Preseason Game Thread (NE vs. NC): The Countdown to Carolina begins.... (8/28)

PP2 said:

By far my favorite play from last night is the Brady to Chandler for that TD, and not because it was a TD pass, but that such a big man could run a fade, beat a linebacker and haul in a backshoulder lob is just downright illegal.

The only other player I am aware of that can do that is Gronk, and to have both of them on the same team is going to make DC's across the league reach for a bottle of Tums, and make Goodell shart in anger.

I wonder if this portends a return to the 2 TE attack offense that we implemented in '11.

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More like the two tight end offense he hoped to have spending two 1sts on Watson and Graham. As good as Hernandez was, he wasn't a complete tight end, the current two are.

patsinthesnow said:

Well atleast through the first three preseason games, clarity has been brought to the CB position:

CB1/LCB: Butler (Been awesome besides one brainfart vs. Carolina)
CB2/RCB: Brown (Came in late and won the #2 job with ease, looks good)
CB3: Fletcher (Has looked the least worst out of the rest during the three games, made some plays, and has height on his side)

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I don't see it this way. I think Fletcher is better at CB2 then CB3 and Brown would dominate at CB3. This from last night...

"He's definitely a longer corner compared to a lot of them," coach Bill Belichick said after the game. "He's got good length and it showed up in a few plays. Certainly did last week".

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Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 8h8 hours ago
Bill Belichick also noting that Bradley Fletcher, at 6-0, 205, is a longer corner than others on roster. Plays primarily outside. #Patriots

On Friday night, the Patriots used Fletcher at right cornerback. He played 39 snaps and helped his cause for not just a roster spot, but a potential top-3 role.

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http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...tchers-work-at-cb-catches-bill-belichicks-eye

CORNERBACK

Butler – 43 of 76
Fletcher – 39 of 76
Logan Ryan – 33 of 76
Brown – 30 of 76
Robert McClain – 24 of 76

makoute said:

In all fairness, he could've had two more targeting other people last night.

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But he didn't so..

manxman2601 said:

The Good

• Jordan Richards looked impressive in run support.

The Bad

• The run blocking is terrible right now. Hopefully the return of Stork will fix a lot (I do think Andrews is the big weakness), otherwise Brady will be throwing 50-60 times a game.

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Absolutely agree on these two points. Richards has good anticipation, especially for a rookie, which makes for good playing speed and 'speed-to-power.' On one running play, he ran full speed at an OT and knocked him backwards, a guy that must have had 100 lbs on him, clearing the way for another guy to clean up the RB. He seems to be moving full speed at the snap, always around the ball, has a knack for making tackles in the backfield that stop a RB in his tracks.

On Andrews, I saw him following DTs into the backfield on at least one occasion. Seems to get bad angles on blocks and can't hold them. He seemed too many times to be the guy standing around scratching his head after the tackle.

On the running game in general - get Stork back, lose Develin, get Michael Williams #85 acclimated, have Cameron Fleming as 6th OT, eventually get Shaq Mason to contribute. I see some early struggles but will be better late in the season, barring further injury.

Oswlek said:

Why? Edelman is a historically great PR and, while he's had his share of injuries, I don't recall a single one happening on a punt return. Those duties aren't nearly as risky as fans make them out to be.

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I understand. I was saying that because of Edelman's injury history. He played mostly all season last season for the first time in his career really. We don't yet know if that's fluke or a trend with him. I think that this sentiment, in part at least, is why they are taking it easy with him right now. My sentiment above was me with Welker somewhat in mind. He transitioned from primarily a ST's guy who would moonlight at receiver before becoming primarily a receiver moonlighting as a PR. They would use him there when it was critical that they have one of the surest hands and more experience back there (please, no jokes about the SB lol).

And having played the sport, I would disagree with the last sentence. Guys are flying at you full speed and your concentration must be on the ball for part of the play. You have no idea where those gunners and other guys are coming from sometimes with your head up. If you misjudge how close or far that player is or you just lose track of him (them), you could be hurt pretty bad. I forget which ST's guy, I think Bolden, said you have to have heart to play on ST's. Coach used to tell us the same thing. They say that for a reason.

FWIW, surgically repaired knees are only marginally more likely to go than any other. You might as well add that disclaimer to every DL, considering how frequently they have people diving into their legs.

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True. I have heard that said many times. I think my concern mostly is that he plays a position where guys go low all the time, especially now since it seems the zone blocking scheme is becoming more popular in today's game for whatever reason. So much of his game to this point has been predicated on his explosion off the snap. Imagine how much pressure that puts on those knees if he's doing it 55+ snaps a game. I do admit that I'm probably overthinking it a bit here, but it's still something I worry about also because it's both knees. Just a thought. Hopefully, he'll be fine and play at or above the level he's shown in these preseason games, last night being exceptional.

Yeah it may be a smart idea to save je for pr for just playoff time, IF this team is going to do as well as i think they will and be the 1 seed with ease. If we have a tougher time and/or brady still has to miss multiple games, je will be needed on pr full time.

patsinthesnow said:

Well atleast through the first three preseason games, clarity has been brought to the CB position:

CB1/LCB: Butler (Been awesome besides one brainfart vs. Carolina)
CB2/RCB: Brown (Came in late and won the #2 job with ease, looks good)
CB3: Fletcher (Has looked the least worst out of the rest during the three games, made some plays, and has height on his side)
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Ryan will be the CB4. Whatever.

The CB5 spot will come down to the final preseason game. I'd personally rather Swanson over a 5'9 CB who can't really cover. He made the PS last year as the 7th CB behind the loaded 6 on the roster so BB must see something.
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As long as Fletcher is covering the third WR outside during 3 WR sets he looks like he could be ok.

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Darryl Roberts has to be put on the roster. If the team tries to get him through waivers to get on IR, then some other team will scoop him up. That's what I've been told at least.

Well I think I heard the first "BUT BRADYS BODY LANGUAGE IS BAD!" cry from the media...just now on 98.5...it's mike flynn and Ryan Johnston I think....

PP2 said:

By far my favorite play from last night is the Brady to Chandler for that TD, and not because it was a TD pass, but that such a big man could run a fade, beat a linebacker and haul in a backshoulder lob is just downright illegal.

The only other player I am aware of that can do that is Gronk, and to have both of them on the same team is going to make DC's across the league reach for a bottle of Tums, and make Goodell shart in anger.

I wonder if this portends a return to the 2 TE attack offense that we implemented in '11.

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I'm picturing plays from about the 10 yard line and in, with a 3TE set that includes Chandler and Gronk as the outside receivers. As long as Brady doesn't underthrow the receivers, I don't see how anyone can stop that four times in a row.

Chiuba E. Obele said:

Darryl Roberts has to be put on the roster. If the team tries to get him through waivers to get on IR, then some other team will scoop him up. That's what I've been told at least.

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They can just wait to IR him.

Deus Irae said:

They can just wait to IR him.

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lol, you're probably right. Though I would hate to see the Pats to get screwed over by the waiver system.

Roberts is, after all, a 7th round pick with loads of athleticism and promise. I would think he's too valuable to risk being pouched by another team

Fencer said:

He's been competent (not outstanding) in a variety of RB capacities, so I wouldn't rule it out.

However, if Bolden was used in a Patrick Pass capacity, I'd expect some guy from another position to get a few reps as the true jumbo FB. We've had an ILB (Seau), an OG (Connolly), TEs (I forget which) and DL (Seymour, Klecko, perhaps more). Almost anybody big enough is a possibility.

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If he isn't starting, then Shaq Mason could very well be that Jumbo FB. Manx or someone else first suggested Mason, and I agree.
Michael Williams is another possibility, though I feel that he's too tall to explode through the hole
trying to be created.

BTW, I saw the game on the NYJFL (though with the Pats broadcast team), and Brady was seen jogging
off the field into the runway (the same one into which he chased Blakeman in 2013). My question: did he
shake hands with that a-hole Cam Newton? I wouldn't blame him one bit if he didn't.

captain stone said:

BTW, I saw the game on the NYJFL (though with the Pats broadcast team), and Brady was seen jogging
off the field into the runway (the same one into which he chased Blakeman in 2013). My question: did he
shake hands with that a-hole Cam Newton? I wouldn't blame him one bit if he didn't.

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According to reports, Brady immediately left the field to go check on Develin.

PatsBoy12 said:

And having played the sport, I would disagree with the last sentence. Guys are flying at you full speed and your concentration must be on the ball for part of the play. You have no idea where those gunners and other guys are coming from sometimes with your head up. If you misjudge how close or far that player is or you just lose track of him (them), you could be hurt pretty bad. I forget which ST's guy, I think Bolden, said you have to have heart to play on ST's. Coach used to tell us the same thing. They say that for a reason.

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I completely understand how violent punt returns are, but if they were legitimately more risky, then you'd see disproportionate injury figures for PRs, but AFAIK, that isn't the case.

Oswlek said:

I completely understand how violent punt returns are, but if they were legitimately more risky, then you'd see disproportionate injury figures for PRs, but AFAIK, that isn't the case.

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That is an extremely fair and valid point. I guess what I failed to mention that plays a factor as well is the individual player. Maybe I alluded to it, but the fact is Edelman played more than ever last season and still ended up missing two games, though I believe more for precaution than anything else (concussion). I guess, and again I may be overblowing it a bit, I just want to see his exposure limited in other ways if other players can step up. I believe Edelman still has room to grow as a receiver and, based on what it looks like this very moment, we're going to need him every snap we can get in the regular season as a WR. But I do absolutely see your point and it's fair.

PatsBoy12 said:

That is an extremely fair and valid point. I guess what I failed to mention that plays a factor as well is the individual player. Maybe I alluded to it, but the fact is Edelman played more than ever last season and still ended up missing two games, though I believe more for precaution than anything else (concussion). I guess, and again I may be overblowing it a bit, I just want to see his exposure limited in other ways if other players can step up. I believe Edelman still has room to grow as a receiver and, based on what it looks like this very moment, we're going to need him every snap we can get in the regular season as a WR. But I do absolutely see your point and it's fair.

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I think the issue there is that both Edelman and Amendola (and Gronk really) play balls-to-the-wall every single snap, and it makes them a little more injury prone. Less so with Gronk (I think his injuries have just been bad luck) but Jules/Danny are smallish and more easily brutalized. So I think it's very fair to want to keep Edelman off the field, when it's not necessary, on these plays where 11 guys are all flying at him full speed trying to take him out.

Ross12 said:

I think the issue there is that both Edelman and Amendola (and Gronk really) play balls-to-the-wall every single snap, and it makes them a little more injury prone. Less so with Gronk (I think his injuries have just been bad luck) but Jules/Danny are smallish and more easily brutalized. So I think it's very fair to want to keep Edelman off the field, when it's not necessary, on these plays where 11 guys are all flying at him full speed trying to take him out.

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Yeah. I understand football players play football, and it is inherently a violent sport. Edelman can do a lot of things well and of course any coach would want to take advantage of that. But I see nothing wrong in a case like this allowing someone else a crack at it to see. If someone else who is a bit more expendable (I even hate putting it in those terms) can emerge at that particular responsibility, why not reduce Edelman's exposure since he has had a bit of an injury history.

This is hard for me to explain, but does anyone else feel worried every time Jimmy throws the ball? It seems like its usually a tight, high-risk throw. Maybe I just need to grow to trust the guy.

For a 2nd year QB out of basically a division II school, I feel very comfortable with Garappolo throwing the ball. I feel he's the 2nd best backup Brady has ever had (behind Bledsoe) and will be our starter in 2017. He's smart, works hard, has a great quick release, and he's getting better every game. I never had the confidence in other backups that I have in Garoppolo. I think he's gonna be an excellent QB. The mistakes he's made are all correctable with more repetitions and film work.