Deus Irae

What is the game plan for "Our offensive line won't show up and our injured quarterback won't be able to move, so we've got to come up with plays that develop in less than 1 second with the opposition playing to defend screens."?

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Rob0729

Why would have Moose Johnston go up against Welker? Welker is a WR and Johnston was a FB. Until Welker shows more than one year, I will give the edge to Johnston if you are calling him a WR, but comparing the two is an unfair comparison since they play different positions. You shpuld be comparing Harper to Welker.

As of right now, Mankins is the only guy I see who is as good as about 3 or 4 of the Cowboys' o-line. Newton (6 pro bowls and 5 all pro), Williams (4 Pro Bowls and 3 All Pros), Stepnoski (5 Pro Bowls), and Tuinei (2 Pro Bowls and 2 All Pros) are arguably more talented than any of the Pats o-linemen other than potentially Mankins.

I guess I am wrong. I guess if you take the homerish view, you can argue last year's Patriots offense was more talented.

ScottieC

Well, In all fairness to the Homers, NONE of the 2007 team is in the Hall of Fame - But Two are a lock and we'll see how the rest fair - So a HOF comparison is not apples to apples - I would agree with Novachek, he's one of my favorite players of all time that's not a Patriot - The guy was like Welker, he was everywhere and caught everything thrown at him.

Anyway - I'm a Homer, but I'll take the Pats against that team any day. The argument is really Brady vs. Aikman (helllllo Brady is the runaway here, Aikman never threw over 27 TD's in a season - I think, I'm sure I'm close) and then Smith vs. LM (Obviously it's E. Smith, not even close) - However, Throw in Welker and Stallworth and now you have a problem with the Cowboys, and lets not forget Moss vs. Irvin (I think it's moss in a run away - Moss is constantly compared against Rice....not Michael.)

Fun stuff!

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Deus Irae

Welker was better last year than Johnston was in any year of his career. This isn't a lifetime achievement argument, it's a 2007 discussion.

Again, 2007 vs. 1992 was the comparison. Also, Koppen and Light are both better than Tuinei, although my second rating (4-4-3) calls Light/Tuinei a 'tie', Koppen is on a fair plane with Stepnoski and Williams is the one clear Cowboy win on the O-line.

A Homerish view isn't needed. The 2007 Patriots stack up just fine against the best (in terms of wins) Cowboys team of the 90's dynasty. Whether you go 6-2-3 or 4-4-3 as the final matchup, 2007 New England keeps up quite nicely with that squad.

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"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius

Rob0729

I will agree that Brady and Moss are a lock. But that cancels out Aikman and Irvin (although you can make a strong argument that Moss and Brady are better at their respective positon). There is no one on the Pats' roster to cancel out Emmitt though. Nate Newton will almost certainly get into the Hall although being a guard it will take him time. Mankins looks like he could be a HOFer, but he isn't as good as Newton was yet. Stepnoski and Erik Williams have outside chances of getting to the Hall. I don't see any other Patriot with outside chance of getting to the Hall as of right now other than maybe Welker if he continues to produce like last year.

Rob0729

Johnston was a spectacular FB and was arguably the best FB in the league in 1993 and 1994. From a pure talent standpoint, that makes Johnston better. Again, you are comparing Johnston to Welker as if they were both WRs and they weren't. Johnston was near the top if not the top of his position and Welker is not.



I would take Tuinei over Light. Light is an above average tackle. Tuinei was better than above average, but not in the great realm. Stepnoski was far better than you give him credit for. He was at the time a top 3 center. I would say Koppen was a top 5.

I would say from a pure talent standpoint from top to bottom of this roster, I would put this past year's Pats in the 10-15 range maybe. I am not trying to trash our players, but this offense didn't produce because of talent alone. It produced because players knew their roles and played smart with great coaching. There was defintely talent on this team, but it is really crazy to sugguest that this offense is as talented as many of the top offenses (many of which just won on talent alone despite coaching - see the late 90s Viking with Brian Billick as the OC).

JoeSixPat

Those that share what are apparently McDaniel's own views about areas of improvement shouldn't be viewed as McDaniel bashers.

Or are we saying that McDaniels is a McDaniels basher?

I think there are a lot of people who recognize that, just like th 2006 team that was the #6 offense in the NFL, there are ways in which the 2007 offense can improve as well.

This is a good sign as far as I'm concerned - an acknowledgment from the OC, unlike many fans, that the 2007 offense does have areas where it can improve.

patsfaninpittsburgh

I wonder if he really likes New England? Pioli stated is love for the area (and a nice pay raise) was a prime reason for staying.

Let's say he makes a few million and replaces BB in the future. That's not bad because Pioli is in his early 40's and he would work for the greatest owner in sports.

How many organizations that will need HC's are really worth working for? I can see someone in their 50's (Crennel) but if you were in your 30's would you want to work for Al Davis? The Cardinals? St Louis? Atlanta?

Rob0729

I don't think anyone said last year's offense was perfect and nothing needs to be improved upon. There is a difference between pointing out that there are areas of improvement and stating that McDaniels sucks and any OC could have done what McDaniels did last year with that offense.

I agree with much McDaniels' assessment. I also agree that it is a good thing that McDaniels recognizes areas of improvement.

As a strong McDaniels supporter, I have always said that he still has a bit to learn and grow as a an OC. I just don't see him as the incompetitent fool that some portray him who only makes adjustments when Belichick forces him to do so.

KontradictioN

The reason why some of you might think that there was more talent on the Pats' offense because of the year it had is at quarterback and wide receiver. You have in Tom Brady arguably the best to every play the position, and you have Randy Moss, the bonafide number two best player of all time at his position. With those two together and a strong supporting cast, the offense will be unstoppable. Aikman, IMO, doesn't hold a candle to Brady. That alone makes the Pats offense more talented since that is the most important position on the field.

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CREDIT - Sicilian