Has Watson become a liability?

[Alk]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

 

[kolbitr]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

I don't think you can consider him a liability at all, considering his numbers in the passing game. Clearly he has to work on his ball security. The guy looks freakishly strong, but perhaps his technique has a significant flaw, which the Bears exposed last week.

Faulk gets more criticism because his plays are for shorter, and less flashy, gains, and his fumbles have come during losses (cf. Denver playoff game).

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

I think it's a case of his routes leading him into defenders. If you noticed he had two where he had to dive over oncoming defenders tackles. The second one led to a fumble.

If anything I think Brady has tried to thread the needle too much and when watson catches the ball and turns his head he gets popped. this was the case with one of the fumbles in the bear game. back in the bear game the other fumble was becuase he was hlding the ball too loosely and it got poked away.

so to answer your question, no he hasn't become a liability. sure he ahs fumbled alot and needs to work on fundamentals. but i think the defense has has keyed on some of his routes and the safeties take bee-line routes to hit him a split second after the cathc is made.

 

[Seymour93]

Like I said in the game thread, Watson fumbles or causes a tipped INT every week it seems. So why is Gabriel allegedly in the doghouse while Watson is still out there every play? Is it effort? Does Watson try not to fumble whereas Gabriel didn't care about his ONE fumble?

 

[carolinatony]

I was going to ask about this as well. Sometimes you hear about a RB who fumbles a lot and than changes how he carries it. He does need to protect the ball more!

 

[unoriginal]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

And you'll keep cringing, because like Faulk, the Pats are going to keep throwing to him.

Watson's main problem is that his pad and ball level on many of his fumbles is too high. He's a big guy, and since they use him much like a wide receiver often he'll have to go from full extension to tuck in a few steps. When linebackers get underreath that and explode into the ball it pops out. They might teach Watson to spin backwards to breadbasket the ball in those situations but that's a injury risk for such a big target.

You're just going to have to live with it Alk.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

The Raiders had a very promising tight end 5 - 6 years ago that couldn't hold onto the ball named Rickey Dudley. They ended up cutting him. If this guy can't hold onto it much longer either, cut his a** too.

 

[Kdo5]

Like I said in the game thread, Watson fumbles or causes a tipped INT every week it seems. So why is Gabriel allegedly in the doghouse while Watson is still out there every play? Is it effort? Does Watson try not to fumble whereas Gabriel didn't care about his ONE fumble?

I am sick of the Gabriel in dog house. That was a mere rumor that one of the announcers mentioned during the Green Bay game. I dont know why he hasnt been getting many catches. He hasnt been in a lot. Possible injury?

 

[PatsSteve1]

I think it's a case of his routes leading him into defenders. If you noticed he had two where he had to dive over oncoming defenders tackles. The second one led to a fumble.

If anything I think Brady has tried to thread the needle too much and when watson catches the ball and turns his head he gets popped. this was the case with one of the fumbles in the bear game. back in the bear game the other fumble was becuase he was hlding the ball too loosely and it got poked away.

* Did you ever see Ben Coates play? He used to have defenders draped all over him, get hit by others and not drop the ball. It has nothing to do with the routes he runs. Every reciever in the NFL would like routes where no defenders hit them as they catch the ball. It's the NFL and they other team gets paid, too. If Watson has Coates hands and ball security he'd be an All Pro. But he doesn't.

 

[kolbitr]

I think it's a case of his routes leading him into defenders. If you noticed he had two where he had to dive over oncoming defenders tackles. The second one led to a fumble.

If anything I think Brady has tried to thread the needle too much and when watson catches the ball and turns his head he gets popped. this was the case with one of the fumbles in the bear game. back in the bear game the other fumble was becuase he was hlding the ball too loosely and it got poked away.

* Did you ever see Ben Coates play? He used to have defenders draped all over him, get hit by others and not drop the ball. It has nothing to do with the routes he runs. Every reciever in the NFL would like routes where no defenders hit them as they catch the ball. It's the NFL and they other team gets paid, too. If Watson has Coates hands and ball security he'd be an All Pro. But he doesn't.

I watched Coates play, and I agree with you...but I never thought of Coates as having Watson's speed or quickness. Is there a chance that Watson has become too eager for the game breaking play (a la Jacksonville playoff game last year)? He should start thinking of security first, and only then of turning and taking it to the house. Or am I way off-base?

 

[The Gr8est]

No. 10101010

 

[PatsSteve1]

I watched Coates play, and I agree with you...but I never thought of Coates as having Watson's speed or quickness. Is there a chance that Watson has become too eager for the game breaking play (a la Jacksonville playoff game last year)? He should start thinking of security first, and only then of turning and taking it to the house. Or am I way off-base?

* he definetely needs to think about holding onto balls after he catches them and catching balls he drops.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Coates also got away with a ton of pushing off and when Watson finally got on the field after his injury he got flagged for this quite a but.

You do have a point tho. Today there were two specific plays(one the fumble) where when he turned a defender was there and he had to dive over him head first into the ground.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Watson has become a Drive Killer
That is a fact

 

[BelichickFan]

I love Watson, and he did take a solid hit right on the ball on the fumble, but he can't keep dropping the ball like this.

I'd say "close to yes" to answer the question.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Watson is not a liability. He is being over used as a WR because we don't have any WRs other than Caldwell who know the routes or contribute much.

We lack talent on offense, except at running back. Since we don't appear willing to run the ball many times, we end up using Watson more than he can handle. He is still learning, and is doing okay for a TE who didn't do much in college and missed his rookie season.

We need more guys out there that can contribute, and cut back Watson to the level he is comfortable with. Watson is still learning the game of TE, and doesn't block well, but we have him out there acting like a WR.

He will get better at what he does, and he is not a liability, but we just can't rely on him so heavily to make up for our lack of WRs.

 

[BelichickFan]

Watson is not a liability. He is being over used as a WR because we don't have any WRs other than Caldwell who know the routes or contribute much.

He still has to hold onto the ball, I don't care if he's the TE, WR, RB, FB or God Damned QB.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

You ARE a liability when you consistently give the ball to the other team

 

[Seymour93]

Watson is not a liability. He is being over used as a WR because we don't have any WRs other than Caldwell who know the routes or contribute much.

I hope you forgot Troy Brown. He knows the routes, he's just old however and is being used on the other side of the ball meaning his production on offense is inevitably going to decline.

 

[kptmorgan04]

For all the complaining people do about Faulk, it's kind of funny how Watson gets no mention at all. This guy has had a severe case of fumbleitis this season and every time he touches the ball I just cringe.

I dont think there is anything funny about it, because people have been complaining prior to this game about him not holding onto the ball. I dont think its anything new. He needs to take care of it because they will come back to bite us in the butt against a stronger team