Why Deion Branch over Julian Edelman ?

[ATippett56]

Hopefully , this is not true. you do not sign a blocking TE to replace Hernandez. winslow is more of an aron type.

The following scouting report does not classify Daniels Fells as a pure blocking tight end.

Quick-hit evaluations of tight ends - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Daniel Fells

Strengths: Good athlete and pass catcher. Has very soft hands, and can corral the football in tight space. Has good ability to run the short-to-medium distance route tree, and can be the move-guy within an offense. Has good size, and is a developing blocker.

Limitations: Not an overpowering blocker. Can be knocked back in his base, but had a good showing overall in limited snaps as a blocker this preseason. Durability is an area to monitor as the season begins, as he missed much of training camp and the offseason.

 

[BananaRepublican]

I'm not sure 5 for 50 should be considered a failure per se,

I agree. Stats can be liars and this is one time that I think 5 for 50 is pretty good despite what the stat says. The offense was in a very bad rhythm and nobody was going to have an impact day. The Big Picture was not good. Maybe if AH had not gotten hurt we would have had a more consistent way to gauge it, but after he went down that offense went into Three Stooges mode.

I still have trust in the observation that he is doing well in practices and is a better outside receiver than Wes right now. I expect him to get the nod at outside receiver, but now we could see a lot of Wes inside, so who knows from day to day anyway?

 

[BradyManny]

The following scouting report does not classify Daniels Fells as a pure blocking tight end.

Quick-hit evaluations of tight ends - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Fells runs a 4.95 40, and he's 6'4, 252. Leads me to believe he's a Gronk backup and 3rd TE.

 

[ATippett56]

Fells runs a 4.95 40, and he's 6'4, 252. Leads me to believe he's a Gronk backup and 3rd TE.

Daniel Fells accounted for 41 receptions in the 2010 NFL Season with a real quarterback under center.

Daniel Fells NFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[BananaRepublican]

For all the sunshine McD was trying to blow about Edelman, he's been a failure through 2 games.

If he's a failure then who is the success receiver?

I really think we have a systemic issue of lack of rhythm and identity. I wouldn't judge any single receiver as being a failure yet. To me it's the system that is failing. Maybe that's a poor way to state it, but another way might be that the system is being hard to incorporate.

Ha, nobody expected growing pains. I think a lot of that is on us.

 

[Deus Irae]

If he's a failure then who is the success receiver?

I think one could reasonably argue any, or all of the following depending upon the perspective taken, given the circumstances:

1.) Hernandez was a moderate success/borderline failure in game one

2.) Gronk/Welker/Lloyd has been a success

3.) Gronk/Welker/LLoyd has been a failure

 

[Sicilian]

I think one could reasonably argue any, or all of the following depending upon the perspective taken, given the circumstances:

1.) Hernandez was a moderate success/borderline failure in game one

2.) Gronk/Welker/Lloyd has been a success

3.) Gronk/Welker/LLoyd has been a failure

I would love to hear the argument that Hernandez was a failure in week 1. 6 for 59 and a TD? That plays out to 96 catches for 950 yards and 16 TDs if he does it every week! Yeah, you want a little higher YPC, but come on. I think those standards might be a bit high.

 

[Deus Irae]

I would love to hear the argument that Hernandez was a failure in week 1. 6 for 59 and a TD? That plays out to 96 catches for 950 yards and 16 TDs if he does it every week! Yeah, you want a little higher YPC, but come on. I think those standards might be a bit high.

They've built the passing offense more around he and Gronk, with him being the more 'pure' WR, and he averaged fewer than 10 ypc. 23 of his 59 yards came on one play, meaning he went 5 for 36 (just over 7 ypc) outside of that.

I'd say that's a reasonable take for claiming he was a borderline failure, just as I'd say it's a reasonable take for claiming he was a moderate success. It would depend on the perspective you were taking at the start, in terms of what you were looking for based reasonably upon prior knowledge and expectations.

 

[crawhammer]

Because Branch doesn't totally suck.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Branch is insurance. Whilst we've brought in Wnslow, there's no guarantee he'll be up to speed so, for week three at least, we may need to use more three WR sets and depth isn't great with Salas not up to speed yet. Hernandez's injury doesn't happen...Branch doesn't happen. Simple as.

Before Branch came back we were one injury at WR away from disaster on offence.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

I would hope that it's Branch over Edelman. Branch is a much better WR as a whole

Based on what? A SB from 8 years ago? Branch shouldn't even be playing he should be retired. He keeps coming here just because they like him not because he is better than other options.

 

[DarrylS]

Still do not understand the brouhaha over this, the underlying theme is that BB does not want to put this team in a position to win.. nothing could be further from the truth.

This is a long season, and a most of what occurs happens behind closed doors..

Last week Troy and Welker we on the radio, and indicated that previous to the new CBA that there would be 24-25 practices before the first exhibition game, but now there are 24-25 practices before the first game. Welker missed some time, so he could just be ahead.

One thing that we have learned is that in this meritocracy, the player that works the hardest gets the advantage. With that being said, expect Welker to see more time as the season progresses...

We did not lose last weeks game because Welker did not start..

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Still do not understand the brouhaha over this, the underlying theme is that BB does not want to put this team in a position to win.. nothing could be further from the truth.

This is a long season, and a most of what occurs happens behind closed doors..

Last week Troy and Welker we on the radio, and indicated that previous to the new CBA that there would be 24-25 practices before the first exhibition game, but now there are 24-25 practices before the first game. Welker missed some time, so he could just be ahead.

One thing that we have learned is that in this meritocracy, the player that works the hardest gets the advantage. With that being said, expect Welker to see more time as the season progresses...

We did not lose last weeks game because Welker did not start..

Talent and production has to be factored into a meritocracy or it becomes a mediocrity. It's not just the hardest working guy, and Brady contends that Welker is still that. And sadly we can't know what difference starting Welker might have made. Maybe he doesn't get targeted there or somehow avoids being tackled onto his teamate. And the new CBA has been in effect for 2 years now and last season they didn't even have an off season. Defenses in general seem to have an edge on offenses out of the gate this season, just the opposite of last. And if transition timing was a concern probably not the best time to be testing theories. There have been ample opportunities in the past to either because other players weren't producing or because the team was substantially ahead and had leeway to work on things. Belichick seemingly refused to bench underperforming talent or take his foot off the pedal in those instances.

 

[patfanken]

A couple of points on this never ending topic. I really don't understand how Julian Edelman has become such a lightening rod of debate, when quite frankly the role he is filling (that of backing up Welker, the 3rd WR in 3 WR sets, and blocking WR) just isn't relatively important enough to cause this kind of emotion. It wasn't when we when this debate started, and is only slightly more relevant now with Hernandez's injury.

1. Anyone who postulates that there is some plan by the Pats to keep the ball away from Welker as some sort of negotiating or contract ploy is just a plain IDIOT. It would mean that for no apparent reason the Pats have decided to put punishing Wes Welker, a very productive team player, ahead of what's best for the team. Its just plain preposterous.

2. Anyone quoting Rappaport as a source to bolster his or her position is foolish since there is hardly a person posting on this board who doesn't know more football than Ian Rappaport. That's like quoting Justin Bieber to back up a hypothesis on string theory.

3. It is fun to SPECULATE what's going on within the confines of Foxboro Stadium, and in that respect every has a right to their opinion. But there are some here who cross the line and assume they KNOW what is real and if you don't agree you are ripe for derision. This "I am right and you are wrong" mentality is offensive.

The reality is that all we have are relatively uninformed OPINIONS. and to claim the mantel of "knowing" is to be both laughable and tiresome at the same time

Yes laughable, because it is laughable to state as fact that BB is wrong to have Edelman on the field when for the snaps he's gotten given the amount of evidence HE has to make that decision and the comparative lack of evidence WE have to make that assumption.

4. I'm not sure what you want Edelman to do. IIRC he has caught every ball that has been within his catch radius. That he's blocked every man he's been assigned to. I can just imagine the outrage what would have rained down on him if HE had already dropped 2 key 3rd down passes so far this season.

5. There is a lot of hubris and testosterone being exhibited in this thread, and most of it based on some very flimsy evidence. Granted "flimsy evidence" is about all we have to go on most of the time. Sometimes I get the feeling that for some, having a "discussion" is no longer the point, but having an "argument". That the free exchange of ideas isn't the object, but proving "I'm right and you are wrong". Brow beating seems to be the weapon of choice, and ignoring/rejecting another's points of view, while repeating one's own's as often as possible.

Its making this a less inviting place to come when you'd like to have an exchange of ideas and learn something, and not engage in a "to the death" argument every time you disagree. I'm not a guiltless party in this, god knows. I've participated in more than a few of these never ending slugfests. but I think its time to step back to a more genteel and respectful dialogue .... even if its just a bit.

 

[RIpats88]

what I dont get is where the board has come up with the Idea that Branch is done and cant play?

2010 - 900yards
2011- 700yards

sure, he is NOT good enough to be your #2 wr which he was last year, but Belichick understands that which is why he brought in Lloyd, and we had the ocho failure experiment.


but as a #3 wide receiver playing limited snaps, I cant think of a better option out there....he is on the same page as brady and has that ability where defenses will forget about him and he will come up with a big play or two.

 

[MoneyFX]

Branch is still productive. He did slow down at times last season but still 700 yards as the 4th option is still pretty good. He now doesn't have to take the majority of the #2 WR snaps because of Lloyd. But this move is just for depth and for Brady's comfort. The two just click. Brady trusts Branch more than Edelman. Forget the age, Branch is the #4 option (#5 when Hernandez comes back) on the offense and is there when Brady needs him.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

what I dont get is where the board has come up with the Idea that Branch is done and cant play?

2010 - 900yards
2011- 700yards

sure, he is NOT good enough to be your #2 wr which he was last year, but Belichick understands that which is why he brought in Lloyd, and we had the ocho failure experiment.


but as a #3 wide receiver playing limited snaps, I cant think of a better option out there....he is on the same page as brady and has that ability where defenses will forget about him and he will come up with a big play or two.

tHe way he tailed off late last season and disappeared in games where we could have used somebody made some of us think he was done. Hopefully, that's premature and he's not done as a #3.

 

[italia44]

I think you're going to find that the resigning of Branch has more to do with Lloyd(injury),than Branch over Edelperson:rocker:

 

[Nehalem]

I think you're going to find that the resigning of Branch has more to do with Lloyd(injury),than Branch over Edelperson:rocker:

Or just the fact that if 3WR sets are going to be an important part of your offense it makes sense to have more that 3 WRs.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I think you're going to find that the resigning of Branch has more to do with Lloyd(injury),than Branch over Edelperson:rocker:

i still think it has ALOT more to do with hernadez out..which it does.

Oh and when they say Thigh injury..what is most likely the issue? A thigh injury?