2 Fewer Receptions Per Game Compared to 2013

[mgteich]

PERSPECTIVE
We were the #3 passing offense (points ) last year.

We had 380 receptions last year. 87 this year x 4= 348. To have the same number of receptions in 2013, we need to increase our production by 3 receptions per game.

Our #1 Wr is on the same pace as in 2013.
Our #2 WR is on the same pace as in 203 (LaFell compared to Dobson 2013)
Gronk is on a pace to have more receptions than last year.
Wright is on a pace to have more than the #2 TE last year.
#3/#4/#5 WR in total are on the pace to have about the same as last year.
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SOME POINTS

1) Yes, we do indeed need more production from Amendola, Dobson and our #5 WR. More importantly, we need more catches downfield. We need to stretch the field.

2) We certainly expect Gronk and Wright to be more productive as the season continues.

 

[BelichicksHoodie]

PERSPECTIVE


1) Yes, we do indeed need more production from Amendola, Dobson and our #5 WR. More importantly, we need more catches downfield. We need to stretch the field.

That's all dependent on the offensive line being able to give Brady a clean pocket and more than one second to throw the football unfortunately.

 

[mgteich]

That's all dependent on the offensive line being able to give Brady a clean pocket and more than one second to throw the football unfortunately.

Perhaps. I take this one step at a time. The OL in Game 4 was better than before. Still nothing was open over the middle. If SOMEONE could get open over the middle or someone be available for a dump off, that would also gain Brady a key second, allowing LaFell and others to be open more often.

Of course, if the line gives Brady 4 seconds, there is no problem at all. For me, the most serious problem is the inability of Gronk, DA, and even the RB's to be open for short routes.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Interesting thread. It made me think about last season's first 4 games differently. We won all 4 so nobody really thought much about it. But when reviewing the two, they are similar in some areas.

2013 Tom Brady (first 4 games)
4-0
93 of 158 (59%)
1014 yards (6.4 YPA)
7 TDs, 2 INTs
87.4 RAT

2014 Tom Brady (first 4 games)
2-2
81 of 137 (59%)
791 yards (5.8 YPA)
4 TDs, 2 INTs
79.1 RAT

The big difference is in TD passes. If Brady had thrown a few more, his RAT would be almost identical to 2013. The YPA is also down significantly, which I attribute to the OL not giving him time to get much more than his first read.

Brady was struggling with his completion percentage last year as well despite a better OL. Of course that had to do with a largely unfamiliar WR group.

Those are just the numbers though. From watching Brady, I can see he's not comfortable at all in the pocket at all. I'm not a QB coach or anything, but I've watched him since he was at Michigan, and he looks different throwing the ball this season. On short passes, he doesn't step into them anymore, using mostly his arm, which has led to a few errant passes. This happens to all QBs with pressure, but I've seen him do it a lot more this season, sometimes when nobody is around.

On the middle and deeper throws, he rarely fully steps into it, and he's not following through entirely. He kind of lets it fly and his arm just stays up after releasing, like he's scared to follow through. Part of that is the consistent pressure around him, but part of it is just phantom pressure because he doesn't trust the OL. Even when things are okay, he does this more and more.

I don't think we're going to see 2007 Brady but I also don't believe he's in serious decline either. He needs to develop trust in the OL, and the OL has to give him a reason to trust, but like BB, there's no QB I'd rather have than Tom Brady.