The loss of Blount, Bennett, and Long is going to hurt us

[K. Dog]

Blount in particular was a great player during his time here. His performance in 2016 was spectacular. So many times no matter how Brady or the OL was doing, get the ball to Blount and he'll bring home the TD.

Blount was also a class act off the field. He had a quiet wit to him.

Bennett I'll kind of remember for his humor. That line about how the natural prey of the falcon was the raccoon, but the natural prey of the patriot was the redcoat, was a classic.

I don't know much about Long but he seemed like a highly skilled, intelligent player. He was famously involved in the SBLI turnover.

These guys from what I saw exemplified the Patriot team philosophy. They were intelligent, funny, and their play ranged from excellent to superb.

I don't see any evidence that our new acquisitions are at the level of these three. And in the case of Blount, I feel he was underappreciated for what he did for the Patriots. He was a quiet guy who was under the shadow of the much flashier passing game. But he was a key reason for the last two rings. I'm in fact disappointed that Patriots fans don't appreciate Blount more.

As I kind of have said before, I've seen winning teams before, but I've never seen a team with the intelligence and all round classiness of the 2016 team. I think frankly that was a secret to how we outperformed. I'm pessimistic we can recapture the magic.

 

[Bradyking12]

Mike G is a huge upgrade over LG, Kony Ealy could and very well be a huge upgrade over Chris Long I'll take that, and D. Allen is younger than a banged up Bennett tho Allen had his fair share of injuries but he's younger so more upside in the youth/longevity department even tho that might not have been the original intentional replacement but not a bad replacement when you look at it

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think out of the 3....

Least: Blount. Had a great year but with Gillislee, Burkhead, DLew and White getting the carries I think they'll make up the production and more.

Kinda: Long did a lot of things that weren't on the stat-sheet. Great motor. With the emergence of Flowers and with Ealy on the team I think they'll be ok.

Most: Bennett. I'd like to see him healthy. The issue is with the money he wanted and all the new weapons I'm not sure he'd be happy here. With that said, if Gronk goes down again which is something more than remote, he is an elite insurance policy in the passing and running game.

 

[supafly]

********. And I say that respectfully.

 

[deters]

Meh, idk about all that. I believe the Blount loss is biggest but then again he also was a hindrance at times last season. Allen and Ealy can match the output of Bennett and Long imo.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Blount in particular was a great player during his time here. His performance in 2016 was spectacular. So many times no matter how Brady or the OL was doing, get the ball to Blount and he'll bring home the TD.

Blount was also a class act off the field. He had a quiet wit to him.

Bennett I'll kind of remember for his humor. That line about how the natural prey of the falcon was the raccoon, but the natural prey of the patriot was the redcoat, was a classic.

I don't know much about Long but he seemed like a highly skilled, intelligent player. He was famously involved in the SBLI turnover.

These guys from what I saw exemplified the Patriot team philosophy. They were intelligent, funny, and their play ranged from excellent to superb.

I don't see any evidence that our new acquisitions are at the level of these three. And in the case of Blount, I feel he was underappreciated for what he did for the Patriots. He was a quiet guy who was under the shadow of the much flashier passing game. But he was a key reason for the last two rings. I'm in fact disappointed that Patriots fans don't appreciate Blount more.

As I kind of have said before, I've seen winning teams before, but I've never seen a team with the intelligence and all round classiness of the 2016 team. I think frankly that was a secret to how we outperformed. I'm pessimistic we can recapture the magic.

Can't wait for your game day posts

 

[Observer]

I agree Blount was a fantastic player and perhaps underappreciated around here but whether his loss will hurt us remains to be seen.

 

[goheels22002]

The reason the OP has seen winning teams is that the Patriots never hang onto 30-year-old running backs with 1200 carries under their belts. I love Blount, and am thrilled for him that he has two SB rings and found a team to pay him a good deal loaded with incentives. But it was time to move on to to a deep group of young, versatile backs.

If anything, the Patriots will have to make a tough decision about who to keep in the backfield.

Chris Long wanted out to play four downs. He was up front and classy with his request, a great asset as a specialist on the D-line. He was pretty one dimensional off the edge and doesn't have the positional flexibility of guys like Ninkovich, Harris, McLellin, and Flowers.

Marty-saurus Bennett is the guy I wish they'd been able to keep, but he was looking at his last contract and went with the money. He'll be missed opposite Gronk, definitely missed if Gronk gets hurt again.

 

[Deus Irae]

Of the 3 you mentioned, only Blount filled a role that hasn't theoretically been covered by a replacement player.

 

[102 Pat]

It's official now, K.Dog is PatriotPimp's alt...

 

[bormio]

We have not even seen the other players yet - we have no idea how they will perform for us. Those players all played a significant role - but to say they cannot be replaced seems over the top.

 

[Doctor DDS]

I think Sheard is a bigger loss than Long. Blount was fine at times but besides the Colts he was never able to do much in the post season. Am completely fine with their backfield. The Bennett/Allen switch will be interesting to watch. I think Allen will be better than Bennett was when paired with Gronk but am not sure he'll be quite as effective as Bennett if Gronk is out.

 

[Ring 6]

Blount in particular was a great player during his time here. His performance in 2016 was spectacular. So many times no matter how Brady or the OL was doing, get the ball to Blount and he'll bring home the TD.

Blount was also a class act off the field. He had a quiet wit to him.

Bennett I'll kind of remember for his humor. That line about how the natural prey of the falcon was the raccoon, but the natural prey of the patriot was the redcoat, was a classic.

I don't know much about Long but he seemed like a highly skilled, intelligent player. He was famously involved in the SBLI turnover.

These guys from what I saw exemplified the Patriot team philosophy. They were intelligent, funny, and their play ranged from excellent to superb.

I don't see any evidence that our new acquisitions are at the level of these three. And in the case of Blount, I feel he was underappreciated for what he did for the Patriots. He was a quiet guy who was under the shadow of the much flashier passing game. But he was a key reason for the last two rings. I'm in fact disappointed that Patriots fans don't appreciate Blount more.

As I kind of have said before, I've seen winning teams before, but I've never seen a team with the intelligence and all round classiness of the 2016 team. I think frankly that was a secret to how we outperformed. I'm pessimistic we can recapture the magic.

Actually considering Bennett played the whole season injured we have actually upgraded every one of these spots.

 

[Ring 6]

Of the 3 you mentioned, only Blount filled a role that hasn't theoretically been covered by a replacement player.

And blount appears to have been replaced by gillislee

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Over come Blount...and Bennett and Long....

Got : Gillislee, Cooks, Allen, Ealy ect ect

 

[Deus Irae]

And blount appears to have been replaced by gillislee

AT 208 lbs, Gillislee can't replace Blount as a big back closer. This team is running without a big back, as of now.

 

[patfanken]

Marty-saurus Bennett is the guy I wish they'd been able to keep, but he was looking at his last contract and went with the money. He'll be missed opposite Gronk, definitely missed if Gronk gets hurt again.

The thing that is sad about Marty is that it really didn't have to happen. IIRC he ended up getting pretty much what the Pats were offering from GB. It was very much like the Welker situation where the player/agent over valued the marketplace. The Pats had him in the $6-7MM range and that's what he ended up getting.

The only question I have is whether there was any urgency in the Allen deal that forced the Pats to consumate it so quickly after Marty turned down their offer. I'll always have a feeling that if BB had given him the time to see what the market really was, he would have resigned with us. Most likely it was unavoidable.

 

[primetime]

I disagree with the OP to some extent but I also disagree with the people who imagine Kony Ealy will easily replicate Chris Long's production. One is a guy who's been a steady high-level player his entire career, the other hasn't done anything at all. Long was much better in the worst season of his career than Ealy was in his best season. That said, the issue is losing both Long and Sheard and replacing them with question marks (Ealy and rookies).

Blount will probably be replaced just fine and I'm optimistic about Gillislee but I won't crown him yet.

I would rather have Bennett than Allen in a heartbeat and they would have kept the pick. I think Marty will be great in Green Bay. That said, his unsung role was as a blocker and I think Allen will be fine doing that.

 

[Joker]

..and so, just as the swallows return to Capistrano year after year, so too does the flock of paulo pulla come bawking back to Patsfans...

 

[Ring 6]

AT 208 lbs, Gillislee can't replace Blount as a big back closer. This team is running without a big back, as of now.

I'm not sure I'm worried that 208 LB gillislee will be less effective in that role than blount.