Dante Provides Some Insight...

Interesting take from the Matt Light shoot out yesterday, he thinks this is all fixable... but will take some time. Praise for Dave DeGuglielmo...

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patr...d_offensive_line_coach_says_patriots_will_get

“They’re trying to build cohesiveness. That’s what they’re trying to do. It’s not an easy thing to do. But it will happen if they’re patient,” Scarnecchia said, trying to explain why the line is having so much trouble keeping Tom Brady upright, not to mention open holes for the running game. “They’re trying to get guys in the right spots. To do that, it does take time.”

Asked if there was anything that would coax him out of retirement, Scarnecchia smiled and shook his head.

“No, I’m retired,” he said. “That’s it.”

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I trust Scar and Light know of what they speak. I don't trust what I see with my eyes - but we're still in September, so time is on our side. For now.

Love Light's Celebrity Shooting event. Saw it on TV once years ago. Hilarious.
Best part was Asante Samuel trying to shoot.
Anyone know if this latest is somewhere? YouTube? MyFace?

Patience? Ha, what does he know? If we don't have everything clicking in the first three games we'll never have another great season like 2002!

RayClay said:

Patience? Ha, what does he know? If we don't have everything clicking in the first three games we'll never have another great season like 2002!

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2002? That was a terrible season.

mosi said:

2002? That was a terrible season.

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No, it couldn't have been. Are you trying to say we put too much emphasis on early season offense?

RayClay said:

Patience? Ha, what does he know? If we don't have everything clicking in the first three games we'll never have another great season like 2002!

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I see what you did there.

That they're experimenting with different guys in different spots tells me it's about more than just cohesion. I also trust Dante and Light to know what they're talking about but I think they're being too kind here.

Nikolai said:

I see what you did there.

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Caught me. I'm quite happy to be 2-1, since we have a young team and our best football should be ahead of us. It was a little tough to be optimistic last year but, with much bigger problems, we had a chance (but not much gas in the tank) to do it, anyway.

I don't think Brady's aged 100 years since last year's heroic performance and I don't think Mankins best years are ahead, so we had to turn over the line, including a stronger center in Stork (hopeful) and that simply takes time and practice (and patience, the antithesis of message board posting).

But 2002 isn't such a bad guide. The team had a huge weakness that was apparent even in the first few games when they were winning. Other teams saw it and ran the ball up the middle at them. The Patriots couldn't stop them, so the other teams just kept doing it. Welcome to the NFL!

The question is whether the O-line will be that kind of weakness or if it's just a matter of time and coaching. KC next Monday will be very interesting.

Patience is fine, and I'm willing to take a wait and see approach for now. But there is definitely a deadline for this: Week 8. That's when we start this stretch:

Chicago
Denver
Indy
Detroit
Green Bay
San Diego

Any one of those offenses has the ability to turn the game into a track meet, even against our improved defense. We'll need the offense to contribute more by then.

We may need them to do more in the next four weeks as well of course, as KC and Cincy are no slouches on defense, but I feel more confident about our defense keeping us in the game versus them than I do against the more high powered offenses in the offense happy NFL.

RayClay said:

Caught me. I'm quite happy to be 2-1, since we have a young team and our best football should be ahead of us. It was a little tough to be optimistic last year but, with much bigger problems, we had a chance (but not much gas in the tank) to do it, anyway.

I don't think Brady's aged 100 years since last year's heroic performance and I don't think Mankins best years are ahead, so we had to turn over the line, including a stronger center in Stork (hopeful) and that simply takes time and practice (and patience, the antithesis of message board posting).

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I tend to agree with this. And for the notion that the offense will eventually do us in, if I had to pick my poison, I'd rather a weaker offense than defense. The other team can't beat you if they can't score.

That was the driving force behind the Ravens Super Bowls, the *game that shall not be mentioned*, and I'd argue that it was the primary factor in Seattle winning last year. I really am warming up to the idea of Russell Wilson being an elite quarterback, but he's no Peyton Manning and Seattle's offense wasn't in Denver's league.

As long as the defense continues to roll, it gives the offense time to get up to speed. And even if the offense doesn't rise too far above the ranks of the mediocre, I still like our chances in the playoffs if the defense molds into an elite unit.

What torques me is that all these mediots, reportards, and barstool sports experts are clamouring for Scar to come back. For get about everything he did for this team. THAT attitude is a slap in the face to the new O-Line coach Dave DeGuglielmo.

If Coach Belichick has confidence that Dave can do the job, then it seems to me that we all ought to dial it back just a bit and give him some room to maneuver. He wouldn't even BE on the staff in ANY capacity if Coach didn't think he had value. Belichick vets his coaching staff even more than he does his players, so it's unlikely that someone is going to pull the wool over his eyes and mail in his job.

A lot of these difficulties have more to do with the "kindler & gentler" training camp than anything else. I also suspect, hell I believe, that many of this seasons injuries are a direct result of the lack of practices in pads and with contact. Coach Dave DeGuglielmo has several new faces to work with. He's working to help make certain that they not only develop a consistent standard of play, but that these guys find a way to gel so that they instinctively act, rather that react, to each other's play and what the opponent's D-line is doing.

That takes time. It may not be fully finished this year, but I also believe it will get better. When it does, though, I'm certain there'll be something else to whine about.

Mike the Brit said:

But 2002 isn't such a bad guide. The team had a huge weakness that was apparent even in the first few games when they were winning. Other teams saw it and ran the ball up the middle at them. The Patriots couldn't stop them, so the other teams just kept doing it. Welcome to the NFL!

The question is whether the O-line will be that kind of weakness or if it's just a matter of time and coaching. KC next Monday will be very interesting.

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Other teams spotted a weakness against the run while the Pats were dropping 30-40 points on them? They must have been pretty perceptive. Perhaps they should have passed more.

RayClay said:

Other teams spotted a weakness against the run while the Pats were dropping 30-40 points on them? They must have been pretty perceptive. Perhaps they should have passed more.

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Look at the stats for the game when the Patriots put 41 points on the Chiefs. How many yards did the Chiefs run for? 32 carries for 214 yards. So yes, just what I said. Other teams spotted a weakness against the run while the Pats were dropping 30-40 points on them and they didn't have to be that perceptive.

(I don't think your patronising, snarky tone would have been helpful even if you hadn't been flat out wrong, by the way.)

I totally agree with Matt's response about the intangibles the line lost when Mankins left for Tampa. However, there is now an opportunity for a veteran (Solder, Volmer, Connolly or Cannon) to step up and be a leader. The timing of his release could have been better but Mankins wasn't going to be here forever. Lets hope the vets get their act together and get better as the season goes on.

RayClay said:

No, it couldn't have been. Are you trying to say we put too much emphasis on early season offense?

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OK. Now I get it! Yup, 100% right.

Why is Josh Kline sitting? Is he injured? Because he was the natural replacement for Mankins in LG, not Cannon, who is overrated and always played in the right side of the line. This coaching staff looks like they have no clue what they are doing.

Ok Mankins trade caught everybody with their pants down but even without the trade he could be IR'd in week 1 with a torn ACL, it's NFL, people are replaced every time. Knowing who are the pieces helps in times like this.

Jorday Devey? You gotta be kidding me, Brady stumbled on his foot in a pre season game because he could not even line up correctly, Bill cut people for less than that.

Did you expect them to say something different? Would you expect them to ever blast the new coach? Taking comfort in two ex-employees kind words seems to ignore the reality that this O line is a disaster from left to right.. Call me a pessimist on this one but Turnstyle Solder and crew are losing the one on ones which illustrates major problems.....with the tougher defenses on the horizon....yikes. Rex will jail break every play with no concern about actually winning the game......busting open that O line will be priority 1, 2 and 3
As far as Googs goes....caller on line 2
Now that I got that out of my system...........I shall pray for Tom

Mike the Brit said:

Look at the stats for the game when the Patriots put 41 points on the Chiefs. How many yards did the Chiefs run for? 32 carries for 214 yards. So yes, just what I said. Other teams spotted a weakness against the run while the Pats were dropping 30-40 points on them and they didn't have to be that perceptive.

(I don't think your patronising, snarky tone would have been helpful even if you hadn't been flat out wrong, by the way.)

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Yeah, that Chiefs game was awful. Priest Holmes just ran all over them and the Patriots had to squeak out a victory against a team that could only move the ball by running despite scoring an absurd number of points. Tomlinson would go on to run all over them.