I'll admit i was wrong - Amendola didn't work

[StrawHatPatriot]

A serious case of wishful thinking.

I knew this would happen. The 1 full season he had wasn't even under McDaniels anyway.

 

[Brady6]

I haven't disparaged anyone, I leave that up to you. I just made a factual observation.

You have to know he personally you really do nothing else could explain why a person who is normally legit poster could be acting so ridiculous about in his defense of a player that is 6 years into his NFL career and has been mediocre throughout his career.

I noticed you didn’t name any players who made the 7th year leap. You’re wrong Amendola was a poor signing, he did less for this team than Brandon Lloyd did at half the cost and they dropped him like a bad habit. You know how many catches Lloyd had in last year’s AFC Championship game – 7 receptions for 70 receiving yards, Lloyd got $4,000,000 cash received in 2012, Amendola got $8,500,000 in cash received in 2013. Amendola’s first game was not that impressive either he caught 10 passes for 104 receiving yards and 0 touchdowns – that wasn’t even news worthy for Welker and everyone acts like he broke all-time records. He ran uncovered in Pittsburg and had 2 big receptions for long yardage and had a good game in Miami but was unable to catch a catchable ball that would have given us a chance to win the game at the end when it mattered most.

Please tell me what Amendola did to earn $8,500,000 this season because in my opinion he is the biggest free agent failure since Thomas.

Any way if you’re not going to answer the questions or provide any rhyme or reason for why you believe he is going to be so good for us next year I don’t really want to keep discussing this with you because it is sort of annoying to hear a grown man make excuses for another grown man especially when that grown man made $8.5 million last year to play a kids game.

 

[Rob0729]

I still think these are two different arguments:

Argument #1
Has Amendola worked? Not yet. Maybe never. He still gets next year to turn it around whether people like it or not, but this year was a failure for what the Pats hoped he would be.

Argument #2
Was letting Welker go a mistake? I don't think so. He clearly wasn't the same player this year as he was even last year and didn't live up to the contract that the Broncos gave him. He is more of a complimentary player at this point (he is Manning's fourth option even when healthy) than a go to WR. And he isn't getting paid complimentary WR money.

Edelman ended up giving the Pats Welker-like production. Better in some ways and worse in others. But pretty close to on par on what you would get from Welker in the past. Whether he was brought back to be Welker's replacement is irrelevant to the second argument. It is relevant to the first since he became what Amendola was supposed to be which was Welker's replacement.

 

[manxman2601]

You have to know he personally you really do nothing else could explain why a person who is normally legit poster could be acting so ridiculous about in his defense of a player that is 6 years into his NFL career and has been mediocre throughout his career.

I noticed you didn’t name any players who made the 7th year leap. You’re wrong Amendola was a poor signing, he did less for this team than Brandon Lloyd did at half the cost and they dropped him like a bad habit. You know how many catches Lloyd had in last year’s AFC Championship game – 7 receptions for 70 receiving yards, Lloyd got $4,000,000 cash received in 2012, Amendola got $8,500,000 in cash received in 2013. Amendola’s first game was not that impressive either he caught 10 passes for 104 receiving yards and 0 touchdowns – that wasn’t even news worthy for Welker and everyone acts like he broke all-time records. He ran uncovered in Pittsburg and had 2 big receptions for long yardage and had a good game in Miami but was unable to catch a catchable ball that would have given us a chance to win the game at the end when it mattered most.

Please tell me what Amendola did to earn $8,500,000 this season because in my opinion he is the biggest free agent failure since Thomas.

Any way if you’re not going to answer the questions or provide any rhyme or reason for why you believe he is going to be so good for us next year I don’t really want to keep discussing this with you because it is sort of annoying to hear a grown man make excuses for another grown man especially when that grown man made $8.5 million last year to play a kids game.

I have absolutely nothing to justify. I want to wait and see what happens next year. I'm not sure what it is about that that you are failing to understand.

 

[fumbrunner]

I still think these are two different arguments:

Argument #1
Has Amendola worked? Not yet. Maybe never. He still gets next year to turn it around whether people like it or not, but this year was a failure for what the Pats hoped he would be.

Argument #2
Was letting Welker go a mistake? I don't think so. He clearly wasn't the same player this year as he was even last year and didn't live up to the contract that the Broncos gave him. He is more of a complimentary player at this point (he is Manning's fourth option even when healthy) than a go to WR. And he isn't getting paid complimentary WR money.

Edelman ended up giving the Pats Welker-like production. Better in some ways and worse in others. But pretty close to on par on what you would get from Welker in the past. Whether he was brought back to be Welker's replacement is irrelevant to the second argument. It is relevant to the first since he became what Amendola was supposed to be which was Welker's replacement.

Ok, so how did Amendola do replacing Lloyd's production? not well.
Edelman + Welker >>>Than what we have now.

Edelman could have easily improved on Lloyd's production while still maintaining Welker's yearly production.

And you can't compare Welker in Den's offense versus Welker in the Pats' offense. Completely different expectations.

 

[PattieswinSB]

If Welker signed with someone other than Denver, we would be going to New Jersey

 

[Deus Irae]

Ok, so how did Amendola do replacing Lloyd's production? not well.
Edelman + Welker >>>Than what we have now.

Edelman could have easily improved on Lloyd's production while still maintaining Welker's yearly production.

And you can't compare Welker in Den's offense versus Welker in the Pats' offense. Completely different expectations.

What's sad/funny is this:

Edelman finished with 105 receptions. Welker was ahead of Edelman's receptions pace before he got the concussions, and was way ahead in the TD numbers, yet people keep pimping Edelman's season over Welker's. Meanwhile, Welker is going to the Super Bowl with the Broncos, when him being in NE likely would have meant that he was going to the Super Bowl with the Patriots.

Even if they'd passed on Lloyd, the team could have kept Welker, still had Edelman and Amendola, and still have had the 3 rookies. Instead, they decided to play money games, and WWW is making his money while helping send the Patriots home 2 weeks early, and Amendola is making his money while putting up a donut today.

 

[Rob0729]

Ok, so how did Amendola do replacing Lloyd's production? not well.
Edelman + Welker >>>Than what we have now.

Edelman could have easily improved on Lloyd's production while still maintaining Welker's yearly production.

And you can't compare Welker in Den's offense versus Welker in the Pats' offense. Completely different expectations.

So Welker would not have slowed down because of age in New England? he runs routes slower because he plays in Denver?

Sorry, Welker most likely would not have repeated his production this year because he looks to be slowing down because of his age and the wear and tear of the position. That has nothing to do where he is playing. And probably why the rumors are that he plans to retire after the Super Bowl (well along with the concussions).

I think Edelman could have replaced Welker's production like he did this year and maybe Welker could have replaced Branch's production of a few years ago (probably 2012ish). That is probably where he is right now.

Now Welker doesn't play Branch's position and Edelman certainly doesn't play Lloyd's. It might have been an upgrade, but not significant enough to change the Pats' fortune today or even this season.

Welker just doesn't have the speed or hands anymore. He is still a good slot receiver, but nowhere an elite one.

 

[deters]

TBH after seeing how his season played out, I'd rather have kept Welker and Lloyd for the money.

Dobson, Thompkins, Minitron, Lloyd, and Welker is a pretty solid group.

The entire receiving core went to **** anyways the moment Hernandez started shooting people.

 

[Rob0729]

What's sad/funny is this:

Edelman finished with 105 receptions. Welker was ahead of Edelman's receptions pace before he got the concussions, and was way ahead in the TD numbers, yet people keep pimping Edelman's season over Welker's. Meanwhile, Welker is going to the Super Bowl with the Broncos, when him being in NE likely would have meant that he was going to the Super Bowl with the Patriots.

Even if they'd passed on Lloyd, the team could have kept Welker, still had Edelman and Amendola, and still have had the 3 rookies. Instead, they decided to play money games, and WWW is making his money while helping send the Patriots home 2 weeks early, and Amendola is making his money while putting up a donut today.

And the sad/funny thing is you know that early in the season in October after he returned from his injury the Pats tried to put Amendola in Edelman's positon and Edelman had the back up role. If the Pats knew they weren't going to get the production out of Amendola during that month or so of the season, Edelman would have had the primary guy and probably got 120-130 receptions this year.

It is a credit to Edelman that he put up Welker type numbers even though the Pats didn't use him in that role for about a month or so because they thought the other guy was better suited to replace Welker.

And you know the TD numbers are irrelevant because Manning throws far more in "x and goal" situations than Brady and the Pats rarely use their slot receiver as a target in goalline situations like Manning does. Different offenses.

Edelman had six TDs during the regular season which matched Welker's TD number last year with the Pats.

 

[Deus Irae]

TBH after seeing how his season played out, I'd rather have kept Welker and Lloyd for the money.

Dobson, Thompkins, Minitron, Lloyd, and Welker is a pretty solid group.

The entire receiving core went to **** anyways the moment Hernandez started shooting people.

For all the crying about Lloyd and how he was a disappointment we've seen on this board, his numbers in 2012 were comparable to the combination of Thompkins/Dobson in 2013, and in 8 fewer games.

 

[Sciz]

TBH after seeing how his season played out, I'd rather have kept Welker and Lloyd for the money.

Dobson, Thompkins, Minitron, Lloyd, and Welker is a pretty solid group.

The entire receiving core went to **** anyways the moment Hernandez started shooting people.

Lloyd's situation had nothing to do with money. It was because the guy has mental problems and preferred to act in a zombie movie than play football for any team.

 

[MTM558]

All the Amendola hate... but did you guys see Welker this year? He is clearly on the decline.

 

[Rob0729]

If Welker signed with someone other than Denver, we would be going to New Jersey

Yeah, because he knocked out Talib. Not because of his production on the field.
He was not a factor in the receiving game today (4 catches for 38 yards).

 

[IcyPatriot]

If Amendola misses most of next season injured I will agree.

But I still think he played very hurt most of the season ...

Jury is out for me on this one ... I don't think having Welker would have changed today's game so really to me this is a discussion for going forward ... not really one for today except if Danny had been healthy.

 

[fumbrunner]

Welker just doesn't have the speed or hands anymore. He is still a good slot receiver, but nowhere an elite one.

I fail to see how you can make that conclusion. He came through last year at his normal elite level in THIS offense. Earlier in the year, he was on pace to beat Moss' TD record with the Broncos until the injuries hit.

Did he have one, two, five years left? Who know. But I do know that Brady doesn't have more than a couple years left given recent performances and yet we let his number one weapon go to one of the few teams that could knock them off in the AFC.

The fact of the matter is the team would have been stronger this year, next year, and possibly beyond with Welker in the slot and Edelman on the outside.

 

[deters]

Lloyd's situation had nothing to do with money. It was because the guy has mental problems and preferred to act in a zombie movie than play football for any team.

For the money he was getting, we got a pretty good deal. He would have been a factor more than Amendola imo. Sure he was a little odd and f'd in the head, but he was cheap and good enough to help the team.


Dobson Welker Minitron Lloyd with Vereen in the backfield would be pretty damn good. Plus adding Gronk back into that mix would have been a very good offense.

 

[Rob0729]

I fail to see how you can make that conclusion. He came through last year at his normal elite level in THIS offense. Earlier in the year, he was on pace to beat Moss' TD record with the Broncos until the injuries hit.

Did he have one, two, five years left? Who know. But I do know that Brady doesn't have more than a couple years left given recent performances and yet we let his number one weapon go to one of the few teams that could knock them off in the AFC.

The fact of the matter is the team would have been stronger this year, next year, and possibly beyond with Welker in the slot and Edelman on the outside.

Anyone who watches Welker will tell you that he is slower this year than last year. It is pretty apparent. Speed is not a system thing. He doesn't run slower because he is in a different offense.

The guy is almost 33 years old and has taken a lot of abuse over the years. Deion Branch's speed fell off the cliff when he was 32-33 and he didn't take nearly the abuse. It happens to a lot of smaller receivers who play over the middle. Their careers tend to be shorter because of all the hits.

And his drops have been a problem for a few years.

This team would have finished 12-4 and lost in the AFCCG with or without Welker this year. Any game where he would have made a difference on the offense, the Pats won in other ways.

And I think Welker will be playing his last game on February 2nd. So he isn't going to help anyone next year. And if he plays, the Pats can re-sign him because I doubt the Broncos keep him next year with a $6 million price tag.

 

[PattieswinSB]

Yeah, because he knocked out Talib. Not because of his production on the field.
He was not a factor in the receiving game today (4 catches for 38 yards).

The Broncos don't have HFA if Welker wasn't there.

 

[Rob0729]

The Broncos don't have HFA if Welker wasn't there.

I think they do. They have enough receivers to cover for his absence. Other than the second Chargers game, they didn't miss him when he went out with a concussion and I don't even know if they would have won with him.

Besides, they had a very soft schedule playing the AFC South and NFC East (both division were far worse than expected). And they lost to the Pats and Colts with Welker.

And let's not forget, if Welker wasn't fielding punts against the Pats, the Pats could have lost against Denver or tied. Welker played a big role in the Pats' win.