Brady calls field "our sandpit"

[lobster]

He said he much prefers field-turf to get a better plant. The Pat's were scheduled to replace the sod in the middle of the field today - it's supposed to take 3 days and will be supervised by the NFL.

 

[emoney_33]

Are they still planning on field turf after the season or is that still up in the air? I'm sure no one likes playing in that sandpit, hopefully it doesn't get torn up again after they resod it

 

[HAMMERMILL]

So, thats why McDaniels refused to throw inside routes? I imagine that will all change now???

Since,the game is in minnesota,fields not a problem.
What do you think we should do on the first offensive play NEM

 

[mcbee]

Has anyone figured out where the screens went to? We used to throw 5-10 of them a game. The first play should be play action or a slant to Jackson.

Maroney shouldn't be running into the line unless we get good movement. Throw him some screens.

I think a good grass field wouldn't be ripped up by soccer or anything else. They just have crappy lawn crews.

 

[BelichickFan]

Are they still planning on field turf after the season or is that still up in the air?

Was it ever confirmed that the report on that was accurate ? I wouldn't be shocked if someone heard "new turf" meaning re-sodding and made some assumptions about field turf.

 

[HAMMERMILL]

Was it ever confirmed that the report on that was accurate ? I wouldn't be shocked if someone heard "new turf" meaning re-sodding and made some assumptions about field turf.

Last I heard was resodding,The league wouldn't let them change the field mid-season.Only fix what they already had.

 

[HAMMERMILL]

The krafts might think about planting rice,so the pats can get acclimated to playing on it for next seasons pre-season game.

 

[groundgame]

It may be a sandpit, but according to Pro Football Weekly's "The Way we Hear it" section, they offer the following tidbit on the field situation: ...."While he has publicly condemned the poor condition of the Gillette Stadium field, we hear that head coach Bill Belichick privately desires having an "off" track and believes it gives the Patriots a formidible home-field advantage..."

Thanks to the intervention of Colts Head Greenskeeper Bill Polian, the "Off track" will be upgraded to Peyton's "Fast track".

 

[Brownfan80]

It may be a sandpit, but according to Pro Football Weekly's "The Way we Hear it" section, they offer the following tidbit on the field situation: ...."While he has publicly condemned the poor condition of the Gillette Stadium field, we hear that head coach Bill Belichick privately desires having an "off" track and believes it gives the Patriots a formidible home-field advantage..."

Thanks to the intervention of Colts Head Greenskeeper Bill Polian, the "Off track" will be upgraded to Peyton's "Fast track".

As it was only resodded in the middle of the field, I'm not sure it'll help those outside WRs much.

 

[Oswlek]

As it was only resodded in the middle of the field, I'm not sure it'll help those outside WRs much.

They should try and find a way to make the worst of the it be under the guy line up across from Light.

I'm sure Brady would be with me on this one.

 

[pkb]

Particularly given the animosity of the teams, I wouldn't be surprised if something happens to the turf before the Colts game, either....it'll get soaked in water ('sprinkler malfunction'), they'll spray it with something to kill the grass, somehow it'll be torn up again ('we have no idea why there's plow-tread marks out there') who knows.

The Pats are happy to have it be a story that week, too, because it gets some people thinking about the issue. And it annoys Polian, which is a virtue in and of itself

 

[CTPatsFan]

Particularly given the animosity of the teams, I wouldn't be surprised if something happens to the turf before the Colts game, either....it'll get soaked in water ('sprinkler malfunction'), they'll spray it with something to kill the grass, somehow it'll be torn up again ('we have no idea why there's plow-tread marks out there') who knows.

The Pats are happy to have it be a story that week, too, because it gets some people thinking about the issue. And it annoys Polian, which is a virtue in and of itself

True dat!

Maybe they could let it grow to about 6" or so. That'd really slow down Harrison.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Has anyone figured out where the screens went to? We used to throw 5-10 of them a game. The first play should be play action or a slant to Jackson.

Maroney shouldn't be running into the line unless we get good movement. Throw him some screens.

I think a good grass field wouldn't be ripped up by soccer or anything else. They just have crappy lawn crews.

The screen is a deception play that is meant to slow down a pass rush. When the Pats passing game was a feared item, the screen worked. Now we are a running team and teams are desperate to stop the run. Eight men in the box means eight guys to defend the screen. All are conscious of the run. They won't be deceived.

A screen that doesn't work can get your QB killed. In short, the situation means a screen play won't work, so why try?

 

[ilduce06410]

lotta ways to run screens

The screen is a deception play that is meant to slow down a pass rush. When the Pats passing game was a feared item, the screen worked. Now we are a running team and teams are desperate to stop the run. Eight men in the box means eight guys to defend the screen. All are conscious of the run. They won't be deceived.
A screen that doesn't work can get your QB killed. In short, the situation means a screen play won't work, so why try?

"slow down a pass rush".
maybe we're saying the same thing, but IMHO the screen is to take advantage of a defense committed to an upfield pass rush (or one with 8 men in the box). it's both for gaining a chunk of yards (contrasted to the expected yield from a running play), and for getting talented receivers the ball in space.
charlie was diabolical with screens. he'd run them inside, using WRs or FBs. traditonal "chase me" L and R. quick screens to WRs and TEs.

BTW i am surprised to see the krafts allow something 3rd rate appear on national tv like this. that field could have been resodded a month ago.
if the nfl wants patriots to improve that field it'll be about televidsion , not about player safety or some other such fantasy BS.

my vote is for natural grass. both vikings and packers kept good-looking grass fields in the '70s and '80s. that was/is in more extreme weather than what we have in NE. the notion that there may not be a natural turf field, in the nfl, by 2010 makes me shudder.

where's the nflpa on this? out fishing?