Am I the Only Homer Who's a Little Nervous?

I see this game in the same light as the Patriots' 2011 season opener against Miami.

Without reading a heap into the preseason the Run D did look very good. Shut down Johnson and the Titans Offense may be anaemic. Also, at the back of my head is the idea that the Patriots won't be running the same vanilla schemes the team ran all through the preseason. Brady's going to throw to Lloyd rather than hiding him.

I'm excited. Football is almost back.

AndyJohnson said:

I don't understand. If you don't like the shotgun because it telegraphs the pass, why wouldn't that open up the run?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, we have all seen the Pats trying to run out of the shutgun. Results, in one word... Failure.

IMO, and that is all it is, an unqualified opinion (like most of us) because the strength of this team is the passing game and on the road, especially, it is imperative that the crowd be taken out of the game early, and quickly and, again IMO, if they try to run the ball first, the advantage could easily be lost.

I am not suggesting that they abandon the running game completely, but please, not out of the shotgun. Go Under center from the get go, use play action, complete a few pieces and then throw in a running play, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ON 2nd and long like they have done so often, setting up a pass rush on Brady on 3rd down.

Again, just my unqualified opinion.

I just hate opening up on the road.

Linda_The_Pats_Fan said:

Unfortunately, we have all seen the Pats trying to run out of the shutgun. Results, in one word... Failure.

IMO, and that is all it is, an unqualified opinion (like most of us) because the strength of this team is the passing game and on the road, especially, it is imperative that the crowd be taken out of the game early, and quickly and, again IMO, if they try to run the ball first, the advantage could easily be lost.

I am not suggesting that they abandon the running game completely, but please, not out of the shotgun. Go Under center from the get go, use play action, complete a few pieces and then throw in a running play, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ON 2nd and long like they have done so often, setting up a pass rush on Brady on 3rd down.

Again, just my unqualified opinion.

I just hate opening up on the road.

Click to expand...

Going West Coast on the NFL you've always got the screen game out of Shotgun to neutralize an aggressive pass rush. I'd like to see more RB screens in 2012 (especially to the side where Gronk can lay out some punks with open field blocks).

BradyBranch39 said:

Think we'll beat them but probably one of those games that for a third of the time seems to be in doubt.

Hoping for a Branch and Waters announcement by 8 PM.

Click to expand...

The O will stutter for the 1st Q..but pick it up by the 2nd Q IMO...and no waters announcement is coming

IF this game was middle of the season the line would be 18 or more, and the results might be more like 42-10, but first game, with some instability in the OL, and not everything glued down? 27-13.

D looks good. Get outta there w/o any injuries.

Linda_The_Pats_Fan said:

Unfortunately, we have all seen the Pats trying to run out of the shutgun. Results, in one word... Failure.

IMO, and that is all it is, an unqualified opinion (like most of us) because the strength of this team is the passing game and on the road, especially, it is imperative that the crowd be taken out of the game early, and quickly and, again IMO, if they try to run the ball first, the advantage could easily be lost.

I am not suggesting that they abandon the running game completely, but please, not out of the shotgun. Go Under center from the get go, use play action, complete a few pieces and then throw in a running play, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ON 2nd and long like they have done so often, setting up a pass rush on Brady on 3rd down.

Again, just my unqualified opinion.

I just hate opening up on the road.

Click to expand...

Please back up your claim that the Patriots runs out of the shotgun have been a failure.

Deus Irae said:

Please back up your claim that the Patriots runs out of the shotgun have been a failure.

Click to expand...

As I said, just my opinion. It seems, from watching the games, that the majority of them have not been very productive. I could probably back it up but going back and pulling out the game day play by play would be far too time consuming.

Again, as I said in my post... it is my UNqualified opinion, nothing more, nothing less, and not a claim to the fact.

Here are my exact words from my post

"IMO, and that is all it is, an unqualified opinion (like most of us)"

ausbacker said:

Going West Coast on the NFL you've always got the screen game out of Shotgun to neutralize an aggressive pass rush. I'd like to see more RB screens in 2012 (especially to the side where Gronk can lay out some punks with open field blocks).

Click to expand...

I completely agree...

Jones will have a big impact on this game...i think he will in a ton of games this year

Linda_The_Pats_Fan said:

Unfortunately, we have all seen the Pats trying to run out of the shutgun. Results, in one word... Failure.

Click to expand...

We have?
I don't think you have been paying much attention.

I am not suggesting that they abandon the running game completely, but please, not out of the shotgun. Go Under center from the get go, use play action, complete a few pieces and then throw in a running play, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ON 2nd and long like they have done so often, setting up a pass rush on Brady on 3rd down.

Click to expand...

Certainly an unusual thought process. Go under center to throw off of play action without running?
An incomplete pass on 2nd and 10 hurts 3rd more than a 4 yard run.

Linda_The_Pats_Fan said:

As I said, just my opinion. It seems, from watching the games, that the majority of them have not been very productive. I could probably back it up but going back and pulling out the game day play by play would be far too time consuming.

Again, as I said in my post... it is my UNqualified opinion, nothing more, nothing less, and not a claim to the fact.

Here are my exact words from my post

"IMO, and that is all it is, an unqualified opinion (like most of us)"

Click to expand...

But recent team history would seem to run counter to your opinion. Both Faulk and Woodhead have had success running out of the shotgun. That's why I asked you to back up your claim.

PatsWickedPissah said:

Along those lines I'm expecting good PT for Ebert.
No, I'm not joking.

Click to expand...

If this turns out to be true, you should change your handle to Nostradamus since Ebert isn't even on the practice squad.

Maybe you meant Ebner ... he's my binky too :rocker:

Over the past several years, our D has made young, inexperienced QB's look HOF worthy. Yeah, I'm nervous...but then again, I'm always nervous before a game.

Fact is, the Pats had a sub par preseason and never got the Offense in a groove. Brady got knocked around too much for anyone's comfort with just a handful of possessions. Not sure why anyone wouldn't be nervous for the first game of the season.

I'm looking at it the same way as last season, build up to the play-offs and see where they can go from there. I have high expectations for this team but they have been tempered a little bit by how young they decided to go. I like the approach but they obviously need to be right in their roster choices. I think Belichick likes what they are working with and believes he can round this team into form by December, and that they will be much better off long term if he's right. I like the gamble and believe they have a really good shot of being there in February.

Oh yeah, Patriots by 10 Sunday against the Titans.

Deus Irae said:

But recent team history would seem to run counter to your opinion. Both Faulk and Woodhead have had success running out of the shotgun. That's why I asked you to back up your claim.

Click to expand...

It's an OPINION......Faulk isn't on the team now and we've all seen both success and failure running out of the shotgun. Chill out, you'll hit 30,000 soon and be a MB Legend :rocker:

Deus Irae said:

But recent team history would seem to run counter to your opinion. Both Faulk and Woodhead have had success running out of the shotgun. That's why I asked you to back up your claim.

Click to expand...

How much success, and what do you call "success?" Can you provide actual numbers along with the numbers that may show a lack of success from the same performers?

Again, point is, and again its just my opinion, that running plays out of the shotgun, over a period of time, are a wasted play. All of the time? Certainly not but I would guess, and again, let me emphasize that it is only a guess, that the number of failures exceeds the number of successes.

If they are in 2nd and 9 and in the shotgun they call a running play, I cant tell you how many times I have yelled at the tv screen, "What the hell kind of a call was that, freaking dummy"

My guess is that I am not alone. Have you ever done it? Be honest.

Just part of being a hard core fan.

all teams run plays to set up other plays later in the game...all fans complain about these plays because they aren't successful...yet the success is measured when the defense bites on a certain look that they stuffed before...and get hit with good gain...the object is to win the game not win every play.

BlueThunder said:

It's an OPINION......Faulk isn't on the team now and we've all seen both success and failure running out of the shotgun. Chill out, you'll hit 30,000 soon and be a MB Legend :rocker:

Click to expand...

If someone offered the OPINION that Brady sucked, you'd ask for evidence, at the very least. In this case, I was calm and simply explained my reason for asking. Danny Woodhead has averaged 5.2 ypc in the past two seasons, along with getting 41 first downs in 174 attempts (24%). His DVOA would have placed him 3rd in the NFL if he'd had enough rushed to qualify last year. That wouldn't seem to be failure for the Patriots out of the shotgun.

Some of our most successful runs in general have been out of the shotgun.

The prospect of spreading out the defense in a dime and running often equals great results.

Would a true Homer be nervous at all?




Just something to think about.