2017 Prediction - Big Pass Plays

[Pats2000]

It look like the Patriots had 42 pass plays of 25 yards or more in 2016. We saw Brady throw the prettiest long ball we've seen since 2007.

My prediction for 2017 is that we hit 52plays of 25 yards or more with the awesome addition to the team this off season.

Mitchell is going to get better
Hogan will have another off season in the system to grow as a receiver
Gronk will be back and hopefully healthy for the season
Cooks is going to take it off the top for Brady
Allan will be a solid backup to Gronk

With this offensive talent I don't see how the offense doesn't put up pinball numbers next year. I'm stoked!

 

[K. Dog]

I'm pessimistic. For one thing, a key component of all these long plays is a great OL, and I'm concerned by the OL. For another thing, everyone, both here and in the media, has been so upbeat about the Pats that to me that's a reverse indicator: the Pats do best when people don't understand how they win or why, and predict doom for them. As for Gronk, like someone on here said before, "everyone knows someone with chronic back problems, nobody knows anyone who has recovered from chronic back problems".

The whole idea of lots of "long passes" seems kind of un-Pats-like to me frankly. Yeah, long passes play well on highlight reels, but the Pats win by doing the things that DON'T show up on highlight reels. I'll be much more impressed by another 2 turnover regular season than by a bunch of long passes. A long pass offense just seems so brittle: if the opponent's defensive line is strong, not enough time; if the safety is brilliant or has a great read, int; if the pass is just a hair misthrown, int; if the receiver makes a timing error, int; if the QB is having a slightly off day, int. Let these other teams have their highlight videos, play dink and dunk, be made fun of, and get a sixth ring.

Finally, there was something about the 2016 team, there was a specialness to it, and almost spiritual amalgam of guts, intelligence, loyalty. I think they might be the NFL team with the most intangibles: the smartest, the gutsiest, the most loyal, in history. Almost don't want to touch anything about that team.