I'm normally one to temper my expectations, but ...

[PatsFan2]

For years I watched big bodied WR's go out and make QB's like Eli, Flacco, Sanchez (for a period) etc. look good. They went out and all the QB would do is look and their direction, see single coverage and let them find the ball first. It was a staple of Eli's two playoff runs with the back shoulders to Plax and Nicks, Flaccos with Boldin and Torrey Smith, Sanchez did it with Braylon. Dobson and Thompkins seem to have shown the same type of ability to just overpower DB's and give the QB some room for error. I think the offense this year will take on a more explosive identity. Brady will throw the ball down field a bit more and it will open things up late in games for Ridley, Gronk and Amendola to sustain those long clock killing drives. It also allows us to put up more points in a hurry like we saw against San Fran. The best QB in the game will be freed up to do a lot more this year.

Great Post, couldn't have said it any better myself.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=X&ei=m1IFUvLRJLKz4AO5roDIAw&ved=0CKEBEP4dMAs

 

[Urgent]

While there were often more veterans available on the roster competing with the rookies, a quick point of context - the most yards a rookie has under the Brady era is 489.

The stats:

Deion Branch, 2002 - 489, 2 TD
Bethel Johnson, 2003 - 209, 2
Chad Jackson, 2006 - 152, 3
David Givens, 2002 - 92, 1
Taylor Price, 2010 - 41, 0

The 2002 squad might be the best comparison. The vets included Troy Brown and David Patten. There was no receiving tight end - the squad was Fauria, rookie Graham, and Cleeland. So a good opportunity for the two rookies, and they combined for about 580 yards.

 

[fnordcircle]

Let's say that these receivers end up being Gronk/AHern good or close to that level. How would their acquisition and the circumstances surrounding their acquisition rank in the pantheon of great BB moves?

I dunno. 10 years without really hitting on a receiver and then suddenly get 2-3 WRs who can go?

Looking at that and then seeing the receivers in Denver would make me think that McDaniels had more than a little to do with the success. Hard to imagine a team that has missed as much as we have suddenly getting it right multiple times in one year.

 

[mgteich]

So, now you think Dobson and Thompkins are Bolden and Torrey Smith, and lots of folks are applauding your post.

Well, perhaps I need to adjust my rose-colored glass and order some more koolaid.

For years I watched big bodied WR's go out and make QB's like Eli, Flacco, Sanchez (for a period) etc. look good. They went out and all the QB would do is look and their direction, see single coverage and let them find the ball first. It was a staple of Eli's two playoff runs with the back shoulders to Plax and Nicks, Flaccos with Boldin and Torrey Smith, Sanchez did it with Braylon. Dobson and Thompkins seem to have shown the same type of ability to just overpower DB's and give the QB some room for error. I think the offense this year will take on a more explosive identity. Brady will throw the ball down field a bit more and it will open things up late in games for Ridley, Gronk and Amendola to sustain those long clock killing drives. It also allows us to put up more points in a hurry like we saw against San Fran. The best QB in the game will be freed up to do a lot more this year.

 

[Fixit]

So, now you think Dobson and Thompkins are Bolden and Torrey Smith, and lots of folks are applauding your post.

Well, perhaps I need to adjust my rose-colored glass and order some more koolaid.

Yeah, because that's what he said.

At any rate, I'd rather wear the thickest homer glasses of all time than be subjected to whatever misery-inducing eyewear has got to be welded to your face. Jesus.

 

[fnordcircle]

So, now you think Dobson and Thompkins are Bolden and Torrey Smith, and lots of folks are applauding your post.

Well, perhaps I need to adjust my rose-colored glass and order some more koolaid.

"Optimism during the preseason? Not on my watch!" -mgteich

 

[Bruins29]

the thing that I am saying is they have not even played a preseason game yet they are really just playing catch right now...and yes the defense has everything to do with that if the WR can get open then Brady will find him that whole being on the same page with Brady thing is BS just look at who they said that about,

Taylor Price, 5 career rec 3 of them with Brady,
Brandon Tate, 14 rec since he left the pats
Joey Galloway, had 12 more rec before he was forced to retire
Chad Johnson, 15 rec with the pats and now he's out of the NFL

Everyone else has told how how stupid this post is so I guess there is no need for me to do it as well.

 

[English Patriot]

Who would have thought that letting Wes 'i'm gonna run my mouth now' Welker go and having AHern end up in the slammer could turn out to be a positive.

Looks like it might be, if Brady gets to flex his muscle downfield then get ready for a 5000 yard season....

 

[Whitt25]

Hey, you 39 guests reading this thread, what do y'all think?

 

[Bruins29]

Who would have thought that letting Wes 'i'm gonna run my mouth now' Welker go and having AHern end up in the slammer could turn out to be a positive.

Looks like it might be, if Brady gets to flex his muscle downfield then get ready for a 5000 yard season....

Of course. And again I think some people are missing the big picture here. This is a good time to set up TB with the receivers he will have for the rest of his career. Totally raw talent who will only know our playbook and TBs rhythms. They needed some raw, young, hungry, blood while TB is still someone patient.

Plus with Amedola probably being a somewhat seamless addition and Gronk and Edleman back you have a pretty good nucleus with a low learning curve. Anything you get from the 3 rookie WR and Suds is gravy. However I think out of 4 of these is going to be a big hit.

 

[ausbacker]

I dunno. 10 years without really hitting on a receiver and then suddenly get 2-3 WRs who can go?

Looking at that and then seeing the receivers in Denver would make me think that McDaniels had more than a little to do with the success. Hard to imagine a team that has missed as much as we have suddenly getting it right multiple times in one year.

You could put forward the Tight End position as a similar circumstance to what may be shaping with the Wide Receivers.

 

[mgteich]

Everyone is free to believe that we have the OROY in Dobson or Boyce, and to believe that we will go 19-0.

I have optimism for this season. The word clearly means something different to me than to you.

"Optimism during the preseason? Not on my watch!" -mgteich

 

[Bruins29]

Everyone is free to believe that we have the OROY in Dobson or Boyce, and to believe that we will go 19-0.

I have optimism for this season. The word clearly means something different to me than to you.

Exactly! Its easy to get excited about players putting up stats. I want to see a cohesive unit with everyone on the same page on the field and off...which is just as important.

People doing their jobs and no making mistakes trumps superstar stats.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I agree with you in principle, but I remember Bam Childress a little differently. Disclaimer, I wasn't following TC reports nearly as closely then, so it's possible I'm totally wrong, but I remember the hype from Childress being his performance in preseason games, specifically, in the 2nd half of preseason games with a different QB throwing to him against the opponents 2nd/3rd string defense. I don't recall Childress getting this much play with the 1's in camp.

You're exactly right. Bam was a binky who excelled in 4th QTR bombs, sorta like Michael Bishop to pre-Bam bink Sean Morey, the guy who eventually went to the Eagles. Trust me it was nothing like this. The last guy to even come close was The Twig in 2002. Deion Branch's rookie year was pre-Twitter and blogs but ALL the reports from the media folks back then were very positive. My observations at Smithfield were equally enthusiastic. Daniel Graham looked clueless, stone handed and awful but went on to become a fine TE.

 

[ausbacker]

It's perfectly acceptable to feel optimistic about the Patriots in 2013. Apart from Jets fans, who follows football to enjoy their team sucking?

 

[BAM!]

Trying to look at the positive of Gronk being out another former te in prison and Welker gone... these rookies are going to get some much needed experience with Brady which can only help their cause. Brady won't throw to guy he doesn't trust and with his prior security blankets may not have had the patience to take the time and coach them up. He really doesn't have a choice now, something he already admitted regarding having patience with his new recievers.

I am extremely excited about DA, if only he can stay healthy a full season I believe he will exceed Welker's numbers.

 

[AQPE]

Don't let Deus Irae see this thread. :bricks:

a call to a lawyer was mentioned ... G-d forbid

 

[patsfan-1982]

None of those guys looked as good in training camp as these young guys have. Galloway and Ocho were lost from day one, Price and Tate didn't even participate as rookies, and never made much of a mark in any capacity thereafter. Honestly, right now you could probably say that all three of the rookies are far ahead of where Price and Tate were in their second years, let alone as rookies.

If the young guys work out, I think the story coming out of it will be that they really benefited from a training camp without Welker, Gronk, Branch and Hernandez. In the past, if a rookie ****ed up too badly, Brady would basically stop even looking their way, but he just won't be able to do that this season. In the short term, it'll make for a bumpy ride, but I expect that in the long run it will really help with these guys' development.

I think the rookies they have now are not only way better then Tate and price but like you said they have to be cause that's all they got right now and that will turn out to be a good thing later on... but a still think the whole on the same page with Brady thing is over used and over rated I talked about the other WR's to say its not cause they was not on the same page with brady. but cause they was just not good,

I still stand behind my point that they don't need to mind meld with Brady just know the play book and get open and he will find them that's just my opinion

 

[JR4]

DEFENSE wins championships they say.
Everyone seems to be focusing on the offense for this year.
That looks good but PATS have had great offenses in the past.

What about PATS defense? I'm hoping by end of November we see
a championship caliber defense. They have a lot to prove yet.
If by then PATS still have a bottom 1/3 pass defense I'll be worried.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Several defensive concerns still remain
* Besides Talib and Dennard, do we have any depth at corner?
* How good really is Dennard and will he be allowed to play?
* The safety position is in flux and it's not clear we're adequate there
* Is there any viable depth at DT behind Wilfy & Kelly?
* Do we have a cover LB? ( My belief Fletcher is the guy with Collins to be developed)
* Who is our other DE besides Jones? And whose the 3rd DE in rotation?

On offense (since I've swallowed the WR kool aid)
* Gronk's timetable and % of Gronkness achieved this year?