NE/CIN observations

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Put down the pipe.

100% I'd take a team that has a reliable defense and an offense that has struggled in 2/5 games thus far with a slew of injuries to some of it's top weapons, over a team that has had a putrid defense the last 2 seasons and not proved they can stop anyone in January. As great as Manning is, he's not going to carry that team without improvement defensively and so far they're looking like the same vulnerable group. If you'd rather go into January most likely relying on a 40 year old Peyton Manning outgunning teams and putting up 30+ PPG that's fine but at the very least, insinuiating that I'm on drugs because I feel otherwise is a pretty extreme view brother.

 

[coolguy]

When you start making claims about the Patriots receiver position the way you did, you might as well just admit that you're just a shill for the team.

Danny-thompkins-dobson-edleman-boyce is depth

 

[coolguy]

I'll give you the defense and running game is better(by a hair). But not the receiver position.

With that said, Denver has yet to play an opponent that will punch them in the mouth. I want to see them go against an aggressive defensive team like KC, Baltimore, Indy or the Pats before I crown them champs. I'll reserve my judgement for December when it starts to get colder.

Never said they were better...just deeper than the broncos

 

[PATRlOT]

I'll give you the defense and running game is better(by a hair). But not the receiver position.

With that said, Denver has yet to play an opponent that will punch them in the mouth. I want to see them go against an aggressive defensive team like KC, Baltimore, Indy or the Pats before I crown them champs. I'll reserve my judgement for December when it starts to get colder.

Our D and running is better than Denver's by only a hair?

LOL GOOD ONE

 

[Deus Irae]

Danny-thompkins-dobson-edleman-boyce is depth

Playing that sort of nonsensical game, every team has 53 players, for exactly the same depth.

 

[Deus Irae]

100% I'd take a team that has a reliable defense and an offense that has struggled in 2/5 games thus far with a slew of injuries to some of it's top weapons, over a team that has had a putrid defense the last 2 seasons and not proved they can stop anyone in January. As great as Manning is, he's not going to carry that team without improvement defensively and so far they're looking like the same vulnerable group. If you'd rather go into January most likely relying on a 40 year old Peyton Manning outgunning teams and putting up 30+ PPG that's fine but at the very least, insinuiating that I'm on drugs because I feel otherwise is a pretty extreme view brother.

The Patriots have struggled in 4 of the 5 games, so I'm not sure what team you're talking about here. The team is 4-1, but it's not far from 2-3.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

Our D and running is better than Denver's by only a hair?

LOL GOOD ONE

I should have clarified - our D is definitely better. Our running game is (collectively) better.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The Patriots have struggled in 4 of the 5 games, so I'm not sure what team you're talking about here. The team is 4-1, but it's not far from 2-3.

Sorry if scoring 23, 26, and 30 points is not up to your standards but when you're missing someone as vital to our red one offense and offense in general as Rob Gronkowski, scoring 30 every time out is a tall task. I haven't been thrilled with our offense either but it's not a finished product yet, whereas with Denver's defense I don't see much help coming to change their ways of the past couple seasons and suddenly becoming stout.

 

[DocHoliday]

Interestingly, Alfonzo Dennard wasn't targetted once.

 

[Deus Irae]

Sorry if scoring 23, 26, and 30 points is not up to your standards but when you're missing someone as vital to our red one offense and offense in general as Rob Gronkowski, scoring 30 every time out is a tall task. I haven't been thrilled with our offense either but it's not a finished product yet, whereas with Denver's defense I don't see much help coming to change their ways of the past couple seasons and suddenly becoming stout.

Now you're making excuses, as well as ignoring how the Jets and Bills games played out. The Broncos just gave up 48 points and won. The Patriot just held their opponent to 13 points, and lost.

BTW, the Broncos are missing major players on their defense, but they'll be getting them back, just as the Patriots will be getting back offensive players. Vince Wilfork's not walking onto the field again this season anymore than Dan Koppen is. Until the Patriots receivers prove they can play, it's crazy talk to claim that the Patriots roster is better.

 

[supafly]

No he won't.

Gronk looks skinny and not the power house we're used to.

Wait, you're attempting to state that the return of Rob Gronkowski will not help us in the blocking game as well as the receiving game? I find that extremely hard to believe.

Besides--who wouldn't take Gronk at his absolute skinniness over Hooman and Mulligan right now, which was my original point? The bottom line is that his return will help in the blocking game, and to suggest otherwise doesn't make much sense.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Now you're making excuses, as well as ignoring how the Jets and Bills games played out.

BTW, the Broncos are missing major players on their defense, but they'll be getting them back, just as the Patriots will be getting back offensive players. Vince Wilfork's not walking onto the field again this season anymore than Dan Koppen is. Until the Patriots receivers prove they can play, it's crazy talk to claim that the Patriots roster is better.

Denver can get all the players back they want but that doesn't change the issues they've had year to year. Plus they lost their top pass rusher from those units. I did not ignore any games I acknowledged our offense struggled badly in 2 of the 5 games. The other 3 they averaged 26+ PPG with no heavy outliers.

 

[cstjohn17]

5. The offensive line didn't do a good job today, and that was disappointing. I think the most disappointing aspect for me was seeing Nate Solder get manhandled so frequently. Other than noticing that, I wasn't really able to pinpoint where the failure was, although the middle is normally the starting point for a lot of pressure. I'll be interested in hearing more specifics, and thoughts from those who are able to review the game footage later in the week.

Brady got hit a lot, beyond the obvious jail breaks and missed assignments he was costly forced to quicken throws or not allowed to step into them. This needs to be cleaned up.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I'll give you the defense and running game is better(by a hair). But not the receiver position.

With that said, Denver has yet to play an opponent that will punch them in the mouth. I want to see them go against an aggressive defensive team like KC, Baltimore, Indy or the Pats before I crown them champs. I'll reserve my judgement for December when it starts to get colder.

what are you talking about? they already beat baltimore. and they just got punched in the mouth by Dallas and they punched back and won.

 

[supafly]

I should have clarified - our D is definitely better. Our running game is (collectively) better.

In the end I think ours is still better in the long run, but Denver's running game has improved from last year too. Just the fact that you have to watch against the pass alone opens up the rush for them, and they're getting much better play from Moreno and have added Bell. Even Ronnie Hillman has 137 yds rushing and 9 catches on the year.

Hopefully by the time we play them we'll have Vereen (scheduled for week 11 return and we play them in week 12), and a healthier and more productive Stevan Ridley--who hasn't had too good of a year.

At this current point in time, it's a much bigger debate than many are giving credit to. We've seen 5 games of lessened production from Ridley compared to their much improved play from Knowshon Moreno:

Moreno---331 yards rushing 4 TD's 13 receptions 127 yards

Ridley ---174 yards rushing 0 TD's 3 receptions 34 yards

 

[Deus Irae]

Denver can get all the players back they want but that doesn't change the issues they've had year to year. Plus they lost their top pass rusher from those units. I did not ignore any games I acknowledged our offense struggled badly in 2 of the 5 games. The other 3 they averaged 26+ PPG with no heavy outliers.

Why people go to such lengths to kid themselves is something mankind really needs to spend the money to study, because it's so often needless, as it is with your posts here. Instead of having to ridiculously contort arguments and make major assumptions, one can like the potential of what the Patriots have while acknowledging that, as of right now, the Broncos' roster is clearly stronger.


Seriously, averaging the scores in an attempt to make it look better, when they were 23, 23 and 30? You're better than that.

 

[supafly]

Brady got hit a lot, beyond the obvious jail breaks and missed assignments he was costly forced to quicken throws or not allowed to step into them. This needs to be cleaned up.

Absolutely, which also leads me to wonder how effective/ineffective our blocking TE's have been to this point?

One would think that having 2 TE's who do nothing but block, along with bringing in Cannon to replace Solder and splitting him out as a TE would help, and that isn't even bringing into account the role of James Devlin on the team, along with the role of the blitz pickup of the RB.

We should've been able to combat their pressure a bit better in my opinion.

 

[ausbacker]

In the end I think ours is still better in the long run, but Denver's running game has improved from last year too. Just the fact that you have to watch against the pass alone opens up the rush for them, and they're getting much better play from Moreno and have added Bell. Even Ronnie Hillman has 137 yds rushing and 9 catches on the year.

Hopefully by the time we play them we'll have Vereen (scheduled for week 11 return and we play them in week 12), and a healthier and more productive Stevan Ridley--who hasn't had too good of a year.

At this current point in time, it's a much bigger debate than many are giving credit to. We've seen 5 games of lessened production from Ridley compared to their much improved play from Knowshon Moreno:

Moreno---331 yards rushing 4 TD's 13 receptions 127 yards

Ridley ---174 yards rushing 0 TD's 3 receptions 34 yards

I blame McDaniels and Belichick's pigheadedness for this. The Patriots need to stop ******* about and just run their best back. When Vereen is back I'd be happy to see Boldin and Blount get less than 3 touches per game each.

 

[supafly]

they already beat baltimore. and they just got punched in the mouth by Dallas and they punched back and won.

Denver is obviously much better than we are at this point in time, and anyone who would argue differently is seeing things from too optimistic of an angle.

It's certainly a very positive sign that our defense has improved tremendously so far, so that is the biggest plus for me at the moment, and the only reason why I even think that we'd be competitive right now.

As we all know, the games that matter are played in the later months of the season, so a lot can happen from now until then. Most Belichick coached teams have a knack for slowly improving as the season moves on. The playoffs have been a different matter lately of course, and some of that is due to the injuries that have occurred.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Why people go to such lengths to kid themselves is something mankind really needs to spend the money to study, because it's so often needless, as it is with your posts here. Instead of having to ridiculously contort arguments and make major assumptions, one can like the potential of what the Patriots have while acknowledging that, as of right now, the Broncos' roster is clearly stronger.


Seriously, averaging the scores in an attempt to make it look better, when they were 23, 23 and 30? You're better than that.

How exactly does saying they scored just over 26 PPG is distorting them scoring 23, 26 and 30 lol Like I said it's not like there are outliers there. Honestly I didn't feel like typing the same thing out again but if you want I will. They struggled in 2 games and the other 3 they put up 23, 26, and 30 points, happy? Oh f*** I guess that 23 really kills my argument now that I look at it

I bet you enjoyed typing up that first paragraph so much that I'll let it be.