How has Ocho not been let go yet?

[BradyFTW!]

I absolutely agree with you.

For the WR who is making the most money at a ridiculous clip, no doubt.

I think they either expected a much bigger role from him (which believe it or not, I'm not entirely sold on, considering that Brady has a great chemistry with Branch), or they felt that he could contribute on some, lesser level.

I didn't really understand the signing then, due to the use of the 2 TE set so much, and the obvious reliance on Welker as our #1.

Who knows what the hell they were thinking? Maybe they thought that he'd give Branch a good run for taking over that role, or that they'd have good use from him in primarily wide sets (that's my guess..I suppose)

I think that Ochocinco was expected to challenge, and eventually supplant, Branch as the starting flanker. It hasn't happened, due probably to a combination of him picking up the offense slower than anticipated as well as Branch playing better than expected. But so what? He's a good WR who has made progress (he's clearly miles ahead of where he was at the beginning of the season, in terms of integrating into the offense), and who is one injury away from being heavily relied upon. He still has all of the physical skills to get the job done, so you could do a lot worse.

 

[DarrylS]

From this point of view it is simple, over the years we have picked up "good" receivers off of the street and tried to plug them in, usually unsuccessfully.

Deion, et al has had a history of getting hurt in the season.

Ocho Cinco is insurance as he knows the offense...

OTOH he is overpaid..

 

[mgteich]

Ochocinco

1) We overpaid.

2) He was expected to compete with Branch for the #2 spot. Going into the season it was reasonable to have Branch and Ochocinco under contract through 2012, not expecting that both would make the team in 2012. It is useful to have a potential solid reciever under contract for 2012.

3) He was/is insurance against injuries to Welker or Branch. If either were injured, he would have a greater role.

4) And yes, if Branch were clearly the #2, then he would compete with Price for the #3 wide receiver spot and the #5 or #6 target if all the receivers are healthy. Ochocinco WON that battle. That is where we are now, with Ochocinco as the #3 wide receiver, and the #5 or #6 receiver option.

BOTTOM LINE
We should be celebrating just how effective our passing game is with our four top receivers healthy, and our two running back options healthy. With all of these playing well, we have little NEED for a huge role for the #3 wide receiver other than insurance and perhaps 15 reps a game.

I see both Ochocinco and Branch coming into camp, and one of them on the 2012 squad. Obviously, at this point, it looks like it will be Branch who is part of the 2012 team.

 

[patsfan-1982]

he's a hard worker who says and does all the right things, there is no reason to cut him for some PS player

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I think it's ridiculous how Ocho is in for one play and then taken out. Same for Underwood. (I think that's his name )
Absolutely ridiculous!
Hey Tom and Bill, you're playing the freakin' 0 - 11 Colts. How about getting some playing time for these guys???
I'm guessing if these guys are allowed to play more than 1 play in a row they may actually get into the flow and rhythm of the offense.
It's interesting how they "toy" with the defense by using Edelman and Slater as DB's but they won't use a game like this to find some playing time for guys on offense.
This foolishness will come back to bite them in January.

 

[Jackson 2]

Several reasons, not the least of which is that they're scared to death that when Branch gets injured (love him, but this might be the longest he's ever gone without missing a game(s) due to injury) they'll have to rely on a guy like Underwood.

 

[JackBauer]

It amazes me that people still continue to stick up for him with as worthless as he has been in NE. The people that have all year need to call it a day and just eat the crow. CJ has been awful the past 3 seasons and it was a bad idea to bring him here. He won't be here next season at least.

2010: 67-831-4
2009: 72-1047-9

That's your definition of "awful," eh?

 

[BradyManny]

We can't let go of Ocho. He's valuable depth on this team at a position which is rather thin.

That said, what a gigantic letdown. For $6 million, we are certainly paying him to make that catch along the sidelines yesterday.

 

[Calciumee]

I thought about this last night, Chad as 12 receptions, that is 12 more than Greg Lewis has as a Patriot.

Greg Lewis cost a 5th, Chad isn't looking so bad after that!

 

[stcjones]

I have no doubt in my mind Ocho would've been cut already if it wasn't for an even more worthless reciever (Taylor Price) sitting behind him. Its either Ocho or Todd from the Taco Bell drive through window at this point.

well Todd could at least provide the team with unlimited tacos, burritos, and nachos and because of knowing his way around the fast food kitchen might be able to run the correct right angle pattern faster than ocho right now...that's a tough one.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Sums up his time here in a nutshell. I saw the sideline shot where Brady called him into the WR huddle reviewing polaroids and figured Tom was trying to set something up for him. True to form, Ocho drops the pass. I believe that was the last we saw of him. He sat out the entire second half and the #3 snaps went to Tiquan and Edleman... Chad has been given opportunities here which is all your guaranteed when you sign here for whatever price. He has consistently failed to capitalize on them come gameday. Moss may have had a full off season and TC to assimilate, Ocho has had TC, pre-season and 13 weeks of regular season including about 70 practices to figure it out and get himself together, and the problem remains he can't translate the effort he's shown in practice into performance when it counts when his number is called in game. He had similar on field issues in cincy, the difference being guys who merely catch half the balls thrown their way continued to get opportunities there to amass essentially empty, meaningless stats. Here that doesn't happen. The opportunities go to the guys who do all the little things that still help the team win when not targeted while also snagging the vast majority of the balls thrown their way...

Ever wonder why Whoseyourmama never caught on anywhere else, either?? Or why a talent like TO or Carson Palmer can't be a difference maker when it matters? It's because throughout their early careers they got by doing things that came easy and being overhyped as a result while pointing fingers or having mediots point for them or shrugging critics off when in the end what they accomplished statistically was ultimately meaningless...

Cheers to jeers for Ochocinco - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Bill needs to quit thinking like a fantasy fanboy and rolling the dice on personal binky's. Just because a guy has a skillset that doesn't work out somewhere else doesn't mean it will here... I'd like to think that if we'd had a normal offseason Bill would have done the right thing and passed on Haynesworth and Ocho out of the gate. But I'm not convinced he's quite over his binky phase and I shudder to think what it may take to finally convince him of the futility of it once and for all... I hope it's not another gig in Honolulu in February...

 

[xlcjw72]

I hope you don't think the TC from the lockout was anything.... fact of the matter is ocho. Is here he's a third wr.and a decent one

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

 

[RhodyPatriot]

A big part of the problem is that Brady is very impatient. Ocho comes in cold, he drops a pass and you never see him again.
I want to see Ocho out there for an entire game and then we'll see what his performance was like. They're playing the 0 -11 freakin' Colts and Brady is playing catch with Welker and Gronk. Wow, way to work in some new blood there Tom and OB. Pssssst, hey Tommy how about working in your others guys while playing these bad teams??
You WILL need them in January.
Sadly guys like Ocho and Underwood are not going to be worked into this offense, an offense that WILL come to a screeching halt (like we haven't seen this before) when Wes and Gronk are smothered by a good defense in the playoffs.
Yes yes do play Slater and Edelman at DB as you do NOTHING to develop a 3rd wideout as the season winds down.
Ridiculous!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

A big part of the problem is that Brady is very impatient. Ocho comes in cold, he drops a pass and you never see him again.
I want to see Ocho out there for an entire game and then we'll see what his performance was like. They're playing the 0 -11 freakin' Colts and Brady is playing catch with Welker and Gronk. Wow, way to work in some new blood there Tom and OB. Pssssst, hey Tommy how about working in your others guys while playing these bad teams??
You WILL need them in January.
Sadly guys like Ocho and Underwood are not going to be worked into this offense, an offense that WILL come to a screeching halt (like we haven't seen this before) when Wes and Gronk are smothered by a good defense in the playoffs.
Yes yes do play Slater and Edelman at DB as you do NOTHING to develop a 3rd wideout as the season winds down.
Ridiculous!

The object here is to win games, not run a rehab. Ocho has had opportunities, including when Hernandez went down. Brady's job is to get the ball to his playmakers and win games, not to assume if he ignores them and works on rehabbing some stiff they'll be sharp when he has to go back to them... Belichick is doing what he has to do on defense given the makeup of his roster and the performance and health of his players. On offense that isn't the case because it's on the offense these days to insure the defense is backing up a division winning offense and therefore has a chance to play deep into the playoffs.

Ocho and Tiquan and Edleman had 26 snaps and did nothing with them. The way the D played late in the 4th it turned out it was a good thing we didn't provide them with more...

 

[Garbanza]

Because he's one of the top 3 WRs on this team, and is a good football player. Why the hell else?

This is a joke, right? He is not a good football player. Sadly, he is the number 3 wide out on the roster, and that's because Hernandez is listed as a Tight End.

I have no explanation for the amount of love and leeway this player gets. He does nothing, looks lost and ...um....SUCKS. It's 'gotta be that people feel sorry for him, right? And if that's the reason, why feel sorry for a healthy multi-millionaire?

 

[BradyManny]

Yes yes do play Slater and Edelman at DB as you do NOTHING to develop a 3rd wideout as the season winds down.
Ridiculous!

 

[GrogansArmy]

A big part of the problem is that Brady is very impatient. Ocho comes in cold, he drops a pass and you never see him again.

You aren't seriously trying to blame Brady for CJ playing like crap... ?

If Ocho's feeling 'cold' then he should be on the sidelines playing catch every chance he gets, just as you often see Brady tossing the ball around while the D is on the field.

 

[BaltimorePatsFan]

What I don't get is why BB is being so patient with Ochocinco when he had no problem quickly cutting ties with Joey Galloway or any of the young receivers.

Chad must have nude pictures of BB or something.

 

[PatsFan24]

Don't get me wrong, I'd been hoping BB would grab him for a few years now and I was ecstatic when we got him... but he's just not working out.

Too many big dropped passes, slow on learning the offense, and no longer able to go vertical as we all had hoped.

For the money we are paying him, he should be in on 80+% of the offensive plays, and yet, I'd say we only have him on 25% of the plays. I was at the game today and I don't think I saw him on the field for more than maybe 7 or so plays.

I don't know, I guess I'm just disappointed as I really wanted him here and I thought he would give us the vertical threat that we sorely need, but he just doesn't seem to be panning out.

Our offense can't be that difficult to learn - Moss picked it up no problem. Welker picked it up no problem. Woodhead picked it up no problem. Gronk and Hernandez seem to have picked it up no problem.

Why is Chad having such a hard time? I really had such high hopes for him on our team :/

AT this point, they might as well keep him and see if he comes around this year.

 

[BradyManny]

AT this point, they might as well keep him and see if he comes around this year.

They also might as well bring him to camp next year, with the money they are on the hook for.

I don't see them cutting him this offseason either. He'll get another offseason to try and work out. We'll move on before week 1 and his salary becoming guaranteed.