6th hardest scheldule. We will have a better defense tho and hopefully Welker is back before reg season starts. I think we are alot better than in 2009 but we are also facing teams that are alot better as well some back to back. Gonna def be a interesting season.
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Last edited by Kid~Brady; 07-19-2010 at 11:44 AM..
Imagine what they could have done if Flacco was healthy? I wouldn't want to see it.
Flacco? Really? I don't think Flacco was who we had to worry about when playing the Ravens. What we had to prepare for was their running game and solid defense. Imagine what we could have done if BRADY or WELKER was healthy.
Last edited by CheeseMonkeys; 07-19-2010 at 12:05 PM..
As long as he's 100%, having him on the field is an obvious plus. Just let him take all the time needed to get there.
Also, Belichickfan would be thrilled that his prediction from months ago came true.
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Flacco? Really? I don't think Flacco was who we had to worry about when playing the Ravens. What we had to prepare for was their running game and solid defense. Imagine what we could have done if BRADY or WELKER was healthy.
Right! Flacco is wacco for the most part. They run the ball each down because of passing issues and receivers. It was Ray Rice who killed us, not Flacco.
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True. i am a bit concerned at how this season will play out. We have some tough teams to take on this season with the 6th hardest scheldule. We will have a better defense tho and hopefully Welker is back before reg season starts. I think we are alot better than in 2009 but we are also facing teams that are alot better as well some back to back. Gonna def be a interesting season.
The Pats had one of the toughest schedules last year at this point too. The thing is like most years, the strength of schedule when you look at it in August isn't what it is going be be after you play all the games. Last year, the Pats played 2008 playoffs teams like Tennessee, Miami (twice), Carolina, and Atlanta failed to repeat past success. Several of these teams took a two or more game increase in the loss column.
We cannot look at this year's schedule and think the strength of the competition is set in stone. We face the Chargers who were 13-3 last year, but 8-8 the year before. What if they go back to the 8-8 team especially if Jackson and McNeil holds out?
I wouldn't be surprised if this year's schedule ends up being even easier than last year's. I also wouldn't be surprised that if when everything is said and done, the Pats have the hardest schedule in the league.
Don Banks 20 NFL Question #6 Welker
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