Ramifications of Welker's injury

[jarnhestur]

Patsgo,

I think the point trying to be made is that if we can run the ball, our offense will be better. We had trouble running the ball later in the season last year and it caused a lot of games to be closer then they should have been.

And if your consider that our offense line is a problem, you should think about how that will affect the passing game.

 

[Rob0729]

I think I will wait to see if Welker misses the last preseason game before I start to worry about him missing a 1/3 or a 1/2 a season.

 

[patsgo]

The point of this thread was to suggest what the Pats may do if Welker's injury is at all serious and if the Patriots had to play any length of time without him. Your point isn't relevant for this specific conversation and what the thread is about.

pats 726 had said they were going to do that regardless of wekers injury, im trying to dispute that uneducated point

 

[PatsFan37]

I think I will wait to see if Welker misses the last preseason game before I start to worry about him missing a 1/3 or a 1/2 a season.

I'm sure he'll miss the last preseason game. So will a lot of other starters and that will tell us nothing. I'm actually glad they said he has a rib injury than that he had 'the wind knocked out of him' which is too often a code word for concussion. Hopefully, it's minor.

But if we didn't have speculative threads, we wouldn't have any threads at all.

The point of this thread was to suggest what the Pats may do if Welker's injury is at all serious and if the Patriots had to play any length of time without him. Your point isn't relevant for this specific conversation and what the thread is about.

Thank you. Also agree that Gaffney / CJack / Washington may be enough backup that Jones / Ventrone unlikely.

Also agree with poster who suggested Thomas in the slot. His route running and hands appear to be excellent, obviously not as quick, but good at securing the ball in traffic and taking the hit.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Also agree with poster who suggested Thomas in the slot. His route running and hands appear to be excellent, obviously not as quick, but good at securing the ball in traffic and taking the hit.

He's not as quick, but he's certainly faster.

[Seriously, what makes Welker so effective is not his straight-line speed, but his acceleration (99 on Madden!). Welker would probably lose a straight-up 40 to a lot of NFL players, but he can beat almost anyone over the first 10 yards.]

 

[BradyManny]

Also agree with poster who suggested Thomas in the slot. His route running and hands appear to be excellent, obviously not as quick, but good at securing the ball in traffic and taking the hit.

I'm going to have to refer to the DVR, but I believe we saw Thomas used as a wideout in some formations the other nite, including what would typically be the slot receiver.

And to the issue of running the ball & ball control - particularly if Welker has to miss any games, I'd love to see the Pats try a power package with Moss as the only wideout. It seems the Pats have trouble opening up holes in the running game when they go 3-wide or even 2-wide. But like we saw in the Jacksonville & SD games last year in the playoffs, when they basically announce they are going to run the ball and bring in extra TEs & Evans at FB, they are able to create holes. And then of course, with Moss on the oustide, the possibility of play-action is pretty deadly. The D still has to respect Moss w a CB and a safety.

 

[TheComeback]

I think they'll adjust by throwing it to the runningbacks more. We've got a lot of talent at that position when it comes to receiving. Faulk we all know is a great pass-catcher, and Jordan is just as good if not better. Those are two extra receivers right there. On top of that, we've got LM who is a sick threat in the open field.

Remember we've still got Watson, an above average tight end, and David Thomas too. Gaffney is good enough as our slot receiver, and Washington or Jackson are fast enough to at least open it up for Moss deep. Tom Brady took us to the Superbowl with Troy Brown and David Patten. We'll be fine.

 

[TheComeback]

I'm going to have to refer to the DVR, but I believe we saw Thomas used as a wideout in some formations the other nite, including what would typically be the slot receiver.

And to the issue of running the ball & ball control - particularly if Welker has to miss any games, I'd love to see the Pats try a power package with Moss as the only wideout. It seems the Pats have trouble opening up holes in the running game when they go 3-wide or even 2-wide. But like we saw in the Jacksonville & SD games last year in the playoffs, when they basically announce they are going to run the ball and bring in extra TEs & Evans at FB, they are able to create holes. And then of course, with Moss on the oustide, the possibility of play-action is pretty deadly. The D still has to respect Moss w a CB and a safety.

I agree with you here. This is also why I think we should carry three tight ends instead of two--that third tight end can often play an important role in run blocking.

 

[RedDeath58]

Ramification= KC-17,NE-14.

GO CHIEFS!!!

 

[bigjunk1]

Ramification= KC-17,NE-14.

GO CHIEFS!!!

That's awesome. You keep reaching for those rainbows, RedDeath58!

 

[PatsFan37]

Good news.

Wes Welker walks through. WR Wes Welker briskly walked through the locker room, grabbed a towel, and headed to the weight room while declining to speak with reporters. Welker left Friday's game with a rib injury and did not return. His presence in the locker room is a positive sign of sorts, because if his injury was one that would keep him out of action, he probably wouldn't have walked through the locker room during the media-access period. Left tackle Matt Light also walked through, but declined to speak with reporters.

And classy of you, RedDeath, to crow over another team's injuries in their fan forum. You have a nice day.

 

[RedDeath58]

Good news.And classy of you, RedDeath, to crow over another team's injuries in their fan forum. You have a nice day.

You, got me wrong. I like Wes alot!!! I just don't care for cheaters... Hear what I'm saying???

 

[ctpatsfan77]

You, got me wrong. I like Wes alot!!! I just don't care for cheaters... Hear what I'm saying???

No, actually.

 

[363839]

You, got me wrong. I like Wes alot!!! I just don't care for cheaters... Hear what I'm saying???

Who cheated?

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

You, got me wrong. I like Wes alot!!! I just don't care for cheaters... Hear what I'm saying???

oh crap. is it that time of year already? ok, bring on the idiotic trolls.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

you had the greatest offense in the history of the nfl and you want to change it and run more??? excuse me thats a really dumb and stupid idea

actually, prior to morris' injury, we were running very well, and often. we'll continue that game plan this year. If you really believe we'll throw the ball as much as last year, then there's no helping you. sorry

btw, how'd that great passing offense do at the end of the year?

 

[Pats726]

the old saying if it aint broke dont fix it applys here moss brady, welker, are your main weapons use them , and dont change a thing, why run more and slow down the game and make the game closer, from what ive seen from our d we are going to ned to light it up , not be more conservative, if you had adrian peterson, i could see your point, but morris, jordan, and maroney, isnt all that scary to me, with a injury depleted o line

Actually THAT cliche hardly applies at all....for if ANY team did the same exact thing, I think it would be much less effective. Teams have film and if the Pats do EXACTLY as they did last year..they would be much less successful...So If it ain't broke..you better improve on it or it will need fixing. Belichick NEVER runs the same offense or defense from one year to another. There are some things the same, but enough so that the films from the previous year will mean nothing. Of course they will use, Moss and Welker..they are strong weapons, but they will also have a running game that teams will have to look at which will open up the passing game more. THAT will be this year's big change. I expect the running game will slow the game down after the Patriots have a comfortable lead as well. It will be a lot closer to 50/50 and a change...but that isn't bad, but what happens from year to year.
I think it's no surprise that the running game was emphasized in training camp a lot...because that is what they will do this year.

 

[zoostation]

You, got me wrong. I like Wes alot!!! I just don't care for cheaters... Hear what I'm saying???

Wes Welker cheated? Moss and Brady on the same team......yeah...I guess that is cheating. Patriot power…..coming to a corn field near you!

 

[Fencer]

I've always wondered why Faulk doesn't get more practice reps at WR.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Gaffney's the best route runner after Welker - he moves to Welker's slot - someone else, likely with more speed than Gaffney, runs outside. Those routes are often much simpler than Welker's inside routes anyways - some straight sideline routes with the WR trying to beat his man deep, and a last minute turn etc...