“It’ll take us years to contend”

[mgteich]

I love how you just said what I wrote, but act as if its something different. Of course the issues will be substantially improved in another offseason. They will be. And it will be another 2 before we get it to where it needs to be.

It will take exactly ZERO years until the patriots are leading the AFC after 13 weeks.
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Where we need to be? for what? to be one of the best teams in the NFL and have a shot at the SB (just like all the rest of the top teams? That will take exactly ZERO years.
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Yes, we have positions on the 53 where will improve each year, at least each year as long as we are well-coached and well-managed. We have lots of cap room and relatively few free agents.

 

[mgteich]

We will be a contender in exactly zero years.

Of course, we will be more likely to win it all if we have the bye, but even without it all our games will be at home until the Championship Game, presuming that the team with the bye gets in.
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THE BYE
Presuming that both DEN and NE are tied at 11-2 after DEN beat LV tomorrow, do you think that we are likely to win one more game than DEN? I think so.
DEN: GB, JAX, KC, LAC
NE: BUF, BAL, NYJ, MIA

 

[Ring 6]

It will take exactly ZERO years until the patriots are leading the AFC after 13 weeks.
===============
Where we need to be? for what? to be one of the best teams in the NFL and have a shot at the SB (just like all the rest of the top teams? That will take exactly ZERO years.
=========
Yes, we have positions on the 53 where will improve each year, at least each year as long as we are well-coached and well-managed. We have lots of cap room and relatively few free agents.

We have a lot of posters here with inferiority complexes who fear having confidence in the team, so they have to create flaws and call them impossible to overcome.

 

[PP2]

I don’t think you are in agreement with him at all. I think you totally misstated his view of our team this year. I think he sees this team as a serious contender.

It seems to me that he's speaking more in the vein of a "champion mindset."

Anyway he will want to take back this statement because he's inadvertently created bulletin board materials for all the other AFC playoff teams.

 

[Real fan 02]

The good thing about this season is that players will now want to come to NE who has a **** ton of cap space. Look for significant trades and FA signings to happen.

Exactly right!! Was hard to sell to guys coming to play a with Bailey Jones, or Jacoby Brissett last couple of seasons.

No matter what transpires the rest of the season NE is a destination again. I forsee a ferocious pass rush next season.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yep, and MayoNays still managed to **** it up.

The schedule frankly has been fairly kind to us since 2021 with its Fraud 7-game winning streak.

Who?... me... cap?...

I needed a should to cry on so I called Nicky saban...

 

[bormio]

It seems to me that he's speaking more in the vein of a "champion mindset."

Anyway he will want to take back this statement because he's inadvertently created bulletin board materials for all the other AFC playoff teams.

Take it back???? Ah, no….

 

[Wozzy]

It seems to me that he's speaking more in the vein of a "champion mindset."

Anyway he will want to take back this statement because he's inadvertently created bulletin board materials for all the other AFC playoff teams.

I don’t see it, it’s an aspiration to become a champion and in order to do that you have to prepare and play like one. The championship is the only goal, don’t shy away from that.

 

[Thelonious]

Assuming we get the bye, which seems likely enough, evaluate Campbell the week of the wild card games to decide if he’ll be ready to go for the divisional round, and practice accordingly. Repeat for each of the remaining games. If he’s 100% or very close play him, if he’s not he won’t be an upgrade so keep resting his short arms. lol.

I agree with this. I think we have to bear in mind the longer perspective and be careful not to rush him back in a way which might affect his long-term health. If he is what he has seemed to be, and can return to that level of play, he is a ten-year player at guard if not, as seems likely currently, at LT. I suspect that'll be Vrabel's attitude, because he seems to emphasize that we are, notwithstanding our surprising success this year, still early in what we hope will be a long-term rebuild.

 

[Real fan 02]

I agree with this. I think we have to bear in mind the longer perspective and be careful not to rush him back in a way which might affect his long-term health. If he is what he has seemed to be, and can return to that level of play, he is a ten-year player at guard if not, as seems likely currently, at LT. I suspect that'll be Vrabel's attitude, because he seems to emphasize that we are, notwithstanding our surprising success this year, still early in what we hope will be a long-term rebuild.

I've raised the Question that. Should Lowe continue to be solid and hold his own at LT.. Should Campbell be kept out to fully heal? Seen as how it's a pretty serious MCL tear?

 

[PP2]

I don’t see it, it’s an aspiration to become a champion and in order to do that you have to prepare and play like one. The championship is the only goal, don’t shy away from that.

Prepare and play like one, sure. But don't label your team "champions," before you win one.

There's a reason BB's pressers were boring like hell. He didn't want to give anyone any ammo.

 

[patfanken]

Here's the thing. Campbell is champing at the bit NOW and putting him on IR was more about protecting him from himself than when he will be able to actually get back on the field. This is not about whether Campbell will be ABLE to play, as Breer stated, it is about SHOULD he come back this year. It's all about the nature of MCL tears. There WILL be risk involved regardless of when he comes back,

It is true that Campbell WILL be able to play to a high level with the injury. The question is SHOULD he play and what will be the long-term consequences if he does. We will have up to 4 games to play in the playoffs. As I understand it, there will be no chance the tear will fully heal over the next 2 months. If he shuts down now, the tear will heal and he will have almost a full off season to train and get stronger (he is JUST 21) and more skilled for next season. If he plays and the tear gets worse, he will spend most of the off season rehabbing the knee rather than fully training to be better.

In my view, we take that risk. We have a real opportunity to play for a championship here. Those don't come along very often. You cannot just think "well next year we be in a better position to make a run". Just look at the Commanders, they were at the NFCCG last season, and now they are out of the playoff run with 5 games left to play. You just don't know how a season will run with injuries and the like. EVERY season is different, and you cannot just assume the great locker room we have now will be there next year. There are going to be 15-20 new players in that locker room, and the team will have to find ITS own identity that will be unique to them.

So yes, play Campbell and take that risk. Have him back practicing lightly for the Jets game, then either play him 10 snaps to give him a feel, or not and then have him ready for the playoffs. If we have a bye, all the better, but if we don't it is what it is. But regardless, it is a championship opportunity we cannot pass up.

 

[Uptown]

To think, we could quite easily be 13-0..

 

[n1997y]

Here's the thing. Campbell is champing at the bit NOW and putting him on IR was more about protecting him from himself than when he will be able to actually get back on the field. This is not about whether Campbell will be ABLE to play, as Breer stated, it is about SHOULD he come back this year. It's all about the nature of MCL tears. There WILL be risk involved regardless of when he comes back,

It is true that Campbell WILL be able to play to a high level with the injury. The question is SHOULD he play and what will be the long-term consequences if he does. We will have up to 4 games to play in the playoffs. As I understand it, there will be no chance the tear will fully heal over the next 2 months. If he shuts down now, the tear will heal and he will have almost a full off season to train and get stronger (he is JUST 21) and more skilled for next season. If he plays and the tear gets worse, he will spend most of the off season rehabbing the knee rather than fully training to be better.

In my view, we take that risk. We have a real opportunity to play for a championship here. Those don't come along very often. You cannot just think "well next year we be in a better position to make a run". Just look at the Commanders, they were at the NFCCG last season, and now they are out of the playoff run with 5 games left to play. You just don't know how a season will run with injuries and the like. EVERY season is different, and you cannot just assume the great locker room we have now will be there next year. There are going to be 15-20 new players in that locker room, and the team will have to find ITS own identity that will be unique to them.

So yes, play Campbell and take that risk. Have him back practicing lightly for the Jets game, then either play him 10 snaps to give him a feel, or not and then have him ready for the playoffs. If we have a bye, all the better, but if we don't it is what it is. But regardless, it is a championship opportunity we cannot pass up.

Generally agree. But, there are two unknowns involved. One is how Campbell is healing. I’m sure there will be MRIs before he sees the practice field. The other unknown is how Lowe plays, and/or possibly Munford. They are both experienced and apparently serviceable NFL OTs. If they’re playing okay there’s less urgency about rushing Campbell back IMO.

I’d say best case scenario would be
we see one of our backup LTs step up and play at an average NFL starter level
AND
MRIs show Campbell is healing quickly
AND
we have the bye.

In that case I’d like to see Campbell rested until the playoffs.
Even if we don’t get the bye I’d favor resting him until the WC game, assuming those other two factors are true.
If either or both are not true things get messy.

 

[Thelonious]

Here's the thing. Campbell is champing at the bit NOW and putting him on IR was more about protecting him from himself than when he will be able to actually get back on the field. This is not about whether Campbell will be ABLE to play, as Breer stated, it is about SHOULD he come back this year. It's all about the nature of MCL tears. There WILL be risk involved regardless of when he comes back,

It is true that Campbell WILL be able to play to a high level with the injury. The question is SHOULD he play and what will be the long-term consequences if he does. We will have up to 4 games to play in the playoffs. As I understand it, there will be no chance the tear will fully heal over the next 2 months. If he shuts down now, the tear will heal and he will have almost a full off season to train and get stronger (he is JUST 21) and more skilled for next season. If he plays and the tear gets worse, he will spend most of the off season rehabbing the knee rather than fully training to be better.

In my view, we take that risk. We have a real opportunity to play for a championship here. Those don't come along very often. You cannot just think "well next year we be in a better position to make a run". Just look at the Commanders, they were at the NFCCG last season, and now they are out of the playoff run with 5 games left to play. You just don't know how a season will run with injuries and the like. EVERY season is different, and you cannot just assume the great locker room we have now will be there next year. There are going to be 15-20 new players in that locker room, and the team will have to find ITS own identity that will be unique to them.

So yes, play Campbell and take that risk. Have him back practicing lightly for the Jets game, then either play him 10 snaps to give him a feel, or not and then have him ready for the playoffs. If we have a bye, all the better, but if we don't it is what it is. But regardless, it is a championship opportunity we cannot pass up.

If you jusmp the gun on this injury, you run the risk if further damage. The opportunity to keep this promising player around for perhaps a decade is an pportunity we cannot pass up." As for this "championship opportunity," it is delusory. One does not pass up a genuine prospect for future success in exchange for embracing a delusion.

The decision re Campbell should be based purely on medical grounds with emphasis on a long-term perspective.

 

[n1997y]

If you jusmp the gun on this injury, you run the risk if further damage. The opportunity to keep this promising player around for perhaps a decade is an pportunity we cannot pass up." As for this "championship opportunity," it is delusory. One does not pass up a genuine prospect for future success in exchange for embracing a delusion.

The decision re Campbell should be based purely on medical grounds with emphasis on a long-term perspective.

I’m much too familiar with knee problems first hand, but not the MCL. So my question is, what’s the prognosis is Campbell plays on his partially healed MCL and does further damage?

Does it just mean he spends the summer recovering instead of running around on it? Surgery becomes inevitable? Or does it mean that no matter what, even with surgery, it will never fully recover and he’ll have residual impairment and increased susceptibility for future injury?

Is he really risking his long term future by playing on it? Or just risking a more sucky summer this year?

 

[Thelonious]

I’m much too familiar with knee problems first hand, but not the MCL. So my question is, what’s the prognosis is Campbell plays on his partially healed MCL and does further damage?

Does it just mean he spends the summer recovering instead of running around on it? Surgery becomes inevitable? Or does it mean that no matter what, even with surgery, it will never fully recover and he’ll have residual impairment and increased susceptibility for future injury?

Is he really risking his long term future by playing on it? Or just risking a more sucky summer this year?

Breer went into in some detail recently, I don't remember where. It is a Grade 3 MCL, which means there is a tear. Cartilage/ligaments heal very slowly in large part because there is minimal blood flow in that sort of connective tissue. If you resume play before healing is well advanced, you run the risk of a complete tear, which means surgery, with all the risks of infection and so on which such surgery entails, and the prospect of a very much more extended recovery with a greater prospect of permanent damage. Maybe if there were a realistic prospect of a championship you might risk it, but I do not think there is, and in a rebuild one attends to the long term implications of any decision, it seems to me. I sort of gather that Vrabel very much has such a perspective in mind, so if we do see Campbell again this year, I suspect it will be because the medical stuff is in order, not out of an impulse to snatch at imaginary opportunities.

 

[Real fan 02]

I’m much too familiar with knee problems first hand, but not the MCL. So my question is, what’s the prognosis is Campbell plays on his partially healed MCL and does further damage?

Does it just mean he spends the summer recovering instead of running around on it? Surgery becomes inevitable? Or does it mean that no matter what, even with surgery, it will never fully recover and he’ll have residual impairment and increased susceptibility for future injury?

Is he really risking his long term future by playing on it? Or just risking a more sucky summer this year?

What's the severity of Will Campbell's injury? Breer shares update

Albert Breer shares the latest on Patriots tackle Will Campbell, who suffered an MCL sprain during the team's Week 12 win over the Bengals.

www.nbcboston.com

 

[imahobgoblin]

It will take exactly ZERO years until the patriots are leading the AFC after 13 weeks.
===============
Where we need to be? for what? to be one of the best teams in the NFL and have a shot at the SB (just like all the rest of the top teams? That will take exactly ZERO years.
=========
Yes, we have positions on the 53 where will improve each year, at least each year as long as we are well-coached and well-managed. We have lots of cap room and relatively few free agents.

Really? Are you sure? Is this just one of these posts you make so you can read what your wrote since it has nothing to do with what I wrote?

 

[1960Pats]

Prepare and play like one, sure. But don't label your team "champions," before you win one.

There's a reason BB's pressers were boring like hell. He didn't want to give anyone any ammo.

Right now I'm dreaming that the Pats play the Rams and win in the SB.