Gunner

[Steve102]

A lot of truly excellent takes in this thread.

Right?? Some have not aged well.

Like many other posters, I am not ready to crown him Welkeresque, heir apparent to Jules, or draw comparisons to Troy Brown. I will say the kid looked good on Sunday. There were some key blocks on that TD return, it was textbook ST play. There's no less than 4 key blocks at the 45 yard line to spring him. If those don't happen, he doesn't score. Team win.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Right?? Some have not aged well.

Like many other posters, I am not ready to crown him Welkeresque, heir apparent to Jules, or draw comparisons to Troy Brown. I will say the kid looked good on Sunday. There were some key blocks on that TD return, it was textbook ST play. There's no less than 4 key blocks at the 45 yard line to spring him. If those don't happen, he doesn't score. Team win.

Agreed. I do not think Gunner is as quick and explosion as Jules. But there is a skill to quickly "seeing" the crease, running through it, and then slowing, darting and accelerating at the right time to follow the blocks and maximize the return. Gunner seems to have the fearlessness and the vision/coordination required. I am sure it will help him receiving as well.

 

[Hawaiianpatsfan2]

Agreed. I do not think Gunner is as quick and explosion as Jules. But there is a skill to quickly "seeing" the crease, running through it, and then slowing, darting and accelerating at the right time to follow the blocks and maximize the return. Gunner seems to have the fearlessness and the vision/coordination required. I am sure it will help him receiving as well.

jules took a few years to truly become “explosive”. His seight/Strength gains after a few years into his career contributed to that. However a lot of it is still technique, leverage, and setting up his defenders. All of which I think gunner has a lot of room to grow into.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

jules took a few years to truly become “explosive”. His seight/Strength gains after a few years into his career contributed to that. However a lot of it is still technique, leverage, and setting up his defenders. All of which I think gunner has a lot of room to grow into.

I remember that playoff when Jules broke out and had a good game, a lot on here was crowning him the next Welker and they got roasted for saying that. We have to give Gunnar some time and see how he develops but there is some promise in what we've seen so far. Some guys take awhile to develop.

 

[Addictive]

Edelman made his potential clearly visible in his very first preseason with the team. He didn't just suddenly get good in 2013 like you imply. Gunner has shown considerably less at this point in his career than Edelman had shown by late 2010.

Where did I imply he suddenly got good in 2013? I didn't. I know he showed promise straight away with the Patriots and that is why as a 7th round draft choice he was able to stick around but it did take Edelman literally many years to find a place in our passing attack. Hard to break through when WW was Brady's favourite target. My point is he was on the fringes of the roster at the time of SuperBowl 46 (yet not close to getting cut).

 

[PatriotsReign]

His returns haven’t really changed my mind to be honest. He barely had to make a move on either those returns

You can stick to your guns but the fact is, you were wrong.

 

[PatriotsReign]

He had a great magical game....happy for him

One either has a great game OR a magical game but no one has a great magical game!

 

[PatriotsReign]

Golden rule....NEVER rat yourself out!

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[notex]

You can stick to your guns but the fact is, you were wrong.

Let me explain how this works. You have an opinion, I have mine. I'm not sure who made you the arbiter/authority of right vs. wrong opinions on the internet. Maybe you were awarded the judge of all sports-takes and I just missed that? Congratulations on the new role. I am not sure how one good game "proves" a player has made it and any and all doubts should be cast aside. Remember Jonas Gray?

I respect that you think he is an explosive playmaker in this league or whatever that opinion might be. MY opinion is that I love his heart and grit - but STILL don't see him as a big difference maker or explosive offensive weapon in this league long-term. I realize I am in the minority, however, it isn't a knock against the kid at all - he is perfectly fine to field kicks but don't see him as the answer to our dreadful skill-position conundrum. He was taken OFF KR duties for a reason and can't earn snaps at WR except in garbage-time. This is in a WR room that has dealt with injuries (Harry/Edelman) and is arguably the worst WR room in the league.

Point being, I am curbing my enthusiasm a bit, and you (and many others) are "all in" on Gunner. He had a couple of long returns but it doesn't seismically shift my opinion of him since they were against an absolutely pathetic/historically bad ST unit (Chargers). If he can play on 3-4 special teams units and field punts that makes him a "core special teamer" which is about what I have as a ceiling for him...

BUT, if he becomes Julian Edelman in the slot and becomes a reliable #1/#2 receiver or even starting slot receiver similar to Welker/Edelman - please feel free to call me out and I will admit I was wrong then.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Bailey next week! altho that would mean the O was bad

 

[captain stone]

Bailey next week! altho that would mean the O was bad

Yeah that might be the one player from here whom I would least like to see win a POTW award...

 

[Pats2000]

I love this notion that because a player played well in one week that means every other week he has never played poorly. He was a flat out bad kick returner early on. Taking kickoffs deep in the end zone. Bobbling the ball. Even his punt return decisions weren't great as I outlined in my first "poorly aged" post. Bill pretty much said he wasn't happy with the return game so maybe, just maybe, Gunner has played better in the last two weeks and didn't play as well early on. Shocking I know that things can change.

Here’s what ESPN’s Mike Reiss said of Belichick’s comments:

Bill Belichick’s comments suggest Gunner Olszewski could lose returner job

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's comments on Gunner Olszewski may have gotten lost in the shuffle this week.

musketfire.com

No need to get hurt. I was making a joke. Agreed that we need to see how consistent Gunner becomes in that phase of the game.

 

[203Pat]

No need to get hurt. I was making a joke. Agreed that we need to see how consistent Gunner becomes in that phase of the game.

Sorry your post was just a culmination of multiple posts of "see see you're wrong!" posts when my point wasn't that Gunner sucks and will always suck. It was more about he wasn't playing well and not that he will never play well in the future but I overreacted to your post regardless. I am happy for Gunner and if he can develop into a legitimate punt returner than I am all for it because offensively we struggle to move the ball sometimes and flipping field position (or scoring on a punt return) could make the difference in a couple games.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Yeah that might be the one player from here whom I would least like to see win a POTW award...

A couple booming punts pinning them at the GL would be nice..

 

[Pats2000]

Sorry your post was just a culmination of multiple posts of "see see you're wrong!" posts when my point wasn't that Gunner sucks and will always suck. It was more about he wasn't playing well and not that he will never play well in the future but I overreacted to your post regardless. I am happy for Gunner and if he can develop into a legitimate punt returner than I am all for it because offensively we struggle to move the ball sometimes and flipping field position (or scoring on a punt return) could make the difference in a couple games.

Now all we need is a QB that can pass for more yards in a game like it wasn't 1932

 

[203Pat]

Now all we need is a QB that can pass for more yards in a game like it wasn't 1932

I like what Cam has brought to the team as far as the locker room goes but it's a shame he can't throw a football anymore. The staff seems to have realized it now and are insulated Cam with a strong running game, some wildcat, and scheming guys wide open for him.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Let me explain how this works. You have an opinion, I have mine. I'm not sure who made you the arbiter/authority of right vs. wrong opinions on the internet. Maybe you were awarded the judge of all sports-takes and I just missed that? Congratulations on the new role. I am not sure how one good game "proves" a player has made it and any and all doubts should be cast aside. Remember Jonas Gray?

I respect that you think he is an explosive playmaker in this league or whatever that opinion might be. MY opinion is that I love his heart and grit - but STILL don't see him as a big difference maker or explosive offensive weapon in this league long-term. I realize I am in the minority, however, it isn't a knock against the kid at all - he is perfectly fine to field kicks but don't see him as the answer to our dreadful skill-position conundrum. He was taken OFF KR duties for a reason and can't earn snaps at WR except in garbage-time. This is in a WR room that has dealt with injuries (Harry/Edelman) and is arguably the worst WR room in the league.

Point being, I am curbing my enthusiasm a bit, and you (and many others) are "all in" on Gunner. He had a couple of long returns but it doesn't seismically shift my opinion of him since they were against an absolutely pathetic/historically bad ST unit (Chargers). If he can play on 3-4 special teams units and field punts that makes him a "core special teamer" which is about what I have as a ceiling for him...

BUT, if he becomes Julian Edelman in the slot and becomes a reliable #1/#2 receiver or even starting slot receiver similar to Welker/Edelman - please feel free to call me out and I will admit I was wrong then.

I appreciate the thousand word response to my one sentence...you win!

 

[moosekill]

Let me explain how this works. You have an opinion, I have mine. I'm not sure who made you the arbiter/authority of right vs. wrong opinions on the internet. Maybe you were awarded the judge of all sports-takes and I just missed that? Congratulations on the new role. I am not sure how one good game "proves" a player has made it and any and all doubts should be cast aside. Remember Jonas Gray?

I respect that you think he is an explosive playmaker in this league or whatever that opinion might be. MY opinion is that I love his heart and grit - but STILL don't see him as a big difference maker or explosive offensive weapon in this league long-term. I realize I am in the minority, however, it isn't a knock against the kid at all - he is perfectly fine to field kicks but don't see him as the answer to our dreadful skill-position conundrum. He was taken OFF KR duties for a reason and can't earn snaps at WR except in garbage-time. This is in a WR room that has dealt with injuries (Harry/Edelman) and is arguably the worst WR room in the league.

Point being, I am curbing my enthusiasm a bit, and you (and many others) are "all in" on Gunner. He had a couple of long returns but it doesn't seismically shift my opinion of him since they were against an absolutely pathetic/historically bad ST unit (Chargers). If he can play on 3-4 special teams units and field punts that makes him a "core special teamer" which is about what I have as a ceiling for him...

BUT, if he becomes Julian Edelman in the slot and becomes a reliable #1/#2 receiver or even starting slot receiver similar to Welker/Edelman - please feel free to call me out and I will admit I was wrong then.

Let me explain how this works to you, since you don't get it. You said "Yeah he sucks - not an NFL player" Now you are saying well I mean he is an nfl player and great to return kicks but he isn't the answer at wide receiver. See you are full of crap, were called on it and are now back pedaling faster than Kontra and 203 in the Tompa thread.

 

[203Pat]

Let me explain how this works to you, since you don't get it. You said "Yeah he sucks - not an NFL player" Now you are saying well I mean he is an nfl player and great to return kicks but he isn't the answer at wide receiver. See you are full of crap, were called on it and are now back pedaling faster than Kontra and 203 in the Tompa thread.

Lol where exactly did I backpedal? You just burst into every thread yelling at anyone who dare think that our roster isn't stocked with 53 all-pros so I am confused as to what you're yelling about in this instance.