Who Breaks Out? (Harper, Dobson or Martin)

NG Pats Fan said:

New England Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson 81-yard TD reception - NFL Videos

When has Martin or Harper done something like that?

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That's my point.

Dobson was open 3 times on the game winning drive, oline couldn't do their job. Dobson can be a really good wr. Problem is we had Jules, dola, lafell, Lewis and Gronk as pass catchers. Dobson has to be better than good to crack that lineup. With the injuries now he should be featured more but his skill set also isn't what this offense revolves on. Plus Dobson is coming off a bad foot injury and injury that IRed him last year and part of TC.

I'm just hoping and praying that the question doesn't become, which one of them will end up playing defensive back?

I'd go with Dobson, for this only reason: Brady went to him a couple times in the last drive against the Giants, (the fake spike and a deep pass) neither connected but it showed that Brady has some confidence in him.

NG Pats Fan said:

You think Brady is incapable of getting the long ball to Dobson?

New England Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson 81-yard TD reception - NFL Videos

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I think he can, I just think they are not willing to use this kind of play very much because it has a low % of success. Also ball security is a priority for Brady and BB and those plays have more risk to get intercepted. Working the middle of the field and the dink and dunk Brady is intercepted only if the ball is tipped, so I get their point but I think it's something they need to develop, in recent years this same offensive plan got shutdown in the playoffs many times, and it didn't happen last year because Brady played lights out against the Ravens and Seahawks, marching down the field from 10 to 1o yards and long drives.

The patchwork offensive line didn't help much against the Giants, but as the guys are returning, I hope we can see Brady trying to establish this connection with Dobson. I don't think BB is planning to replace Edelman, because he already said it's not possible, I think he is going to look for a different picture for the offense.

Bobsyouruncle said:

People betting on Dobson.

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So you're saying I still have some chips left.

turkeyneck said:

I'll go with Dobson. He was wide open deep twice in the NY game. If the O line had kept Brady clean enough there might have been a couple of homeruns.

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Dobson's more apt to get a triple after falling down going around 3rd.

Immediately, I think Martin is the guy....if he is healthy, His skill set best mirrors Edelman's. However I don't remember anyone saying that he was even back on the practice field yesterday. If he isn't fully healthy then I doubt he will be a factor, at least in the Bills game. Eventually though, I think he will be a big factor.

Dobson is less a mystery for me. Had be been drafted by say, Jacksonville, he'd be putting up numbers like we are seeing from Hurns and Robinson. He had the misfortune to get drafted into a complex and precise system where his mind is just as important as his physical skills. Unfortunately because of the longer transition it's taken, his opportunities have been limited. When you get fewer targets every drop gets magnified. (just ask Scott Chandler). Dobson's hands were an asset when he came into the league. Now they are his biggest problem.....and I believe its all mental.

If Randy Moss dropped a ball, he went back to the huddle expecting to see the ball the next play. When Dobson drops a ball, he expects he'll never see the ball again. So every target becomes much bigger than it is, and I think it's affected his confidence. So even now as he's started to master the offense, he NEEDS to get over worrying about his hands and just play ball again, like he did in college. At the NFL level, confidence is a huge factor in how they play.

Dobson at his best isn't suited to emulate Edelman's routes. But he can be a big target coming over the middle on crossing routes and slants. He'd be a perfect target for those sideline back shoulder fades, and he HAS shown that he can get over the top of a defense. Those are all things that Brady can use ,while Julian heals.

This is this kid's time, it really is now or never. But he doesn't have to be a main factor, just a contributor. 4 or 5 catches for 60 yards would be fine

My money is on Martin though I'd really love to finally see Dobson do something...I'm not holding my breath

I'm quite certain this will be dobson's last chance however

HAApaah!!!
Voting for my binky.
After all, he got an award for playing the ODB practice role last week.

But if Martin's hammy is OK, rational thought makes him the Squirrel Release 2.0 guy.

PatsWickedPissah said:

HAApaah!!!
Voting for my binky.
After all, he got an award for playing the ODB practice role last week.

But if Martin's hammy is OK, rational thought makes him the Squirrel Release 2.0 guy.

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Saw that too BB must think that there is something about this Chris Harper having him mimic such a Great player. That said I think Aaron Dobson should start getting legitimate looks and "IF" the O-Line can give Brady the needed time Big Plays should be available down the field. Martavis Bryant: Steelers - Michael Floyd - Arizona make Big plays for their respective Teams on a weekly basis Dobson is a similar player.

Here's a thought:

What if all 3 "break out"?

Seriously what if with Julian and Dion going down that getting these 3 involved more actually ends up being just a lateral move, instead of a slight step back for the offense?

JMC00 said:

Here's a thought:

What if all 3 "break out"?

Seriously what if with Julian and Dion going down that getting these 3 involved more actually ends up being just a lateral move, instead of a slight step back for the offense?

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why settle for less than a Great Leap Forward?

If all three do in fact break out it could be...

Gronk catch all passes

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Dobson has the size and skills, but not the heart and mentality.

I'm still hoping he breaks out. Ive been hoping for that since 2013 season when he had all those drops.

Dobson has got speed and shown ability to beat his one on one assignment/get open. If he can just figure out how to be consistent with catching the ball as well as sync better with the play calling, he'll catch some passes and be productive. WHile Brady isn't likely to go deep frequently -- if he does it probably means we are in trouble -- he will throw a few deep routes as well as a few to the deep side of the mid range mid field routes.
Gronk still commands attention and DA/LaFell are good enough to keep some attention on them. Given Dobson's ability to beat his man it makes it capable for him to add some catches/production provided the previously mentioned problems don't happen too often.

Martin and Harper have too little track record to suggest they can be notably productive (though we have Martin show a glimpse that he could notably boost his numbers when given the extra opportunities),

The defense breaks out. They shut down the running game, confuse Taylor, get multiple TOs, returning one for a TD.

NG Pats Fan said:

New England Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson 81-yard TD reception - NFL Videos

When has Martin or Harper done something like that?

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One long ball does not a career make.

Remember this guy?

I actually think Dobson will have a decent little NFL career as a WR2-3 in a different offense. He just isn't a fit here. But in a more vertical passing offense he could be ok.

I voted for K-Mart. After a week he looked more comfortable in the offense than Dobson after three years. And as other said, Brady namedropped him out of the gate. If he is healthy he'll be the next out-of-nowhere name in this offense.

MrNathanDrake said:

Dobson has the size and skills, but not the heart and mentality.

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Sorry, but I have to call you out on this. Who are you to question a guy's heart? We know next to nothing about him as a person or his practice habits or how he is in the locker room. I'm not this guy's biggest cheerleader, he just seems to be overthinking things on the field which leads to him make routine catches difficult, but no need to call out his character.

I know it's just some messageboard he'll never read, but just one of my pet peeves that sport fans think they can look deep into a guy's heart and soul just because they see him run around a little on Sundays.

I'll get off my high horse now.

Screens. I am hoping for 3-4 good screens to Blount.

CISGS said:

Vote away on who you think will break out (post-Edelman injury).

By "Break Out", I mean become apart of our passing attack.

Amendola is NOT a choice, since he is already a part of our offense.

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Great thread. Edelman has pretty much been playing on the outside as a possession receiver as Amendola wasn't able to make an impact there. I kind of like Harper the most, but Martin is proably more of your natural outside WR and will probably be more impactful this week. I would like to see what Harper would do and I hope he gets some playing time.