The key to the rest of the season is...

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Fred Taylor, a balanced running game between him, morris, maroney and faulk, will set up Moss ,Welker and the passing game... If Taylor can come back this week, it would be huge... As longs as Bill O Brien decides to keep running the ball

 

[Tunescribe]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Fred Taylor, a balanced running game between him, morris, maroney and faulk, will set up Moss ,Welker and the passing game... If Taylor can come back this week, it would be huge... As longs as Bill O Brien decides to keep running the ball

Better thread title: Fred Taylor's return could be key factor

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

...playing two good halves on both sides of the ball in one game?

Do I get a prize if I'm right?

 

[satz]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

He is coming back from a injury and surgery. You feel he will be ready to go 100% from the first snap ?

I think maroney is the man.He has been steady and run hard for the last 6-7 weeks.He is getting better and i will not bench him or goto 5 carry games to see if fred has it.
Maroney has momemtum so i want to see him run.I think the coaches will not mess with this either. What if taylor pulls a tate or cannot get back in form and you have just turned maroney off just in time for the playoff.

 

[upstater1]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Just put Brady behind center and forget about the empty backfield, and they'll be alright.

Maybe toss in the empty backfield once a half just to catch the opposition off guard.

Go heavy on play-action. Brady is one of the best.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

I don't care who runs it, i just want to see a commitment to the run

 

[Don_the_patfan]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Key to the season other then running the ball is creative play calling on O.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Generating a pass rush and red zone play (both offense and defense)

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Here are my keys to the rest of the season, in order:

1. Health of the O-Line.

2. Keep going with a more balanced offense to take the pressure off Brady and keep defenses honest.

3. Keeping veteran presence on the field with the defense.

4. Improved play coming from Aiken, Edelman, and Stanback.

5. Using Watson more in the passing game instead of blocking.

 

[Garbanza]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Dumbest question "evah":

If the fanbase is pretty much in agreement that the play calling is flawed (whether it's a creativity issue or an issue on how to use personal correctly) - why can't the coaching staff see it? Are we wrong? Are they stubborn? What do they see that we don't? Obvioulsy we aren't privy to practices, health, etc......but seriously....I mean Watson's true skills were actually utilized last Sunday and it proved effective. Why has he been missing from the passing game? Isn't Baker a better blocker if the plan is to use the TE as a blocker only? Color me confused.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Our RBs have been doing fine without Taylor. The problem is we always stop running in the 2nd half for some reason

 

[Mack Herron]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Here are my keys to the rest of the season, in order:

1. Health of the O-Line.

2. Keep going with a more balanced offense to take the pressure off Brady and keep defenses honest.

3. Keeping veteran presence on the field with the defense.

4. Improved play coming from Aiken, Edelman, and Stanback.

5. Using Watson more in the passing game instead of blocking.

Good thoughts. Taylor could be a big part of getting better production from the running game, but he needs to come back soon if that is to happen. I think Watson is a better pass option than any of the WRs (after RM, WW), but mostly they need to get a little more creative with their offense in general and passing game in particular.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

...playing two good halves on both sides of the ball in one game?

Do i get a prize if i'm right?

ding ding ding winner!

 

[JSn]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

3. Keeping veteran presence on the field with the defense.

5. Using Watson more in the passing game instead of blocking.

These two can't be overstated.

Watson is a Red Zone, Slot and Deep threat. Start getting him balls regularly (even 4-6 a game) and watch things open a little for Moss.

I think James Sanders (and to a lesser degree Junior Seau) had a lot to do with keeping the defense settled out there on Sunday. I'm glad it was against the Panthers, but I would not be the least bit surprised to see Sanders getting the majority of snaps from here on out. I also think McGowan could slide up purely as an aggressor on D, letting Meriweather and Chung go between playing safe and taking chances and letting Sanders be the clean-up guy/field marshal in the secondary.

 

[patsfan-1982]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

i don't see how taylor and he's 200 yerds in 4 games will make the pats that much better

im happy with maroney geting 20 att a game he has the most talent of all the backs


for me the key is wilfork they need him at 100% for the playoffs


and they need neal back

 

[aluminum seats]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Dumbest question "evah":

If the fanbase is pretty much in agreement that the play calling is flawed (whether it's a creativity issue or an issue on how to use personal correctly) - why can't the coaching staff see it? Are we wrong? Are they stubborn? What do they see that we don't? Obvioulsy we aren't privy to practices, health, etc......but seriously....I mean Watson's true skills were actually utilized last Sunday and it proved effective. Why has he been missing from the passing game? Isn't Baker a better blocker if the plan is to use the TE as a blocker only? Color me confused.

This is actually an excellent question--goes to a lot of issues with fandom, really. Because many of these things, like the play calling, DO seem self-evident. The problem is we can't know, because Belichick isn't talking, and as far as I know there's nobody close to him that speaks out about stuff. But it's a good question.

 

[cstjohn17]

Fred Taylor, a balanced running game between him, morris, maroney and faulk, will set up Moss ,Welker and the passing game... If Taylor can come back this week, it would be huge... As longs as Bill O Brien decides to keep running the ball

The key to the rest of the season is an aging, oft-injured RB? We are in worse shape than I thought.

Brady is the key, the defense isn't strong enough to win a playoff game outright. The running game doesn't scare anyone. To win a Superbowl Brady will have to carry the team on his back.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The key is get healthy on OL and DL.

Neal, Wilfork, Warren most importantly (unless there are new injuries). Vollmer being back helped alot this week.

Even though Taylor is probably our best runner and would help alot, the major key is the guys in front of him. Besides Maroney has been running great.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: The key to the rest of the season is....

Health across the board, as it always is.

Increased attention to detail and committment to not waste each other time or squander everyone's opportunities.

Eliminating repeated mental mistakes and costly turnovers that kill drives and alter momentum.

Playmakers and leaders stepping up or emerging to fill any void.

53 guys digging deep and adopting the effort driven will to win mentality and refusing to give in to adversity whether it emanates from without or within.


It's all about execution irrespective of playcall or game plan. They remarkably work fine when you do and don't regardless when you can't or won't. Calls for balance and creativity and heretofore unseen performances from talent they lack are all red herrings. We're dumbing down the defense on the fly while creating smoke and mirrors illusions on offense. This team is a grind it out or go home team. As Bill would say, it is what it is. They aren't suddenly going to find some missing magic formula and morph into the 2007 or 2004 or 2003 teams everyone longs for. Might have a shot at 2001 if they find the will as a team to overachieve en mass. Or even 2006 which won't make the natives happy for long. Otherwise they will emerge somewhere between 2002 and 2005 and it will be a long, ugly uncapped offseason fueled by media and message board critics and second guessers.

Hopefully at the very least some lessons will have been learned that will play dividends down the road. One of those should be Bill isn't ever bs'ing when he refuses to lend credence to pre season expectations. You don't just win in this league because you show up or look good on paper or people expect you to. Sooner or later, one way or another, it becomes a grind and it comes down to the breath and depth of an entire teams will to overcome any and all obstacles in it's path by whatever means necessary or possible to win this week.

 

[102 Pat]

winning games!

Sorry, couldn't resist it...