edgeofepic

Okay, so it's not really any incredible observation but I noticed today Deion Branch had no catches. I think he's been shut out in a couple other games this season and has had quite a few games with anywhere from 1-3 catches and really minimal impact on the offensive game plan. We all know the enigma that Ocho has been all season. One would hope that after another successful Super Bowl run (thinking positive here) the Pats will look at this position. It appears we have a good group of RBs with Ridley and Vereen complimenting Woodhead and perhaps BJGE (if he returns). Our TE position looks stacked, so offensively, other than continuing to draft for OL depth, our primary need appears to be WR. Edleman gives you a little WR insurance here because he has shown occasional flashes of being a Welker-lite but let's be candid, we need more production from our traditional WRs (I consider Welker a slot receiver although he's clearly our best receiver which is why he starts.) I think our TEs and Welker's performances helped to conceal how thin we are at WR. Arguably, we are as thin, or thinner at WR than we are at Safety/Cornerback/Defensive back.

Any thoughts here? I wouldn't anticipate getting flamed too badly on this observation but we'll see.

Oh, and as far as I'm concerned, Bill O'Brien calls a lousy game every week and #12 is the reason our team is in the playoffs. Good luck at PSU Bill - steer clear of the showers!!!

PatriotFan77

Brady just threw for 5000 yards. They don't need WRs.

brady199

If Welker has 120 catches, Gronk has 80 and Hernandez has 70, that doesn't leave a lot of catches left for anyone else. (Assuming Welker comes back of course.)

nabwong

I feel the contrary. We need one more TE in case either Gronk or AH goes down. If we have 3 stud, imagine what we can do with a 3 TE set.

__________________
Belichick: Stats are for losers. Final scores are for winners.

Big-T

Hernandez, Welker & Gronkowski had that many catches because they're the only receivers who can get open or are trusted by Brady, bring in another WR who can learn the system and get in sync with Brady and the offense would be even better than it was this year.

Sciz

Branch also didn't play for a very large portion of the game.

__________________

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

102 Pat

No disrespect OP, but let's wait till the offseason starts (hopefully in February) before looking ahead to next season.

__________________

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


This offseason, it's almost like Belichick is saying, "I'm never going to let that happen again."

Mike Reiss 7/19/12

edgeofepic

I don't disagree on having another TE for depth but to think you don't need at least one game breaking WR is a head scratcher to me. I think many would argue that Hernandez is actually more of a WR than a TE anyway. I can see some merit to that argument. You don't notice it not b/c we have a marginal running game, but we ever decide to get serious about running the ball (maybe if BoB leaves?) we'll need to open the field up a bit. A WR stretches the defense a bit and gives the RB some running room. And just because Brady throws for 5,000 yards doesn't mean you're all set at WR. Welker is ageless and I hope he plays for many more years. The ugly truth is he won't. Aside from Brady, he is very much the heart of our team - the guy who always plays hard no matter what the score is - as guys like Troy Brown and a younger Kevin Fault were in years past.

You need at least one competent WR to work with Welker. Neither Ocho nor Branch are that guy. Does anyone even see Ocho on this squad next year?

Hok

We don't need an outside guy to catch passes, we just need one to force opposing safeties to respect the threat of a vertical pass and create more room underneath for Welker and our TEs.

makoute

Pats need Safeties, LB, DE or OLB. After watching the broncos put up 3 points against the Chiefs, I have to ask how the hell did they move the ball against the Pats so easily, just like Buffalo did today.

__________________

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