Mitchell returns.

[PScottman]

There absolutely is a "trust" thing. Brady has come out and say it exists.

Brady has come and said he doesn't trust Dorsett????

Okay, if that happened I missed it. He has absolutely said that Dorsett is coming along and learning the entire offense - but that is once again INFERRED intent on Brady that he doesn't trust him, not stated distrust. Huge difference.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Brady has come and said he doesn't trust Dorsett????

Okay, if that happened I missed it. He has absolutely said that Dorsett is coming along and learning the entire offense - but that is once again INFERRED intent on Brady that he doesn't trust him, not stated distrust. Huge difference.

He admitted that he has trust in certain receivers.

I said he doesn't have that level of trust in Dorsett.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I was just kidding Bob!

I do know this... every time Dorsett gets a catch I say "yes, I like that guy!" That's about as scientific I get.

I know you were kidding...all good!

 

[RIpats88]

any chance he plays sunday? I cant imagine Bill dusting him off without any playing time for the divisional round or AFC championship.

 

[RayClay]

I hear what you're saying. I do think there is something to the "trust" thing, though maybe it's unfair to infer. Perhaps I should have said something like "he isn't throwing to him even when he's open."

Malcolm Mitchell's return to practice highlights importance of QB-WR trust

Of course there's something to the trust thing. All our receivers routes require a decision by the receiver based on the defense. The receiver better make the same decision as Brady,or he's not getting passes. Of course, new receivers have to earn that trust, but Brady doesn't wait for guys to get open, he often throws to a spot assuming the receiver will break that way, not another. Miscommunication can mean interception.

 

[RayClay]

Pats 7th rd QB ZacRobinson in podcast

“They work so much on all those different route combinations and it’s all based on leverage,” Robinson explains. This is the reason why less physically gifted receivers can see more time in the Patriots offense- if Brady can trust that the receiver will read the defense in the same way, then Brady will be a little faster at getting rid of the ball.

Ex-Patriots QB Zac Robinson explains how Tom Brady reads a defense in the red zone

 

[RayClay]

I don't think there's any issue with Dorsett, I think Brady has had a tough year with different RBs and receivers and wants to stick with Gronk and Cooks. Mitchel came into a very stable situation and Tom was probably more relaxed. Dorsett will get his chances if he keeps working.

 

[supafly]

Of course there's something to the trust thing. All our receivers routes require a decision by the receiver based on the defense. The receiver better make the same decision as Brady,or he's not getting passes. Of course, new receivers have to earn that trust, but Brady doesn't wait for guys to get open, he often throws to a spot assuming the receiver will break that way, not another. Miscommunication can mean interception.

This is why I think it will take a full offseason to fully attempt to evaluate Dorsett and his fit, here. He may surprise us with a big play or two in the postseason, but there’s always been little chance of him succeeding in 2017, barring catastrophic-like injury/lack of talent in the WR group like in 2013 or 2006 where there are no real options left.

 

[Dexter]

If you had to cut a player to activate Mitchell but it can't be a WR or TE - who would it be?

 

[maineman209]

If you had to cut a player to activate Mitchell but it can't be a WR or TE - who would it be?

Probably Grissom.

 

[maineman209]

Brady has come and said he doesn't trust Dorsett????

Okay, if that happened I missed it. He has absolutely said that Dorsett is coming along and learning the entire offense - but that is once again INFERRED intent on Brady that he doesn't trust him, not stated distrust. Huge difference.

That includes blocking - even for WR.

 

[maineman209]

He admitted that he has trust in certain receivers.

I said he doesn't have that level of trust in Dorsett.

McDaniels has also stated that he's simplified the offense in the past, in part or in whole, in order to integrate new guys more quickly. IIRC, he was referring mostly to 2007.

 

[maineman209]

Stop with that nonsense please. I'm sure you are being sarcastic but its getting old after a few days now.

Of course, it's nonsense. Harrison wouldn't do it himself . He'd call Ray Lewis - who "knows a guy who knows a guy", if you know what I mean.

 

[maineman209]

And one of my personal favorites by BB

Because, yes, Branches do grow on trees

Branch didn't grow on a tree; he is the tree. And you really don't want him falling on you.

 

[maineman209]

Sorry....I missed the signal.

Moving on..

Well, d%#*!@t! Now YOU have gone and lost Brady's trust.

 

[PScottman]

Branch didn't grow on a tree; he is the tree.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Brady has come and said he doesn't trust Dorsett????

Okay, if that happened I missed it. He has absolutely said that Dorsett is coming along and learning the entire offense - but that is once again INFERRED intent on Brady that he doesn't trust him, not stated distrust. Huge difference.

Brady was not talking about any particular receiver, but I did see where he talked about needing to be able to trust that the receiver will catch the ball if he throws it to that man. There is a "trust" thing with Brady, and I would suspect it's like that for a lot of elite QB's.

 

[supafly]

If you had to cut a player to activate Mitchell but it can't be a WR or TE - who would it be?

It could be a player who is currently injured such as Gileslee, Burkhead, Hogan (although he’s a WR), or Branch.

It could be a guy like Eric Lee, if Harrison looks good and Van Noy returns.

It could also be a special teams only player such as Grissom.

 

[maineman209]

Brady was not talking about any particular receiver, but I did see where he talked about needing to be able to trust that the receiver will catch the ball if he throws it to that man. There is a "trust" thing with Brady, and I would suspect it's like that for a lot of elite QB's.

Still, Dorsett's catch rate is 69% for the season, and it's been 100% since the BYE. We have no idea about how Dorsett has performed in practices, of course, but actually catching what Brady throws his way doesn't appear to be an issue in games, at least.

As others have suggested ("inferred", "implied"), it seems Dorsett's lack of tgts is more related to him not being in precisely the right place at the right time with sufficient consistency to completely satisfy Brady (AND McDaniels).

That could involve one or more of ...
- not running routes with consistent precision (e.g., potentially an issue with Britt's route on the interception last week)
- not consistently reading the defense that same way that Brady does on a given play
- not consistently making the designed route adjustment when he does read the defense correctly

Since the BYE, while Hogan has been out, Dorsett's offensive snap percentages have been ...

70%
47%
61%
60%
0 - Hogan's was attempt to comeback in wk-14 @Mia (played 90%)
42% - Britt had 3.5%, Hollister had 5%
37% - Britt had 13%, Hollister jumped to 18%

I strongly doubt that Dorsett would have seen those high snap percentages over, say, Hollister, just to be a "placeholder" in 3WR sets. He had to be contributing something more than that.

Also, I strongly doubt that Dorsett's "reduced" snap percentages the past two games are any sort of decisive indication that he's "on his way out" since he did a bit more with his tgts than either Britt or Hollister did. Even Dwayne Allen did more with his opportunities than those two (3 of 3 tgts for 36 yards).

I think it's more likely the Pats trying out different combinations to determine what their best options are if Hogan's absence continues (which it may). And, I think that MM was brought back to practice to give them another option.

 

[maineman209]

It could be a player who is currently injured such as Gileslee, Burkhead, Hogan (although he’s a WR), or Branch.

It could be a guy like Eric Lee, if Harrison looks good and Van Noy returns.

It could also be a special teams only player such as Grissom.

A rotation on the EDGE of ...
- Harrison
- T. Flowers
- Wise
- Lee
- M. Flowers
- Van Noy

With a rotation on the interior DL of ...
- Brown
- Guy
- A. Butler
- RJF
- Wise
(Branch, when he's back)

And a rotation at LB of ...
- Van Noy
- M. Flowers
- Roberts
- Chung
- Harris

All this seems like the most promising lineup the Pats have had for the front-seven since the BYE.