Reiss: Hightower, Kline Out v. Houston

[SHOWTIME15]

Mike ReissVerified account?@MikeReiss
Patriots downgrade LB Dont'a Hightower (knee) and starting guard Josh Kline (shoulder) to out for Sunday night's game vs. Texans.

I guess this makes sense given that Martin was promoted.

 

[Joey007]

That's just great

 

[venecol]

Fff****kk it

 

[farn]

Hightower is more important to this team than I'd have ever guessed just two years ago.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

Gronk will play? I don't believe it till i see it. I am worried about rushing him like this

 

[mgteich]

Gronk will play? I don't believe it till i see it. I am worried about rushing him like this

We've rushed Gronk before.

We've used him as a decoy before.

We've had him take 5 games until he was anywhere near the real Gronk.

So, for me, his being active doesn't mean that he'll be used much, or that he'll be effective. We need him to be effective for the first game of the playoffs.

 

[SVN]

hightower is a big loss.

 

[Rob0729]

The Pats are ok without Kline, but Hightower being out sucks. The good news is Houston sucks at running the ball and their offense is pretty much one receiver. So Hightower's loss won't be as great as last week.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

From my understanding with Gronk this is a pain threshold issue more than concern for aggravating an injury issue. IF that is the case, no worries at all using him in certain situations. If the pain level spikes higher than tolerable, shut him down.
Seeing him out there for goal line and critical third downs would be nice. If not then so be it.

For High the D isn't as good without him. It just is what it is. But, IMHO, the D is still good enough to get it done. If the Patriots don't give up non offensive points, they catch the damn ball, they don't throw INTs -- things they normally take care of on a weekly basis -- then I think we'll be ok without High and with a limited to no Gronk. No panic needed at all provided the Patriots don't beat themselves (for example Denver, for example Philly).

 

[Gronkowski123]

our best interior lineman is out. ****
watt's going to whip shaq/tre all night long.

really hope that idiot doesnt get a sack.

 

[BradyFTW!]

If you'd told me two weeks ago that Gronk would be back before HIghtower, I would have been pretty surprised.

 

[Gumby]

The Pats are ok without Kline, but Hightower being out sucks. The good news is Houston sucks at running the ball and their offense is pretty much one receiver. So Hightower's loss won't be as great as last week.

Hightower's impact (negative by his absence) on the run defense was as much his play calling/coordination as his individual run-stopping. If they cant get themselves organized, it doesnt matter how bad Houston is, they will make them look good.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Hightower is more important to this team than I'd have ever guessed just two years ago.

There were people calling for him to get cut two years ago. You should go back and read the game threads from that time. You'll be surprised at the kinds of things people were saying about him.

 

[DarrylS]

Hightower has become better than expected... and our run D is quite different without him. Houston is not a rushing powerhouse.. so less concerned.

 

[goheels22002]

We've rushed Gronk before.

We've used him as a decoy before.

We've had him take 5 games until he was anywhere near the real Gronk.

So, for me, his being active doesn't mean that he'll be used much, or that he'll be effective. We need him to be effective for the first game of the playoffs.

I just wrote this in another thread, but having Gronk on the field requires that the Texans dedicate a linebacker or safety as a pass defender which opens up routes for the other receivers. If Scott Chandler is a go, he could be much more effective up the seams if Gronk is drawing the Texans best TE defender.

Brady is going to get the ball out quick today, and the best way to do that is to hit guys underneath the linebackers. If a LB is tied up watching Gronk, even when he's focused on blocking, it opens a zone or pulls a safety up. Josh knows how to give the defense looks that keeps them honest.

IMHO Gronk will be in motion to the side with Watt to help Vollmer or Cannon all day. Watt, unless the hand/groin is rendering him ineffective is the key to the Texans pass rush. Vince is strictly a plugger now, and Clowney flashes but is effective when Watt draws his man. Clowney's struggling with hamstring injury, so he's not as explosive as he was a few weeks ago when their winning streak started. He looked slow against the Bills.

The guy that impressed me in looking at some video is their MLB Brian Cushing. He covers a lot of ground, is a sure-handed tackler and has a nose for the ball like Luke Kuechly does for Carolina.

 

[Mack Herron]

Hightower has become better than expected... and our run D is quite different without him. Houston is not a rushing powerhouse.. so less concerned.

Houston has actually run the ball pretty well of late. Certainly far better than we do. It will be a problem if we cannot improve our recent run defense.

One statistic that reflects Hightower’s importance to the defense is that since he’s been sidelined from the end of the second quarter of the loss to Denver, opponents have totaled 50 rushes for 264 yards (5.28 avg.) and three touchdowns. As for the Texans, after rushing for fewer than 100 yards in six straight games, they have rushed for more than 120 yards in three straight. Also, in the last two games, Houston is averaging 3.1 yards before contact per rush after averaging 1.7 yards before contact per rush in the first 10 games of the year. So it's a run defense looking to get back on track vs. a running game that has finally found its groove.

Bill Belichick helped guide Bill O'Brien in transition to head coach

 

[NG Pats Fan]

our best interior lineman is out. ****
watt's going to whip shaq/tre all night long.

really hope that idiot doesnt get a sack.

Shaq/Tre have far more potential than Kline

 

[Tuck]

Hightower is more important to this team than I'd have ever guessed just two years ago.

Agree. I can't remember a patriot playing Linebacker as well since he emerged last year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

HOU has been running the ball VERY well lately. Ugh..

 

[RobertWeathers]

Shaq/Tre have far more potential than Kline

No debate on this. Its simply a question of which player can handle the nuanced complexity of the position right now.