Speculating on my optimism

[jah]

I noticed people this offseason have been saying "the defense is faster" rather than "the defense is better", even though the implication/context is usually the latter.

 

[mgcolby]

I noticed people this offseason have been saying "the defense is faster" rather than "the defense is better", even though the implication/context is usually the latter.

Well in my case it's tough to say it will be better with the state of the LB corp. Faster is the glass half full. Is a younger faster Jennings an upgrade over a Hightower who lost a gear?

Tough to say. But what we know is that slow LB corp was not enough last year. So an infusion of speed can only be a good thing. But losing wisdom and savviness is surely a bad thing. So now we get to see kids trucking at 100mph and hopefully there are more positive plays vs negative plays.

But get the inference. Just my two pennies

 

[maust]

He kept McDaniels around for more than 15 seasons even though he was 'annoying'?

My wife has kept me around for over 40 years, maybe Josh is that 'livable' kind of annoying.

 

[Ross12]

He kept McDaniels around for more than 15 seasons even though he was 'annoying'?

Well I mean Josh was probably spending every season hoping it’d be Bill’s last so he could potentially take over. I wonder if that bothered Bill at all. I doubt it impacted their working relationship in any significant way but personally, perhaps.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Well I mean Josh was probably spending every season hoping it’d be Bill’s last so he could potentially take over. I wonder if that bothered Bill at all. I doubt it impacted their working relationship in any significant way but personally, perhaps.

Game of Thrones

 

[PATS16N0]

If this team doesn’t beat Miami in week 1, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go winless until the Lions, Browns or Jets.

 

[WinstonSmith]

Well I mean Josh was probably spending every season hoping it’d be Bill’s last so he could potentially take over. I wonder if that bothered Bill at all. I doubt it impacted their working relationship in any significant way but personally, perhaps.

Are you implying that Mrs Maust has similar feelings???

 

[40yrpatsfan]

If you honestly "have no idea why people are sleeping on the offensive personnel this team has", then you should be re-doing your analysis, because reasons for people "sleeping on the offensive personnel this team has" are easy to see.

The exercise I suggested becomes a good example of why some people "have no idea why people are sleeping on the offensive personnel this team has" while some people see the potential problems and don't think the personnel is so good that not pimping it is the equivalent of sleeping on it. Some things that were missed/overlooked/minimized, beyond what was already acknowledged, include

• Ted Karras gone
• Bourne struggling in training camp to the point of being dropped to 3rd string, after being arguably the team's best receiver last year
• Wynn switching sides and struggling with it
• Parker is an upgrade over Harry, but that's an upgrade to the WR4/WR5 spot, not necessarily to the WR1 spot (see Bourne, above), which is what was really needed in order to adjust the WR slotting

Note to people who might be inclined to jump down my throat over my posts in this thread:

Optimism is, obviously, fine in an optimism thread, and I'm just referring to that one line, which I thought went from optimism to a bit of insanity.

Parker is the #1 caliber receiver we've been missing for many years, he'll make all the other WR's better. Meyers & Agholor look terrific, and when Bourne is your #4 you know you've got a good group. When Tyquan returns, he's another game changer.

TE's are better with Johnnu acclimated, RB's are better with Montgomery as a 3rd down back, and Mac will be better.

OL may take a while to gel, but they're a talented line, better than last year's if we get a full season out of Trent Brown. I like swapping Brown and Wynn.

All the noise about OC is a joke, not worried at all about it.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Parker is the #1 caliber receiver we've been missing for many years, he'll make all the other WR's better. Meyers & Agholor look terrific, and when Bourne is your #4 you know you've got a good group. And when Tyquan returns, he's another game changer.

TE's are better with Johnnu acclimated, RB's are better with Montgomery as a 3rd down back, and Mac will be better.

OL may take a while to gel, but they're a talented line, better than last year's if we get a full season out of Trent Brown. I like swapping Brown and Wynn.

All the noise about OC is a joke, not worried at all about it.

Well then it looks like we have the pieces. From your post to God's ears

 

[PATS16N0]

The AFC West will probably produce two play off teams. The post-Tom “magical system” New England Patriots aren’t going anywhere this year except Draft Pick city. Us and the Jets by week 8.

 

[maust]

Are you implying that Mrs Maust has similar feelings???

Mrs Maust is a redhead, there's not 15 milliseconds between impulse and action never mind 15 seasons

 

[Tunescribe]

1. Where are the significant, and certain, upgrades from last year?
2. Where are the possibly upgrades from last year?
3. Where are the significant, and certain, downgrades from last year?
4. Where are the possible downgrades from last year?

Answer those four questions honesty, and I think you can easily see the "why" of it.

The bigger worry for you is Brady regressing this season, something your Bucs can ill afford.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Good points for looking forward to the season. Personally, I would still be optimistic before the first game even if **** McPherson was coaching. Being a fan is supposed to be fun, why bother otherwise. That said, you bring up some valid points that highlight that we are still in the golden age of the Patriots.

1. BB is a proven leader who understands that part of his job is to instill confidence in the troops and divert negative attention to himself which may explain some of his statements. At a minimum he is confident that changing direction as facts emerge will not be challenged by coaches who have their own agendas. It will be what it is, course correction is expected.

2. It seems as if the team ran stretch plays in the preseason even if the D alignment was designed to stop those specific plays with no opportunity to audible at the line of scrimmage. That will change in the regular season.

3. The fact that there is no attempt to make Mac look good, is an indication that the team trusts him and is putting him in tough learning situations without worrying about his confidence or ability.

4. This team feels like the early days of the dynasty before TB became TB. There are a number of good players with no elite talent. Hopefully Mac will evolve as QB and the next generation of Gronk, Randy Moss, Edelman, etc. will emerge.

5. Both lead backs are much more talented than Antoine Smith who was very valuable back in the day.

Can't wait for Sunday!

 

[Tunescribe]

My hope for the offense is turning Mac loose in the shotgun with spread formations and allowing him AMPLE play calling leeway at the LOS. If they continue to force this stretch running game it could be trouble. It's going to take time for the defense to gel and I'm concerned about communication at the second level.

Wish I could say I'm optimistic, hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

With the short publicly visible TC and our performance during that time being the most recent data points, I am really nervous right now.

It would be a great time to shoot out of the gate with a W at Miami and a convincing demonstration of "this fully armed and operational battle station" as Movie Bill Belichick put it.



We have zero evidence this is what's going on though, and certainly no evidence that we'll be that right out of the gate. With Thornton healthy, I'd be hoping for a big bounce. Right now... I hope, ah say hope, that we can win one playoff game.

The O Line play this pre-season stands right now as that unit's state of readiness, until we see them play at a different level.

 

[crawhammer]

The most significant obstacle facing the Patriots this season doesn't have anything to do with Mac's development, or the questionable o-line, or the coaching staff, it's Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They've improved their roster from last season when already they were much better than the Patriots. Barring an Allen injury, Buffalo is literally blocking the Patriots path for the next two seasons at least. The cold truth is the script has flipped in the East. At best the Patriots will be fighting for a wild card spot and they're probably not winning a road playoff game this season or next.

 

[PATS16N0]

The most significant obstacle facing the Patriots this season doesn't have anything to do with Mac's development, or the questionable o-line, or the coaching staff, it's Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They've improved their roster from last season when already they were much better than the Patriots. Barring an Allen injury, Buffalo is literally blocking the Patriots path for the next two seasons at least. The cold truth is the script has flipped in the East. At best the Patriots will be fighting for a wild card spot and they're probably not winning a road playoff game this season or next.

There’s literally no way the Patriots are getting a wildcard with the Ravens, Steelers, Chiefs, Bengals, Broncos, Raiders, Colts, Titans, etc in the AFC. Other divisions are stacked to semi-stacked. The West has one of the wildcard slots all but locked the **** up before the season starts, and there’s too many other solid enough teams in the Conference where the Patriots will need a miracle.

It’ll be draft talk by week 11. The Patriots position in its own division likely weaker than it was last year by at least one standing.

 

[moosekill]

The AFC West will probably produce two play off teams. The post-Tom “magical system” New England Patriots aren’t going anywhere this year except Draft Pick city. Us and the Jets by week 8.

The funny thing is all we have to say is Brady sucks three times and you dissapear.

 

[mike_usagisan]

The most significant obstacle facing the Patriots this season doesn't have anything to do with Mac's development, or the questionable o-line, or the coaching staff, it's Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They've improved their roster from last season when already they were much better than the Patriots. Barring an Allen injury, Buffalo is literally blocking the Patriots path for the next two seasons at least. The cold truth is the script has flipped in the East. At best the Patriots will be fighting for a wild card spot and they're probably not winning a road playoff game this season or next.

I don't disagree with the first part, but remember all those years where the Steelers and Ravens were in the playoffs at the same time? Two teams from the same division happens a lot! And now there's three wild card spots!

I truly believe Buffalo is a better team right now. But I also believe that a hot team can do just about anything in the playoffs. So rather than take the view right now that the Pats are just going to lose in the playoffs and why bother to watch, I'm going to hope that they make it and get hot at the right time.

 

[PATS16N0]

The funny thing is all we have to say is Brady sucks three times and you dissapear.

I don’t run from malice-filled goblins that hate things that aren’t fat and ugly like they are, so probably not. Didn’t do it with lame ass 2000’s Jets and Colts fans. Wouldn’t do it for you.

Though I will say it’s absolutely pathetic that any Pats fan would talk **** about Tom for literally anything.