Idle thoughts - The "who are these guys" edition

[everlong]

Based on history, the prospect of facing the Ravens in the playoffs is more concerning than facing the Steelers in the regular season. Hasn't Brady lost to the Steelers just once in his entire career?

Twice. Both Halloween weekend when the Patriots trick or treated as the Jets.

 

[GaryfromTO]

LMAO

talk on The Bills board, they think they can get Kirk Cousins to sign with them. Yeah, I'm sure he wants to go to that dumpster fire.

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

How about tommy leading the league in passer rating, yards with an incredible 22 td/2 int ratio at the ripe young age of 40?

This man is unfreaking believable. He’s looked fresh and sharp off the bye. O-lines helped a lot too.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Twice. Both Halloween weekend when the Patriots trick or treated as the Jets.

Okay. 7-2 in regular season and 3-0 in the playoffs. Since it's not a Halloween weekend game, I like our chances.

 

[borg]

I think this is spot on. MB is hurting himself and the team just a bit by sometimes being too aggressive at playing the ball rather than the man. It's a fine line and we don't want him being too cautious but the league's book on him has to say that he's susceptible to double moves early in the route.

Just to play devil's advocate, suppose Butler's ball hawking aggression is spurred on by a coaching staff that recognizes the defense's inability to create turnovers without initiating more risk. With Gilmore on board, maybe the powers in charge have slackened Butler's leash a bit knowing he has safety backup.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Just to play devil's advocate, suppose Butler's ball hawking aggression is spurred on by a coaching staff that recognizes the defense's inability to create turnovers without initiating more risk. With Gilmore on board, maybe the powers in charge have slackened Butler's leash a bit knowing he has safety backup.

That's an interesting thought as (I imagine) BB would sit any player who was going off script/free lancing.

My first thought was he might be doing this as it's a contract year, but due to the point above, I suspect you may be right (unless BB is trying to show him why the system works and what he might be like somewhere else, which isn't likely).

 

[supafly]

Dont understand the Dorsett hate going around. He seems to be an able blocker in the run game and is used mostly as a decoy (and emergency depth in case Cooks gets dinged) on routes to clear up space for others to make a play.



Mitchell is a completely different player than Dorsett though. I dont see how he would be an upgrade when he would be responsible for completely different routes and concepts. With Marty on board personally I would rather have VV back if possible.

Dorsett has caught 3 balls for 33 yards in the past TEN weeks. I’m assuming that people expected a bit more. Just my opinion.

No matter what routes Mitchell is running, he knows the system and is a proven contributor to it. How that wouldn’t be an upgrade is beyond me. He and Brady are on the same page, whereas he and Dorsett are clearly not. It may be fine now, but one more injury could be devastating.

 

[Gumby]

That's an interesting thought as (I imagine) BB would sit any player who was going off script/free lancing.

My first thought was he might be doing this as it's a contract year, but due to the point above, I suspect you may be right (unless BB is trying to show him why the system works and what he might be like somewhere else, which isn't likely).

BB let Rodney freelance. Several all pro LBs, including one LT, were allowed to freelance. I think you just aren't allowed UNTIL YOU EARNED IT (trust). So that is the question, is MB at that level. Based on early season BB veiled public critiques, you would say not. But he always has the SB winning INT-those are some chops!, . . . so maybe he gets half leeway.

 

[PatsFan2]

Interesting that the TE's had a very quiet night, even with the fact they caught 8 ball between them. Gronk didn't have much of an impact, and while Allen doubled his output from last week, he only amassed 24 yds. Now as for Bennett, I couldn't help but feel every time he caught the ball he was looking for a soft place to go down. Now we are better WITH him on the team, but right now he's playing hurt and a bit timid, IMHO. Am I wrong here?

Marty's presence alone is all that is needed...the Defense wouldn't dare lave him open or Brady will let them know.

 

[Gumby]

. . ."the gap between image and reality". OK let me explain.

No need titles was GREAT and selfexplanatory.

The only negative on offense (if you can call it that), were the 4 FG's, For an offense as good as this one, if you have 7 scoring drives, you like to have more TD's than FG's

a. QB - Brady's completion percentage topped 80%, and his movement in the pocket seems to be getting better every week. What can we say that I haven't said every other week. Brady led the team to scores on every possession they had the ball save one. THAT a damned good night.

Not to quibble with a great read, as always Ken, but did you remember what you had just written in the preceding paragraph when you went all Homer on how great the offense was.

I mean the first FG set a FRANCHISE DISTANCE RECORD! And the second one wasn't such a gimme distance in a NORMAL stadium either. At sea level, BB didn't send Ghost out several times at that distance and never would have done 62.

Don't get me wrong, They dominated the Faders, but some of that early lead (scoreboard dominance) was an illusion and came courtesy of the thin air and not through it being completely a "damned good night." They still need a bit more work on 3D down cause in Foxboro those are punts.

 

[rochrist]

1. I agree on Butler. Just do your job Malcolm.

2. How does Del Rio keep getting jobs? I think after he gets canned an AFCE braintrust needs to do the right thing and hire him.

3. Did anybody else find it surprising in the high altitude that Bill wasn't electing to have SG pop the ball up into the heavens on kickoffs and pin them inside the 15? No Slater? Not wanting to wear them out running sprints in the altitude?

4. What a smart play that punch out was. That ball was up there for forever it seemed and then wham. Those receivers are a talented but stupid bunch with crap for hands.

5. The rest of the AFCE has become what we all thought they were. I hope Cutler is healthy enough to play. I think the Pats win no matter but Moore at least puts some measure of fear into me.

6. I can't believe how badly the Chiefs have fallen apart. I think we all knew they came out stronger than they were but they were pathetic yesterday.

7. Does anybody think the Pats don't go into Pitt and sew up the #1 seed?

8. Does anybody want Baltimore in the #6 seed and then going into KC or Jax and winning? I know that offense is awful but the defense is good and Jump Ball Joey is one of those players who just seems to play better and have a horseshoe shoved up his rumper against the Pats. Texans, Lions, @Steelers, @Browns, Colts, Bengals is their remaining schedule. They are the #6 seed today and only the Bills are 5-5 and fading fast and they have the Pats twice. Above them there's only Tenn but at 6-4 they hold the head to head tiebreaker over the Ravens. The Titans have @Colts, Texans, @Cards, @49ers, Rams, Jags. I can't see Baltimore going up to #5 or missing the playoffs. Call it paranoid but they always play us tough. I'd much rather face Tenn, Pitts, Jax and maybe KC the way they are playing now.

9. Van Noy has really stepped up and the other LBs are playing a lot better as well.

10. Let's not forget the team building. The Patriots have won the last two games by 25 rounding into form without their top two receivers and their best LB. Pick a team and take that away and what do you have? Atlanta loses Jones, Sanu and Beasley? Pitt loses Brown, Bryant and Shazier? Their depth to absorb those losses is amazing.

Top two receivers? I suppose it would be fair to call JE the top WR, but Cooks is certainly ahead of Mitchell. Far ahead.

EDIT: I realize now you were referring to Hogan, but it doesn't change how I feel. Cooks is ahead of him too. He's doing more long ball damage than any other WR in the league this year.

 

[patriot1136]

I would really like to see them keep Karras active and work him in there more. He could really spell Andrews (when he returns) and even Thuney/Mason. Gotta keep the line fresh.

 

[scott99]

Great write up as usual Patfanken ! Great stuff, better than most local reporters.

 

[maineman209]

Dorsett has been doing ok with his limited targets. He seems to draw two defenders a lot for how little he catches the ball. It seems like almost every throw I've seen to him, he's been bracketed down the field.

Also, most of his targets have been on fairly deep throws. His ypc is 16.8 yards. Drawing a second defender at that depth must be leaving a coverage vulnerability somewhere else.

 

[maineman209]

I would really like to see them keep Karras active and work him in there more. He could really spell Andrews (when he returns) and even Thuney/Mason. Gotta keep the line fresh.

The Pats had both Croston and Fleming out there when Hoyer came in at the end. It's getting to be that time of year when they'll start getting more guys more live game experience in Q4 when a game is well in hand.

 

[luuked]

No matter what routes Mitchell is running, he knows the system and is a proven contributor to it. How that wouldn’t be an upgrade is beyond me. He and Brady are on the same page, whereas he and Dorsett are clearly not. It may be fine now, but one more injury could be devastating.

Because MM wouldnt play over Dorsett, but over Hogan or Dola.

Some route concepts need a speedy go player who is a low percentage decoy that takes a DB out of the area that you are really trying to target. You can use Cooks on that but it seems to me like they are still trying to get him on some of those AB-esque slant routes or WR screens so Dorsett is the logical choice to do that.

MM would give both Hogan and Dola more of a rest than anything else.

 

[scout]

Great recap as usual Ken. WTF was Del Rio thinking when he did not run Lynch on the 4th and 1? Also, was he thinking of a good draft pick by staying in Oakland versus a higher altitude?

Um, did you happen to leave your house or look out the window today? It was windy as hell in the early afternoon here as it was in New Jersey. That's why they lost...it's not the only reason they lost but it was a big factor.

Watched that game. KC had the wind advantage or else the game doesn't go into OT. They are known for ball control not the QB as a gun-slinger. They are toast as they have lost 4 out of 5 and scored 9 points giving the Giants their second win.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Because MM wouldnt play over Dorsett, but over Hogan or Dola.

Some route concepts need a speedy go player who is a low percentage decoy that takes a DB out of the area that you are really trying to target. You can use Cooks on that but it seems to me like they are still trying to get him on some of those AB-esque slant routes or WR screens so Dorsett is the logical choice to do that.

MM would give both Hogan and Dola more of a rest than anything else.

He can share snaps with dola. Hogan and cooks will be our outside guys. The guy was big last year and he already has that feel with brady. I am sure TB would love to have him back.

 

[bbobbo]

a. I watch a couple of games today before our game, and I got the impression that penalties were down. I thought the refs were relatively invisible in our game, same goes for the other games I watched. Earlier this year, it seemed you could get 3 plays in a row without a flag flying. If any of the stat geeks could cooberate or debunk this feeling, I'd appreciate.

penalties were down this week compared to the beginning of the year. it pretty much happens every year that penalties decline toward the end of the season.

 

[Vindicate]

So I guess my long winded point is, what team that is above .500 that has FEWER big name players than the Pats, yet if you ask anyone outside of NE, the Pats are "loaded". But with who? Trevor Reilly? MFlowers?, JBadimosi? the donut king?, etc??????? I guess in the end. I'm kind of in awe of how the Pats keep developing players that might not be stars, yet contribute to their success and this team TRULY is at team where the sum of the group is greater than its individual parts.

I really wonder if coaches in the NFL just are really not that great anymore. I will never underplay how good Bill is, he is the best in history. That being said, how well this team works with depth shows that it truly is really dependent on coaching. Most teams in the NFL, like you go onto mention, would crumble if they lost starters. Most teams in the NFL cannot put low draft picks, UDFAs and no-names into positions to succeed as a whole.

Is there a coaching drought in the NFL? I mean, I'm young(er) than most here I would assume and have really only seen the NFL from 2001 on, and only REALLY paying hardcore attention since 2009. Coaches seem clueless now.

One theory is how I explain people like Chip Kelly - the NFL is so much different than college now-a-days, that even the coaches, who are revered for their trade in college, simply cannot compete in the NFL. We see it with QBs who never go on to do much, we see it with offensive line play just turning into garbage as they're used to college-style offenses (greater run variation, imposing sheer will from athleticism, simple passing schemes) to the complexity of the pass and run of the NFL (utilizing dropback TEs, running pass protection for long stretches, etc.,)

Any other ideas? I mean seriously, NFL coaches reallllyyyyy confuse me sometimes.