Lets Speculate: Why did Gabe get benched after the fumble?

[PATSNUTme]

Other players have fumbled, even in key situations, and have not been benched. So, why did Gabe get benched?

We probably will never know so here is my speculation. I think that coaching staff noticed how he was carrying the ball after a reception. I think that he was told about it and told to change it. I think that he was being watched and reminded in practice.

But, on that play he reverted back to his old ways and that is why he was benched. I really can't think of any other reason.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

 

[BelichickFan]

I don't have a clue. God knows Faulk must have been told to quit fumbling but they keep putting him out there. Last year's Denver game was the last straw for me with him. I guess we'll see on Sunday with Gabriel. Will he be out there or will Gaffney.

 

[Tunescribe]

Other players have fumbled, even in key situations, and have not been benched. So, why did Gabe get benched?

We probably will never know so here is my speculation. I think that coaching staff noticed how he was carrying the ball after a reception. I think that he was told about it and told to change it. I think that he was being watched and reminded in practice.

But, on that play he reverted back to his old ways and that is why he was benched. I really can't think of any other reason.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

There had to have been a significant history behind it, a very serious history I would think. But even then it doesn't make much sense (on the surface at least) to bench one of our top wideouts for the rest of the game. It'll be interesting to see how much he plays this week or if Gaffney gets more reps in his place.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

My theory remains that it was essentially a try out game where Belichick worked everybody into the game on both sides of the ball and didn't rotate players in or out during the actual game quarters but stuck with personnel groups. He gave Gaffney a look as well as Gabriel.

But if he truly benched Gabriel, than it was a cumulation of this week and last week. After all, Gabriel hasn't been too productive lately, along with the entire offense.

I really haven't seen any evidence to suggest that Belichick did anything other than try all his personnel packages in the one game they thought they could get away with it.

 

[PATSNUTme]

My theory remains that it was essentially a try out game where Belichick worked everybody into the game on both sides of the ball and didn't rotate players in or out during the actual game quarters but stuck with personnel groups. He gave Gaffney a look as well as Gabriel.

But if he truly benched Gabriel, than it was a cumulation of this week and last week. After all, Gabriel hasn't been too productive lately, along with the entire offense.

I really haven't seen any evidence to suggest that Belichick did anything other than try all his personnel packages in the one game they thought they could get away with it.

I believe that Gabe has had 24 catches 340 yards and 3 TD's. That is being as productive as Branch is in Seattle.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

No way I buy the trying out the groupings (or early season rope a dope) theory. This was a division game with troubling consequences in the absence of a W. And BB has never taken any opponent lightly.

My best guess would be that Gabriel while talented perhaps doesn't get the significance of the precision and discipline this offense also demands. He made a few comments about a month ago that led me to believe he thought the degree of difficulty argument wasn't resonating with him. He did after all come up in the Raiders system which was basically that guy behind center is gonna throw it up and your job is to go get the ball. That's a talent trumps system attitude that just isn't gonna fly here - even it you are making some plays as a result.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I believe that Gabe has had 24 catches 340 yards and 3 TD's. That is being as productive as Branch is in Seattle.

Lately, as in since the Colts game.

I think Belichick was trying to play everybody to see who works best. I seriously doubt that Gaffney has won the job over Gabriel.

I seriously think that he will be playing again next week, even if he needed some bench time to think about what he may be doing wrong.

He is a hard worker, and if he needs to be corrected once in a while, he will get it straight.

 

[PATSNUTme]

It was noticable watching the replay that Gabe was carrying the ball high and away from his body. Not in a good position to protect the ball.

But, I don't know if this was a habit for him on Oakland. But carrying the ball that way is not what BB wants, I'm sure of that.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

It was noticable watching the replay that Gabe was carrying the ball high and away from his body. Not in a good position to protect the ball.

But, I don't know if this was a habit for him on Oakland. But carrying the ball that way is not what BB wants, I'm sure of that.

He has been doing that all year. So it could be annoying the coaches.

Perhaps his lack of production these last two games is a result of Brady not looking to him as much. Brady doesn't care for it when players don't know their routes. Brady is usually on the same page as the O.C. about the WRs running sharp routes.

I think they must have felt that Gaffney earned an opportunity or they wouldn't have felt okay to bench Gabriel in the middle of the game. That was why I felt that they were trying out some personnel changes on offense. I can't believe that Gaffney would be out on the field unless they felt comfortable that he would do alright in Gabriel's place. I don't think it was entirely spur of the moment decision making, but more of a pre-emptive strike. The immediate cause may have been the fumble, but I would think that they have been watching Gabriel and Gaffney closely in practice.

I doubt that they just decided to bench Gabriel out of the blue after the fumble, with no pre-meditated back up plan.

 

[belichickaholic]

It could be as simple as belicick implementing a new rule to cut down on the fumbles. If you fumble your out of the game, no matter the opponent or the score. Fumble and your done till next week.

I don't remember seeing dillon playing after he fumbled in the Indy game. I could be wrong though. But I don't remember seeing him in there.

Just a theory.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Because he is a B@#$#. He is a pedistrian reciever like Caldwell and Brady probably recommended it. I would be fed up if I were a QB when my reciever is so damn carless with the football. Maybe Gabriel should cut his damn hair so then he can see when DB's are running on the side of him.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

It could be as simple as belicick implementing a new rule to cut down on the fumbles. If you fumble your out of the game, no matter the opponent or the score. Fumble and your done till next week.


Just a theory.

I doubt it. There are fumbles, and there are fumbles. If one defender "holds you up" while another 300 pounder with the hand strength of a bear reaches from your blind side and strips the ball, not much you can do except kick the dirt and go to the sideline. Or, if you're going down amid a bunch of defenders, and they're all trying to strip, tough luck. But if you carry the ball like the old loaf of bread, or hot dog the ball out there for anybody to swipe away, then they should bench your ass. I assume Gabriel's was more of the latter, but not blatant? Didn't get a good look at it.

 

[BostonBullit]

new guy here but I have a thread on this topic over on the boston.com pats forum. I noticed that this is the third time this season that a player hasn't returned to the game after a fumble - caldwell a few games ago (denver?), dillon against indy, and now gabriel against the jets. and when dillon was pulled vs indy he was the better performing back against their D, there was no reason for him not to be in the game other than the fact that he just lost the ball. taken seperately you might be able to say this guy was tired or that guy ticked the staff off but if you take a look at how players who've fumbled have been treated on the whole this season there's a good indication that Coach B has implemented a lose the ball and lose your playing time policy. maybe the playoff game at mile high was when the idea came about, while he watched fumble after fumble after fumble

I really hope I'm wrong, and NO I don't have any business judging BB or any of the Pats staff (except maybe McDanials) but I'm not a fan of these types of policies, especially if they result in the best tool for the job being left in the toolbox to make a point

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

new guy here but I have a thread on this topic over on the boston.com pats forum. I noticed that this is the third time this season that a player hasn't returned to the game after a fumble - caldwell a few games ago (denver?), dillon against indy, and now gabriel against the jets. and when dillon was pulled vs indy he was the better performing back against their D, there was no reason for him not to be in the game other than the fact that he just lost the ball. taken seperately you might be able to say this guy was tired or that guy ticked the staff off but if you take a look at how players who've fumbled have been treated on the whole this season there's a good indication that Coach B has implemented a lose the ball and lose your playing time policy. maybe the playoff game at mile high was when the idea came about, while he watched fumble after fumble after fumble

I really hope I'm wrong, and NO I don't have any business judging BB or any of the Pats staff (except maybe McDanials) but I'm not a fan of these types of policies, especially if they result in the best tool for the job being left in the toolbox to make a point

As long as Kevin Faulk gets benched when he fumbles, I'm happy.

 

[sieglo]

new guy here but I have a thread on this topic over on the boston.com pats forum. I noticed that this is the third time this season that a player hasn't returned to the game after a fumble - caldwell a few games ago (denver?), dillon against indy, and now gabriel against the jets. and when dillon was pulled vs indy he was the better performing back against their D, there was no reason for him not to be in the game other than the fact that he just lost the ball. taken seperately you might be able to say this guy was tired or that guy ticked the staff off but if you take a look at how players who've fumbled have been treated on the whole this season there's a good indication that Coach B has implemented a lose the ball and lose your playing time policy. maybe the playoff game at mile high was when the idea came about, while he watched fumble after fumble after fumble

I really hope I'm wrong, and NO I don't have any business judging BB or any of the Pats staff (except maybe McDanials) but I'm not a fan of these types of policies, especially if they result in the best tool for the job being left in the toolbox to make a point

Apparently Brady doesn't get benched when he fumbles.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Last time Faulk fumbled I believe he remained in the game. And I don't think BB would have benched Dillon for his fumble because it is a little different when you are in a pile going to the ground with bodies keeping you from getting a knee down and guys doing whatever it takes to get that sucker away or loosen your grip.

FWIW Felger today said that Gabriel hasn't been talking to media but Buckley (leave it to the baseball geek) apparently approached him the other day in the locker room and just flat out asked if he was angry about being benched. His terse response was "just write what you think". Felger said if he was taking it constructively he might have responded differently. This sounded like he was not a very happy camper. That's a risk BB runs with these new guys especially. Will it motivate him to show us all, or disenchant him to the point he looses interest. In Oakland the tough love routine and discipline was always a hard sell.

 

[captain stone]

Intelligence, discipline, awareness and reliability are words not found in Doug Gabriel's scouting report. That such things have come to pass does not surprise. The trade for him was made out of desperation; so now another 5th-round draft pick has been wasted. It will be up to Jabar Gaffney, Chad Jackson, Reche Caldwell and Troy Brown to provide the consistency so critically vital to the success of the passing philosophy of BB, as practiced by TB.

P.S.: If the FO had held his feet to the fire, Meion the Twig would be in uniform this weekend. Pity.

P.P.S.: The site is a LOT faster now. Thanks, Ian. And for the B-Day E-Mail, too.

 

[BelichickFan]

P.S.: If the FO had held his feet to the fire, Meion the Twig would be in uniform this weekend. Pity.

While it's tempting to think that way, it would make me sick to root that that jerk.

 

[captain stone]

While it's tempting to think that way, it would make me sick to root that that jerk.

I smell what you're cooking, but I usually root for the name on the front of, not the back of, the jersey. Usually. It is our good fortune that there have been so few bad eggs in the Patriots' basket over the last 5+ years. Rooting for the player has been as easy as rooting for the team. I certainly would not want to face the moral dilemna of a Ravens' or Bengals' fan, for instance. And I definitely would not show the Twig any personal love after a catch; I would show him the silent treatment, instead.

 

[BelichickFan]

I smell what you're cooking, but I usually root for the name on the front of, not the back of, the jersey. Usually. It is our good fortune that there have been so few bad eggs in the Patriots' basket over the last 5+ years. Rooting for the player has been as easy as rooting for the team. I certainly would not want to face the moral dilemna of a Ravens' or Bengals' fan, for instance. And I definitely would not show the Twig any personal love after a catch; I would show him the silent treatment, instead.

Yeah, I'm a team not a player guy - it's almost impossible to be otherwise in this era. But I'm almost sure I couldn't root for a guy wearing a Patriots' jersey who had just sat out 10 games - although the realization he'd be playing for free might move me off that stance