PATRIOTS NEWS PATS 2012 schedule

[Gronkandez]

NO WAY BB solely relies on our sophmore RBs vs these tough Ds on the schedule

Why not? By the time the season starts they should know the system, know how to pass protect and hopefully be healthy. They also have Woodhead.

One of the things I'm looking forward to most this season is watching Ridley and Vereen break long runs. Haven't seen too many of those around these parts recently.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Very interested to see if we can shred the Ravens defense week 3 this time. Their two interceptions came from Edelman getting owned, and Matt Slater on a bomb route. Lloyd should be able to trash Jimmy Smith or whoever their #2 CB is. The Chargers owned them pretty much because they couldn't cover their targets.

Hopefully instead of Slater that'll be a rookie burner, and Edelman will never see the field with Branch/Ocho as the new #3/4 WRs.

 

[borg]

Why not? By the time the season starts they should know the system, know how to pass protect and hopefully be healthy. They also have Woodhead.

One of the things I'm looking forward to most this season is watching Ridley and Vereen break long runs. Haven't seen too many of those around these parts recently.

BB has leaned on Vet RBs every year since he arrived in NE. But this year you think he will alter this course and lean on Ridley, a RB he essentially benched down the stretch, or two light in the britches scat backs? Maybe the plan is a two back set using the Denver blocking back more...but considering the overload that BB is bringing in at WR and TE, I doubt that. I'm confident BB will sign at least one capable vet RB.

 

[Gronkandez]

BB has leaned on Vet RBs every year since he arrived in NE. But this year you think he will alter this course and lean on Ridley, a RB he essentially benched down the stretch, or two light in the britches scat backs? Maybe the plan is a two back set using the Denver blocking back more...but considering the overload that BB is bringing in at WR and TE, I doubt that. I'm confident BB will sign at least one capable vet RB.

Yup I do...they're talented.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

Voice of reason Mike Reiss has them at 13-3 after predicting 12-4 and 11-5 finishes in 2011 and 2010... His game by game reasoning is here:

Mike Reiss -- Game-by-game predictions for the 2012 New England Patriots - ESPN Boston

JETS beat writers Manish Mehta and Rich Cimini both have the JETS pegged at 9-7 with Cimini's game by game reasoning here:

New York Jets look like a 9-7 team in 2012 - ESPN New York

I personally have the JETS at 8-8 at best barring a total meltdown that mitigates an
easier second half schedule. If Buffalo starts hot as they often do... and Miami gives them fits on the road as they often do, they could be 0'fer the first month of the season. Indy could be their only W prior to our week 7 tilt, so I'm not feeling conceding Turkey Day as the writers did because we're coming off back to back home games and the bye while the JETS are coming off back to back road games in Seattle and St. Louis. And I think if they are a sub .500 team after the first 10 weeks as I think they will be, Fireman Ed ain't saving them becayse they will be in utter chaos by Turkey Day and will have been re-named the NYTebows for the remainder of the season.

Then you have the "voice of reason" in Hector Longo of the Eagle Tribune. The Patriots will be 9-7 with Tebow and the Jets winning the AFC East.

 

[DaBruinz]

BB has leaned on Vet RBs every year since he arrived in NE. But this year you think he will alter this course and lean on Ridley, a RB he essentially benched down the stretch, or two light in the britches scat backs? Maybe the plan is a two back set using the Denver blocking back more...but considering the overload that BB is bringing in at WR and TE, I doubt that. I'm confident BB will sign at least one capable vet RB.

Vereen is 5'10 and 210 lbs. That is NOT light in the britches for a RB.
Ridley was benched because of his fumbling which most expect to be worked on going forward. And he didn't fumble nearly as much as Faulk did when Faulk was a rookie. Could a vet RB be brought in? Sure. Is it likely? Not unless they are a significant upgrade over who is currently on the roster and I don't see one like that unless Steve Jackson gets let go.

The Pats signed 2 FBs in Larsen and Fiammetta so it looks like they will be using less 1 back backfields and more 2 back backfields.

There is no "overload" at either TE or at WR. The Pats have 3 TEs, which is the norm. It also gives the Pats 3 guys who they can legitimately rotate and keep fresh and hopefully injury free.

At WR, the only 3 that are guaranteed spots are Welker, Lloyd and Johnson. Branch, Stallworth, Gonzalez and Underwood are battling for 1 spot, in all likelihood. Edelman and Slater have the STs slots locked up. There won't be a WR drafted this year unless there is one BB figures is better than Branch, Stallworth, Gonzalez and Underwood. There may be a UDFA WR or two signed, but they'll end up on the PS more than likely.

And all this is off the subject of the schedule..

 

[Jackson 2]

Then you have the "voice of reason" in Hector Longo of the Eagle Tribune. The Patriots will be 9-7 with Tebow and the Jets winning the AFC East.

He's either a total jackass or he's solely looking for hits. I'd love to ask him if he'd be interested in betting with me on both of those predictions. What a tool.

 

[DaBruinz]

Then you have the "voice of reason" in Hector Longo of the Eagle Tribune. The Patriots will be 9-7 with Tebow and the Jets winning the AFC East.

Hector Longo is a moron.. Can't understand how that guy still has a job.. He must have compromising pictures of Tomase and the Tribune's sports editor or something..

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Ya looking at the Week 11-17 games looks doubtful that any of those 1 pm games (Colts, Dolphins, Jags & Dolphins) are flexed to 4 or Sunday Night.

Depends on two things:

(1) Do the Colts get hot?
(2) Is there a possibility of New England once again going 16-0?

After all, back in 2007, NBC flexed NE@BUF into prime time, and I don't think anybody thought that game was going to be competitive.

 

[DaBruinz]

The only scheduling quirk I see is that we play both of our Miami games in December. I don't remember the last time the Pats played both of their games against a division rival within the same month.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

The only scheduling quirk I see is that we play both of our Miami games in December. I don't remember the last time the Pats played both of their games against a division rival within the same month.

Each of the divisional rematches are within 5 weeks of the first game. Kind of an interesting twist when you think about adjustments and such.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

Hector Longo is a moron.. Can't understand how that guy still has a job.. He must have compromising pictures of Tomase and the Tribune's sports editor or something..

The Tribune's sports editor is Bill Burt...what do you expect?

He is great as a high school sports reporter though. The kids in the Merrimack Valley love him and no one does more for the kids in the area than he does. That being said, that is where his assignments should stop.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

He's either a total jackass or he's solely looking for hits. I'd love to ask him if he'd be interested in betting with me on both of those predictions. What a tool.

Oh, follow him on twitter. He is a jerk who hates the Patriots. His tweets, mostly from the press box, rip the Pats defense, usually Jerod Mayo and Kyle Arrington. When he's not doing that he is questioning the opposition's coaching staff as to why they aren't doing what he can plainly see they should be doing. You know, the paid professionals know less than a high school sports reporter from the Lawrence Eagle Tribune.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Vereen is 5'10 and 210 lbs. That is NOT light in the britches for a RB.
Ridley was benched because of his fumbling which most expect to be worked on going forward. And he didn't fumble nearly as much as Faulk did when Faulk was a rookie. Could a vet RB be brought in? Sure. Is it likely? Not unless they are a significant upgrade over who is currently on the roster and I don't see one like that unless Steve Jackson gets let go.

The Pats signed 2 FBs in Larsen and Fiammetta so it looks like they will be using less 1 back backfields and more 2 back backfields.

There is no "overload" at either TE or at WR. The Pats have 3 TEs, which is the norm. It also gives the Pats 3 guys who they can legitimately rotate and keep fresh and hopefully injury free.

At WR, the only 3 that are guaranteed spots are Welker, Lloyd and Johnson. Branch, Stallworth, Gonzalez and Underwood are battling for 1 spot, in all likelihood. Edelman and Slater have the STs slots locked up. There won't be a WR drafted this year unless there is one BB figures is better than Branch, Stallworth, Gonzalez and Underwood. There may be a UDFA WR or two signed, but they'll end up on the PS more than likely.

And all this is off the subject of the schedule..

I agree that there is virtually no chance the team drafts a WR this year as for the first time in a long time,they are filled to capacity at the position.

The team addressed its concern for a WR to stretch the field when they signed Lloyd and that immediately ended a position of need in the draft......we just have to hope Lloyd isn't a total dud.

Unless Belichick totally shocks us,there is no need for a QB,WR and OL in the draft so it should be a defensive buffet on draft day for NE.

 

[Patsrock]

The only scheduling quirk I see is that we play both of our Miami games in December. I don't remember the last time the Pats played both of their games against a division rival within the same month.

I think it was Dec 2005 vs the Jets.

 

[Patjew]

That preseason schedule makes me want to barf.

 

[Rob0729]

I am not happy about a Thanksgiving Day game, but at least it is at night. There shouldn't be a problem with dinner interrupting it.

 

[Wolfpack]

I want to vent about how I'm sick of all the whining from mediots (and certain fans of certain other teams) about how easy the Patriots' schedule is. First of all, the forumla which determined our opponents this year was developed over a decade ago. Some are acting like it's a conspiracy to give the Pats easy opponents.

But also there's this: Of the 4 teams in the AFC East, our's is the toughest schedule if you take out games against each other. In other words, the only reason why our total SOS is easier than the Jets is because we play the Jets twice but they play us twice so that makes our schedule easier since they are a bad team and their schedule tougher since we are a good team! So if you compare the Jets SOS and our SOS and take out the games where we play each other, then their's is easier. Ditto the 'phins and Bills.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Oh, follow him on twitter. He is a jerk who hates the Patriots. His tweets, mostly from the press box, rip the Pats defense, usually Jerod Mayo and Kyle Arrington. When he's not doing that he is questioning the opposition's coaching staff as to why they aren't doing what he can plainly see they should be doing. You know, the paid professionals know less than a high school sports reporter from the Lawrence Eagle Tribune.

Hah - -think I'll pass on the advice to follow Hector on Twitter. With Burt the Eagle-Trib sports columnist philosophy is to be edgy, get conversation going, maybe get a board like this to link. And don't be afraid to say something stupid. Though you are spot-on on Hector's work covering high school kids. Yeah, he should stop there.

 

[thenepatsrule]

o. Some are acting like it's a conspiracy to give the Pats easy opponents.

Who??????? i don't think even the stupidest fans on earth (read JETS fans) will think of something as dumb as this.