BB "I love Laurence Maroney"

[ALP]

I hate to bring it so football obvious but does anyone think the problem might be in our OL run blocking? The Patriots have become a passing team and most of the reps in practice are probably pass blocking reps.

If the OL is not getting the proper reps in practice run blocking, then they will look like they are right now. I do expect that they will start getting more reps run blocking as we enter the cold weather part of the schedule.

completely agreed.....our O-line has forgot how to run block...no ONE can run behind that line right now...they spending too mcuh time pass protecting....

let the big guys start moving, they are getting too comfortable just satanding there

 

[VJCPatriot]

Heck, in the past you made it seem like a 5 yard gain by Maroney where it took four defenders to get him down was a bad run.

Huh when did I say a that a 5 yard gain by Maroney that took 4 defenders to bring down was a bad run? It was certainly a GOOD play. The unfortunate reaility is the lack of frequency of those GOOD plays.

Whenever you score, it's a good play, however the existence of that singular play can't make me look at the numbers and like a homer proclaim that Maroney has had great performances. Nobody who looks at 31 total yards and 19 total yards with any kind of objectivity can say that. Well unless you are the above poster apparently. Keep making excuses. I'm just looking at the facts, and the facts don't lie.

 

[Oswlek]

completely agreed.....our O-line has forgot how to run block...no ONE can run behind that line right now...they spending too mcuh time pass protecting....

let the big guys start moving, they are getting too comfortable just satanding there

It isn't that they forget how to block, it is the fact that Faulk being so excellent in the passing game that leads to some predictibility. I doubt that any other RB who isn't on a team quarterbacked by even an average QB sees as many run blitzes.

Obviously his absence in the first half raised some eyebrows, I don't see how anyone could not see that Maroney ran very well in the second half.

 

[Oswlek]

Huh when did I say a that a 5 yard gain by Maroney that took 4 defenders to bring down was a bad run? It was certainly a GOOD play. The unfortunate reaility is the lack of frequency of those GOOD plays.

Whenever you score, it's a good play, however the existence of that singular play can't make me look at the numbers and like a homer proclaim that Maroney has had great performances. Nobody who looks at 31 total yards and 19 total yards with any kind of objectivity can say that. Well unless you are the above poster apparently. Keep making excuses. I'm just looking at the facts, and the facts don't lie.

No, the facts don't lie. But the conclusions that one derives from those facts can be terribly wrong! :rocker: :woohoo: :rocker:

Keep it up!

 

[aluminum seats]

But that's when play action works, when everyone "KNOWS" you're running the ball.

The second time Maroney was in the game they went play action but Moss dropped it. The play action won't work effectively if you use it too much. I think BB and McDaniels know what they are doing.

Right, that play worked, or would have. That's ONE play. They're so far away from "too much" it's not even funny. The fact is, they're not using play action, and it's silly to remove tools from the playbook.

 

[patsox23]

That's a great point with the drafting of Watson. I've made this point before but have always been ignored.

Maybe because it's NOT a "great point." The Patriots play a lot of two-TE sets. So it wasn't "we're not satisfied with Graham so we're drafting Watson." Graham and Watson were on the roster together for THREE YEARS and there was never a sense of him replacing Graham. I wasn't a huge fan of #82, but this is a false comparison.

 

[TedyB54]

Puhleaze. Unlike you, I don't believe one word BB says when he talks to the media. Not one word. For all we know, he could be pumping up Maroney so he can have some decent trade value in the offseason.

Riiiiight. If Belichick made a critical comment about Maroney instead of praising him, you'd be here thumping your chest with "See, I told you so".

You only don't believe him unless he's saying something you agree with.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

our run blocking has sucked for a while.

 

[cstjohn17]

Whenever you score, it's a good play, however the existence of that singular play can't make me look at the numbers and like a homer proclaim that Maroney has had great performances.

At least he out rushed Brady this week!

I am not in the Maroney for the Hall of Fame club but am happy to see him still on the field going into week 12.

Now, here comes my excuses, some of these are not bad, others are suspect.
- he had an off-season surgery, this limited his strength training and he was likely not in the optimal shape right away
- he is now angry, rested and healthy, a pretty good combo for a RB
- looking at the schedule, he won't get much action against the Ravens or Steelers, they average less than 80 YPG against
- he will get plenty of reps against the Jets and Dolphins who average over 150 YPG (those are truly terrible numbers)
- he can't catch or block anywhere near the same level as Faulk which limits him to 1 & 2 downs only
- some of their formations just are so obvious, I swear he must have a 'tell' because whenever he gets the ball he is met at the line of scrimmage
- it would be nice if we had a running back who could get the tough yards, like Dillion or even Smith but Maroney is not that style of RB

He is just another cog in the wheel, he is not a premier player on this team and will never get a majority of the touches. If he stays healthy then he is one more weapon to have as the playoffs emerge.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Maybe because it's NOT a "great point." The Patriots play a lot of two-TE sets. So it wasn't "we're not satisfied with Graham so we're drafting Watson."

It's not a false comparison because it shows that the Pats are willing to draft the SAME position, in the 1st round, in back to back years. And yes believe it or not Graham WAS somewhat of a disappointment. When he was drafted he was one of the best pass catching TEs in the nation. He never delivered on that promise. Watson was drafted the very next year.

Maroney has also been somewhat of a disappointment. When he was drafted we were expecting to get our feature back of the future. He hasn't delivered either. The POINT is that BB hasn't been afraid to replace his disappointments with more talented players in subsequent drafts. A RB drafted the next year would not be shocking at all.

and there was never a sense of him replacing Graham. I wasn't a huge fan of #82, but this is a false comparison.

And yet here we are in 2007 and Watson HAS replaced Graham as the Pats starting TE. I'm surprised how conveniently you can ignore the facts and propagate falsehoods as truths. The only false comparison made has been yours.

 

[Oswlek]

It's not a false comparison because it shows that the Pats are willing to draft the SAME position, in the 1st round, in back to back years. And yes believe it or not Graham WAS somewhat of a disappointment. When he was drafted he was one of the best pass catching TEs in the nation. He never delivered on that promise. Watson was drafted the very next year.

Maroney has also been somewhat of a disappointment. When he was drafted we were expecting to get our feature back of the future. He hasn't delivered either. The POINT is that BB hasn't been afraid to replace his disappointments with more talented players in subsequent drafts. A RB drafted the next year would not be shocking at all.



And yet here we are in 2007 and Watson HAS replaced Graham as the Pats starting TE. I'm surprised how conveniently you can ignore the facts and propagate falsehoods as truths. The only false comparison made has been yours.

I find it humorous that you speak of propagating falsehoods and neglect to mention that it is Kyle Brady who replaced Graham.

Not to mention the fact that it took Watson 3 years to "replace" Graham, which in and of itself disputes your contention.

It is easy, my friend. "I was wrong."

 

[National Sports Advisors]

All I know is we are getting little to no production from our 1st and 2nd rd picks last season(Maroney and Jackson). People can makes excuses all they want, but that draft is simply not looking good at all. Maroney, at best, looks like he will be nothing more than a serviceable, average back. Jackson hasn't made any significant contributions since he was drafted. I don't care what anyone says, you simply do not draft guys with the intention of getting NOTHING from them in their first 2 years on their initial 5 year contract.

 

[PonyExpress]

All I know is we are getting little to no production from our 1st and 2nd rd picks last season(Maroney and Jackson). People can makes excuses all they want, but that draft is simply not looking good at all. Maroney, at best, looks like he will be nothing more than a serviceable, average back. Jackson hasn't made any significant contributions since he was drafted. I don't care what anyone says, you simply do not draft guys with the intention of getting NOTHING from them in their first 2 years on their initial 5 year contract.

I vote for you to take over the Patriot 'War Room'. Those clowns are not living up to their rep, the house is in disarray and you are the man to clean up the mess.

 

[makoute]

our run blocking has sucked for a while.

True That is very true

 

[patsox23]

And yet here we are in 2007 and Watson HAS replaced Graham as the Pats starting TE. I'm surprised how conveniently you can ignore the facts and propagate falsehoods as truths. The only false comparison made has been yours.

Um...are you seriously admitting here that you think Watson replaced Daniel Graham this year? LOL! Really? And then saying I'M propagating falsehoods? Dude, learn the game. Kyle Brady was brought in to replace Graham. The fact that you're acting arrogant as opposed to completely embarrassed not to know what the team you root for has done, personnel-wise, is amazing to me. Good grief.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I find it humorous that you speak of propagating falsehoods and neglect to mention that it is Kyle Brady who replaced Graham.

Not to mention the fact that it took Watson 3 years to "replace" Graham, which in and of itself disputes your contention.

It is easy, my friend. "I was wrong."

A red herring. If you insist that Kyle Brady replaced Graham, that means that Watson was already the #1 TE for the Patriots in 2006. Watson certainly did outproduce Graham in terms of catches in 2006, so maybe he replaced him as a starter a year earlier than 2007.

My point still holds, and yours turns out to be nothing but fluff. If you're trying to insinuate that Kyle Brady is the Pats #1 TE over Watson that makes your position even more laughable.

Um...are you seriously admitting here that you think Watson replaced Daniel Graham this year? LOL! Really? And then saying I'M propagating falsehoods? Dude, learn the game. Kyle Brady was brought in to replace Graham. The fact that you're acting arrogant as opposed to completely embarrassed not to know what the team you root for has done, personnel-wise, is amazing to me. Good grief.

See above.

 

[patsox23]

This is a ridiculous argument. It began with the FACT that the Patriots drafted Watson in hopes of better establishing a two-TE set - and then Graham and Watson were on the team together for THREE YEARS. If anything, Dave Thomas was drafted with an eye toward replacing Graham - but maybe you're not aware of him since he's on IR.

 

[VJCPatriot]

This is a ridiculous argument. It began with the FACT that the Patriots drafted Watson in hopes of better establishing a two-TE set - and then Graham and Watson were on the team together for THREE YEARS. If anything, Dave Thomas was drafted with an eye toward replacing Graham - but maybe you're not aware of him since he's on IR.

The writing was on the wall since Watson's second year (his first healthy one), where he outproduced Graham. A lot of people, including myself, were discussing even back then how Watson was going to take over the #1 tight end position. Graham was kept on because A) he was cheap B) he was a #1 pick C) he was a very effective blocker. Your attempt at revisionist history is humorous. Thomas who has seen no significant minutes since being drafted (mainly due to injury) and has no place in the conversation. You were better served extolling the virtues of Kyle Brady, although he is still clearly not the #1 tight end by any stretch of the imagination. Watson has clearly replaced Graham as the Pats #1 TE. If that wasn't crystal clear in 2006, it is certainly clear in 2007.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

I vote for you to take over the Patriot 'War Room'. Those clowns are not living up to their rep, the house is in disarray and you are the man to clean up the mess.

Sorry boss, but I don't pour sugar and spice on everything. Facts are the facts. We did a terrible job with our top 2 picks last season. It's really not even debateable.

 

[patsox23]

Thomas who has seen no significant minutes since being drafted (mainly due to injury) and has no place in the conversation.

HIS INJURIES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. We're talking about WHY A GUY WAS DRAFTED. Again with this disingenuous nonsense, hoping to distract people from the actual POINT of this. Ben Watson was not drafted simply to REPLACE GRAHAM. It was written everywhere, and displayed ON THE FIELD, that Watson was brought in to help establish a dominant two-TE set on offense. That didn't really end up being as successful as we'd hoped, but that doesn't change the very obvious fact of it.

Dave Thomas, whether he played every single game or NONE, was clearly brought in as a hedge against Graham leaving - not to replace his exact role necessarily, they're very different players - but so that the Patriots would still have a young TE waiting in the wings, making those two-TE sets possible and productive even in the event of Graham's eventual departure.