Patriots Pregame Thread Week 8: Browns @ Pats

[p8ryts]

I feel we don't stack really well.

Maye has quite a few moneyball throws . Sometimes averages tend to catch up. If they catch up we could see a pick 6 or 2.

I really want to see some catches with nice separation . It could be short passes but ones where there is at least a yard of separation between our receiver and closest defender. Too many precision balls are being tossed by maye. It just seems ridiculous the kind of accuracy he has had so far.

I feel we have just gone away from our screens . I understand maye strength is deep balls. But I am don't like airing out so many 3rd and longs . It's not a recipe for long term success .

I want to see those quick screens and slot throws and tight end seam routes. Hardly see those .

Our screens have had very limited success. Tight end seam should be good this week. Don't knock success.

 

[TommyD4207]

Our screens have had very limited success. Tight end seam should be good this week. Don't knock success.

Also I really like that Josh has abandoned the screen game for a while, teams won't key on it, for when they need it later in the season.

 

[Pape]

Did you read the table you put up? He ran for 100 yards in one game. Patriots are top 5 against the run. Against Miami, who's like the 27th ranked rush defense, he hit one big run, and was 24 rushes for 38 yards the rest of the game.

Don't fall into the BSM trap.

I did read it.

He's the best back that we've faced so far not named James Cook.

 

[Triumph]

Dangerous game.

The Browns have nothing o lose with 5 losses.

 

[patchick]

This will be a fascinating test against a defense that's a tier above anyone else they've faced.

Of interest to nobody but me, it will also be the first game I've actually attended in many years. Earlier this season I decided I'd better seize my chance before tickets get Brady-era scarce again.

 

[TommyD4207]

This will be a fascinating test against a defense that's a tier above anyone else they've faced.

Of interest to nobody but me, it will also be the first game I've actually attended in many years. Earlier this season I decided I'd better seize my chance before tickets get Brady-era scarce again.

You picked a good one. That crowd should be rocking for the first time in a long time.

 

[patchick]

You picked a good one. That crowd should be rocking for the first time in a long time.

You can count on my and my daughters to do our part!

 

[JMC00]

They are? Hunter Henry? Steph Diggs? They get quite a few targets between the hashes.

Maybe we're just not used to guys being able to throw outside the hashes consistently, maybe that's it.

Also, if your receivers and QB are tourching man coverage (they are) then you have to prove you can do it. For a decade, the issue was the Patriots receivers couldn't separate in man coverage. This group can. You beat man coverage, that forces zone, that's when you get the checkdown gimmes in the middle of the field and run the ball.

Ya feels like that poster hasn't been watching. Just because Maye has been absolute beast throwing deep the last 2-3 games doesn't mean that's all he's doing.

 

[dliverey44]

we haven't given up a 100 yard rusher yet... Judkins is going to be a load...

We haven't given up 50 yards to a single Running back yet. I think that streak ends this weekend. You are dead on that Judkins is a problem

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is quickly moving on to another familiar opponent, the Browns

Mike Vrabel spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns as a consultant. On Sunday, he'll coach against them.

www.boston.com

Vrabel spent the last season with the Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant after being fired by the Titans in January 2024. The Northeast Ohio native said he grew up a Browns fan and liked being able to contribute to the franchise while between head coaching jobs.

“I enjoyed that time. I enjoyed the people there, that organization,” Vrabel said on Monday. “I enjoyed working with [coach] Kevin [Stefanski], the offensive staff, Tommy Rees and Chad [O’Shea]. I played with Bubba [Ventrone]. So, a lot of good, young coaches. Jim Schwartz, I had a really good relationship with Schwartzy.”

 

[BobDigital]

I don't feel good about this one. The Pats should win .. but Maye has kind of been unsustainably good in the last 4 games. He's due for an int and this is the team that can get one.

Not to mention the flawed starts on D have to come home to roost sooner or later. This is not a team you want to give an early lead to. Spot them 17 first half points and you may not catch up.

Also the o line in pass protection has kind of played above it's talent level imo. This could be a week against a really good pass rush we see it have big issues.

The other big issue is 4 wins in a row. This isn't the kind of team that can be solid week after week. No team seemingly can this year. Why should we be different?

Just feels like a lot of outside factors are conspiracy against this game to bring the patriots back down to earth.

Hope I'm wrong. But I have talked a lot and always believed in the due factor, for good and bad. Is this our bad outcome 'due' game?

 

[JMC00]

We haven't given up 50 yards to a single Running back yet. I think that streak ends this weekend. You are dead on that Judkins is a problem

So if he's gonna be a problem for the run defense that hasn't allowed a 50 yard rusher then couldn't the same thing be said about Maye being a problem for that defense?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Seems like a good time for the team to stop sucking at home.



Gabriel is a game manager type QB but he does have a top weapon Jeudy. Let's see if the Pats can force him into mistakes. Also seems like a good time for the defense to start better than they did on Sunday.

Their defense is no joke. Obliterated the Dolphins. Hopefully Maye can keep up his streak of clean games himself.

To be fair the Dolphins are really bad this year. Dolphins also hurt themselves more then they helped with 11 penalties and 4 turnovers.

I don't think we're going to torch the Browns but the game should be quite winnable.

Don't forget that they lost to the Steelers just the week before by a solid two touchdowns, 23-9.

If the Patriots are going to be serious contenders for the division they need to beat teams like the Browns.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Wilson I thought was a little overdue to show some rookie mistakes and we saw that a few times yesterday

I wonder if the focus on the run game diluted their pass protection, but every game starts and ends with the OL's performance.

Every game is a trap game when you're coming off a losing season - I'm sure Vrabel is preaching a "play 60 minutes" approach this week and the need to not have a slow start.

But yeah, I'm fearful of the trap games even against the Jets

Fearful of the 0-7 Jets? Are you serious?



Forget about Maye torching the Jets. Even if we gave him the week off, Dobbs might have a good chance of beating them.

 

[KCSVEN]

Browns defense allows 3.3 yards per carry, Seattle is 3.3 and Pats 3.4, the 3 best in the league. Cleveland is tied for 7th in Net Yards per attempt against passing, tied with Bills, who Maye carved up. They are only tied for 15th with 5 interceptions and 3 were against Tua. They are #1 overall in defense in Expected Points Contributed.

On the other end of things, the offense is just above the Titans as second worst offense in expected points contributed, 3rd worse in net yards per attempt and 3rd worse in net yards rushing.

This is one of those games you keep the defense on the field all game long, wear them down by stopping their offense with 3 and outs and pull away in the 4th against a tired defense. Hopefully get a turnover or 2 in your favor to get you a short field.

The Browns offense tends to turn it over in their own end. Defense has faced many short fields which makes overall points against worse than it really should be.

Last year the Patriots lose this game 13-10, this year they should win it by 2 scores.

 

[Triumph]

Maye leads the NFL in highest completion %.

2025 NFL Passing | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Check out the 2025 NFL Passing Stats and more on Pro-football-reference.com

www.pro-football-reference.com

Maye currently has passed for 1744 yards and one would not need to suspend disbelief to assume that he will reach 2000 passing yards after game # 8. In the off season we debated if 4000 Maye passing yards was doable for 2025.

Cleveland's QB Dillion Gabriel has not thrown an INT or fumbled as of yet. His 59% completion rate likely means lots of Browns rushing attempts.

 

[Steve102]

They'll cover and then some. Cleveland's offense is putrid. It might be 17-3 final, but that covers.

I was thinking the same. 12-6 or something equally ugh.

Just stack Ws.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Defense needs to be dominant Sunday against this putrid offense. Pretty sure we have trailed in every single game cuz of the slow starts. Maye has been phenomenal but not sure how much we wanna keep putting it all on his back especially against Clevelands d.

 

[Mankok]

Cleveland's overall defense is highly ranked but their red zone defense has been poor. Going into the Miami game their red zone defense was ranked last.

Here is some info on some of their key defensive players

Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger, picked at the top of round 2, wears the blue dot and the defense runs through him. He is tenth in the league in tackles.

Safety Grant Delpit is having his best year. He is strong in run support and his punchout on a kickoff return Sunday gave the Browns a short field for one of Judkins rushing TDs.

Rookie DT Mason Graham has played almost every down and has improved as the season has progressed. I would not say that he has lived up to being picked at #5 in the draft. He can be moved off the line as he is a bit on the light side.

Myles Garrett will get his sack and pressures but makes very few tackles. He is always good for at least one critical offsides call when he tries to guess the snap count.

 

[JMC00]

Not that this means anything but Browns defense is allowing 26 points a game away from Cleveland.