Ben Watson must go

[MrBigglesWorth]

As might be obvious to anybody with the slightest knowledge of Patriot football, I was talking about Deion Branch and David Givens.

Branch set Super Bowl receiving records. Givens is in the books for catching TD passes in a whole lot of consecutive post-season games.

If memory serves, Branch actually edged out Jerry Rice, while Givens is in second place behind him.

sorry it's tough living in ingnorance

 

[fillylabinga]

The surprising thing is that as badly as Watson has played Thomas hasn't sniffed the starting lineup.

Oh well, it's been a couple years. I guess it's about time for BB to spend another 1st round pick on a TE.

 

[jbhiggy]

Or just get Gonzalez from the Chiefs next year... Hey Tony, want a shot at a title before you retire?

 

[blackglass3]

Or just get Gonzalez from the Chiefs next year... Hey Tony, want a shot at a title before you retire?

That hasn't worked out so well. Flutie, Vinnie, Seau...poor guys never got what they were looking for.

 

[memento]

i wasnt able to watch the game. what did watson do that spawned this thread in the middle of the game?

 

[DaBruinz]

this is a great argument but i think the large argument is using a draft pick on watson when yoou could have used another defensive player namely a linebacker

we certainly could have used one in the colts afc championship game

What Linebacker could they have drafted that would have fit into the Patriots system? If you say Dansby, you need to hit yourself with a 2x4 because Dansby because you'd be basing it on what you know NOW and not what you knew then.

I do know that one of the passes to Watson was behind him and hit his shoulder pad. That's what led to the interception.

People love to complain about Watson, but seriously, what would they be doing otherwise? You all seem to forget that they were losing Fauria and they were trying to focus on running a 2 TE offense.

 

[DaBruinz]

sorry it's tough living in ingnorance

Pot, meet Kettle.

 

[BelichickFan]

Why do people ignore Welker and Moss when they talk about "bad drafting?" We pretty much drafted them with a 2nd, a 4th and a 5th.

We didn't draft them, we bought them with draft choices. We did well with Branch and Givens. Graham was OK. Watson ? Bad for a #1. Bethel. Chad Jackson. Our trades for WR/TE have been good mostly. Our drafting has been spotty at best.

 

[Wildo7]

We didn't draft them, we bought them with draft choices. We did well with Branch and Givens. Graham was OK. Watson ? Bad for a #1. Bethel. Chad Jackson. Our trades for WR/TE have been good mostly. Our drafting has been spotty at best.

It's semantics to distinguish between players that were "drafted" and those acquired on draft day. We got two of the best WR in the league for nothing higher than a 2nd.

did you not bother to read two posts down?

Every team's drafting has been "spotty at best," that's the nature of drafting. Hitting a home run with WRs when you hardly draft them is not really to be expected.

TE is a very limited position with only a few good ones in the league. We've only drafted very few of them and really only had a "bust" on a couple of them. So statistically we are, at the worst, probably just around average.

It really only makes sense to say we have to get rid of Watson if we have a viable alternative. As it stands, I don't really think we do, and regardless, I don't think we are suffering offensively by having sub par Tight Ends right now.

The Pats have never been complete at every position, nor has any team. I'd expect them to draft a TE or 2 in the near future, but as far as team needs go it's not very high on the list IMO.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

Well, it seems to me the brass did alright in drafting a couple of offensive players named Brady and Cassel.

And I'm with Bruinz on this one. With the exception of Dansby, there's really no defensive player from that draft immediately following Watson's selection who's really distinguished himself. Obviously, there's the exception of Bob Sanders and to a lesser extent, Sean Jones, but following the year Geno had for the Pats and with Rodney playing at his pre-injury plagued level, a starting safety was really not a need on the team.

Let's also not forget that Watson was drafted prior to the demise of both Ted Johnson and Tedy Bruschi. They both put up a hell of a '04 season - a season in which the defense was ranked #2 in the league in points allowed - and had also made a splash in the offseason by inking high profile FA LB Colvin. Further, Watson was followed by a defensive selection in Marquise Hill in the second round. IOW, maybe we arrive at a more balanced picture when putting things into context.

As far as Watson is concerned, I too am disappointed and underwhelmed by his stone hands. Further, I'm more disappointed in his inability to plow over and punish would be tacklers after a catch. Said this and though he's not as good an inline blocker as Grambo, he's a better blocker than given credit by many of the Pats fans and he does catch his share of TDs. He's also a solid STs coverage guy. Whether all this is enough return on a first round pick, albeit the last pick of the first round, is up for debate.

 

[Kontradiction]

What Linebacker could they have drafted that would have fit into the Patriots system? If you say Dansby, you need to hit yourself with a 2x4 because Dansby because you'd be basing it on what you know NOW and not what you knew then.

I do know that one of the passes to Watson was behind him and hit his shoulder pad. That's what led to the interception.

People love to complain about Watson, but seriously, what would they be doing otherwise? You all seem to forget that they were losing Fauria and they were trying to focus on running a 2 TE offense.

Like I said, I still have a soft spot for Ben because of what he did in the Divisional in '05 but, after watching him alligator arm that pass over the middle v.s. the Raiders, I wouldn't mind seeing another TE drafted. If there is one thing I hate in this sport, it is when someone is afraid of taking a hit. And make no mistake, that pass was right at him.