2021 Dolphins vs Patriots pre game thread

[patsinthesnow]

Greg Little isn’t an NFL caliber tackle. Uche should eat.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

 

[amfootball]

NFL Power Rankings: How Week 14 games impacted Patriots' standing

How did the Patriots’ competitors fare Sunday, and where does New England stand among the NFL’s elite? Here’s a look at our updated power rankings after Week 14.

www.nbcsports.com

This upsets me. We are ranked 13th. Tell me we can win the AFC and contend for a title this year, please. I think we can, i think we can.... We should beat Miami by a touchdown i.m.o.

13 seems ridiculously high given all the question marks/unknowns we have.

 

[JMC00]

13 seems ridiculously high given all the question marks/unknowns we have.

Pats by record were the 17th best team in the league last year and arguably they were probably better than that but a couple of Newton brain farts hurt. They've improved (outside of GIlmore "not being healthy" although I think that could be mitigated by the improved front 7) and now seemingly have a QB that can run the offense they want to run.

 

[PP2]

Greg Little isn’t an NFL caliber tackle. Uche should eat.

*Judon has entered the chat*

 

[scott99]

Brady debut as starter vs Colts: 13/23 168 yards 79 rating

Mac over or under for his debut?

If Mac has similar stats, Pats probably win, probably means their running game was dominant. I think he passes for 200+ yards and 1+ TD pass. I hope the running game is extremely dominant.

 

[amfootball]

Pats by record were the 17th best team in the league last year and arguably they were probably better than that but a couple of Newton brain farts hurt. They've improved (outside of GIlmore "not being healthy" although I think that could be mitigated by the improved front 7) and now seemingly have a QB that can run the offense they want to run.

If Mac plays well and stays healthy, sure. But those are huge hurdles for a rookie.

 

[BlueThunder]

I believe that Mac's football IQ plus BB and Josh's calls along with the core Pats players will beat anything Miami throws at this team......I don't see them folding under any pressure. Close first half and then Pats adjust at halftime and win comfortably......Too many very good additions to Pats Offense and Defense that they just didn't have last year.....Stay Healthy...

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

Fantasy wise, should I start Mac vs Cryami or Russell Wilson vs Indy?

 

[PP2]

I believe that Mac's football IQ plus BB and Josh's calls along with the core Pats players will beat anything Miami throws at this team......I don't see them folding under any pressure. Close first half and then Pats adjust at halftime and win comfortably......Too many very good additions to Pats Offense and Defense that they just didn't have last year.....Stay Healthy...

Mac will get fooled. It's all part of being a rookie.

Even Brady got fooled by coverages in his later years, albeit once every blue moon. Mac will throw picks, make dumb decisions and will go through growing pains, just like Brady did.

 

[ashley]

13 seems ridiculously high given all the question marks/unknowns we have.

We're the best coached team in the league, how many unknown are you referring to? We have a top O-line, rb , tight end, d-line, special teams etc....we should be a lot better than we were last year....question marks,...Mac, Gilmore, kicker?

 

[amfootball]

We're the best coached team in the league, how many unknown are you referring to? We have a top O-line, rb , tight end, d-line, special teams etc....we should be a lot better than we were last year....question marks,...Mac, Gilmore, kicker?

We have a ton of FAs that we are expecting to make an impact. That can be fool's gold which we have seen play out time and again when teams try to rebuild fast thru FA. Our TEs are injury prone. Agahlor was underwhelming in the preseason. Hightower did not play last year. Our secondary is highly suspect. Our kicker is a huge question mark. And oh yeah, our Qb is a rookie.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

At the risk of mentioning the "V" word on yet another thread, this is absolutely relevant to the upcoming game:

Unvaccinated Miami Dolphins tight end Adam Shaheen got sideways with COVID protocols a month ago. At that time, he said he’d comply with protocols but that the NFL was “not going to strongarm” him into getting vaccinated.

Shaheen can now get down with his non-strongarmed self on his South Florida couch for the next few days since he’s one of two Dolphins placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday.

New England Patriots – NBC Sports Boston

Articles from the category: New England Patriots

www.nbcsports.com

 

[ashley]

We have a ton of FAs that we are expecting to make an impact. That can be fool's gold which we have seen play out time and again when teams try to rebuild fast thru FA. Our TEs are injury prone. Agahlor was underwhelming in the preseason. Hightower did not play last year. Our secondary is highly suspect. Our kicker is a huge question mark. And oh yeah, our Qb is a rookie.

We won 7 games last year with a lot less talent...Hightower has looked great, our tight ends are so much better, our wideouts are better than last year, Mac is better than Cam and we have Folk waiting in the wings in case the rookie has some issues...We have Uche who looks like a stud, Judon who looks amazing...don't forget Damien Harris and R.Stevenson running behind this line, I think we're in for an improvement.

 

[BobDigital]

Greg Little isn’t an NFL caliber tackle. Uche should eat.

and a weakness becomes weaker for them. Just like KC, it can only be held together so long before it all comes crashing down. Is this a potential 'crashing down' situation that turns a 'meh' offensive line into something a team can't overcome.

 

[Brotherblues]

We have a ton of FAs that we are expecting to make an impact. That can be fool's gold which we have seen play out time and again when teams try to rebuild fast thru FA. Our TEs are injury prone. Agahlor was underwhelming in the preseason. Hightower did not play last year. Our secondary is highly suspect. Our kicker is a huge question mark. And oh yeah, our Qb is a rookie.

I mean sure, there's always a chance *nothing* they did works out and all of their roster moves are busts and they win 4 games.

There's also a chance, just a bit more likely, that just enough of the offseason moves work as intended (doesn't have to be all, nor anywhere close to all) and this team can compete at a *much* higher level than last year.

 

[BobDigital]

Weird post. Why is everyone assuming Mac Jones will suck this game? Yes, he is a rookie QB, and rookie QBs tend to be shaky early. I can understand that argument. But this seems to be something altogher different. Almost as if there is some disdain. Like he is some scrub off the scrap heap out of no where instead of one of the most statistically successful college QBs of all time who has cut it up well in the preseason and in joint practices.

Part of it I think is they resent the prospect in general. Again, it comes down to the lack of eye popping athletic traits, therefore he must be some bum. Part of it is probably also because he was generally the lowest rated prospect by most of the 'top tier' QBs in the draft. And they adopted that position and so now must stand by it and assume he will suck, regardless of the evidence that he may well be one of the better first round QBs taken this year.

The reaction is very odd.

 

[PScottman]

We're the best coached team in the league, how many unknown are you referring to?

The unknowns that I see at the present time:

How well will the new players integrate as the playbook, as is typical, starts vanilla, but then increasingly gets more complex each week?

Injuries (Gilmore and the two TEs just to start off)

The always unknown: the other team getting a vote (i.e. how much they have improved)

Rookie QB in first real game

Is the defense going to be attacking? Bend don't break? Both? Neither?

Is the "WR issue" really an issue?

Is the running game as good as it's been hyped up to be? Can it control many games?

Is the running defense fixed? Can they force teams to be one dimensional?

Those are just what's off the top of my head. I'm not a fatalist as I think many of these will be answered to the Patriots advantage given the data gathered across the preseason, but we've had great pre-seasons before only to have a rash of injuries in a single sub-group (i.e. the OL) or have a fatal flaw revealed (run defense). In other words I'm greatly looking forward to game one where we'll get many answers and likely about game four where we'll have many more.

 

[mgteich]

We're the best coached team in the league, how many unknown are you referring to? We have a top O-line, rb , tight end, d-line, special teams etc....we should be a lot better than we were last year....question marks,...Mac, Gilmore, kicker?

I agree with your assessment. That being said, we have a question marks at
QB
WR
DL
CB

There is nothing abnormal about a playoff contender (any team, really) having question marks every year.

 

[mgteich]

With MIA losing an LT and TE, I think that we should be an 8 point favorite.

My ONLY worry is that we need to contain Waddle. But then, Belichick understand that too.