Five Quick Thoughts as Training Camp Gets Set to Begin

[PatsFans.com Article]

Five Quick Thoughts as Training Camp Gets Set to Begin
By: Ian Logue

If you talk to most Patriots fans it's amazing how many have already forgotten that last year's bunch nearly won a championship. Oddly enough, when you compare this year's group to last year's, it's hard not to imagine that they'll have just as good of a...

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[jmt57]

Pats 2012 Yearbook is now out for those that are interested. It's $12.95

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | Patriots 2012 Yearbook is here!

Official New England Patriots ProShop - 2012 Patriots Yearbook

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Five Quick Thoughts as Training Camp Gets Set to Begin
By: Ian Logue

If you talk to most Patriots fans it's amazing how many have already forgotten that last year's bunch nearly won a championship. Oddly enough, when you compare this year's group to last year's, it's hard not to imagine that they'll have just as good of a...

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS STORY​

Hey Ian,

Did anyone tell you that the Patriots have an offense based on two TE's?

If not, then that kinda helps explain why the two TE's kinda caught alot of passes.

 

[mgteich]

Personally, I do not think that the team needs to do anything that you mention to succeed (except to keep Wilfork healthy).

We had a Super Bowl team that didn't win because we had serious issues at backup TE and lacked a deep threat (with Ocho failing). Belichick had addressed these issue in bringing in a dozen receivers. Lloyd doesn't have to be all we accept. Surely, Lloyd and Gaffney will be better than Ocho and Underwood. Fells or Shiancoe just needs to be better a backup at pass-catching TE than Solder.

The defense has had many top additions. We some have many returning from IR and from weak seasons. Surely, in total, the defense will be better on average in 2012 than 2011, and most likely more so as the season progresses. Many players may meet or exceed our expect ions; many may not. In any case, we are strongly favored to have better defense than in 2011.

SO FOR ME
We are a Super Bowl team. Sure, stuff happens (especially injuries), but this team is much better than the 2011 team that was also favored. Perhaps the New England - Philly matchup will happen this season. it was forecast for last, and many have forecast it again.

Five Quick Thoughts as Training Camp Gets Set to Begin
By: Ian Logue

If you talk to most Patriots fans it's amazing how many have already forgotten that last year's bunch nearly won a championship. Oddly enough, when you compare this year's group to last year's, it's hard not to imagine that they'll have just as good of a...

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS STORY​

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

The defense has had many top additions. We some have many returning from IR and from weak seasons. Surely, in total, the defense will be better on average in 2012 than 2011, and most likely more so as the season progresses. Many players may meet or exceed our expect ions; many may not. In any case, we are strongly favored to have better defense than in 2011.

SO FOR ME
We are a Super Bowl team.

I disagree. There is no reason to believe that the defense will be better. Right now it looks worse because of the loss of their two top pass rushers. So unless they can replace that production I have to believe that they will be a worse defense.

All this 16-0 talk is crap.

So how do you replace / exceed the 20 Sacks Andre Carter and Mark Anderson had last season eh?

Jones and Hightower? Possible I suppose but...

 

[Sciz]

I disagree. There is no reason to believe that the defense will be better.

Do you foresee Edelman, Slater, Brown, Ihedigbo, White, Barrett and Tarpinian playing significant time on defense again?

 

[BananaRepublican]

Did anyone tell you that the Patriots have an offense based on two TE's? If not, then that kinda helps explain why the two TE's kinda caught alot of passes.

It doesn't explain 169 though.

 

[BananaRepublican]

So how do you replace / exceed the 20 Sacks Andre Carter and Mark Anderson had last season eh?

Fred, I consider Fanene to be the equal of Carter. Between Jones, Bequette and Hightower I feel confident they are going to contribute more than Anderson. Besides that Anderson was no good against the run. The whole act is going to be better.

I want to see bunches of QB pressures rather than bean counting the sacks anyway. I want to see consistent pressure that hurries a QB in his process. I want the QB to release before he really wanted to.

I think the bottom line to replacing the other guys is that the schemes will have to enable the new personnel, but I do think we have the new personnel to pull it off. And more.

I would say that 16-0 is definitely a valid conversation despite it being a turn off to some of us. I don't see how it can be ignored given the fact that the Packers made a run last year and the Pats and Colts did a few years ago. You can't keep greatness down. If things fall right this team is definitely capable on paper. It still needs to develop that character to steal lost games even when they were having an off day. But who knows?

 

[supafly]

I disagree. There is no reason to believe that the defense will be better. Right now it looks worse because of the loss of their two top pass rushers. So unless they can replace that production I have to believe that they will be a worse defense.

All this 16-0 talk is crap.

So how do you replace / exceed the 20 Sacks Andre Carter and Mark Anderson had last season eh?

Jones and Hightower? Possible I suppose but...

So you are one who believes that A.Carter and M.Anderson were of 100% talent then, and there is no one who can possibly replace that lost talent?

Those were scheme based sacks that you or I could have likely gotten a good percentage of. That situation is honestly the very least of my personal concerns regarding the defense...the very least.

Those guys were bit players at best. Players that no one wanted, and who did not succeed much in the past 5 years. We currently have plenty of players who can make a move or have the speed to do the majority of what those guys did, mostly Anderson. He wasn't too effective at all against the run, and was a liability the majority of the time, even though he improved to go from an "F" to a D+" against the run by the end of the year, he can certainly be replaced without much of a problem.

The number of sacks were up a bit from some of the past few years, but they will likely stay within the same range as they always do. If there are improvements in other areas of the defense, losing 5 or so sacks won't even matter even IF it happened.

 

[supafly]

So how do you replace / exceed the 20 Sacks Andre Carter and Mark Anderson had last season eh?

In one sentence, those 20 sacks are spread out amongst 3-4-5 players instead of 2...and there is potential to have a drop off of 5 or so sacks, which would still put them in the same window that they currently end up in most years anyways.

If that is honestly what you're worried about, then I'd try to find a way to relax and enjoy good competitive football while you are able to.