Watson is hurting this team

[mcbee]

Does this mark the beginning of the "bust" discussions?

Not saying he's a bust. I think there's still hope for him too. But throwing into double coverage and expecting him to "adjust" to it and fish it out while runnig at full speed...that's too much. Just give him the shorter stuff and the sitting in the zone type of stuff. I do think he's pretty smart.

 

[zippo59]

If he makes the same jump between this year and next year as he did between last year and this year, then he will be great.

Retract your claws, people.

 

[Brownfan80]

If Watson can draw double coverage that means someone else will have single coverage.

Do we not forget the Jets game where he had single coverage and drew a pass interference call?

He is useful to this team.

Wasn't that Graham that actually drew that flag? Or am I remembering wrong?

 

[broadwayjoe]

I agree Watson is a treat in the Pats offense and when he's healthy has shown that potential so I don't think for one minute he is hurting the team if he was the coaches would not have him out there.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Wasn't that Graham that actually drew that flag? Or am I remembering wrong?

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=270107017&quarter=0

1st and 10 at NYJ 41 (13:11) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep right to J.Gaffney.
2nd and 10 at NYJ 41 (13:03) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short left to B.Watson ran ob at NYJ 37 for 4 yards.
3rd and 6 at NYJ 37 (12:35) (Shotgun) T.Brady scrambles left end to NYJ 25 for 12 yards (V.Hobson).
Timeout #1 by NYJ at 12:04.
1st and 10 at NYJ 25 (12:04) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep right to B.Watson.
PENALTY on NYJ-H.Poteat, Defensive Pass Interference, 22 yards, enforced at NYJ 25 - No Play.
1st and 3 at NYJ 3 (11:59) T.Brady pass short right to C.Dillon to NYJ 3 for no gain (E.Coleman).
2nd and 3 at NYJ 3 (11:39) C.Dillon left tackle to NYJ 2 for 1 yard (B.Kassell, D.Robertson).
3rd and 2 at NYJ 2 (11:04) T.Brady pass incomplete short middle to B.Watson.
4th and 2 at NYJ 2 (11:00) S.Gostkowski 20 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-M.Cassel. 10 10

 

[sieglo]

He isn't Antonio Gates, but that doesn't mean he sucks either. He is above average in the NFL.

 

[cstjohn17]

Dave Thomas is money. He adjusts to the ball, catches it in traffic.

Watson is a great athlete, but I don't think he has great hands. Think he's more athlete than TE.

Maybe mills can play TE next year as well as Thomas. Or maybe they need to draft another if graham leaves. Key is on production, not potential. Think the pats got blind sided by watson's "measureables".

I had dream that we traded Watson during the April draft... maybe I saw this thread coming...

I think you take Watson for what he is, even with his warts he is still a mismatch against any LB in the league. I see him as more of an athelete than a football player. He is a guy you would love to find a way to piss off, with his size he should be a dominate blocker, sadly he is not. I could see a rotation with Thomas next year who is also a poor blocker but seems to understand zone coverages. there is still a need for a blocking TE, hopefully it is Graham. I don't know what Mill's role will be, seems like a wasted draft pick, kinda like Klecko... too small to play FB or TE in the NFL. Evans has played well this year and is worth bringing back next year as the FB.

 

[Brownfan80]

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=270107017&quarter=0

1st and 10 at NYJ 41 (13:11) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep right to J.Gaffney.
2nd and 10 at NYJ 41 (13:03) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short left to B.Watson ran ob at NYJ 37 for 4 yards.
3rd and 6 at NYJ 37 (12:35) (Shotgun) T.Brady scrambles left end to NYJ 25 for 12 yards (V.Hobson).
Timeout #1 by NYJ at 12:04.
1st and 10 at NYJ 25 (12:04) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep right to B.Watson.
PENALTY on NYJ-H.Poteat, Defensive Pass Interference, 22 yards, enforced at NYJ 25 - No Play.
1st and 3 at NYJ 3 (11:59) T.Brady pass short right to C.Dillon to NYJ 3 for no gain (E.Coleman).
2nd and 3 at NYJ 3 (11:39) C.Dillon left tackle to NYJ 2 for 1 yard (B.Kassell, D.Robertson).
3rd and 2 at NYJ 2 (11:04) T.Brady pass incomplete short middle to B.Watson.
4th and 2 at NYJ 2 (11:00) S.Gostkowski 20 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-L.Paxton, Holder-M.Cassel. 10 10

Good call my friend. Your memory is crisper than mine.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Good call my friend. Your memory is crisper than mine.

at times, but I'm sure the Pats have a better memory of how much they can't stand the Colts.

 

[Brownfan80]

at times, but I'm sure the Pats have a better memory of how much they can't stand the Colts.

Brady's comment that he was sure that somehow they'd be seeing the Colts again confirms that thought. I hope they exact a memorable revenge.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Brady's comment that he was sure that somehow they'd be seeing the Colts again confirms that thought. I hope they exact a memorable revenge.

ditto on that.

 

[FilPats]

I agree that Watson's presence on the field as the #2 TE is hurting this team. David Thomas is already a better player than Watson. He has better hands, he's a better blocker, he has better instincts, and he's a winner. His Jacksonville performance, his only opportunity to play, was better than any performance Watson has had in his entire career.

While I still maintain that Watson has higher potential, Thomas is outplaying him at this point. In the Chargers game, there were some poor throws by Brady that Watson missed, which IMO could have been caught by Thomas. Thomas is clearly the better receiver at this point.

 

[sieglo]

While I still maintain that Watson has higher potential, Thomas is outplaying him at this point. In the Chargers game, there were some poor throws by Brady that Watson missed, which IMO could have been caught by Thomas. Thomas is clearly the better receiver at this point.

If Thomas were outplaying Watson, don't you think BB would be smart enough to have him on the field more? How many snaps did Thomas play?

Thomas had one decent game and he's annointed as a starting-caliber TE. I'm not buying it. If it were even close on the depth chart, then Thomas would be seeing more playing time -- especially with Watson banged up.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I think part of the fault goes to Brady for throwing so much to Watson when he is double or even triple teamed. Those kinds of throws are riskier and will naturally result in more turnovers and misconnections. I think it talks more of Tom Brady's confidence in Watson than anything else. Admittedly Watson hasn't been at his best lately but what other receiver on the Pats do you see drawing double teams? That's what I thought. Having Watson out there will make other receivers better because he CAN draw those double teams.

 

[PatsSteve1]

Dave Thomas is money. He adjusts to the ball, catches it in traffic.

Watson is a great athlete, but I don't think he has great hands. Think he's more athlete than TE.

* Thomas certainly has very good hands and has looked good in his limited time, but I think it's been too limited to make a fair comparison to Graham or Watson to say who's really better. One thing I see about Watson is while he has great straight ahead speed, he seems to not have much flexibilty or agility and appears stiff when he has to reach anyway but up for a catch. His hands need work as well and I mean some drops early in the season and not so much the throws to his toes of late. I don't think anyone saying things like this means they think he should be cut, shot or sent to Siberia. But right noiw I feel better with Graham in there than Watson.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Dave Thomas is money. He adjusts to the ball, catches it in traffic.

Watson is a great athlete, but I don't think he has great hands. Think he's more athlete than TE.

* Thomas certainly has very good hands and has looked good in his limited time, but I think it's been too limited to make a fair comparison to Graham or Watson to say who's really better. One thing I see about Watson is while he has great straight ahead speed, he seems to not have much flexibilty or agility and appears stiff when he has to reach anyway but up for a catch. His hands need work as well and I mean some drops early in the season and not so much the throws to his toes of late. I don't think anyone saying things like this means they think he should be cut, shot or sent to Siberia. But right noiw I feel better with Graham in there than Watson.

Watson should be cut, sent to Siberia and shot!
Good analysis. Dropsies early were supplanted with catches for fumbles. Very stiff, needs work on his routes. Not as powerful after catch as thought. Then hurt. Give him some work. Graham was the same way earlier too. He will be fine. But for this game, it would be Grambo and Thomas catching passes. Sorry Ben.

 

[Seymour93]

Does AOL Sports read this site?

http://nfl.aolsportsblog.com/

http://nfl.aolsportsblog.com/2007/01/17/brady-and-watson-a-failure-to-communicate/

Brady and Watson: A Failure To Communicate?
Posted Jan 17th 2007 9:58AM by Jeff Nussbaum
Filed under: Patriots

Before the season began, those of us at the Patriots Fanhouse were asked to make preseason predictions. My colleague Nat Jackson predicted the Patriots would go 12-4. He was right on the money. I picked Benjamin Watson to have a breakout year. The jury's still out on that one.

Statistically speaking, Watson had the best year of his career. Even while battling a knee injury near the end of the season, finishing second on the team with a career-high 49 receptions and 643 receiving yards. But when you watched him in games, you just got that sense that he was a little lost in the offense. That feeling intensified against the Chargers. In the second quarter, Tom Brady threw an ugly interception -- and it looked like Watson ran the wrong route. On a key third down conversion, he went in motion in a way that led him directly between the running back and the line of scrimmage. Brady missed him for what would have been a touchdown on one play, and on two others passes fell at his feet.

It's hard to tell, of course, which of these things are Brady's fault, and which are Watson's. From my vantage point, it looked like Watson wasn't squaring out his patterns (maybe the knee prevented it?), leaving it looking like the passes were short. I just can't know, and Brady did have a horrible day. But as people (read: Chargers fans) still want to talk about how last week's game ended, I'm more concerned about Brady and Watson getting on the same page next week.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Not saying he's a bust. I think there's still hope for him too. But throwing into double coverage and expecting him to "adjust" to it and fish it out while runnig at full speed...that's too much. Just give him the shorter stuff and the sitting in the zone type of stuff. I do think he's pretty smart.

My thinking is that we who watch the team closely know he's not all he's advertsied to be, right?

But the rest of the NFL does not know that yet. Maybe we could trade him away for a decent draft pick before the word gets out that he has hands of stone.

Resign Graham, ramp up Thomas and we'll be fine with Ben Watson.

 

[PatsFan37]

Re: Does AOL Sports read this site?

I think Sey93 has quoted one of the better observations, that Brady and Watson may have had some miscommunications. Still, for all those Watson doubters, you were probably doubting:
a) Graham's hands in the season when he couldn't catch a cold. Would you want to go to Indy without this guy?
b) Faulk's ball security on runs up the middle. Who had the best success against the Chargers up the middle? Dillon? Maroney? Nope. Game would have been lost without Faulk.
c) Caldwell's ability to get separation early this season. Several times he's beaten his coverage on a stop-and-go for a big gain at big time.

Watson is recovering from injury and when he goes deep, he draws double or triple coverage. He had a phenomenal play to break up an interception on a ball thrown short into THREE defenders.

So I still want Graham, Watson and Thomas on the roster, in that order. I also want Faulk and Caldwell. This team has gelled. Now let's watch them do their jobs.