There is no reason to panic

[mgteich]

Presuming that Brady is OK, we are as healthy as we have been at any time other than before the game started this afternoon.

Edeleman has not had much of a role for the last few weeks. He now is the slot receiver. He did well today as he did the last time he was in this role.

Our OL is in fine shape, as are all five running backs and both of our tight ends.

Brady will have more to work with as far as offensive options than at almost any other time in the year.

And yes, we have the option of using our tight ends more, now that our OL is more healthy. A 2 TE, 2 WR set worked as a base offense last time we played BALT. It is a fine base formation for this team.

 

[Triumph]

Calling Charlie Weis

Its going to take some innovated play calling to make this work IMO.

Defensively, I dont know what to think. They havent held a lead in a single loss. I hope BB has some tricks up his sleeve because the Pats are going to need some.

 

[mgteich]

The problem is the same today as it was yeasterday: understanding and fixing whatever is causing the offense to not perform well in the second half and even more so in the 4th quarter.

Calling Charlie Weis

Its going to take some innovated play calling to make this work IMO.

Defensively, I dont know what to think. They havent held a lead in a single loss. I hope BB has some tricks up his sleeve because the Pats are going to need some.

 

[JSn]

How did the Pats ever win games before Moss and Welker?

I'm a newish fan and I think it blows to see Wes go down for the count, but come on guys. Let's remember who this team is.

 

[Deus Irae]

How did the Pats ever win games before Moss and Welker?

I'm a newish fan and I think it blows to see Wes go down for the count, but come on guys. Let's remember who this team is.

It's different teams, though, JSN. Prior to Moss/Welker, the team was all about a controlled game built around the notion that Brady's favorite receiver was the open receiver. That offense is gone, and it's been replaced by "Welker Short, Moss Long, Faulk out of the backfield, everyone else as a change of pace". When you couple that with a defense that was once rock solid being in a state of near-complete rebuild, you've got a lot of issues to deal with.

 

[Patjew]

Yes, no reason to panic, nothing to see here.

 

[Brady2Welker]

Honestly, as much as everyone is throwing this season under the bus because of the loss of Welker. This team has won three superbowls in four years with arguably one of the best quarterbacks to play this game, and one of the best coaches to ever coach. Without a doubt the best current coach. Although our offensive scheme will now become less effective, we can still win games if we can play some sort of creative schemes on offense especially using our tightends.


To build upon the previous statement in the post before me, what made Brady great in the first years of his career is he threw to the open receiver, now he thinks this is Madden.

Our hopes of winning in the playoffs aren't based on Wes Welker, no matter how great he is. It's based on whether Belichick can get his hands dirty, and really make this defense do something, like I dunno.. hold a lead.

 

[Triumph]

How did the Pats ever win games before Moss and Welker?

I'm a newish fan and I think it blows to see Wes go down for the count, but come on guys. Let's remember who this team is.

NEWFLASH:

This team isnt the same as the SB Championship teams. The offense relies heavily on Moss and Welker and really hasnt identified a 3rd WR all season.

 

[pheenix11]

I love Wes Welker and I wish we had 53 of him.

Having said that, how many Superbowls have we won with Wes Welker?

Remember the old days when Brady would throw to whoever was open, even if it was Reche Caldwell? I think Brady has been locking onto Welker & Moss too much, as others have said, time to look to the open man.

 

[Jangles]

Do you think that without Welker as his binky it will force the old Brady out and make him look over all his options?

just a thought

 

[Schmo]

In the course of any given season, any team will suffer season ending injuries to players... many times to their best players. Assuming Wilfork, Warren and Maroney are good to go for the playoffs, we really haven't had many devastating injuries. At least not as many as I can recall in previous years. Unless I am forgeting someone, we have a full stable of running backs, our starting O-Line (including Kaczur ) is healthy, and our entire defense is still there. Most importantly, Brady is still throwing the ball.

What I am saying, is that an NFL roster is built assuming that there will be injuries (at least it should be). There is no replacing Welker, but we do have a safety net, and the dropoff will be as minimal as it can be after losing a superstar. It is definitely bad timing, but this team does not rely on ANY one player to succeed.

Cheer up! We're in the playoffs!

 

[Gwedd]

I'd say that the loss to Houston was more the result of the Patriots playing a rather vanilla defense, rather than give anything away to Houston in case the Patriots met them in the Wildcard game.

Let's not forget, too, that Faulk, Maroney, Warren and Wilfork were all inactive, but will be there to play against Baltimore. The defense will be a LOT tougher with Big Vince and Ty Warren back in the lineup, and using Faulk out of the backfield, or even sent wide or on screens is always good for a chunk of yards. Well, almost always, but you see what I mean.

Yeah, losing Welker sucks big time, but it could have happened anytime. This team will be fine and, honestly, doesn't anyone else think that they might rally around Welker to win a ring for him for all he's done here?

 

[pheenix11]

I know one thing, having Edelman around certainly removes some of the sting. The kid is good, real good. I like how he fights for every last yard.

Wonder who he learned that from?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The only problem with the back in the day theorists is those days were before DC's determined that the key to stopping the Patriots was getting hits and pressures on Brady to keep him from connecting with Moss. Moss is virtually useless to him because of that against teams with above average pass rush and/or a cover corner. Welker was uncanny about getting open. Edleman isn't quite there yet, and may never be quite as explosive. The remaining cast hasn't been up to former standards by a long shot. The TE's have some excuse since they are hamstrung with blocking assignments. Just not sure Aiken and Stanbeck will prove to be as adept as guys like Brown and Patten who were still playing when Branch and Givens were starting. If they're going to survive it's going to have to be with a punishing running game and a solid defense... Two other things theyalso had back in the day.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

The only problem with the back in the day theorists is those days were before DC's determined that the key to stopping the Patriots was getting hits and pressures on Brady to keep him from connecting with Moss. Moss is virtually useless to him because of that against teams with above average pass rush and/or a cover corner. Welker was uncanny about getting open. Edleman isn't quite there yet, and may never be quite as explosive. The remaining cast hasn't been up to former standards by a long shot. The TE's have some excuse since they are hamstrung with blocking assignments. Just not sure Aiken and Stanbeck will prove to be as adept as guys like Brown and Patten who were still playing when Branch and Givens were starting. If they're going to survive it's going to have to be with a punishing running game and a solid defense... Two other things theyalso had back in the day.

it's time to get Moss more involved in the short passing game. Make him run some slants and crossing routes and go over the middle. Get him the ball on some screen passes - with his great speed just put the ball in his hands and let him make a play with his legs.

 

[20HindSight20]

Do you think that without Welker as his binky it will force the old Brady out and make him look over all his options?

just a thought

We can hope so. Just as the defense had to improvise with Wilfork out and did a lot of stunting and standing at the line effectively, hopefully Brady starts really spreading the ball around. There will be only one semi-healthy Ed Reed on the field at all times so let's spread that defense out. :singing:

 

[Wax Frog]

If they're going to survive it's going to have to be with a punishing running game and a solid defense... Two other things theyalso had back in the day.

Isn't that the 'traditional' recipe for postseason success anyway? If the Pats are to be damned, I'd much rather see them damned by finally taking a stab at that approach.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Calling Charlie Weis

Its going to take some innovated play calling to make this work IMO.

Couldn't agree more Triumph.
If the Patriots had a legit O coordinator in place they could game plan around Wes' absence. But sadly this offense hasn't been in sync all season long and IMO the main reason for that has been schizophrenic playcalling and a genuine lack of sideline coaching. They lack a sideline leader with this offense. This is why this offense simply can't score points in the 2nd half of games. There is no one to coach them when the other team makes halftime adjustments.

 

[mayoclinic]

The only problem with the back in the day theorists is those days were before DC's determined that the key to stopping the Patriots was getting hits and pressures on Brady to keep him from connecting with Moss. Moss is virtually useless to him because of that against teams with above average pass rush and/or a cover corner. Welker was uncanny about getting open. Edleman isn't quite there yet, and may never be quite as explosive. The remaining cast hasn't been up to former standards by a long shot. The TE's have some excuse since they are hamstrung with blocking assignments. Just not sure Aiken and Stanbeck will prove to be as adept as guys like Brown and Patten who were still playing when Branch and Givens were starting. If they're going to survive it's going to have to be with a punishing running game and a solid defense... Two other things theyalso had back in the day.

Very good post.

Brady - like just about everyone else - is a totally different QB when he has time to throw. The book on Brady used to be blitz him at your peril, because he will find the open man, but I think it's pretty well proven by now that he can be rattled and rushed into mistakes just like everyone else. A lot depends on how well our OL plays. Brady was hit 6 times yesterday, which is too much, and sacked twice.

There's absolutely no reason to panic, but there's also absolutely no reason to have any confidence that this team is ready to make a deep run in the playoffs. We're 1-6 in true road games, we've blown 10 point or greater leads in the 2nd half in 5 games, our defense has yet to show that it can stop a top QB and passing attack when it counts, and we're still struggling with fundamental mistakes. And we've lost our most consistent and dependable offensive performer. This is clearly the weakest Pats playoff team since 2005, and the 2005 team at least finished the season 4-1 with some momentum. Arizona went to the SB last year coming into the postseason looking ragged, but I wouldn't count on that as a recipe for success.

No need to panic, but reality shouldn't be interdicted either.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Do you think that without Welker as his binky it will force the old Brady out and make him look over all his options?

just a thought

Brady's binky is Moss. He's the player Brady forces the ball to and causes critical INT's.