Official Pats-Titans pregame thread

[ashley]

Not bad:

 

[The Brandon Five]

I’m not sure the Titans can handle the Patriots interior run game, but I agree completely with making great DL play horizontally. Belichick has used that tactic to great success over the years, make them play laterally and wear them down, then go at them.

They used the screen game to great effect against Cleveland. More of that can slow down the Titans pass rush.

 

[The Brandon Five]

We don't know if this team can win tight games at the end of games. So far the in 3 loses the answer has been "no" Can Mac lead us to a game winning 4th quarter drive with time running out, like we saw for 20 yrs with Brady? So far....no clue because it hasn't happened yet.

If Harris doesn't fumble in the Red Zone, they win against Miami with Mac having taken them to 11 yard line.

I think if it wasn't pouring rain that Folk makes the FG at the end of the Tampa game, too.

He put the team ahead with just over two minutes with a strike to Bourne in the Dallas game.

 

[50-yard-line]

titans offense is toast. pats should handle them next week IMO

Illustrates what BB is trying to do here.

Teams that get top-heavy are reliant on health much more than teams that build redundancy.

I know people here hate the guy, but N'Keal Harry could step into Meyers' role easily, and Meyers could step into Bourne's tole easily, and Bourne could step into Agholor's role easily.

Smith could pick up the pace if Henry went down. henry can handle it all if Smith goes down, as we saw, and LaCosse is a veteran fill-in to handle the secondary duties against certain match-ups, and yes, Asiasi is good enough to handle the secondary duties if a different match-up is called for.

No team is safe form injuries, of course, but BB's teams are ALWAYS much better prepared for next man up - yet another reason people who crave for a huge WR FA signing are going to be perpetually miserable.

 

[Sicilian]

Illustrates what BB is trying to do here.

Teams that get top-heavy are reliant on health much more than teams that build redundancy.

I know people here hate the guy, but N'Keal Harry could step into Meyers' role easily, and Meyers could step into Bourne's tole easily, and Bourne could step into Agholor's role easily.

Smith could pick up the pace if Henry went down. henry can handle it all if Smith goes down, as we saw, and LaCosse is a veteran fill-in to handle the secondary duties against certain match-ups, and yes, Asiasi is good enough to handle the secondary duties if a different match-up is called for.

No team is safe form injuries, of course, but BB's teams are ALWAYS much better prepared for next man up - yet another reason people who crave for a huge WR FA signing are going to be perpetually miserable.

I agree with you, but I'm not sure losing your top two WR and top RB would only hurt a top heavy team. The Patriots would be in better shape, but would still be struggling if say Meyers, Henry, and Harris were all out at the same time (trying to pick players that are similar cornerstones of the scheme). Not many teams can overcome that for more than a week or so.

 

[50-yard-line]

I agree with you, but I'm not sure losing your top two WR and top RB would only hurt a top heavy team. The Patriots would be in better shape, but would still be struggling if say Meyers, Henry, and Harris were all out at the same time (trying to pick players that are similar cornerstones of the scheme). Not many teams can overcome that for more than a week or so.

I'm not so sure the difference would be big in the Patriots even with the three you mention.

Bolden has been amazing back there - Stevenson can be a bell cow for a couple of games.

Harry wouldn't fill meyers role 1-1, but he can do things Meyers can't, and the defense would have to respect that.

Smith would fill a big part of Henry's role catching, add gimmick, and Onwenu would be a blocking TE when needed.

 

[Sicilian]

I'm not so sure the difference would be big in the Patriots even with the three you mention.

Bolden has been amazing back there - Stevenson can be a bell cow for a couple of games.

Harry wouldn't fill meyers role 1-1, but he can do things Meyers can't, and the defense would have to respect that.

Smith would fill a big part of Henry's role catching, add gimmick, and Onwenu would be a blocking TE when needed.

I think the problem with this line of thinking is that we'd be giving credit to players who are (thus far) unproven in those roles for the Patriots, but assuming the Titans don't have similar players who aren't living up to expectations but could if thrust into the opportunity. You might be right, and I do think the Patriots in general are better prepared for contingencies like that, not just due to who they have but HOW they prepare them. I just think there would be a pretty sharp difference in the offense in that scenario, again, if it was for longer than a week. It's kind of like, on the extreme end, watching the OL against the Texans. The Patriots had four backups playing (well, three in hindsight if Karras is the LG going forward), and handled it WAY better than most teams would. But they only had to do that for one week. More than that and it would have been exposed.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

They don't sound too confident in Tennessee...

Right now I'm evaluating how the Titans can whimper to themselves on the flight home after we beat them.

This is the Titans "its on to Cincinnati" game.

"Yeah that's our thing"

Tennessee is the first team on the agenda and will be an angry and focused group

We're angry about the last time they were here. We're angry about all these home losses.

I get that Mac needs experience and time to develop.

But we're through letting games slip away from us this year.

And we're focused all right.

 

[50-yard-line]

I think the problem with this line of thinking is that we'd be giving credit to players who are (thus far) unproven in those roles for the Patriots, but assuming the Titans don't have similar players who aren't living up to expectations but could if thrust into the opportunity. You might be right, and I do think the Patriots in general are better prepared for contingencies like that, not just due to who they have but HOW they prepare them. I just think there would be a pretty sharp difference in the offense in that scenario, again, if it was for longer than a week. It's kind of like, on the extreme end, watching the OL against the Texans. The Patriots had four backups playing (well, three in hindsight if Karras is the LG going forward), and handled it WAY better than most teams would. But they only had to do that for one week. More than that and it would have been exposed.

Pats running game didn't miss a beat without Harris. Meyers and Henry are getting about 40 yards per game. Onwenu can block as the 6th TE.

Harry has been targeted 10 times, has 8 catches for 117 yards. And on an eleventh target, wiped out by a DPI, the throw accounted for a 1st down. he also had a huge end around last week (wiped out by a ticky-tack holding call).

It's not that I think he's a game-breaker, it's just that - look at the game stats! - they're just not relying on any one of their skill position players. They're relying on ALL of them.

harry getting hurt wouldn't concern anyone, but he's playing more than Bourne over the last couple of games, and doing things the the other 3 WRs simply can't do.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Geez still 5 days till game day. I wonder how crazy I go during the actual bye

 

[patsfanincleveland]

In all honesty, who cares? I will never get Pats fans treat the Bucs like their team and are as interested or more interested in them than the Pats, but that it is their business. They have their forum and for the most part, they keep their Bucs fandom there. As long as this board isn't overrun with threads being Brady centric, more power to them. Let their Bucs pirate flags fly.

Why exactly would anyone want the Douche Awry back in these threads?

It should be clear that threads are so much better without him/her/it.

 

[Rob0729]

Why exactly would anyone want the Douche Awry back in these threads?

It should be clear that threads are so much better without him/her/it.

Anyone who knows Deus' and my history will know I am not his biggest fan. He has been anti-Belichick long before it was cool. No matter how much I disagree with the guy and think his agenda is too transparent, he has just as much of a right to post here as anyone else.

Personally, if I don't like someone or their posts and have no intention of engaging them, I just ignore their post and go onto the next post. As long as he doesn't completely hijack the thread, it is easy to do.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Why exactly would anyone want the Douche Awry back in these threads?

It should be clear that threads are so much better without him/her/it.

Yep. He made the decision to convert. Might as well go to Pewter Power.

 

[patsfanincleveland]

Anyone who knows Deus' and my history will know I am not his biggest fan. He has been anti-Belichick long before it was cool. No matter how much I disagree with the guy and think his agenda is too transparent, he has just as much of a right to post here as anyone else.

Personally, if I don't like someone or their posts and have no intention of engaging them, I just ignore their post and go onto the next post. As long as he doesn't completely hijack the thread, it is easy to do.

Now that the disclaimer is out.....you can agree the threads are better and we are a stronger, more cohesive fan site without him.

 

[Rob0729]

Now that the disclaimer is out.....you can agree the threads are better and we are a stronger, more cohesive fan site without him.

Obviously, the site is better if people don't bring unrelated agendas to the threads. But I have been on and off this board for like 15 years or so and he has been here longer, and I think I am used to his schtick and it just doesn't bother me. Half the time I see his posts and I am conditioned to just blow past it.

 

[sb1]

I have been on a rollercoaster about this game. Looking at this game even 2 weeks ago it looked like it would take a herculean effort to win. Then after their BAD loss to the Texans, I was wondering if this game could be a gimmee. Then this morning when I looked at the stats of this game and found out the Titans amassed over 420 yd of offense and only gave up only 190, I thought WTF!? How did they lose this by 2 scores. The reason was obvious of course FOUR picks FOUR fumbles (1 lost). Christ Tennessee only punted twice all game and put up only 13 second half point.

Clearly this game was an anomaly. When you lose the TO battle 5-0 then you have NO chance at winning the game regardless of who you are playing. So the Texans didn't beat the Titans. The Titans did that all by themselves. They are NOT going to come close to gifting us 8 shots at turning them over. THAT should be perfectly clear.

Now that being said 420 yds by the offense would be an impressive day against our defense. Against the Texans....not so much. But make no mistake about it, this game is going to be a tough and physical game. Like all these coming games in the next month will likely turn on who makes the fewest TO's and makes the most high pressure plays at the end of games.

We don't know if this team can win tight games at the end of games. So far the in 3 loses the answer has been "no" Can Mac lead us to a game winning 4th quarter drive with time running out, like we saw for 20 yrs with Brady? So far....no clue because it hasn't happened yet.

We are a pretty good team right now, so I believe we will be in all these next 4 games into the 4th quarter. But here's the thing, playoff teams aren't teams that are close in the 4th quarter. PLAYOFF teams are teams that WIN that close game more often than not.

Tennessee is the first team on the agenda and will be an angry and focused group, not likely to be so giving like last week. Mac will NOT have the luxury to take a step back from his upward trajectory if we are going to win. And the defense will have to continue to play at a high level. Can we win this game? Yes. SHOULD we win this game? Yes again. We will be healthy, rested AND at home, so yes we SHOULD win this game. Will we win it if we are sloppy or lose the TO battle? the answer to THAT is no. This is the Titans "its on to Cincinnati" game. Do be fooled by last weeks loss. We are going to get the Titans' best shot come Sunday

Agreed.

If Tannehill has to throw 45 times to receivers not named AJ Brown like he did on Sunday I like our chances. Peterson is obviously not what he was and their running game doesn't scare anyone. Pats should win this game comfortably if they're at their best.

 

[long distance]

I think the problem with this line of thinking is that we'd be giving credit to players who are (thus far) unproven in those roles for the Patriots, but assuming the Titans don't have similar players who aren't living up to expectations but could if thrust into the opportunity. You might be right, and I do think the Patriots in general are better prepared for contingencies like that, not just due to who they have but HOW they prepare them. I just think there would be a pretty sharp difference in the offense in that scenario, again, if it was for longer than a week. It's kind of like, on the extreme end, watching the OL against the Texans. The Patriots had four backups playing (well, three in hindsight if Karras is the LG going forward), and handled it WAY better than most teams would. But they only had to do that for one week. More than that and it would have been exposed.

The last thing id worry about is NE losing a “skill player“ or two.

They played two weeks w backup OL (and scrambled before that, played through injuries, experimenting with PS players at RT...). And still remained competitive w rookie QB. ATL f.e. cannot be competitive vs good teams with starting OL and one of the most experienced QBs.

Depth = roster building + coaching. TEN does decent job esp. coaching. Thats way they can overcome some top heavy roster building traps.
But are still more vulnerable than NE w BB setting unprecedented example for 20+ years defying parity machine.

Last year was the first time i heard BB publicly comment roster deficiency (“we dont have enough depth“). It was combination of calculated disbandment and unexpected Covid opt out “spree“. Also calculated saving Cap for best FA buyer market in recent history.

This year - with extension of new IR and PS rules - the depth is decent although still not where BB wants it to be imo. That is normal for first year of rebuild, no clear QB situation etc. Gilmore situation did not help either. OL and DB depth were tested and while not completely collapsing probably cost NE a couple of games. And still can. Just imagine if JC goes down or D-Mac or new OL injury bug.

btw - i was beating the drum for better OL & DB depth all offseason - in the last moment BB did trade for the two positions but it was too little too late..

Next year i fully expect the normal BB team depth despite some tough FA decisions to be made..

 

[ashley]

practice notes: McGrone is interesting, I have heard good things about him.

 

[Sicilian]

I had written both Bledsoe and McGrone off for this year as redshirts who would fight for depth spots next year. Might still be the case, as there's no guarantee they ever actually activate them, but even the possibility is surprising IMO. Barring injuries (knock on wood) I don't see a role for either of them as the roster stands right now. We already have Collins and Uche waiting in the wings on IR at LB, and Bledsoe (if he pans out) would be another Mills/Bryant/Wade style zone CB/S hybrid. I think we're set on those too.

If nothing else though this gives the coaches a good look at the kids to see what they need to work on going into next year's camp, and gives the kids a better idea of how practices flow so they can hit the ground running.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wow. So obviously hes medically been cleared to practice. Good for him.

Doesn't mean he'll play this year but pertaining to his health and career good news indeed.