Simplify the offense to make it more teachable?

[Avenger]

Welker seemed to jump right in after having 1 offseason in the offense, same with Moss. Crumpler, Gronk, and Ahern also took to it very quickly, as did Woodhead.

Is the problem the offense or player selection? I think the offense is just fine with the guys we have now.

I think it is a bit easier for TEs, with Welker they saw exactly what they wanted and traded for him, and Moss was a one trick pony, but oh what a trick it was! Brady has also lauded Moss's football intelligence. RBs also runa a simplified root tree.

 

[Fencer]

Since the era of the McDaniels/Brady/Belichick offense has gone explosive, in four seasons as a starter (including one coming off a major injury), Brady has won 2 MVPs, gone to 2 Super Bowls, thrown for 153 touchdowns versus 37 interceptions, piled up 18,339 yards, completed 66.5% of his passes.

For frame of reference, that means his average season is 38 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and 4854 yards per season.

What part about that isn't consistently great? Bottom line - this offense doesn't have to reinvent itself, McDaniels will just give it a tune-up. It just needs to continue to work on making itself as impervious to defenses like the Giants as it can. And we got Lloyd to do just that.

It's the defense that needs a revolution, and Belichick has that process under way.

Fair enough. But a tune-up is indeed needed, as a couple of Super Bowl losses demonstrate.

Losing two Super Bowls is a "first-class kind of problem" to have -- still, one wants to do better. What's more, it's important to always improve, as the opposition isn't standing still.

 

[Deus Irae]

Fair enough. But a tune-up is indeed needed, as a couple of Super Bowl losses demonstrate.

Losing two Super Bowls is a "first-class kind of problem" to have -- still, one wants to do better. What's more, it's important to always improve, as the opposition isn't standing still.

The idea that the Super Bowl losses demonstrated that a tune up is needed is ludicrous.

 

[NEP4Life]

 

[BradyManny]

The idea that the Super Bowl losses demonstrated that a tune up is needed is ludicrous.

I was the one who introduced the phrase tune-up so I feel the need to defend it.

All my point was intending to say was that all that was missing from this offense was an outside receiver - and McDaniels ability to work that into the offense. We have Lloyd, we have Gaffney, maybe we have Stallworth - and we have McD and Tom Brady spending a full offseason adding this new element to our offense - I really don't see how anyone could be concerned about the offense at this point.

Points are hard to come by in Super Bowls against teams with good defenses. So I agree with your larger point that we can't read into the losses too much when it comes to the offense.

 

[Deus Irae]

I was the one who introduced the phrase tune-up so I feel the need to defend it.

All my point was intending to say was that all that was missing from this offense was an outside receiver - and McDaniels ability to work that into the offense. We have Lloyd, we have Gaffney, maybe we have Stallworth - and we have McD and Tom Brady spending a full offseason adding this new element to our offense - I really don't see how anyone could be concerned about the offense at this point.

Points are hard to come by in Super Bowls against teams with good defenses. So I agree with your larger point that we can't read into the losses too much when it comes to the offense.

I probably should have been more clear. I was referring to the idea of a tuneup with regards to simplifying the offense. As you probably know, I've been on the "They need a middle-deep" receiver bandwagon ever since Moss was traded away, so I certainly don't disagree with your point about getting that type of receiver.

My apologies for any confusion caused by that earlier post.

 

[PrairiePat]

I also posted in the previous thread on this topic; it's ridiculous to change a juggernaut-level offense because a few undisciplined prima donna WRs can't figure it out.

That being said, there should probably be some thought given to how to plug in pieces to the offense when the injury bug makes its annual appearance. I'm sure this has all been figured out already, but if we have to plug in new WR, RB or TE pieces during the season, there needs to be a reduced set of plays the new guy(s) can run reliably while working up to mastery of the entire offense.

I think 85 is still at this level of play, unfortunately.

Also, if we need Hoyer or Mallett during the season, it'll be important to know which pieces of the offense can still be run effectively, I'd hope that most of it would be available with Hoyer, we'll see how Mallett looks during preseason.

 

[BradyManny]

I probably should have been more clear. I was referring to the idea of a tuneup with regards to simplifying the offense. As you probably know, I've been on the "They need a middle-deep" receiver bandwagon ever since Moss was traded away, so I certainly don't disagree with your point about getting that type of receiver.

My apologies for any confusion caused by that earlier post.

No problem - no confusion caused. I know that you and I are pretty much on the same page when it comes to this offense, and have been for some time, but I felt the need to clarify my own statements nonetheless.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I think it is a bit easier for TEs, with Welker they saw exactly what they wanted and traded for him, and Moss was a one trick pony, but oh what a trick it was! Brady has also lauded Moss's football intelligence. RBs also runa a simplified root tree.

It's not just him, TFB commented that it was immediately apparent that Deion Branch was going to be special, that the routes he was running based on what the defense was doing were exceptional, and the Pats even made those custom Branch routes parts of the playbook.

The 'problem' isn't the offense, the problem is Joey Galloway, Chad Jackson, Taylor Price, Ocho, Brandon Tate, etc.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think it is a bit easier for TEs, with Welker they saw exactly what they wanted and traded for him, and Moss was a one trick pony, but oh what a trick it was! Brady has also lauded Moss's football intelligence. RBs also runa a simplified root tree.

How is it easier for them, when they also have to learn blocking assignments?

 

[Deus Irae]

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there has never been an instance in NFL history where a team had four or more players play at least one game for a team in a season and each of those players had at least 900 receiving yards the previous season (either for that team or a different team). The Patriots have five as you mentioned. Wow.

Patriots mailbag: A little bit of everything - ESPN Boston

But, yeah, let's focus on the running game and go ground and pound. :bricks: