Bedard Listening Thread

[Rob0729]

Don't know how much I can do.

Thinks the Pats should and will win the game, but will be tough.

Thinks the Ravens play solid on both side of the ball with some sizable issues.

Thinks their o-line has issues. Improved from last year. The tackle position is week.

He doesn't fear the Ravens' group because they have to be simple in the secondary because of inexperience and lack of talent. Roethlisberger left a lot of plays on the table. A lot of big plays available in the secondary that Ben missed.

Doesn't think the Ravens are good enough to sell out to stop Gronk and he will face a lot of favorable match ups.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Whatever you can do is much appreciated, Rob. (Note to others. It would be nice if this thread could be confined to conveying GB's opinions and not turning it into a shouting match about them.)

 

[BradyFTW!]

That's an interesting perspective on Gronk. I was leaning the other way, that Daryl Smith and CJ Mosley make them better equipped to match up with Gronk at LB than probably any team we played this year outside the Lions. Any matchup would still favor Gronk since just about every matchup favors Gronk, but it's a much better starting point for containing him than most teams have. Bedard knows his stuff, though, and I hope he's right on this one.

 

[Rob0729]

Doesn't have a problem with the Dallas/Detriot game PI/Not PI controversy. Thought it was questionable that it was PI for post season PI. He does think it was handled poorly, but he agrees that it shouldn't have been called in the first place. Maybe in the regular season it should have been called.

 

[Rob0729]

Not sure Monroe will play. Not sure if he plays that is any good.

The Pats ran pretty well against the same front seven last year. Think they will run well on Saturday.

He is worried about the passing offense if he is worrying about anything about the Pats in the playoffs. Brady has been off for the last six games.

Doesn't think it is the Ravens (don't feel they have an answer for Gronk), but there will be a team that shuts down Gronk and questions whether the Pats will be able to adjust.

 

[JMC00]

Daryl Smith

Jeff Howe had a tweet earlier about how Brady was gonna locate Smith and throw agaisnt him all game. So clearly Howe has seen game film that indicated Smith has been bad in coverage all year.

 

[Rob0729]

On the restructure, it was a move to put money in the Kraft's pocket. Brady did the Pats' a solid. Claims the Krafts didn't have to do it because it is pocket change for the Krafts. Sounded more like Felger than Felger on this. Thinks Felger is setting him up with the question although Felger is more Kraft friendly than Bedard.

 

[Rob0729]

The Pats can definitely restructure his deal again this year by giving him a big bonus without giving him more base salary. It will not violate the rules of renegotiating a contract in one year. Confirmed with the league office. Not sure that the Brady will get another deal this year though.

Does not think Brady is here for the long haul. He said that depends on how this year ends, Belichick gives a 2% thought of changing QB to Jimmy G. He thinks the odds of a QB switch to 45% after next season.

 

[Rob0729]

Feels the two sides (Brady and the team) made this restructure with an exit strategy in mind. If the Pats want to move on it will allow Brady to choose where he wants to go other than being dumped on crap team. Not that they are letting him go, but a contingency plan may be in place.

 

[Gronkandez]

Feels the two sides (Brady and the team) made this restructure with an exit strategy in mind. If the Pats want to move on it will allow Brady to choose where he wants to go other than being dumped on crap team. Not that they are letting him go, but a contingency plan may be in place.

I agree with this or at least think it's in play. We'll learn a lot more next year when we see how JG has progressed and if Brady continues playing at a high level.

 

[Gronkandez]

thinks the OL matches up "pretty well" with Balt DL ??

 

[Rob0729]

On the Pats o-line vs. Ravens d-line and Mankins:

Thinks the o-line is healthy for the first time in a long time.

Thinks if the Pats lose in the playoffs, it doesn't change his opinion the Mankins' trade being right. He doesn't think Mankins is any better than Connolly. Feels the All Pro vote was a joke though.

Thinks the o-line matches up pretty well vs. the Ravens' d-line. The Pats will go in their quick passing game and the Ravens will allow it. The Ravens' secondary played 5-10 yards off the line all game on Saturday, but the Steelers didn't exploit it.

Mazz says that is an admission that the Pats cannot match up. Bedard said it is the Pats exploiting the weakness of the opponent.

He thinks the quick passing will negate the pass rush by Suggs and Dumerville.

 

[Gronkandez]

Felger says no matter what they do with the QB situation BB and Kraft will be hailed as geniuses. ha ha

 

[AzorianPats]

Tony Mazz: "Brady biggest prima donna left in playoffs"

 

[The Gr8est]

Feels the two sides (Brady and the team) made this restructure with an exit strategy in mind. If the Pats want to move on it will allow Brady to choose where he wants to go other than being dumped on crap team. Not that they are letting him go, but a contingency plan may be in place.

So does that mean the Pats would be unable to trade Brady if they decided to go in another direction?

They would just release him?

 

[patfanken]

Don't know how much I can do.

Thinks the Pats should and will win the game, but will be tough.

Thinks the Ravens play solid on both side of the ball with some sizable issues.

Thinks their o-line has issues. Improved from last year. The tackle position is week.

He doesn't fear the Ravens' group because they have to be simple in the secondary because of inexperience and lack of talent. Roethlisberger left a lot of plays on the table. A lot of big plays available in the secondary that Ben missed.

Doesn't think the Ravens are good enough to sell out to stop Gronk and he will face a lot of favorable match ups.

That is a really reasonable take by Bedard. Hasn't he gotten the message from the other mediots what the narrative is supposed to be this week. Felger and Mazz are probably already have their panties in a bunch.

 

[Rob0729]

Felt two years ago that it was a stupid mistake to put Arrington on Boldin rather than McCourty when talib went down. Said he wasn't sure how the games would have ended up if Talib was healthy all game. But you knew what you were getting into with Talib and his injuries.

 

[Rob0729]

If the Ravens go into the two high safeties like they did last week, the Pats should spread them out and gun/run with Vereen and high tempo offense and then as the game goes along and the Ravens are worn down, run. Shouldn't run off the start because the Ravens want to slow down the game. Bedard proposed Ken's strategy from a few days ago.

 

[Rob0729]

Not concerned about the defense. Expects Chandler Jones to dominante whatever tackle he faces. Expect a lot of zone drops with Nink and Jones.

 

[letekro]

No surprise but says spread em out hurry up. Get Ngata and Suggs on oxygen. Then, when they're tired, you can start running.

Chandler Jones should dominate this game. Watch blitzes up the middle by Collins against Ravens UDFA guard.

EEdit: Rob, you're quick