MrBigglesWorth

how much is javon walker kicking himself as he's sitting at home watching the game tomorrow.

__________________
"There are two categories of superbowl participants that nobody remembers:

The team that lost the game and the team that only won one." Dwight White- Steelers

zippo59

It's really never enough for some people.

__________________
"What Tom Brady just did gives me goose bumps."-John Madden after final drive in SB 36


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Unofficial Kevin Faulk supporter.

patpatriot

No, some people are just truly objective about the situation.

zippo59

Teams can always get better, but realistically you can't always get every player that would help your team.

I guess we'll just have to settle for Jabar Gaffney who is leading all WR's in catches and yards in the playoffs, Stephen Gostkowski who has not missed a kick in the playoffs, as well as playing in the AFC Championship game for the right to go to the Superbowl.

__________________
"What Tom Brady just did gives me goose bumps."-John Madden after final drive in SB 36


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Unofficial Kevin Faulk supporter.

BruschiOnTap

Andy, let me start by saying 'great post,' it was timely and relevant. I'm glad that posters on this board stop to smell the roses

But your eyebrows never raised even a liiiittle bit this past offseason?

__________________
Mannings never prosper

patpatriot

Be careful what you wish for...

AzPatsFan

We have talked about the great coaching jobs that Brian Daboll (WRs), and Josh McDaniels (OC), have turned in.

I'd like to assess the excellent job the FO has done. They entered the season from 2005 with little apparent CAP space only to have the new CBA add about $9 million in space.

They signed Seymour to a long term extension. All the big time players were locked up. This year they face Asante, Graham and TBC but thats all; with lots of money to address those FAs.

I'd like to review the draft.

Draft 2006:

1 LM is a franchise back, a keeper and a future Star.
2 CJ did little as a WR but showed that he will be a force in a year or two
3 David Thomas is a keeper and has definitely assumed the role that Fauria had, of pass catching TE, spot starter.
4 Mills INComplete.
4 Gostkowski is a Keeper and a rising star. Now 25 for 32 81.25% and has provided the Pats with a top five in KOs and touch backs. It helps that he has a two tackles too, and gives the coverage a real 11 on 11 versus most teams 11 on 10.
5 Ryan O Callaghan is a keeper at RT who has starts as a rookie on a good O line. It allowed the Pats to trade Brandon Gorin as surplus.
6 Mincey didn't make it,
7 Andrews was drafted as a ST performer and has won a position there, if he can keep it.
UDFA Pierre Woods is this years UDFA find and looks to have a depth position at OLB.
UDFA Andrew Spahn is another of this years UDFA find from NFLE as a ST gunner/DB.

Summary: Five future starters and nine good additions. The single cut is still in the NFL, so they didn't miss, but Woods won the job.

Veteran FA:

Several were brought in and ended up on IR but looked to be good additions in-the future.

1 Mel Mitchell will be a ST addition next season
2 Tebuckey Jones will be a ST addition next year and a reserve Safety who sees some snaps.
3 Barry Gardner was adding depth at ILB until he was hurt; will add depth in 2007
4 Reche Caldwell is a starter and a rising star
5 Jabbar Gaffney is a starter and a rising star
6 Jr Seau came looking for a Ring and earned the starting position at ILB for twelve games. He would be welcome back in 2007 if he wants it.
7 Kelvin Kight came from nowhere to fill the tail end of the WR corps and even had a start and catch.
8 Sauerbrun was signed and in his tried game served notice he can return to his pro bowl punting years. He saved the San Diego game, IMHO.

Summary: four starters and 8 keepers

Players who Broke through:

Warren played well enough to make the pro Bowl and people noticed.
Evans beefed up and dramatically improved his lead blocking.
Mankins made a couple of All Pro teams.
Britt stepped forward among the second team O linemen. As a soph he had a start or two and served notice there was now a backup at LOT.
Mike Wright got Jonathan cut, and confirmed he is a spot starter and good reserve on a spectacular D-line.

At the end of 2006 season the entire Offense is under thirty with but two reserves over thirty. (Dillon & Brown)

The Defense is younger too. There are only two starters over thirty, but several other experienced ex-starter vet FAs give good depth. (Jr., Harrison, Scott)

here we are in the AFCCG for the Lamar Hunt Trophy in a rebuilding year! Not bad at all.

Box_O_Rocks

I would list Spann as a street FA since he was signed and sent to NFLE before becoming this seasons yoyo. Mays is a UDFA who has made a mark on STs with Woods giving the Pats both an ILB & OLB to groom.

Nice attempt to rub some people's noses in reality AJ! Alas, we have at least one in this thread who can't stand the sweet smell of reason.

__________________
"Avert thine eyes! You're not hot enough to be looking at me."
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

PatsFanInVa

Exhaustive breakdown, Az. I have to say CJ can't be annointed a "future success" yet, but he's shown some flashes. The draft was a huge success in my book, with Gost, O'C, and Maroney making the most regular and obvious contributions. But as always, draft grades are still out at least for a year or two. The FA pickups gave HUGE bang for the buck, especially in the playoffs. We did hemmorage free agents this last offseason... but per the model, all except the players with the potential to change the game itself (Seymour/Brady, at present), we deemed to have a certain value, and to be expendable beyond that value. If we think it's hard to take as fans, how must it be to make those cold decisions every year?

That discipline and "hard-heartedness" is a big part of why we're in the AFC Championship game in a "rebuilding year." The challenge is remembering that this coming off-season.

PFnV

mgteich

The conclusion is spot on. We had a great off season. We had great pickup during the season. This team is stronger than last year as andy, box and I have agreed since we completed the draft. The FO did a GREAT job.

However, I disagree with the conclusions with regard to the wide receivers:

Jackson may or may not be a force in the next couple of years
Caldwell may or may not be a rising star
Gaffney may or may not be a rising star
Kight has done nothing as a receiver
I would add that Gabriel was Ok for a couple of game and then was cut
Also we traded a player under contract for a future #1

BOTTOM LINE
1) We spent almost nothing on the wide receiver position, saving cap money and securing a future #1 and #4 (the comp we should get for Givens). We have had HUGE success at this position considering what we spent. It is all about value. We can't spend the cap money at every position. This year we chose to use the available cap money to extend Seymour and bank $6M and a draft choice or two, not bad value at all.
2) To put it another way, as of now the top three wide receivers for the colts would be huge upgrades on our team. I would expect this would be the case for the rest of the careers of both sets of receivers.
3) Not adding a top or mid-level corner was a major failure in the offseason. However, we did sign Poteat, and extend Scott and later upgraded with Mickens during the season, enough to get us through so far.

Personally, I would have spent $6M of 2006 cap money on Ty Law. It is only my speculation, but my guess is that it was all about money. And if y'all think that this team would not be and is not better with Ty Law instead of Spann, I respectfully suggest that you watch some tape of Law playing this year, and listen to a couple of experts on this subject, the QB's and coaches who played against him.

And the team would look better with 2006 Milloy, but he was unavailable.

just my 2 cents