Patriots Pregame Thread SUPER BOWL PREGAME THREAD - Patriots vs Seahawks 2026 SB - The Rematch

[Triumph]

 

[Triumph]

 

[Triumph]

Draft picks:

WR DeMario Douglas (2023)

WR Kayshon Boutte (2023)

OL Mike Onwenu (2020)

DT Christian Barmore (2021)

OLB Anfernee Jennings (2020)

LB Marte Mapu (2023)

CB Christian Gonzalez (2023)

CB Marcus Jones (2022)

P Bryce Baringer (2023)

Trades / Free Agents:

TE Hunter Henry (2021)

OT Vederian Lowe (2023)

LB Christian Elliss (2023)

LB Jahlani Tavai (2021)

CB Alex Austin (2023)

S Brenden Schooler (2022)

 

[Triumph]

 

[Triumph]

 

[Rob0729]

That seems to be a useless stat. Most QBs under 23 are rookies with a lot of growing pains. They aren't league MVP candidates like Drake Maye.

 

[neckroll#14]

it will be all the more awesome when Drake makes it 1-6....

 

[Rob0729]

I disagree with Judge. The Pats did it differently than Bill. I don't think Bill would have paid for Milton Williams. I don't think he would have drafted the players the Patriots drafted this year.

Judge is using a very superficial comparison on how Bill built a team and how Vrabel builds a team.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's the Dan Duquette/04 Red Sox consideration. Certainly deserves credit for adding impact/important players but wasn't around to get the team to championship caliber because he wasn't the right guy to do it anymore.

 

[1960Pats]

I really woke up this morning thinking that Mondre will win Super Bowl mvp. I have no idea why, but I’m expecting him to have a massive game.

 

[upstater1]

I disagree with Judge. The Pats did it differently than Bill. I don't think Bill would have paid for Milton Williams. I don't think he would have drafted the players the Patriots drafted this year.

Judge is using a very superficial comparison on how Bill built a team and how Vrabel builds a team.

It's pretty normal that they would build teams differently since they have entirely different schemes (though Vrabel certainly has learned some ideas and uses them). But are you saying Belichick wouldn't pay for an interior lineman or that he wouldn't pay top dollar for a free agent?

To me, Williams' styles and abilities are very similar to Richard Seymour, so although Bill wouldn't pay for a DT, I do see Williams playing DE in a Belichick 3-4 scheme.

Because we've seen a slate of free agents come through Foxboro over the years for hefty contracts. It's not just Stephon Gilmore and Matt Judon who got top of market deals. There are others, especially at CB and DE. I think you can argue that Belichick would pay up for DE and CB but NOT other positions.

 

[1960Pats]

Amazing how ****y Seattle fans are.

Some of that has to be due to the way the media puts the Pats down in spite of them being the greatest team in NYFL history.

Look at how backwards everyone sees the Pats. They want to call them cheaters even though what they did was next to nothing or nothing at all.

The biggest influence though is that the Pats have left the bones of the NYFL fans scattered across the country.

It's great to be back.

 

[DaBruinz]

I feel like I don't yet know enough about player health to project a roster. Will Landry be active? Spillane? If Jennings were healthy is the choice him or Johnson? On the DL there is talent inside for a change but the choices are not clear to me. Who do you pick?

D'Ernest Johnson isn't on the 53 currently. He's on the PS. The same goes for Leonard Taylor. He's on the PS. Both were game day elevations.

Which is why I posed the question about Farmer and Jennings. Both are nearing the end of their 21 day practice Window. Adding either would require the Pats to make a roster move (cutting someone / IRing someone one)

Based on the players they've not dressed for games, the Bottom of the roster is this:

Caeden Wallace - G
Marcus Bryant - T
CJ Dippre - TE
Kobee Minor - CB
Efton Chism - WR
Bradyn Swinson - DE

Yes, they could IR Landry, which would free up a space.

Spillane was ready to go back in, but the Pats made the decision to hold him out unless absolutely needed. The gamble paid off. I expect Spillane to be fully healthy for the SB. Though, looking at the Injury report and the fact that he hasn't practiced is somewhat concerning.

 

[StockingAnarchyNumber12]

so was Denver... didn't help. Fans don't play the game.

Denver was jumping through hoops to make us believe Stidham was the second coming of Tom Brady

 

[Mack Herron]

D'Ernest Johnson isn't on the 53 currently. He's on the PS. The same goes for Leonard Taylor. He's on the PS. Both were game day elevations.

Which is why I posed the question about Farmer and Jennings. Both are nearing the end of their 21 day practice Window. Adding either would require the Pats to make a roster move (cutting someone / IRing someone one)

Based on the players they've not dressed for games, the Bottom of the roster is this:

Caeden Wallace - G
Marcus Bryant - T
CJ Dippre - TE
Kobee Minor - CB
Efton Chism - WR
Bradyn Swinson - DE

Yes, they could IR Landry, which would free up a space.

Spillane was ready to go back in, but the Pats made the decision to hold him out unless absolutely needed. The gamble paid off. I expect Spillane to be fully healthy for the SB. Though, looking at the Injury report and the fact that he hasn't practiced is somewhat concerning.

Excellent points. Taylor and Johnson have made so many appearances I forgot that they were call ups. THe bottom of the roster selections would appear to be based mainly on ST roles.

 

[Mack Herron]

Denver was jumping through hoops to make us believe Stidham was the second coming of Tom Brady

No QB is immune to pressure (even the best, as we have all learned). IMO, this D is as capable of making a QB uncomfortable as any we have had, including the championship defenses. They have had success with it against solid offensive lines so I expect more of the same.

 

[The Gr8est]

The more I hear about how the Seahawks are going to crush the Patriots, the more I think the Pats may win. Here is my reasoning (note I have said a lot of this in this and other threads):

- People focus on the Pats' schedule and not the Seahawks. Yes, the Pats had a very easy schedule, but no one is looking at the Seahawks' schedule. The Seahawks have faced mostly below average QBs and back ups. When they faced good QB, those QBs tended to more often than not pick apart the Seahawks defense. Stafford had near career games in two of their three meetings. Baker Mayfield completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and 2 TD (no INTs).
- Seattle's' pass rush comes more from the middle of the d-line than an outside rush. This is helpful to the Patriots since they have done better inside than outside in the playoffs. This will also allow Maye to scramble out of the pocket to make plays which he couldn't do against strong outside pass rushes of the Texans, Chargers, and Broncos.
- On that, Seattle has been weak against scrambling QBs. Before he got hurt, Jayden Daniels got 51 yards on the ground. Cam Ward rushed for 37 yards. Brock Purdy got 27 yards in the playoffs. Jacoby Brissett got 31 yards. CJ Stroud got 25 yards. Bryce Young got 27 yards. Maye should be able to pick up yards on the ground.
- The Pats interior pass rush matches up best with the weakness of the Seahawks' o-line. The Seahawks have a very o-line, but their guard play can be suspect at times.
- The Vikings put out the blueprint on how to shut down Darnold. Blitz the hell out of him. Double team JSN and force Darnold to throw to his other receivers. JSN is the passing offense. Darnold targets him nearly 40% of the time (JSN had 163 targets and Cooper Cupp, who is second, only had 70 targets). JSN has more receiving yards than the next four receivers on the Seahawks' offense combined. In that game, Darnold was 14 for 26 for 128 yards, 0 TDs, and 0 INTs (sacked 4 times, 4.9 per attempt, and a 67.5 passer rating)

The Pats could double JSN with Gonzalez and Marcus Jones because they really don't have to worry about the other receivers that much. Darnold not being much of a mobile QB, will also be more susceptible to the Patriots' interior rush. The Pats could force him off his mark and force him to throw off platform.

I think too many people are sleeping on the Patriots. I think it really will all come down to how injured Maye is. If Maye can make the throws, I think the Pats win this game.
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What synergy it would be for the Pats to not only beat a team that is considered a juggernaut, like the Gr8est Show on Turf”, but to also do it as we did to Seattle when we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat?

“Alex, GO!!”

It could happen.

 

[mgteich]

Do folks here think that a point spread of 5.5 is unreasonable?

I certainly think that we have to play better than we have in order to win, and of course, I expect us to win.

 

[DaBruinz]

What synergy it would be for the Pats to not only beat a team that is considered a juggernaut, like the Gr8est Show on Turf”, but to also do it as we did to Seattle when we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat?

“Alex, GO!!”

It could happen.

Opposing teams fans would be SCREAMING that the NFL was rigged if that happened.

 

[bormio]

Do folks here think that a point spread of 5.5 is unreasonable?

I certainly think that we have to play better than we have in order to win, and of course, I expect us to win.

Unreasonable, no. High, yes. I do not see this Seattle team as a juggernaut and I think the Pats are better than people realize. Everyone is focused on Maye, and to the extent he has been perceived as not playing great recently, that has affected the line. I think 2 things will happen next Sunday. One, Maye will play more like mid-season Maye. Two, the nation will learn the Pats have a darn good football team.