Crazy Thing- This Game Comes Down to Two Rookies

[jays52]

Aaron Dobson and Jamie Collins. Just throwing this out there. Discuss

 

[dales804]

I think that's oversimplifying it a bit. What if Dobson doesn't play? Then does the game come down to one rookie? What about Logan Ryan? What if he has two picks? What about Chandler Jones? What if he is a beast of Sunday and forces two fumbles? What if Brady throws four picks? There are other factors. While those two could play a role that decides the game, there are other players who will assuredly make just as big of an impact.

 

[patsinthesnow]

On offense, we could still light up the scoreboard if Dobson doesn't play/underperforms.

On defense, I agree Collins play will be a huge factor. IF Collins can play 1 on 1 on Julius Thomas effectively without help, that would give us great flexibility on defense.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Need Dobson to make a couple key catches to keep their defense honest.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think that's oversimplifying it a bit. What if Dobson doesn't play? Then does the game come down to one rookie? What about Logan Ryan? What if he has two picks? What about Chandler Jones? What if he is a beast of Sunday and forces two fumbles? What if Brady throws four picks? There are other factors. While those two could play a role that decides the game, there are other players who will assuredly make just as big of an impact.

It comes down to our 46 active players executing better and making more plays than their 46 active players.

But with that said, I expect Collins in particular to be a huge factor. The light has finally gone on, and he is not just making plays, he is playing fundamentally sound and technically good football. With his absurd athleticism, that bodes very well for making an impact. Look at his technique covering Coby Fleener last week:

Man he looks like a DB the way he bumps Fleener, flips his hips, and keeps perfect distance from him, using his arm to maintain feel while looking back for the ball. Jonathan Wilhite never played with that kind of technique for us. Collins may not dominate in all 3 phases every game the way he did last week, but now that the light seems to have gone on I think he'll play at a very high level week in and week out.

I'm not so sure about Dobson, mainly because of his health and rustiness. If he can go and play anything like he was earlier this year, it will open things up tremendously for the rest of the offense in both the running and passing game. Bring up a safety to deal with Blount and Dobson can burn you deep, or at least stretch the field enough to open things up for Edelman and Amendola. But whether he can play at that level is not clear at the moment.

 

[primetime]

Considering the first game came down to a punt bouncing off a player's helmet and Nate Ebner recovering it, any player could be the ultimate deciding factor.

 

[VrabelJr]

This is a huge oversimplification.

 

[everlong]

I could watch that all day and must have watched it a dozen times in a trance. That is some sweet LB coverage.

 

[SunsOutGunsOut]

I can't even count on Dobson to make a critical 3rd down catch, and your asking me to count on him as a key contributor for this game .. ??

 

[JackBauer]

All I can say is there's quite a few people who are looking at heaping piles of Jamie Collins-flavored crow right now.

Jay, tell us some more of your thoughts/observations on Collins and Dobson...c'mon, that OP is a tease.

 

[varjao]

I think Dobson's main job will be demand coverage and opening things.

I'm more curious to watch Collins and Hightower.

 

[manxman2601]

I could watch that all day and must have watched it a dozen times in a trance. That is some sweet LB coverage.

It is a thing of beauty. Are we sure that says 91 on his chest and not 31?

 

[PatsFan2]

I love Jamie Collins and his athletic ability but Coby Fleener is nowhere as explosive as Julius Thomas. Can Collins turn it up a notch we hope but a of right now I woud prefer McCourty on J. Thomas, McCourty has CB speed he should be able to shut down J. Thomas one on one of course that leaves our outside CB's on a Island. If we win those one on one Match-ups on Defense we have a Great chance of winning this game. Denver does alot of damge over the middle, I think it would be best to play two man under over the Slots.

 

[manxman2601]

I love Jamie Collins and his athletic ability but Coby Fleener is nowhere as explosive as Julius Thomas. Can Collins turn it up a notch we hope but a of right now I woud prefer McCourty on J. Thomas, McCourty has CB speed he should be able to shut down J. Thomas one on one of course that leaves our outside CB's on a Island. If we win those one on one Match-ups on Defense we have a Great chance of winning this game. Denver does alot of damge over the middle, I think it would be best to play two man under over the Slots.

Coby Fleener's pro day:

Multiple reports had Fleener running in the mid-4.4s in the forty. ESPN’s Todd McShay had Fleener at 4.45, and so did CBS’ Bruce Feldman.

Coby Fleener creates buzz at Stanford Pro Day | ProFootballTalk

That's faster than Thomas (4.64) and Fleener had a better 10 yard split too (1.56 to 1.62). At the very least they're as explosive as each other but Fleener does look to have the edge.

 

[Sicilian]

I love Jamie Collins and his athletic ability but Coby Fleener is nowhere as explosive as Julius Thomas. Can Collins turn it up a notch we hope but a of right now I woud prefer McCourty on J. Thomas, McCourty has CB speed he should be able to shut down J. Thomas one on one of course that leaves our outside CB's on a Island. If we win those one on one Match-ups on Defense we have a Great chance of winning this game. Denver does alot of damge over the middle, I think it would be best to play two man under over the Slots.

I definitely think Collins will get his fair share of help on Thomas, especially on mid range 3rd down plays. I don't want Collins playing strictly coverage anyway. Even though you don't want to Blitz Manning often, I do want to see Collins used as a rusher a few times to give Peyton one more thing to think about.

 

[dales804]

I definitely think Collins will get his fair share of help on Thomas, especially on mid range 3rd down plays. I don't want Collins playing strictly coverage anyway. Even though you don't want to Blitz Manning often, I do want to see Collins used as a rusher a few times to give Peyton one more thing to think about.

Collins had a great rush on Manning in the November game. I believe it was a third down play and the Pats blitzed up the middle and just overpowered DEN's blockers. Manning had to get rid of it in about a second.

 

[PatsFan2]

Coby Fleener's pro day:



Coby Fleener creates buzz at Stanford Pro Day | ProFootballTalk

That's faster than Thomas (4.64) and Fleener had a better 10 yard split too (1.56 to 1.62). At the very least they're as explosive as each other but Fleener does look to have the edge.

manman I am sure that was with the pads off he doesn't play as fast his timed speed Fleener looks like he lumbers to me. Contrast that with J. Thomas who plays alot faster than his timed speed.

 

[manxman2601]

manman I am sure that was with the pads off he doesn't play as fast his timed speed Fleener looks like he lumbers to me. Contrast that with J. Thomas who plays alot faster than his timed speed.

Well, pads off, Jamie Collins has the speed to handle both. It's not the respective athleticism that worries me when it comes to putting Collins on Thomas, it's just a question of experience.

 

[Kontradiction]

Dobson at least ensures that the Broncos have to dedicate a CB to him, probably in off man due to his potential to get downfield vs. our other WR's. Two things...

1. If he's healthy, he has the ability to torch whomever the Broncos stick on him given their situation in the secondary.

2. If he's not fully healthy, he'll at the very least provide relief for guys like Edelman, Amendola, and Vereen to work the short and intermediate areas of the field.

What I'm wondering is just how much they plan to motion Vereen out of the backfield and split him out wide in this game.

 

[jays52]

All I can say is there's quite a few people who are looking at heaping piles of Jamie Collins-flavored crow right now.

Jay, tell us some more of your thoughts/observations on Collins and Dobson...c'mon, that OP is a tease.

I got overly caffeinated and excited this morning, pulled out a note pad and jotted down some chicken scratch. In the weeds now but will post something comprehensive with pics as soon as I get an hour.

btw, good to e-interact with you again, man!