Jake Ballard - Difference Maker Next Year

[RI Patriots fan]

I truly believe that having that 3rd TE who can be a receiving threat will make a world of difference next season. Assuming he heals up, I think Ballard will help make our TE line-up the best of all time.

Ballard is big and strong and isn't afraid to put his head down to gain more yards. Although he isn't fast, he has the ability to run decent routes to get open. I think Brady will love the way he catches the ball.....running catches, diving catches, and he's never fumbled the ball.

Here's his youtube video and I have a feeling some of his catches might bring back some bad memories. But just remember....he's playing for the good guys now.


Jake Ballard Highlights - YouTube

 

[PatriotsInGA]

I can already see the dream formation next season. Brady under center, Ridley in the backfield, Gronk and Ballard on the ends of the line, and Welker and Hernandez spread wide.

This offense will be one of the best of all-time next season.

 

[Sciz]

I just hope he doesn't get a chance to be too much of a difference maker, if you know what I mean.

 

[ausbacker]

I just hope he doesn't get a chance to be too much of a difference maker, if you know what I mean.

It hasn't taken long for endofseasonitis to take hold has it?

 

[SammyBlueCat]

If his knee has healed and and plays like he did during the highlight video, he will save some wear & tear on Gronk.

 

[ivanvamp]

I can already see the dream formation next season. Brady under center, Ridley in the backfield, Gronk and Ballard on the ends of the line, and Welker and Hernandez spread wide.

This offense will be one of the best of all-time next season.

The offense was one of the best of all-time *this* season.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

The offense was one of the best of all-time *this* season.

Based on what? Points and yards? Between the Seattle, Arizona, and Baltimore games, I find that statement very hard to agree with.

 

[Sciz]

Based on what? Points and yards? Between the Seattle, Arizona, and Baltimore games, I find that statement very hard to agree with.

Third most points in a season

 

[ivanvamp]

Based on what? Points and yards? Between the Seattle, Arizona, and Baltimore games, I find that statement very hard to agree with.

Points scored.
Yards gained.
3rd down conversion rate.
DVOA.

What metric do you want to use? Pretty much by any measure they were one of the best offenses of all time.

The 2007 Patriots were *the* best offense of all time, and yet they had plenty of games where they didn't produce a ton of points:

20 points in week 15 vs. the Jets
21 points in the AFCCG vs. the Chargers
14 points in the Super Bowl vs. the Giants

In those three games, the highest scoring offense in history averaged 18.3 ppg. In the three games you mentioned above, the 2012 Patriots averaged 18.0 ppg.

So I fail to see your point.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If his knee has healed and and plays like he did during the highlight video, he will save some wear & tear on Gronk.

Heck, if he keeps GRONK off STs. . . .

 

[SHOWTIME15]

the players who are on the field have to execute better. it doesn't matter who the personell is if they don't do their job. would jake ballard have made a difference this year against the ravens? no, the team as a whole didn't play well. brady was missing passes, welker dropping balls, bad coaching, etc. so all this talk of getting revis, signing bowe, or inserting ballard into the lineup is pointless unless the team executes in a way it hasn't in the past 8 years. in big games these guys simply don't want to rise up and meet the challenge - they play tight and timid.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

the players who are on the field have to execute better. it doesn't matter who the personell is if they don't do their job. would jake ballard have made a difference this year against the ravens? no, the team as a whole didn't play well. brady was missing passes, welker dropping balls, bad coaching, etc. so all this talk of getting revis, signing bowe, or inserting ballard into the lineup is pointless unless the team executes in a way it hasn't in the past 8 years. in big games these guys simply don't want to rise up and meet the challenge - they play tight and timid.

Go away Mr Sunshine

 

[VJCPatriot]

Heck, if he keeps GRONK off STs. . . .

lol yeah that would be nice. if only we could take back that meaningless extra point injury.

ballard gives us depth that we need. shiancoe and fells have done nothing even with opportunities shown their way.

 

[SacPete1]

I am so on board with the thought have another TE who is a good blocker and a decent receiver which really fits Ballard. If healthy, I see a new formation with he and Gronk along with Hernandez (WR = Lloyd) which would offer simply another formation/player grouping that would require a heavy defense.
Blocking from our TE's with Gronk out of the lineup was average at best and was really evident in the Baltimore game.

 

[patsfan13]

Fells was supposed to back up Gronk and was a disappointment this year. Ballard if healthy will fill that role nicely, Hooman will be the backup for AH. The TE position will be very solid going forward.

 

[DarrylStingley]

Fells was supposed to back up Gronk and was a disappointment this year. Ballard if healthy will fill that role nicely, Hooman will be the backup for AH. The TE position will be very solid going forward.

Yep. I don't see Ballard being a huge difference maker but having a solid third TE in this offense, and really more of a classic TE than Hernandez, will be nothing but positive.

If he's in fact a huge plus for the Pats offense, the pain and aggravation that it will cause Tom Coughlin and Giants fans will be nothing but glorious. Never ending pleasure. Sportsgasm. :rocker:

 

[DocHoliday]

He's huge but so damn slow.

He's literally an O-lineman running around the field. Interesting to note that some scouts said he could be an offensive lineman.

 

[Fencer]

If he were THAT good, wouldn't he still be a Giant?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If he were THAT good, wouldn't he still be a Giant?

For reasons I cannot understand, the Giants put him on IR too early in the offseason, which required them to expose him to waivers first. [IR still counts as one of the 90 roster spots, so it wouldn't have given them a roster spot.]

And dangling a TE with 38 catches for 600 yards was just begging Belichick to put in a waiver claim.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

I think some posters are underestimating just how good Ballard is as a TE. He had more yards (604 versus 563,546) and a better YPC average (15.9 versus 13.0,12.5) than both Gronk and Hern his first year.

Our TEs also missed a combined 11 games last year, so that means we didn't have a second quality TE for most of the season.

If you include the Cardinals game and the playoff loss to Baltimore (since Gron and Hern were both out at the very beginning of each game) 4 out of our 5 losses have come when either Gronk or Hern weren't playing. The one loss we have when they were both playin was in Seattle with a less than healthy Hern.

I think having a number 1 TE (and yes, he is clearly a number 1 TE) like Ballard to back up Gronk and Hern will make a huge difference next year on the offense. The odds are very likely that both TEs will not be healthy all 16 games (Hern has missed 10 games in 3 seasons).

I really believe that we will see the greatest TE line-up of all time next year and I believe it will make all the difference.