Damien Harris needs to see the field

SBLIII said:

no chance.

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Yup, this is his red shirt year ala White and others before him...

QuantumMechanic said:

Funny how when Brady is looking off it’s immediately time to blame the OL, but when Michel is looking off it’s anything except the OL.

Maybe we need to change the name of this forum from the NE Patriots Forum to the NE Bradys Forum.

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Football Outsiders has the Patriots line as the 12th best run blockers in terms of adjusted line yards and 11th best pass protectors in terms of sack rate thus far. But they're 7th from the bottom in running back yards, ahead of only the Redskins, Dolphins, Bears, Jets, Bengals, and Steelers. Their second level and open field yards rate 26th and 28th respectively.

Certain players (Newhouse, notably) are certainly deficient and tight end help isn't what it used to be, but this offensive line just isn't as bad as the forum wants it to be. It's frustrating to see other RBs (McCaffrey, Cook, Fournette, etc) running behind comparable or worse lines and doing a lot more with their opportunities. That's what we were promised with a 1st round back, not a guy whose production been replicated or bettered by Brandon Bolden.

robertweathers said:

I can't imagine why.

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Bill Parcells said "You start thinking like a fan and before you know it you'll find yourself sitting with them." Maybe The Hoodie really did learn something from The Tuna after all

Back to back games of over 110 yards from scrimmage from Michel apparently means he sucks, since he didn't convert a few short yardage carries when he was hit in the backfield as soon as he got the ball, due to massive turnover at OL, TE, FB, etc. I'm so glad none of you evaluate me at my job . . .

maust1013 said:

Bill Parcells said "You start thinking like a fan and before you know it you'll find yourself sitting with them." Maybe The Hoodie really did learn something from The Tuna after all

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I just finished raking wet leaves as I cancelled my tee time. Might go for a run. This weather sucks.

I think i'll watch "Two Bills" again this afternoon.

Ever since Thursday I've been craving 80s Giants nostalgia.

reamer said:

I'm so glad none of you evaluate me at my job . . .

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I'd be willing to give it a go, for a 'nominal fee' of course

primetime said:

Football Outsiders has the Patriots line as the 12th best run blockers in terms of adjusted line yards and 11th best pass protectors in terms of sack rate thus far. But they're 7th from the bottom in running back yards, ahead of only the Redskins, Dolphins, Bears, Jets, Bengals, and Steelers. Their second level and open field yards rate 26th and 28th respectively.

Certain players (Newhouse, notably) are certainly deficient and tight end help isn't what it used to be, but this offensive line just isn't as bad as the forum wants it to be. It's frustrating to see other RBs (McCaffrey, Cook, Fournette, etc) running behind comparable or worse lines and doing a lot more with their opportunities. That's what we were promised with a 1st round back, not a guy whose production been replicated or bettered by Brandon Bolden.

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This 100000x. Michel is a solid RB, and while I don't have as high of an opinion of our OL as the Football Outsiders metric(s), I know there do exist RBs who could make more out of a crappy OL, and one of them probably went to the same school as Michel and was taken later in the same draft.

I like to see him looking more comfortable catching passes though.

Elijah said:

This 100000x. Michel is a solid RB, and while I don't have as high of an opinion of our OL as the Football Outsiders metric(s), I know there do exist RBs who could make more out of a crappy OL, and one of them probably went to the same school as Michel and was taken later in the same draft.

I like to see him looking more comfortable catching passes though.

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That's probably accurate. The issue are the extreme takes on this topic.

robertweathers said:

I think i'll watch "Two Bills" again this afternoon.

Ever since Thursday I've been craving 80s Giants nostalgia.

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Like a lot of guys of a certain age who were kids pre AFL I had a Giants pennant on the wall of my childhood bedroom. When they aren't up against the Pats I always have space in my heart for Big Blue but when they are F 'em

maust1013 said:

Like a lot of guys of a certain age who were kids pre AFL I had a Giants pennant on the wall of my childhood bedroom. When they aren't up against the Pats I always have space in my heart for Big Blue but when they are F 'em

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I had Larry Bird, Jim Rice and Lawrence Taylor on my wall. I added Andre Tippett later.

reamer said:

Back to back games of over 110 yards from scrimmage from Michel apparently means he sucks, since he didn't convert a few short yardage carries when he was hit in the backfield as soon as he got the ball, due to massive turnover at OL, TE, FB, etc. I'm so glad none of you evaluate me at my job . . .

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The issue are the comparisons to other running backs.

Overall Sony Michel is a talented RB who will get better as the season goes on and is starting to be a factor in the passing game. He is not a game breaker like a Dalvin Cook.

Many hoped he would be I'm sure but you have to look at the overall picture and at pick 31 you could have done a whole lot worse than a RB who rushed fo 1,250 yards and 12 TDs last year.

robertweathers said:

I had Larry Bird, Jim Rice and Lawrence Taylor on my wall. I added Andre Tippett later.

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Taylor and Tippett hadn't been born when that pennant went up lol.

reamer said:

Back to back games of over 110 yards from scrimmage from Michel apparently means he sucks, since he didn't convert a few short yardage carries when he was hit in the backfield as soon as he got the ball, due to massive turnover at OL, TE, FB, etc. I'm so glad none of you evaluate me at my job . . .

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Late in the game long runs padded Sonys numbers.

Furthermore, the NYG defense was gassed from Jones throwing to the blue jerseys.

robertweathers said:

I had Larry Bird, Jim Rice and Lawrence Taylor on my wall. I added Andre Tippett later.

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I met Tippett., Krafty and NEM all in the same night.

reamer said:

Back to back games of over 110 yards from scrimmage from Michel apparently means he sucks, since he didn't convert a few short yardage carries when he was hit in the backfield as soon as he got the ball, due to massive turnover at OL, TE, FB, etc. I'm so glad none of you evaluate me at my job . . .

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Eh, this week he averaged fewer than 4 yards per carry even with a stat-padding 25 yarder well into garbage time when the Giants had given up. It's not fair for anyone to say he sucks - he doesn't - but he hasn't taken the extra step that he hinted was coming in last year's playoffs and that we all thought was coming. I know it's Pats Fans Dot Com so hot takes are the order of the day, but a player can be just fine and still a little disappointing.

To me it's more heightened expectations because of where he was drafted - there are a lot of perfectly fine and usable running backs in the league, in fact that might be the easiest thing to find in football. Phillip Lindsays and Austin Ekelers are everywhere.

Special running backs, though, are rare... but that's what you're looking for if you draft one in the 1st round. Sony hinted at being special in the playoffs, but he hasn't taken that step, and while turnover on the offense has not helped, a special back should be expected to do more with less.

He must be absolutely terrible pass protection, it is the only thing that makes sense.

Triumph said:

Late in the game long runs padded Sonys numbers.

Furthermore, the NYG defense was gassed from Jones throwing to the blue jerseys.

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Better to have 50 meaningful yards than 150 in mostly garbage time

TinhWoodhead said:

Better to have 50 meaningful yards than 150 in mostly garbage time

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Not in fantasy

MrBigglesWorth said:

For some reason bb doesn't agree with us

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You have to scream louder. It's the only way!

scout said:

He looks like a JAG and Brady isn't the same QB . Do you think two missing linemen have something to do with it?

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the FIVE missing blockers: Wynn, Andrews, Gronk, Allen and Develin