Game Thoughts: This Thread has been Flagged for Pass Interference Edition

[Rob0729]

Here we go before we have to see John Parry's ugly mug again:

• Not much to complain about with the starting offense other than a really stupid mistake by a TE who wasn't on the roster five days ago, the offense was near flawless. The starting offense looks great the second game last year. So I will temper my enthusiasm. But things look good thus far.
• I know I am in the minority, but I think Patrick Chung can play a key role on this team if they limit his reps. We saw a lot of good (granted some bad) from him tonight.
• Garrapolo is showing a lot to me. He is still a rookie and still needs a lot more polishing, but he definitely has potential. I don't think the Pats have had a rookie that has played this well in his rookie preseason since Bledsoe. Not that I think he will ever be in the same stratosphere as Brady ever (Brady was buried on a deep roster with three QBs ahead of him his rookie season and wasn't given a lot of time to shine in preseason games), but he is off to a good start. Granted he was the highest drafted QB since Bledsoe. So he should be the best rookie since him.
• Where did Malcolm Butler come from (Ok, I know he came from West Alabama) and why wasn't he drafted? The guy played with the ones and did a pretty good job. Got kinda beat on the first play, but made up for it by stripping the ball.
• Browner has not impressed me at all yet. I never thought he would be the full time starter opposite Revis and the Pats would let the opponent and the scheme dictate who would start opposite Revis. But the only times I have noticed Browner in the last two games was on negative plays.
• I have to admit I underestimated Kembrell Thompkins. He got the start (although the Pats started in a three wide set). He smoked his defender on the TD. He looks good. I think now he could be David Pattern 2.0 or better.
• A little concerned about the special teams. The punting unit absolutely sucked tonight. The other units weren't a heck of a lot better.
• I was impressed with Jonas Grey tonight. We have seen RBs who looked like studs against the third teams before who never do anything in the NFL. So I am not going to get too excited, but he might be that bigger back the Pats need to replace Blount. Granted he is about as big as Ridley, not Blount.
• The flags this preseason have been pathetic. It really is sucking all the joy and flow out of the games and preseason games can be ponderous even without the flags. If they throw half the flags that they did tonight in a regular season game, it would be brutal.

 

[Marqui]

• Browner has not impressed me at all yet. I never thought he would be the full time starter opposite Revis and the Pats would let the opponent and the scheme dictate who would start opposite Revis. But the only times I have noticed Browner in the last two games was on negative plays.

Which big receptions were made on Browner? I don't really remember.

 

[Rob0729]

Which big receptions were made on Browner? I don't really remember.

He got beat on the Mark Sanchez TD that bounced out of one receiver's hand and caught by another one. It was his guy who was Sanchez's primary target, but dropped the ball.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Regarding Chung.... Ive always rooted for him but I don't like the way he gave up that TD pass. He barely competed for the ball, and the guy just stood there and had an easy catch. Chung needs to fight to knock those away. I at least want to see an effort.

At this point in his career, it should be second nature to him. He looked WAY too content to just give up that TD. I know he then tackled the guy but it was too late because it was already a TD. You gotta try to knock the ball away.

 

[Fencer]

If, as now seems likely, 6 CBs make the roster, there could be quite a few cuts among the safeties.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Butler and Tyms both came out of nowhere and can make this team. They just need to continue doing what they're doing for the next 2 weeks.

If Tyms turns out to be a viable threat at WR. We'd then have Dobson, LaFell, and Tyms all at 6'3.

Boyce seems like he isn't ready for the bright lights. In other years they would keep him around and hope he develops... but with the emergence of Tyms it's gonna be tough for Boyce to earn a spot.

Duron Harmon had another INT. Reminds me of his INT's last year. His picks are never spectacular, but he's in the right place at the right time.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I know it's early. But i am loving me some Jimmy G

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Jimmy G is the real deal. Give him a year in the system and he could probably start on a lot of teams next season.

 

[primetime]

Have to disagree on Patrick Chung, who looked putrid tonight. The same level of stench that he has exuded his entire NFL career.

Jimmy G looks like a stud. For a guy with kind of a weird short-arm motion (that get the ball out quickly), he's got quite the arm and some really great touch. Mallett has his moments but in two tries, Jimmy's put up two better preseason showings than Mallett has in his career to this point, and he did it against the Eagles starting defense.

Darius Flemming looked pretty good. Could see him winning a spot over Beauharnais, who's been completely invisible.

Ninkovich remains the most under-the-radar stud in the league. But it's not about Nink or Jones, it's about finding someone who can rotate in and keep them fresh. Still afraid that guy's not on the roster.

 

[patsox23]

Boyce is having a tough time, and I agree that in another year maybe they could stash him. Tyms will be out for the first four games, but still on the roster, so Boyce likely has some more rope. But yeah, he needs to step it up and soon.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

According to Mike Reiss, Cary Williams apologized to BB for his remarks.

THESE FLAGS HAVE GOT TO STOP!! Might as well have them play flag football!

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Boyce is having a tough time, and I agree that in another year maybe they could stash him. Tyms will be out for the first four games, but still on the roster, so Boyce likely has some more rope. But yeah, he needs to step it up and soon.

Problem is, Boyce won't get many touches in the first 4 weeks. Gronk will be back, Dobson will be back, and Boyce is also behind Edelman, Amendola, Thompkins. He will be lucky to get 4 or 5 passes thrown to him.

His time to shine is NOW and he's not taking advantage of it.

The better player will ultimately make the squad. BB and the personnel guys get to see a lot more of these players than we do. I would hate to see Boyce cut because I think he has potential, but if he isn't performing as well as Tyms is, than Tyms will take his spot.

 

[Hael]

I swear KT is wide open literally every time he has the chance. He might not be in the right place for the play at all, and he might not catch the ball or do much with it, but he is literally always open and was last year too.

Lafell is also pretty good. IMO we see KT/Dobson as the primary 3 depending on matchup and they bring in Lafell in the redzone.

Fleming was pretty good, but the rest of the backup lbs are atrocious. Again we have no pass rush outside our starters, no lb play and Forston is so bad it's painful.

 

[primetime]

Problem is, Boyce won't get many touches in the first 4 weeks. Gronk will be back, Dobson will be back, and Boyce is also behind Edelman, Amendola, Thompkins. He will be lucky to get 4 or 5 passes thrown to him.

His time to shine is NOW and he's not taking advantage of it.

The better player will ultimately make the squad. BB and the personnel guys get to see a lot more of these players than we do. I would hate to see Boyce cut because I think he has potential, but if he isn't performing as well as Tyms is, than Tyms will take his spot.

Boyce's place to make an impression is as a returner. If he doesn't, I can certainly see Tyms making it over him assuming healthy receivers come week 5.

 

[BradyBomb]

A little off topic but is anyone else LOVING Matt Chatham?

 

[deters]

Really excited about Butler and Tyms. I think both have a good chance to stick and contribute. Tyms really has a lot of upside imo, and with Dobson and Lafell he gives another large body target who can go deep and contend for jump balls.

Really disturbed by TE depth and production. I say keep 2 TE, and run Develin and reserve OL as TE's and allow us to keep another RB, WR, or CB. If all else fails, bribe the **** out of Tony G.

Mallet had a bounce back game, but Gropps is playing pretty good. If he continues to shine, I'd be comfortable trading Mallet or cutting him.

With Arrington playing safety tonight, I think Ebner is on his way out. Wilson, Chung, Harmon and Arrington/Ryan as reserves with versatility is a solid group imo.

 

[strngplyr]

With Arrington playing safety tonight, I think Ebner is on his way out. Wilson, Chung, Harmon and Arrington/Ryan as reserves with versatility is a solid group imo.

And every name listed also plays ST, which is everyones fallback argument when referring to Ebner. Ebner is going to have a very hard time sticking.

 

[BobDigital]

Some game thoughts that are negative.

#1 Offensive Line - This unit did not impress me much. The Eagles don't have the front the Redskins do and i didn't see a ton of improvement. Hopefully it gets better but right now it is not looking like a strength

#2 DE backups - No one took the 3rd spot. Smith looks done. Buchanan can't contain well enough. Moore is too raw. Maybe Easley or someone else can help this. Right now it is not good enough.

#3 TE - IDK if we are gonna carry 3 true TEs but if we are i don't know think the answer is currently on the roster. Maybe Williams will be serviceable or a FA is picked up.

#4 LBs - The backups looked bad. Not one inspired confidence. Collins/Mayo/Hightower better stay healthy.

#5 SS - No one here looks all starter level. Harmon looks to have regressed perhaps. This is something you probably can't fix and so have to work around i guess.

#6 CB - Browner/Ryan/Arrington are not making me confident in our #2. It will be good enough probably but I was hoping for more. I still believe though come playoff time a guy like Browner will prove his worth due to the way the game is called that time of year.

Basically I came out of this game having none of the concerns I had going in alleviated. Still overall they looked good.

 

[BradyBomb]

I am fully on the Garoppolo, Tyms and Butler bandwagons.

Jonas Gray showed a little something. Would like to see Belichick move him up the depth chart and see what he can do versus the 1's and 2's and see if he could be a better option then Bolden for the 5th RB spot because Bolden is on his way out in 2015 as his contract is up and Gray would be cheaper and Kraft and the Patriots are often looking to save a buck.

Fleming shows potential. Not a starter...yet, but he's worth stashing away i think.

Finch is intriguing. He's got his positives and his negatives. His explosiveness is unreal dunno how his football intelligence is though

James White...NOT THAT IMPRESSED. It's only been 2 games but all the hype on him so far and I just haven't seen it in the games so far. I know he's pretty much a lock cause of his draft status and all that but I'm not all that excited about him so far

Boyce, Ebner, Forston, Barker, Maneri, Beauharnis....CUT
Will Smith..retire. Save yourself the embarassment of being CUT.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

#2 DE backups - No one took the 3rd spot. Smith looks done. Buchanan can't contain well enough. Moore is too raw. Maybe Easley or someone else can help this. Right now it is not good enough.

Im sure they'll give it a try, but Easley has mostly done his damage inside at DT.