Where was this years version of Ben Watson when in New England?

[apple strudel]

I was always mixed on Watson... he had some incredible bright spots (such as the now infamous Champ Bailey chase down that should have been ruled a touchback) but was very inconsistent. But he always seemed like a solid team player, so I am glad that he is finally thriving somewhere.

According to Charles Robinson, NE "underutilized" him (Colts' familiar playoff ring nearing dead tone - NFL - Yahoo! Sports - down in the winners section of the article). I would disagree with that, I think they tried to go to him a lot, but he had a pretty significant percentage of dropped passes. It's hard to conssitently utilize someone that is so inconsistent.

Watson strikes me as a guy who needs to be targeted semi-frequently to frequently to get in his groove. New England doesn't play offense like that, hence his drops, but Cleveland can because there isn't anybody else to throw to. Now that he's more active in the passing game he's getting better results. He's always been a good player, just not the best fit for a NE pass receiving tight end.

 

[DESERTPAT]

Maybe it was the pressure to win here in New England. Winning is expected here not so much in Cleveland. Let's face it if he were a more competent tite end Brady might have looked his way a little for often.

 

[WelshPat]

I think he's got a bit of Eugene Wilson in him and his play will gradually decline year after year for the Browns just like it did here. Same with Wilson with both the Pats and Texans.

And i think Evan Moore the other TE is pretty good

 

[italian pat patriot]

i was a Ben Watson # 84 fan: i think he was not used so much in NE; i'm happy for him

we are fine anyway with this year TE group: Gronkowski, Hernandez and Crumpler

 

[Deus Irae]

Watson was always better than he got credit for, although he never reached the level people thought he might have. He was one of the whipping boys. He's one of those players that just didn't seem to click with the team.


It happens.

 

[LiveShot]

The Pats have 3 very good tight ends we don't need Watson. I wish him well and hope he has a great time playing for a second tier organization.

 

[WhiZa]

Can any speak to Watson's blocking ability and the success Hillis having?

Numbers are suspect since Watson is the only receiver worth a damn on the Browns. With the Pats he was never the #1 or #2 option.

 

[blackglass3]

Maybe he's got some Thomas Jones in him. Remember, before Jones hit big in TB that year, which led to his roles on Chicago, the Jets, and KC; he was a huge bust in Arizona.

Some guys just put it together later on. Everything worked out in the end, so it's all good.

 

[Deus Irae]

Can any speak to Watson's blocking ability and the success Hillis having?

Numbers are suspect since Watson is the only receiver worth a damn on the Browns. With the Pats he was never the #1 or #2 option.

People forget, but he was the team's #1 option for the first part of 2006. He was having a very solid season, until Brady got him lit up on one pass. Watson got hurt, and he wasn't really the same for the rest of that season.

 

[PatsFan2]

Wow three pages for Ben Waston the comments in this thread alone have done more for Ben Watson than he's done for the Patriots in Five years. Here is the honest truth if Ben Watson is leading your Team in receptions or yards your WR's SUCK!

 

[BradyFTW!]

The short answer is that he didn't fail here. He was a good TE who posters here unfairly ragged on. Don't know why he wasn't used more, but not going to waste too much time thinking about it, since in Gronk we drafted a tight end who will be significantly better than Watson is within a year.

 

[Kontradiction]

Watson was left back to block more than 60% of his time here last year. The fact of the matter is that he's always been a reliable receiving target. It's showing through now that he's allowed to run more routes with the Browns and is a more needed option in the passing game there than he was here.

 

[woolster22]

Seems to be one if those cases where a fresh start has paid dividends. He was never bad for us, but I don't think he quite lived up to the hype of being a number one pick for a year in, year out contender. Maybe he has a little bit of jose contreras in him, thrives in the small market, but implodes with the media spotlight and high expectations...

Sent from my Blackhole Superfast Fascinate using TapatalkPro

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Having a team give up on you can shake you up and make you focus and eliminate any of the possible distractions that were holding you back.

Like Irving Fryar being pretty much washed up with us and then getting renewed in Miami and making 4 pro bowls late in his career as opposed to one with us way back in his second year.

 

[WhiZa]

People forget, but he was the team's #1 option for the first part of 2006. He was having a very solid season, until Brady got him lit up on one pass. Watson got hurt, and he wasn't really the same for the rest of that season.

Good point. In that season he put up some similar numbers to 2010