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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.I'm right there with you. Guarantee me a Super Bowl this season, and I'm willing to suck for the next 5 years.
Unfortunately, going all-in guarantees you nothing except a disappearing of future assets.
I don't disagree that the line could be improved, but the protection problems last year were just as much about Brady and the receivers then the offensive line play
I know its easy to complain about any shortcomings that might seem obvious to you, AZ, but reality is often much more complicated.If you want to win you had best plug the holes in the interior Offensive line. You can't win with Brady on IR.
The Pats got to two AFCCGs and a Super Bowl with much worse Defenses than they now possess, without any additions in 2011 and 2012. But the interior OL is Old, 32->33, 31->32 and 29. with only Mankins with any great ability, backed up by nothing but scrubs. Ominously, Brady was sacked 40 times this past season, a number that would be three years worth at other times.
FIX the damn line!
Stop wishing for a Gronk or Chandler Jones. The draft is barren of them, but has plenty of very talented interior Offensive linemen. Pick up a couple; and convert one to C and the other to RG.
Yes the Giants got great pressure on Brady. But they won those games because of a series of immaculate receptions and the general good luck that marked most of the most recent superbowl winners. Do we even have this conversation if Welker catches the ball or David Tyree doesn't have the helmet catch.No they were not. The Giants beat them in two SBs because of internal Offensive line pressure the interior talentless line couldn't handle. The Broncs beat then in the AFCCG for the same reason.
Fix it when the players to do so are there.
I'm right there with you. Guarantee me a Super Bowl this season, and I'm willing to suck for the next 5 years.
Unfortunately, going all-in guarantees you nothing except a disappearing of future assets.
Yes the Giants got great pressure on Brady. But they won those games because of a series of immaculate receptions and the general good luck that marked most of the most recent superbowl winners. Do we even have this conversation if Welker catches the ball or David Tyree doesn't have the helmet catch.
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for upgrading the interior OL just like everyone else. But I don't see it happening through the draft unless you are willing to wait until next year before the player you pick this year make an impact. Any impact players you take in this year's draft, means taking away from areas which need that impact more, like the DL and TE
I know its easy to complain about any shortcomings that might seem obvious to you, AZ, but reality is often much more complicated.
1. Its easy to think that "all" you have to do is pick a guy in the draft and you problems are solved. It just doesn't work that way. Even if we do pick interior OLmen that early there is no guarantee that they will be any better than what we have THIS year. David DeCastro was as sure a bet for an interior OLman as you could get in 2012, and going into his 3rd season he might even be as good as everyone hoped. But the fact remains its taken him time to get from here to there.
If you are drafting for the future, by all means use top picks to get players who will upgrade the OL in 2015. But if you are looking to improve the the team for THIS year, there are other places that could use the depth and talent that picks in the first 2 rounds generally get you.
2. You make it seem that all 40 of those sacks were the responsibility of the interior OL. Don't you think a health DA, and a more experienced and healthy trio of rookie WR's won't make a big difference in Brady's sack total. Not to mention a healthy and improved TE group, which includes the single most impactful non-QB player in the league.
AZ, by the end of last year our receiver corps was an epic mess. Boyce was on IR. Thompkins was trying to playing on a bad hip. Dobson was playing on a bad foot. DA had his Groin, Gronk was on IR, Vareen was trying to catch with a bad hand, and Hernandez in jail. So essentially all Brady was left to throw to was Hooman, Edelman, and no man.
It is going to be a LOT harder for defenses to attack Brady when he has a deeper, healthier, skillful and more experienced receiver corps. If you think about it. How many games did Brady even have this season where he threw to a healthy group of receivers. But even though I think we will be fine at WR, this team would benefit greatly if we used the first or 2nd pick on a top 4 TE.
3. Is there anyone the Pats could get at 29 or 62 who is going to be better than Marcus Cannon at RG. Don't you think that it would be a waste to draft a player that high when you already have an upgrade on the roster?
4. After the 2nd round, feel free to draft who you want. I'd welcome an offensive lineman in the 3rd or below. But what this team needs are high end additions to the DL and TE, and those players are more likely to be had in the first 2 rounds
X Sua Filo (sp?)
Aww c'mon Ashley, this is Belichick, there are always reaches, at least one per draft.Agreed, I think this is the perfect draft to trade down with all the depth. We could get an extra pick or two and use them on the: d-line, o-line, tight end or safety position. Just hoping there are no reaches this year!!!
No they were not. The Giants beat them in two SBs because of internal Offensive line pressure the interior talentless line couldn't handle. The Broncs beat then in the AFCCG for the same reason.
Fix it when the players to do so are there.
I said the line could do with improving, and Wendell/Connolly is an obvious area to start, but I also think improvement will come from Brady being on the same page as his receivers.
. Can you live without a backup TE better than Hoomanawanui? The Pats do have Gronk, the best TE in the League. We went 12-4 without one.
[QUOTE="AzPatsFan, post: 3815200, member: 2168". Can you live without a backup TE better than Hoomanawanui? The Pats do have Gronk, the best TE in the League. We went 12-4 without one.
If we don't come away with a reasonable TE option in the first 2-3 rounds, I will be pissed as a fan. Then again, that's nothing new when it comes to the draft