5/24 OTA Observations

[PatsSox363804]

I absolutely agree, which was really my point. I think Gaffney coming free has made a world of difference in what this team's offense is going to be able to do. The Lloyd signing meant that teams would no longer be able to ignore the middle-outside and the deep areas of the field in passing situations, and the Gaffney signing brings receiver versatility to the table. Gaffney and Lloyd, along with a healthy RB threat, make it so the Patriots can not only strike anywhere on the field in the passing game, but they can also do it with enough different player types that it's going to be a very rare defense, indeed, that can find matchups for all those options. By having at least 6 receiving options, the Patriots can dictate all sorts of favorable matchups by substitution as well as by formation, which is something that they really couldn't do last year.

They'll now have the opportunity to be up there with the Packers and Saints when it comes to diversity of attack.

I want to see how we use Vereen or Ridley in the passing game. One area the Saints are excellent at is receiving out of the backfield. Thomas and Sproles murder defenses on screens. I think Saints RBs had 1200 receiving yards last season. I'd love for the Patriots to have that element.

 

[Ron Sellers]

If Ocho, Branch, and Stallworth are basically done, then we don't have the amazing depth at WR we thought we did. We've got a great starting pair and a good #3 in Gaffney, but then it drops off a cliff.

This won't matter much if we stay healthy but that's always a big if.

Even if not a single one of those three have productivity left, the Patriots till have at least five 'pass catchers' that they can rely on: Welker, Lloyd, Gaffney, Gronkowski and Hernandez. That's not counting any of the running backs, or Daniel Fells (80 receptions over the last three years).

Since the Patriots typically use a 2TE formation (or even a 3TE set), what you're really looking at is 3-man rotation for two positions on the playing field.

In other words concern over a 4th WR is like worrying about who the 4th tackle or 4th guard is. In addition, unlike those other positions the team can adapt to a 3TE formation or 2RB offense if they needed to.

And that's all after working on the assumption that not one, not two, but all three players mentioned are incapable of being productive this year - including one who has 112 receptions and 1520 yards over the last two seasons.


I would be a lot more concerned about safety or the defensive line; depth at wide receiver is the last of my worries.

 

[Deus Irae]

I want to see how we use Vereen or Ridley in the passing game. One area the Saints are excellent at is receiving out of the backfield. Thomas and Sproles murder defenses on screens. I think Saints RBs had 1200 receiving yards last season. I'd love for the Patriots to have that element.

The return of McDaniels should mean the return of the screen. My only question there is how long it will take Brady to get back in the swing of it after he's become used to looking at the RBs more as last reads.

 

[captain stone]

Hightower looking heavy? Also only at MLB so far...figured he would be moving around more..but still early

I hope he's not adhering to the Courtney Upshaw diet.

 

[captain stone]

Although it's obviously very early, there were reports that the Pats were working out both Woodhead and Vereen running WR routes yesterday. I think that there are enough weapons on offense that the Pats will make do, even if those 3 WRs don't pan out.

I'm not a fan of having Woody split wide. He's too short for Brady to see way out there,
and Brady's throws must be even more accurate than normal; otherwise, the ball will sail
over his head, or - worse - bounce off his hands into those of the opponent, like Buffalo for instance.

 

[doesntmatter1]

The return of McDaniels should mean the return of the screen. My only question there is how long it will take Brady to get back in the swing of it after he's become used to looking at the RBs more as last reads.

This is huge imho. Bill Obrien had no idea how to properly use screens. A screen is suppose to catch the defense off guard but i always seen those bubble screens coming a mile away and only welker and edelman were allowed to run screens. Ocho could have ran a few screens just to get him in the flow of the game sheesh. Then the screens disappeared completely for what felt like games apart. Obrien got better but still wasn't as good as mcdaniels in any year. With the departure of Obrien i also look forward to the return of the occasional trick play(flea flickers, reverses etc). Without a single deep threat last year, a deep bomb from a flea flicker would have forced teams to play more honest from time to time.

 

[pork3]

With the departure of Obrien i also look forward to the return of the occasional trick play(flea flickers, reverses etc). Without a single deep threat last year, a deep bomb from a flea flicker would have forced teams to play more honest from time to time.

This.

I can recall maybe 3 deep bombs last year, two of them to matthew slater, one intercepted by the Ravens DB, and that horrible bomb to Gronkowski which was intercepted by a fwcking linebacker.

One of my favorite plays in the McDaniels era was what I believe was termed "Raven" which was a
lateral pass to Moss, back to Brady, down to Gaffney.

With that said, one could argue that the deep bomb hasn't really ever been Brady's forte.

-Jamman

 

[Spergon Wynn]

This.
With that said, one could argue that the deep bomb hasn't really ever been Brady's forte.

Looked OK in 2007...

 

[Snake Eyes]

Looked OK in 2007...

Having Randy Moss, still in his prime, really helps.

 

[pork3]

Looked OK in 2007...

I'm elated to see you bring that as a topic of discussion as one could argue his success that year was largely tied to having a stellar deep threat, in his prime, that could outmatch DB's even with highly contested bombs.

These are some rather interesting numbers during the regular seasons, make of them how you will.

40+ yard throws:
2011: 1-6, 46 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 59.0 rating
2010: 0-6, 0 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 0.0 rating
2009: 3-17, 161, 3 TD, 2 INT, 66.5 rating
2007: 7-17, 366, 5 TD, 0 INT, 128.1 rating

30-40 yard throws:
2011: 0-9, 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 39.6 rating
2010: 5-13, 225, 3 TD, 0 INT, 125.8 rating
2009: 3-13, 123, 1 TD, 2 INT, 52.6 rating
2007: 6-13, 256, 3 TD, 2 INT, 92.6 rating

-Jamman

 

[Spergon Wynn]

Yea sure he obviously had one of the best deep threats that the game has seen but he still needed to get the ball there and on target, which he usually did. Obviously it would help more to have someone stretch the field like that these days but Brady can and could throw deep when he wanted to.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm elated to see you bring that as a topic of discussion as one could argue his success that year was largely tied to having a stellar deep threat, in his prime, that could outmatch DB's even with highly contested bombs.

These are some rather interesting numbers during the regular seasons, make of them how you will.

40+ yard throws:
2011: 1-6, 46 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 59.0 rating
2010: 0-6, 0 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 0.0 rating
2009: 3-17, 161, 3 TD, 2 INT, 66.5 rating
2007: 7-17, 366, 5 TD, 0 INT, 128.1 rating

30-40 yard throws:
2011: 0-9, 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 39.6 rating
2010: 5-13, 225, 3 TD, 0 INT, 125.8 rating
2009: 3-13, 123, 1 TD, 2 INT, 52.6 rating
2007: 6-13, 256, 3 TD, 2 INT, 92.6 rating

-Jamman

Of course, one could also simply flip the script, noting that as the receivers' ability to threaten and get open deep diminished, so did the ability to make the completion. I'm willing to be it's more on the receivers than the QB. His career numbers seem to reflect that.

 

[strngplyr]

Of course, one could also simply flip the script, noting that as the receivers' ability to threaten and get open deep diminished, so did the ability to make the completion. I'm willing to be it's more on the receivers than the QB. His career numbers seem to reflect that.

Just to argue I'll take the middle ground and blame the receiver for not getting open and the QB for throwing it to someone clearly unable to separate.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

What # is lloyd wearing? 88?

 

[Hudson Pats Fan]

Bedard's Sunday Football Notes article has a little tidbit about why Vollmer has missed OTA's thus far. Precautionary withhold of the big guy because he had ankle surgery and they want to make sure he's 100%.


Insightful book rewrites rules on football recruiting ills - Sports - The Boston Globe

 

[BTTA]

Bedard's Sunday Football Notes article has a little tidbit about why Vollmer has missed OTA's thus far. Precautionary withhold of the big guy because he had ankle surgery and they want to make sure he's 100%.

A big relief to hear that it isn't the back injury.

 

[Marqui]

I don't get why people thought he was out because of the back. Vollmer played in the superbowl.

 

[The Gr8est]

I don't get why people thought he was out because of the back. Vollmer played in the superbowl.

And Mankins played in the Superbowl with a knee injury that may land him on PUP to start the season (torn ACL?)