My random thoughts on the game

[Ring 6]

I think they are playing rope a dope with Maroney...keep him fresh and don't let teams see any recent film of him. He is a known quantity at this point and keeping him fresh is a good thing. I have a feeling he is still the lead back on the team regardless of how things look in camp.

I'm having a hard time seeing how anyone can draw a different conclusion that the pecking order is exactly the same as last year. Maroney and Taylor will split the RB job about equally. Morris is there to sub in if needed, play FB, backup Faulk maybe run in short yardage. Faulk is Faulk. BJGE is on the bubble but a guy who could fill in at some level for any of those 4 spots, and play a few special teams if he is active.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't have Aiken making the team.



Answer? Just about nothing.

Its easy for us to overlook from the WR position, but he is a good blocker.
Given that his role would be s/ts he could certanly see the field at WR in running situations. I believe last year the run/pass ratio with Aiken on the field was skewed quite a bit to the run. Not saying we run because he is in, but he is on the field in situations where we are more likely to run.
Not the most exciting quality in a WR, bit one that helps the team nonetheless, and if he is an active s/ter anyway, its a free bonus.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Arrington is superior to both Wheatley and Wilhite in my opinion.

At what??

Delivering "Big Hits"? I would agree.

But most of the time they miss and Clock our own guys. If he were covering in the first place, the WR would not have caught the ball, for which Arrington gets a running ten yard start to deliver his usually mis-aimed "Big Hit". If he could cover, he wouldn't be ten yards away.

If you have room, & can keep him as the seventh ST only keeper. (LS, PK, P, Aiken, Woods, Slater and then Arrington)

But Save our Secondary! Keep him out of mis-coverage. And our own DBs off IR!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

On that last TD celebration, is it me, or does Gronk make even Hernandez look puny by comparison?

 

[AzPatsFan]

I think that Arrington is a lock on this team, while Aiken is fighting for his life, in all honesty. That being said, has anyone noticed who has been the personal protector on the punting unit? Has it only been AIKEN? Or has someone else been there?

Apparently you missed Aiken take out three guys on Sammy Morris TD run. He blocked one into the other, and both then fell backward and impeded the third.

And he helped on Fred Taylor's TD run too. But that was mostly Fred's singular doing. Sorry the Captain stays.

And the out-of-control missile flips Hamburgers...

 

[Calciumee]

I want to watch the game Stupid falling asleep

 

[Patspsycho]

And he helped on Fred Taylor's TD run too. But that was mostly Fred's singular doing. Sorry the Captain stays.

He wasn't even on the field. Three things happened to help Taylor's TD. Crumpler was the lead block on the 3 hole that sprung Taylor. Babineux blocked his own FS (DeCloud) and Moss had a key push/block on his man (Franks) which sent him tumbling into the other pursuing CB, Grimes, who fell.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

He wasn't even on the field. Three things happened to help Taylor's TD. Crumpler was the lead block on the 3 hole that sprung Taylor. Babineux blocked his own FS (DeCloud) and Moss had a key push/block on his man (Franks) which sent him tumbling into the other pursuing CB, Grimes, who fell.

BB likes versatility. Moss at LG?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

He wasn't even on the field. Three things happened to help Taylor's TD. Crumpler was the lead block on the 3 hole that sprung Taylor. Babineux blocked his own FS (DeCloud) and Moss had a key push/block on his man (Franks) which sent him tumbling into the other pursuing CB, Grimes, who fell.

And Edelman knocked a CB out of the way to finish opening that hole.

 

[Deus Irae]

BB likes versatility. Moss at LG?

Can he rush the passer?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Can he rush the passer?

Sigh. We're THAT desperate!

 

[Julius]

I see this as a reasonable observation after having given up a couple grabs to one of the best TEs who has ever played the game.

Really now, I know it takes time to become a great all around LB, but Mayo never makes a play on the ball in the air. Can anyone remember seeing him bat down a ball or make a interception?

 

[shmessy]

Anyone know if I can watch extended highlights of the game anywhere?

I went to the Liverpool game last night; and stopped at my brothers, so I didn't get chance to watch.

Hey, we all choose our priorities

 

[Snake Eyes]

Cassel is stinking it up in KC.

How do you think Brady or Hoyer would be doing in KC right now? The team simply sucks, you can't expect too much from a QB when he's got as litle protection as Cassel does. Dan Marino looked rather bad and uncomfortable when he was getting gang-raped in Superbowl against the 49ers.

 

[DaBruinz]

Apparently you missed Aiken take out three guys on Sammy Morris TD run. He blocked one into the other, and both then fell backward and impeded the third.

And he helped on Fred Taylor's TD run too. But that was mostly Fred's singular doing. Sorry the Captain stays.

And the out-of-control missile flips Hamburgers...

Dude - Arrington was the Pats BEST Special Teamer last year, BAR NONE. Your over-exaggeration of his play is just that. Over-exaggeration. Typical of someone who just doesn't like a player. You've offered nothing in regards to actual breakdown, like if Arrington was playing soft cover, zone, or Man.

Aiken will be lucky to make the team.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Tony Eason looked rather bad and uncomfortable when he was getting gang-raped in Superbowl against the Bears.

Fixed it for you. Marino was 29/50 318 yds 1 Td, 2 int in the Super Bowl. Not great but there have been worse performances by far......

 

[PatsFan37]

On the other hand, it's very obvious to see that Hoyer has the proper abilities, and it is plain to see, again IMO, for what it's worth, that he has truly studied and listened to Tom Brady, and maybe even Bill O'Brien because he really looks good enough that, if he had to go into a game, that he could get the job done in fine fashion.

I would have no qualms with him in there with the rest of the starters.....

What always concerns me with backup QBs is hanging a WR out to dry. High passes over the middle or leading a WR into a collision. I don't remember seeing any of that last night. He's developing nicely.

 

[Patspsycho]

Really now, I know it takes time to become a great all around LB, but Mayo never makes a play on the ball in the air. Can anyone remember seeing him bat down a ball or make a interception?

Mayo is a very cerebral player, I don't think we'll see him doing much of that, but what we'll see him doing a lot is calling the D or audibling out of something. He has been doing a magnificent job of doing that. I think Spikes and Mayo compliment each other greatly. One is very intellectual, the other very instinctual. If you watched the D after Mayo came out, there was a steep drop off in how we adjusted out of the called sets.

Everyone is getting excited about Spikes, but the true brains and heart of this D is Mayo. His game-calling through two games has been impeccable.

 

[RayClay]

Casale was/is more of an Alice, he/she/it just used Alison because it sounded more pretentious. :snob:

He plays the Elvis Costello song while he primps in front of the mirror trying to get into each character.

He's a method poster.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Its easy for us to overlook from the WR position, but he is a good blocker. Given that his role would be s/ts he could certanly see the field at WR in running situations. I believe last year the run/pass ratio with Aiken on the field was skewed quite a bit to the run. Not saying we run because he is in, but he is on the field in situations where we are more likely to run. Not the most exciting quality in a WR, bit one that helps the team nonetheless, and if he is an active s/ter anyway, its a free bonus.

It's a valuable skill, but I think Hernandez gets those snaps this year. He's not the best blocker in the box, but he does a pretty good job in the open field and will have the defense worried about the pass, rather than thinking run pre-snap. Still, his ST role is always more important to Belichik than to most folks on the message board.

Dude - Arrington was the Pats BEST Special Teamer last year, BAR NONE. Your over-exaggeration of his play is just that. Over-exaggeration. Typical of someone who just doesn't like a player. You've offered nothing in regards to actual breakdown, like if Arrington was playing soft cover, zone, or Man.

Aiken will be lucky to make the team.

FWIW, according to Reiss, Aiken is playing on all four STs, along with Arrington, Alexander, and Woods. In addition, Ninkovich and McGowan are on three of four STs. Hard to imagine all six of them making the team, but that would be consistent with BB's decision-making in the past. Maybe Guyton and Murrell combined could take one of the LBs roles on teams, but it's hard to see Wheatley, for example, replacing Aiken on STs. (According to Reiss, Wheatley was not on first-string STs.)