Please post with regard to how our passing game compared to the rest of the nfl last year and this. You, and others, post as if we have a terrible passing game. We have among the very best.
This is because Brady does well with his first FOUR receiving targets Welker, Branch, Gronkowksi and Hernandez). His #5 choice last year and this was Woodhead (reasonable). I would think that this is pretty good shopping since 4 of these players have arrived since the 2006-2007 off-season.
We seem to be fussing because Hernandez is labeled TE instead of WR. If Hernandez were labeled a WR, then we would think that our wide receivers are doing fine.
We seem to be really, really focused on the lack of production from those players who are fighting to be Brady's #6 receiving target (Ochocinco, Price, and Edelman). Another toy for Brady would be nice for the playoffs, but the reality is that the importance of any of these three as a receiver is only when others are injured.
While I agree that the WR situation is fine in many areas, it is also lacking in many areas too. As we have seen, when teams double Welker and can limit Gronkowski's effectiveness, we are a very different offense.
I agree that you have a good point in stating that the passing/WR game is pretty damn successful on many levels. However, it is the threat of repeating the scenario stated above that worries many of us.
If you have not seen many limitations with the offense in the past 5-6 games, you are watching another team. Many of the times they are fine, but having a better possession WR and/or downfield threat would have opened things up vs some of the stronger man coverage schemes and defenses.
In other words, versatility (being able to have success with bread and butter timing routes underneath AND having some semblance of a downfield game) would pay off much better vs certain schemes and defenses, possibly when it really matters.
Some think that if you'd trade in a guy like Branch (who is limited) for another mid-level target who can run timing routes AND do a better job vertically of beating man coverage, we'd have a much more limitless offense in many regards.
Your point of targeting the first 4 options is fine, but in that case, some of us would like to
improve those first 4 options and move a guy like Branch down the list...which would make the position stronger altogether.
Forget about the A.Hernandez debate (WR/TE). It doesn't matter to me, but it is my opinion that eventually teams will successfully find a way to double Welker and limit Gronkowski, as we have seen to some extent. That may leave us without another deep playoff run. I like Hernandez, as a TE...or a TE/WR hybrid. But some of us think that we could use someone that is going to fully take advantage of Brady's potential in a more vertical fashion, if and when that proves necessary.
It is a very reasonable point, and I am not being negative or pessimistic at all. I am very thankful for what we have, but often wonder if it will take us to where we 'should' be, with one of the greatest QB's of all-time, and a very potent offense.
