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Big game coming up this week. Right now, next to the Bronco game, these 2 Jets games are going to be our toughest tests.
1. Most Pats fans feel that we have dominated the Jets since the 2010 season playoff game, even though there have been a lot close games and a loss or two. I have been among them, but I'm not this year. So keeping that in mind lets play an exercise in "what if". Lets decide if you had to pick a starter among the 2 teams 44 starters which individuals would you pick.
2. Offense - It would probably surprise some people that when you have to make that pick, the only 2 Pats that everyone definitely would pick would be Brady at QB, and Gronk at TE. You might have picked Volmer at RT, but he's likely to be playing LT this week, and the likely starter at RT will be a 2nd year player who was on the PS 10 days ago. We all like our WR's but Marshall, Decker will be everyone's picks over Edelman and Amendola, because so many pick individual talent over productivity, and while our guys are productive, their guys are clearly more individually talented.
3. On Defense, we might have the best DL we've had here since Seymour was traded, but it doesn't have nearly the talent of the Jets DL. Their DB depth is also much better than ours with Revis/Cromartie/Skrine. And while we are searching scrap heaps for CB depth, the Jets are using top 15 picks as situational depth. (Milner). I would pick McCourty, Collins and Hightower as my Pats starters over the Jets starters, but I'm not sure Hightower will be playing. So that is 4-5 out of 22, and more likely 4 if the injury front goes negative.
4. So I wonder. Why is it that the Pats are so often considered among the more talented teams by the national media when it clearly isn't the case. I would consider both the Jets and Bills have more talented individual players position by position within our own division, let alone other teams like the Bengals, Broncos, Packers etc.
5. I wish the distinction would be be made more by the mediots, that while the Pats are always among the best teams in the league, they are NOT among the most physically individually talented. They are the epitome of what a great football team should be. Good players, but a better TEAM......and they should be celebrated for being able to accomplish this feat. To often we honor great individual talent, while minimizing the effect of great teamwork. Everything is framed as being a battle between individual players, while the game itself is so geared to promote the VALUES and BENEFITS of teamwork. Those things used to be important in the country
Instead whining and excuse making is now something that is acceptable, and sustained excellence built on intelligence, effort, focus discipline and teamwork is to be feared and hated. There is only one good thing about being old. I won't have to live long enough to watch selfishness and self interest become the core value of this country and our government be sold to the highest bidder. (Well actually I WILL see that happen if I live until 11/2016)
6. Think about it. The team who has the best DL in the league, with the best starting CB's and deepest secondary, will play an excellent RT, who is playing only his 2nd game at LT since his rookie year. A middle rotation of an UDFA 3rd year player, a rookie UDFA, and a 4th round rookie OG (plus the best of the rookie OLmen is hurt). At RT we have our PS graduate and I haven't got a clue who HIS back up is. Does this seem even a little bit fair. Yet it has hardly been a point of mention for the mediots covering this game, and barely even the fans.
7. Between the beauty of the McDaniels' scheme, Brady's brilliance, and the overall coaching competence, everyone seems to just ASSUME that the Pats offense will just magically produce 30+ points, like its a constitutional right. And they might very well do just that, but the fact that it is even a possibility against this kind of adversary should be the major story of this week......and its barely a whisper.
8. Now it isn't all doom and gloom. Revis might take out one WR, but whoever is left is going to be a hard match up for Cromartie. Lewis will make it tough on the Jets LB's and Gronk is basically unfair to the league.
9. Bowles has been an agressive biltzer since he's had control of a defense with Az. His Jets team is leading the league this year as well at 50% of the time. Tom Brady is the best QB in the league at defeating blitzes. IIRC his QB rating is higher against blitzes than against base defenses. So while, teams have gotten to Brady in every game, The odds of Brady moving the ball against the blitz should be high, even with the no name OL. But this is game Brady is going to HAVE to be at his best.
10. For the conspiracy theorists, this is the perfect game for the NYJFL to throw a game the Jets way. Because the Jets will play aggressive man to man, the Pats are going to HAVE to bring out their crossing pattern game, and I won't be surprised to see, the officials will be looking of OPI. Watch for 2+ OPI calls go against the Pats this game, for some very weak looking calls that are being called no where else.
11. In there very entertaining "around league podcast" on the NFLN, the boys were asked in their mailbox segment, if you could take Brady and Bellechick, and the worst roster in the NFL, could you be a playoff contender? When they started to think about it, they came up with the Jags at first, and then when they thought about their WR's and Thomas at TE decided Brady might have better than what he has now. The same thing happened when they brought up the Buc's. The basic feeling was they wouldn't be playoff contenders, they'd be superbowl contenders. Then they made fun of resident Pats' fan, Greg Rosenthal, and his "throne of ease", because the Pats turn every move into a good one.
Do you agree? Brady and Bellichick and ANY current roster, are you an immediate winner? I do, but I'd have to add Josh to that equation. What do you think?
12. Chris Ivory IS one of the better RB's in the NFL this year. I have always liked him, even back when he was with the Saints. He's been a very productive runner for the Jets, and looks better this year. However with the addition of Hicks to go along with Siliga and Branch, I think the Pats have enough meat to keep the Jets running game under control.
13. I believe the Pats will win 65% of the 3rd and 7 or mores with the Jets, and the key to that will be stopping the Jets to under 2ypc on first down. It won't be easy. Having Hightower will be big. At least he's making an attempt to practice this week. However a rib is a hard thing to overcome and play a physical position like LB
14. This is the best team that Fitzpatrick has had around him in his career.....by far. I don't think he will ever be an elite QB, but he can be a successful one as long as he plays within his limits. He as always been streaky, and sometimes that brand of streaking can be good.....but too often bad. We don't know what the story will be on Sunday.
15. I don't recall how many times the Pats have swept the AFCE, but it hasn't been many, perhaps only 2 or 3. So beating a good team like the Jets will be more important because the game will be at home. Losing on Sunday will make winning in NJ even more difficult in December.
16. I don't see us putting 8 in the box to start the game. I feel Patricia will want to see if they can "control" the run game without opening up Decker and Marshal to our smaller DB's. I see us using 3 S's as our base
17. So while the Pats couldn't have the injury situation go worse the last 2 weeks, the Jets are in relative good shape, in fact I read somewhere that they are the 2nd healthiest team in the league at this point.
1. Most Pats fans feel that we have dominated the Jets since the 2010 season playoff game, even though there have been a lot close games and a loss or two. I have been among them, but I'm not this year. So keeping that in mind lets play an exercise in "what if". Lets decide if you had to pick a starter among the 2 teams 44 starters which individuals would you pick.
2. Offense - It would probably surprise some people that when you have to make that pick, the only 2 Pats that everyone definitely would pick would be Brady at QB, and Gronk at TE. You might have picked Volmer at RT, but he's likely to be playing LT this week, and the likely starter at RT will be a 2nd year player who was on the PS 10 days ago. We all like our WR's but Marshall, Decker will be everyone's picks over Edelman and Amendola, because so many pick individual talent over productivity, and while our guys are productive, their guys are clearly more individually talented.
3. On Defense, we might have the best DL we've had here since Seymour was traded, but it doesn't have nearly the talent of the Jets DL. Their DB depth is also much better than ours with Revis/Cromartie/Skrine. And while we are searching scrap heaps for CB depth, the Jets are using top 15 picks as situational depth. (Milner). I would pick McCourty, Collins and Hightower as my Pats starters over the Jets starters, but I'm not sure Hightower will be playing. So that is 4-5 out of 22, and more likely 4 if the injury front goes negative.
4. So I wonder. Why is it that the Pats are so often considered among the more talented teams by the national media when it clearly isn't the case. I would consider both the Jets and Bills have more talented individual players position by position within our own division, let alone other teams like the Bengals, Broncos, Packers etc.
5. I wish the distinction would be be made more by the mediots, that while the Pats are always among the best teams in the league, they are NOT among the most physically individually talented. They are the epitome of what a great football team should be. Good players, but a better TEAM......and they should be celebrated for being able to accomplish this feat. To often we honor great individual talent, while minimizing the effect of great teamwork. Everything is framed as being a battle between individual players, while the game itself is so geared to promote the VALUES and BENEFITS of teamwork. Those things used to be important in the country
Instead whining and excuse making is now something that is acceptable, and sustained excellence built on intelligence, effort, focus discipline and teamwork is to be feared and hated. There is only one good thing about being old. I won't have to live long enough to watch selfishness and self interest become the core value of this country and our government be sold to the highest bidder. (Well actually I WILL see that happen if I live until 11/2016)
6. Think about it. The team who has the best DL in the league, with the best starting CB's and deepest secondary, will play an excellent RT, who is playing only his 2nd game at LT since his rookie year. A middle rotation of an UDFA 3rd year player, a rookie UDFA, and a 4th round rookie OG (plus the best of the rookie OLmen is hurt). At RT we have our PS graduate and I haven't got a clue who HIS back up is. Does this seem even a little bit fair. Yet it has hardly been a point of mention for the mediots covering this game, and barely even the fans.
7. Between the beauty of the McDaniels' scheme, Brady's brilliance, and the overall coaching competence, everyone seems to just ASSUME that the Pats offense will just magically produce 30+ points, like its a constitutional right. And they might very well do just that, but the fact that it is even a possibility against this kind of adversary should be the major story of this week......and its barely a whisper.
8. Now it isn't all doom and gloom. Revis might take out one WR, but whoever is left is going to be a hard match up for Cromartie. Lewis will make it tough on the Jets LB's and Gronk is basically unfair to the league.
9. Bowles has been an agressive biltzer since he's had control of a defense with Az. His Jets team is leading the league this year as well at 50% of the time. Tom Brady is the best QB in the league at defeating blitzes. IIRC his QB rating is higher against blitzes than against base defenses. So while, teams have gotten to Brady in every game, The odds of Brady moving the ball against the blitz should be high, even with the no name OL. But this is game Brady is going to HAVE to be at his best.
10. For the conspiracy theorists, this is the perfect game for the NYJFL to throw a game the Jets way. Because the Jets will play aggressive man to man, the Pats are going to HAVE to bring out their crossing pattern game, and I won't be surprised to see, the officials will be looking of OPI. Watch for 2+ OPI calls go against the Pats this game, for some very weak looking calls that are being called no where else.
11. In there very entertaining "around league podcast" on the NFLN, the boys were asked in their mailbox segment, if you could take Brady and Bellechick, and the worst roster in the NFL, could you be a playoff contender? When they started to think about it, they came up with the Jags at first, and then when they thought about their WR's and Thomas at TE decided Brady might have better than what he has now. The same thing happened when they brought up the Buc's. The basic feeling was they wouldn't be playoff contenders, they'd be superbowl contenders. Then they made fun of resident Pats' fan, Greg Rosenthal, and his "throne of ease", because the Pats turn every move into a good one.
Do you agree? Brady and Bellichick and ANY current roster, are you an immediate winner? I do, but I'd have to add Josh to that equation. What do you think?
12. Chris Ivory IS one of the better RB's in the NFL this year. I have always liked him, even back when he was with the Saints. He's been a very productive runner for the Jets, and looks better this year. However with the addition of Hicks to go along with Siliga and Branch, I think the Pats have enough meat to keep the Jets running game under control.
13. I believe the Pats will win 65% of the 3rd and 7 or mores with the Jets, and the key to that will be stopping the Jets to under 2ypc on first down. It won't be easy. Having Hightower will be big. At least he's making an attempt to practice this week. However a rib is a hard thing to overcome and play a physical position like LB
14. This is the best team that Fitzpatrick has had around him in his career.....by far. I don't think he will ever be an elite QB, but he can be a successful one as long as he plays within his limits. He as always been streaky, and sometimes that brand of streaking can be good.....but too often bad. We don't know what the story will be on Sunday.
15. I don't recall how many times the Pats have swept the AFCE, but it hasn't been many, perhaps only 2 or 3. So beating a good team like the Jets will be more important because the game will be at home. Losing on Sunday will make winning in NJ even more difficult in December.
16. I don't see us putting 8 in the box to start the game. I feel Patricia will want to see if they can "control" the run game without opening up Decker and Marshal to our smaller DB's. I see us using 3 S's as our base
17. So while the Pats couldn't have the injury situation go worse the last 2 weeks, the Jets are in relative good shape, in fact I read somewhere that they are the 2nd healthiest team in the league at this point.
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