Claremonster
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The Patriots need a better D and a healthy Gronk.
And add a deep threat.
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The Patriots need a better D and a healthy Gronk.
So how would things have changed if the Ravens were forced to play without their best (non-QB) offensive weapon? Suddenly they can't cover the whole field. Then what?The Ravens offense threatened the entire field. All three zones They had deep threats and took several shots down field. Some were successful and that threat kept an excellent 49ers defense honest. They had excellent short to mid-range threats in Bolden and Pitta. Both had great games. And their running backs, see Ray Rice, provide a great short threat. Add to that their running attack and you have a complete offense with talent and the ability to make the defense cover the entire field. Sounds like a pretty good offensive formula, no?
The Pats are a one dimensional short passing team. They may be the overall best short passing team in NFL history, but a good defense always beats a one dimensional team. Hell, the Ravens played the entire game in the nickel package.
The Ravens offense threatened the entire field. All three zones They had deep threats and took several shots down field. Some were successful and that threat kept an excellent 49ers defense honest. They had excellent short to mid-range threats in Bolden and Pitta. Both had great games. And their running backs, see Ray Rice, provide a great short threat. Add to that their running attack and you have a complete offense with talent and the ability to make the defense cover the entire field. Sounds like a pretty good offensive formula, no?
The Pats are a one dimensional short passing team. They may be the overall best short passing team in NFL history, but a good defense always beats a one dimensional team. Hell, the Ravens played the entire game in the nickel package.
So how would things have changed if the Ravens were forced to play without their best (non-QB) offensive weapon? Suddenly they can't cover the whole field. Then what?
Please......your memory is short. Wait until Gronkowski comes back 100% and then let's talk. Defenses don't even know where to start when he is on the field. Are they going to run or pass? They do both very effective when he is in there. I'd argue that Gronk is probably the 2nd most dominant player behind Calvin Johnson. If the Pats can add a legitimate deep threat all the better.
Let's take away one of either Pitta,Boldin or Smith and see how the Ravens do.
Pass rush is overrated. Stop the run is where it's at.
And add a deep threat.
We do need a better D because we are years away from having a core group like BMore or the Patriots in 2001-4 (which originally formed in the mid 90s. We're developing a good core, I think and it's possible for a young D to mesh, but the mental toughness, coordination and mind reading the great Ds have is the result of years of playing together among great and not so great, but dedicated, players.
Lets keep it real, We were destroying teams without gronk this year and just massacred the texans with him playing like one series. Plus many of us said we were going to have no problem scoring on the ravens, so for people to throw out the gronk excuse is crazy to me.
The defense isnt great but 13 points and getting shut out in the second half is just inexcusable