After watching Branch and Brady today...

[Ring 6]

NFLN Crew and Moss

These guys have been saying that without Moss, and all of the deep passes to him, the offense will become 'smal ball' need all 10-12 play drives, cant score as much, can't win shootouts, etc.
Last year Moss caught a total of 7 40+ passes.
That 7 plays in an entire season, where the team scored 50 TDS.
I think the big play factor is being incredibly overrated here.

By the way, while looking this up, I noticed that Moss' numbers in his last 8 games of 2009 were
30 receptions
421 yards
6 TDs
after 9 games of
58
891
6

Quite a drop off.
Last 13 games as a Pat for Moss
39
560
9

That works out to 48 catches and under 700 yards for a full season

When we consider what is gone from the offense after this trade, are we comparing to what he has done since the middle of last year, or before that?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Re: NFLN Crew and Moss

These guys have been saying that without Moss, and all of the deep passes to him, the offense will become 'smal ball' need all 10-12 play drives, cant score as much, can't win shootouts, etc.
Last year Moss caught a total of 7 40+ passes.
That 7 plays in an entire season, where the team scored 50 TDS.
I think the big play factor is being incredibly overrated here.

I have no problem of small ball, as long as it ends in TD's (and I think it could). I think it will be refreshing to watch Brady's favorite go back to being the open one.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Re: NFLN Crew and Moss

I think we'll be fine. We won 3 Super Bowls without a star deep threat, so I don't understand what the big deal is.

As for Moss's drop-off in the second half of 2009, they did drop dramatically. But I noticed Moss also dropped a bit even in that record-setting 2007 season if you look at the first half of the season vs. the second half (including play-offs).

2007 first 10 games: 5.9 catches, 99 yards 1.7 TD per game
2007 last 6 games plus 3 play-off games: 4.3 catches, 59 yards, 0.8 TD per game

For the last 6 regular season games, it's 5.5 catches for 68 yards and 1 TD per game in case people don't want to count the playoffs.

I think part of it has to do with defenses early in the season still coming together and being easier to expose. As the season progresses, the defense becomes closer-knit and there are fewer mistakes in coverage. Part of it may also be the intensity of the games increases in the second half as teams push for the play-offs.

So maybe the drop-off wasn't Moss's fault in 2009, though the rough start to 2010 makes it seem like a trend. Either way, he wasn't going to produce for us this year, so no matter what happens in Minnesota, we can't dream it would be the same here this season.

 

[Roland]

Re: NFLN Crew and Moss

Sometimes I think you are Glen Ordway, you change like the weather.

Does this mean all your posts a few weeks ago are not valid now.

 

[Uncle Rico]

So, do we win that one with Moss?

AWESOME comeback. That last Branch catch -- I had a flashback to the final drive of SB39. Nice adjustments (remember those?) on O, and the D held strong after the first half.

I loved having Moss, but I love this type of football better. I'm not convinced the Pats come back the way they did if they have Moss instead of Branch.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Re: So, do we win that one with Moss?

Who knows and who cares ... good luck to Moss and we move on.

 

[Kdo5]

Re: So, do we win that one with Moss?

Probably. What does it matter...who won the game in the end? The defense, the same defense that we **** it on, the same defense that consecutively put a strange hold on the Ravens offense and held them from winning the game.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: So, do we win that one with Moss?

I donno... I saw quite a few places where a tall, quick receiver like Moss would have been a big asset

I'm not second guessing the decision to trade Moss - it was deemed for the best... just that in the long term having a tall WR with breakaway speed and great hands would have come in handy today

 

[BradyMossWelker]

Re: So, do we win that one with Moss?

I don' even care. I'm just in shock with our defense.

 

[SVN]

Re: So, do we win that one with Moss?

iam sure if we had lost in OT we wouldve pointed to our offense missing 4 chances before it won it to "lack of a deep threat"
answer is ..no one knows..each game is different. enjoy what we have and best of luck to moss.. i hope sincerly people dont pile on moss for this 1 great win.

 

[ALP]

Welcome Back Branch

nice to have ya, ur looking good

 

[DaedalusX]

I can't help but think that if we had kept him, 2006 would have been another SB victory year.

Am I the only one who was thinking that while watching these two connect like nothing had changed?

 

[Kontradiction]

Most people admitted as much. The only difference is that we said it in 2006.

 

[PittPatriot]

I can't help but think that if we had kept him, 2006 would have been another SB victory year.

Am I the only one who was thinking that while watching these two connect like nothing had changed?

I really like Branch and cheer for him now that he is back with us...but I cannot forgive him for taking away a SB trophy from us.
The AFCCG loss in 2006 is still a gut-punching experience every time I think about it.

 

[DaedalusX]

Most people admitted as much. The only difference is that we said it in 2006.

Yea, I mean, watching the travesty that was Bug Eyes dropping a gimme with half a field to himself made it seem likely at the time, but seeing how smooth things still are 4 years later really hammers home how much potential that duo still had.

Oh well. Here's hoping for the best this year.