Biggest Surprise This Year

tombonneau · Dec 15, 2014

IndianPat said:
Many posters have listed Blount as a "surprise". Blount has not shown me any thing yet this season. He is a good addition to the RB rotation, no doubt. In the playoffs last year, Blount had good success, but did he not get shut down against Denver last year, when it mattered the most?

The greatest surprise to me this season has been the manner in which this defense has gelled to become the best and meanest we have had since 2004. Defense wins championships and it looks as though this defense has that feel to it.

The surprise is that he is wearing a Patriots uniform and playing for the team when he was on the Steelers a month ago. His performance now that he is here is not a surprise at all.

Bobs My Uncle · Dec 15, 2014

The return of Vince

Ivan · Dec 15, 2014

I was surprised that so many of their sucky players played so well. I was also surprised so many of my favorite posters disappeared just as the season really got going. I still haven't figured that one out?

And I guess that most of all I am surprised that the game has passed Belichick by the way it has. All of the read option QBs have blazed the way to a new era of offense and Belichick has allowed them to rot away with an old immobile QB like Brady. WTF Bill?

Oh well, guess I should try to look at the bright side, Marc Trestman and RGIII should be available and Kraft would be an idiot to pass them up........

Ivan · Dec 15, 2014

tombonneau said:
The surprise is that he is wearing a Patriots uniform and playing for the team when he was on the Steelers a month ago.

Surprised? Really?

Ever hear the phrase " master plan?"

Steeler fans have

tombonneau · Dec 15, 2014

Ivan said:
Surprised? Really?

Ever hear the phrase " master plan?"

Steeler fans have

This is one of the greatest conspiracy theories ever. I can't believe a reporter for a real newspaper filed that story and then an editor actually approved it.

tombonneau · Dec 15, 2014

Bobs My Uncle said:
The return of Vince

This is actually up there for me. At his age and size and position, coming off that injury, I was expecting him to be a shell of himself, but he's been great. The rotation has helped tons. And frankly it's something that should have been going on for the last four years.

Fencer · Dec 15, 2014

I'm in the group that is unsurprised about Vince.

Deus Irae · Dec 21, 2014

I hope the OP is happy. Until he'd made this thread, and jinxed everything, nobody from among the top 2 receivers (Edelman, Lafell), the top TE (Gronk) and the top pass-catching RB (Vereen) had missed a game all season.

That had been the biggest surprise.

NormZauchin · Dec 21, 2014

The biggest surprise is how healthy the team has stayed this late into the season - knock on wood.

ctpatsfan77 · Dec 21, 2014

Deus Irae said:
I hope the OP is happy. Until he'd made this thread, and jinxed everything, nobody from among the top 2 receivers (Edelman, Lafell), the top TE (Gronk) and the top pass-catching RB (Vereen) had missed a game all season.

That had been the biggest surprise.

The first person to make even a veiled reference to the health of the offense in this thread was you, Deus, so I don't see how you can fault the OP for making this thread.

Deus Irae · Dec 21, 2014

ctpatsfan77 said:
The first person to make even a veiled reference to the health of the offense in this thread was you, Deus, so I don't see how you can fault the OP for making this thread.

Are you serious with this?

woolster22 · Dec 21, 2014

tombonneau said:
Great post. To answer it, I'm positioning it this way: Back in late August, if you were to have to bet your life savings on one of these events not happening, which would it be? I'd rank in this order:

5. LaFell becomes a viable WR (it's been done before, not too surprising)
4. Stork excels at center (rookie lineman have done this before and are well-coached in NE)
3. Collins makes second-year leap (not uncommon, but sadly on D we see more regression in year 2)
2. Chung excels as starting safety (I think most assumed camp fodder and depth at best before he started his second career)
1. Blount is the starting RB in December (just from a probability standpoint, this seems by far the most unlikely as he signed a multi-year contract with a rival, so it just has to be the most surprising occurrence of the season for me; I mean there is no way you'd pick this before any other event simply because so much else would have to fall into place)

I'd throw Stork as the most likely "surprise." This staff has been excellent selecting lineman on both sides, a Rimington winner...Collins would be second behind that. Then Lafell and Chung. The issue here is how do you consider the Chung signing? I know I wasn't high on him coming back, but there were posters who at the time, argued he'd play a limited role with Revis and Browner in the fold. They were right. I thought Lafell would do well here. He blocks well for one, but I did not see the Brady mind meld coming...

DarrylS · Dec 21, 2014

Healthy and healed Gronk..
LaFell and the continued emergence of Amendola..
Our O-line that seemed to be in tatters after the first 4 weeks..
The emergence of one of the best D backfields in the league.. including the resurgence of Chung...
The continued development of the LB Group, Hightower and Collins playing like all pros, the addition of Ayers/Casillas..
Surviving the injury to Chandler Jones, when we entered that gauntlet of 6 games..

Mike the Brit · Dec 21, 2014

Best surprises: Vince's comeback. How well the linebackers/defensive ends played in the absence of Mayo and Chandler Jones. The stabilization of the O-line

Other surprises: departures of Mankins and KT

Ivan · Dec 21, 2014

I think it's Chung. I was hopeful he could contribute positively for them as a role player because a Belichick is really good at playing players too their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses, however I never saw him playing as significant a role as he has played for them this season. He has actually been so good that some of the structure of their packages is centered around his ability to,play a LB like role and plug gaps in the run game. I'm really impressed with his play this season and hoping they keep,him around the next few sessions in that hybrid SS/LB role.

ctpatsfan77 · Dec 21, 2014

Deus Irae said:
Are you serious with this?

Who else mentioned health before your "I don't want to jinx it" post? For that matter, who else has mentioned staying healthy in 2014 since? (And, no, GRONK recovering from injury is not the same thing as staying healthy.)

Deus Irae · Dec 21, 2014

ctpatsfan77 said:
Who else mentioned health before your "I don't want to jinx it" post? For that matter, who else has mentioned staying healthy in 2014 since? (And, no, GRONK recovering from injury is not the same thing as staying healthy.)

Your reading comprehension on this matter has sucked.

ctpatsfan77 · Dec 21, 2014

Deus Irae said:
Your reading comprehension on this matter has sucked.

OK, Deus. Tell me exactly where health was mentioned here before your "I don't want to jinx it."

Boomer B said:
What's the biggest surprise for you about this year's team?

There a few pleasant surprises that stand out for me:

- Bryan Stork solidifying the line
- Brandon Lafell emerging as an outside WR
- Jamie Collins continuing to improve and be an impact player

But I think the biggest surprise is Patrick Chung. He went from a guy who I didn't think should be on the field to a guy who looks like he belongs.

dales804 said:
The biggest surprise to me is Chung closely followed by Wilfork's level of play. I didn't expect him to be as good as he has been coming off that injury.

chasa said:
Lafell hands down.

I never expected him to be as good as he's been.

SalemPats said:
Offense: Stork - a 4th round center in a complex offensive scheme
Defense: Chung - i thought he was done, Browner - way better than i thought. Hightower - he seemed like a stiff player, he looks like a pro-bowler this year

farn said:
All of those are good choices. I'd go with Chung. I expected so little from him... Wilfork : thought a man that size getting injured (and older) would be in decline. He might not be Vince of five years ago, but he is plenty close. Impressive year for so many defenders.

Oswlek said:
LaFell.

Deus Irae said:
I can't answer, for fear of jinxing it.

mgteich · Dec 21, 2014

Boomer B said:
What's the biggest surprise for you about this year's team?

I just thought that I would try to answer the question directly.

The biggest surprise had to be Gray's 200 yard performance.

As for dealing with a surprise for more than one game, for me, Ayers is the standout. Belichick picked up a starter to replace our pr0-bowl quality defensive lineman and we never missed a beat.

Boston Boxer · Dec 21, 2014

Boomer B said:
What's the biggest surprise for you about this year's team?

There a few pleasant surprises that stand out for me:

- Bryan Stork solidifying the line
- Brandon Lafell emerging as an outside WR
- Jamie Collins continuing to improve and be an impact player

But I think the biggest surprise is Patrick Chung. He went from a guy who I didn't think should be on the field to a guy who looks like he belongs.

cant really argue with that. I would also add Wilfork. A guy his size coming back for an Achilles injury is amazing.

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