Aaron Dobson back at practice

[RIpats88]

Honestly, we may want to use the pass to open up the run game. if they put a scrub CB on Dobson. hit him deep early. if they do, denvers Defense starts cheating on the run and then unleash the Blount

 

[Ring 6]

I was thinking that. Wouldn't shock me if Allen's shoulder was in a state where he could punt but couldn't hold.

If he cant hold, I dont want him punting. Not catching the snap is the worst thing that could happen. I'd rather have a day of 30 yard punts than a punter who cant catch the snap.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Huge on AD. Maybe that tweet about Zo saying he was almost ready last week really was true.

Reality is the Colts are better against the pass than the run, throw in the weather and holding him out made sense even if he could have tried it. This week we have good weather and a team better against the run than the pass so . . .

Great News. Tompkins was there by implication too, If Dobson is practicing then aside from rust, the Pats Offense is complete enough to fully compete. Hoomanawanui and Mulligan are good blocking TEs, and all that we had at TE for most of the past decade.

Just like the horrible defensive stats games that we had after Vince,Tommy and Jerod went down, it was sometime before they unearthed some pickups and fit them into the Defense. Pats stats from the first four games and the last five are much, much, better if not spectacular.

The Broncos stats are distorted by teams abandoning the run to pass, pass, pass, trying to catch up. So Bronc run defense is overstated; and pass Defense understated somewhat. But that was when they had a pass rush and healthy CBs, which they DON'T have now.

The roses are blooming. Smell the flowers.

 

[primetime]

So Bronc run defense is overstated

Well, they're still like 15th in yards per carry. Middle of the pack, sure.

 

[mgteich]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Of course, we can HOPE than one of them is a serious downfield threat for this game. That would be a major improvement for the offense.

 

[qbno12]

 

[Sicilian]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Of course, we can HOPE than one of them is a serious downfield threat for this game. That would be a major improvement for the offense.

I think where the optimism comes in is, if Dobson is on the field, he has to be covered by someone on the Broncos. No matter how unproven or injured he may be, they're not going to leave him alone. That said, the Broncos secondary is shallow, so the more matchups we can force them to make, the more likely one of our guys gets a favorable one.

If he plays, I don't expect Dobson to have a high impact game on the stat sheet. But if he chips in a catch for a first down and his presence forces even one mismatch somewhere else that leads to a 3rd down conversion by Amendola or Vereen, he has done his job for the week.

 

[dales804]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Of course, we can HOPE than one of them is a serious downfield threat for this game. That would be a major improvement for the offense.

I think people are being optimistic. I'm cautiously optimistic as him pulling up lame in week 17 is still in my mind. I hope he's able to play a full game on a level he can make an impact.

 

[Shockt327]

Roman Phifer was a great athlete, too.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

For what it's worth, here's what Reiss said:

The reason for Brady's absence is unclear, as is whether he will take part in any portion of Wednesday's practice. A source told ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss that Brady is "good and will be ready for Sunday."

Brady did not suffer any apparent injury during the team's game against the Colts on Saturday night, though he was sick throughout the week last week.

He has been listed as a limited participant with a shoulder injury on multiple occasions since late October, though Brady has not missed a practice this season.

The Patriots moved Brady's regularly scheduled Wednesday news conference to Friday morning.

He was one of two Patriots not seen at the start of practice, as long snapper Danny Aiken, who was also playing through illness on Saturday night, was also not spotted.

 

[PatsFan2]

I think where the optimism comes in is, if Dobson is on the field, he has to be covered by someone on the Broncos. No matter how unproven or injured he may be, they're not going to leave him alone. That said, the Broncos secondary is shallow, so the more matchups we can force them to make, the more likely one of our guys gets a favorable one.

If he plays, I don't expect Dobson to have a high impact game on the stat sheet. But if he chips in a catch for a first down and his presence forces even one mismatch somewhere else that leads to a 3rd down conversion by Amendola or Vereen, he has done his job for the week.

And thats the point our Offense have been Lacking a Big Healthy Body for a while now.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Of course, we can HOPE than one of them is a serious downfield threat for this game. That would be a major improvement for the offense.

If Dobson's healthy (he is practicing now), he could turn Champ Bailey (who has to start outside now due to Harris done for the year) into burnt toast. Torrey Smith beat Bailey deep for two 30+ yard TDs in last year's playoffs. Bailey has been awful this season in the limited time he's seen the field.

 

[coolguy]

Dobson is the only player the pats have that can do this
Rocky Mountain Rainbow - Joe Flacco pass to Jacoby Jones - YouTube

 

[ivanvamp]

Well, they're still like 15th in yards per carry. Middle of the pack, sure.

I think their run D reflects the fact that teams had to throw so much so often because they were usually playing catch-up with that Broncos offense. Normalize things for the two teams being in an even score kind of game, and I don't see Denver's run D being anything special.

 

[BelichickFan]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Because in Dobson's last game he caught a pass in limited action whereas Thompkins hasn't done anything since Houston.

If Dobson is practicing there's a decent chance he can play and if he can play there's a decent chance he can produce. At least enough to be a valid outside theat and that's a BIG deal with our running game and inside WR.

 

[Froob]

Maybe Aiken cut and Blount long snapping?

 

[shmessy]

For what it's worth, here's what Reiss said:

Brady is fine - - at least he was Sunday afternoon.

My brother's friend texted him from the Esplanade playground and Brady was out there playing with his son hours after the game.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Honestly, we may want to use the pass to open up the run game. if they put a scrub CB on Dobson. hit him deep early. if they do, denvers Defense starts cheating on the run and then unleash the Blount

As long as they run the ball like the last few weeks, I'm fine with this. I'm fine with Brady throwing for like 220+ yards, as long as Blount+Ridley run for 175+ total between them.

 

[primetime]

I missed the part where Dobson was fully recovered, or even any suggestion that he will play. Seriously, why would we expect Dobson to produce any more than KT did last week?

Of course, we can HOPE than one of them is a serious downfield threat for this game. That would be a major improvement for the offense.

Dobson's a substantially more talented player than Thompkins, for one.

 

[RIpats88]

Dobson's a substantially more talented player than Thompkins, for one.

yup, theres a reason why Thompkins was a healthy scratch for awhile and dobson took over the X-receiver spot. Before he got injured in the bills game he made a nice catch for a first down.

honestly I wouldnt be surprised if Boyce overtook thompkins talent wise next year as well. Nothing against thompkins but he doesnt have as high a ceiling as the other two due to his age.