Antonio Brown

[StockingAnarchyNumber12]

Do we remember this guy selfishly broke Pittsburgh team rules by recording inside the locker room after a big playoff victory and Coach Tomlin was videotaped calling us “a—holes”?

What if he does that again? We cut him?

Dont care what he did in Pitt. I care what he does in NE.

 

[Wheelman]

I know every fan base has its demented minority but this is next level stuff. They also can't seem to decide whether AB is a Trojan Horse who will end the dynasty or will lead us to 19-0. The latter group is already declaring the season over and refusing to watch

David Carr is butthurt about that too.

 

[Wheelman]

 

[PatsFanInVa]

is ESPN's conspiracy angle accompanied by a "Wait til the Commish gets wind of THIS" level?

 

[Scotty]

Said to my son last night if I wake up in the morning and AB is a patriot I will not be surprised...well he's arrived !!!!....wonder what the dolphins are thinking

 

[Novanglus]

The Ultimate Heel Turn

 

[Quest4SevenHomie]

I used to love your work. Now, you only root for the blue collar bring your lunch pale to work types, and I’m sick of the way you talk down to skilled position players.

As if history doesn't repeat itself often than not? How many times has a super bowl been won due to a defense doing their job?

Aside from Super Bowl 42's crazy helmet catch. This was the only one I can think of.

 

[Kdo5]

A couple of late takes since I've been away for a few hours.

1. The 2nd sentence from the BSPN flacks after they announced the deal was to bring up the "conspiracy" angle. No sh!t, the 2nd sentence...and they repeated the allegation several times in the 3 minutes the story ran.

2. I'm really surprised how many are thinking that simply by adding AB, who is a WR by the way, we are suddenly invincible and preordained to be in the Superbowl. He's a WR who is going to get 6-10 targets a game out of 65--70 offensive plays.

Yes he makes the WR group better, and YES, he makes everyone else's job on the offense a BIT easier. But ANY WR only moves the needle fractionally. Just check the best WR's in currently in the league and add up their playoff win total and compare it Troy Brown, David Givens, Dion Branch's totals. Hell compare them with Chris Hogan's. Having great WR's has NEVER been the ticket to a team's consistent winning.

3. Only elite QB's can change a team's destiny by any degree by simply joining the team, and that's only relative to any other position. I would have been more buoyed at our chance to repeat more by the addition of an elite LT or interior DLman more than a WR. I know there are people who disagree, but FACTS speak for themselves. Give me Trent Williams and Akeem Hicks on this team and I'd drop AB and DT and feel better about a repeat.

But alas, I'm watching football in the fantasy football, the individual means more than the team era. An era where the glorification of all things WR related are elevated to beyond their real value to winning football games.

4. We also should remember that this dream team WR is led by 2 guys who will LITERALLY be here on a week to week basis. Whatever happens on any given Sunday, would anyone be surprised if Gordon and/or AB isn't on the team that following Monday. And it will be that way for the entire season. Volatile is understating the situation.

5. I LOVED our team last season. They were the little engine that could. Stomped down several times last season and left for dead, only to keep grinding and limp their way into the playoffs and THEN beat 3 thirteen win teams.

THIS team might be a little harder to like. I like the underdog, no one believes in us, where still here, teams we've had in recent years. And just because we added a freakin' overrated (the position not the player) WR, that will be harder to justify.

6. Next to the game itself, I can't wait for Miguel to make sense of the cap situation and how we managed to get BOTH AB and Jones' contracts into $6MM in cap space. Sometimes you can figure the basics out on your own and leave the details to Miguel, but this one is going to require Euclidean Math skills.

7. Now that all that is said and done and we have to deal with the reality that on Monday, AB will be a Patriot, I would sit him for the Miami game and have him make his first start at the Jets. That will give him 2 full weeks to get into some kind of flow with Brady and Josh, and to figure out his role, as well as everyone else's. And since the NY press is doing it's thing to inflame this as much as they can, it would only be fitting that AB starts his Pats career against the Jets.

Strong disagree on “moving the needle fractionally”.

Julian Edelman is a great receiver and he has proven critical in us winning Super Bowls. He certainly moved the needle in those games, not just fractionally.

Of course a team can win without a big name receiver but it sure as hell helps. Unless you don’t consider Jules a great receiver?

2007 should be proof of just how much receivers can impact an offenses production. It was largely the same team as 2006 but with Moss and Welker. Forget the final result but that offense was way more expolosive and impactful with such a high profile receiver. You are seriously underselling the receiver position in terms of its impact.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

You're making fun of me again @Deus Irae ?

 

[Flash]

The only major downside to this deal is that AB turns into a diva and causes major locker room distractions during the Playoffs, but I am confident with Belichick's management throughout his career with the Patriots, this probably won't be an issue.

It's only a one-year deal. There really isn't any other way this could backfire. If AB flops in any way, he's gone after this season. If he plays as usual AB, we are probably going to be in the Super Bowl. The Patriots swooped up a top 3 WR for $9M guaranteed. This is how good teams stay good.

 

[Quest4SevenHomie]

Ironically you probably named the ONLY WR with long term playoff success, mostly he was on the best team of his generation because there was no cap worries for most of those years and his team's roster remained consistent, not to mention 2 HOF QBs and the the best OC/HC of his generation

Lets look at the playoff records of today's best WR's, say in the last 5 years. AJ Greene? Julio Jones? OBJ? AB? Hopkins? DAdams? Hill? Evans? Am I leaving anyone out? Of this list only Jones, and AB have been to a superbowl and both lost. Of the rest only Hill has been close. I don't think OBJ, Evans, and Greene have a playoff win between them.

Great WR's help offenses put up numbers, but they aren't the key reasons teams win championships or even competing for championships. Great QB's do. Teams with great OL's and DL's often do. Teams with great HC's do. and the list goes on. There are lots of reasons why a team wins. Having good receivers IS one of them. It's just WHERE on the list of importance they belong is the subject of my opinion.

Exactly! Nobody has ever won with a elite WR. Defense wins championships. It always has. Our defense has won us many playoff games and super bowls, but it's also lost us some, too.


History has shown us that Brady has won without a big name. He had guys like LaFell, Edelman, Amendola, Hogan, White, Mitchell catching passes.

The only elite player Brady has had is Gronkowski.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

@patfanken
I'm on board w getting Williams. That would have created a super group at OL but for w/e reason it didn't happen.

I think even the most casual fan understands QB > OL/DL > CB/DB etc w WR far down the list.
I'm actually a proponent of only drafting QB/OL/DL/CB in the first 2 rounds.

WR/RB are extremely dependent positions but the thing is we already have a very good, borderline great OL. 2 top 5 G' s at their respective positions. Cannon is a tier 2/3 RT. Wynn will be a stud. Depth could be better but so could everyone's.

Brown is a legit great, HOF talent on the cheap. Bill will gamble on greatness. It matters to him. Even Thomas. Bill knows he'll never been close to the same player he was but at times DT did great things on the field. Bill believes he can get that out even if its in spurts & flashes.

Brown is still in his prime. Might talk like a nut but he's a brilliant football player w unreal game speed.

The thing that truly makes him great is his football IQ. He's a master at understanding what's in front of him & manipulating it into his favor. Just soooo good when it comes to understanding & using leverage. Doubling him is almost pointless at times bc hes good at splitting & shaving it you're screwed either way.

His rr is art. I made a comment abt Cooks & how some thought he was a good rr. He's ok. I mean he really runs 3-4 routes but everything is fast w him.

AB's game speed, subtly & patience are off the charts. His work off the line is beautiful. I was watching him earlier. Please do if you have game pass. So strong, subtle & lightening quick. Breaks out every release & again very good at using his hands but not extending or making it noticeable.

Hes the best in the game. We added the best WR in the game to our team. The effect it has is that big. Again considering our OL & defense is that good. Adding Brown to the weapons we have is insane Ken.
21P, How are you stopping Brown, Gordon/11, White & Sony? Spilt White now your extremely light most likely in the MOF bc of the LB that White will carry & the S bracketing Brown. Single for Gordon/11.
I mean the possibilities here are just too good to pass up.

I would have loved a Buckner, Chris Jones type add but none of those guys were available (assuming here)

I mentioned it hours ago but this could be the most talented/best team (on paper right now) we've had which is certainly saying something. Definitely hear you on OL/DL. Build from within but we're very good there as well. Bill took a shot at a game changer. Hopefully everything works out. We win 7 & get a 3rd for a comp pick.

 

[DarrylS]

When I heard the banter on sportstalk radio yesterday AM thought they were nutz and just another internet rumor...

Have moved on to, "Wow what an addition".. not sure what is wrong with AB but if he does not make it here, his NFL journey has pretty much ended...

IMO it is simple low risk possible high reward.. there a lot of strong personalities on the Pats who will help keep him neutralized..

 

[PScottman]

I was kinda liking this "Ground n Pound" offense too.

Josh, JE11, AB, DT.

That is the deepest, most talented, most decorated WR foursome in NFL history.

That's my one and only concern. The 2007 season ultimately was doomed by a few things, one of which was an offense that didn't evolve across all elements where a single team that matched up well in getting after the passer was able to singly focus on getting Tom Brady without any thought of the run.

This is an amazing WR group, but Tom still has to have time to get them the ball. Secondly, an amazing WR group WITH a good running game = unstoppable.

 

[Angelpats]

That's my one and only concern. The 2007 season ultimately was doomed by a few things, one of which was an offense that didn't evolve across all elements where a single team that matched up well in getting after the passer was able to singly focus on getting Tom Brady without any thought of the run.

This is an amazing WR group, but Tom still has to have time to get them the ball. Secondly, an amazing WR group WITH a good running game = unstoppable.

He does not need much time when his receivers can get separation in an instant. With JE we would have won in 2007.

 

[Uptown]

 

[pats_premi]

I hope BB tells AB to act professional on the social media.

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

It's like sh*t LOL

 

[RobertWeathers]

That's my one and only concern. The 2007 season ultimately was doomed by a few things, one of which was an offense that didn't evolve across all elements where a single team that matched up well in getting after the passer was able to singly focus on getting Tom Brady without any thought of the run.

This is an amazing WR group, but Tom still has to have time to get them the ball. Secondly, an amazing WR group WITH a good running game = unstoppable.

07 failed because it depended too much on Moss and didn't have a respected running game.

They have much more diversity now.

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

I agree totally, and I don't even know what caralho means

It is like sh*t LOL