Thursday’s game offers tremendous growth potential

[borg]

Pats scored 6 points in the 2nd half vs Buffalo....and the two players who carried the Pats O during crunch time (besides Brady) won't be a part of this game.
I can handle the lack of skill players given the whacked circumstances the past few months...but I will absolutely lose it if this Belichick defense refuses too be aggressive in this game. The D roster is filled with #1s and #2s ...it is time this defense inflicts its will. We have been waiting too many years for the D rebuild....and considering the group has returned virtually intact.....hasn't the time come for this D to step up.

 

[Avenger]

I'm going to have to miss the first half because I have a Fire Academy class

 

[AzPatsFan]

Honestly I didn’t love the offseason moves either, however I will say in Belichick’s defense he did make the decisions on the premise that Aaron Hernandez would be here and not in Bristol County jail, if he had known that Hernandez was going to do something so stupid I truly believe he would of made an effort to sign or trade for a quality player.

In addition there were these other lesser factors:

• Donald Jones a solid wide receiver signed very early in free agency being forced to retire due to his kidney ailment.
• Jake Ballard being unable to fully recover from his devastating knee injury.
• T.J. Moe considered by many to be the most promising UDFA signing blowing out his Achilles tendon.
• Michael Jenkins and Levantate Hawkins not panning out.

This was likely the plan, or something along these lines:

Wide Receiver
1. Amendola
2. Dobson
3. Edelman
4. Jones
5. Thompkins
6. Boyce
7. Slater

Tight End
1. Gronkowski
2. Hernandez
3. Ballard
4. Sudfeld

You look at what could have been and it’s hard to fault Belichick, he really did get the **** end of the stick with a lot of moves. Like your signature says if Belichick can succeed this season it will be his greatest achievement yet, and for what it’s worth I would never bet against Belichick.

Plaudits to another fan who can think and has some perspective. Too many of our "Hater-Fans" take their lessons from Felger and Borges. But the cynical twosome, are just out for sensationalist views and clicks.

 

[mgteich]

On Sunday, we ran the ball more than all but 2 teams. I can't see that we win run any more than that. We were also the #3 team in rushing yards.

I hope Josh tries to pound the rock. Wouldn't mind seeing them start Ridley and run him alot - he should be the most well-rested of all the players and could have a monster game. Then if one of our other rbs could get going, like Washington/Bolden/Blount, that would set up the passing game nicely. If the pats can't get the run going, the Jets D Line is going to be coming after Brady hard and I don't think they will be able to get anything going offensively, in which case, the only way they win is if the Pats D can stymie the Jets offense and get some turnovers for touchdowns or good field position.

 

[Deus Irae]

Honestly I didn’t love the offseason moves either, however I will say in Belichick’s defense he did make the decisions on the premise that Aaron Hernandez would be here and not in Bristol County jail, if he had known that Hernandez was going to do something so stupid I truly believe he would of made an effort to sign or trade for a quality player.

In addition there were these other lesser factors:

• Donald Jones a solid wide receiver signed very early in free agency being forced to retire due to his kidney ailment.
• Jake Ballard being unable to fully recover from his devastating knee injury.
• T.J. Moe considered by many to be the most promising UDFA signing blowing out his Achilles tendon.
• Michael Jenkins and Levantate Hawkins not panning out.

This was likely the plan, or something along these lines:

Wide Receiver
1. Amendola
2. Dobson
3. Edelman
4. Jones
5. Thompkins
6. Boyce
7. Slater

Tight End
1. Gronkowski
2. Hernandez
3. Ballard
4. Sudfeld

You look at what could have been and it’s hard to fault Belichick, he really did get the **** end of the stick with a lot of moves. Like your signature says if Belichick can succeed this season it will be his greatest achievement yet, and for what it’s worth I would never bet against Belichick.

It's easy to fault Belichick. Regardless of all the excuses people try tossing out there (Jones, really? He sucked, regardless of his kidneys), he* blew the offseason.

*The word 'completely' has been removed to bring the sentence into accordance with mgteich's later post.

 

[mgteich]

Let's see. The patriots are the #5 or #6 best team in the NFL. The jets are still one of the worst 5 or 6. The patriots are playing their home opener on a short week against a rookie quarterback.

What do you think the spread should be?

Here I thought we would sail through the first three games and have a rough stretch against Atlanta, Cinn. and NO instead we start out rough against the Bills and I can't for the life of me understand how we are a 12 point favorite against the Jets after the first weeks play of both teams and now the injuries.

 

[mgteich]

Not quite completely, although your point is well taken.

Belichick signed Kelly, and re-signed Talib and Arrington. He also re-signed Vollmer. That is not quite a total wipeout.

I agree that there were many missed opportunities at WR and in upgrading the defensive backups (and obviously the safety position).

It's easy to fault Belichick. Regardless of all the excuses people try tossing out there (Jones, really? He sucked, regardless of his kidneys), he completely blew the offseason.

 

[condon84]

I would be shocked if we didn't just try to pound the ball and play with two TEs/two WRs the whole game.

Bill will play this game close to the vest and protect Brady. I expect to see two TEs, Edelman, and Thomkins at WR, and then a RB.

Thomkins will get his chances. He might even give us a big play-action reception down the field or two. It's not inconceivable for him to have a huge game. But I just don't expect Boyce and Dobson to be out there and for Brady to trust those guys to win their one-on-one battles.

 

[mgteich]

We were the #3 running game on Sunday. Only two teams had more runs than we did. I don't see us running more.

I would be shocked if we didn't just try to pound the ball and play with two TEs/two WRs the whole game.

Bill will play this game close to the vest and protect Brady. I expect to see two TEs, Edelman, and Thomkins at WR, and then a RB.

Thomkins will get his chances. He might even give us a big play-action reception down the field or two. It's not inconceivable for him to have a huge game. But I just don't expect Boyce and Dobson to be out there and for Brady to trust those guys to win their one-on-one battles.

 

[wolverinejoe80]

i believe we will put up near 30 pts. but we will also have some turnovers. not good on brady's numbers, but hey. it's early and we need to get it out of our system early and often. mistake early is better for the team. history has proven that.

 

[captain stone]

Let's see. The patriots are the #5 or #6 best team in the NFL. The jets are still one of the worst 5 or 6. The patriots are playing their home opener on a short week against a rookie quarterback.

What do you think the spread should be?

Take the Jesters & the points.

 

[captain stone]

Not quite completely, although your point is well taken.

Belichick signed Kelly, and re-signed Talib and Arrington. He also re-signed Vollmer. That is not quite a total wipeout.

I agree that there were many missed opportunities at WR and in upgrading the defensive backups (and obviously the safety position).

And not signing Christian Fauria's nephew in favor of the weak-ass, glass-made Sudsy
looks worse by the week...as well as not re-signing Woody.
James Casey has been dropped to #3 on the TE depth chart in Philly. Bill should call
his buddy Chip and ask him what it would take to send him here.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Like the thread OP.

Never read all the replies but as Brady always says it is an opportunity for someone.

SR is on a short rope and I think he will play well tonight, as long as the big guys up front give him some opportunity.

Let's see what Dobson has got but I think Thompkins needs to understand that we don't just 'lip-service' need him, we actually NEED him. WHn TFB breaks the pocket, he needs to recognize that and break with him. Don't be tentative.

I think we are in a game tonight and would like to see good pllay and gap responsibility tonight from our D.

 

[Ring 6]

The 2003 Pats started 0-2. . . .

No they didnt

 

[BrickPat]

No they didnt

This is a "did we give up when the Germans bombed Pear Harbor" moment, please don't ruin it.

 

[supafly]

No they didnt

This is a "did we give up when the Germans bombed Pear Harbor" moment, please don't ruin it.

He was thinking of the 2001 team instead. He quickly apologized for the error.

Just thought I'd pass it along.

 

[BlueThunder]

Is this Groundhog Day?

 

[BlueThunder]

Is this Groundhog Day ??????

 

[English Patriot]

Just a little food for thought to the masses out there trying to condemn our rookie receiving core: It wasn't until week 9 of his first season that Julio Jones caught his first TD pass. Now he's quite comfortably one of the best receivers on the planet.

It takes time even for the best to get it....

 

[Brady6]

It's easy to fault Belichick. Regardless of all the excuses people try tossing out there (Jones, really? He sucked, regardless of his kidneys), he* blew the offseason.

*The word 'completely' has been removed to bring the sentence into accordance with mgteich's later post.

I don’t know that he blew anything, I think he played his hand the best he could with cards he was dealt.


1. I’d have to assume the major “blew it” is not resigning Wes Welker, my belief is Wes leaving was a forgone conclusion after 2012 so if you wanted to say he blew any offseason it would have to be 2012’s when he gave the extension to Hernandez instead of Wes Welker, and not knowing Hernandez was a murderer it made more sense to sign a 23 year old on the rise who offered more dynamic within an offense, but either way Wes leaving in this offseason was not reflective of blowing the 2013 offseason.
2. Outside of Travis Austin who was selected in the top 10 which we did not have the means to move into there were not any wide receivers that were any more dynamic or potentially impactful than Dobson or Boyce.
3. The free agent market did not offer a better fit for the Patriots than Amendola, and as far as replacing Lloyd, Donald Jones was certainly sufficient to the journeyman wide receiver that Lloyd was.
4. If you wanted to upgrade the wide receiver position you would had to overpay for a player like Wallace who is mainly a deep threat and Brady is not the best deep ball QB so you’d be adding a player that doesn’t work towards Brady’s strengths, after Wallace you would be signing someone like Bowe who was overpaid, drops a lot of balls, and is highly inconsistent, beyond those 2 wide receivers you have injury prone players like Jennings, or one year wonders.

I did not love the offseason either but unfortunately it was mostly **** luck, and lack of quality players that hindered the outcome. You could make the case that it was the repercussions of prior bad decisions but that still doesn’t make it a blown 2013 offseason.