Eyes on the Prize - the battle of the bubble

[BradyFTW!]

"As many good TEs"? Smith has shown, to borrow a phrase from Jim Mora, diddly-poo. Watson can't hang onto the ball. The WRs, on the other hand, are making plays. Let's say, just for argument's sake, that Belichick is keeping the two vets Galloway and Lewis (along with Moss and Welker). Of the group of five players--Aiken, Edelman, Nunn, Watson, and Alex Smith--he only keeps three of them. Wouldn't you prefer he keep the first three, and not the last two? True, those back-end WRs may not be as good at blocking as Smith or Watson, but they seem to have more pass-catching potential. And the O-line has a history of pass-blocking well*, and Brady is a quick decision-maker.

*not counting the Game that Shall Not Be Named

Smith is damn good for a fourth tight end. He'd be #2 on a fair number of teams in the NFL. He has value. The whole "Watson can't hang onto the ball" thing is so overblown that at this point i pretty much just ignore anyone who keeps on maintaining it. His hands aren't great, but they're marginally below average at worst. He's developed into a sufficient blocker, he lines up as a WR in 4 receiver sets, and he's a big target in the middle. If you were expecting him to turn into Tony Gonzalez, then that's your problem, not his. And no, I wouldn't rather have Nunn, Edelman, or Lewis than Watson. Watson's better than all of those guys.

Going with 2 TEs would leave us one injury away from being unable to run 2TE formations, which is just ridiculous. Add in that Dave Thomas is our fullback now that Heath Evans is gone, and that the Pats carried an extra RB last year because a RB was a fullback then, and there's simply no way that we only carry 2 TEs. It would be about as smart as carrying 3 OTs or 3 safeties--there's just absolutely no reason to do it when the guy that you would be cutting is a legitimate NFL player. ESPECIALLY when you're talking about cutting him for a #7 WR.... wtf is your #7 WR going to do? He'll be exclusively a STer anyways, considering that we rarely have even 4 actual WRs on the field at the same time.

I'll actually flip it on you and ask you the following: What does Greg Lewis bring to the table that's so special? FWIW, I have the Pats keeping 6 WR (Moss, Welker, Galloway, Edelman, Aiken, Nunn) and 3 TE (Watson, Thomas, Baker). If Watson gets traded, then Smith makes the team.

 

[Bartmac36]

Carry the running game on his shoulders? To 3.7 ypc? THe guy is terrible.


Did you watch the game the other night? Like 2 yards per carry until NYG pulled the real players and put in the scrubs. Hes simply not good enough.

Pretty sure Maroney has had that same 2 yards per carry as BJGE whenever he has played against the ones this preseason, and he is supposed to be the starter...

 

[Fencer]

TE: Baker, Thomas, Watson, Smith. He's not keeping four. He may not even keep three.

With Hochstein and Evans both gone, we basically have 0 FBs other than the TEs. That's one reason we keep 3.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I watched the DVR replay to find out and it was Ohrnberger who flubbed a shotgun snap. But I also thought it interesting that he continued to play Center and did well, therafter. I always thought of him as a C/G tough guy anyway.

Was hilarious -- he snapped the ball right onto his own (enormous) backside. Then, IIRC, he gave up another penalty. All part of the learning (he's new to center) -- no sweat. In general, the lines did very well once the Giants' No 1 D-line was off the field.

 

[patfanken]

I'll actually flip it on you and ask you the following: What does Greg Lewis bring to the table that's so special? FWIW, I have the Pats keeping 6 WR (Moss, Welker, Galloway, Edelman, Aiken, Nunn) and 3 TE (Watson, Thomas, Baker). If Watson gets traded, then Smith makes the team.

I think you are right on the mark with your first comments, but this last one I will have to disagree. First of Lewis, right now is better than Nunn. Maybe not down the road, but for right now he is. I saw Lewis a lot in practices, and he often made the great catch and was solid on the routine ones. Secondly, I doubt that anyone would take Nun on their 53 man roster. I'm pretty sure (since KOC, I'm not absolutely sure about anything ) he'd make it to the PS. In this scenario, its like having your cake and eating it too.

 

[MVPatsfan13]

I think what has to be remembered when saying the Pats should keep Nunn is that we have Tate probably coming back in week 7. I have the Pats keeping 3 TEs (Baker, Watson, Thomas) and 6 WRs (Moss, Welker, Galloway, Aiken, Edelman, Lewis) with the Pats possibly dropping Lewis once Tate becomes available.
Think of it this way, would you rather try to get Nunn on the PS this weekend, when other young, promising WRs cut. Or would you try to sneak him on the PS in week 7, when more teams will have had injuries and are looking for decent backups.
I have these two choices because otherwise having all 4 of Nunn, Lewis, Tate, & Edelman (whos new to WR & appears to only play the slot) would mean keeping 8 WRs, which seems like too many.

Todays cuts sure will be interesting (mabye Galloway or Lewis gets the ax today?)

 

[PatsFan37]

First of Lewis, right now is better than Nunn. Maybe not down the road, but for right now he is.

Totally agree. Lewis appears to be a decent WR against NFL competition.

Secondly, I doubt that anyone would take Nun on their 53 man roster. I'm pretty sure (since KOC, I'm not absolutely sure about anything ) he'd make it to the PS. In this scenario, its like having your cake and eating it too.

This is where so many fans think OUR 3rd stringers would never make it through waivers. Sometimes they don't. Many more times no one wants our binkies crowding out their binkies who are trained in their system.

We forget sometimes that other coaches and other teams also have decent competition. Scary, isn't it, when one of the guys they cut to their practice squad plays havoc with our guys in the preseason. But it happens.

 

[PatsFan37]

I think what has to be remembered when saying the Pats should keep Nunn is that we have Tate probably coming back in week 7. I have the Pats keeping 3 TEs (Baker, Watson, Thomas) and 6 WRs (Moss, Welker, Galloway, Aiken, Edelman, Lewis) with the Pats possibly dropping Lewis once Tate becomes available.

I don't know about dropping Lewis. They traded for him to get a decent backup WR with an inexpensive long term contract. I don't think they're going to drop him to put Tate on the 53, a guy with tremendous potential but no time in camp, no time with Brady, no time to learn the system, and coming off a tough injury.

Tate is injury backup and potentially a great WR and KR in future years. If no one is hurt, Tate might go straight from PUP to IR on the 9th week.