All the Patriots cuts merged mega thread

[Garbanza]

How am I usually wrong with most of my predictions? I have been very optimistic ever since BB arrived. Guess what I was overly pessimistic before he did. How did that work out for me? The Patriots just completed the most successful decade in the NFL and one of the 3 best decades in NFL history, and you are telling me that my position as having among the highest expecatations of them makes me usually wrong? Are you nuts?

It is very reasonable to be concerned about the defense, because we have made a lot of personnel changes. But to decide based on a half of preseason football that the defense, you know the one that has ranked, 5,8,4,2,17,2,1,17,6,17 in points allowed in the last 10 years since this coach took over, is ignorant.
Yes, I am optimistic because I believe in Belichick. That has made me right more often than most around here.
But for you to just throw the defense into the bottom 5 because of a meaningless preseason game is stupid. Worse, you have nothing to back it up, other than it apparently makin you feel better to take a whining, the sky is falling approach.

LOL, okay. You're a "glass is half full" kind of guy. I'm "glass is half empty" kind of gal. Let's leave it at this: I hope I am wrong, that you are right, and that my glass runneth over.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Pats got raped in the Burgess deal. The Raiders got raped in the Moss deal. The pats got screwed with the phantom roughing call in '76. The Raiders got tucked. It remains to be seen how the Seymour deal pans out - but it 'aint looking good so far especially since the Raiders defense is - um - better than ours and hey - there may not be football next year.

The Raiders should be much improved on both sides of the ball. Not having JaMarcus on offense should help the defense immediately. His turnovers, and his inability to generate first downs, meant that the Raiders defense was out on the field more than it should have been (9th worst in T.O.P.). Signing McClain should help stabilize the linebacking corps and help against the run.

Whether it's going to be enough to overtake the Patriots defense remains to be seen.

 

[Dragda]

everyone is so upset here it's going ot be ok

Yes, despite the marked lack of punctuation, things will be just fine.

 

[Dragda]

So Slater, Love, Fletcher, and Thomas Williams made it?

Fletcher is the Big Sky Conference stud, right? Several of us had hopes for him, but I failed to see anything out of him except at training camp reports.

 

[Ring 6]

Sure, we shouldn't judge it too harshly yet. Hey, it could be one of the best at the end of the season. Who knows?

Not that it matters, but this is the most concerned I can remember being about one of the Pats' units since 2002. I guess the most recent similarity was the 2006 offense.

Edit: I liked what I saw from the D against NO and ATL, and that got me excited for the season. The injuries to Bodden and Ty Warren have dampered that. Cannot wait to see the offense, though.

I think that its natural to have more concern, because there is more uncertainty. But the certainty hasn't gotten us where we wanted it to the last few years either.
Here is an example.
In 2006 and 2007 we win back to back SBs if our 2minute pass defense is good. (I assume we beat the Bears in 06).
We have basically changed every player in that equation since.
If every other aspect of our defense was thoroughy average and that portion of it was good, we win those 2 SBs, and if Brady and his weapons are 100% this year, we compare favorably.
We had Vrabel and Seymour and Burschi and Harrison in 2008, didnt have them in 2009, and the defense was actually better in 2009.
The constant is Belichick. He selects the players, and is running the defense. He has a lot of the answers about these inexperienced players that we are waiting to get. His pattern of decision making indicates he feels better about these players than the average Patsfan poster. I can live with that.

 

[Ring 6]

Fletcher is the Big Sky Conference stud, right? Several of us had hopes for him, but I failed to see anything out of him except at training camp reports.

What were you expecting to see?
Playing 2 gap run D in our 34 and covering kicks on special teams aren't exactly the kind of things that stand out.

 

[Dragda]

When does BJGE go public with the incriminating pictures he has of Kraft?

Nobody can pull off an over-used joke like you, sir. But he runs hard and plays in the kicking game. I am surprised to keep him, but we have some very old RBs. I would have rather had Sergio Brown on the roster than him, but perhaps having Page made that a foolish desire.

 

[Dragda]

LOL, okay. You're a "glass is half full" kind of guy. I'm "glass is half empty" kind of gal.

Half-full, half-empty...I'm just happy to have the glass. The contents are subject to change frequently.

 

[Dragda]

What were you expecting to see?
Playing 2 gap run D in our 34 and covering kicks on special teams aren't exactly the kind of things that stand out.

I remember him from college and hoped he'd "show up" when the stadium lights are shining on him. How's that for vague?

 

[Deus Irae]

Half-full, half-empty...I'm just happy to have the glass. The contents are subject to change frequently.

Some people see a glass filled 50% of the way with liquid and see a glass half full. Some see a glass half empty.


I look at it and wonder who the hell's been drinking from my glass.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Fletcher is the Big Sky Conference stud, right? Several of us had hopes for him, but I failed to see anything out of him except at training camp reports.

The guy may have been easily faked out while playing a new position, but he demonstrated an ability to see and react to the changes in front of him that was very encouraging. Once he learns to recognize and read the changes before they occur, he's going to be a ball magnet. The other thing I liked about him was blocks didn't stick to him, they may have moved him, but he seemed to always get loose, once he learns technique and applies that with his weight room and film room growth ...

 

[Ring 6]

I remember him from college and hoped he'd "show up" when the stadium lights are shining on him. How's that for vague?

Yeah, I'm just saying to assess how he did playing ILB vs backups and playing on special teams, you'd have to pull out the tapes, and watch his reads, reactions, 2 gap discipline, drops in coverage, lateral agility, aggressiveness in sts, etc, etc, etc. Making or not making the kind of plays that are noticable to the typical fan in a preseason game have about nothing to do with it.
Its all grunt work.

 

[SanAngeloState]

wow, i said ohrn--bust and bussey-bust were busts. I got one very angry poster on here very mad indeed.

I didn't expect them both to be dumped though. I thought ohrn-bust was looking better this preseason.

Not sure why everyone doesn't like woods, i thought he was pretty good.

 

[Ring 6]

wow, i said ohrn--bust and bussey-bust were busts. I got one very angry poster on here very mad indeed.

I didn't expect them both to be dumped though. I thought ohrn-bust was looking better this preseason.

Not sure why everyone doesn't like woods, i thought he was pretty good.

Well, you tend to invite anger when you do childish things like put bust at the end of a 5th round picks name, but whatever.

 

[condon84]

No, its not that you can't question anything, its that you cant question anything without a reasonable argument and be taken seriously.
When Bill Belichick cuts Aiken and keeps Slater and you say "Aiken is better than Slater" and give no explanation why, or in what role you see him better, or anything you look like a bufoon.
If your argument was that you think that at some point the 53rd player on the roster, who is being kept solely for special teams, will need to contribute on offense or defense, or if you think that Aikens experience is important, or just anything with any fact to it, you could possibly be taken seriously. As it is, you sound like you are crying because you like the guy cut and dont like the guy kept for some odd reasons.

To say that what you saw on TV or ESPN is even 2% of the necessary information to evaluate a special teams player is silly. There is no way you can evaluate a st guy from TV film, even if you tried to focus on him, and st players, except for returnmen arent being shown or analyzed on ESPN.

I know you think that since Slater f-ed up a kick return once, he should be banished from the team, but it doesnt work that way. Returning kicks is not the skill that has him on the team. The skills are being the gunner on the punt team, playing a key role on the kickoff team, blocking on the punt return and kickoff return team, and to a small extent having the ability to play in an emergency situation on both sides of the ball.

If you want to be taken seriously, make an actual fact based argument. If you want to be seen as throwing a temper tantrum because you wish another guy made the team, carry on.

How can I take YOU seriously when you've never posted anything critical or make any objective observations regarding the Patriots. I don't need to point out specific plays that shows Slater is no good. I've seen the Pats play. Do I need to point out specific plays that shows Brady is one of the best players? And irrespective any factual plays or observations I'll point out, you simply fall back to your "hey, BB's won 3 SBs and is an NFL head coach, you think you know better....blah blah blah." The buffoon is the guy that can't think for himself. I think it's pretty clear which one of us can do that and which one can't.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It remains to be seen how the Seymour deal pans out - but it 'aint looking good so far especially since the Raiders defense is - um - better than ours and hey - there may not be football next year.

How does that impact the pick, seeing as there's going to be a draft next year, CBA or no CBA, lockout or no lockout?

 

[DaBruinz]

How can I take YOU seriously when you've never posted anything critical or make any objective observations regarding the Patriots. I don't need to point out specific plays that shows Slater is no good. I've seen the Pats play. Do I need to point out specific plays that shows Brady is one of the best players? And irrespective any factual plays or observations I'll point out, you simply fall back to your "hey, BB's won 3 SBs and is an NFL head coach, you think you know better....blah blah blah." The buffoon is the guy that can't think for himself. I think it's pretty clear which one of us can do that and which one can't.

What factual plays or observations have you actually made regarding Slater?

The reality is that, contrary to your belief, the kid is one of the best special teams players the Pats have. He plays on all 6 special teams units and is an above average kick return man. He's also the Pats best gunner.

As for you thinking for yourself, just because you can, doesn't mean that what you think is correct. AndyJohnson has had plenty of relevant, well thought out posts over his years on this board. If people asked about you, it's my opinion that you'd be hardpressed to be thought of as an articulate thinker and poster.

You seem to post more with your emotions and based it on "what you see" vs. posting facts. Remember, the eyes can be deceived.