Patriots Pregame Thread Titans Fire Head Coach Brian Callahan / Week 7 Pregame Discussion

[rochrist]

So here I was thinking that this game is going to be a walk over. At LEAST a double-digit win in a game we might see Dobbs in for the final quarter and Chism catching his first NFL pass.

And then tonight I get a slap in the face of reality and see the Steelers go down to a team they had NO business losing to. It was a mismatch close to what I see our game with the Titans. AND they were missing their most impactful defensive player on a horrible team, with bad offense while they have a defense getting better every week. How can they lose. Well then they did. I forgot the oldest rule of NFL fandom. "on any given Sunday...." Any team can beat another. ANY TEAM.

Now I am not so ****y about Sunday. The "fired HC bump" now makes me nervous. The 3 road game in a row will cause me to wake up in the middle of the night. And I will appreciate ANY kind of victory come Sunday.

The Steeelers aren't very good.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I highly doubt Maye told Vrabel not to give him game balls, it would be perceived as presumptuous. Since he's always the focal point of the offense, Drake likely is held to a higher standard than other position players. He'll get a game ball at some point.

I would not be surprised if Drake and Vrabs have had conversations about holding him to an incredibly high standard, because the team goes as he goes.
The last thing you want to do is build up any type of animosity with the face of your franchise, and Vrabel knows that.
Again, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the two of them have had conversations about this.
So maybe, Drake didn't say "don't give me game balls", but I can only imagine they discussed this and it's understood with Drake, that he is "the guy" and him not getting game balls is no slight on him, because they believe in him so much and greatness is expected.

 

[Tunescribe]

I would not be surprised if Drake and Vrabs have had conversations about holding him to an incredibly high standard, because the team goes as he goes.
The last thing you want to do is build up any type of animosity with the face of your franchise, and Vrabel knows that.
Again, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the two of them have had conversations about this.
So maybe, Drake didn't say "don't give me game balls", but I can only imagine they discussed this and it's understood with Drake, that he is "the guy" and him not getting game balls is no slight on him, because they believe in him so much and greatness is expected.

As a point of reference, Tom Brady played 285 regular season and 31 playoff games for New England. He received 32 regular-season game balls and 10 in the playoffs. Maye is still establishing himself, he will get his.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

As a point of reference, Tom Brady played 285 regular season and 31 playoff games for New England. He received 32 regular-season game balls and 10 in the playoffs. Maye is still establishing himself, he will get his.

He will for sure.
He seems like the type of leader that wouldn't let not getting a game ball worry him at all, and that's not something to take for granted.
I will pick on Caleb (maybe unfairly), but he seems like the type of guy that would throw a hissy fit if he had a great 4 game stretch and didn't get a game ball.
I could way off here, but he seems like that type of guy.

 

[captain stone]

...Domination in the trenches is very unlikely in this case. Usually the seeds need to be there in same way before the game even starts. It is a very reliable way for an underdog to win as it is effort and practice based (an OL which was not focused all weak and not ready to give max effort can be pushed around by a less talented DL that was ready to go on snap 1 and is absolutely laying it all out there). But the problem is talent exist. And the Titans OL has been and is SO and our DL is pretty damn talented. I could see our OL losing badly to their DL. That is possible, but our DL losing to their OL? I don't buy it. And for this to be a good path they need to really win both strongly enough to take over the game. I don't think they can with that OL.

So can I, especially on the Inside.

Can Cam outplay Maye massively? In a one game sample everything is possible. But all things being equal seeing were Maye is and Cam is... I don't see it. Cam has been arguably the worse QB in the league and nothing shows he is ready to play at even a decent level consistently. A few big passes? Everyone in the league can have a couple in a game. But can he string a bunch of plus plays together, play clean, stay accurate and create for 60 minutes with practically no let down? As best he can be solid. Maye however is capable of laying a massive egg, as is any QB. However even on a really bad day he will find a way to make some big plays i believe. Can the difference be big enough that everyone else being relatively equal this can swing it the Titans way? I don't feel like it can be.

Yeah I don't think this is happening either.

Can our DBs be smoked? This has nothing to do with their WRs. Yeah our CBs are better... but that isn't so much the point. The point is not who is better, but can our CBs in general allow a number of broken plays to swing a bunch of points the Titans way? I think this group is too good and in sync for that. They may allow 1-2 big broken plays. But not enough to to give the Titans enough 'easy money' to swing things.

Never under-estimate the "ability" of Carlton the Doorman to fall asleep while somebody flies by him...

This leaves mistakes/flukes... ala the Steelers game. A complete collapse. Penalties, turnovers, big swing plays, ect... This is always possible.. but they had a game like it not like ago. And they don't tend to strike twice much with competent teams. I don't believe the Pats let this happen again. They may lose the turnover battle and may commit more penalties... but it won't be the collapse needed to swing the contest.

So since none of these can be the main driver in any reasonable likelihood (If the Steelers game didn't happen I'd believe the fluke game would be more possible) then that means it needs to be some combo of them without one single thing having a huge impact. This may seem more likely to happen but it is actually less likely. It is more likely for 1 thing to go really badly and few others to go a little bad than for multiple things to go pretty damn bad all at once.

Don't forget injuries...

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

When clearly much worse teams upset clearly better teams usually 1 or more of 4 things happen.

#1 Mistakes/Flukes. Penalties, Turnovers, super weird plays,
#2 Domination in the Trenches
#3 DBs get absolutely smoked when they shouldn't
#4 One QB massively outplays the other.

Don’t forget #5….help from the zebras/nyfl/TheClown Goofdell…

 

[Zuma]

This game will be a beat down by the Patriots. I will leave the board forever if it’s not @Sam Bam Cunningham

 

[Salsalife]

My friend is a season ticket holder. Nobody wanted them a month ago. His phone is off the hook now. Fans want tickets big time!

 

[Uptown]

 

[Zoomnbyu]

Do you remember 2004?
If we're talking about what we want them to be, I'd just as soon they were the juggernaut Patriots again.
YMMV

I think you're both right. Going to jinx cringe until we get to unstoppable.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[turkeyneck]

Looking forward to Josh sending Stevenson straight at him ...

 

[Mack Herron]

Looking forward to Josh sending Stevenson straight at him ...

Might not be Sunday, but If the Patriots are going to compete against good teams, sooner or later they have to be able to run.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Might not be Sunday, but If the Patriots are going to compete against good teams, sooner or later they have to be able to run.

That means 7 guys in the box or less. No-one is running against 8 and 9 man boxes. Maye carved the Saints last week so we might have seen the end of 8+ man boxes. We will see tomorrow.

 

[turkeyneck]

Might not be Sunday, but If the Patriots are going to compete against good teams, sooner or later they have to be able to run.

If that's to be then McD has to get more creative than jamming Rham between tackles every first down when the whole world is clued to his tendency.

 

[captain stone]

Doubtful that the Pats run up the middle with much success tomorrow; that Sweat kid is Ginormous!

 

[captain stone]

Yeah, what he said...

 

[Thelonious]

I'd love to see the Pats put on a good old-fashioned beatdown, and I expect, for the first time in a long time, that we just might get one. Be nice to have a completely stress-free fan experience for an entire game, wouldn't it? Used to happen all the time. We got spoiled there for a while.

 

[sb1]

“Able to run”? I don’t think he’s watched a lot of Patriots games this season…

 

[TommyD4207]

“Able to run”? I don’t think he’s watched a lot of Patriots games this season…

Able to run as in, able to attempt runs.

The results aren't there, but it's not as important as continuing to try. It keeps those boxes stacked, opens up playaction, and allows the Patriots to manage the game clock.

Yeah, I want to see actual yards in the running game too. But abandoning it completely is such a bad idea. Keep trying. Eventually teams (better teams, anyway) will get sick of stacking 8 in the box, and getting tourched every week.