Patriots Pregame Thread Week 1 pregame discussion: On to Cincinnati

[Real fan 02]

Are the bengals good against the run ?.....I will have to look at the stats somewhere. Regardless which QB is in I am guessing that the run game will need to be effective. Must admit I am not too sure how good it will be based on what has happened so far during re-season.

No they aren't. Their defense was bottom ranked last season and the lost key pieces. Also I will keep saying this. The loss of joy mixon was huge for them. He made Burrow life so much better. Like brady the way to disrupt borrow is pressure up the middle.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

I see a win here if Chase doesn't play and Burrow is not in rhythm right now after missing due to injury

 

[Real fan 02]

I see a win here if Chase doesn't play and Burrow is not in rhythm right now after missing due to injury

Burrow being hurt you can count on that every season.

 

[Water Boy]

I'm fine this season if Covington sells out and we blitz the hell out of our opponents. Need to gamble and hope to come up with some big turnovers.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'm fine this season if Covington sells out and we blitz the hell out of our opponents. Need to gamble and hope to come up with some big turnovers.

Absolutely positive! We have the guys to cover. The Jets are blitz heavy too that's why they are a force defensively. Without Barmore we have to be blitz heavy and take chances.

 

[Zuma]

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[1960Pats]

Agree. That's what even going back to our winning years I never played to much into the schedule. You have to play the games as they come.

I think the imbalance between the schedules of the teams is HUGE! Throw in the ridiculous automatic playoff berth to teams who only have to have a better record than 3 of the other 15 teams, and the weaker schedules are even more magnified. When was the last time KC didn't have an automatic "division" title?

 

[Real fan 02]

I think the imbalance between the schedules of the teams is HUGE! Throw in the ridiculous automatic playoff berth to teams who only have to have a better record than 3 of the other 15 teams, and the weaker schedules are even more magnified. When was the last time KC didn't have an automatic "division" title?

Good question. Also the strength of scheduling, the better record against common opponents. The NFL has created all these factors pber the years. However there were years were NFC teams were under 500 and made the post season. LA with rivers they had the AFC west for a while remember? I just remember when we were winning each yeah the talk was the schedule is tough.

 

[Sicilian]

I think the imbalance between the schedules of the teams is HUGE! Throw in the ridiculous automatic playoff berth to teams who only have to have a better record than 3 of the other 15 teams, and the weaker schedules are even more magnified. When was the last time KC didn't have an automatic "division" title?

Have to go back to 2018 the last time they didn't win the division by at least two games. They won on a tiebreaker over the Chargers, but that was Mahomes' first year as the starter. It's been theirs to lose ever since.

 

[SinceGroganWalkedIn]

W

They have a key weak spot and it's DT with only one anchor in the middle in Godshaux. Guy, Baremore and Godshaux stayed healtyh all eyar last year and along with the DE's like Anfrenee Jennings being good run stuffers got teams in many 3rd and 4 or more. Passing only. That is the key this year - if they are soft in middle, that will open the play action pass. Every year is different. Injury lists are huge variables. But this year, going into week 1 with Pharms and Godshaux and TBD is a big watch item just to start.

 

[SinceGroganWalkedIn]

Opening it early.

Here's a Bengals forum game thread: Week 1 opponent-Patriots
They sound optimistic and they should be but they bring up a good point that week 1 games can be weird. Hoping we can surprise them by keeping it close late.

AVP's familiarity with the Bengals being in that division can't hurt. Goes without saying that the OL is in for a challenge against a very good DL.

Chase is practicing but I don't think his contract situation is settled yet. He'll play though. Maybe.

Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase returns to practice following a contract 'hold in'

Cincinnati star receiver Ja’Marr Chase has ended his contract “hold in” and practiced for the first time this summer, two weeks before the Bengals open the season against the New England Patriots.

apnews.com

Last year's Bengals stats (sans Burrow for half the season)

CIN has a bunch of injuries up front on their D-line. They lost a few DTs in offseason and had a young guy that's big get hurt and went on IR. If they pats have a shot, they'd need to run the ball on CIN. I expect AVP will be calling plays the offense has practice executed well. In summer, they were practicing a lot of new stuff. Sometimes it was ugly. I'd hope now it's real games, the pats o-line will show a little better. It'll take some time, but in Sept, I'd hope they look 1/2 way respectable up front on that line and build from there. For CIN game, the pats running the ball on O and stopping CIN's run on D will be key.

CIN is also been a slow starting team. Not sure they play their starters much in pre-season games. But the pats with a new offense worked harder than most in summer. The pats practiced in pads more than they had in years. Its' possible that helps hear in CIN and they catch CIN at a perfect time.

 

[signbabybrady]

They have a key weak spot and it's DT with only one anchor in the middle in Godshaux. Guy, Baremore and Godshaux stayed healtyh all eyar last year and along with the DE's like Anfrenee Jennings being good run stuffers got teams in many 3rd and 4 or more. Passing only. That is the key this year - if they are soft in middle, that will open the play action pass. Every year is different. Injury lists are huge variables. But this year, going into week 1 with Pharms and Godshaux and TBD is a big watch item just to start.

That's why we claimed Eric Johnson.

Until he gets up to speed we'll be a little short handed but Godchaux, Ekuale, and Pharms should be enough at DT just can't sustain another injury.

We might actually be thinner at DE. White and Wise are 2 of our best players but what's next behind them? The other guys are more edge LBers rather than Ends a smaller distinction than it used to be but even still Uche, Jennings, and OX are more in the 250 range White and Wise are probably like 280. The DTs are all at least over 300.

(Weights gathered from team website but I'd take accuracy with a grain of salt Wise has to be a little heavier than that)

 

[mgteich]

I think the imbalance between the schedules of the teams is HUGE! Throw in the ridiculous automatic playoff berth to teams who only have to have a better record than 3 of the other 15 teams, and the weaker schedules are even more magnified. When was the last time KC didn't have an automatic "division" title?

yes, that used to be us; now it is KC

 

[PatsFan2]

I'm fine this season if Covington sells out and we blitz the hell out of our opponents. Need to gamble and hope to come up with some big turnovers.

We are playing Teams who have QB's that can handle the Blitz. I can't see us blitzing Teams like 49ers -Miami or the Texans they have players who could beat us on one play. Not to mention vintage AR and the Jets he's still HOF QB even though most Patsfans hate him.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[Thelonious]

I'd call the defense good but not great, not as good as last year's stats would suggest. The main problem this week, though, will be how exhausted they will be a after two or three quarters of three-and-outs by the offense. This could get ugly.

 

[Real fan 02]

We are playing Teams who have QB's that can handle the Blitz. I can't see us blitzing Teams like 49ers -Miami or the Texans they have players who could beat us on one play. Not to mention vintage AR and the Jets he's still HOF QB even though most Patsfans hate him.

Like u said brother we don't have Barmore so we have to blitz basically every NFL defense with a secondary that can cover will be blitz heavy. The Jets blitz the crap out of teams and they have quinnen Williams. It's just a way to put extra pressure on the offensive front. On the 9ners they actually don't handle the blitz well when they had that 3 game skid last season Purdy was thowing picks and teams took away mcaffre.. on AR I will have to see he's 40 coming off an Achilles.. guys still a future HOF but I need to see it. Me as a fan I actually want us to blitz more. It speeds up the entire offense.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'd call the defense good but not great, not as good as last year's stats would suggest. The main problem this week, though, will be how exhausted they will be a after two or three quarters of three-and-outs by the offense. This could get ugly.

Agreed. My guy PF2 isn't as high on the D and I understand why. But call me the total optimism but I still think we have a combination of some good solid pro bowl levels guys and a quiet asssin #0. I'm in not way saying cincy is weak but they average 11 ppg for a majority the season games 1-9.. thier defense was bottom ranked. So we have to blitz as a need, guys in the secondary need to cover. Even if we get beat still speeds up the offense. It makes the QB off Rythym all game. Look at those great Jets rex Ryan defenses they blitzed all game and they had HOF Revis!

 

[A Defiant Goose]

We win eleventy billion to maybe 1 do NOT get on the bandwagon when this team is in the playoffs come January

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I'm fine this season if Covington sells out and we blitz the hell out of our opponents. Need to gamble and hope to come up with some big turnovers.

Absolutely positive! We have the guys to cover. The Jets are blitz heavy too that's why they are a force defensively. Without Barmore we have to be blitz heavy and take chances.

I am on board with the defense being aggressive and blitzing more than they have in the past without totally selling out for the pass rush. Blitzing all the time falls down when the other team has the lead and doesn't need to score more points to win. At a minimum they would need to be more careful against teams that can run the ball.