Injury Report (12/6)

[BlueThunder]

JO

I gave up on that dump. Not enough football talk. It's become unreadable.

Let Pump, O'Hate, River do a *********** together. I'll stick to posting and reading here.

On the Good News Side:

CSN's Mike Giardi already reported that guard Logan Mankins (ankle/calf) and defensive end Chandler Jones (ankle) will be active for the Monday night game against Houston. :rocker:

 

[mayoclinic]

Gronk is the only player currently on the roster who was missing from practice today:

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: The Blitz» Blog Archive » Rob Gronkowski is the only player absent from practice

The Pats may not be fully "healthy", but they're ponying up for a showdown.

 

[Mack Herron]

Gronk is the only player currently on the roster who was missing from practice today:

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: The Blitz» Blog Archive » Rob Gronkowski is the only player absent from practice

The Pats may not be fully "healthy", but they're ponying up for a showdown.

Good sign but let's maintain perspective--putting on shells does not mean dressing for the game (as we have seen earlier with Gregory and Hernandez), and dressing for the game does not mean playing effectively (as we saw Sun with Connolly, McDonald, and Vollmer). Headed in the right direction, as Bill says, but we'll know more late Mon night.

 

[Kontradiction]

Gronk is the only player currently on the roster who was missing from practice today:

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: The Blitz» Blog Archive » Rob Gronkowski is the only player absent from practice

The Pats may not be fully "healthy", but they're ponying up for a showdown.

I've been saying it all throughout the year, but it bears repeating. There is never a good time to get injuries, but the best time possible to be hit with a rash of them is in the beginning toward the middle of the year, which is what happened. When that happens, fresh bodies begin to come back for the stretch run. That's what you're beginning to see now. The Pats got back on their feet after the early losses and are now on a roll with a bunch of talented guys getting ready to come back fresh.

 

[mayoclinic]

I've been saying it all throughout the year, but it bears repeating. There is never a good time to get injuries, but the best time possible to be hit with a rash of them is in the beginning toward the middle of the year, which is what happened. When that happens, fresh bodies begin to come back for the stretch run. That's what you're beginning to see now. The Pats got back on their feet after the early losses and are now on a roll with a bunch of talented guys getting ready to come back fresh.

Yup.

Significant injuries from now on probably mean IR, because we're too close to the end of the season for guys to record in time to be productive. We've made it so far without losing any foundational players for the year, and hopefully the key guys - Gronk, Hernandez, Jones, maybe even Mankins and Vollmer - will be healthy by the playoffs. Plus we're getting Bolden back from suspension and we'll get Cunningham back from suspension, both healthy and rested.

God only knows what how anyone would deal with an 18 game season. A 16 game season is brutal enough.

 

[Double TE]

Can we get Gronk back for the game vs. SF?

 

[mayoclinic]

Can we get Gronk back for the game vs. SF?

I don't understand the question. We can get Gronk back anytime the medical staff and coaching staff deem him fit and ready to play. It's a judgment call. But I doubt he'll be active for that game ... unless you mean the Super Bowl against SF.

 

[shmessy]

This.

Houston has been run on the fewest times of any team in the NFL - an average of just over 21 times per game, 253 times on the year. That's why they are giving up the 2nd fewest rushing yards per game. Not because they are particualrly good against the run - they are giving up an average of 4.1 YPC, which is tied for 10th with 5 other teams, and which is below 3.9 YPC allowed by the Pats' D. The Pats' RBBC are averaging 4.2 YPC, so I don't see why the Pats shouldn't be able to run agianst Houston.

No one has really tested JJ Watt this year. Jon Gruden called Watt's stamina incredible, but no one has really tried to wear him down. Nothing else has worked very well against him.

I'd love to see the Pats go with Connolly at center and go big on the right side at guard with Marcus Cannon next to Sebastian Vollmer, and then use a healthy dose of Ridley and Bolden running right at Watt. Wear him down. Beat him up physically. I wonder if he'll still be jumping in the air batting balls down in the 4th quarter if a team goes at him like that. No one has so far. Bolden and Ridley would allow the Pats to rotate 2 fresh big backs who could do take a physical toll.

I know that's not the conventional "spread it out" wisdom. But I think it would be a good way to go.

The one thing lost in that great thread about the Miami D players crying http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...-stop-hes-using-same-play-over-over-agin.html was this because CBSBoston was reporting it third-hand from the Palm Beach Post article: Miami Dolphins

"Six of the 13 runs were in exactly the same hole, over left guard. That didn’t sit well with reserve tackle Tony McDaniel, who was the only lineman to have a tackle in the series"

Donald Thomas, my friends, Donald Thomas. I love Mankins as much as the next fan, but the two best run production games this year have been with Donald Thomas at left guard. If Logan isn't 100%, why not see a road-grading Solder-Thomas-Connolly-Canon-Vollmer?????

 

[patsinthesnow]

This.

Houston has been run on the fewest times of any team in the NFL - an average of just over 21 times per game, 253 times on the year. That's why they are giving up the 2nd fewest rushing yards per game. Not because they are particualrly good against the run - they are giving up an average of 4.1 YPC, which is tied for 10th with 5 other teams, and which is below 3.9 YPC allowed by the Pats' D. The Pats' RBBC are averaging 4.2 YPC, so I don't see why the Pats shouldn't be able to run agianst Houston.

No one has really tested JJ Watt this year. Jon Gruden called Watt's stamina incredible, but no one has really tried to wear him down. Nothing else has worked very well against him.

I'd love to see the Pats go with Connolly at center and go big on the right side at guard with Marcus Cannon next to Sebastian Vollmer, and then use a healthy dose of Ridley and Bolden running right at Watt. Wear him down. Beat him up physically. I wonder if he'll still be jumping in the air batting balls down in the 4th quarter if a team goes at him like that. No one has so far. Bolden and Ridley would allow the Pats to rotate 2 fresh big backs who could do take a physical toll.

I know that's not the conventional "spread it out" wisdom. But I think it would be a good way to go.

Even though we only scored 31 points, my favorite offensive game was the Pats vs. Denver. The Pats battering rammed them with 42 carries for 205 yards, Ridley 151 of them.

Although they are both 5'11 220, they compliment each other well. Ridley is the with slasher good burst and power, while Bolden is the more trucking, faster, run straight ahead guy.

 

[Triumph]

This.

Houston has been run on the fewest times of any team in the NFL - an average of just over 21 times per game, 253 times on the year. That's why they are giving up the 2nd fewest rushing yards per game. Not because they are particualrly good against the run - they are giving up an average of 4.1 YPC, which is tied for 10th with 5 other teams, and which is below 3.9 YPC allowed by the Pats' D. The Pats' RBBC are averaging 4.2 YPC, so I don't see why the Pats shouldn't be able to run agianst Houston.

True, Houston has jumped out to a lead and forced teams to throw and abandon the run.

But you know the Pats, theyll put the ball in Bradys hands and turn the table on Houston by putting up a double digit lead mostly because of the pass. With the exception of JAX, the teams that scored 21 or more points on Houston were all profiecient passing offenses: GB , DET and DEN. DEN fell behind early and were forced to pass, but still were able to close within 6 points.

 

[mayoclinic]

Donald Thomas, my friends, Donald Thomas. I love Mankins as much as the next fan, but the two best run production games this year have been with Donald Thomas at left guard. If Logan isn't 100%, why not see a road-grading Solder-Thomas-Connolly-Canon-Vollmer?????

Good point. The Buffalo and Denver games with 249 and 250+ yards rushing came with Thomas at LG, and the running game definitely took a step backwards when Mankins came back. Thomas has been beastly for us in the run game.

 

[shmessy]

Good point. The Buffalo and Denver games with 249 and 250+ yards rushing came with Thomas at LG, and the running game definitely took a step backwards when Mankins came back. Thomas has been beastly for us in the run game.

I think he's been the biggest revelation this year.

 

[supafly]

I read somewhere that Cannon played guard for two plays last week.

You're right, he definitely played guard last week at some point, but I'm not sure how many specific reps that he got there.

I was only able to watch the game one time and didn't DVR it/rewatch it etc, so I'm not sure how much he ended up playing at guard.

 

[ATippett56]

Good point. The Buffalo and Denver games with 249 and 250+ yards rushing came with Thomas at LG, and the running game definitely took a step backwards when Mankins came back. Thomas has been beastly for us in the run game.

Oh really?

Logan Mankins 2012 Game Log - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Or is this revisionist history at its finest?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

chandler and mankins playing is huge...anyone know about vollmer and his back...he a go?

 

[mayoclinic]

Oh really?

Logan Mankins 2012 Game Log - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Or is this revisionist history at its finest?

No, just me not checking the facts. Thanks for keeping me honest, though it's a losing job.

 

[Marqui]

You're right, he definitely played guard last week at some point, but I'm not sure how many specific reps that he got there.

I was only able to watch the game one time and didn't DVR it/rewatch it etc, so I'm not sure how much he ended up playing at guard.

Cannon played 2 series' at RG in the 3rd quarter. He didn't look too comfortable playing there tbh.