Breer back on NEST, predicts Pats vs. Cowboys Super Bowl

[BradyManny]

Turned on the TV to a real nice surprise around 6:45 last nite to see Albert Breer back on NEST talking football. Given his Sporting News gig is national, he's now living in Boston, and that will give him the opportunity - I hope - to be a recurring guest on NEST again.

He was talking AFC East - and he really seems to think this division is stronger than a lot of folks give it credit for. He thought the Bills would have a great defense and combined with Lynch, that should be enough to carry the offense to the playoffs. And he believes the Jets team - outside of the QB - is much stronger than given credit for, specifically the defense. I will defer to Breer's football knowledge any day, but I still think we run the table in the East, even with the other team's making some key additions. I thought the Jets additions (specifically Pace & Gholston) were overrated and risky, and have the potential to tie up a lot of money in players who could be busts.

At the end of the interview, Tanguay - never known for subtlety - asked him point blank "would the Patriots be back in the Super Bowl"? He laughed and said "yes, yes they will...and they'll be playing the Cowboys".

 

[BradyManny]

Re: Breer back on NEST, predicts Pats v Cowboys Super Bowl

MODS: feel free to merge this into BelichickFan's thread...my bad

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Breer back on NEST, predicts Pats v Cowboys Super Bowl

Breer is IMO one of the most knowledgible football writers out there and I am so glad he is back in the area so he can do shows like this again. And I look forward to his national writing as it should be real cool to read him break down the whole league.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: Breer back on NEST, predicts Pats v Cowboys Super Bowl

And he believes the Jets team - outside of the QB - is much stronger than given credit for, specifically the defense. I will defer to Breer's football knowledge any day, but I still think we run the table in the East, even with the other team's making some key additions. I thought the Jets additions (specifically Pace & Gholston) were overrated and risky, and have the potential to tie up a lot of money in players who could be busts.

The Jets' defense could be pretty good if their DL plays well. They have a lot of talent at LB and DB - however they have no offense at all. Maybe the money they put into the OL will make a difference, and I could see it helping Thomas Jones. But their two QB just won't get it done (I like Pennington a lot more than Clemens but even Penny is too limited) and their WR aren't a threat at all. They have the rookie TE but TE is a position where rookies rarely make an impact. I could see the Jets being in the top half of the league in points allowed (meaning least points allowed) or even the top third but being a bottom 5 team in points scored.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Breer back on NEST, predicts Pats v Cowboys Super Bowl

The Jets' defense could be pretty good if their DL plays well. They have a lot of talent at LB and DB - however they have no offense at all. Maybe the money they put into the OL will make a difference, and I could see it helping Thomas Jones. But their two QB just won't get it done (I like Pennington a lot more than Clemens but even Penny is too limited) and their WR aren't a threat at all. They have the rookie TE but TE is a position where rookies rarely make an impact. I could see the Jets being in the top half of the league in points allowed (meaning least points allowed) or even the top third but being a bottom 5 team in points scored.

The thing with the Jets is that they played much worse last year than I really think they were. Which means if some of the moves work out and they don't underachieve again this year than that alone should pull them to .500. If things really work out for them than they could be competing for a playoff spot though they probably are a QB away from really competing in the playoffs.

 

[BWareofDWare]

I guess it comes down to what exactly you consider stronger than people give credit for meaning. Would anyone in their right mind bet on anyone other than the Patriots to win the division this year? I wouldn't even chance on someone else winning the division 3 years from now. Maybe the Bills or Jets could sneak in as a wild card team, but then what? With the passing rule changes the NFL requires you to have strong quarterback play come playoff time. With everything else on the rosters the same, I would take Tom Brady with Caldwell and Troy Brown at receiver over Rex Grossman with Randy Moss and Terrell Owens at receiver every single time. You can hide poor quarterback play in the regular season and use your strengths to carry you into the playoffs, but once the big lights are on you need a great quarterback to win those games. It is the same thing as having an ace in baseball. A team like the Yankees may be able to still mash their way in to the playoffs but they will be toast once they get there.

 

[signbabybrady]

BWareofDWare what did you think of Breer's coverage of yuor team. Did you read his stuff?

 

[BWareofDWare]

BWareofDWare what did you think of Breer's coverage of yuor team. Did you read his stuff?

Yes I liked his work a lot, conversed with him via email a few times as well and he seems like a nice guy. You could tell from the comments section on his blog posts that some of the New England sarcasm went over a few peoples heads when he wrote opinionated pieces, but having lived in both places it's just a matter of two different worlds. I think everyone appreciated the work he put into his various game breakdowns though, and the hard work showed with some top notch articles. I think if he went and spent some time with a few local college coaches or something along those lines to learn the more technical aspects of football it would benefit him greatly. Not that he doesn't know his stuff, but I really think that he could be one of the top writers in the country if he could explain not just that a team rushed 5 guys in this certain situation, but also why the team did it.

 

[BradyManny]

Yes I liked his work a lot, conversed with him via email a few times as well and he seems like a nice guy. You could tell from the comments section on his blog posts that some of the New England sarcasm went over a few peoples heads when he wrote opinionated pieces, but having lived in both places it's just a matter of two different worlds. I think everyone appreciated the work he put into his various game breakdowns though, and the hard work showed with some top notch articles. I think if he went and spent some time with a few local college coaches or something along those lines to learn the more technical aspects of football it would benefit him greatly. Not that he doesn't know his stuff, but I really think that he could be one of the top writers in the country if he could explain not just that a team rushed 5 guys in this certain situation, but also why the team did it.

IMO, Breer is that guy - maybe he didn't convey it as much in Dallas, but his tale of the tapes here [for the Herald] were pretty analytical and insightful. Breer would give the whys. I didn't follow him as much when he went to Dallas, so I don't know how he fit in there.

 

[BWareofDWare]

IMO, Breer is that guy - maybe he didn't convey it as much in Dallas, but his tale of the tapes here [for the Herald] were pretty analytical and insightful. Breer would give the whys. I didn't follow him as much when he went to Dallas, so I don't know how he fit in there.

Oh don't get me wrong, they were very analytical and insightful, I just think he could use a little more seasoning on the technical side of coverages etc. I love his stuff, but I think one of the things slightly holding him back is that we're a "now" country, people want their analysis of the game on Monday morning, not Tuesday night. The diehard football fan is the one who is going to appreciate Breer the most, the casual/majority are the ones who are on CNNSI every Monday for Peter King. Believe me, it's minor nitpicking of his work at the most, as in I think he is great already, but he has the potential and work ethic to be considered one of the best. That's why I was thinking spending some time with knowledgeable people would benefit him, as I think he'd be able to think through more analysis on the fly rather than two days after the game.

 

[signbabybrady]

Oh don't get me wrong, they were very analytical and insightful, I just think he could use a little more seasoning on the technical side of coverages etc. I love his stuff, but I think one of the things slightly holding him back is that we're a "now" country, people want their analysis of the game on Monday morning, not Tuesday night. The diehard football fan is the one who is going to appreciate Breer the most, the casual/majority are the ones who are on CNNSI every Monday for Peter King. Believe me, it's minor nitpicking of his work at the most, as in I think he is great already, but he has the potential and work ethic to be considered one of the best. That's why I was thinking spending some time with knowledgeable people would benefit him, as I think he'd be able to think through more analysis on the fly rather than two days after the game.

I am sure he could improve on some areas but I think you are confusing ability to be more technical with him thinking that he may already be being to technical for those layman fans you spoke of. I consider myself a pretty versed football guy and some of his articles were a little heavy for me. Not the info as much as trying to read thru as if it were anyother article (I found it best to wait till the afternoon to read it rather than right in the mourning. that way my brain was awake and ready for it).

 

[BradyManny]

Oh don't get me wrong, they were very analytical and insightful, I just think he could use a little more seasoning on the technical side of coverages etc. I love his stuff, but I think one of the things slightly holding him back is that we're a "now" country, people want their analysis of the game on Monday morning, not Tuesday night. The diehard football fan is the one who is going to appreciate Breer the most, the casual/majority are the ones who are on CNNSI every Monday for Peter King. Believe me, it's minor nitpicking of his work at the most, as in I think he is great already, but he has the potential and work ethic to be considered one of the best. That's why I was thinking spending some time with knowledgeable people would benefit him, as I think he'd be able to think through more analysis on the fly rather than two days after the game.

Gotcha, that's certainly a good and fair point.

 

[BelichickFan]

That's why I was thinking spending some time with knowledgeable people would benefit him, as I think he'd be able to think through more analysis on the fly rather than two days after the game.

He did take Jim Tressel's "Coaching Football" class while at Ohio State. Really, I think you're being too hard on him; I don't care who you are, you need to go back and watch the film before you can be sure of your opinion as there's so much going on.

 

[signbabybrady]

He did take Jim Tressel's "Coaching Football" class while at Ohio State. Really, I think you're being too hard on him; I don't care who you are, you need to go back and watch the film before you can be sure of your opinion as there's so much going on.

right that kind of analysis takes alot of film work.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Pats vs Cowboys in the Superbowl... This was the matchup I was thinking I would see last year actually. The Giants were a totally unforeseen wildcard. I'd like to see Brady vs Romo in a shootout. TO vs Moss. Yeah, that would be kinda cool, but who knows who will come out of the NFC this year?