Extend Newton

[Wozzy]

We are not a QB away from being a SB contender. We have big holes at WR, TE, D-Line, and LB. It was a nice win but let’s not get carried away over rating our team.

They're not that far away either. They don't have big holes anywhere, they have to improve at DT which was substantially better yesterday with Butler healthy and would be a lot better if they could keep a Nose Tackle (Beau Allen, Carl Davis) healthy... it seems more a case of health.

The young Linebackers are a lot like the young TE's, they have to improve to the point of earning snaps, that wasn't guaranteed to happen overnight. Other teams throw unready players into the lineup, BB forces them to earn their snaps and this is a reloading season.

This team still has one of the best defensive backfields and O-Lines in the NFL, if they had a great QB this team would be battling for the AFCEast crown. They still have to draft that guy.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Cam can not really run RPO anymore, he is too slow. It would be like asking Brady or Drew Bledsoe to run the RPO.

I wonder if there was something that happened from the Dolphins game to now (besides Covid). In rewatching those highlights, he looked plenty fast there. Even with only relatively short runs (a lot to the outside similar to his critical 1st down at the end of the Cardinals game), he still got up to 19.2mph. Of course, he still needs to figure out the P part on a consistent basis. Then again, even our version of the greatest show on turf in '07 only managed a 14/27 for 140yds with 1INT against the 4-12 Jets.

 

[203Pat]

They're not that far away either. They don't have big holes anywhere, they have to improve at DT which was substantially better yesterday with Butler healthy and would be a lot better if they could keep a Nose Tackle (Beau Allen, Carl Davis) healthy... it seems more a case of health.

The young Linebackers are a lot like the young TE's, they have to improve to the point of earning snaps, that wasn't guaranteed to happen overnight. Other teams throw unready players into the lineup, BB forces them to earn their snaps and this is a reloading season.

This team still has one of the best defensive backfields and O-Lines in the NFL, if they had a great QB this team would be battling for the AFCEast crown. They still have to draft that guy.

Except for the fact that Butler will be a FA next year as will Guy and really no one else at the position outside of Cowhert who should be a role player.

The LBs are like the TE's in that they are complete unknowns as to whether they can play.

Our defensive backfield while still good, is not as great as it was last year and in all likelihood will be much worse next year. Gilmore is likely gone and Jackson didn't look great in his stint as the number one guy. Both McCourty's may (should) retire or be cut as well as Chung. Phillips looks solid and Duggar looks good against the run while he still needs work in pass coverage. Jon Jones has been okay and Joejuan looks like another second round DB bust.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Just goes to show that a Harvard education doesn't mean you can't occasionally make horrifyingly stupid decisions (Fitzpatrick).

 

[oceansizer]

I know BB knows better but I would give a chance for Stidham if we are sure we won't get a playoff spot. I mean a full game to evaluate him. I am just curious of his presence in the field.

 

[Mack Herron]

Bonus question: Why is Stidham on the roster?

 

[lancerman]

They're not that far away either. They don't have big holes anywhere, they have to improve at DT which was substantially better yesterday with Butler healthy and would be a lot better if they could keep a Nose Tackle (Beau Allen, Carl Davis) healthy... it seems more a case of health.

The young Linebackers are a lot like the young TE's, they have to improve to the point of earning snaps, that wasn't guaranteed to happen overnight. Other teams throw unready players into the lineup, BB forces them to earn their snaps and this is a reloading season.

This team still has one of the best defensive backfields and O-Lines in the NFL, if they had a great QB this team would be battling for the AFCEast crown. They still have to draft that guy.

They have a massive WR hole.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Bonus question: Why is Stidham on the roster?

That is what happened when you are not a threat throwing the ball. It is the basic Belichick game plan « we will not get beat by what you do best »

it was the same thing against Houston.

 

[203Pat]

I am starting to wonder if part of Cam signing here for no money was Bill telling him he will be the starter as long as he is healthy to "showcase" himself for the other 31 teams next year. I don't know why else we wouldn't at least see Stidham start a few games to confirm what it seems Bill may already know.

 

[captain stone]

Every team has holes. The Pats have a good Defense and OL, with a good mix of youth and veterans in both areas. That’s how great teams are built. Add a functional QB to this team, with this coaching staff and there’s no doubt they’d be in the Championship mix.

No they don't.

 

[lancerman]

That is what happened when you are not a threat throwing the ball. It is the basic Belichick game plan « we will not get beat by what you do best »

it was the same thing against Houston.

yup. Can’t be one dimensional in this league. It’s all about making them adjust from your first plan

 

[Nehalem]

Honestly I think the issue is Cam just was never that great of a passer

Despite having an abnormally low # of TDs his QBrating is still higher than it was in 2016, and only 0.8 points lower than 2017.

If he were average 20 or so more yards a game he would be close to his career average

 

[TheRazorsEdge]

Yikes. The level of counterfactual delusion here is pathological. 4 td passes in a dozen games, 7 ints, qr dropped into the low thirties, several blown late-game opportunities. Unless it's some sort of empty woke gesture, I honestly have no idea what you types are talking about. Or maybe you're all in town for some sort of fashion event.

I repeat: Wait until the end of the season. He just played his worst game since coming back from covid..they found a way to win and he played a part in getting us to a game winning field goal. Where is the "counter factual" statement in that.

I then went on and made a prediction....which is not factual.

Ps - I don't care how he dresses.

 

[sb1]

I am starting to wonder if part of Cam signing here for no money was Bill telling him he will be the starter as long as he is healthy to "showcase" himself for the other 31 teams next year. I don't know why else we wouldn't at least see Stidham start a few games to confirm what it seems Bill may already know.

If Bill already knows it then the writing is already on the wall. I don't think fans opinion matters - Bill doesn't owe us fans a showcase of Stid imo. I wrote off his debut and pick 6 as just a shaky debut - Brady's debut was nothing special either - but then I saw the KC game this year and I think I've seen enough.

As for Cam imo it makes more sense to keep him in as a showcase - for the Patriots in 2021. Maybe they'll keep him, or decide to move to a different bridge QB to buy time in their search for their long term guy.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

Imagine believing we aren't that far away from being a SB contender lmao. My god. This board is a good place to come for a laugh sometimes.

 

[mgteich]

We better pray that jimmy G becomes available.

why

 

[mgteich]

Imagine believing we aren't that far away from being a SB contender lmao. My god. This board is a good place to come for a laugh sometimes.

1) If you are in the playoff hunt, then you are in the Super Bowl hunt.
2) I strongly disagree that we would NOT be in the playoff hunt with a QB like, say, Tannehill, or even Fitzpatrick.

A) The OL is one of the best in the NFL.
B) We have a solid group of RB's.
C) We have an OK fullback, and another coming back next year.
D) The secondary is top 5.
E) The DL is OK when both Guy and Butler are healthy. Yes, we need a NT.
F) The LB corp is a year away because we lost so many, and then Hightower gave up, rather than playing another year. We will need to add a veteran.

Being a favorite to be in the Super Bowl is the only acceptable situation for many of our very, very spoiled fanbase.
=============
2021
Sign our own FA's and add a NT and LB, normal for any season.
Then the issue is the same as it was before this season. We need 2 QB's, 2 WR's and 2 TE's.

Can we have a team that can compete without all of these. Of course we can. What is essential is a quarterback;; but we knew that on the first day of this season.

 

[Thelonious]

And yet he's still the starter for this team. Go figure.

But GiVe StiDHaM A cHaNCe!11!

Or something.

LOL. Yep, "something" verging on "anything" would be preferable.

Here ya go: Cam "leads" the 29th-best passing offense in the league. Honestly, those who advocate staying with this loser are just barking mad. Could be rabies, I'm thinking. Handled any aggro raccoons lately?

 

[sb1]

LOL. Yep, "something" verging on "anything" would be preferable.

Here ya go: Cam "leads" the 29th-best passing offense in the league. Honestly, those who advocate staying with this loser are just barking mad. Could be rabies, I'm thinking. Handled any aggro raccoons lately?

In the case of our backup QB's, not really. Saw that and don't really care to see more. And it seems Bill agrees with that.

 

[slash83]

This thread title went sideways fast.