Patriots Pregame Thread Pats-Ratbirds thread

[PatsFan2]

I promise you Josh McDaniels has better things to do than read this board during the season.

IF you say so: I hope he's using his time to get Pop Douglas more than 10 snaps on game days.

 

[NFL Mystique]

They scored in the 4th quarter 4 days ago.

I didn't mean literally they don't score. But don't you notice in general they are a different team. In the 4th? It's been going on for awhile.

Btw, that TD wasn't a product of the QB/OC. It was the RB scoring on a broken play.

 

[TommyD4207]

IF you say so: I hope he's using his time to get Pop Douglas more than 10 snaps on game days.

Rumor is, it would have been more, but kept tripping on the sideline every time he tried to go out there.

 

[PatsFan2]

This.

Losing to Baltimore and beating the Jets and Dolphins wins the division. But it's not inspiring going into the postseason. This team gives off 2019 Patriots vibes. But the offense is better.

They need to beat a team in a hostile environment fighting for their playoff lives. Baltimore will run like crazy and likely score at least 24. That said, the Ravens don't have a good D. If the offense struggles/struggles in the 4th again, it's time to panic.

Why can't the team score in the 4th quarter of games? McDaniels needs to earn his pay here. Are they trying to avoid Maye making mistakes? Because that's a bad way to go about it. The team needs to be a passing team first. Most great QB's/teams are pass first.

Rant over

Great post: sometimes I see a forced run when a Play action pass would have ceased the moment. I'm completely down with using the pass to setup the run.

 

[FCB02062]

This.

Losing to Baltimore and beating the Jets and Dolphins wins the division. But it's not inspiring going into the postseason. This team gives off 2019 Patriots vibes. But the offense is better.

They need to beat a team in a hostile environment fighting for their playoff lives. Baltimore will run like crazy and likely score at least 24. That said, the Ravens don't have a good D. If the offense struggles/struggles in the 4th again, it's time to panic.

Why can't the team score in the 4th quarter of games? McDaniels needs to earn his pay here. Are they trying to avoid Maye making mistakes? Because that's a bad way to go about it. The team needs to be a passing team first. Most great QB's/teams are pass first.

Rant over

Why "can't" they score? Simple, they can ..but Mcdaniels (and probably Vrabel) are obsessed with the clock and often go into a shell in the 4th with their concern of the clock vs being aggressive and throwing downfield. They do this same ******** at the end of halves and toe a very thin line. And it seems once they get near the goaline they become super vanilla

 

[NFL Mystique]

Great post: sometimes I see a forced run when a Play action pass would have ceased the moment. I'm completely down with using the pass to setup the run.

Definitely.

Many years ago, great QB's did need a good run game. Montana, Redskins, Kelly, Young, Aikman, Favre all had it. They won SB's sans Kelly.

Things are different now. Tom Brady didn't need a great run game to win SB's. SB 38, SB 42 (helmet catch away from winning), SB 49, SB 53 come to mind. I may be missing close games he lost. He did need a decent running game in 01. It was all him who had them two points from taking Denver to OT in 15.

Maye should be able to throw it 40-45 times next year. The ability to. Not saying throwit each game. But he has proven he can do it.

 

[Jim Beankie]

This.

Losing to Baltimore and beating the Jets and Dolphins wins the division. But it's not inspiring going into the postseason. This team gives off 2019 Patriots vibes. But the offense is better.

They need to beat a team in a hostile environment fighting for their playoff lives. Baltimore will run like crazy and likely score at least 24. That said, the Ravens don't have a good D. If the offense struggles/struggles in the 4th again, it's time to panic.

Why can't the team score in the 4th quarter of games? McDaniels needs to earn his pay here. Are they trying to avoid Maye making mistakes? Because that's a bad way to go about it. The team needs to be a passing team first. Most great QB's/teams are pass first.

Rant over

Yo... did you miss all the critiques earlier in the thread about McD because he only ran it 3 times in the 2nd half against BUF?

 

[Real fan 02]

This.

Losing to Baltimore and beating the Jets and Dolphins wins the division. But it's not inspiring going into the postseason. This team gives off 2019 Patriots vibes. But the offense is better.

They need to beat a team in a hostile environment fighting for their playoff lives. Baltimore will run like crazy and likely score at least 24. That said, the Ravens don't have a good D. If the offense struggles/struggles in the 4th again, it's time to panic.

Why can't the team score in the 4th quarter of games? McDaniels needs to earn his pay here. Are they trying to avoid Maye making mistakes? Because that's a bad way to go about it. The team needs to be a passing team first. Most great QB's/teams are pass first.

Rant over

This offense is good enough to put up points in every quarter.. it's a mystery why they tail off? It's inexplicable. You hit on some great points. Be good to see them put together a complete 60 minutes of ball.

 

[Mack Herron]

Depth will be tested.

 

[PatsFan2]

Depth will be tested.

What Depth??

 

[PatsFan2]

Depth will be tested.

At least Anfernee Jennings is good against the run. He's going to be playing a lot Sunday night.

 

[SVN]

They need to get right vs Baltimore, not two teams who suck and can’t wait for the season to end.

Agreed .But no one will remember if we can go on the run in the playoffs. similar thing in 2018-pats just won last two vs poor bills and jets and no one gave us a chance to beat SD at home .They figured out what worked for them and went on a run. They need to be flexible to adapt to their personnel and move forward.

 

[jdlboot14]

Wow, Andy Reid only needs 24 wins to pass BB on all time list. That would be sad.
I don't think Chiefs will win many next year - and so maybe he retires, or Chiefs make the big switch in the next year or 2 while they reset for Mahomes 2nd half

 

[jdlboot14]

D is taking a hit! We might see Battle & Muma playing in this game - and that's not a good thing.
Also - is it time to cut Woods and bring up Minor - just see if he has better instincts and ball skills.
I am terrified when Woods plays man on the edge.
Minor is also the best comp to Jones at slot corner, if Marcus misses the game.
We're going to have to throw Ponder & Swinson into the fire too.

 

[Zuma]

 

[mgteich]

D is taking a hit! We might see Battle & Muma playing in this game - and that's not a good thing.
Also - is it time to cut Woods and bring up Minor - just see if he has better instincts and ball skills.
I am terrified when Woods plays man on the edge.
Minor is also the best comp to Jones at slot corner, if Marcus misses the game.
We're going to have to throw Ponder & Swinson into the fire too.

ILB
I agree. Muma will get lots of reps at ILB if Ellis can't play AND if Vrabel decides not to start Tavai at ILB. I could see Gibbens and Tavai getting almost all the reps.

CB
We're screwed if Jones can't play. I don't think that Minor will even be elevated to play ST's, certainly not corner. Woods has been our #4 since Game 1. Battle might get more reps. Playing 3 safeties would be an option if we had a 3rd safety.

EDGE
I don't see the issue. The starters are Landry and Chaisson, with Jennings and Ponder as the backups.

 

[upstater1]

IF you say so: I hope he's using his time to get Pop Douglas more than 10 snaps on game days.

We have to acknowledge that one of the WRs snaps went to Westover, Brown, Munford & Hooper once Will Campbell went down. Despite the fact that V Lowe hasn't been absolutely disastrous (except for horrendous timing for a false start) this team is using extra people to spell him.

 

[Sect140]

Spillane in a walking boot usually means that player will miss multiple weeks, bad news.

Which surprises me since he was dressed on Sunday and would’ve played in an emergency. Is this the same injury or another injury?

 

[upstater1]

Wow, Andy Reid only needs 24 wins to pass BB on all time list. That would be sad.
I don't think Chiefs will win many next year - and so maybe he retires, or Chiefs make the big switch in the next year or 2 while they reset for Mahomes 2nd half

Why would it be sad? I'd be happy to see Belichick retain the 2nd position. You wouldn't be? Belichick was 71 when he coached his last game. Reid would be the same age as Belichick if he surpassed him.

 

[Sect140]

ILB
I agree. Muma will get lots of reps at ILB if Ellis can't play AND if Vrabel decides not to start Tavai at ILB. I could see Gibbens and Tavai getting almost all the reps.

CB
We're screwed if Jones can't play. I don't think that Minor will even be elevated to play ST's, certainly not corner. Woods has been our #4 since Game 1. Battle might get more reps. Playing 3 safeties would be an option if we had a 3rd safety.

EDGE
I don't see the issue. The starters are Landry and Chaisson, with Jennings and Ponder as the backups.

I’m guessing Ellis plays, he’s sick and it’s Thursday, he’s probably had an IV in him all day.