Having Receiver Does Matter

[desi-patsfan]

I'm with you - let's not delude ourselves - Brown and Caldwell led the charge for WRs with 2 catches apiece.

The ball was spread nicely as you expected it would, but Watson led all recievers with 3 catches.

Our OL is supposed to be excellent and though they showed flashes of brilliance, generally they were not

The receiving game was average to below average today

I disagree on the OLine. In the first half they were TERRIBLE at pass blocking. THey did real well with the D-line on the run game. In the 2nd half they got their act together and were able to pass and run block.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Yea if the WR were constantly dropping passes and not going all out, ok i would say the WR's sucked. They never even had a chance to do anything in the first half. The Bills speed was very impressive, they even read all the screens really well. What like 3 of those screen passes hit D-linemen in the chest. Clearly the O-line playing better was a huge cog in the turnaround.

Yeh, I also seem to remember that Buffalo has at least one pro-bowl CB - that must be why their DBs suck so much.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The idiot press will be screaming "Pats need Branch! Pats need Branch! Panic time!!!" but if you watch the game you will see...
1. breakdowns in blitz pickups
2. breakdowns in blocking where DLs CONSTANTLY are allowed to jump and deflect pass attempts (how Branch could catch blocked passes amazes me...maybe he IS worth $40M)
3. Bad reads, bad throws and poor decisions by the QB
4. Some droped passes by TEs
5. And yes, no game breaking WR waving his arms alone and uncovered 10 yards beyond Buffalo's DBs

Even IF we had Branch & Givens, the right offense against this Buffalo D would be to run and throw to the TEs. Our WRs whoever they would be would be well covered by Buffalo's corners.

Now in a rational analysis we are weak and in chaos at WR. The season is early. Players need to learn the system better and practise and work hard.

 

[Kdo5]

I couldnt see if the recievers were open or not, Brady passed and swat...deflected. Must have happened 6 or 7 times in the first half.

 

[stcjones]

I'm pretty sure he knows this. That's why he has Deion Branch, Chad Jackson and Doug Gabriel under contract, no?

This is like saying that BB better have an answer for having to play Brown at CB last year. How many teams could start the season without their (arguably) three biggest WR threats and field a good receiver lineup?

Branch is obviously NEVER going to play another down here in NE......so take him out of your equation......Now, obviously BB knows what has to happen, and in my honest opinion....that is a healthy Chad Jackson, and a guy who can produce once he learns the system (Gabriel)....Jackson should be able to come in and make a big impact in our receiving game once healthy.........team him with Gabriel, Brown, and Childress/Reche(still not sold on Caldwell) and you will have a decent receiving corps........I guess my main amazement is that BB went into the game with Brown, Caldwell, and Childress as his ONLY WR's (as far as I could tell from active team reports), with a healthy Gabriel on the sidelines....oh well it worked....on to next week....

 

[QuiGon]

I'm not saying we are not any better with Branch because of course that's not true. But I have a hard time believing that our woeful first half play would have been magically cured by Deion Branch.

This is the exact reaction I had. There's obviously no way of knowing, but I don't think any WR could have helped with our first half woes.