Official Pregame Thread: Pats @ Panthers

[Pats2000]

The team in my mind actually could have made the playoffs with this roster at the start of the season. Keeping Gilmore would have helped a lot. But the mediocre staff lost too many games the first 6 weeks trotting out the worst OLine in the league. So, given no faith in the staff around BB, this team will continue to do nothing until they fix the staff quality. And I'm not talking about Steve, I'm fine w Steve; every position group he's ever coached has been high performing.

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So you're saying that if the Pats make the playoffs it will be in spite of the staff quality

 

[Pats2000]

I’m not going to argue that the next four games are winnable (I think we go 3-1 at worst), but I don’t think they’re ready for a deep postseason run. The defense is a bit long in the tooth, short at the CB position, and still struggles to stop the run. Offensively, the OL has been shaky at best (though better in the last two games than the first quarter of the season), the WRs scare nobody, and the TEs can be defended by Cover-1 and Cover-3 without fear of getting beaten over the top. They’re playing well, though, and I’d expect to make the playoffs this year, but I don’t see a deep run.

How much of that is the ability of the team or the fact that it's a rookie QB with almost an entirely knew offensive unit learning the Pats Offensive system, which is the most complex in the league?

I think it's more a learning curve than talent level. You expect them to be a top 10 scoring offense out of the gate with all of that? We are seeing this team come together and I think they have a good enough team for a playoff run. Especially as they coalesce into the back half of the season

 

[Pats2000]

It's not really a rabbit hole. Cowboys shot themselves in the foot as much as we did otherwise they would have beaten us in our house by 3 or more scores. Bucs had receivers drop balls for TDs, and Brady had an off day from the emotion of that game. I wouldn't expect either to happen again in a rematch.

Most losing teams in the league could probably point to a play or two per game that if it went the other way they'd be a winning team. Pats have a lot of work to do to before they can say they're real contenders.

How many dropped passes and stupid fumbles cost the Pats games? You're acting like the Pats played perfect football and still lost. They had a lot of shooting themselves in the foot moments too. It evens out

 

[Pats2000]

People talk about Brady's off day, but we do not know if it was caused by the moment or the fact that the Patriots did things to speed up the game on him. A lot of people are just writing it off that he was just overly emotional from the moment. If it is because the Patriots gave him fits, that isn't an excuse to explain why the Bucs nearly lost but could have blown the Patriots out.

Yeah, sad Brady couldn't complete passes, it ahd nothing to do with the defensive game plan.

 

[Pats2000]

luckily we don't have a number one receiver so there's no one for Gilmore to lock down. I would probably just run Agholor deep on him every other play to open the underneath stuff.

I think this will be another scrappy low scoring affair, where we need to get the run going and Mac needs to get the ball out quickly. Hope he can calm himself down this week. Pats win 23-20.

I think the Pats blow this team out

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Gilmore broke his contract after being signed long term at the highest CB pay rate in history. He deserves no sympathy from us.

I wish the league would make a change that any bonus money is kept in escrow and paid out at the beginning of each year that it's amortized (unless the player is cut, then he gets it all). That way, a guy like Gilmore can't claim he's only getting $7m this year, when in fact he was making $13m this year, it's just that we prepaid the other $6m in his bonus.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think the Pats blow this team out

They should win. Feels 27-13ish

 

[RobertWeathers]

Gilmore broke his contract after being signed long term at the highest CB pay rate in history. He deserves no sympathy from us.

I wish the league would make a change that any bonus money is kept in escrow and paid out at the beginning of each year that it's amortized (unless the player is cut, then he gets it all). That way, a guy like Gilmore can't claim he's only getting $7m this year, when in fact he was making $13m this year, it's just that we prepaid the other $6m in his bonus.

I love the double standard.

In 2017 Team A gives Player Y a 35% raise above his 2016 salary.

From 2017-2020 Player Y collects $56m in cash from Team A which is Top 5 in average annual cash received at their position.

4 years later Player Y claims Team A is underpaying him and decides not to play even though Player Y missed many games and is past his prime.

 

[Rob0729]

I love the double standard.

In 2017 Team A gives Player Y a 35% raise above his 2016 salary.

From 2017-2020 Player Y collects $56m in cash from Team A which is Top 5 in average annual cash received at their position.

4 years later Player Y claims Team A is underpaying him and decides not to play even though Player Y missed many games and is past his prime.

If you go back to this board when Gilmore was signed, there was a very large contingency of people who were complaining the Pats grossly overpaid for him. Now people are saying the Pats were cheaping out by not giving him a new deal in lines with other top CBs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If you go back to this board when Gilmore was signed, there was a very large contingency of people who were complaining the Pats grossly overpaid for him. Now people are saying the Pats were cheaping out by not giving him a new deal in lines with other top CBs.

So typical of this place.

 

[Patsfan1958]

No JC Jackson at practice:

 

[jimnance]

If you go back to this board when Gilmore was signed, there was a very large contingency of people who were complaining the Pats grossly overpaid for him. Now people are saying the Pats were cheaping out by not giving him a new deal in lines with other top CBs.

They were wrong both times

 

[oldrover]

Panthers designate Christian McCaffrey to return from IR

Christian McCaffrey is one step closer to returning to play, as the Panthers have officially designated him to return from injured reserve.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[RobertWeathers]

No JC Jackson at practice:

Prob talked to Gilly and got advice.

 

[Pats2000]

They should win. Feels 27-13ish

Yeah I was thinking like 31 to 13 or something

 

[ashley]

Some practice notes:

 

[pazrul72]

I’m not going to argue that the next four games are winnable (I think we go 3-1 at worst), but I don’t think they’re ready for a deep postseason run. The defense is a bit long in the tooth, short at the CB position, and still struggles to stop the run. Offensively, the OL has been shaky at best (though better in the last two games than the first quarter of the season), the WRs scare nobody, and the TEs can be defended by Cover-1 and Cover-3 without fear of getting beaten over the top. They’re playing well, though, and I’d expect to make the playoffs this year, but I don’t see a deep run.

I do not disagree with any of your points just wanted to remind you of your prediction in 2018 after a certain Steelers game. How the team is playing now has nothing to do with how they would play, hopefully, in the playoffs. I am of mind to wait and see if BB can get them in and then at that point anything can happen for 2-4 games. That’s what makes the NFL better IMO then the MLB or NBA it’s less predictable and all about talent. One bounce of a ball can change an entire season.

 

[Sciz]

Seems to be trending more toward doubtful

 

[DropKickFlutie]

So you're saying that if the Pats make the playoffs it will be in spite of the staff quality

Look at how bad they F'd up the OLine the first 6 weeks.... for dumb reasons. Durant and Herron at RT for 6 straight weeks ??? Karras on the bench for 6 weeks. just like keeping Meyers on the bench for 6 wks last year and starting NKeal for 6 weeks until he got hurt. Baseline assumption now is just assume the offensive staff has NO CLUE who is good and who is bad. This is the same oc who thought Tim Tebow was a 1st round pick.

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[sb1]

Darnold at practice today for CAR but limited. Looks like he might be coming out of the protocol and chance he could play on Sunday.