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

TommyD4207 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
That's a fair point.
I think both Jones and Hendo are too important to return kicks.

No offense man, but it's the ****ing Super Bowl.

TommyD4207 · 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.

Probably.
Baringer was excellent in the first 2/3 of the season, like actually excellent, player of the week nominee a couple of times.

I'm hoping the better weather conditions will help. Same with Borg, a little shaky in the snow the last 3 weeks.

TinhWoodhead · Jan 31, 2026

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

Yes Pats kickers should be able to do that

DaBruinz · Jan 31, 2026

TinhWoodhead said:
Yes Pats kickers should be able to do that

Go ahead and show everyone how it's done. Or are you going to cop out and claim that you're not a Pats kicker. You seem to think it's easy to do.. So do it. Show everyone. Make sure you leave the football outside for half an hour before you do it as well.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
No offense man, but it's the ****ing Super Bowl.

None taken.
Maybe second half if we're trailing.
Again, imagine if Jones got hurt early in the game.
I don't trust any of our other CBs to take his place.

One-If-By-Sea · 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.

Hang time and to a certain side of the field. That is Vrabel's strategy stuff. It worked. Not pretty, but effective. One big return could have cost the Patriots the game. I think the Denver punter was better, but we can't have the best player at every position. Just win baby!

TommyD4207 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
None taken.
Maybe second half if we're trailing.
Again, imagine if Jones got hurt early in the game.
I don't trust any of our other CBs to take his place.

I'd risk it for a kickoff return touchdown. There's no point neutering yourself when you don't have to. A kickoff return TD could change the entire game, it's basically a free possession.

Again, it's the Super Bowl. The time for rep management is over. I expect Diggs out there way more than half the snaps as well.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
I'd risk it for a kickoff return touchdown. There's no point neutering yourself when you don't have to. A kickoff return TD could change the entire game, it's basically a free possession.

Again, it's the Super Bowl. The time for rep management is over. I expect Diggs out there way more than half the snaps as well.

Agree with win at all costs.
But what we've done has been good enough to win 17 games.
I'd stick with what has got us here, and "break glass in case of emergency" regarding Marcus returning kicks.

patchick · Jan 31, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
I'd risk it for a kickoff return touchdown. There's no point neutering yourself when you don't have to. A kickoff return TD could change the entire game, it's basically a free possession.

Again, it's the Super Bowl. The time for rep management is over. I expect Diggs out there way more than half the snaps as well.

FWIW Jones hasn’t returned a kick since 2022. They tried him at both KR and PR as a rookie and he was most effective on punts, so they kept him there. I’d be surprised to see that change for the Super Bowl.

dliverey44 · Jan 31, 2026

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

With the wind swirling I imagine it was difficult to kick well and keep the ball away from the returner. You could try and kick the ball well but being unsure of the way the wind would impact the ball flight would make it difficult.

Ring 6 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
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.

Then they are too important to play offense and defense too right?
Returns are as big or bigger opportunities to make big plays as offense or defense. And there is absolutely no evidence that you are more likely to get injured returning a kick than playing rb or cb.
It ms football, you play the plays that you are the best man for.

Halifax_Pats_Fan · Jan 31, 2026

I am watching the previous SB against the Seahawks on NFL Network …my favourite. What an amazing play by Butler. Trying to paint Brady as a cheater. F them all. Tough, clutch, family.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

Ring 6 said:
Then they are too important to play offense and defense too right?
Returns are as big or bigger opportunities to make big plays as offense or defense. And there is absolutely no evidence that you are more likely to get injured returning a kick than playing rb or cb.
It ms football, you play the plays that you are the best man for.

And Jones hasn't been our man to return kickoffs all year and we've won 17 games and made to the SB.
That's plenty of evidence that what we've been doing has worked well enough.

Ring 6 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
And Jones hasn't been our man to return kickoffs all year and we've won 17 games and made to the SB.
That's plenty of evidence that what we've been doing has worked well enough.

Then why are you saying change it?

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

Ring 6 said:
Then why are you saying change it?

Did you you read the thread?
Someone else said change it.
I disagreed.
I said the only way I could see it happening is if we were down in the 2nd half.

dliverey44 · 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 agree that we are not in the SB because of Maye. The defense has been remarkable in playoffs. What Newton is missing is that we made the playoffs because of Maye, imo

Ring 6 · Jan 31, 2026

DoubleDeluxe said:
Did you you read the thread?
Someone else said change it.
I disagreed.
I said the only way I could see it happening is if we were down in the 2nd half.

Is this not you?

DoubleDeluxe said:
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.

DoubleDeluxe · Jan 31, 2026

Ring 6 said:
Is this not you?

I have no idea what you are chasing here.
Surely you have better things to do.

fnordcircle · Jan 31, 2026

RobertWeathers said:
I'm feeling good about this game.

Me too but I thought we'd carve up Denver's offense like Buffalo did the week before, so what the **** do I know, I guess.

TinhWoodhead · Jan 31, 2026

dliverey44 said:
With the wind swirling I imagine it was difficult to kick well and keep the ball away from the returner. You could try and kick the ball well but being unsure of the way the wind would impact the ball flight would make it difficult.

Denvers punter didnt seem to have a problem

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