Only one open question for this team

[mgteich]

For me, there is only one open question for this team: How good is our pass-defense? (the other is health)

OFFENSE
We had 10 decent receivers playing today. It might take time, but the new players will learn more and more of the offense, and more and more of the pattersns will become automatic, and wide receivers will learn to stretch the field on a regular basis. Until then there's Faulk and Watson. One or two will become go-to receivers. Until thern, there is Faulk and Brown. These are the best runners ever. The OL will be among the best ever.

DEFENSE
The front eight is really unbelievable (I include Harrison!). The schemes are the best in the league.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I guess Faulk, Moroney and Brown are our returners, could be lots worse. Gostkowski and Miller are fine. Kickoffs can now sometimes go deep into the end zone. Coverage teams are much better than last year.

 

[arrellbee]

For me, there is only one open question for this team: How good is our pass-defense? (the other is health)

OFFENSE
We had 10 decent receivers playing today. It might take time, but the new players will learn more and more of the offense, and more and more of the pattersns will become automatic, and wide receivers will learn to stretch the field on a regular basis. Until then there's Faulk and Watson. One or two will become go-to receivers. Until thern, there is Faulk and Brown. These are the best runners ever. The OL will be among the best ever.

DEFENSE
The front eight is really unbelievable (I include Harrison!). The schemes are the best in the league.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I guess Faulk, Moroney and Brown are our returners, could be lots worse. Gostkowski and Miller are fine. Kickoffs can now sometimes go deep into the end zone. Coverage teams are much better than last year.

Isn't it amusing. With all of the agitation over LB and WR, I'm not sure I ever saw a post questioning the secondary (feel welcome to list link to post that did if I missed it). Amusing.

 

[zippo59]

I don't think the problems in the secondary are because of personnel, but execution.

 

[usmcmgb]

Well, I guess I'm a little less optimistic than you are MG. The pass defense needs big time work and if it's still playing like it did the 1st 2 weeks come the bye, this team is not going beyond one playoff game. I'll give the O Line some time to gel but they have gotta start picking up these blitzers or else Brady won't make it through mid season. He's already taken some vicious hits and we're still in September. Two shaky wins against questionable opponents doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. And I won't even mention the tackling. Once someone got past the front four they were good for another 10 to 20 yards on way too many plays. A win is a win and yes it's only week 2 and yes I'd rather be a shaky 2-0 than a solid 0-2 but man, this team is not playing typically solid fundamental Patriots football.
If they play like they did in the 2nd half today, against Denver next week, Denver's offense will get well in a hurry. So I guess that's the question...will the team that showed up in the 2nd half of the Bills game and the first half of the Jets game show up next week...or vice versa?

 

[skri65]

I don't think the problems in the secondary are because of personnel, but execution.

I agree. We have the talent in the secondary. They lacked discipline in terms of tackling. This can improve. I think our secondary is fine if not very good.

 

[mgteich]

I didn't say that I was optimistic about our pass-defense.

However, with regard to the OL, it takes months for new groups to gel. This is a long season.

Well, I guess I'm a little less optimistic than you are MG. The pass defense needs big time work and if it's still playing like it did the 1st 2 weeks come the bye, this team is not going beyond one playoff game. I'll give the O Line some time to gel but they have gotta start picking up these blitzers or else Brady won't make it through mid season. He's already taken some vicious hits and we're still in September. Two shaky wins against questionable opponents doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. And I won't even mention the tackling. Once someone got past the front four they were good for another 10 to 20 yards on way too many plays. A win is a win and yes it's only week 2 and yes I'd rather be a shaky 2-0 than a solid 0-2 but man, this team is not playing typically solid fundamental Patriots football.
If they play like they did in the 2nd half today, against Denver next week, Denver's offense will get well in a hurry. So I guess that's the question...will the team that showed up in the 2nd half of the Bills game and the first half of the Jets game show up next week...or vice versa?

 

[IcyPatriot]

Back when we won Super Bowl I ... and forgive me on the football terminology....I don't always know the words only what I see.

Anyways...when we won the 1st SB we had a system where the first guy in would tie the guy up and the next guy would help take the receiver down...when needed of course...not always.

Now...we have a tackle the guy at the instant of the catch and tackle him around the ankles...that is not how we beat the Rams. We beat them by banging them...beating them up...making them afraid to go over the middle. We are not doing that right now...I think it's execution and we are too soft mentally and physically back there.

We cover pretty well...much of the completions were the open underneath stuff...we are very fast and very smart...and we are too much bubble bathtime back there.

 

[flutie2phelan]

For me, there is only one open question for this team: How good is our pass-defense? (the other is health)

OFFENSE
We had 10 decent receivers playing today. It might take time, but the new players will learn more and more of the offense, and more and more of the pattersns will become automatic, and wide receivers will learn to stretch the field on a regular basis. Until then there's Faulk and Watson. One or two will become go-to receivers. Until thern, there is Faulk and Brown. These are the best runners ever. The OL will be among the best ever.

DEFENSE
The front eight is really unbelievable (I include Harrison!). The schemes are the best in the league.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I guess Faulk, Moroney and Brown are our returners, could be lots worse. Gostkowski and Miller are fine. Kickoffs can now sometimes go deep into the end zone. Coverage teams are much better than last year.

I agree completely.

The two long touchdown passes were extraordinary ... and almost irreproducible.
Cotchery not going down was freakish. Coles put on three fabulous dekes.
I don't interpret either of them as a knock against the secondary.

It is very encouraging
to see how much better the kick coverage is this season.

The OL already is operating superbly.
Only Brady ... has to get over the treason of his buddy.


Did anyone else notice ... that for the first time since
can't remember when
the officiating was excellent.
They called little.
They picked up four non-flags.
They made some great high-speed, high-definition calls correctly.

 

[mgteich]

The officiating was excellent. I suspect there were many clinics and discussions in the offseason. Everyone was embarrassed by last year's officiating.

 

[mgteich]

First, there was reasonable agitation over wide receiver and linebacker. We now see what we have in Jackson. Also, we secured the services of Gabriel and Caldwell. And just BTW, we even added two pass-catching TE's. With regard to linebacker, we also got our answer at ILB. We signed one of the best - Junior Seau for our 2nd (part-time) ILB. Bruschi is back, and Banta-Cain has stepped up. We were concerned. Players were picked up, and players are working out. BTW, please note that other than the best WR in the draft, we are relying on seasoned veterans as our answers to most of the concerns we had. So much for all the talk of the UDFA's and youngsters being the answer to any question, other than perhaps Special Teams.

With regard to corner, there have been hundreds of posts questioning whether we need a starting corner, going back to before the draft. Jonathan Kraft just yesterday discussed that cap money was being held while the team tried to sign Ty Law. Many here wanted to see Ty Law on the team, if a deal could be worked out. I seem to remember us being so pumped because Wilson was going to be the corner we needed. We brought in Scott and Warfield. This has been a concern for a long time.

Isn't it amusing. With all of the agitation over LB and WR, I'm not sure I ever saw a post questioning the secondary (feel welcome to list link to post that did if I missed it). Amusing.

 

[shmessy]

And just BTW, we even added two pass-catching TE's.

The only thing Mills has caught so far is the flu.

 

[primetime]

The pass defense looks fine. Remember they shut the Jets out for a half and a good part of the 3rd. One fluke play and one amazing run by Coles aren't enough to damn the pass defense.

I'm more worried about Brady. He just looks shaken out there. Maybe it's not having Branch and Givens, maybe not, but he needs to get out of this funk.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The only thing Mills has caught so far is the flu.

He didn't drop it despite taking a major league hit! The kid's a gamer! :rocker:

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Any chance, amidst all the speculation, our Tom was fighting a little dose of flu? What! An original non-conspiracy theory! O calloo callay!

 

[mavfan2390]

Next offseason our needs should look like this

1. Shutdown Corner
2. Youth at LB
3. Youth at SS
4. If available top level WR

I'm one of those who believe that in two seasons Harrison will be done, we need to draft his replacement now (Griffin or Rouse) so that they can sit and learn for a season. Hobbs is a great number 2, and Samuel is an EXCELLENT slot corner, but we still have no number 1. TBC looks like the real deal, but we could use some youth especially at MLB with Bruschi and Vrabel not getting any younger, and finally at WR we pretty much have a good blend of youth, experience, and potential, but Brady with a Chad Johnson- type would be absolutely sick.

 

[BionicPatriot]

I don't think the problems in the secondary are because of personnel, but execution.

Precisely! Our guys weren't out there getting burnt. They were simply missing tackles. One good week of hitting and all that will be taken care of I think.

 

[DarrylS]

I think the D Backfield was somewhat humbled by some very good and extremely athletic pass catching, perhaps they were a little too ****y.. Hobbs being described as a shut down corner, Samuels 5 game interception streak, Harrison coming back viewed as the second coming... they did not play well as a unit yesterday, I suspect this is a wake up call for them.. whatever they did not do yesterday, not sophisticated enough to know this.. will be worked on very closely this week.. I suspect a different attitude will take place next Sunday nite. There is a lot of talent here, they need to work on their team defense and finishing plays.

 

[PlattsFan]

I'm more worried about Brady. He just looks shaken out there. Maybe it's not having Branch and Givens, maybe not, but he needs to get out of this funk.

Maybe it's because he has no idea where his receivers are going to be half the time.

Seriously, it can't be easy integrating half of your receiver corps in games that matter. There were a lot of throws to nowhere yesterday, and certain throws (like the slant to Gabriel in the end zone) that were not too precise. It'll get better ... how much better is an open question, but I'm optimistic.

Frankly, I don't see a major weakness on this team if they can get the WRs on the same page as Brady. The passing D looked fine with the exception of some poor tackling on two plays.

 

[mgteich]

Isn't that last year's list?

Next offseason our needs should look like this

1. Shutdown Corner
2. Youth at LB
3. Youth at SS
4. If available top level WR

I'm one of those who believe that in two seasons Harrison will be done, we need to draft his replacement now (Griffin or Rouse) so that they can sit and learn for a season. Hobbs is a great number 2, and Samuel is an EXCELLENT slot corner, but we still have no number 1. TBC looks like the real deal, but we could use some youth especially at MLB with Bruschi and Vrabel not getting any younger, and finally at WR we pretty much have a good blend of youth, experience, and potential, but Brady with a Chad Johnson- type would be absolutely sick.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

Precisely! Our guys weren't out there getting burnt. They were simply missing tackles. One good week of hitting and all that will be taken care of I think.

Our secondary doesn't tackle at the NFL level. That's a reflection of poor coaching. They either go for the ESPN highlight kill shot or seem to make an weak arm tackle with out wrapping up. Asante in particular seems to avoid contact unless he can get the kill shot. Inexcusable!

BB has been allowing this for two seasons now. The front seven are magnificient bastards.