Can the Line hold up?

[Wozzy]

To follow up, game one:

Mac was throwing from clean pockets all night against the best pass rushing team in the league.

They had two rookies starting at guard and thank cheebus they allowed those two to play max snaps all offseason because they needed it and they produced. The line played well, there were a couple errors but they weren't the disaster a lot of people assumed they would be from watching practice in the preseason.

 

[RobertWeathers]

To follow up, game one:

Mac was throwing from clean pockets all night against the best pass rushing team in the league.

They had two rookies starting at guard and thank cheebus they allowed those two to play max snaps all offseason because they needed it and they produced. The line played well, there were a couple errors but they weren't the disaster a lot of people assumed they would be from watching practice in the preseason.

Couldn't have been more pleased with the line play. They weren't perfect but def exceeded expectations.

 

[yukon cornelius]

Couldn't have been more pleased with the line play. They weren't perfect but def exceeded expectations.

pass blocking was solid.....not much interior push run blocking, but.....that will improve

 

[reflexblue]

YES.....

 

[captain stone]

I had ass-umed before the Pats ran their first series that the left side (TBrown-Mafi) would likely provide noticeably better push in the running game than the right side (Sow-Anderson) would... But then I saw Rham getting stuffed trying to run behind those two on multiple occasions... We need better overall production from those guys in that department.

It also appeared that the Pats were better-prepared to handle the conditions than the Fecals were, on both sides of the ball; and that helped keep us in the game after the early 13-point hole into which the offense dug the defense.

 

[Uptown]

 

[captain stone]

Cincinnati had an OT surplus, including Collins on PUP, at the start of TC; still a little surprised they didn't also try to trade Jonah Wiliams' 5th-year option... Gonna watch the 12-minute highlights tonight and take a harder look at their OL, especially the Tackles...

Now that I think of it, Collins injured himself in Foxborough last year; it's only fitting that he be signed here now to complete his rehabilitation...

 

[State]

The line played well

Not according to my eyes. Or Bedard.

Mafi especially was overpowered. Why isn’t Sow playing LG, the position he played at EMU for four years?

Then they wanted my guy Chasen Hines to fail. Dude’s straight up RG only with center ability as a backup. So they moved him to LG in TC?

Makes no sense to me.

Mafi did settle down. He’s definitely a warrior with functional strength to move people. But his technique leaves a lot to be desired. He’s green.

 

[Wozzy]

Not according to my eyes. Or Bedard.

Mafi especially was overpowered. Why isn’t Sow playing LG, the position he played at EMU for four years?

Then they wanted my guy Chasen Hines to fail. Dude’s straight up RG only with center ability as a backup. So they moved him to LG in TC?

Makes no sense to me.

Mafi did settle down. He’s definitely a warrior with functional strength to move people. But his technique leaves a lot to be desired. He’s green.

The fact you’re championing Chasen Hines who looked like garbage in preseason tells the rest of us we can’t trust your eyes.

The Eagles are really really good, start there.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Brown not at practice today either. Woof

 

[mgteich]

Cincinnati had an OT surplus, including Collins on PUP, at the start of TC; still a little surprised they didn't also try to trade Jonah Wiliams' 5th-year option... Gonna watch the 12-minute highlights tonight and take a harder look at their OL, especially the Tackles...

Now that I think of it, Collins injured himself in Foxborough last year; it's only fitting that he be signed here now to complete his rehabilitation...

When a top team focuses on stopping the run, more opportunities will be there in the passing game.

AND SO IT WAS

There were lots of opportunities in the passing game, OK pass protection by the OL, and many mistakes by the WR's (and some by the QB).

This was true right up the very last minute of the game.
=========
AND SURE, there are lots of excuses.
One of our starters was out.
Another seemed to be injured.

We were relying on a couple of inexperienced 6th rounders. (We were happy to be counting on 6th rounders until the game was played).

BOURNE, STEVENSON, and HENRY were all effective in the passing game.

 

[Huckleberry1]

That's unfair. @captain stone is in all the draft threads and makes his opinions about players very clear pre-draft and during the draft. He's had a pretty solid track record the last several years--not perfect, but certainly as good as any GM out there right now. That doesn't mean I appreciate the negative attitude, but let's at least be honest that many people make predictions and are right about them.

I thought Captain Stone passed away?

My bad, that was Gilbert Gottfried, I always get them mixed up.

 

[Huckleberry1]

When a top team focuses on stopping the run, more opportunities will be there in the passing game.

AND SO IT WAS

There were lots of opportunities in the passing game, OK pass protection by the OL, and many mistakes by the WR's (and some by the QB).

This was true right up the very last minute of the game.
=========
AND SURE, there are lots of excuses.
One of our starters was out.
Another seemed to be injured.

We were relying on a couple of inexperienced 6th rounders. (We were happy to be counting on 6th rounders until the game was played).

BOURNE, STEVENSON, and HENRY were all effective in the passing game.

For me the pleasant surprise of week one was how good Elliott looked, I thought he was washed up.

 

[turkeyneck]

For me the pleasant surprise of week one was how good Elliott looked, I thought he was washed up.

Supposedly 15 lb lighter. That's got to help.

 

[State]

"B-b-but Bill drafted him, so he MUST be good!"

This is true.

For example, when the disastrous Jordan Richards pick was made, I complained.

I brought up the example from the 2014 Rose Bowl when Richards got smoked by the MSU RB. Couldn’t cover the boundary.

That one play showed his lack of athleticism and brain farting.

Notwithstanding the video, I was attacked by the homers here.

 

[Wozzy]

So they're finally getting healthy in week three... the result?

They rushed for 157 yards and Mac got sacked zero times... he had all day to throw against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Are we going to talk about it, or do we only pile on when a bunch of rookies and a hodge hodge of back of the roster guys play?

 

[State]

Belichick's gotten really bad at identifying OL in the past 5 years. That USED to be something I had some degree of confidence in. Not anymore.

Yep.

 

[mgteich]

Yep.

Was Belichick ever good at evaluating OL's? Or was that Scar's job?

 

[State]

Was Belichick ever good at evaluating OL's? Or was that Scar's job?

Million dollar question

 

[lancerman]

Million dollar question

Scar was a good coach who made whatever he got better the way Bill generally does on defense. The quality likely didn't change, the machine they developed them in did.