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

TommyD4207 · Jan 31, 2026

AirForcePatsFan said:
I know they don’t use Henderson as a kick returner because of potential injury to either him or Stevenson. But with this being the Super Bowl, I think the reward could outweigh the risk for this one game.

I've been thinking this too. Jones and Henderson, why not?

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
I've been thinking this too. Jones and Henderson, why not?

I think Williams is just as dynamic with the ball in his hands, maybe even more so than Hendo. We just haven't seen KW enough. Isn't KW faster? Hendo is still learning vision in the NFL. All his big runs have been when he has room to get the green grass and then use his speed (from what I can remember), he still struggles a bit to navigate traffic and avoid people. Maybe he would be better than KW in that role, but I'm not sure.

TommyD4207 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
I think Williams is just as dynamic with the ball in his hands, maybe even more so than Hendo. We just haven't seen KW enough. Isn't KW faster? Hendo is still learning vision in the NFL. All his big runs have been when he has room to get the green grass and then use his speed (from what I can remember), he still struggles a bit to navigate traffic and avoid people. Maybe he would be better than KW in that role, but I'm not sure.

He's basically been returning kicks for 3 months now, except when he was in the game plan at WR. Nothing special on returns, better than Chism, I guess.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
He's basically been returning kicks for 3 months now, except when he was in the game plan at WR. Nothing special on returns, better than Chism, I guess.

That's a fair point.
I think both Jones and Hendo are too important to return kicks.
I think this could be a big game for Hendo running outside, Seattle's D is stout in the middle. and Jones is Jones, just an incredibly important player.
Imagine if one them, got hurt very early in the game, that would be a huge blow.
Maybe if were trailing in the 2nd half.

NovaScotiaPatsFan · Jan 31, 2026

I don't know how anyone on this site could defend this guy after this, like I don't know how Drake Maye hurt him, to my mind he's been nothing but worshipping of him and undeservedly so, but wow.

I guess getting beat out by Mac Jones broke him.

p8ryts · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
I think Williams is just as dynamic with the ball in his hands, maybe even more so than Hendo. We just haven't seen KW enough. Isn't KW faster? Hendo is still learning vision in the NFL. All his big runs have been when he has room to get the green grass and then use his speed (from what I can remember), he still struggles a bit to navigate traffic and avoid people. Maybe he would be better than KW in that role, but I'm not sure.

Williams had a shot last week and fumbled. Don't think we will see him again. Maybe Henderson. Vrabel settled for Chism's sure hands last week.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

NovaScotiaPatsFan said:
I don't know how anyone on this site could defend this guy after this, like I don't know how Drake Maye hurt him, to my mind he's been nothing but worshipping of him and undeservedly so, but wow.

I guess getting beat out by Mac Jones broke him.

Defend him?
I can't even stand the look of his face, let alone his ridiculous takes.
The fact he has a job "analyzing" football is an abomination.
If I see him on TV I turn it immediately.
I won't spend a second of my time on this guy, he's a ****ing joke.

p8ryts · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
Defend him?
I can't even stand the look of his face, let alone his ridiculous takes.
The fact he has a job "analyzing" football is an abomination.
If I see him on TV I turn it immediately.
I won't spend a second of my time on this guy, he's a ****ing joke.

That description fits several "analysts".

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

p8ryts said:
Williams had a shot last week and fumbled. Don't think we will see him again. Maybe Henderson. Vrabel settled for Chism's sure hands last week.

It will be situation based.
I'm sure we will play it safe as long as possible, and hopefully that's the whole game.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

p8ryts said:
That description fits several "analysts".

It does, but he is the poster boy.
Stephen A is an idiot, shock jock.
But I expect more from people who played the game.

p8ryts · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
It will be situation based.
I'm sure we will play it safe as long as possible, and hopefully that's the whole game.

Agree

Uptown · Jan 31, 2026

UrbanCowboy · Jan 31, 2026

NovaScotiaPatsFan said:
I don't know how anyone on this site could defend this guy after this, like I don't know how Drake Maye hurt him, to my mind he's been nothing but worshipping of him and undeservedly so, but wow.

I guess getting beat out by Mac Jones broke him.

I liked Cam when he was here ... but oof, geezuz.

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
I think it is very likely they instructed Baringer like this.

Baringer said as much after the game.

I listed out the punts against Denver. People want to ignore that 5 of them went 40+ yards. They want to ignore that one of the 30 yarders was kicked from the Pats 48, so it was a short field to begin with. They ignore the context of the punts. They ignore that 5 of the kicks were potentially returnable. 1 of them the coverage was good and forced Mims to let it go to be downed. Another the coverage forced Mims to fair catch it. The last 3? They went for a total of 8 return yards. That's 2.67 YPR. For a guy who'd been averaging 15.6 YPR.

The ONLY kick that was bad was the shank for 26 yards from the Pats 7 yard line. It was into the wind and it was snowing like crazy.. It happens..

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

Uptown said:

I think that the Pats will use him and Hooper a LOT. Wouldn't be surprised to see a toss to Tonga or Munford..

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

TinhWoodhead said:
you can do both - have decent kicks and not get it blocked

But, can you do it with winds driving snow into your face with your kicks going into the wind..

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

AirForcePatsFan said:
I know they don’t use Henderson as a kick returner because of potential injury to either him or Stevenson. But with this being the Super Bowl, I think the reward could outweigh the risk for this one game.

I think using Kyle Williams would be better. Since Williams is at the bottom of the depth chart. The key for either of them is to figure out how the Seahawks collapse their coverage and find the weak link so that it's a one cut and gone type situation.

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

p8ryts said:
Williams had a shot last week and fumbled. Don't think we will see him again. Maybe Henderson. Vrabel settled for Chism's sure hands last week.

Chism was not dressed against Denver.

What do you mean that "Williams had a shot last week and fumbled"? The Pats had 2 kick-off returns against Denver. Both were taken by D'Ernest Johnson. Against Houston, there were 4 returns. 2 by Chism, 1 By Williams, 1 by Johnson.

So, what are you referring to?

denverpatsfan · Jan 31, 2026

DaBruinz said:
Baringer said as much after the game.

I listed out the punts against Denver. People want to ignore that 5 of them went 40+ yards. They want to ignore that one of the 30 yarders was kicked from the Pats 48, so it was a short field to begin with. They ignore the context of the punts. They ignore that 5 of the kicks were potentially returnable. 1 of them the coverage was good and forced Mims to let it go to be downed. Another the coverage forced Mims to fair catch it. The last 3? They went for a total of 8 return yards. That's 2.67 YPR. For a guy who'd been averaging 15.6 YPR.

The ONLY kick that was bad was the shank for 26 yards from the Pats 7 yard line. It was into the wind and it was snowing like crazy.. It happens..

I thought he was awful. Everyone in the stadium did too. I think he was kicking for hang time rather than distance in order to avoid the Mims return. They might do the same in the SB with the Seahawks speedy returner on the field.

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

denverpatsfan said:
I thought he was awful. Everyone in the stadium did too. I think he was kicking for hang time rather than distance in order to avoid the Mims return. They might do the same in the SB with the Seahawks speedy returner on the field.

I know what people "thought". My first reaction was that he had a down game and the shank didn't help. When I went back and took my emotions out of it and put the kicks into context, I admitted to myself that I'd been too harsh and that the kicks were better than I thought. Especially after the game where Baringer stated that the game plan was to keep the ball out of Mims hands.

The five 1st Half punts were done with little wind in either direction. 1 Downed. 1 Fair Catch. 3 returns for 8 total yards. That's pretty astounding. It says he didn't out-kick his coverage (Todd Sauerbrun anyone?).

He didn't punt again until the 4th quarter. When the temperature had dropped and he was kicking into the wind. He had a 40 yard punt to the Denver 30, the Shank and a 31 yard punt to the Denver 32. With as slick as the conditions were, I could see Mims having easily broken a return because the defense is always at a disadvantage reacting in slick conditions.

1	401

839	41K

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

Pro Bowl Player

In the Starting Line-Up

Pro Bowl Player

In the Starting Line-Up

I'm Down From Canada and they think I'm slow, eh?

In the Starting Line-Up

In the Starting Line-Up

In the Starting Line-Up

In the Starting Line-Up

In the Starting Line-Up

In the Starting Line-Up

Hall of Fame Poster

HoustonPatsFan

Pats, B's, Sox

Pats, B's, Sox

Pats, B's, Sox

Pats, B's, Sox

Pats, B's, Sox

PatsFans.com Supporter

Pats, B's, Sox

Similar threads

📅 This Week in Patriots History: