I'm fine with our "skill" players on offense.

[Triumph]

It’s not trolling. Sony is getting a pass for a three game stretch. He hasn’t looked good all year.

I surmise that he is injured and playing through it.

 

[203Pat]

I surmise that he is injured and playing through it.

Well based on his history he’s always going to be injured.

 

[Hyped]

???

I think that it might very well be a problem of talent. Last year, our running backs ran behind

Brown, Thuney, Andrews, Mason, Cannon, Gronkowski, Allan, Develin, (with Waddle and Karras as backups).

Yes, we will improve at LT when Wynn comes back. Will Wynn 2019 be better than Brown 2018? Even if he is equal ( a lot to ask), it is difficult to see how our running game will morph into one that is as good as it was in the 2018-2019 playoffs.

The BOTTOM LINE is that our running game is much weaker. As a whole, our offense is weaker. However, our defense is much, much better. Are we as good as last year? Will we be as good as last year for the playoffs. I don't know. . We will likely be favored in every game, and we will likely win our first home game, putting us in the AFC championship game year again.

Yeah, even with Wynn coming back (and I think he's as good as Brown in the run blocking dept due to his low center of gravity and speed vs. Brown) we would still be seeing a downgrade at C, FB, and TE compared to last year. However, I believe our run game will vastly improve when the passing game gets going and we can pass to set up the run. I see more Burkhead/White on draws out of our passing formations....that being said, I can see Michel getting better as the season wears on and we get Izzo back at 100% and SOMEBODY playing the H-back. We don't need last year's power rushing offense, but we need to get at least 75 yards out of Michel on say 20 carries every week to be effective.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Except QB and LG.

JE is on a pace for 112/1168/7tds. That's all pro.

Neither has all pro stats. All pro teams don’t have ten receivers and 6 quarterbacks.

 

[mgteich]

I don't see an h-back walking though the door.

Yeah, even with Wynn coming back (and I think he's as good as Brown in the run blocking dept due to his low center of gravity and speed vs. Brown) we would still be seeing a downgrade at C, FB, and TE compared to last year. However, I believe our run game will vastly improve when the passing game gets going and we can pass to set up the run. I see more Burkhead/White on draws out of our passing formations....that being said, I can see Michel getting better as the season wears on and we get Izzo back at 100% and SOMEBODY playing the H-back. We don't need last year's power rushing offense, but we need to get at least 75 yards out of Michel on say 20 carries every week to be effective.

 

[captain stone]

It's amazing to me how the team wins so much with all this sub-standard talent on offense.

Do you not remember who was on their schedule for the first 8 games?

...And yup, we are upset that Sony's production has decreased. Posters are soon upset that they want to bench Sony and start a rookie.

Happens all the time in the NFL at RB...except here, for some fecked-up reason...

Let me know when those teams go to 3 super bowls in a row and 4 out of 5

That was Then...This is Now.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Do you not remember who was on their schedule for the first 8 games?

Happens all the time in the NFL at RB...except here, for some fecked-up reason...

That was Then...This is Now.

....and they destroyed them.

 

[glm]

It’s not trolling. Sony is getting a pass for a three game stretch. He hasn’t looked good all year.

He has garbage run blocking this year. Why are you neglecting his rookie year when he was doing great? You know, when he had actual good run blocking

 

[glm]

Sony is 3.3. So, anything helps.

6 - 0 and 247 lbs could block as well.

Last season Blount had by far the worst YPA out of every RB on the Lions. The next lowest YPA after his 2.7 was a 4.3 with the highest being a 5.4.

The Patriots this year has every single RB on the Patriots averaging in the 3's with only Burkhead being the exception with a 4.3.

 

[Zuma]

Last season Blount had by far the worst YPA out of every RB on the Lions. The next lowest YPA after his 2.7 was a 4.3 with the highest being a 5.4.

The Patriots this year has every single RB on the Patriots averaging in the 3's with only Burkhead being the exception with a 4.3.

Blount running the rock this year would be bad. Blount in for a tryout as a 250 lb run blocking FB with pass blocking and catching skills ....why not.

 

[203Pat]

He has garbage run blocking this year. Why are you neglecting his rookie year when he was doing great? You know, when he had actual good run blocking

When the line (that was significantly better last year) opens big holes for him he runs well. When the line doesn't do much for him he cant make anything happen. We could have found any running back to succeed/fail under those circumstances. Instead we drafted one in the first round. He doesn't make many people miss, he isn't very fast, and he offers next to nothing as a pass catcher. He is basically BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Serviceable but far from special.

 

[Zuma]

When the line isn't run blocking well...Sony just needs to run to the line and try to make a cut...do not wait for the line to create a hole because it will rarely happen. Fears mentioned the same a couple weeks ago. And when the line is blocking well...then he can do his Bell impersonation all he wants and wait for the line. But now is not the time to wait. Maybe later in the season things will be different.

 

[203Pat]

When the line isn't run blocking well...Sony just needs to run to the line and try to make a cut...do not wait for the line to create a hole because it will rarely happen. Fears mentioned the same a couple weeks ago. And when the line is blocking well...then he can do his Bell impersonation all he wants and wait for the line. But now is not the time to wait. Maybe later in the season things will be different.

I wouldn't be surprised if he sees less carries later in the season at the rate he is going.

 

[BelichicksHoodie]

The lines the issue more than anything. QB is fine and position players are fine.

 

[glm]

When the line (that was significantly better last year) opens big holes for him he runs well. When the line doesn't do much for him he cant make anything happen. We could have found any running back to succeed/fail under those circumstances. Instead we drafted one in the first round. He doesn't make many people miss, he isn't very fast, and he offers next to nothing as a pass catcher. He is basically BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Serviceable but far from special.

Every RB on the roster has a YPA in the 3's with the exception of Burkhead who has a 4.3 which is a little above average.

You can put Todd Gurley or Leveon Bell in the backfield and they would also do terrible. We have a terrible run blocking oline at the moment but you want to put the blame squarely on Sony.

It's pathetic tbh

 

[glm]

Blount running the rock this year would be bad. Blount in for a tryout as a 250 lb run blocking FB with pass blocking and catching skills ....why not.

Yeah I don't see what would hurt to try him as a FB

 

[Zuma]

Every RB on the roster has a YPA in the 3's with the exception of Burkhead who has a 4.3 which is a little above average.

You can put Todd Gurley or Leveon Bell in the backfield and they would also do terrible. We have a terrible run blocking oline at the moment but you want to put the blame squarely on Sony.

It's pathetic tbh

Burkhead is doing better because he is better at catching but also because he just runs to the line and then makes a couple jump cuts. Sony and every other running back should do the same.

 

[captain stone]

The line's the issue more than anything. QB is fine and position players are fine, except for those at TE/FB & RB1.

There, that's better.

 

[TheAdultintheRoom]

The way you view Harry right now pretty much depends on what your expectations were when he was drafted. In my opinion--and I know others will disagree, and it's true that the Patriots tend to bring rookies along slowly--but in my opinion, when you draft someone in the first round, you're expecting that person to be one of the better players on your team. And WR, like RB, is a position where rookies can have a pretty big impact when they're special. It's a position that is largely about athleticism. Sure, RBs can work on their reads and WRs can work on their route running and such, but many, many WRs have had an impact in their rookie year.

Now, Harry did get hurt. But then he had 2 weeks to practice, after being exposed to the playbook for half a season, and was not active. I think it's reasonable to surmise that if Harry was viewed as the special talent I would hope he would be as a 1st round pick, he would be out there.

The sky isn't falling or anything like that, and it's very possible he still turns out to be a good player. But it's hard to argue that the information we have so far paints a hugely positive picture.

 

[BelichickFan]

Not sure how anyone can be good with our skill guys. Edelman is a stud, Harry has upside. The other WR are JAGs. The TE are JAGs. The RB are JAGs.

Maybe it can be formed into enough to win big games but there's precious little out there.

I love Bill but I was very disappointed when he drafted Michel. And when he won't draft TE with upside. Would look a lot better with Goedert instead of Michel and then Royce Freeman (or RB of choice, I liked Freeman being a Duck fan) instead of Duke Dawson. Not second guessing, it's what I wanted at the time. Bill had made his bed now he needs to make it work. That wouldn't help our WR but that's the easy look back I have because I was so disappointed taking a RB in the first round in a deep RB year.