Patriots Player Departure Josh Gordon Stepping Away?

[Kontradiction]

Nobody is getting triggered or flying off the handle. Yes, I know how a message board works, no need to make ****head comments when you’re being a hypocrite yourself – you made a comment, I made a comment back, and you got your panties twisted (even whining that Joker liked my post). Relax, it’s a message board.

I’m well aware of the definition of a strawman. Recently you have been misrepresenting the opinions of posters who still have faith in the patriots by claiming they say the team is without flaw when in reality they’ve just said that the patriots aren’t unique in having flaws among the playoff hopeful teams. You are also trying to remove any credibility by claiming that the fans who still share some optimism are simply “bandwagon/fairweather” fans that way it’s easy for you to dismiss any legitimate point they make because they’re biased.

I don’t need to reiterate all the reasons for why I still share some optimism that they can make a run. All of my reasons were legitimate, despite your attempt at discrediting them by using the examples I noted above. You haven’t really disputed any of my points aside from saying the Patriots issue (run defense) is a gaping and fatal flaw. It’s obviously going to be tough to win but you’d be hard-pressed to find a team with great odds right now. That’s all I’ve been saying, and from what I’ve read, all really anybody who remains positive is saying. You just like to argue and cook things up to extremes.

This reads like the post of a man who realized his reading comprehension failed miserably and is now back tracking.

Go look at my recent debate with SBB in the last page. The guy essentially just said that he doesn't worry about the run defense "because it's a passing league" and then attempted to use the game plan against the Bills in the early 90's to support his stance. If that isn't an outright denial of a fatal flaw, I don't know what is. So how are you going to sit here and pretend that the kinds of people I cited in my OP don't exist?

That's great that you share optimism. I'm fine with that. Once again, for the third time now, people like yourself are not the people I was referring to. I'm not talking about people who recognize that the team kind of sucks but are still optimistic. I'm talking about the people who are flat out in denial. Those people are front runners.

But if you don't like what I'm putting forward here, go ahead and put me on ignore. I promise you that I won't lose any sleep over it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

To be honest I'd also rather this bomb go off now with the final two regular seasons games in front of us than in January. It sucks but in the end it is what it is.

Agree. No need for a Barrett Robbins- type of situation.

I think Jules, Hogan, Cord, Dorsett is functional. Get White back up to 60 snaps a game and its still a functional offense.

Defense needs to step up (they needed to do that anyway.)

 

[BradyFTW!]

They should at least go NBA policy, “technically” a violation but you have to be busted like five times and even then you probably won’t be suspended unless you’re a scrub.

The NBA policy is so weird - on one hand I agree, if you're to insist on making it a violation at least make it such a minor violation that it's basically irrelevant. OTOH, at that point why bother making it a violation at all? At that point, just change the rule already.

Doubly so in the NFL, IMO. The sports exacts a pretty huge physical toll on the people who play it, to the point that pain management is an unavoidable part of being an NFL player. If they're chronically using marijuana instead of, say, prescription painkillers, then that's a very good thing from a harm-reduction standpoint.

 

[varjao]

Well that sucks, I was cheering for this guy and he was playing really well here, we are 9-5 and could very well be worse without him, the Bears game, Packers, he's helped us big time.

Even if we win out and win the SB, it's going to be sad without him, it was such a nice story this dude putting those issues in the past, happy, celebrating with the other guys (I felt he was looking a little isolated in the beginning and not that happy).

That sucks. Season looks done but I'm not giving up on this team, even the Saints are not looking that good recently. Im my opinion there's no clear cut favorite for the Lombardi this year. Anything can happen.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Patterson missing from start of practice today.

Patriots WR Cordarrelle Patterson absent from start of practice – Boston Herald

 

[Rob0729]

Well, now in hindsight (or foresight for some) this was not a good move for the Patriots. They would have been better off trying to go after Golden Tate or D Thomas. Gordon was good for us while he was here, but now he leaves a hole in an offense that has already been uneven. It is really too late to get a replacement.

Hopefully, Brady and Hogan can get back on the same page or Dorsett can step up. Otherwise, this team has little chance in the playoff barring the defense really stepping up.

Gordon is a real troubled individual. He has destroyed his NFL life. I hope he gets help and recovers before he destroys his non-NFL life.

 

[maineman209]

As if this guy hasn't gotten empathy? How many 2nd chances has he been given? 10?

And stop over dramatizing with the life in the balance crap. He most likely got popped as usual. It's a simple rule and he somehow thinks he is above it. Weak.

It ain't empathy if it's got a meter on it.

Interesting that the three who rated your post "Winner" are already on my Ignore List. I think you should join them.

 

[Ladypatsfan]

This has been a crappy season. I can't wait for it to end. I hope the kid gets some help.

 

[Drewski]

I don't think Goody and the BBC really care about the fans in any of those places. What they like to have is control over the players.

I think they do care about fans perceptions.

See the “Kneeling Anthem” outrage as an example.

I will agree they do like the control as well.

 

[primetime]

Yeah, I'm not sure how "this team isn't very good as currently constructed but they're still my team so I support them" could possibly be construed as fairweather fandom. It's the exact opposite.

Conflating belief that a team can win the Super Bowl with support for that team, and assuming that someone who doesn't think the team can win the SB has implicitly stopped supporting the team, OTOH? That is pretty much the definition of fairweather fandom isn't it?

Almost like people posting on patsfans are fans or something

 

[Kontradiction]

Do you really think this team has at any point made a commitment to stop the run?

Absolutely. They signed Shelton in the offseason just for that purpose. They then whiffed on it. Furthermore, Belichick builds his defenses with an eye on stopping the run first. It's why they've shied away from guys that are just one-trick-pony pass rushers in the past and instead have opted for guys that have been able to set the edge and contain the run first and pin his ears back second. Why is he doing all of that if he isn't concerned about the run "because it's a passing league?"

They've shelved the run first DT. And play more snaps out of nickel and dime than 3-4/4-3. So like I said its bad by design sort of how BB ignored Thurman in the SB to be able to better defend the kgunn or as it pertains to now to better defend in a passing league. Obviously in both cases they still want better results against the run.

No, it really isn't. The team isn't going into games hoping to get gouged by a buck fifty on the ground. That you think that either suggests denial, stupidity, or a little bit of both. If they did, they wouldn't have signed Shelton in the first place, used multiple first round picks in his time here on run-stuffing DTs, made numerous trades and FA pick-ups for run-stuffing DTs, and built the defense from the inside out with a clear eye on stopping the ground game first and foremost.

But if you really believe that the run defense doesn't make a bit of difference, name me all of the teams with historically bad run defenses that have won the Super Bowl? You'd think there would be quite a few of them since, you know, "it's a passing league." I'm waiting.

 

[Ladypatsfan]

We need a real WR this off-season. Not a ticking time bomb like Gordon, not a Patterson type guy, and not another project like Dorsett. A REAL WR.

?Is Dorsett still on the team?

 

[Froob]

The NBA policy is so weird - on one hand I agree, if you're to insist on making it a violation at least make it such a minor violation that it's basically irrelevant. OTOH, at that point why bother making it a violation at all? At that point, just change the rule already.

Doubly so in the NFL, IMO. The sports exacts a pretty huge physical toll on the people who play it, to the point that pain management is an unavoidable part of being an NFL player. If they're chronically using marijuana instead of, say, prescription painkillers, then that's a very good thing from a harm-reduction standpoint.

They like to pretend to care. But, at this point that’s outdated, people don’t care that much anymore.

 

[maineman209]

That guy is a jackass.

The name kinda gives it away.

 

[signbabybrady]

Absolutely. They signed Shelton in the offseason just for that purpose. They then whiffed on it. Furthermore, Belichick builds his defenses with an eye on stopping the run first. It's why they've shied away from guys that are just one-trick-pony pass rushers in the past and instead have opted for guys that have been able to set the edge and contain the run first and pin his ears back second. Why is he doing all of that if he isn't concerned about the run "because it's a passing league?"



No, it really isn't. The team isn't going into games hoping to get gouged by a buck fifty on the ground. That you think that either suggests denial, stupidity, or a little bit of both. If they did, they wouldn't have signed Shelton in the first place, used multiple first round picks in his time here on run-stuffing DTs, made numerous trades and FA pick-ups for run-stuffing DTs, and built the defense from the inside out with a clear eye on stopping the ground game first and foremost.

But if you really believe that the run defense doesn't make a bit of difference, name me all of the teams with historically bad run defenses that have won the Super Bowl? You'd think there would be quite a few of them since, you know, "it's a passing league." I'm waiting.

Go back to quitting on the team and stop twisting what I say.

 

[Hyped]

Comments:

a.) This is disappointing and I hope Gordon gets his life together. IMO, Gordon is done in the NFL. Even if he is suspended a few games next year and returns...the Patriots likely will and SHOULD move on.

b.) We all knew that this was a risk, but when you need a field stretcher...they just don't grow on trees. We had to make that trade. We ended up with 11 games, 40 receptions on 68 targets, 720 yards (18 ypc), and 3 TD's. And we went 8-3 after a 1-2 start. That is well worth trading down from a 5th to a 7th.

c.) Patterson is further longer in his development in this offense. Dorsett hasn't seen much of the field, but made most of his opportunities (15 catches on only 18 targets since Gordon took over at #2). Hogan...I am not that confident in him picking up the slack. I am hoping they mix in Patterson/Dorsett more.

d.) We probably should morph into more of a rush based offense and utilize Burkhead, White, and Michel..even run Patterson some too.

e.) This might be a blessing in disguise where our offense is concerned. For weeks, I had been complaining of us trying to hit home runs on early downs or playing badly on early downs only to bring up 3rd and longs. With Gordon out of the picture, it will stress the need to gain positive yardage on early downs and force the D to "up its game".

 

[maineman209]

My best guess is they sign a ST or promote someone from the PS at another position that could use some competition. The likelihood of a WR jumping in and making a difference in the last two weeks (two weeks they still need to win, and thus don't have time for someone to learn the ropes), is low. More likely you see an uptick in role for Patterson, Dorsett, more plays designed to cause confusion so Hogan gets ignored (joking), and perhaps some 2 RB sets with White or Burkhead splitting out wide. No one replaces Gordon in his role exactly at this point.

I'd like them to promote Kamalu to see what he can do, rather than just sign another WR.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Never said it doesn't matter. I said it's by design so I'm not worried about it. If they feel it's important enough to fix they can play more 3-4/4-3 and dress Shelton. Might cost us some passing yards though and I think BB will probably stick with nickel and dime as the base.

You've got it backward. They aren't making Shelton a healthy scratch because they aren't worried about run defense. If being unworried about run defense was what made them decide they didn't need a pure run-stopping DT on their active roster, they just wouldn't have traded for him in the first place.

The reason why Shelton's been a healthy scratch is because, as important as stopping the run is, he simply can't do it. The guy is a waste of space who can't actually do anything on a football field, and therefore Belichick is not going to waste an active roster spot on him.

And having said all that, I'm still okay with the trade precisely because stopping the run is really important. Belichick looked at the guys he had, knew that was a weakness, and made a trade to try to address it. It didn't work out, and that sucks and the Pats are paying the price for it, but it wasn't the wrong idea. After taking a similar kind of calculated risk on Alan Branch and being rewarded with a SB win that probably couldn't have happened without him (another guy who had questionable-at-best commitment to football), it makes perfect sense that Belichick would try to go back to that well.

 

[Nordberg]

This is what happens when "Bill the GM" leaves Brady with **** at receiver and gets desperate and had to bring this guy in....**** Bill. Anymore GM blunders coming Bill?

 

[JackBauer]

Wait, are people really arguing that this team can still make a SB run?