Speculations for 2013

[AzPatsFan]

Belichcik is in a coaching quandry. Does he give Brady a lot of time in the preseason games, possibly get him injured, or wear out his arm, while trying to get rythm and familiarity with the new WR corps?

Or does he control the number of Brady throws, work Brady with the new receivers mostly in controlled camp condidtions, and try to get coaching time and route running with the youngsters, while saving Brady and Brady's arm?

If I were BB I'd go the second route. Protect Brady and Brady's arm, first and foremost. The new receivers have to learn NFL and Patriots option route running. They can best do that in camp, under the careful coaching eye of he and his assistants. There will be all season for them to work rythm.

If BB chooses the second approach that should give Mallett lots of preseason game exposure. It is his third preseason, but in reality it is really only his second full Training Camp due to the Lockout, and it should be time to also see what he can do.

With all the young WRS, I'd expect a lot of bad/wrong routes to be run. Those usually lead to INTs, some of which look inexplicable. Part of the POISE test is for the young QB to be heckled by ignorant fans, and there are plenty of Mallett haters awaiting their chance.

Can Belichick risk ruining Mallett's confidence on a series of bad preseason games? Or is it time to put the POISE test to Mallett, sink or swim, as he did to Cassell in 2008, to determine if he is ready to play and can handle screwups and poor appearances. As Irecall Cassell was going into his fourth TC, before the gruesome POISE test.

BB doesn't usually do this until his young QB candidate is deemed ready for it. I would, but Belichck knows better than any of us the state of Mallett's readyness, good or bad, but likely for adversity.

What would you do?

 

[serifyn]

I predict both Gronk and Hernandez play every game.

 

[DocHoliday]

Arms really don't wear out as much as you think.

 

[s3antana5757]

I think this is the year where you see BB try to increase Mallet's trade value. Last year they had him throw a bunch of check downs and screens while they were trying to increase Hoyer's trade value before eventually cutting him. This year, or the end of this year is the best time to trade him. He'll still have 2 years on his deal, and the development time will have been significant. Sit Brady, let Mallett do his thing and give Kafka some time, not too much.

 

[supafly]

I think we'll see the old 2nd game one half, and 3rd game extended time thing going this yr in preseason.

Other than that, Mallett and Kafka will receive all the reps.

 

[chasa]

or option 3 have brady do what he always does, but during the regular season run the ball 30 times a game, to cut down on bradys 50+ pass attempt games.

 

[cstjohn17]

BB doesn't manage players, in his opinion (and he is right), players play, coaches coach. Brady will get ridden like a rented mule all preseason and all season unless he gets hurt.

Plus Mallett sucks.

 

[Tunescribe]

I wonder if we'll lose a division game this season. At Miami, maybe?

 

[doesntmatter1]

with all the competition at wr, I would like to see edelman get a crazy amount of looks and see if he can actually make it through the preseason. If he gets hurt, better early than late in the season. I still have a hate/love thing with edelman and I want to see him standout as a wr without taking punt returns into consideration.

 

[Joker]

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[JoeSixPat]

Belichcik is in a coaching quandry. Does he give Brady a lot of time in the preseason games, possibly get him injured, or wear out his arm, while trying to get rythm and familiarity with the new WR corps?

Or does he control the number of Brady throws, work Brady with the new receivers mostly in controlled camp condidtions, and try to get coaching time and route running with the youngsters, while saving Brady and Brady's arm?

If I were BB I'd go the second route. Protect Brady and Brady's arm, first and foremost. The new receivers have to learn NFL and Patriots option route running. They can best do that in camp, under the careful coaching eye of he and his assistants. There will be all season for them to work rythm.

If BB chooses the second approach that should give Mallett lots of preseason game exposure. It is his third preseason, but in reality it is really only his second full Training Camp due to the Lockout, and it should be time to also see what he can do.

With all the young WRS, I'd expect a lot of bad/wrong routes to be run. Those usually lead to INTs, some of which look inexplicable. Part of the POISE test is for the young QB to be heckled by ignorant fans, and there are plenty of Mallett haters awaiting their chance.

Can Belichick risk ruining Mallett's confidence on a series of bad preseason games? Or is it time to put the POISE test to Mallett, sink or swim, as he did to Cassell in 2008, to determine if he is ready to play and can handle screwups and poor appearances. As Irecall Cassell was going into his fourth TC, before the gruesome POISE test.

BB doesn't usually do this until his young QB candidate is deemed ready for it. I would, but Belichck knows better than any of us the state of Mallett's readyness, good or bad, but likely for adversity.

What would you do?

Forget about Mallett's confidence.

And forget about tiring Brady's arm.

Expect Brady to be taking tons of reps with his new receivers. Brady and the team have his conditioning down well - heck, Brady's been throwing ever since before they took Amendola in FA (who quickly joined Brady in his workouts).

He needs that time to develop the rapport and his conditioning is such that he maintains strong arm strength year round to avoid overtaxing it at times.

Overall with so many new faces in camp this year I expect Belichick is just going to let all positions and players fight it out in camp.

With so many RFAs I expect a few surprises and even a practice squad that will be a source of good depth - and a very healthy shadow squad of guys we can draw on throughout a long season as well.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Arms really don't wear out as much as you think.

We can always trade for Joel Hanrahan. Oh, this is the Pats board. Nevermind.

 

[Joker]

hey...is it raining out there in Pa???

 

[mgteich]

As you suggest, 5-1, losing at Miami seems right.

I wonder if we'll lose a division game this season. At Miami, maybe?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

As you suggest, 5-1, losing at Miami seems right.

Losing to the LOLphins is never "right."

It happens, but it is never "right."

 

[mgteich]

Yes, I would rather lose to Buffalo than to fail to Squish The Fish every year.

Losing to the LOLphins is never "right."

It happens, but it is never "right."

 

[DarrylS]

Back to the original topic, do not see BB deviating from the same stuff that has worked every year, this is a proven formula...

There will be a lot of reps in camp with these WR's, and they will know early on who will stick and who will walk.. the issue will be understanding this offense and how they fit into it..

 

[JR4]

I don't see how Brady's arm will get overworked. There's only so much time in a practice session. A lot of that time is used for instruction.
Brady can't be throwing 20 passes to 18 receivers( counting TEs and RBs) in a practice session. From the one practice session I went to I doubt he thew
30 passes in that two hour session.
Who he gets to throw to is a coaching decision. I wonder how that is determined?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't see how Brady's arm will get overworked. There's only so much time in a practice session. A lot of that time is used for instruction.
Brady can't be throwing 20 passes to 18 receivers( counting TEs and RBs) in a practice session. From the one practice session I went to I doubt he thew
30 passes in that two hour session.
Who he gets to throw to is a coaching decision. I wonder how that is determined?

Because of the large # of players in camp and the specific drills for RBs, WRs, TEs the Pats do need extra arms to get the players their needed drill work.

That said Brady needs to spend extra time with his most likely new corps of pass catchers working on patterns, coverage recognitions and reactions. Use his arm unsparingly for that. Also have Mallett warm up and work these guys on the basics.

Let the coaches and kids they use as assistants arms for the position drills, like the fun drill when the OLBs try pathetically to cover RBs or TEs one on one..

 

[Ring 6]

I expect Brady will play about a total of 1 full game during the preseason.

As far as Mallett he will do what the #2 does, there isn't a thought process about how playing or not will psychologically impact him