For the past half decade the Pats have been a pass first team that runs the ball ONLY when they can get favorable match ups that give them either a physical or numerical advantage. THAT is what this league has mandated by its rules. To that end, over the years, the Pats have developed the most complex and difficult to defend passing attack. It has worked so well because we had the ultimate good decision maker in the league. It will work well enough in these first 4 games IF Garopollo has learned the offense well enough to get through 3 options and make the right decision on who is the right guy to throw to.
A lot of his success will depend on how quickly the OL comes together. If it does, I'm confident that the offense will hold its own those first 4 games. If it doesn't, like most inexperienced QB's, JG will likely do a lot of running around and ad libbing. That will look great on occasion, but this offense isn't built to accommodate a scrambling QB, especially a very young one. So what I will be looking at this preseason at camp, at the preseason games, and during the first month of the season, is how comfortable JG is in the pocket, and how often he resists the instinct to run, rather than stay and make his reads.
Andrew Luck has been the best QB to come out in this decade. Yet over the last year when he started to run around to try and make things happen, he became "just another guy", whose mechanics and accuracy became wildly inconsistent.
Brady is at the point where he can still thrive with a mediocre OL. I have to realistically think that Garapollo will not. So while the media and most fans will be all talking about JG this next 40 days, to me, it is all going to be about the OL. BTW - The think the talent is there to have a very good one. IMHO the overall talent (1-9)might be the best we've in quite a while. The trick will be getting the best 5 ready to start the year, and outside of the T's, I have no idea who will emerge. It will make for a VERY interesting pre season. I'm looking forward going to camp after they put the pads on and see what's happening. I even bought some binoculars so I can get a better idea of what's actually going on in the far reaches of the practice area where the OL usually does its business. And the days they practice with other teams will be particularly interesting
Bottom line: I have to admit that I had my little AFoster fantasy going there for a while, but given the Pats offense, I think they have enough currently there to make this offense go....IF the OL is up to the task.
