It's time for Amendola to step up

[Brady6]

I am going to say this one last time even though i have no delusion that it will sink in, Amendola is playing with a fully torn abductor muscle, and while he is able to run with this injury he is not able to stop and start quickly or make quick sharp cuts, and not once since suffering that injury have we seen him run a route that called for those quick sharp cuts and stops and starts. Prior to coming to NE that was what Amendola's game was based upon, and that was the reason for all of the comparisons to Welker, who was never lauded for his straight line speed but could shake any coverage because of those abilities. And despite the fact that I am one of the biggest Welker fans on this board i will say that had it been Welker in NE suffering from the exact same injury he would not have been able to produce at all and would have been IR'ed. Not because he isn't tough enough, because Welker is as tough as they come, but because Welker does not have the straight line speed that Amendola has, which is the only reason he is playing at all. Amendola and the Patriots knew they needed him out there and that his presence alone would enable other players to get open, and would occasionally provide opportunities for him to contribute, which is exactly what has happened. He should be lauded and applauded for playing with an injury that is as severe as the one he is playing with, and for finding ways to contribute despite obvious limitations that eliminate his greatest strength as a receiver. The knocks on him for not doing more are ridiculous and ignore the reality of what he has been dealing with all season, and the calls to release him when there is zero chance that will happen because of the structure of his contract are patently absurd. There will come a time when the Patriots will have to make a decision but that will not come until after next season, and everyone with even the most limited understanding of the salary cap knows that. The discussion of whether or not to keep Amendola will be relevant next offseason, it wasn't in the first 3rd of this season and that's one of the biggest reasons so many here, including myself, took such issue with both that and the endless hammering on the topic.

I do applaud Amendola for playing through pain, as I have said in previous posts Amendola had his most productive season as a pro in many metrics. I am not unhappy with him as member of the team and I do think he will continue to improve next season, he has actually been one most impactful in terms of big plays than any wide receiver we've had since Moss left town.

The area I disagree on is that Amendola is a viable replacement for Welker, I think that Welker was more of a Z-WR who was going to catch 110+ balls every season mostly in the 1-10 yard range. Where as I feel Amendola is more of a Y-WR who is similar to (probably even better) Deion Branch in his heyday. Making receptions in the intermediate parts of the field, able to make some big plays and likely to check in at that 70-80 reception mark with 800-900 receiving yards. The reason is that Amendola is stronger, faster and more sure handed than Welker but he is not as good at running after the catch, and he doesn't get open as quickly and often in the short game as Welker did. Now maybe that is due to the groin as you and others say but I don't think it is, I think that at 100% he will be better at what he is doing now but I don't think it will change the type of player he is, he has never been great at running after the catch. The primary reason that Amendola doesn't start right now is because I think Belichick recognizes that he is a Y-WR and we generally open with a X-WR and a Z-WR as our base, when we go 3 wide receiver Amendola comes in as the Y-WR. Danny Amendola 100% will likely be more productive than Branch ever was, but because I see him as very different than Welker in the way he plays I don't think he will ever reach the expectations that were set for him in terms of 120+ receptions etc.

To highlight what I mean by different - in week 2 of the preseason Amendola was making plays 8-12 yards down field in the middle in a slant or outside on a quick curl route, Welker during is time was most productive in the 5 yard range on quick out routes, bubble routes or quick underneath middle routes. Amendola is running routes that Deion Branch and Hernandez ran, and doing a good job. Branch and Hernandez were not great every week either because the nature of those routes rely more heavily on 1on1 match ups and the ability to win an individual battle whereas the Welker routes rely more on craftiness and decision making to find an opening.

Edelman is one of the best runners in space we have ever had so he fits best in those routes, if we are able to resign Edelman and Dobson makes a second year leap we will have the best corp. of receivers we've had since 2007.

X-WR: Dobson
Z-WR: Edelmam
Y-WR: Amendola

The positives are although I see them as different Edelman and Amendola are interchangeable on some levels so that will be good for creating mismatches. I also feel that this team was schemed for 2 tight ends and may not have expected Edelman to be as good as he has been so they had to make adjustments on the fly, with a full offseason to implement a 3 wide receiver offense I expect McDaniels will develop a scheme that involves the Y-WR as more of a full time player.

I really like the idea of that lineup and combined with a running game and a healthy Gronkowski it will be a force. I will also say I do read every ones posts and do learn from them, as much as I have pushed back this discussion has prompted me to take a harder look at Amendola and I am not down on him anymore I think my expectations for productions and type of player have changed so although I still think we paid more than he merited I do not know the market so it is what it is. I am happy we have him and think he will replace the Hernandez production and possible exceed it and I always though Hernandez was overpaid too so once we get past the 2014 Hernandez cap hit we will be even.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Assuming we lose to the Broncos, we should focus this offseason on building a receiving corp that other can actually respect. I say we start all over and rebuilt everything from scratch.The only one i like is edelman and Rob, everyone else can go this offseason.

 

[dales804]

Assuming we lose to the Broncos, we should focus this offseason on building a receiving corp that other can actually respect. I say we start all over and rebuilt everything from scratch.The only one i like is edelman and Rob, everyone else can go this offseason.

And what if they don't lose to the Broncos? Or what if they lose 41-38 and Brady throws for 415 yards, 4TDs and 0 INTs? Remember to keep everything in context. You're already dead set on "if they lose on Sunday, start over at WR?"

 

[manxman2601]

Assuming we lose to the Broncos, we should focus this offseason on building a receiving corp that other can actually respect. I say we start all over and rebuilt everything from scratch.The only one i like is edelman and Rob, everyone else can go this offseason.

Dobson, Thompkins and Boyce are injured and yet if we lose to the Broncos, they're the ones you want to get rid off even though they'll shoulder no responsibility for the loss. That doesn't make any sense.

 

[manxman2601]

I just want to say that I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of patience from some Patriot fans. You remind me of the Cleveland Browns ownership. I just don't understand how repeating what happened this year next year is a positive thing. Second year receivers, and this includes Amendola, have to be better than getting another set of first year receivers and putting Brady through the same difficulties all over again.

 

[mgteich]

Just re-sign Edelman and the WR position will be fine for a few years.

I just want to say that I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of patience from some Patriot fans. You remind me of the Cleveland Browns ownership. I just don't understand how repeating what happened this year next year is a positive thing. Second year receivers, and this includes Amendola, have to be better than getting another set of first year receivers and putting Brady through the same difficulties all over again.

 

[ATippett56]

Assuming we lose to the Broncos, we should focus this offseason on building a receiving corp that other can actually respect. I say we start all over and rebuilt everything from scratch.The only one i like is edelman and Rob, everyone else can go this offseason.

Amendola, Dobson, Boyce will be on the roster next season.

 

[manxman2601]

Just re-sign Edelman and the WR position will be fine for a few years.

Yes. The problem hasn't really been the receivers, we expected teething problems, it's been the fact that there's been little supporting play from the TE position save a brief Gronk flourish. That's the position that needs resolution in the coming off-season.

 

[primetime]

They should just blow up the whole team if they lose on Sunday. Cut all this year's rookies, especially. It's clear none of them were superstars their rookie year and are thus unlikely to be anything worthwhile.

(Please note this is sarcasm)

 

[Brady6]

Assuming we lose to the Broncos, we should focus this offseason on building a receiving corp that other can actually respect. I say we start all over and rebuilt everything from scratch.The only one i like is edelman and Rob, everyone else can go this offseason.

I think we just rebuilt the receiver corps this past offseason.

1. We need Gronkowski to return 100%; when healthy Gronk is in a class of players that includes on Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson Jr.
2. We need to resign Edelman, he gives a very good Z-WR because he can get open quickly and make plays after the catch better than 95% of NFL WRs.
3. We need to integrate the Y-WR into our offensive game plan more, we have not relied on that position as our #2 option since 2010 when Deion Branch returned, with a full offseason McDaniels can adjust the offense and that will allow Amendola more opportunity.
4. We need Dobson to make the second year leap, I believe he can. I liken him to Alshon Jeffery who was able to make an amazing leap in year 2.
5. We need Boyce to make sound improvements, personally I am smitten with Boyce and think he can become a TY Hilton or Randall Cobb player in the next few years, he is just a rare combo of ridiculous speed and strength.
6. I think it would benefit us to draft a top tight end, in rounds 2-4 potentially.
7. Vereen needs to fly out to California and put in some extra work with Brady, I don’t complain a lot but his drops are becoming a major issue.
8. I would like to see us resign Blount.
9. Ridley needs to maintain his good ball security and put in a full offseason in New England, he is someone I would like to see win an offseason workout award.

 

[Brady6]

I am going to say this one last time even though i have no delusion that it will sink in, Amendola is playing with a fully torn abductor muscle, and while he is able to run with this injury he is not able to stop and start quickly or make quick sharp cuts, and not once since suffering that injury have we seen him run a route that called for those quick sharp cuts and stops and starts. Prior to coming to NE that was what Amendola's game was based upon, and that was the reason for all of the comparisons to Welker, who was never lauded for his straight line speed but could shake any coverage because of those abilities. And despite the fact that I am one of the biggest Welker fans on this board i will say that had it been Welker in NE suffering from the exact same injury he would not have been able to produce at all and would have been IR'ed. Not because he isn't tough enough, because Welker is as tough as they come, but because Welker does not have the straight line speed that Amendola has, which is the only reason he is playing at all.

Note that 3 to 12 weeks is the 'return to play' range for nonsurgical recovery from an adductor tear, with the mean being 6.1 weeks and standard deviation being 3.1 weeks. Amendola returned in 4 weeks, which means that, on average, three-quarters of players who do not treat this injury with surgery will take longer than Amendola to return.

The primary reason agree that the groin is such a factor is that Amendola himself said he was close to 100% back on 9/25/13 that was 16 weeks ago.

By: Josh Alper on September 25, 2013, 1:58 PM EST
“I anticipate being 100 percent shortly,” Amendola said, via Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.

I don’t recall any reports of him reinjuring his groin so I am just surprised that he would make that statement and still be so far from 100% today even, seems rather odd to me.

 

[Brady6]

I just want to say that I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of patience from some Patriot fans. You remind me of the Cleveland Browns ownership. I just don't understand how repeating what happened this year next year is a positive thing. Second year receivers, and this includes Amendola, have to be better than getting another set of first year receivers and putting Brady through the same difficulties all over again.

Manx when I opened the thread after week 6 I was told by you and many others to be patient, we are now entering week 20 and I have not seen anything that I would point to as improving over time, according to posters his groin is still injured 19 weeks after suffering the injury, he is still inconsistent with his ability to get open on a week-to-week basis, and since week six he has dropped to 3rd on the teams depth chart.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...-his-critics-correct-page31.html#.UtR98XCfgTI

Take a look back at this thread opened on

Originally Posted by supafly
One would assume that Bill Belichick has a much more tolerable and patient nature for looking at the big picture, rather than just outright give up on someone who has dealt with some injuries and bad luck for 5 or 6 weeks.

Good lord--it's only been 6 weeks!

Originally Posted by manxman2601
Hope you don't mind Supa but I felt this needed more exclamation.

Sup says it’s only been 6 weeks and you highlighted that in huge bold font, now 14 weeks later I am being told it’s only been 1 season and you’re preaching patience again. Listen I will be patient as you’re suggesting but is there a point where you and the others are going to concede that what you’re are saying to wait for is not going to happen or are we going to be having this conversation all next season as well.

I mean listen at the very least you should empathies with my position here, I say 3 months ago that a player is not living up to expectation, I am lit up in that thread and then the same posters are in here using the same excuses and asking for the same patience, I mean at the very least you and the others should take some ownership that what you asked for in weeks 6 never came to fruition and should not be acting as if I am the one who is being unreasonable. You’ve already had 14 weeks for your claims to come true, they haven’t now it is next season, and then what it’s going to be 2015 and 2016, is this going to be an endless discussion of false hope and endlessly defending Amendola simply because you like Danny Boy or is there actually some football reasoning behind this and if it doesn’t happen you and the others will acknowledge it? I will acknowledge it if he does impress next season but at the end of the day his first year in New England has been disappointing in context to his contract and the expectations.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The primary reason agree that the groin is such a factor is that Amendola himself said he was close to 100% back on 9/25/13 that was 16 weeks ago.



I don’t recall any reports of him reinjuring his groin so I am just surprised that he would make that statement and still be so far from 100% today even, seems rather odd to me.

Unbelievable...........

 

[Brady6]

Unbelievable...........

What is unbelievable, should I consider Amendola a liar?

Ivan in mid October after game 6 me, you and some of the others went back and forth over Amendola, you and the others said things like come back at the end of the season for your crow and Amendola is going to make you look stupid in the second half, etc. Now it is week 20 and you're making the same statements on now it's about 2014 and using the same excuses. Why did you make those assertion then if the groin injury was going to hinder him all year?

Honestly my posting isn't even about Amendola doing well or poorly it's about you and the Tebow ESQ. band of Amendola supporters acting like I am the one being so unreasonable when I sat back for 14 weeks said very little negative about Amendola waiting to see if what you all claimed in week 6 would take place. Now you're still singing the same song and making statements like "unbelievable" about me when you're the one who failed in their initial claim and now is asking for more time and more patience. If you had said wait until 2014 at week 6 we wouldn't even be having this conversation, instead you're making no acknowledgement of your being wrong and still acting like you're the reasonable and rational one. It's redundant and tired at this point. You want me and other Amendola doubters to be patient and wait until 2014 that's fine but don't stand up all high and mighty and act like this is not a result of your own false expectations in the preseason and again in week 6 and that you've been been saying he was going to be so much better in 2014 all a long because that's BS you said the second half and it didn't happen why exactly should I believe you that it's going to happen in 2014 when you've already misled me once?

 

[Huckleberry1]

What is unbelievable, should I consider Amendola a liar?

Ivan in mid October after game 6 me, you and some of the others went back and forth over Amendola, you and the others said things like come back at the end of the season for your crow and Amendola is going to make you look stupid in the second half, etc. Now it is week 20 and you're making the same statements on now it's about 2014 and using the same excuses. Why did you make those assertion then if the groin injury was going to hinder him all year?

Honestly my posting isn't even about Amendola doing well or poorly it's about you and the Tebow ESQ. band of Amendola supporters acting like I am the one being so unreasonable when I sat back for 14 weeks said very little negative about Amendola waiting to see if what you all claimed in week 6 would take place. Now you're still singing the same song and making statements like "unbelievable" about me when you're the one who failed in their initial claim and now is asking for more time and more patience. If you had said wait until 2014 at week 6 we wouldn't even be having this conversation, instead you're making no acknowledgement of your being wrong and still acting like you're the reasonable and rational one. It's redundant and tired at this point. You want me and other Amendola doubters to be patient and wait until 2014 that's fine but don't stand up all high and mighty and act like this is not a result of your own false expectations in the preseason and again in week 6 and that you've been been saying he was going to be so much better in 2014 all a long because that's BS you said the second half and it didn't happen why exactly should I believe you that it's going to happen in 2014 when you've already misled me once?

Your posting is about one thing, your ego, nothing else. Amendola has a serious injury, that's why he hasn't run one route that requires him to stop, start, and cut on a dime since September. your call to get rid of him 6 weeks into a 5 year deal was completely absurd, as they cannot do that for at least one more season, yet you pound and pound and pound away at that like it was within the realm of reality, and declare that your problem is not with Amendola but those who keep pointing that out to you. I am completely done with you, I won't waste my time with anyone who has absolutely no grasp of reality. Back to ignore you go so don't waste any more time acting like you think i am responding when you know i am not.

 

[Brady6]

Your posting is about one thing, your ego, nothing else. Amendola has a serious injury, that's why he hasn't run one route that requires him to stop, start, and cut on a dime since September. your call to get rid of him 6 weeks into a 5 year deal was completely absurd, as they cannot do that for at least one more season, yet you pound and pound and pound away at that like it was within the realm of reality, and declare that your problem is not with Amendola but those who keep pointing that out to you. I am completely done with you, I won't waste my time with anyone who has absolutely no grasp of reality. Back to ignore you go so don't waste any more time acting like you think i am responding when you know i am not.

That’s funny because I am not egotistical at all actually I probably find more issue with myself and have more anxiety than 95% of people, that is my burden though. The fundamental difference between you and I is you seem to be extremely agitated by my posts, you find the need to call me names, comment on my mental health, you make these snide remarks as if you’re so right and I am so wrong, you never acknowledge if you take the wrong position you just continue to spin the circumstances into your favor. I acknowledge when I am wrong, I did so with Blount several times and I have done so with other players all season, I do not claim to be correct about everything and when I am wrong I do not make up excuses or exaggerate injuries to fit my argument I own my bad opinions and learn from them. I do not get mad at you for your opinion either in fact if you take the time to provide something with context I actually read it and try and educate myself with it, you on the other hand shoot my posts down like their deer and you’re a hunter, you don’t even give anything I say a chance you just berate it.

The reality is that as of today 1/13/2014 the belief that Amendola is this great player that is worth nearly $6 million a year is wrong. It was an extremely optimistic belief from the beginning, people felt that because Amendola was white, a similar size, went to the same college and played the same position in a similar manner that he was simply going to be the next Wes Welker, they ignored the fact that Welker entered the league in 2004 and did not play in a game as a wide receiver until 2005, he played in 2005 and 2006 prior to being traded and was only targeted 151 times in his career prior to arriving in New England. Amendola entered the league in 2008 and debuted as a wide receiver in 2009 and played for the Rams for 4 seasons during which he was targeted 293 times nearly double the amount as Welker. Amendola is not this player waiting to breakout like Wes was when he arrived, Wes was coming off his best season as a pro in which he doubled his production over his first year as a receiver. Amendola spent 4 seasons and his production when healthy was similar each year, there was very little improvement, his most receptions and yardage actually took place in 2010. My point is that Amendola is actually a beacon of consistency, since 2010 (4 seasons) Amendola has 3 seasons in which he finished with 689, 666 and 633 receiving yards. If you want to compare Welker to a player it would be Edelman entering this season Julian had only been targeted 108 times in his career and in his first season receiving a large number of reps with the first team he produced a 100+ receptions and 1000+ receiving yards, Amendola has been receiving first team reps since 2010 in the NFL.

If you want to believe that Amendola is going to be the next Welker and his groin is prohibiting it that is fine but don’t give me a hard time and act like I am the one being unreasonable for saying otherwise. You told me he would deliver in the second half and he did not do what you claimed, he is still playing the same way he was in week 6 and the same way he did his entire career in St. Louis why should I believe that 2014 is going to be any different? Are we going to do this all next season if he doesn’t deliver? Are you going to point out my ego, make comments like unreasonable or unbelievable at my posts, comment about my mental health, and call me out in to other users? Is there ever going to be a day that you own the fact that your opinion or position on the matter was not correct? If there is not that is fine but just be honest admit that you do not admit when you make a poor call and you will continue to make excuses and justifications while preaching patience, I can accept that but seriously you and the other 5-6 posters in here who take such issue with my providing an actual assessment on Amendola’s less than outstanding first season need to stop giving me a hard time because I don’t do it to any of you, I will reiterate you and others made these points after week 6 about the groin, etc. knowing that you all still set the expectation that he would excel in the second half of the season and I would be eating crow, this did not happen and therefore my confidence in you and the others that you know what Amendola will do in 2014 is not high. If you had not made the assertion after week 6 I would find validity in your reasons but right now it sounds like you all are reinventing and exaggerating a week 1 groin injury to save face and acting overly confrontational and somewhat rude and offensive in convey your spin. If you said I was wrong after week 6 but I really think 2014 will be different for the following reasons X, Y and Z then that would be something I would be understanding of but this acting like you having been singing the same song just with different dates for 19 weeks it is really stubborn and sort of pathetic.

With that said I am going to say this 1 last time, do not insult me, do not disparage me as a member of this board anymore Ivan, you do not know me from Joe so acting like you do and spewing that to the public is immature and unnecessary I do not ever do it to you, I go out of my way to be polite, several times I have even reached out in PM to try and talk 1on1 you ignored me, I wished you well in PM around the holidays you didn’t even have the decency to muster up the courtesy of a response, the other day you attempted to say I was told to ignore you when I never was and even then I apologized to you through Shm for the confusion and told you I had no issue with you, I have taken an endless approach to try and get along with you more than any other poster on this board and either you’re just not able to get along with people or you’re seeing my kindness as a weakness and thinking its ok to **** on me because I am just some forum member who doesn’t deserve anything better because I don’t think Amendola is going to be the next Wes Welker in 2014.

 

[supafly]

I am not intentionally trying to beat a dead horse.

I will attempt to try and be conscious of the perception of horse beating and not do so in the future.

Keep in mind that I admitted that many (or most, actually) of us have done the same thing as far as keeping something alive too long, etc. This particular issue probably should be put to rest at least for the time being, even if you are 100% right, which is certainly possible.

I think that it's just too early to tell at this point myself, although I see nothing wrong with questioning personnel decisions on some level either. In terms of the salary cap (not Kraft's money), Amendola hasn't warranted this much debate in year one, although that is just my opinion of course.

As many have said, if Amendola doesn't improve enough in the mind of Belichick, he will address it sometime next offseason. In the meantime, there may have been not only a learning curve progression that they wanted to see, along with the injury issues (valid or otherwise), but also the fact that they needed to adjust on the fly due to not having other reasonable candidates this particular season. That of course, would mean that Amendola had some responsibilities that may not have shown up in the stat sheet more than his 4.5 catches per game did.

 

[Ring 6]

Your posting is about one thing, your ego, nothing else. Amendola has a serious injury, that's why he hasn't run one route that requires him to stop, start, and cut on a dime since September. your call to get rid of him 6 weeks into a 5 year deal was completely absurd, as they cannot do that for at least one more season, yet you pound and pound and pound away at that like it was within the realm of reality, and declare that your problem is not with Amendola but those who keep pointing that out to you. I am completely done with you, I won't waste my time with anyone who has absolutely no grasp of reality. Back to ignore you go so don't waste any more time acting like you think i am responding when you know i am not.

Wait, you mean the one Welker caught 2/3 of his passes on? Why should Amendola have to be able to do that to catch 100 passes?

 

[Deus Irae]

Read the O.P..

Skipped the rest.



Amendola's hurt and has little explosion in his game right now. From the looks of things, he won't be 100% again this season.

 

[letekro]

Read the O.P..

Skipped the rest.



Amendola's hurt and has little explosion in his game right now. From the looks of things, he won't be 100% again this season.

Yep. Running like a guy with a dump in his pants.