Things to Expect in 2013.

[AzPatsFan]

The Training Camp for the 2013 season is about to begin, and I'd like to list a few things that Patfans can reasonably expect.

The Media like the dumb bastards that they are, wiil constantly ask about the man who isn't there. The Gronk interview is but a foretaste. I hope Belichcik has everyone to reprise the Gronk response, "ASK IT ONE MORE TIME AND THE INTERVIEW IS OVER".

The team will get better as the season goes along, but expect every Brady INT or incompletion to lead to the Tebowites whisipering that Brady is "Over the Hill". This will be picked up the Mediots and repeated, ad nauseum.

In ther even that Brady gets injured for a few gmes and Mallett trys to fill in, expect the Tebowites and Mediots to expand this theme by a 1000 decibels. Pity the Pats and Mallett. No matter what he does, it won't satisfy the Tebow nuts. It may even ruin any chance htat he can become the eventual successor.

It is facile to say the Pats will simply run more. But they can't. They were already second in the league in carries/game at 31.5.last season. How many more can they do?

When Belichcik set out to rebuild the Browns it took four years to rebuild the team before they were a double digit winner. It has been four years since Belichick pensioned off the original Superbowl defense, and started rebuilding. If you inspect the defensive squad there are now at least 14 qualified starters; and several others who are depth players who can also play ST. This has definitely NOT been the case, the last four years despite the winning records, and even a Superbowl appearance. Meanwhile, the young D has been a league leader in turnovers for several seasons, indicating lots of speed and talent.

The same applies to the Offense. Only the WRs are a question mark, and that is through inexperience and the presence of highly drafted rookies. I predict that Gronk will play the first game, as the Mediots seem to be incapable of reporting facts, if it contradicts a preconceived story. A battery of Gronk and Amendola with an unknown is not a bad combination with which to begin. Especially so, since they can play experienced NFL veterans as early season subs, in Ballard, Fells, and the former First rounder from the Vikings, while the prize rookies acclimate to the NFL.

I think Aaron Dobson is going to be a Star eventually, with his size and hands and more important brain. I think the scouts underestimated his speed and downgraded him a bit. Plus they seem enamoured with the athletes who are thugs and illiterates like Corderelle Patterson or Dez Bryant. Those guys only excell in very simplified Offenses and don't win anything.

You can confidently expect this Defense to rise to league prominence.

You can expect the passing game to start slowly with the rookies, and get better as the season progresses. But like most BB clubs, it won't hit its stride before the second half of the season.

Let us hope the Pats don't dig themselves into a hole that is too deep to climb out of, early on.

 

[supafly]

Only the WRs are a question mark, and that is through inexperience and the presence of highly drafted rookies.

Lots of good thoughts in here, however I think that the TE's are also somewhat of a concern now; after all, we've now got one guy recovering from his 5th surgery, another off the team and behind bars, and yet another who many have high hopes for but is also recovering from a very serious injury himself.

Let's hope you're right and that Gronk plays in week one, but even then the TE's should probably be in the "question mark" category too, not meaning to sound pessimistic--just truthful.

Once again the QB, OL, and RB are all positions of good talent and depth (for the most part).

 

[fnordcircle]

I don't think TE is a question. It's just not the best TE unit in the league anymore. Even if Ballard washes out we played plenty of games with 'just' Gronk, Fells and Huhoh after the Psycho got his ankle sprained in Arizona.

TE is probably as much of a question as DT. Wilfork is the man but will Kelly play to his potential? Who is going to play the snaps we'll be missing from Love and Deaderick?

It'll also be interesting, yet again, to see how the defensive backfield pans out. I think people were too quick to jump on Ras-I as a bona fide starter after his first few games and equally quick to call him all done. I really like Dennard but if he gets suspended will Ras-I or maybe even Logan Ryan grab some snaps and impress?

How will we play Adrian Wilson? My gut says he takes snaps from Spikes on passing downs and I don't think I'll mind. Wilson's undoubtedly not the player he was but he'd have to have fallen way, way behind to be as bad as Spikes in pass coverage.

 

[supafly]

I don't think TE is a question.

Sometimes I think it is, while other times I don't.

I suppose it all depends on whether or not the rumors about Ballard still being hemmed up are true.

If that's the case, then yes--it is an area of concern. That leaves us all of our top 3 TE's either recovering from injury still or off the team, with the leftovers being Hooman, Fells, and a couple of rookies who probably won't even make it.

 

[supafly]

For what it's worth, this is the most current report that I could find from 3 weeks ago, and it's not good news:

(courtesy of FFCChamps.com, sportsoverdose.com and the Boston Globe)

"Tight end Jake Ballard wasn't moving well at all at Patriots OTAs this month. SOURCE: Boston GlobeFantasy Spin:That isn't surprising when you consider how many surgeries he's had on his knees over the past couple years. With Ballard looking slower than molasses, the Patriots better start looking at other options at tight end. New England fans will be praying for Rob Gronkowski to recover quickly from back surgery."

 

[AzPatsFan]

When I said the Mediots couldn't or wouldn't report the facts about Gronk, I meant the Mediots heard 11-12 weeks to be completely healthy and interpreted that as meaning Gronk would be completely bedridden until then. Then when he crawled out of bed, he would have had to learn how or walk all over again, before he could start to recover and enter training for 7-8 weeks.

Wrong !! Others said he will be working very gingerly for 5-6 weeks before he undertook his athletic re-conditioning so he could play in 11-12 weeks. That's what the Physicians said, nd what Willie MvcGinnest said after he had the same exact surgery, for the exact same problem, even done by the same Physician, not once but twice.

Well we saw that Gronk is NOT completely bedridden until the end of Training Camp as the Mediots wrote.

He is already up and around and working with the trainers three weeks before Training Camp.

That is why I fully expect him to be ready for Game 1.

 

[Brady6]

For what it's worth, this is the most current report that I could find from 3 weeks ago, and it's not good news:

(courtesy of FFCChamps.com, sportsoverdose.com and the Boston Globe)

"Tight end Jake Ballard wasn't moving well at all at Patriots OTAs this month. SOURCE: Boston GlobeFantasy Spin:That isn't surprising when you consider how many surgeries he's had on his knees over the past couple years. With Ballard looking slower than molasses, the Patriots better start looking at other options at tight end. New England fans will be praying for Rob Gronkowski to recover quickly from back surgery."

I honestly think Ballard is going to be a disappointment, not because he is going to play awful either. I think the legend of Jake Ballard much to overgrown by a lot of fans and media members.

He's an average to slightly above average TE coming off a major injury, and its also worth noting he the 'G' men define a vanilla offense. So he may have some difficulties adapting to all the things we do here.

 

[supafly]

When I said the Mediots couldn't or wouldn't report the facts about Gronk, I meant the Mediots heard 11-12 weeks to be completely healthy and interpreted that as meaning Gronk would be completely bedridden until then. Then when he crawled out of bed, he would have had to learn how or walk all over again, before he could start to recover and enter training for 7-8 weeks.

Wrong !! Others said he will be working very gingerly for 5-6 weeks before he undertook his athletic re-conditioning so he could play in 11-12 weeks.

My guess is that it may be somewhere in the middle of these 2 reports, which would put him on pace to resume what we should consider as "meaningful" training at the end of August. That would be at about 8 weeks.

If he is actually able to somehow resume any sort of meaningful activity prior to the next 4 weeks, then I'll consider him Superman.

In the meantime, there's still a very realistic chance that he'll end up missing the first couple of games. It's just too early to tell.

Either way, I think there could be a very strong debate that we should include the position of TE in our concerns. The ability to keep the same personnel on the field in various alignments and formations is what enables us to take advantage of potential mismatches and run the hurry up in pass AND run schemes. At this point we have 2 TE's who we have no idea if they'll be ready or not come week one, and another who is no longer on the team. To me, that is a definite concern unless one of Gronk/Ballard is able to resume meaningful activity within the next month.

 

[supafly]

I honestly think Ballard is going to be a disappointment, not because he is going to play awful either. I think the legend of Jake Ballard much to overgrown by a lot of fans and media members.

He's an average to slightly above average TE coming off a major injury, and its also worth noting he the 'G' men define a vanilla offense. So he may have some difficulties adapting to all the things we do here.

Yeah, we all are going to hope for the best obviously--but I lean towards what you're saying here. I am going to side with you and remain cautiously optimistic without having high expectations, at least for the first 1/2 or 2/3 of the season anyway.

The possibility certainly exists that Ballard will regain his health and slowly pick up more and more of the offense while the season progresses, but I wouldn't run out and put him on my fantasy team just yet either.

That said, I think we all can agree that it was still a great move on the part of the front office for bringing him here. He certainly has lots of potential.

 

[Brady6]

Yeah, we all are going to hope for the best obviously--but I lean towards what you're saying here. I am going to side with you and remain cautiously optimistic without having high expectations, at least for the first 1/2 or 2/3 of the season anyway.

The possibility certainly exists that Ballard will regain his health and slowly pick up more and more of the offense while the season progresses, but I wouldn't run out and put him on my fantasy team just yet either.

SF I was a little depressed the last few days because we must of been running in different circles (threads). I'm glad to be mixing it up with you again tonight.

Regarding Ballard, I don't want you to get the wrong impression I think he will be an excellent addition to the team. I just think his legend impossible for any TE in the NFL not named Rob Gronkowski to meet.

 

[supafly]

One thing is for certain though--every single year Belichick has challenges at certain positions that he somehow works through, so despite our concerns or "cautious optimism" (shout out to my man Ausbacker), we should all feel confident that we'll still be a very competitive team that is going to show up and play hard in for all 16 games.

I think the fact that he hasn't panicked and ran out and brought in another WR or TE says that he believes that he needs to work with what is here.

It could be debated as to whether or not it's too late in the game to expect any significant contibution from another pickup at one of these positions, due to the complexity of the offense--or that the time is quickly approaching anyway. Maybe we still see another team's castoff come in within the next couple of weeks and compete? If not, we'll have to rely on the QB and OL to get the job done, and those 2 positions are still better than 90%+ of what anyone else has to work with.

 

[mgteich]

This sounds like something Browns of Jags fans would hope for.

From a team that has won 10 games for a decade and tied or won the division in all of those years, we expect more than a competitive team showing up and playing hard

... we should all feel confident that we'll still be a very competitive team that is going to show up and play hard in for all 16 games.

 

[mgteich]

TIGHT END
It is extremely unlikely that we would find anyone out there that would be much competition for a roster spot. Fells, Hooman, and Sudfeld could be our active TE's for Game One. Still, I don't think that roster additions are the answer. The answer is heath and experience for the kid(s).

WIDE RECEIVER
I expect that we'll keep signing WR's through camp, the pre-season and perhaps even beyond. When we have only ONE receiver we can reasonably count on, there is will always room for someone to come in and show their stiff.

I think the fact that he hasn't panicked and ran out and brought in another WR or TE says that he believes that he needs to work with what is here.

It could be debated as to whether or not it's too late in the game to expect any significant contibution from another pickup at one of these positions, due to the complexity of the offense--or that the time is quickly approaching anyway. Maybe we still see another team's castoff come in within the next couple of weeks and compete? If not, we'll have to rely on the QB and OL to get the job done, and those 2 positions are still better than 90%+ of what anyone else has to work with.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

From a team that has won 10 games for a decade and tied or won the division in all of those years, we expect more than a competitive team showing up and playing hard

That said, mg, if the Patriots bring their 'A' game, they win. Period.

If the Patriots bring their 'B' game, they still win most of the time.

If their opponents don't bring their A game, well, ask the Titans and the JEST how that works out.

 

[mgteich]

I strongly agree.

That said, mg, if the Patriots bring their 'A' game, they win. Period.

If the Patriots bring their 'B' game, they still win most of the time.

If their opponents don't bring their A game, well, ask the Titans and the JEST how that works out.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I expect this team to put up lots of points like always, and finally have a defense that will rise up. With amendola and gronk, we should make it through the first couple weeks ok. The wr corp seems like its bad, but we only need 1, Mather 2 guys to help in the beginning. I expect Dobson to get acclimated and better each week as season progresses. Jenkins will have to put up some numbers the first few weeks while we get a rhythm. But I wouldn't be surprised if Brady and mcdaniels get this offense looking good in TC.

 

[mgteich]

You say that Gronk and Amendola will get us through the first couple of weeks, while the rookies develop.

Well, Gronk isn't likely to be ready for Game One.

I expect this team to put up lots of points like always, and finally have a defense that will rise up. With amendola and gronk, we should make it through the first couple weeks ok. The wr corp seems like its bad, but we only need 1, Mather 2 guys to help in the beginning. I expect Dobson to get acclimated and better each week as season progresses. Jenkins will have to put up some numbers the first few weeks while we get a rhythm. But I wouldn't be surprised if Brady and mcdaniels get this offense looking good in TC.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

I honestly think Ballard is going to be a disappointment, not because he is going to play awful either. I think the legend of Jake Ballard much to overgrown by a lot of fans and media members.

He's an average to slightly above average TE coming off a major injury, and its also worth noting he the 'G' men define a vanilla offense. So he may have some difficulties adapting to all the things we do here.

Wow, the negativity on this forum in unbelievable compared to others, maybe because we have gotten so spoiled from winning all of the time, that we forgot to sit back and realize how blessed we are to even have the back up talent that we have, that other teams would do anything for. Jake Ballard was one of the main reasons that the Giants won the superbowl. His big size, deceptive speed, good hands and route running helped him to become Eli's security blanket during clutch situations. He had a really good season, as his name was heard more and more often every Sunday. I think with Tom who is so much better than Eli as a quarterback, can make Jake Ballard look that much better. Why do you think Tom Coughlin was pissed when we signed him while on PUP? Because he knows that value of Jake Ballard, especially being on a great offense.

 

[supafly]

This sounds like something Browns of Jags fans would hope for.

From a team that has won 10 games for a decade and tied or won the division in all of those years, we expect more than a competitive team showing up and playing hard

I highly doubt that either one of the Browns or Jags both show up and play hard + competitive in all 16 games....just a hunch.

I agree that most of us are expecting more, but there are a nice handful who are also expecting something in the vein of a 10-6 season just the same.

Either way, we should make the playoffs barring catastrophe, and that's really all a fan can ask for.

 

[supafly]

WIDE RECEIVER
I expect that we'll keep signing WR's through camp, the pre-season and perhaps even beyond. When we have only ONE receiver we can reasonably count on, there is will always room for someone to come in and show their stiff.

I agree that we'll likely bring in another couple of WR's, but I also don't think that they'll have much time to get things down and actually be all that productive either. The best we can really hope for is depth/competition at the position with some production in a minor form.

Unless one of those receivers is named Brandon Llyod of course, then all bets are off due to his knowledge of the system.