PRESEASON GAME DAY THREAD (8/22): Patriots vs. Saints

[Wordsmyth]

There never was a first string secondary for the Saints, but he looked composed at all times, aside from the INT. It was a top performance.

Good to hear. I have much more confidence in JG than I did in RM. Darth Hoodie has him one dependable backup.

 

[Bruins29]

There's a difference between "want" and "not opposed". I was thinking about how Harper gets on the roster. I don't believe Amendola has a pre-season catch yet and he didn't look that good out there today. I have been a vociferous Amendola defender (just ask @Brady6 ) but as it always is with roster cuts, if you player A on the team, sometimes Player B needs to be sacrificed.

First of all its PS, so everything is BS. We see this stuff every year. Secondly how many snaps/targets has DA had?

I do know that DA is has been far and away the most productive WR in camp. And making matters worse, Lafell is hurt and JE ha caught about 15 balls all camp. He is injured too. Dobson is injured and very injury prone.

So our two starting WRs are hurt and AD and being AD and may never play.

We have DA for a steal and he is a great special teamer. Why would you even make this suggestion? Brady has been terrible....what does that mean?

 

[Tony2046]

Huh? One game plan can not be projected over the course of a season.

OK. who was our deep threat in 2014?

Brady is the best in the business when throwing within 2 - 2.5 seconds. He is the best in the business reading a defence, calling an audible, and getting rid of the ball quickly. That is their bread and butter. Hence the emergence of quick slot receivers such as Welker, Edelman and Amendola. Lafell will spread the defence at times.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/06/16/qbs-in-focus-time-to-throw/

 

[manxman2601]

Good to hear. I have much more confidence in JG than I did in RM. Darth Hoodie has him one dependable backup.

I think he's better than that in terms of his NFL projectibility. As a potential starter, I think he'd make quite a few teams in the NFL right now.

 

[Deus Irae]

Are people actually grading Brady for tonight?

 

[manxman2601]

OK. who was our deep threat in 2014?

Brady is the best in the business when throwing within 2 - 2.5 seconds. He is the best in the business reading a defence, calling an audible, and getting rid of the ball quickly. That is their bread and butter. Hence the emergence of quick slot receivers such as Welker, Edelman and Amendola. Lafell will spread the defence at times.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/06/16/qbs-in-focus-time-to-throw/

You won't get any argument from me on Brady's efficiency and this teams ability to maximise their strengths and limit their weaknesses. But why deliberately give yourself a potential weakness by giving up on a deep threat guy just to have two similar receivers in Amendola and Harper? As I said in my original comment, if Dobson can't get healthy for the start of the season then I think his position is at risk and Harper has been terrific. But if Dobson can get fit, and offer a deep threat for Brady, why hamstring yourself tactically to get a UDFA #5 WR on the final 53 when you can probably get him on the PS anyway.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Mark Daniels ‏@MarkDanielsPJ 11m11 minutes ago
Hoping for the best for Gibson, but it sounded like he wasn't feeling good after the game.

 

[manxman2601]

First of all its PS, so everything is BS. We see this stuff every year. Secondly how many snaps/targets has DA had?

I do know that DA is has been far and away the most productive WR in camp. And making matters worse, Lafell is hurt and JE ha caught about 15 balls all camp. He is injured too. Dobson is injured and very injury prone.

So our two starting WRs are hurt and AD and being AD and may never play.

We have DA for a steal and he is a great special teamer. Why would you even make this suggestion? Brady has been terrible....what does that mean?

Because I watched Amendola tonight and he struggled to get open against their #2s. Their's still two games to go and your point about JE is fair, but I was responding to the discussion about Harper getting on the roster and I think that if he does, it should be at the expense of Amendola and not Dobson, in large part because they'd have an identical role on the roster as punt returners and, assuming Dobson is fit, as #4/5 WRs. And I never said anything about Brady being terrible. He needs his receivers to get open for him, something Amendola didn't do tonight.

 

[TommyD4207]

Because I watched Amendola tonight and he struggled to get open against their #2s. Their's still two games to go and your point about JE is fair, but I was responding to the discussion about Harper getting on the roster and I think that if he does, it should be at the expense of Amendola and not Dobson, in large part because they'd have an identical role on the roster as punt returners and, assuming Dobson is fit, as #4/5 WRs. And I never said anything about Brady being terrible. He needs his receivers to get open for him, something Amendola didn't do tonight.

Amendola played like, parts of two series.

 

[DefenseRules]

Why is Brady's face at the top of this page?

 

[jays52]

Piggybacking off of the "deep threat" thing for a moment. They're good and deep at receiver when you include Gronk. LaFell is a good split end, which is very important to have, but outside of that they don't have a true outside receiver. Edelman is serviceable at flanker but not ideal. Everyone has their fingers crossed for Dobson to work out because if (and I fully acknowledge that is a big if) he does things really begin to open up.

Edelman will beat guys with his quickness and precision but he won't get past a guy on the sideline and ghost him. What that means is that the safety lined up on Gronk's side doesn't have to think. When the big fugger is running down the seam under a ball the safety can line him up and come in like a bat out of hell. Should Dobson work out he will be playing the majority of his snaps on the same side of the field as Gronk. Dobson's body type and athleticism can challenge deep along the sidelines and win against man coverage. Having those two on the same side of the field creates a pick your poison situation for the defense and will enable them to isolate and/or freeze the safety. If Dobson becomes a good player and he dashes down the sideline while Gronk charges down the seam that is an absolute freaking nightmare to defend. Like '07 type nightmare. It's why everyone wants to see the emergence of a guy who can stretch the field.

 

[manxman2601]

Amendola played like, parts of two series.

Yes, and in those two series, he struggled to get open.

 

[primetime]

Amendola played like, parts of two series.

Because he's a starter on a team that regularly plays 3 receivers. Because he was integral to the team's success last season. Because they don't need to evaluate him. Because he's a lock for the roster.

(I don't think you're in disagreement here but I'm posting at the people who are trying to read too much into preseason performance for starters in like 5 minutes of total playtime)

 

[primetime]

Yes, and in those two series, he struggled to get open.

Edelman wasn't even on the field, he might get cut too.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes, and in those two series, he struggled to get open.

Amendola is this team's WR3

 

[Bruins29]

Edelman wasn't even on the field, he might get cut too.

LOL This is typical. Every PS we get this.

 

[TommyD4207]

Because he's a starter on a team that regularly plays 3 receivers. Because he was integral to the team's success last season. Because they don't need to evaluate him. Because he's a lock for the roster.

(I don't think you're in disagreement here but I'm posting at the people who are trying to read too much into preseason performance for starters in like 5 minutes of total playtime)

He legit played one snap on the first drive, and two or three on the second. It's not the greatest sample size.

He came in on third down on the first drive, and everyone knew (including the Saints) that the ball was going go to be (sort of) in his direction.

Amendola's like 5'11" He can't be expected to catch a pass 5 yards away from him, even if he's in a full sprint (which he was).

Oh, and on the 2nd (of the two) target, he was actually interfered with.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Amendola played like, parts of two series.

That's the #1 reason why I don't get people reading into Amendola or Brady's performance tonight. It wasn't even a bad game. It was a few three and outs. You could maybe say they had a bad quarter.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Mark Daniels ‏@MarkDanielsPJ 11m11 minutes ago
Hoping for the best for Gibson, but it sounded like he wasn't feeling good after the game.

Damn, that really sucks. He's looked good so far, it would suck big time to lose him in the ****ing preseason.

 

[primetime]

LOL This is typical. Every PS we get this.

After Moss in 2007 I've learned that it's basically irrelevant whether a talented player even participates in training camp, let alone posts statistics in a few preseason drives. The roster spots of Edelman (lol) and Amendola are totally safe. Hell, Dobson's seems safe at this point.