Reiss see offense in state of flux after loss to Arizona and wonders why

[Deus Irae]

Welker didn't miss a damn thing. He reported to the first OTA. He was the best WR in camp by all reports. Just seemed to get suddenly squeezed out in the pre season just like Branch. He mentioned he'd have liked to have gotten more reps.

Now, I don't know whether he knows something or is just guessing and hoping he guesses right. But Breer tweeted this:


Albert Breer‏@AlbertBreer

... And I think what you'll continue to see is when Patriots really HAVE to have it, Welker will be in. Because he's still the best option.

Albert Breer‏@AlbertBreer

On the whole Welker thing ... To be clear, I don't think it's personal. I do, however, think it very well could be business related.


Now that sounds to me like he thinks they still like him, just don't want him to be significant part of their plans going forward. Which would beg the question WTF possessed you to franchise tag him then... Hedging your bets?

If this is the case, BB is being stupider than I'd have thought possible. Cutting back on Welker after paying him all that money, and shorting the WR corps as well? He might as well give Brady a daily kick in the balls while he's at it.

 

[Shockt327]

Wasn't Welker targeted nine times?

In wk 1 he got one less target than Gronk.

Much ado about nothing....

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I doubt it has anything to do with business or health. I would wager that this is McDaniels forcing the offense to other targets to know who he has to work with, and who can be trusted when the game matters.

We have seen over the past couple of seasons that receivers that dont have instant chemistry with Brady either get cut or marginalized, replaced with the reliable slot hits to Welker. Then, as the season progresses and the windows get smaller, we have fewer people to spread the ball around to, making Bradys job more difficult. So, getting Lloyd extra on field reps in game situations is incredibly important, and getting Edelman out there so he might end up with more than 15 targets by the end of season are important team building tactics.

While Welkers role is easier to notice because of his play count diminishing, I think you could make the same case for Gronk not getting as much attention until they really needed plays to be made. It isnt exactly a coincidence that the ball started to move pretty consistantly until the targets started going to their big three receivers.

 

[Garbanza]

The problem is that Joshie McDouchie sucks ass. Do not let 200 blind you. He sucks ass. Look no further than his drafting Tim Tebow. My biggest question is why BB has so much faith in the guy. I can't wait to see what Salas can't do.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

The problem is that Joshie McDouchie sucks ass. Do not let 200 blind you. He sucks ass. Look no further than his drafting Tim Tebow. My biggest question is why BB has so much faith in the guy. I can't wait to see what Salas can't do.

I agree that the one and ONLY player that should have been brought over from the Rams was Lloyd and Lloyd only.

These other two guys we got from the Rams couldn't even crack the starting roster of a team that went 2-14 last year......and probably shouldnt be on ANY roster right now with the likely only reason they are here was Josh's suggestion because he liked them for some reason.

Time to unload the bottom trash before it starts to stink.

 

[Deus Irae]

Wasn't Welker targeted nine times?

In wk 1 he got one less target than Gronk.

Much ado about nothing....

You're arguing targets. Targets are up to Brady, although play design obviously has a big impact as well. We're talking snaps. Snaps are up to McD/BB/training staff/WWW.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

If this is the case, BB is being stupider than I'd have thought possible. Cutting back on Welker after paying him all that money, and shorting the WR corps as well? He might as well give Brady a daily kick in the balls while he's at it.

That's kind of what he looked like in his presser, a guy being kicked in the balls who will never rock the boat because he doesn't want to sink it. I'd like to think they are at the point where he could walk into Bill's office and say WTF are you trying to do to me. But knowing Bill he'd probably bench him for a quarter so for insubordination... He said all the right things about Edleman, sounding about as convincing as he did last season when he talked about Ocho and how he just needed to find more ways to get him the ball...and Randy from 2009 on.

One day Belichick is going to wake up with a QB not named Brady atop the roster. And when that day comes I hope he realizes how easy he had it for the bulk of his head coaching career with a guy under center who made a career out of finding a way to overcome whatever obstacles and odds were placed in his path by whomever...coaches, teamates, while always covering their backs.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

That's kind of what he looked like in his presser, a guy being kicked in the balls who will never rock the boat because he doesn't want to sink it. I'd like to think they are at the point where he could walk into Bill's office and say WTF are you trying to do to me. But knowing Bill he'd probably bench him for a quarter so for insubordination... He said all the right things about Edleman, sounding about as convincing as he did last season when he talked about Ocho and how he just needed to find more ways to get him the ball...and Randy from 2009 on.

One day Belichick is going to wake up with a QB not named Brady atop the roster. And when that day comes I hope he realizes how easy he had it for the bulk of his head coaching career with a guy under center who made a career out of finding a way to overcome whatever obstacles and odds were placed in his path by whomever...coaches, teamates, while always covering their backs.

Indeed,I believe one of Belichick's weakest traits is that he is a very stubborn man and a bit arrogant at times....when he makes up his mind about something then that is what it is going to be,regardless if the team suffers for it because he is a future HOF coach and believes in his moves are doing what's best for the team but he's not always right.

Bill makes mistakes,but this one with Welker could be the topper if it continues.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I doubt it has anything to do with business or health. I would wager that this is McDaniels forcing the offense to other targets to know who he has to work with, and who can be trusted when the game matters.

We have seen over the past couple of seasons that receivers that dont have instant chemistry with Brady either get cut or marginalized, replaced with the reliable slot hits to Welker. Then, as the season progresses and the windows get smaller, we have fewer people to spread the ball around to, making Bradys job more difficult. So, getting Lloyd extra on field reps in game situations is incredibly important, and getting Edelman out there so he might end up with more than 15 targets by the end of season are important team building tactics.

While Welkers role is easier to notice because of his play count diminishing, I think you could make the same case for Gronk not getting as much attention until they really needed plays to be made. It isnt exactly a coincidence that the ball started to move pretty consistantly until the targets started going to their big three receivers.

Oh, great, so we're just using the early season as an extension of pre season? Someone might want to let Josh know then that the games count now.

 

[Run DMC]

If this is the case, BB is being stupider than I'd have thought possible. Cutting back on Welker after paying him all that money, and shorting the WR corps as well? He might as well give Brady a daily kick in the balls while he's at it.

You forgot to mention getting Waters back at whatever minor cost. This OL is a bit of a mess.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Wasn't Welker targeted nine times?

In wk 1 he got one less target than Gronk.

Much ado about nothing....

Welker had less snaps but more targets. What does that tell you... That he wasn't featured in the game plan for reasons no one cares to explain and it sucked so when an injury forced them to put him in Brady immediately sought him out.

 

[woolster22]

Anyone else curious to see Salas on the field? The only thing I can think of that I would argue Edelman over Wes would be breaking tackles/making people miss. In that regard, I think I would give Edelman the edge (I'm sure I will get Hell for this...). Everything else, probably goes to Wes (although it seems like he had been dropping alot of balls recently, maybe I'm more sensitive to it given last season's ending...).

I'm not sure the reason, but am curious to see how it does play out.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Anyone else remember...was it the beginning of last season when Belichick made his Wally Pipp comment to Welker...just saying. It's been as if he was baiting him with Edleman for over a year. And given the way Welker plays and the way he rehabbed and the way Brady talks about how no one works harder, gotta wonder why Bill would seemingly want to be goading that guy. And Welker has always had his back, too. Even after today's game, put it all on the players for not practicing well enough. I can't imagine how this player was also never named a captain in 6 seasons unless it was the thumb on the scale.

 

[ATippett56]

You forgot to mention getting Waters back at whatever minor cost. This OL is a bit of a mess.

You don't say so?

 

[ATippett56]

Anyone else remember...was it the beginning of last season when Belichick made his Wally Pipp comment to Welker...just saying. It's been as if he was baiting him with Edleman for over a year. And given the way Welker plays and the way he rehabbed and the way Brady talks about how no one works harder, gotta wonder why Bill would seemingly want to be goading that guy. And Welker has always had his back, too. Even after today's game, put it all on the players for not practicing well enough. I can't imagine how this player was also never named a captain in 6 seasons unless it was the thumb on the scale.

I just don't get it either especially with Wes Welker leading the league in receptions three out of the last five years. I thought the concept was to win now and worry about the next season next year.

 

[Sciz]

Anyone else remember...was it the beginning of last season when Belichick made his Wally Pipp comment to Welker...just saying. It's been as if he was baiting him with Edleman for over a year. And given the way Welker plays and the way he rehabbed and the way Brady talks about how no one works harder, gotta wonder why Bill would seemingly want to be goading that guy. And Welker has always had his back, too. Even after today's game, put it all on the players for not practicing well enough. I can't imagine how this player was also never named a captain in 6 seasons unless it was the thumb on the scale.

The Pipp comment was in the 2009 preseason, and it was talking about returning punts.

 

[MP-Logick]

Quoting a post from another forum:

"Reiss was just on WBZ-TV, and he mentioned that he thinks Welker is ceding plays to Edelman in the 2-receiver sets due to run blocking. They run the ball more with Edelman than with Welker on the field."

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Quoting a post from another forum:

"Reiss was just on WBZ-TV, and he mentioned that he thinks Welker is ceding plays to Edelman in the 2-receiver sets due to run blocking. They run the ball more with Edelman than with Welker on the field."

Makes no sense either since Welker has always been a great blocker. I think it was just Mike fishing for any possible reason to make sense of it. Besides, that would quickly become a tell. And it wasn't the case in week 1 when Riddley ran more/better and Edleman was on the field less.

 

[supafly]

Anyone else curious to see Salas on the field?

Yes I am, but the complexity of the offense factor has me wondering how productive he'd be.

Also, I'm not exactly too familiar with all of his attributes, but I'm also wondering if he would offer anything that our current personnel doesn't already. Isn't he pretty much just another short route runner in the sense of Edelman/Welker (and for the current point in the season, also Llyod for the most part) ?

 

[Big-T]

The problem is that Joshie McDouchie sucks ass. Do not let 200 blind you. He sucks ass. Look no further than his drafting Tim Tebow. My biggest question is why BB has so much faith in the guy. I can't wait to see what Salas can't do.

I assume by 200 you meant 2007? Well in 2008 he made Matt Cassel look like a somewhat competent QB and again in 2009 made Kyle Orton look competent for a while.

As for drafting Tebow, he also drafted the following offensive players for Denver:

Demaryius Thomas - starting WR
Eric Decker - starting WR
J.D. Walton - starting C
Zane Beadles -starting G
Knowshon Moreno - backup RB

Not bad for his first go as a head coach really. As for why BB has faith in him - probably because he's one of the better OC's in the league and just because yesterday wasn't great it doesn't reflect on his true ability, especially when you factor in just how good the Cardinals defense is, which seems to be going under the radar.