Patriots Pregame Thread 2025 Raiders @ Patriots - Early thoughts

[signbabybrady]

Advantage Las Vegas

The Pats may actually be a better team, but this will be the first time they've played along side each other

With the lack of prep in todays NFL most September games resemble the pre-season, which certainly means teams can get a surprise win - but in this case the Pats are a fresher re-build and it will take some time for them to mesh

Let's just hope that Maye stays healthy

Pete and Geno's first year too. Obviously they have been together before but to the rest of the team they are new. For us at least Maye has experience with some of our guys albeit in a new system. I'd say that's kind of wash. I still give them the QB edge hopefully sooner than later it's Maye but for now Geno's experience still counts.

 

[BobDigital]

That article is BAD and inaccurate. The whole premise is "The second-year passer had a rough supporting cast in 2024, and it doesn’t appear to be a whole lot better this season." That is ABSURD.

Game breaking rookie RB with a history of never fumbling. Better
Veteran RT with a history of solid play. Better: Jacobs was worst OL in the entire league.
LT drafted top 5 : Better, replacing Lowe who was average Pass Blocker and very bad run blocker.
LG and C are question marks but likely Better
Diggs: Better than anyone in 2025 they had
Coaching: Better
They are better at RB, WR, OL, OC and equal at TE.

I think the debate is how much better due to some unknowns.

How quickly will the players pick up what Josh wants them to with his complex offense?
Diggs is a true NFL #1 receiver, he was last year, he was the year before. He's not in the elite #1, like Chase or Jefferson but in the next tier. The only question is how he looks after the injury and a year older.
How much better will the line be?

When they went to Buffalo and almost won in 2024 here are the guys that played the most Offensive snaps outside Maye.

Line: Robinson, Brown, Lowe, Jacobs, Onwenu.
TE: Henry and Hooper
RB: Gibson and Stevensen
WR: Boutte and Bourne played more than Douglas

1/2 those players will not start/play significant minutes and 3 of those 6 were cut and won't even be a backup.

I almost made my own thread about the 2024 offense, but decided it wasn't worth it. But in any case i gave things a quick look over. I think when people talk about it being bad, they don't really understand how bad it was. It was just a bottom of the league bad cast. It was arguably historically bad.

it may well have been the worst cast of the century to date. The combination of the OL being that awful and the lack of talent and experience from offensive weapons is a combo i don't think i've ever seen. I'd like to see someone find a recent cast since 2000 that was worse. Yes, there are teams that had worse skill players in that time, but was their OL THAT bad? And there may have been OLs that bad, but did they lack such talent in skill players? Maybe there is an example which exist... but in my quick look in at leas the last 5 years i didn't find one i believe matched the badness of 2024.

The problem is it is a lot easier to say when something is better than something good compared to when something is worse than something bad. When things get bad enough it just starts to took the same and the smallest things can throw it off. Like when Maye makes insane plays, or doesn't make mistakes that massively can skew the data. Maye pulled a number of plays out of his ass last year and those plays alone moved the needle on this offense and kept it out of the basement. Not to mention the free points in the last game of the season.

The point is, while this offense still isn't good cast wise, people will look at this arguably bottom 5 overall cast and not see the absolutely massive improvement compared to last year. Unlike last year this cast has some home run hitters... the OL while still having question marks has legit upside and some solid which can be depended on. There the thing to jel and be decent as the year goes on.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Bowers is the main thing that worries me about the raiders…if they can shut him down, life will be much easier game day. Shame we didn’t somehow end up with him tho…dudes a beast.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Geno knows Carrol moves. Carrol is pretty good, some of you think he sucks , I don't think he does.
I still pick Pats 27-17

 

[farn]

Until proven otherwise, I’m concerned about the OL and Gonzo’s health.

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[jdlboot14]

People are acting like Carroll & Geno = Shula & Marino or something.

I'd much rather have our situation. Both are on the upside of their careers, not downside.

 

[Triumph]

You are lying. I was the first and biggest anti Polk fan.
You need to take reading comprehension classes. Or perhaps better yet, honesty and integrity classes.

You wanted Polkie or the other bust Baker in lieu of Hollins.You claimed that they have potential.

There is no lying or backpeddling your way out of this one.

 

[Ring 6]

You wanted Polkie or the other bust Baker in lieu of Hollins.You claimed that they have potential.

There is no lying or backpeddling your way out of this one.

Nope, you are lying. This is what you do, you are either to dumb, drunk or dishonest to comprehend posts so you lie, and then say the truth is back pedaling.
As always, I will say, it’s easy to find it on here if I ever said it. Of course you can’t and won’t.

 

[Tunescribe]

Until proven otherwise, I’m concerned about the OL and Gonzo’s health.

The Patriots ground game needs to roll. McDaniels can scheme the OL out of potential pass-protection trouble to an extent; it helps that he has experience vs. Carroll.

Having Davis holding down one corner will be very helpful in Gonzalez's absence. The front seven needs to get pressure on Geno and I think they will.

 

[Joey007]

Unfortunately even if Gonzo comes back to practice on Wednesday, doubt he plays Sunday after not practicing for over a month.

He will have to practice tomorrow at minimum or else there’s zero chance.

 

[Triumph]

You are lying. I was the first and biggest anti Polk fan.
You need to take reading comprehension classes. Or perhaps better yet, honesty and integrity classes.

If you are anti Polk then why did you want him on the the 2025, 2026 and 2027 Pats roster?

Never mind, dont answer because youll just come up with more lies and stupidity.

Ring6 pearls of wisdom.

RING - There are many other WRs in camp beyond the first 4. Some may be better options today, those that aren’t wouldn’t be much of a downgrade, and you would do that because they may have a future.
Bourne - CUT
Chism
Polk - IRed was the only way he was staying
Baker - BUST cleared waivers.
Jiles - Duncan Donuts employee
Webb - Footlocker manager

RING-All have a better chance of being here and contributing in 26 and 27 and beyond than Hollins.

If you perceive a dropoff from him to them, the question is how much dropoff are you trading for more future.
I think the dropoff to any of them is miniscule, because Hollins should t. R getting any snaps to start with.

You need to take reading comprehension classes. Or perhaps better yet, honesty and integrity classes.

RING - If we look at those numbers, shockingly they are a little bit worse than the bust NKeal Harry. In other words if you put both of them on the field while Harry sucked at getting open and making catches, he was slightly better than Hollins.



RING- Thornton was about the same as Hollins, a little worse. KJ Osborne was a lot better.



Whats going to happen if Thornton catches a TD Friday night?

More lying?

 

[Real fan 02]

Advantage Las Vegas

The Pats may actually be a better team, but this will be the first time they've played along side each other

With the lack of prep in todays NFL most September games resemble the pre-season, which certainly means teams can get a surprise win - but in this case the Pats are a fresher re-build and it will take some time for them to mesh

Let's just hope that Maye stays healthy

I don't particularly see an advantage as if you look at it both teams have new HCs and are trying to turn to pages in new directions. The Myers situation looks over LV.. and the fact they had to turn to Cooper who's a shell of himself. NE just feels like the more focused and determined team right now.

 

[Ring 6]

If you are anti Polk then why did you want him on the the 2025, 2026 and 2027 Pats roster?

Never mind, dont answer because youll just come up with more lies and stupidity.

Ring6 pearls of wisdom.

RING - There are many other WRs in camp beyond the first 4. Some may be better options today, those that aren’t wouldn’t be much of a downgrade, and you would do that because they may have a future.
Bourne - CUT
Chism
Polk - IRed was the only way he was staying
Baker - BUST cleared waivers.
Jiles - Duncan Donuts employee
Webb - Footlocker manager

RING-All have a better chance of being here and contributing in 26 and 27 and beyond than Hollins.






RING - If we look at those numbers, shockingly they are a little bit worse than the bust NKeal Harry. In other words if you put both of them on the field while Harry sucked at getting open and making catches, he was slightly better than Hollins.



RING- Thornton was about the same as Hollins, a little worse. KJ Osborne was a lot better.



Whats going to happen if Thornton catches a TD Friday night?

More lying?

I’m waiting to see where I said keep Polk.
I said, as you quoted

1) WR5 and WR6 don’t play much so considering the future is wise and keeping a young guy over a 32 year old is a consideration.

2) All certainly had a better chance of contributing beyond 2025 from the WR5 or WR6 spot. In that spot Hollins would retire or leave.

3) You left out that the comparison was to production per snap vs Hollins and it is 100% accurate.

Hollins sucks. He shouldn’t have made the team. He will make a rare play, but be useless most of the time. His role in the current roster, sonce he was kept should be WR6 and of course they should have either kept a younger player to be inactive all year or a better one (Bourne) if you are worried about injuries.

All of this is true and none of it is, as you claim “I wanted to keep Polk”
I wanted to keep anyone other than Hollins, and listed all of the other
choices, and gave sound reasoning.

Still trying to decide if your issue is intellect, alcohol or dishonestly because you surely have no clue about what the things you read mean.

 

[Zoomnbyu]

I’m waiting to see where I said keep Polk.
I said, as you quoted

1) WR5 and WR6 don’t play much so considering the future is wise and keeping a young guy over a 32 year old is a consideration.

2) All certainly had a better chance of contributing beyond 2025 from the WR5 or WR6 spot. In that spot Hollins would retire or leave.

3) You left out that the comparison was to production per snap vs Hollins and it is 100% accurate.

Hollins sucks. He shouldn’t have made the team. He will make a rare play, but be useless most of the time. His role in the current roster, sonce he was kept should be WR6 and of course they should have either kept a younger player to be inactive all year or a better one (Bourne) if you are worried about injuries.

All of this is true and none of it is, as you claim “I wanted to keep Polk”
I wanted to keep anyone other than Hollins, and listed all of the other
choices, and gave sound reasoning.

Still trying to decide if your issue is intellect, alcohol or dishonestly because you surely have no clue about what the things you read mean.

Maybe you two could get a room with some whips and chains or dueling pistols and a field in NJ. Whatever helps you move on.

 

[Ring 6]

Maybe you two could get a room with some whips and chains or dueling pistols and a field in NJ. Whatever helps you move on.

Or maybe he could just stop being a ****. Not likely though.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Bowers is the main thing that worries me about the raiders…if they can shut him down, life will be much easier game day.

Interesting to see who covers him. I've seen suggestions of Austin and Mapu.

The other concern is whether their faster, lighter DEs/DTs and faster, lighter LBs can stop the run. All good if you can penetrate into the backfield, but that's not always going to happen.

 

[Thunderhead]

No Gonzo is such a bummer of a way to start the Vrabel era. Far from ideal as they try to right the ship after consecutive 4-13 seasons.