Little Value To The Last 2 Preseason Games

[RayClay]

I completely disagree. I don't see a well oiled machine on offense by any means. Brady and the new receivers obviously need work. I don't see our running game as an integral part of our offense. We have a completely new defensive backfield and our pass rush, if we have one, depends on new people, new looks.

As a matter of fact, with this 4-3 emphasis, the whole D has new looks. I'm fine with improving these things as the season goes on, so we don't peak early, but I'd say we're less cohesive, if more talented, than we've been in a while.

We could use a good game part of game three with starters learning their roles, and let the scrubs play in 4.

 

[Sivy]

Can we just forfeit the last two games? It'd do us more good than playing them.

why are all the quotes on the bottom?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Only he's not going to be active to take those "lesser snaps" on a 45 man gameday active roster... And if there are so called lesser snaps to be taken we have 4 guys to divide them amongst. Might work out to a carry a game apiece over the course of a season...probably a less than half that...

I have seen games where 5 RB's were active for us so while you could be right on some weeks, I wouldn't assume he won't be active. Also you're assuming the top 4 backs stay healthy throughout the course of the season to keep him off the active roster which is another heavy assumption. Just my opinion, after carrying 5 RB's last season and still needing to bring him up from the PS, I don't see why we would go with less RB's this year.

 

[mgteich]

By the same logic, we should carry at least 10 linebackers since they have been injured so often in the last four years.

I have seen games where 5 RB's were active for us so while you could be right on some weeks, I wouldn't assume he won't be active. Also you're assuming the top 4 backs stay healthy throughout the course of the season to keep him off the active roster which is another heavy assumption. Just my opinion, after carrying 5 RB's last season and still needing to bring him up from the PS, I don't see why we would go with less RB's this year.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

I have seen games where 5 RB's were active for us so while you could be right on some weeks, I wouldn't assume he won't be active. Also you're assuming the top 4 backs stay healthy throughout the course of the season to keep him off the active roster which is another heavy assumption. Just my opinion, after carrying 5 RB's last season and still needing to bring him up from the PS, I don't see why we would go with less RB's this year.

We had 5 active backs when we had Evans as a FB. Thomas fills that role now, while doubling as a TE. Law Firm doesn't do anything on STs (or if he's out there, I've yet to see him make a play.) There's too much uncertainty in the LB corps to give a firth roster spot to the RBs.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

It is not odd that Belichick knows better what he needs. IMHO, managed scrimmages with the giants would work as well as televised pre-season games to get out the rust.

I agree with you on this. Especially if BB and the Giants bring in NFL offiiclas to referee and call the scrimmage as a real scrimmage.

A lot of people talk about STs and how the last spots on the roster are for ST guys. In the controlled scrimmage you can run as many ST plays as you need to get a better read of the bubble players.

In the controlled scrimmage you can also work against another team on goal line and short yardage situations as much or as little as you desire.

The flexibility a scrimmage affords teams should appeal to BB.

 

[Spiral]

As Bill would say, the six division games are probably the most important on the schedule. I've always thought that these games should appear later in the schedule, with the first couple of games being non-conference games. This year, the Patriots will have completed 1/3 of their division schedule after the first seven days of the regular season. I think that BB will be using a good number of the starters in both of these preseason games, unlike previous years, when he gave most of his core players the last game off.

 

[cloud34]

Forget Brady and the offense...how about the defense use the pre-season games for some fundamentals...like tackling?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

By the same logic, we should carry at least 10 linebackers since they have been injured so often in the last four years.

We carried 5 RB's last year plus bringing up BJGE from the PS. So that logic has been used before with RB's. Not saying it will happen again but it's not illogical.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Oddly, or actually not so oddly, Bill doesn't agree with you. He sees quite a bit of value in all 4 pre season games, as do most NFL HC's. And I guarantee you Brady wants to see more live action before he heads to Buffalo. You simply cannot simulate live game action reps in practices or scrimmages, and there are a lot of newly acquired moving parts to this team this season that have yet to get in synch. And veterans need to re-build game stamina. The risk is balanced against the reward of being ready to compete when the bell rings and not still knocking off rust and working on timing. Brady is on record saying that perhaps if he had played last pre season things wouldn't have transpired as they did in quarter one of week one.

Why is Brady heading to Buffalo? - Because if he heads to Buffalo in week 1 while the rest of the team is in Foxboro for the MNF game,we are cooked

 

[mgteich]

We carried four running backs, not five. I am fine with carrying four running backs and a fullback (who also plays special teams). Belichick decided not to go in that direction, and presumably use Thomas and Hochstein when a fullback is needed, thus freeing up a reoster spot for the front seven defensive positions.

We carried 5 RB's last year plus bringing up BJGE from the PS. So that logic has been used before with RB's. Not saying it will happen again but it's not illogical.