Guess who's coming back to the Pats this season? (Maybe)

[TheBostonStraggler]

What’s the point of the thread?

Best not to start asking yourself that question or head down that slippery slope. if you do then within a week you'll suddenly find yourself asking what's the point of any thread on PF, then asking what's the point of real life things outside of PF, then Within 6 months you'll be living in a one room cabin in Montana writing your manifesto...

 

[PatsFan2]

Who would take his place? The receiver who’s got 3 catches since week two?

I had high hopes for Dorsett, BB and McDaniels have said nothing but nice things about him. But Brady called a time out a little after re-routing Dorsett on the LOS. Brady looked really pissed when he came to the sidelines. This tells me Dorsett is still having troubles learning our Offense of course not unexpected. That said I would welcome a Healthy Malcolm Mitchell in a heart beat. Mitchell was looking real good in Camp before he was shut down. You just can't pass on player who has Brady's trust. Dorsett needs a full off season to get it together.

 

[PatsFan2]

Already burned his jersey.

Sheesh I can't even get a Dwyane Allen jersey.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Who would take his place? The receiver who’s got 3 catches since week two?

Yea but don't forget this former Patriot Receiver's famous line:
"3 catches in 9 weeks is just me gettin warmed up. You're about to see a whole lot of incredible catches every damn week".
Signed, Ocho Cinco

 

[maineman209]

the run defense is going to remain an area of weakness.

Possibly, possibly not.

Either way, if Brady has enough capable targets at all offensive skill positions to score as much and as often as necessary, I'm not sure I mind opponents spending some clock time running the ball +/- 25 times for a 4yd+ average - as long as (A) the defense overall isn't giving up 25+ yard runs very game (which isn't all on the DL obviously), and (B) the LBs and DBs aren't biting on play-fakes.

Similarly, I don't mind if the DL has mediocre sack numbers - as long as (A) the defense overall is playing consistently good edge-contain (I'm looking at YOU, Marsh!), and (B) they're drawing a few flags on the OL or forcing a few throwaways/bad throws at critical moments.

However, "bend, don't break" doesn't get the job done if the offense has difficulty putting points on the board.

 

[maineman209]

I'm supposed to pine away for the guy because he did his job in the Super Bowl 10 months ago? He cannot stay on the field. That's just a fact. Doesn't mean I hate the guy, drama queen. It just means that my expectations of him contributing are justifiably low. Some guys' bodies just are not built to be professional athletes. He might be one of them. He couldn't even stay healthy in college. Damaged his ACL celebrating a teammate's TD, for Christ's sake. Who does that? Given that Bill's mantra is avaliability over ability it's hard to imagine him being here after his rookie deal expires unless he takes a hometown discount. Especially if he has a big 2019 season. Rooting for the Pats is like watching the Walking Dead. Pointless to get all that attached to all but a handful of players.

Mitchell missed only two regular season games in 2016.

He was "on the field" for 538 snaps (a couple hundred more than Gronk was, speaking of guys who have trouble staying on the field).

Mitchell averaged 32% of the offensive snaps during his first nine games, then stepped up to 77% after Gronk got hurt (again) and was especially productive during the last four games of the regular season while Amendola was out with an ankle injury (speaking of guys who have trouble staying on the field).

During the last six games, Mitchell caught 25 of 33 (76%) for 306 yards (12.25 ypc) and four TDs.

As a rookie.

It's also worth remembering that Mitchell appeared to be coming back fine from his previous injury until Oh'****enessy crunched his knee during a pre-season game.

It's pointless to hold a grudge against a player who might help because he might get hurt again.

 

[Pats2000]

I'm supposed to pine away for the guy because he did his job in the Super Bowl 10 months ago? He cannot stay on the field. That's just a fact. Doesn't mean I hate the guy, drama queen. It just means that my expectations of him contributing are justifiably low. Some guys' bodies just are not built to be professional athletes. He might be one of them. He couldn't even stay healthy in college. Damaged his ACL celebrating a teammate's TD, for Christ's sake. Who does that? Given that Bill's mantra is avaliability over ability it's hard to imagine him being here after his rookie deal expires unless he takes a hometown discount. Especially if he has a big 2019 season. Rooting for the Pats is like watching the Walking Dead. Pointless to get all that attached to all but a handful of players.

Lol, that was a long, unnecessary response man. It was a joke, oh and since when has that been BB's mantra? He's constantly taking injury potentials at bargain pricing.

MM was awesome for us last year, and he could be one of the offensive pieces that push us over the edge this year, so you could imagine people getting excited at him coming back.

 

[varjao]

6 games to go + playoffs. There' s still plenty of football and the offense is one injury away to go down a few levels, with Hogan coming back and assuming no one gets injured until the season is over I don't think Mitchell is that necessary, but that's a big IF.

Right now I don't want to go to the playoffs with Dorsett as insurance in the WR position, I don't trust him having to make a crucial catch in a tough game in January.

 

[RobertWeathers]

What’s the point of the thread?

I think the original intent was to bring folk's attention to MM potentially playing soon but then it evolved into a MM vs VV debate

 

[Ring 6]

Bennett, Hogan and DA are fragile and Dorsett is useless.

They need another WR.

Fragile?

We also need another DT and we need it more than a wr. We can throw to
Cooks
Gronk
White
Hogan
Amendola
Bennett
Burkhead
Dorsett
Lewis

At DT Brown is hurt and we don’t know how bad. Branch has been shaky. Freaking Ricky jean Francois had gotten significant playing time.
With no Hightower defending the run from a nickel base is a tall order. It’s currently my biggest concern on the team. Worrying that pass catchers could get hurt and we will run out of them with the stable we have is far down the list.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Fragile?

We also need another DT and we need it more than a wr. We can throw to
Cooks
Gronk
White
Hogan
Amendola
Bennett
Burkhead
Dorsett
Lewis

At DT Brown is hurt and we don’t know how bad. Branch has been shaky. Freaking Ricky jean Francois had gotten significant playing time.
With no Hightower defending the run from a nickel base is a tall order. It’s currently my biggest concern on the team. Worrying that pass catchers could get hurt and we will run out of them with the stable we have is far down the list.

I hear you but I don't see VV as a difference maker.

 

[long distance]

It's incredible isn't it? Sometimes I can't believe what I'm reading.

This thread is quite uncanny.

Half of the season is spent collecting evidence that this team is not “full of bad players“, that backups (aka as “JAGs“) are contributing to wins week after week and are “surprisingly“ able to step up and do their job so seamlessly that people forget about the starters they replaced . only to come back here and discover that Pats run D sucks so VV is a bigger need except he sucks too and WRs are a a bunch of fragiles so MM needs to come back except he's the most fragile of them all..

That's some cheerful attitude after team wining 6 in a row including two away blowouts that before the start of the season were described by many as L

If posting history here is anything to go by . Dorsett is catching the last ball that wins it all..

 

[Pats2000]

Best not to start asking yourself that question or head down that slippery slope. if you do then within a week you'll suddenly find yourself asking what's the point of any thread on PF, then asking what's the point of real life things outside of PF, then Within 6 months you'll be living in a one room cabin in Montana writing your manifesto...

At first I thought this said "with Montana" and I was like, lol, that's funny because Montana is kinda crazy. Then when I realized you said "in Montana" it was still funny, but it lost a little bit of luster for me...but I kept the funny face, because I didn't want to take that away from you.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

So when exactly is the deadline to get either MM or VV to start practicing? IIRC, after a player has been on IR for what is it, 8 weeks?, a team only has some number of weeks after that to have the player start practicing and if they don't they're done for the year.

So by when does NE have to start the clock on either VV or MM?

 

[livinginthe past]

On the subject of Dorsett - he was WIDE OPEN on the Amendola TD against the Raiders. I'm going to assume that he has been open on other occasions but that Brady prefers who he prefers.

It's not an easy offence to assimilate on the go - especially coming from the mind numbing offensive escapades of the Pagano Colts - plus you can only get open - you can't throw the ball to your self.

Side note; Vincent Valentine is needed much more than Mitchell right now (even though I love that guy too.)

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Whether or not VV is needed much more than MM depends entirely on what exactly the story is with Hogan.

It's much harder to plug an off-the-street WR into the NE offensive system than to plug an off-the-street DL into the NE defensive system.

 

[long distance]

“holy mackerel“ Dorsett sighting..



btw - Dorsett does get open . like w Allen its not (all) on him .
if you'd be a QB and you had one of Cooks, Gronk, Hogan, Dola, White open play after play and then Dorsett as well - who would you go to?
if you'd be OC and had Gronk, Cooks, Dola, White, Burk available besides Dorsett (or any late addition WR) who would you scheme for first read?

 

[JayNM]

If Valentine could generate any sort of pass-rush, I'd agree with him being the priority. So for now, I think Mitchell might be better, since Dorsett has been a disappointment so far (0 catches since his first game)

No has mentioned but Ricky Jean-Francois had a good game against Oakland.
He made one gorgeous clothesline tackle and was generally holding his own against a good OL (although I think they were with a few subs). For a non-starter, he's above average IMO.

Malcolm should return soon, too so they can keep the players fresh with a nice 3 men rotation(And that doesn't include A.Butler and Flowers, who sometimes line as DT.)

 

[Angelpats]

It seems from the post that MM is the one coming back. If you haven't noticed Bb and Marty P is making this defense work with bits and pieces and it's working well. That's their specialty. They can handle that area. So it's understandable that they'll add to the offense because the more weapons Brady has the more potent the offense and this team will be.

 

[Ring 6]

I hear you but I don't see VV as a difference maker.

He is much better than rjf and than the 2017 version of branch and would be an upgrade over guy or butler when they play inside also.
Valentine was as good as Mitchell last year in his role.