The 2020 Offense

How much do we have to improve in 2020 to be competitive for the playoffs. I understand that the team had one of the worse offenses in the NFL (well, that's what you've told me). And you've told me that it is not enough to have a healthy line back, in addition to a FB, and a couple of draftee TE's.

2019 New England Patriots Statistics & Players | Pro-Football-Reference.com

I'm not much for stats. So, please help me understand which of the 2019 stats were so horrible that their improvement is absolutely necessary for a playoff season.
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Do we need to be much better than about average (15th) in Yards? Isn't being 7th in points enough?

Is being about average (18th) in run yardage with no blocking really that aweful?
Is

I mean, they can clearly make the (expanded) playoffs if they are status quo on offense. But even if we agree that Brady wasn't one of the best QBs in the league last year, the difference between him and Stidham has the very real possibility to be a very steep cliff, and unless Harry or some rookies really pick it up the skill positions haven't improved at all either.

It will have to be better than the offense was in the second half of last year.

I expect the run game to be much better this year and that the Pats will attempt more runs that last year.

the defense should be slightly worse compared to last year but still be one of the best in the league.

My guess is top five defense and middle of the pack offense.

A lot of the numbers last year were compiled against bad teams. This year's schedule is going to be much tougher. And the gap between qb talent this year and last is huge.

primetime said:

I mean, they can clearly make the (expanded) playoffs if they are status quo on offense. But even if we agree that Brady wasn't one of the best QBs in the league last year, the difference between him and Stidham has the very real possibility to be a very steep cliff, and unless Harry or some rookies really pick it up the skill positions haven't improved at all either.

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I don’t think it will be hard for Stidham to match Brady’s 78 passer rating in the second half of the season.

it’s all about the running game. That’s our offense. They are healthy this time and ready to go.

Why do we have to improve to be competitive for the playoffs when we made the playoffs last year? I don't even get the question. If Stidham doesn't suck we should be about the same as the QB was average last year and we had more than average injuries (Andrews, Wynn, Harry, LaCosse, even Edelman wasn't himself for a while). With a more focused offense (doing what it's best at, not what it's star QB wants it to), I expect a similarly average offense next year and hopefully the defense can hold up it's end of the bargain.

"All" we lost on offense this year is the QB. We should be better on the OL with Andrews back, TE with Lacosse back and the rookies, Harry not being a rookie, FB will be better with, likely, Vitale over Elandon f'n Roberts. Other than QB, we should be better across the board, to be honest. Let's hope Studham doesn't sh!t the bed - I don't think he will.

juny said:

A lot of the numbers last year were compiled against bad teams. This year's schedule is going to be much tougher. And the gap between qb talent this year and last is huge.

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Totally agree . The dolphins and jets last year were in the first half of the season a total mess. We got there good numbers high points etc. Against the playoff teams we struggled to score a td.

mgteich said:

How much do we have to improve in 2020 to be competitive for the playoffs. I understand that the team had one of the worse offenses in the NFL (well, that's what you've told me). And you've told me that it is not enough to have a healthy line back, in addition to a FB, and a couple of draftee TE's.

2019 New England Patriots Statistics & Players | Pro-Football-Reference.com

I'm not much for stats. So, please help me understand which of the 2019 stats were so horrible that their improvement is absolutely necessary for a playoff season.
=======
Do we need to be much better than about average (15th) in Yards? Isn't being 7th in points enough?

Is being about average (18th) in run yardage with no blocking really that aweful?
Is

Click to expand...

One things that skews those stats is the defense got the ball back to the offense a lot.

mgteich said:

How much do we have to improve in 2020 to be competitive for the playoffs. I understand that the team had one of the worse offenses in the NFL (well, that's what you've told me). And you've told me that it is not enough to have a healthy line back, in addition to a FB, and a couple of draftee TE's.

2019 New England Patriots Statistics & Players | Pro-Football-Reference.com

I'm not much for stats. So, please help me understand which of the 2019 stats were so horrible that their improvement is absolutely necessary for a playoff season.
=======
Do we need to be much better than about average (15th) in Yards? Isn't being 7th in points enough?

Is being about average (18th) in run yardage with no blocking really that aweful?
Is

Click to expand...

Are you really trying to make a stats based argument for the Patriots making the playoffs?

BelichickFan said:

Why do we have to improve to be competitive for the playoffs when we made the playoffs last year?

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Because, if they don't improve, they'll be watching the playoffs from home.

Even though Brady didn’t have a great year there were a couple things he did that will likely be worse this year: interceptions and sacks.

Brady put his line pre-snap in the best possible position and would throw it away before taking a sack. When Cassel came in in ‘08 our sacks doubled from ‘07 with Brady under centre. Not a coincidence.

Brady also limited the amount of picks he’d throw. He wasn’t putting the D in bad positions.

Those are like growing pains we’ll have to deal with from Stidham cause picks/sacks can cost us games.

Boomer B said:

Even though Brady didn’t have a great year there were a couple things he did that will likely be worse this year: interceptions and sacks.

Brady put his line pre-snap in the best possible position and would throw it away before taking a sack. When Cassel came in in ‘08 our sacks doubled from ‘07 with Brady under centre. Not a coincidence.

Brady also limited the amount of picks he’d throw. He wasn’t putting the D in bad positions.

Those are like growing pains we’ll have to deal with from Stidham cause picks/sacks can cost us games.

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Stidham will be protected like TB was in 01. He will manage the game and let Michel, White and the rest of them plus the defense take it from there.

sb1 said:

Stidham will be protected like TB was in 01. He will manage the game and let Michel, White and the rest of them plus the defense take it from there.

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And he will have lots of dump off options with Vitale and the new TE.

sb1 said:

Stidham will be protected like TB was in 01. He will manage the game and let Michel, White and the rest of them plus the defense take it from there.

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I'm not sure how being more conservative on offense helps a unit that had trouble moving the ball last year.

juny said:

I'm not sure how being more conservative on offense helps a unit that had trouble moving the ball last year.

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They had a banged up mix and match OL last year. Should not be a problem now. Injuries killed our run game in 19 but if they’re healthy look out.

I think it's fair to expect the OL and running game to be better in 2020. TE and WR still have a lot of question marks as does QB. I think the Pats need Stidham to be at least comparable to Darnold and Allen if they are going to compete for the division. He is such an unknown it is hard to really know what to expect. In BB we trust is extremely true this year.

sb1 said:

Stidham will be protected like TB was in 01. He will manage the game and let Michel, White and the rest of them plus the defense take it from there.

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Brady was sacked a career high 41 times in 2001, despite not playing a full season.

BelichickFan said:

I don't even get the question. If Stidham doesn't suck .

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Sure you do.

sb1 said:

Stidham will be protected like TB was in 01. He will manage the game and let Michel, White and the rest of them plus the defense take it from there.

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michel? The guy who can’t run away from D tackles? The guy who has hands like a clock?

Doctor DDS said:

I think it's fair to expect the OL and running game to be better in 2020. TE and WR still have a lot of question marks as does QB. I think the Pats need Stidham to be at least comparable to Darnold and Allen if they are going to compete for the division. He is such an unknown it is hard to really know what to expect. In BB we trust is extremely true this year.

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QUESTIONS: AS A WHOLE WHICH IS BETTER?
2019 Edelman vs 2020 Edelman
2019 Sanu vs 2020 Sanu
2019 Harry vs 2020 Harry
2019 Meyers/Gunner vs 2020 Meyers/Gunner
2019 Dorsett vs 2020 Byrd/Lee
2019 LeCosse vs 2020 LeCosse
2019 Izzo vs 2020 Asiasi/Keene

Sure, I have questions at WR and TE. But I do not have any difficult believing that the 2020 WR's and TE's are better then the 2019 group, even before a couple of more acquisitions.
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THE "REAL" QUESTION
2019 Brady vs 2020 Stidham
If you think that this is no big deal, I know of bridges for sale, as well as land in Florida.