MNF Gang (Gruden, Jaworski) predict the AFC East

[jmt57]

Re: MNF Gang (Gruden,Jaworski) predict the AFC East

I used to be harder on the national columnists, announcers and analysts than I am now. My train of thought was 'these guys get paid to do this; how can they know so little?' But if they spend two hours a week on each team then they are already up to a 64-hour week, and that would be before any production meetings, time in front of a camera, radio interviews, or writing any columns.

I don't know how much it is done, but the only way I can see them accomplishing their job would be to rely on other researchers within the organization, and/or beat writers that follow only one team. As good as these guys may be at breaking down film or analyzing a game, there is no way that they can be experts on 32 NFL teams.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I think its loads easier to predict who the 5 worst teams will be rather than the 5 best teams

You would not have to be an expert to predict that the Browns,Rams,Lions,Bills and Bucs will have double digit losses in 2010.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: MNF Gang (Gruden,Jaworski) predict the AFC East

There is no way Jaws has actually watched any of the Jets pre-season games. He said that Holmes was a huge addition and will help out Sanchez. Unless Holmes can throw the ball, I don't see how he can help out Sanchez at all... I think if the Pats can get 11 wins, that will be good enough to win the division.

Jaws did call the Jets/Giants game and if you listened to him, you would have thought Sanchez was Montana, Elway, Brady, and Manning all rolled into one.

 

[patsfan-1982]

IMO you realy can't be mad at them for saying that there realy has been no upgrade at any position from last year.

QB Brady, is Brady, we know what we get from him 4000 yards and 28 TD's
RB the same + one year older
WR maybe a upgrade if Tate, can be a bigger part in the passing game
TE right now it looks like a upgrade but they are rookies and it's preseason
OL weaker with out Mankins,
DL unless Myron Pryor, and Ron Brace, get rely good fast the DL is weaker then last year.
LB for the most part the same as last year.
DB again for the most part still the same


on paper they don't look great but that what i love about football the games are not won or lost on paper and IMO the pats play with a lot more fire when they are the underdog so i like it

 

[Calciumee]

Re: MNF Gang (Gruden,Jaworski) predict the AFC East

If the Jets look like crap in 3 pre season game, then it's only pre season.

If the Pats look like crap in 1 pre season game, these guys have them playing in the Arena League.

Very True

 

[JackBauer]

IMO you realy can't be mad at them for saying that there realy has been no upgrade at any position from last year.

QB Brady, is Brady, we know what we get from him 4000 yards and 28 TD's
RB the same + one year older
WR maybe a upgrade if Tate, can be a bigger part in the passing game
TE right now it looks like a upgrade but they are rookies and it's preseason
OL weaker with out Mankins,
DL unless Myron Pryor, and Ron Brace, get rely good fast the DL is weaker then last year.
LB for the most part the same as last year.
DB again for the most part still the same


on paper they don't look great but that what i love about football the games are not won or lost on paper and IMO the pats play with a lot more fire when they are the underdog so i like it

Spikes is already an upgrade at LB, and Tate is already an upgrade at WR3.

 

[Buchanty]

Re: MNF Gang (Gruden,Jaworski) predict the AFC East

Jaws and Gruden are experts. They are not experts on teams. It's actually impossible to expect anyone to be adequately knowledgeable on 32 football teams......Both are good game analysts.

I can take Jaws as long as he doesn't indulge in rumpswabbing - since once in a while he does contribute value. But Gruden I don't get; he came with a reputation of being a young lion with the Raiders, lucked out by taking over Dungy's team in TB in time for him to win a SB and since then has done the square route of sweet nothing. Maybe I just switch off but I haven't heard any insights or coaching perspectives from him since he's been in the booth. He's not even remotely funny or intelligent. He sucks up the limelight, loves being center stage (literally) and tends to mirror what the other two say. There must be so many other coaches that could bring value to that spot (Cowher, Billick, Gibbs even Vermeil, heck I'd even welcome Herm Edwards there as a replacement).

Gruden is to Lombardi as chalk is to cheese.

 

[jah]

IMO you realy can't be mad at them for saying that there realy has been no upgrade at any position from last year.

QB Brady, is Brady, we know what we get from him 4000 yards and 28 TD's
RB the same + one year older
WR maybe a upgrade if Tate, can be a bigger part in the passing game
TE right now it looks like a upgrade but they are rookies and it's preseason
OL weaker with out Mankins,
DL unless Myron Pryor, and Ron Brace, get rely good fast the DL is weaker then last year.
LB for the most part the same as last year.
DB again for the most part still the same


on paper they don't look great but that what i love about football the games are not won or lost on paper and IMO the pats play with a lot more fire when they are the underdog so i like it

Ah, but they HAVE improved.

QB: Brady is one year removed from a major injury. Improved.
RB: No change whatsoever. No change.
WR: Moss is fully healthy, Edelman and Tate show a lot of promise, and Aiken is not our #3 anymore. Welker will be at full strength soon, if not already. Improved.
TE: So far, Gronk, Crump, and Hernandez have all proven to be reliable and should be much better than Watson and Baker. Improved.
OL: No argument here. Without Mankins, the OL is worse. Maybe Connolly can be decent, and maybe Vollmer will take a big step forward, but right now they got worse. Declined.
DL: Ty is injured. I think Gerard will be equal or greater than Jarvis Green was. Declined.
OLB: Thomas is gone, so that's addition by subtraction right there. Whoever plays opposite TBC shouldn't perform much worse than Thomas did. It's pretty hard to be that bad. No change.
ILB: Mayo is healthy, Spikes seems to be ready to make an impact as a rookie, and Guyton and McKenzie are very good backups. Improved.
CB: Bodden + Butler + McCourty should be MUCH better than Bodden + Springs + Butler in time, but perhaps not this season. No change.
S: Chung seems to be taking a big step forward in his second year, and is an upgrade over Sanders/McGowan. Improved.
ST: Gostkowski and Ingram are great, and Mesko looks to be better than Hanson by a lot. We had awful returners last year, and Tate, McCourty, and Edelman look like they could be serious weapons on kick returns. Improved.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Re: MNF Gang (Gruden,Jaworski) predict the AFC East

I can take Jaws as long as he doesn't indulge in rumpswabbing - since once in a while he does contribute value. But Gruden I don't get; he came with a reputation of being a young lion with the Raiders, lucked out by taking over Dungy's team in TB in time for him to win a SB and since then has done the square route of sweet nothing. Maybe I just switch off but I haven't heard any insights or coaching perspectives from him since he's been in the booth. He's not even remotely funny or intelligent. He sucks up the limelight, loves being center stage (literally) and tends to mirror what the other two say. There must be so many other coaches that could bring value to that spot (Cowher, Billick, Gibbs even Vermeil, heck I'd even welcome Herm Edwards there as a replacement).

Gruden is to Lombardi as chalk is to cheese.

In "good" I mean they talk about the actual game in front of them. Compare that to Kornholer or Dennis Miller or Cosell or the old Maquire/Theisman trainwreck. I do enjoy the fact they like football.

It appears jmt is echoing my post. Don't expect "experts" to be "experts" on teams.

 

[SuperPatsFan]

Ah, but they HAVE improved.

QB: Brady is one year removed from a major injury. Improved.
RB: No change whatsoever. No change.
WR: Moss is fully healthy, Edelman and Tate show a lot of promise, and Aiken is not our #3 anymore. Welker will be at full strength soon, if not already. Improved.
TE: So far, Gronk, Crump, and Hernandez have all proven to be reliable and should be much better than Watson and Baker. Improved.
OL: No argument here. Without Mankins, the OL is worse. Maybe Connolly can be decent, and maybe Vollmer will take a big step forward, but right now they got worse. Declined.
DL: Ty is injured. I think Gerard will be equal or greater than Jarvis Green was. Declined.
OLB: Thomas is gone, so that's addition by subtraction right there. Whoever plays opposite TBC shouldn't perform much worse than Thomas did. It's pretty hard to be that bad. No change.
ILB: Mayo is healthy, Spikes seems to be ready to make an impact as a rookie, and Guyton and McKenzie are very good backups. Improved.
CB: Bodden + Butler + McCourty should be MUCH better than Bodden + Springs + Butler in time, but perhaps not this season. No change.
S: Chung seems to be taking a big step forward in his second year, and is an upgrade over Sanders/McGowan. Improved.
ST: Gostkowski and Ingram are great, and Mesko looks to be better than Hanson by a lot. We had awful returners last year, and Tate, McCourty, and Edelman look like they could be serious weapons on kick returns. Improved.

Unfortunately, once a player reaches the age of 25, the probablity of a serious injury increases significantly each year, so by default, a "no change" player actually declines.

Position by position breakdown...

Position Annual Incremental Probability of Serious Injury (Age 25+)
QB 7.2%
OL 9.9%
WR 9.1%
TE 8.4%
RB 14.2%
DL 12.8%
LB 12.2%
CB 11.3%
S 10.4%

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Ah, but they HAVE improved.

QB: Brady is one year removed from a major injury. Improved.
RB: No change whatsoever. No change.
WR: Moss is fully healthy, Edelman and Tate show a lot of promise, and Aiken is not our #3 anymore. Welker will be at full strength soon, if not already. Improved.
TE: So far, Gronk, Crump, and Hernandez have all proven to be reliable and should be much better than Watson and Baker. Improved.
OL: No argument here. Without Mankins, the OL is worse. Maybe Connolly can be decent, and maybe Vollmer will take a big step forward, but right now they got worse. Declined.
DL: Ty is injured. I think Gerard will be equal or greater than Jarvis Green was. Declined.
OLB: Thomas is gone, so that's addition by subtraction right there. Whoever plays opposite TBC shouldn't perform much worse than Thomas did. It's pretty hard to be that bad. No change.
ILB: Mayo is healthy, Spikes seems to be ready to make an impact as a rookie, and Guyton and McKenzie are very good backups. Improved.
CB: Bodden + Butler + McCourty should be MUCH better than Bodden + Springs + Butler in time, but perhaps not this season. No change.
S: Chung seems to be taking a big step forward in his second year, and is an upgrade over Sanders/McGowan. Improved.
ST: Gostkowski and Ingram are great, and Mesko looks to be better than Hanson by a lot. We had awful returners last year, and Tate, McCourty, and Edelman look like they could be serious weapons on kick returns. Improved

Agree with most of this but if Sammy Morris or Fred Taylor stay healthy thats an upgrade at RB.
I like that the Jets are the team du jour, Id much rather have national expectations be low and BB and Brady just do their thing.

 

[Rob0729]

Unfortunately, once a player reaches the age of 25, the probablity of a serious injury increases significantly each year, so by default, a "no change" player actually declines.

Position by position breakdown...

Position Annual Incremental Probability of Serious Injury (Age 25+)
QB 7.2%
OL 9.9%
WR 9.1%
TE 8.4%
RB 14.2%
DL 12.8%
LB 12.2%
CB 11.3%
S 10.4%

I don't buy your argument. Even if players have a higher statistical chance of getting injured, doesn't mean they will. Which means that isn't a decline by default. Also, some of the positions where the Pats have stayed about the same, they have gotten younger at some positions.

 

[Jackson 2]

I heard Chris Collinsworth on WEEI Saturday morning, which I believe was a replay from a show broadcast earlier in the week, and Neumeir, Smerlas and Haggerty were tri-hosting. When asked about the Patriots, Collinsworth went into the Brady's attitude isn't the same, he's unhappy about his contract, the great guys on defense have retired/been sent away, etc., shtick (month old crap which has been somewhat clarified recently, at least the Brady stuff.) Old "Profiles in Courage" Smerlas didn't offer a peep of objection to the same crap that he would have hammered a caller for and threatened to beat up for suggesting same. What a gutless turtle...

 

[DaBruinz]

IMO you realy can't be mad at them for saying that there realy has been no upgrade at any position from last year.

QB Brady, is Brady, we know what we get from him 4000 yards and 28 TD's
RB the same + one year older
WR maybe a upgrade if Tate, can be a bigger part in the passing game You forgot Edelman. He's going to continue to improve and I think that the Pats have the Potential to have 2 guys with over 1000 yards and 2 more with 750+ in Edelman and Tat.
TE right now it looks like a upgrade but they are rookies and it's preseason TE is upgraded in terms of blocking and leadership, just from Crumpler.
OL weaker with out Mankins,
DL unless Myron Pryor, and Ron Brace, get rely good fast the DL is weaker then last year.
LB for the most part the same as last year.The LBers have Spikes and McKenzie back there.. Not to mention Cunningham. They have a ton of potential back there.
DB again for the most part still the same I have to say this group is improved with the addition of McCourty and Chung looking like he'll be the starter next to Meriweather. When the guy who was your #2 CB becomes your #4 CB, that screams improvement from others.


on paper they don't look great but that what i love about football the games are not won or lost on paper and IMO the pats play with a lot more fire when they are the underdog so i like it

I think that the Pats look improved in many facets and there is the potential there for another long run of great play over the next several years.

 

[TB=TD]

Was this after Sam"Montana Elway Unitas"Bradford made the Patriots D look foolish?

 

[RoughingthePasser]

We all know where the weakness is....
losing Crable
Ty Warren
Jarvis Green
Adalius
Seymour
Vrabel,Seau
....
I think we have potential and I'm hoping we can pull it together on BOTH offensive and defensive lines because if we can't pull it together...these media goofballs may be correct.

You can only loose so much depth on the Dline and pass rush.

I love Mayo, Spikes and McGowan

 

[Boston Boxer]

honestly, it might be a good prediction. I mean we have a young team and a D that is just not there yet...the offense can only win so many games. At some point the D needs to play well, and we are just too young right now IMO.

 

[ausbacker]

The Jets won't be winning ten plus games this season. I doubt they'll go beyond their 9-7 record to be honest. What an overhyped team of spuds.

 

[Modest]

I always welcome the 2nd or 3rd place AFC predictions for the Pats a lot more than favorites to go all the way.

 

[Ring 6]

Brady is 100%, he has the best weapons he has ever had.
If that holds, the Patriots would win 12 games with the worst defense in the NFL.
Show me a team that has had that quality of QB playing at that level, with those kind of weapons that struggled to 10 wins. There aren't any.
Brady is better than Manning, is now 100% healthy with more weapons. How in the world anyone thinks that translates to 10-6, 9-7, 8-8 is beyond comprehension to me.
Oh yeah, theres that Belichick guy too.