John in L.A.'s random top 10

[patsox23]

1) Top off-season priority in three short words: Sign Wes Welker. He is, in a more nuanced way than the true Supermen wideouts of the NFL, a FREAK. I really hope the F.O. and Wes will get together and find a middle ground.

2) Brandon Lloyd is approaching Jose Offerman-level junk. Clearly it's not a strength of his to run routes in hopes of getting open. Thus far, an awful disappointment. Today #12 REALLY needed someone to step up and make plays -- and this guy should be doing that without us "needing" it. And the idea that this was strictly game plan-related -- not throwing outside as much or whatever -- doesn't mitigate such a craptastic performance.

3) Prediction: Given Edelman's injury, which BTW I find more than just a little worrying, Deion Branch will finally be re-signed this week.

4) If we can find a way to continue to win -- even eke-ing out W's vs. the Texans and 49ers -- and enter the playoffs with Mankins, Gronk and Chandler Jones coming back, the psychological edge, not to mention the on-the-field kind, will be pretty solid.

5) We need to sit Volmer for as long as we think we can get away with it because that guy is NOT RIGHT. Hoping that Ferentz grad RT can step in and play as well as or, one hopes, better than Marcus Cannon. JJ Watt on the horizon scares the bejesus outta me.

6) Josh McDaniels, we love ya, but today was not one of your finest games. Not just the lack of balance in the first half, but the toss wide to Ridley in the second half. Just a lot of too-cute-by-half crap.

7) There is no potential playoff game that the NFL is salivating over more than a wildcard weekend match-up pitting Andrew Luck against that Peyton guy in Denver.

8) A MASSIVE loss for the Ravens today. To Charlie Batch, for God's sake. (Talk about Jose Offerman-level junk.) And the Ravens now have a b!tch of a schedule to finish out the year. AT Redskins; home to Broncos and Giants; AT Cincy. Losing two of those is not out of the question. What a terrible loss today. If I'm a Ravens fan, I'm pissed.

9) So...Patrick Chung...how's it goin'? BTW, setting aside a decent-ish game from Arrington today, I think I'd rather see Chung in the slot on 3rd down, but hey what do I know? (I know one thing, Patrick isn't getting the big payday he could've been staring at if he'd managed to stay healthy, ever. I like him -- here, #25, here's a three-year, incentive-laden deal for 4.5 mill per. Take it or leave it.)

10) I don't care how we do it or how we look, if the Patriots can just find a way to take down the Texans next week (avoiding injuries), N.E. is gonna be a tough OUT for any team in the NFL.

 

[Gwedd]

Can't disagree with anything there, John.

I, too, am hoping the New England re-signs WWW. Certainly the team would still be powerful without him, but he's a constant that knows the system in and out, and with whom TFB is confident. I really don't want to see him walk.

 

[DarrylS]

Disagree about Brandon Lloyd, could not pick up all the coverages so do not even know if he was open.. the one catch on the sidelines was incredible...

Do not see him as Jose Offermanish at all..

This offense really misses Gronk and a consistent offensive line.. too many injuries, too many replacements..

 

[Bhelmet]

What makes people think Branch will bring anything more a second time around than he did when he was here? Maybe, I am missing something, but I guess that is easy when you only have 9 receptions in 7 games.

 

[BlueThunder]

What makes it even worse is Edelman was seen walking with crutches. OUCH

Branch couldn't get seperation before. Is he healthy enough now to play? If so, at least him and Brady know each other. Deion would be in the right spot when needed knowing coverages.

File under Security blanket

 

[patsox23]

What makes people think Branch will bring anything more a second time around than he did when he was here? Maybe, I am missing something, but I guess that is easy when you only have 9 receptions in 7 games.

BH, I was thinking there would be more opportunities now for Branch, given the injuries. And if he's healthier. Sounds like Stallworth was the better bet on that end. Happy to see him back.

 

[brady2welker1stdown]

Agree on resigning welker. Imagine Brady peed off when Branch was traded x 10 if we let welker go. Edelman cant stay healthy enough to ever replace Welker full time.

Agree mostly about Mcdaniels cutesy play calling. But he made up for it on the last drive. Thing of beauty seeing the run move the ball and grind out the clock. Keep that mindset, playaction, and a healthy gronk sounds like great playoff offense to me. Keeps the rush off brady.

 

[fnordcircle]

People who expected Lloyd to get more than 70-80 catches were deluding themselves. I'm not saying he's been an overwhelming success but I think he's been solid and given that we didn't break the bank signing him I think the negativity about Lloyd are off-base.

To call him junk is flat out silly. We saw that from Chad last year.

 

[patsox23]

I don't feel like we wildly overpaid or anything, but the guy has had few very big clutch plays so far, he was virtually non-existent the other day -- in a game where we REALLY needed him -- and he's not helped out indirectly by "stretching the field" the way we all expected he would. To this point, a pretty big disappointment.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

1) Top off-season priority in three short words: Sign Wes Welker. He is, in a more nuanced way than the true Supermen wideouts of the NFL, a FREAK. I really hope the F.O. and Wes will get together and find a middle ground.

Agreed. But is Gisele OK with this?

2) Brandon Lloyd is approaching Jose Offerman-level junk. Clearly it's not a strength of his to run routes in hopes of getting open. Thus far, an awful disappointment. Today #12 REALLY needed someone to step up and make plays -- and this guy should be doing that without us "needing" it. And the idea that this was strictly game plan-related -- not throwing outside as much or whatever -- doesn't mitigate such a craptastic performance.

Way over reaction to a mediocre season so far for Brandon. At his FA $ level you get what you got. WAY better than 85

3) Prediction: Given Edelman's injury, which BTW I find more than just a little worrying, Deion Branch will finally be re-signed this week.

Stick a fork in Deion. He's just a warm body now. Still recuperating

4) If we can find a way to continue to win -- even eke-ing out W's vs. the Texans and 49ers -- and enter the playoffs with Mankins, Gronk and Chandler Jones coming back, the psychological edge, not to mention the on-the-field kind, will be pretty solid.

5) We need to sit Volmer for as long as we think we can get away with it because that guy is NOT RIGHT. Hoping that Ferentz grad RT can step in and play as well as or, one hopes, better than Marcus Cannon. JJ Watt on the horizon scares the bejesus outta me.

As to sitting vs playing, Volmer is just following orders

6) Josh McDaniels, we love ya, but today was not one of your finest games. Not just the lack of balance in the first half, but the toss wide to Ridley in the second half. Just a lot of too-cute-by-half crap.

Props to Josh for that last long time drive

7) There is no potential playoff game that the NFL is salivating over more than a wildcard weekend match-up pitting Andrew Luck against that Peyton guy in Denver.

8) A MASSIVE loss for the Ravens today. To Charlie Batch, for God's sake. (Talk about Jose Offerman-level junk.) And the Ravens now have a b!tch of a schedule to finish out the year. AT Redskins; home to Broncos and Giants; AT Cincy. Losing two of those is not out of the question. What a terrible loss today. If I'm a Ravens fan, I'm pissed.

RGIII will destroy the Ratbirds. I see at least 2 more Bird losses. We may need them

9) So...Patrick Chung...how's it goin'? BTW, setting aside a decent-ish game from Arrington today, I think I'd rather see Chung in the slot on 3rd down, but hey what do I know? (I know one thing, Patrick isn't getting the big payday he could've been staring at if he'd managed to stay healthy, ever. I like him -- here, #25, here's a three-year, incentive-laden deal for 4.5 mill per. Take it or leave it.)

10) I don't care how we do it or how we look, if the Patriots can just find a way to take down the Texans next week (avoiding injuries), N.E. is gonna be a tough OUT for any team in the NFL.

We beat Houston I'll be unexpectedly thrilled

 

[Rob0729]

A few things:

• Although he is a bit of a disappointment, Lloyd is not a bust. He is still on pace for 67 catches, 748 yards, and 4 TDs for the season. As the third or even fourth option for Brady, those are good numbers. I figured he would have great numbers, but he is still drawing coverages to the outside which frees up the middle of the field a bit which helps both in the passes to Welker, Gronk, and Hernandez and the running game. I feel that his presence does help the running game a bit forcing defenses to spread out more.
• People are bashing McDaniels too much for the play calling. He definitely made mistakes, but the offensive problems on Sunday were more due to execution than play calling. Maybe he should have run the ball more in the first half, but did the Dolphins show something different in the second half. I think most drives ended because of poor execution on Sunday than bad calls whether it is players dropping passes, o-linemen missing blocking assignments, stupid penalties, players falling down, or Brady missing wide open receivers.
• I think Patrick Chung is in the dog house and will not be out of it until he leaves the organization in the offseason. I think he is done.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

I think Branch would've been the choice over Stallworth if he were healthy. Reiss had it in the blog recently that Deion's locker remains intact.

I think, with 1/4 of the season to go, it's a little early to call Lloyd total garbage. I think if Lloyd were put on IR (out of the blue) today, we'd miss him on the field... that's saying something.

I think the games with the Texans and 49ers aren't make or break for this season. Two caveats:

1 - you don't ever like to see your team get blow out at home. Plus you never like to see the Patriots lose / play badly in December.​

2- Obviously it'd be ideal if the road to New Orleans comes through Foxborough instead of Houston.​

I think the Ravens are in a tough spot with the schedule they have coming at them. They've held it together thus far though (aside from losing to the Steelers).

 

[fnordcircle]

I don't feel like we wildly overpaid or anything, but the guy has had few very big clutch plays so far, he was virtually non-existent the other day -- in a game where we REALLY needed him -- and he's not helped out indirectly by "stretching the field" the way we all expected he would. To this point, a pretty big disappointment.

Brady himself said he didn't target Lloyd as much as he did, stating he was open a number of times.

There's no reasonable definition of 'pretty big disappointment' when we're talking about a guy who came here cheap and is on track for 70-80 catches.

 

[ralmat55]

Lloyd had some dropped passes early in the season which is not a good way to start a WR-QB relationship with Tom Brady, but he's been far from a bust. His production is pretty much what I expected from him considering that even with Gronkowski and now Edelman out he's still only the 3rd best receiver on the field after Welker and Hernandez.

 

[BlueThunder]

I expect TB to target Brandon a bit more vs Houston now that Edelman is gone. Donte' will be stretching the field with Lloyd,Wes and Aaron underneath or out wide. Let's see how Houston defends bubble screen and Vereen on wheel route. Plenty of weapons still to throw at Texans.


This will be their first BIG test at stopping a very good offense.

Just hope for no more injuries for the run to the dance. :rocker:

 

[patsox23]

On Lloyd --

First of all, I don't think I called him a bust, and I do -- and did -- acknowledge that his contract isn't for big money. Perhaps "Jose Offerman-level JUNK" was a bit hyperbolic (okay, no "perhaps"), but I do think he's been a pretty big disappointment. I'm pleased to read that others disagree and I hope he'll start playing so gangbusters well that I will see him as supportable as some here do.

It's possible the Edelman injury isn't as big a deal as it FEELS like it is. I hate losing him, but more for the punt return aspect than anything else. Which is a BIG thing. He's been really dynamic there. Let's just go out and win the Super Bowl without him and then be glad he got injured b/c it gave the F.O. even more reason to re-sign Wes.

 

[satz]

The only thing that was off is the Chung comment.

Chung is a bigger , strong in the box safety. Why would you play him inside on a quicker slot receiver. any decent receiver will eat him up. arrington seem to be better suited to matchup against smaller WR running short patterns. Bess who usually comes up big was kept mostly in check and against the Jets you hardly heard kurley`s name. Even in the last SB cruz was covered by arrington and did a decent job. I am confused if you want chung on cruz matchups .

 

[patsox23]

For the last few years, Chung has moved into the slot to cover the slot WR. No? Maybe I'm mixing it up, but I'm pretty sure I've read that. If so, your question is, "Why does Belichick do that?"

 

[kennyb]

doubt they'd give chung a 4.5M/per contract. That's good safety pay even for a guy who isn't injured all the time and is good in coverage. Or did you mean 4.5 for the whole contract?

 

[shmessy]

I don't feel like we wildly overpaid or anything, but the guy has had few very big clutch plays so far, he was virtually non-existent the other day -- in a game where we REALLY needed him -- and he's not helped out indirectly by "stretching the field" the way we all expected he would. To this point, a pretty big disappointment.

Evidently, you missed the incredible sideline 3rd down catch Sunday on the crucial last drive to keep it alive. It was his one catch on a bad day. How is that "Not clutch"???