MMQB - Patriots Preview: A New Offense with the same Approach

[jmt57]

A little something to pass the time while waiting for the season to get under way:

Patriots Preview: A New Offense with the Same Approach | The MMQB

One star tight end sits in jail, charged with murder. The other remains a question mark, beset by injuries. The other top three receivers from last season have all moved on. With Brady under center, New England remains a contender...

Without question, the Patriots’ offense is significantly less talented than it was a year ago. But with Brady still under center, the coaching staff still intact and a defense destined to improve, New England remains not only heavy favorites in the AFC East, but also a contender in the AFC.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Without question, the Patriots’ offense is significantly less talented than it was a year ago.

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

 

[andrewgarrr]

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

I think the receivers are much more talented this year, but Hernandez is/was really really talented...

 

[aztecafut]

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

On paper, I think that statement is correct and the offense this year is significantly less talented. Some people on this board might not like to admit it but Hernandez and Welker were huge losses. I might even throw Woodhead in there too but we're all hoping that Vereen continues to improve and that he makes us forget about him once the season starts... But on the bright side of things, this years offense is very young and it has a lot of upside so lets hope that you're right come December.

To our new young receiving core I say this... Good luck my sons. Our hopes and dreams travel with you.

 

[PYPER]

On paper, I think that statement is correct and the offense this year is significantly less talented. Some people on this board might not like to admit it but Hernandez and Welker were huge losses. I might even throw Woodhead in there too but we're all hoping that Vereen continues to improve and that he makes us forget about him once the season starts... But on the bright side of things, this years offense is very young and it has a lot of upside so lets hope that you're right come December.

To our new young receiving core I say this... Good luck my sons. Our hopes and dreams travel with you.

I suppose people define talent in different ways. I think this years group is far more athletic while last years corps had far more experience.

The use of the word "talent" is lazy/sloppy writing in my opinion.

 

[PatsDeb]

I think the correct term is this offense is "untested" rather than "untalented." How can Peter King judge how talented the new receivers are having never seen them all together, with Brady, in a real game? Only time will tell. One of the things I am looking forward to for this season. Hopefully, as someone said above, come December, Peter King and others will want to rethink their opinions.

 

[TriplecHamp]

I think the receivers are much more talented this year, but Hernandez is/was really really talented...

I agree, but I also belive that Hernandez to Sudfeld is the only drop in real talent. I belive that Thompkins/Dobson are more talented than Lloyd and Branch by far (less refined though) and Amendola is more talented (although possibly less durable) than Welker.

On paper, I think that statement is correct and the offense this year is significantly less talented. Some people on this board might not like to admit it but Hernandez and Welker were huge losses. I might even throw Woodhead in there too but we're all hoping that Vereen continues to improve and that he makes us forget about him once the season starts... But on the bright side of things, this years offense is very young and it has a lot of upside so lets hope that you're right come December.

To our new young receiving core I say this... Good luck my sons. Our hopes and dreams travel with you.

Amendola IMO is more talented than Welker. What he hasn't been is healthier.

 

[aztecafut]

I suppose people define talent in different ways. I think this years group is far more athletic while last years corps had far more experience.

The use of the word "talent" is lazy/sloppy writing in my opinion.

That's why I said "On Paper". In my opinion experience can only take you so far. You can have all the experience in the world but if you lack the 'Talent' then you're probably not gonna make it very far. Like it or not, last years offense wasn't just experienced, they were also very talented.

But yes I agree with you that the word 'talented' does get thrown around a lot in football just like the word 'genius'. And I also agree with you that this years group is more athletic than last years, but again, athleticism doesn't necessarily equal to football talent. If you don't believe me, Chad Jackson says hello.

 

[jmt57]

PatsDeb (edit: and TriplecHamp), you beat me to it. ^^^

I was going to use the term 'unknown', but untested works as well.

Brandon Lloyd was a familiar name to most while Kenbrell Thompkins is known by very few. Lloyd's stats are among those that many of the national analysts seem eager to compile as those that the Patriots will have difficulty in duplicating. While we won't know for sure until the end of the season, I'm not concerned with what some are concluding will be a dropoff in production; my guess is that the collective performances from the flanker and split end positions in 2013 (Thompkins, Dobson, Boyce) will be just as good if not better than it was in 2012 (Lloyd, Branch, Stallworth).


I also think that some jump to the conclusion that because a player wasn't drafted (Sudfeld, Thompkins), then he must not be very good (i.e., untalented). A familiar name is not necessarily a better option.

 

[aztecafut]

Amendola IMO is more talented than Welker. What he hasn't been is healthier.

Yeah this might be the only exception but I haven't really seem him play all that much to be honest. Really my only impression of him is what I've read on this board about him and the injury prone thing kind of worries me a little. But who knows how this year will play out, so here's to a good year. Go Pats!

 

[Oswlek]

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

Particularly when you consider that Gronk and Ahern basically missed a season between them. So, even if you count Gronk as a question mark, the worst case scenario for games played is pretty much equal to what you got out of him last year.

Even if you want to say Wes>Danny and Aaron>Studs, the corresponding improvement from Anyone>Lloyd and Anyone>Branch pretty much offsets this. Even more so if you somehow get a full season out of Edelman.

I'm all for questioning the experience and cohesiveness and wondering if there is a dropoff in ability, but to phrase it as if NE was trotting four HOFers out there every week is disingenuous. If anything, other than Welker the WR position was a serious problem, and precipitated all the moves that the Patriots made. And even if the top tier guys are downgraded, what is absolutely certain is that the depth is much improved.

 

[Deus Irae]

...Anyone>Lloyd...

No, and making that claim undermined what was an otherwise solid post.

 

[Oswlek]

No, and making that claim undermined what was an otherwise solid post.

Lloyd blows. There is a reason why no one has the slightest interest in taking him.

But if you agree with the rest, then I can live with that.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

I don't really care how "talented" it is. I just care about whether they can score points against good defenses in the playoffs. We've had some of the most "talented" offenses of all-time for the last six years, yet they've come up little when it mattered most.

 

[BradyFTW!]

This is a statement that I've heard a lot over the past few months but I think people will be re-considering come December.

Agreed. Gronk will be back. Amendola's issue isn't talent; it's health. If he stays healthy, he's probably an upgrade over Welker on pure talent. There's a very good chance that Thompkins and Dobson are both more talented than any of last year's outside receivers. And Vereen is absolutely more talented than Woodhead.

There's a very good chance that the only net loss--and an admittedly large one--will be Hernandez to Sudfeld.

 

[Deus Irae]

...Amendola's issue isn't talent; it's health. If he stays healthy, he's probably an upgrade over Welker on pure talent...

People keep making that claim around here. It's just not true. There's nobody in the league who gets open faster than Welker, including Amendola. That's an incredible talent.

Amedola's been a solid player when healthy, but he's not Welker. That will be better in some ways (better on the longer passes and possibly a bit more diverse), but worse in others (not as quick to get open, more of an injury risk, but Amendola is not more talented than Welker.

 

[JackBauer]

Agreed. Gronk will be back. Amendola's issue isn't talent; it's health. If he stays healthy, he's probably an upgrade over Welker on pure talent. There's a very good chance that Thompkins and Dobson are both more talented than any of last year's outside receivers. And Vereen is absolutely more talented than Woodhead.

There's a very good chance that the only net loss--and an admittedly large one--will be Hernandez to Sudfeld.

I agree with you on Amendola. I think he can do a lot of things Welker can't and could be special with Brady...provided he doesn't snap in half.

 

[TriplecHamp]

People keep making that claim around here. It's just not true. There's nobody in the league who gets open faster than Welker, including Amendola. That's an incredible talent.

Amedola's been a solid player when healthy, but he's not Welker. That will be better in some ways (better on the longer passes and possibly a bit more diverse), but worse in others (not as quick to get open, more of an injury risk, but Amendola is not more talented than Welker.

Greg Bedard and Peter King both talked about how quickly Amendola "wins" I don't think there is any discernible difference between WW's quickness and dola's. There is however a discernible difference between Amendola's ball skills, speed, length and durability.

 

[VrabelJr]

Honestly, I think the early part of the season is going to be sobering for a lot of us offensively. We have three rookie WRs that we are going to need to contribute (some more than others). Dropped balls, incorrectly ran routes, off sides, lining up wrong and mental errors in key situations (two minute drills, etc.) will be more common than us Pats fans have been accustomed to in recent years. A combined 1400-1800 yards out of Thompkins, Dobson, Boyce and Sudfeld would be a great first year.

 

[JackBauer]

Honestly, I think the early part of the season is going to be sobering for a lot of us offensively. We have three rookie WRs that we are going to need to contribute (some more than others). Dropped balls, incorrectly ran routes, off sides, lining up wrong and mental errors in key situations (two minute drills, etc.) will be more common than us Pats fans have been accustomed to in recent years. A combined 1400-1800 yards out of Thompkins, Dobson, Boyce and Sudfeld would be a great first year.

KT will put up those numbers singlehandedly.