Patriots Pregame Thread 2025 Patriots @ Cryami - Early thoughts

[upstater1]

Agree

The defense would have been on the field less if the offense stayed with running the ball.

Possibly, but they crowded the box.

Could've been equally bad. You have to make them pay.

AND the defense constantly blitzed and left our DBs in single coverage, all alone on an island

 

[mike_usagisan]

This kind of seems like the raiders last week. I don't think the Raiders are necessarily good but they're better than us especially week 1 given Geno's experience.

I wanted to believe we've done enough to be better than LVR and I still think we can be but we have a lot of improving to do.

So onto Mia similar to LVR I want to believe that we are better than them. And I do believe Mia is on the decline. Are they the complete dumpster fire that last week looked like and some of their TC reports sounded or are they still ahead of us?

As others have said they are definitely looking at us as a get right game so I think we'll know for sure next week if Mia is on fire or not. Hopefully a perfect spot for us to get some vengeance on them, expose them, and get us pointed in the right direction. LFG!

If we lose against the Dolphins, I think it'll give us a better idea where we are in the rebuild. I think I bought into the hype that we were much further along than we are. If we lose, that doesn't tell me the rebuild isn't moving in the right direction, it just says that it's not going to be as quick as it has been for some other teams. We were one of the three worst teams last year, and arguably the worst. It might take us a while to dig out of that hole.

 

[mgteich]

Possibly, but they crowded the box.

Could've been equally bad. You have to make them pay.

AND the defense constantly blitzed and left our DBs in single coverage, all alone on an island

Yes, we did. That is the nature of an attacking Defense. We were 2nd in entire league in pressures last weekend. We blitzed a lot (40%) and registered 4 sacks and lots and lots of pressure.

We allowed too many chunk plays, some due to bad calls or poor communication. Reduce that number to say ONLY seven, and the Defense would have had a truly fine performance. In any case, 20 points is NOT terrible or even a below average performance. The Defense did their job.

This is a new Defense that will get even better.

 

[Zuma]

Yes, we did. That is the nature of an attacking Defense. We were 2nd in entire league in pressures last weekend. We blitzed a lot (40%) and registered 4 sacks and lots and lots of pressure.

We allowed too many chunk plays, some due to bad calls or poor communication. Reduce that number to say ONLY seven, and the Defense would have had a truly fine performance. In any case, 20 points is NOT terrible or even a below average performance. The Defense did their job.

This is a new Defense that will get even better.

I think the D was a little gassed from blitzing so much and not getting off the field sooner. 4 sacks is good but blitzing 40% of the time and staying on the field takes a lot of you if you’re giving 100% all the time. I agree the Defense was ok and the real issue is offense but the D was still a bit gassed IMO in the 1st game of the season. The main players on D on the line probably didn’t practice, scrimmage or preseason that hard for that long in 3 hour time-span.

Gonzo would have helped.

 

[mgteich]

I think the D was a little gassed from blitzing so much and not getting off the field sooner. 4 sacks is good but blitzing 40% of the time and staying on the field takes a lot of you if you’re giving 100% all the time. I agree the Defense was ok and the real issue is offense but the D was still a bit gassed IMO in the 1st game of the season. The main players on D on the line probably didn’t practice, scrimmage or preseason that hard for that long in 3 hour time-span

The Defense was gassed because there were few substitutions.

Barmore and Williams didn't play that many reps at any time in their careers. Spillane play 100% of the reps, ditto from Davis, Austin and Hawkins.

 

[Zuma]

The Defense was gassed because there were few substitutions.

Nods

Barmore and Williams didn't play that many reps at any time in their careers.

Yeah that’s my point. Barmore back in his 1st game after health issues probably was gassed early. I don’t think Williams played a ton of reps when he was with Philly. He may have played more in the playoffs and Super Bowl though.

 

[mgteich]

Nods

Yeah that’s my point. Barmore back in his 1st game after health issues probably was gassed early. I don’t think Williams played a ton of reps when he was with Philly. He may have played more in the playoffs and Super Bowl though.

I agree.

Let's be clear.

We have few subs on Defense that Vrabel trusts. White was in on 46% of the reps. Jennings was inactive. The NT's had a lesser role with Tonga at 43 and Farmer at 21. No other backup got significant reps. All the six front six regulars were on the field at least 70% of the reps. All the secondary regulars played 100% of the reps, except Jones with 64%.

Everyone had played lots and lots of reps by the time the second half started and they had played like the top 5 Defense that they are.
======
Of course, backups did play. They played Special teams. These players had the most reps on ST's. With the 3 specialists, they essentially were the 9 "starters" on ST's.
Schooler
Mapu
Gibbens
Ponder
Ballentine
Pettus
===========
Other than Schooler, all of these players are backups at positions and could play if there were injuries. Even Schooler played a little safety last year.
==========
Everyone played except Dobbs, but there were few backups at positions other than White and Farmer.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

I just switched my weekly pick from Miami winning close to us almost blowing them out 27-10. Their O-Line was already bad and they lost a couple starters with the legendary Cole Strange poised to see playing time. And our D-Line is probably our best unit. Seems like a great combo! I'm also not panicking about Drake ... just seeing it as learning curve. Once Miami falls behind, they'll pack it in. And McDaniel will soon be packing his bags.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I just switched my weekly pick from Miami winning close to us almost blowing them out 27-10. Their O-Line was already bad and they lost a couple starters with the legendary Cole Strange poised to see playing time. And our D-Line is probably our best unit. Seems like a great combo! I'm also not panicking about Drake ... just seeing it as learning curve. Once Miami falls behind, they'll pack it in. And McDaniel will soon be packing his bags.

Hope you’re right but have my doubts.
Job #1, PRESSURE TUA.
Historically he’s had way too much against us and picks us apart.
That needs to change, or we will suffer the same fate.
If we allow him to convert every 3rd down like in the past, our Dline will be gassed in that heat.

 

[FCB02062]

McDaniels better dial up some shot plays because I don't think they're going to win matriculating the ball downfield in 10+ play drives. And please, from an enjoyment and aesthetic standpoint, can we be a little more "fun" to watch. I'm not sure there has been a more boring team to watch in the NFL these last 3 or 4 seasons than the Patriots.

 

[PatsFan2]

Our Offense better find a way to core 24: Tua 7-0 against us as a Starter. Minus Gonzo our CB's won't match up well.

 

[PatsFan2]

I just switched my weekly pick from Miami winning close to us almost blowing them out 27-10. Their O-Line was already bad and they lost a couple starters with the legendary Cole Strange poised to see playing time. And our D-Line is probably our best unit. Seems like a great combo! I'm also not panicking about Drake ... just seeing it as learning curve. Once Miami falls behind, they'll pack it in. And McDaniel will soon be packing his bags.

Really: we saw what the better part of the LV Raiders Offense did to our Defense. I cringe to think the about the better of that Miami Team: their Offense will do to our Defense.

 

[upstater1]

Yes, we did. That is the nature of an attacking Defense. We were 2nd in entire league in pressures last weekend. We blitzed a lot (40%) and registered 4 sacks and lots and lots of pressure.

We allowed too many chunk plays, some due to bad calls or poor communication. Reduce that number to say ONLY seven, and the Defense would have had a truly fine performance. In any case, 20 points is NOT terrible or even a below average performance. The Defense did their job.

This is a new Defense that will get even better.

350+ yards to Geno Smith!

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Really: we saw what the better part of the LV Raiders Offense did to our Defense. I cringe to think the about the better of that Miami Team: their Offense will to our Defense.

My extensive research [this forum] research suggests Geno is actually pretty good against the blitz and Tua is pretty bad, thus the difference. Ya, not sure I'm convinced either...

 

[Zuma]

 

[Zuma]

 

[mgteich]

White wasn't spotted at practice. I don't think I spotted him on the field on Sunday.

 

[Zuma]

 

[captain stone]

Lemme guess: better-insisting that his QB play more like Brady...?

 

[Vindicate]

If we lose against the Dolphins, I think it'll give us a better idea where we are in the rebuild. I think I bought into the hype that we were much further along than we are. If we lose, that doesn't tell me the rebuild isn't moving in the right direction, it just says that it's not going to be as quick as it has been for some other teams. We were one of the three worst teams last year, and arguably the worst. It might take us a while to dig out of that hole.

Unfortunately, that offense is liable to take an enormous dump if they feel like their livelihood is in jeopardy. Mike McDaniel has to win this game to maintain a job. All that to say, I'm of the opposite camp where a loss doesn't tell me much, but a win could?

However, I do think it is best practice to set a reasonable expectation, and then accept/expect 50-70% of even that. I think this season's W/L could be a misleading metric - if we fight in every single game, swing on the opponent, and have bursts of improvement on all levels - maybe just not synchronized - then I think that's promising.

The last 4 years we all have gathered on this forum to try and get a ****in' IOTA of an idea as to what kind of team this is. Everything was so bad, you couldn't point to one or two areas to really focus on, as it was everything. If we walk out of this season thinking "we have a functioning OL" (ranks around 15th) then we're in better shape. Then we know really know Maye's performance. Then we really know the receivers performance. That's something we could not get granular with _at all_ these past few seasons. And to be honest, that is the most miserable football to watch imo. I'm optimistic and will be very glad to move on from that.