Mike and Mike:Of the 4 teams left, the offense that scares you the least is _____?

[Ross12]

Pitt has Bell, Brown, a semi-ineffective Roethlisberger, and ... nothing.

Green Bay has Cobb, and Rodgers making impossible throws to a pretty average cast. Is that sustainable?

Atlanta has Ryan and Julio playing well, and two good halfbacks, but then what? Sanu..?

NE has the GOAT QB, Edelman, Lewis and Bennett. Oh and if you can stop those few guys there's still Blount, Hogan, Mitchell... oh, also
White, Amendola... oh and Floyd...

It's not about the team with the best 2 or 3 offensive players. It's about who has the best total cast. As far as I can tell, NE has quite a few more weapons than anyone else.

 

[1960Pats]

Except I don't listen to them. I just brush off meaningless hot takes like this, and make a note not to listen to whomever spouted this nonsense in the first place. So instead of finding an audience, they've actively driven one away. I don't think that's the same thing as dismissing their point of view.

It's the same way I feel about advertising. I hate when people say advertising worked because I'm talking about the ad or I noticed it, or what have you. The majority of advertisements that I notice and talk about are ones that I find annoying, distasteful, etc, so I make a point never to purchase their product or service.

I wasn't directing that comment at anyone in particular. It was more of a generalization concerning the subject of Brady having the least scary offense. Somebody put it very nicely somewhere here at Patsfans. The Pats are the least respected 14-2 team in history.

As for how to handle the mediots, we're on the same page. It looks like they'd rather incite people than inform or entertain them. It's too bad because they seem to have some influence. It's become so bad that I find myself talking back to them.

 

[ViperGTS]

Pitt has Bell, Brown, a semi-ineffective Roethlisberger, and ... nothing.

Green Bay has Cobb, and Rodgers making impossible throws to a pretty average cast. Is that sustainable?

Atlanta has Ryan and Julio playing well, and two good halfbacks, but then what? Sanu..?

NE has the GOAT QB, Edelman, Lewis and Bennett. Oh and if you can stop those few guys there's still Blount, Hogan, Mitchell... oh, also
White, Amendola... oh and Floyd...

It's not about the team with the best 2 or 3 offensive players. It's about who has the best total cast. As far as I can tell, NE has quite a few more weapons than anyone else.

Supposedly they are getting Coates and Bey back for Pitt. I don't know how true that is, but Coates has been pretty effective. Ben is the liability. He's been horrible on the road the past few years. That doesn't just change all of a sudden in the AFCCG. It just doesn't work that way.

 

[ANGR89]

Brady only 14th most cluth QB in the league right now...LMAO I know this article is written by a moron, but I have to say I'm kind of loving the media providing extra motivation

The Most Clutch Quarterbacks in the NFL in 2016, According to Math

 

[The Boston Patriot]

72-0 Rams

 

[patriot1136]

I'm glad they are all focusing on offense. Wait till they see our defense.

 

[TBR]

GB relies on broken plays for the majority of their offense. And the occasional hail mary + free play for a big gain/TD. I'd put them 3rd.

Atlanta #1 and Patriots #2, although in a big game like a potential SuperBowl matchup, Brady's experience and clutch factor put them above the Falcons.

 

[Nikolai]

Last week, I was worried that the mediots were going to kiss our ass all the way to the Super Bowl. Yet, somehow, TFB and BB went 14-2, and are flying under the radar as semi-underdogs.

It's almost enough to get me believing in football gods again...almost...

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Our offense (and our defense for that matter) is not the most athletic in the league but make up for it by being cerebral.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Atlanta has Ryan and Julio playing well, and two good halfbacks, but then what? Sanu..?
.

But Ross, Ryan has been spreading the ball. During the divisional game against the Seahawks, Ryan targeted 10 different players -- eight had receptions. He also set a regular season record for completing touchdown passes to 13 different receivers. Even more impressive is the fact 10 different Falcons have multiple touchdown grabs in 2016. Not to mention, during Weeks 14 and 15 (when Atlanta allowed Jones to recover from his foot sprain) the Falcons still put up 40+ points in each game. The Falcons are also 4-1 in games where Julio Jones had less than 100 yards receiving.

This all speaks to the incredible depth Atlanta has on the offensive side of the ball.

 

[ANGR89]

So I was listening to the Lebatard show, I have to say I was surprised by what they were saying about the game this Sunday. One was the Patriots haven't really beaten anyone good and that they haven't faced anything like the offense coming to town this weekend. And oh yeah that even though the Pats defense is 1st in points allowed their not really that good.
and of course he picked Pittsburgh to win.
I know I know, no ones opinions matter, but it's just kind of weird I feel like we're playing the underdog role, but I like it!!

 

[supafly]

But Ross, Ryan has been spreading the ball. During the divisional game against the Seahawks, Ryan targeted 10 different players -- eight had receptions. He also set a regular season record for completing touchdown passes to 13 different receivers. Even more impressive is the fact 10 different Falcons have multiple touchdown grabs in 2016. Not to mention, during Weeks 14 and 15 (when Atlanta allowed Jones to recover from his foot sprain) the Falcons still put up 40+ points in each game. The Falcons are also 4-1 in games where Julio Jones had less than 100 yards receiving.

This all speaks to the incredible depth Atlanta has on the offensive side of the ball.

I think he's also under rating the weapons on GB a bit, too. It's not "just" Rodgers and Cobb. Devante Adams has been good. By the time it would matter to us in the SB, you can add in Jordy Nelson as well. Throw in the chemistry with the TE and Rodgers can throw to multiple players with success.

All of the remaining 4 teams have solid offensive weapons.

 

[robbomango]

Rodgers has an excellent pass catching group, Adams and Cobb(2 second rnd pics) can put up 1000yd seasons, Jordy 12-1400yd receiver, 2 good pass catching TE's(Cook is very good). Ty Montgomery is pretty good catching passes out of the backfield(that 88 on his jersey drives me nuts). And his pass protection is very good as well this season.

The idea that Rodgers is throwing to nobodies is overstated imo. You can remove one of his top receivers and there's still 2 very good ones to throw to.

 

[EddardSnow67]

All that matters is what happens on the field. Let them talk. It matters not.

 

[ausbacker]

Positional rankings (as I see them).

QB - Brady
QB - Rodgers
QB - Ryan
QB - Roethlisberger

RB1 - Bell
RB1 - Freeman
RB1 - Blount
RB1 - Montgomery

RB2 - Lewis
RB2 - Coleman
RB2 - Starks
RB2 - Williams

WR1 - Brown
WR1 - Jones
WR1 - Nelson
WR1 - Edelman

WR2 - Cobb
WR2 - Sanu
WR2 - Hogan
WR2 - Coates

WR3 - Adams
WR3 - Gabriel
WR3 - Mitchell
WR3 - Heyward-Bey

TE1 - Bennett
TE1 - Cook
TE1 - Toilolo
TE1 - James

 

[Wheelman]

They asked Trent Dilfer the same question and he said New England kills you one paper cut at a time. He said all of a sudden your defense looks down and realizes it is dying in a pool of blood.

I love this description! and it fits the pats perfectly in the past few years.

 

[jmt57]

OMG - are we REALLY reacting to something Mike & Mike are saying? How pitiful are we!

BTW- When are we going to learn that to the mediots NAMES matter, not teams. To begin with the Pats had only 2 big names, and Gronk has been gone for half the year. How are we going to compete with all the other teams. We have only one B, not 3. And its not much different on defense.

At some point, the mediots are going to get it. Someone is finally going to recognize that with the Pats, the sum is always greater than the inidividual parts. Other teams will have more all pros, stat leaders, and hype. What's amazing is that the mediots seem to recognize that the Pats are an elite team, yet FAIL to understand how they got they way.

I agree Ken, except for the final point.

The vast majority of mediots are not going to get it.

Ever.

For them and their business it is all about the big names. That is not going to change regardless of the outcomes of the final three games of this NFL season.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

I'll take Brady Any Time, Every Time.
I like my chances this week.

 

[jmt57]

Their basis is 'does Julio Jones scare you, or does Chris Hogan scare you.
Who are you afraid of is the stupidest sports analysis ever invented.

0 games in the history of professional football have been decided by fear.
Skill position players are not what wins games, unless the game is fantasy football.


What you have is that the Patriots have been built in a way that doesn't excite people with flashy players.
But they score more points, they allow less, and they win.

Which offense are you concerned you will lose to is a better question, and there is only one answer.

To far too many a player's performance is evaluated by his fantasy football points.

And to far too many the quality of a team is determined by how many fantasy football studs are on their roster.

The bolded part above sums up what is behind the current state of NFL reporting (well, that and gossip and contrived controversies aimed at capturing the attention of casual fans). That reporting in turn shapes the viewpoints of many that take the time to watch football games. Opinions become facts; perception is reality in the mind of the beholder.

 

[jmt57]

Brady only 14th most cluth QB in the league right now...LMAO I know this article is written by a moron, but I have to say I'm kind of loving the media providing extra motivation

The Most Clutch Quarterbacks in the NFL in 2016, According to Math

I only made it as far as this line in the introduction:

Below, B/R's NFL analyst Chris Simms offers his reactions, all the way to the formula's No. 1 pick​