Amendola

[Brady6]

First of all, for someone who constantly fills up my inbox with complaints about how everyone is being mean to you, you sure are coming on a bit strong there. You make some good points in there, but you can argue a point without trying to provoke people.

To your point about Amendola versus Welker, why do so many people think Welker is (today and in 2013) in such a different stratosphere than Amendola?

2013:
Welker: Rec - 73 Yds - 778
Amendola: Rec 54 Yds - 633

2014:
Welker: Rec - 14 Yds - 126
Amendola: Rec - 5 Yds - 42

Over the 23 weeks so far of the two seasons, I see Welker with 28 more catches and 227 more yards.

I'm sorry, but given the (so far) "Disaster" of Amendola, the difference of 1.2 catches for 9.8 yards per game seems a bit over hyped. Given the fact that Welker is 33 and Amendola is 28, I'm going to judge this one from the vantage point of a couple more years out.

2013 is not a factor it is history and right now Amendola is averaging less than 0.8 catches per game this season. Amendola is a capable player I have never denied that but he is invisible much of the time. The divisional round against the Colts he made a huge catch for 40 yards and then came back in the AFCCG with no catches. I am glad he made the catch he did on Thursday. Personally, I think we would have won that game either way so I am not going to write and owed to Amendola speech but it was a nice play and I am happy he made it. I will be happy when he makes 3-4 more nice plays this season but he does not make the every game every series plays that we paid him $5.7M APY to make and that is a problem.

As far as coming on strong I'll own that but this excuse making for Amendola has just become tedious at this point. My crying to you in the inbox I'm not sure about the last time we spoke in PM was mid September and honestly when I come to you as a moderator I do it under the belief that it is in confidence and not something that is going to be thrown in my face if I write and aggressive response to the most redundant discussion topic in the history of patsfans.

 

[shmessy]

I am glad he made the catch he did on Thursday. Personally, I think we would have won that game either way so I am not going to write and owed to Amendola speech but it was a nice play and I am happy he made it. I will be happy when he makes 3-4 more nice plays this season but he does not make the every game every series plays that we paid him $5.7M APY to make and that is a problem.

You should watch a replay of the Jets game.

He did more than 'make one catch'.

In fact, he DID make 3-4 nice plays in that game. Including one very clutch one with less than 3 minutes to play. Given the tightrope nature of that game, without him, they very well MAY have lost that night.

 

[Brady6]

You should watch a replay of the Jets game.

He did more than make one catch.

Which is consistent with his career. He has 2-3 big games every season the problem is that he is a ghost in the other 13-14 games.

Honestly I'm the idiot here, I seldom have any disputes on this board unless I type "Amendola" in a post so I'm not sure why I would even make an attempt to post in here. I'm going to sleep have a good night gents.

 

[mgteich]

Wow sometimes I just marvel at the nonsense I see in some posts. Where do you come up with this crap, Danny Amendola has participated in everything since OTAs in the beginning of May without any restrictions, now you are suggesting that he just now on October 16 became healthy. LaFell was back there as well where Slater normally is, so is LaFell just getting healthy as well? What a joke this crap has become, people constantly trying to excuse Danny Amendola’s horrible performances, Amendola is on pace for 11 catches and 96 yards this season, great he made 1 catch, now if he can make the other 119 catches to get to the 120 catches Welker had most seasons we might have something worth celebrating.

In addition, you have no basis to suggest the coaches are comfortable with anything; maybe they do not want to give up on the player they put their name behind and gave a **** load of money to.

Being able to have the occasional great game or make an impressive play has never been a problem for Amendola, it is the other 95% of the time that he is mediocre at best that is the problem, that catch is 100% consistent with the rest of his inconsistent career.

As usual, most of your points are difficult to understand.

LaFell was playing Slater's role because Slater was injured.

Apparently, you disagree with the coaches on Amendola. That's hardy a surprise since this is your 153rd post on that subject. Apparently, you believe that Belichick continues to risk losses by playing an inferior player because he has a high salary. You seem to believe that this is the kind of coach Belichick is. You are certainly entitled to that understanding of Belichick.

And no, we don't KNOW what the coaches think. Some of us believe that Belichick plays to win games. Amendola is the 3rd WR because he is the best we have in that role. Amendola is returning punts because Belichick NOW believes that he is the best choice. We can guess what Amendola did to move ahead of Chung in the PR depth chart. I make no apologies for believing that Belichick and Brady have faith in Amendola. I understand that we ONLY have 15 years of watching the two. Our analysis is different. I believe that if Belichick and Brady didn't have more faith in Amendola than the others, he'd be on the bench, or even traded.
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For the record, I am disappointed in the production of Amendola. I expected him to be more productive and LaFell to be less productive. I am fine with the production of Brady's six top targets. Perhaps, I should be less optimistic.
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Finally, anticipating your cap analysis, the team could have cut Amendola in the preseason, signed a JAG backup and had broken even on this year's cap cost, and on next year's cap cost. The dead money cost for 2015 has long ago been paid.

 

[Brady6]

As usual, most of your points are difficult to understand.

LaFell was playing Slater's role because Slater was injured.

Apparently, you disagree with the coaches on Amendola. That's hardy a surprise since this is your 153rd post on that subject. Apparently, you believe that Belichick continues to risk losses by playing an inferior player because he has a high salary. You seem to believe that this is the kind of coach Belichick is. You are certainly entitled to that understanding of Belichick.

And no, we don't KNOW what the coaches think. Some of us believe that Belichick plays to win games. Amendola is the 3rd WR because he is the best we have in that role. Amendola is returning punts because Belichick NOW believes that he is the best choice. We can guess what Amendola did to move ahead of Chung in the PR depth chart. I make no apologies for believing that Belichick and Brady have faith in Amendola. I understand that we ONLY have 15 years of watching the two. Our analysis is different. I believe that if Belichick and Brady didn't have more faith in Amendola than the others, he'd be on the bench, or even traded.
====
For the record, I am disappointed in the production of Amendola. I expected him to be more productive and LaFell to be less productive. I am fine with the production of Brady's six top targets. Perhaps, I should be less optimistic.

Fair enough. I am signing off talk to you later buddy.

 

[Jlaff]

I haven't been following this thread lately, and what I want to say has probably already been mentioned... But if nothing else, at least at a critical point in a game, Amendola was able to make a harder version of that catch Welker couldn't make.

 

[shmessy]

I haven't been following this thread lately, and what I want to say has probably already been mentioned... But if nothing else, at least at a critical point in a game, Amendola was able to make a harder version of that catch Welker couldn't make.

In Welker's defense, he had made back-shoulder catches like that before. It's unfortunate that the one instance people remember is the time in the SB when he didn't.

 

[Jlaff]

In Welker's defense, he had made back-shoulder catches like that before. It's unfortunate that the one instance people remember is the time in the SB when he didn't.

I could swear I saw a reel of Welker not making that type catch after the SB, but I could be wrong.

 

[shmessy]

2013 is not a factor it is history........

Only YOU brought up the 120 catches per season that Welker USED to catch pre-2013 as the measuring stick. No one else did.

It's not nice to ring peoples' doorbells and run away.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Guys, the 2014 stat line which should show the opposite trend to support your point, shows Welker at triple the production this year over Amendola.

 

[shmessy]

Guys, the 2014 stat line which should show the opposite trend to support your point, shows Welker at triple the production this year over Amendola.

Small sample size.

We could make it last game also and Amendola would win that one. Would be wrong also.

The measuring stick is over the time of the replacement. Right now, that is 23 NFL games. Welker is solidly the better producer over that period.

But it is not the Armageddon difference that many over hype.

Welker at 33 and Amendola at 28 make it an interesting one to watch over the next few years. There is a decent chance that Amendola is not even with the Patriots next year.

In the meantime, if one is looking at it from a POSITIONAL view, the Patriots have lost nothing from the "slot receiver" position given Edelman's emergence from the sidelines where he backed up Welker.

 

[Brady6]

Only YOU brought up the 120 catches per season that Welker USED to catch pre-2013 as the measuring stick. No one else did.

It's not nice to ring peoples' doorbells and run away.

I'm not running anywhere I am choosing not to further engage in a redundant discussion. No matter how you slice it Amendola has been a disappointment and that seems unlikely to change. I hope we're able to get some solid KR and the occasional catch out of him the rest of the way but he is on borrowed time in New England in my opinion.

For the record though you cannot compare Amendola to Welker in Denver you would compare Amendola in 2013 to what Welker did in 2012. Welker is in a totally different offense and a different option whereas Amendola was in the Welker role at the start of 2013 in this offense.

 

[shmessy]

I'm not running anywhere I am choosing not to further engage in a redundant discussion. No matter how you slice it Amendola has been a disappointment and that seems unlikely to change. I hope we're able to get some solid KR and the occasional catch out of him the rest of the way but he is on borrowed time in New England in my opinion.

I too think he won't be back next year.

As I mentioned, Amendola hasn't produced as much as Welker over the 23 games.

But I am glad Welker took the same or less deal from the Broncos that the Pats offered him. Otherwise, Edelman would never have gotten the same opportunity to emerge.

Edelman is the better slot receiver by far compared to Welker in 2013 and beyond.

 

[Brady6]

I too think he won't be back next year.

As I mentioned, Amendola hasn't produced as much as Welker over the 23 games.

But I am glad Welker took the same or less deal from the Broncos that the Pats offered him. Otherwise, Edelman would never have gotten the same opportunity to emerge.

Edelman is the better slot receiver by far compared to Welker in 2013 and beyond.

I agree with everything you've said here. Things worked out overall actually better because Edelman is a better player and long term will cost us less.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Welk's a 100-catch guy. Can't rely on 120 at this point, if only because it's unfair not to factor in age and likelihood of noggin explosion.

I can just see giant-helmet Welker, Forehead, and unidentified friend playing madden in the offseason...

No hit square square circle triangle...

 

[Ring 6]

Yes, the jets played very, very well. And yes, their coaches did a fine job.

HOWEVER, a team who is a co-favorite to win the AFC (playing well in their last two games) should be able to perform better at home on Thursday night, even against the best 1-5 team in the NFL.

But the result is a win which is the best result you can get. There are no style points in the nfl.

 

[shmessy]

But the result is a win which is the best result you can get. There are no style points in the nfl.

.....and the win clearly displayed that the Patriots have a few areas they need to work on.

That should not be lost in the win.

Given the next several opponents, they won't be able to get away with that.

 

[Ring 6]

.....and the win clearly displayed that the Patriots have a few areas they need to work on.

That should not be lost in the win.

Given the next several opponents, they won't be able to get away with that.

Teams always have areas to work on.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Reason # infinity why I should not be allowed to coach an NFL team.
Walking into the stadium Thurs night I thought, "I hope Amandoler is inactive tonight & Bill activates an OL/ST depth player" Thankfully, that did not happen.

 

[zipster9]

I haven't been following this thread lately, and what I want to say has probably already been mentioned... But if nothing else, at least at a critical point in a game, Amendola was able to make a harder version of that catch Welker couldn't make.

I think Amendola should be handling all of the punt-returns. He seems to do ok.