Reiss re Scott Chandler

Exploring why TE Scott Chandler hasn't had more impact with Patriots

Basically says Chandler's role is less than one might have hoped due to the dropsies, and also because the TEs are needed for pass blocking, which Williams is better at.

The weak part of the article is where he says that opponents tend to treat Chandler as a WR for match-up purposes, but then doesn't go on to say anything about how much the Patriots do or don't have an opportunity to then run the ball.

All that said -- on Gost's game-winning FG, BB seemingly credits Chandler's blocking for preventing a Cromartie block of the attempt. All Chandler did was stick an arm out to influence the speed at which an otherwise unblocked Cromartie could arrive, but it was enough.

Fencer said:

All that said -- on Gost's game-winning FG, BB seemingly credits Chandler's blocking for preventing a Cromartie block of the attempt. All Chandler did was stick an arm out to influence the speed at which an otherwise unblocked Cromartie could arrive, but it was enough.

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BB covered for him. That was a ole' attempt by Chandler. He blew by him.

I've been a supporter/defender of Chandler since Day 1 but its getting harder and harder....

robertweathers said:

BB covered for him. That was a ole' attempt by Chandler. He blew by him.

I've been a supporter/defender of Chandler since Day 1 but its getting harder and harder....

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Was Chandler supposed to slide over and take him on? You can't block everybody cleanly on a FG attempt if they rush 11 on 9 blockers. BB called out Williams handling 2 rushers. To a lesser extent, it seems Chandler did the same thing.

If every eligible receiver on the Pats did what Chandler did in his awful game last week, Brady would have shattered the single-game TD record.

j/k...sort of.

Chandler has had decreased playing time because Williams is a tackle with a TE number and Gronk is Gronk. With the OL severely depleted, Chandler got less opportunities.

Now they're back on the OL, it seems, and JE and DL are out, so now we'll see if Chandler can step up. He's had something like 21 targets this year, so tossing him to the curb on such a small sample size is rather inane.

Dion Lewis had a terrible drop on what should have been a long TD a couple of weeks ago. Edelman dropped three passes in a row a few weeks back, and did a drop-tip screw-up that cost Brady a pick six and his first pick of the year. It happens.

EDIT: PS: Michael Williams was a helluva pick-up!

If BB is fine with him, then so am I.

Chandler gets held/interfered with on every passing play it seems. He never gets the call.

OK the drops are not up to the Patriots standards but let's not forget he is #2 TE making 2 Mi , you're not going to find much better options for a #2 TE with a good cost-benefit. This team (actually I think 32 teams) cannot afford another premium TE unless it is through the draft or finding gold like a lá Dion Lewis.

I don't think the Pats are trying to replicate the 2 TE set, the duo between Gronk and Hernandez is in the past, it was awesome and I and others always thought BB was going to find a replacement for Hernandez but looking in the past few years I think he never intended to do that. Hernandez was a special player and BB was willing to carry a hybrid TE that was more a receiver, like Jimmy Graham, but it was an exception not the rule, blocking is imperative for BB. So let's be patient, Amendola took some time to pay dividends too, Chandler has 2 TD's and made a few important catches already, in 2 months he did more than Hoomanawazada in years. Everyone wanted an upgrade over Hoomanamanama , Chandler is the upgrade.

He's a role player, between a 300 lb TE and the greatest TE in the universe. Who cares if he doesn't break records or drops a few? If he gets some key TDs, or just makes teams pay for doubling Gronk sometimes, he's well worth it.

Probably good that we didn't cut Amendola and Hightower, then traded Chandler Jones, huh?

RayClay said:

He's a role player, between a 300 lb TE and the greatest TE in the universe. Who cares if he doesn't break records or drops a few? If he gets some key TDs, or just makes teams pay for doubling Gronk sometimes, he's well worth it.

Probably good that we didn't cut Amendola and Hightower, then traded Chandler Jones, huh?

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That Chung guy's not bad either, where did he play before?

Fencer said:

Was Chandler supposed to slide over and take him on? You can't block everybody cleanly on a FG attempt if they rush 11 on 9 blockers. BB called out Williams handling 2 rushers. To a lesser extent, it seems Chandler did the same thing.

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After re-watching this play I take back what I said about how Chandler handled this play.

He had a choice to make. He could have either committed to the inside block or engaged Cromartie.

He did the right thing by securing the inside and being big enough so Cromartie didnt have a b-line to Gost.

I'm curious: is Chandler on a one or two year contract.

I know he has a history of the drops, but it seems to me he more than made up for it during his Bills history.

I think this last big drop was so impossible to grasp that it has, I guess rightly, caused a storm of protest.

So the Pats sign Fauria and then Reiss reports on Chandler.

Coincidence?

robertweathers said:

BB covered for him. That was a ole' attempt by Chandler. He blew by him.

I've been a supporter/defender of Chandler since Day 1 but its getting harder and harder....

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Let's not beat around the bush. Chandler has underwhelmed. That said, people had strung up Amendola and LaFell before they came good.

Chandler is a little disappointing. I don't want him cut, just want him to try a little harder. It's the same with us, if we know we are not doing a good job at work we try to get better. I like everyone on our team, it's just for frustrating to see them repeat the same mistakes over again.

Expectations were too high. He's not much of a blocker, doesn't have good hands and runs like Frankenstein. Pats fans had him highly overrated.

robertweathers said:

BB covered for him. That was a ole' attempt by Chandler. He blew by him.

I've been a supporter/defender of Chandler since Day 1 but its getting harder and harder....

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I know I definitely had higher hopes. I was envisioning an unstoppable duo that would wreak havoc on the league. Ah well. Maybe he'll make one or two big plays in the playoffs.

PatsBoy12 said:

I know I definitely had higher hopes. I was envisioning an unstoppable duo that would wreak havoc on the league. Ah well. Maybe he'll make one or two big plays in the playoffs.

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Based on all the red zone expectations the off-season seemed to set, I was hoping for a Christian Fauria type -- money in the end zone, JAGgish elsewhere on the field.

He is what he is. A decent #2 cold-weather TE at shortish money, and more importantly, Gronk insurance. Don't see the fuss. His scouting report clearly stated he's known to drop a few. At least he's in the right place and TB looks his way because of it. Previous comment about OL injuries impacting his PT recently also spot on.

I remember during training camp, they reported that Brady, Chandler and Gronk would go off by themselves and run routes in the red zone. Chandler is tied for 3rd on the team with 2 receiving TDs. There were at least a couple of more that Chandler could have had that clunked off his hands. Edelman has 7 TD so maybe with him out, they will target Chandler more in the red zone.