Free Agency Reaction: Are the Broncos really that much better?

[Joker]

Our offense was a fiasco in the beginning of the season and I seem to remember Brady and our offensive coordinator trying to force Amendola to be Welker's replacement until Brady started going to Edelman.

Welker had a noticeable decline towards the end of the year and I expect that to continue.

Did I call your life a fiasco? You "seem" to remember? That's early onset Alz, pal.What did they do, have long CIA like indoctrination sessions grilling Amendola in a small dimly lit room?.."you vill play like zee Welker or vee vill haf to make you sign zeese papers!!!"...just because YOU thought you saw a Jesus like apparition on a head of cabbage at the local Saf-way doesn't mean it was real, buddy...and for all YOU know, I could be a season ticket holder with 12 seats and special wireless access to Kraft Access Online Services (KAOS)....whaddya think? did I nail today's theme on these boards or what??

 

[Gronkandez]

Do I have to repeat myself, buddy?

My join date has nothing to do with how dumb and insecure this thread makes Patriots fans look.

Stop bringing up irrelevant garbage. You're acting like I signed up for the internet a month ago. No, it's just a forum that I signed up for after reading for 2+ years now.

You take internet forum credibility way too serious.

For all you know I could be Tom Brady. Just because I signed up 2 months ago doesn't make my opinion as a fan any less valid.

.......

 

[Rob0729]

Part of Welker's decline in numbers was from Peyton having so many targets but you could still see a noticeable drop off in his capability.

Score another one for Belichick.

I agree.

Welker was noticeably slower last year. His hands aren't what they used to be (granted they weren't in his last year in New England either). Everyone, including people who trashed the Pats for letting him leave like Felger and Mazz (excluding Deus), can admit he clearly wasn't the player he was with the Pats.

Yes, his production dropped because he wasn't the primary target, but he also benefitted from being covered by lesser personnel too. Teams put their #1 CB on DeMaryius Thomas in Denver where Welker drew him in NE (at least against teams that had their top CB shadow opposing team's #1 receiver). And Welker also drew less double teams in Denver. So the fact that he was getting less targets may have been a wash with the fact that he was getting less double teams and lesser personnel covering him.

It will be interesting to see if he continues to decline. He should face more double teams with Decker gone. I wonder how he responds.

 

[PATS16N0]

Did I call your life a fiasco? You "seem" to remember? That's early onset Alz, pal.What did they do, have long CIA like indoctrination sessions grilling Amendola in a small dimly lit room?.."you vill play like zee Welker or vee vill haf to make you sign zeese papers!!!"...just because YOU thought you saw a Jesus like apparition on a head of cabbage at the local Saf-way doesn't mean it was real, buddy...and for all YOU know, I could be a season ticket holder with 12 seats and special wireless access to Kraft Access Online Services (KAOS)....whaddya think? did I nail today's theme on these boards or what??

They were trying to force the ball to Amendola in the first few games. Our offense didn't start clicking until Brady started making Edelman the primary target.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I agree.

Welker was noticeably slower last year. His hands aren't what they used to be (granted they weren't in his last year in New England either). Everyone, including people who trashed the Pats for letting him leave like Felger and Mazz (excluding Deus), can admit he clearly wasn't the player he was with the Pats.

Yes, his production dropped because he wasn't the primary target, but he also benefitted from being covered by lesser personnel too. Teams put their #1 CB on DeMaryius Thomas in Denver where Welker drew him in NE (at least against teams that had their top CB shadow opposing team's #1 receiver). And Welker also drew less double teams in Denver. So the fact that he was getting less targets may have been a wash with the fact that he was getting less double teams and lesser personnel covering him.

It will be interesting to see if he continues to decline. He should face more double teams with Decker gone. I wonder how he responds.

Welker wasn't the same, and it was smart to let him go, but his presence on denver made them the highest scoring team in NFL history.

 

[PatsFan2]

Do I have to repeat myself, buddy?

My join date has nothing to do with how dumb and insecure this thread makes Patriots fans look.

Stop bringing up irrelevant garbage. You're acting like I signed up for the internet a month ago. No, it's just a forum that I signed up for after reading for 2+ years now.

You take internet forum credibility way too serious.

For all you know I could be Tom Brady. Just because I signed up 2 months ago doesn't make my opinion as a fan any less valid.

Hey Tom you had me going there.ound:ound:

 

[Joker]

They were trying to force the ball to Amendola in the first few games. Our offense didn't start clicking until Brady started making Edelman the primary target.

My bad....attempt at being facetious....just trying to "fit in" with all the rest of the restless in this thread....

 

[PATS16N0]

Welker wasn't the same, and it was smart to let him go, but his presence on denver made them the highest scoring team in NFL history.

That record means squat. It's not something that will be remembered with a lot of nostalgia. I saw a thread at football's future (a big, neutral, general NFL forum) and overwhelmingly fans were saying, after the Superbowl stomping, that it was a result of a weak schedule and new rules. The general consensus was that the 2007 Patriots offense was better. The 2013 Broncos won't be remembered as the greatest show on turf. Just stat compiling against sub .500 bottom feeders.

 

[Rob0729]

Welker was Welker until the concussions, and he was ahead of Edelman's pace, even as the WR2 rather than the WR1. Don't kid yourself. It doesn't help your analysis.

The Pats went away from Edelman earlier in the season and tried to get Amendola back on track. Edelman had 53 catches, 556 yards, and 4 TDs in his last six regular season games after both Gronk and Dobson went down and was asked to be "the guy". That is an average of 8.8 catches, 92.7 yards, and 0.67 TDs a game. I bet that holds up particularly well to any year average of Welker.

I felt that Edelman was replaceable, but he showed that so was Welker.

 

[PATS16N0]

My bad....attempt at being facetious....just trying to "fit in" with all the rest of the restless in this thread....

Didn't take offense
I didn't want to look up any numbers to back anything up I said simply because I remember the games. We were obviously game planning heavily around Amendola to justify his contract for the first 4 weeks.

Looked like forcing a round peg through a square hole.

 

[Deus Irae]

They were trying to force the ball to Amendola in the first few games. Our offense didn't start clicking until Brady started making Edelman the primary target.

Amendola was on the sidelines for games 2-4. If they really had been forcing the ball to Amendola in those games, it would have explained a lot.

Unfortunately, that was not the problem.

 

[Rob0729]

Welker wasn't the same, and it was smart to let him go, but his presence on denver made them the highest scoring team in NFL history.

Yes, he played a role, but the Broncos scored 20, 37, and 34 points in the three games he was out. He was still a good slot receiver last year and was a solid addition as a third or fourth target.

I still think the emergence of Julius Thomas was a bigger factor to make that offense the highest scoring offense in NFL history than Welker.

 

[PATS16N0]

Amendola was on the sidelines for games 2-4. If they really had been forcing the ball to Amendola in those games, it would have explained a lot.

Unfortunately, that was not the problem.

Oh. Right. Games #1 and #2 and then when he first came back than?

 

[Deus Irae]

Oh. Right. Games #1 and #2 and then when he first came back than?

He had 10 catches, most of them on the last 2 drives of the game, in the season opening victory against Buffalo. He didn't play again until game #5, which was the Bengals game.

 

[PATS16N0]

He had 10 catches, most of them on the last 2 drives of the game, in the season opening victory against Buffalo. He didn't play again until game #5, which was the Bengals game.

You're ruining my story.

 

[Guts]

Denver's defense got better on paper so did ours on paper. I think the big difference will be the offenses since Denver, I think regressed in that area and we upgraded offensively. Of course all of this is on paper and we won't really know anything until the first game of the season since the draft is still ahead of us and training camps not to mention either one of the teams can get a key injury before the season starts.

 

[Danger Zone]

You're ruining my story.

It's still a very valid theory to state that Edleman was our #1 WR threat and opposing defences planned accordingly.

A luxury teams could not afford when game-planning against Welker and the Broncos.

Welker prospered because of this while it hampered Edleman.

 

[TBR]

The only thing better on the Broncos is their WRs and DL.

Our QB, TE, RBs, OL, LBs, DBs and coach are superior.

 

[Guts]

The only thing better on the Broncos is their WRs and DL.

Our QB, TE, RBs, OL, LBs, DBs and coach are superior.

I would say their OLine is better sure they lost Beadles, but they're getting Clady back and until we find a reliable center I think Broncos OLine is better.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Julian Edelman says he has 4-year deal with New England Patriots - ESPN Boston

Interesting discussion between skip bayless and stephen A. Both conclude that NE is better than denver.