Patriots Pregame Thread Patriots Chargers Sunday @ 8pm - pregame thread

[Ring 6]

The fact is that we can beat anyone and everyone can beat us. It is as simple as that. When we look back on it next Monday it will all probably come down to the TO's. Who get's them. Who loses them.

Here is a case for the Chargers to come in and win. .,

1. LA's (still hard from not to put SD down) biggest weakness is their OL. no question. HOWEVER, the Pats biggest weakness on D is their pass rush That sort of negates each other and bodes well for LAs passing game and Herbert and his top receivers, who are better than the Pats' top receivers.

2. Herbert will have almost 2 more weeks of rest for his left hand when he takes the field and be as healthy as he's been in months. Plus he's hungry to get his first playoff win in his 3rd try. He'll be VERY motivated and locked in
.
3. Lately the Pats defense against the run has been bad. Even with Milt back it didn't look great against lowly Miami. The Chargers have a great rookie RB and will take advantage of that weakness and the lack of speed at the 2nd level and strong edge play, especially if Spillane and Landry don't go.

4. LA's pass offense is strong where the Pats pass defense is weakest. at the 2nd level and up the middle. We watched Miami move the ball up and down the field through the first 3rd quarters using motion and 7th round rookie QB. Twice in the 2nd half Miami was driving for the tying score in the red zone when they pissed themselves.

5. On Defense they Chargers have the ability to create INSTANT pressure both from the outside and up the middle. Tart will go head-to-head with Bradbury and make his life miserable forcing the Pats to double him all day and open big gaps for their speedy LB's and S's to take advantage of. The Chargers have 2 proven edge rushers to put fast pressure that way too. They will have Maye speeded up all game and prone to making mistakes against the chargers fine secondary, which includes a top 5 safety in Derwin James who will figure largely in both the Passing and run game. This is a defense who held the #1 seeded Broncos to 19 points ALSO on the road and with no offense to protect them and a Denver team with everything gain, against a Charger team who had 0 to gain

6. And lastly, This Charger team has faced a FAR harder road to get here. They played the #1 seed Broncos twice. the best defense in the league and rapidly rising Texans, plus they beat the eagles . PLus KC at the start of the year when they were at their best. They have wins over Denver and the Steelers.

BTW- don't bother rebutting my points. I already know most of the answers. This is just a rhetorical case I made just to show that we should not take this team for granted.

Speaking of turnovers, we have been very quietly a really good ball security team. Minus the one day vs Pitt we would have the fewest in the league (tied).

3) You are gonna have to explain this one to me. Miami is an above average running team. How did we not look great allowing 25 carries for 63 years and 22 for 32 to the RBs. Right back to dominating run D we had before Williams went out.

6) I don’t find it a strong argument to say that playing a tougher schedule but losing 3 more games makes you better. They also lost to the giants commandos and colts. They have 3 wins against playoff teams.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

No sacks for Bradbury…crazy..

 

[mgteich]

Ok. I thought your post was an evolution of the discussion about how good Trevor Lawrence has become, trying to put that into perspective with a way of comparing other QBs, and I’m saying I don’t think such comparisons are very useful. There are too many other factors, like the supporting cast, the coaching staff, etc.

And I’m also saying that it’s somewhat specious to invoke a parallel reality. A healthy Mahomes doesn’t exist today, but the rest of the matchup would be today’s supporting roster including their current skills development and state of health. Same thing with Lamar and Allen.

All being equal, as they are today, not weeks ago, I’m not sure Mahomes or Allen get much confidence from me. Lawrence might be my choice over either of them, today. Six weeks ago, pre injuries, is a moot point. That’s what I’m trying to say, even if I’m not saying it very well.

BTW, by this logic, we definitely do NOT have a top Defense, not with Williams not at 100%, Tonga out, Spillane out and Landry out.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

 

[Mack Herron]

Reiss worth a post this week:

 

[dliverey44]

I don't know that Lawrence is elite.. he's played better than usual.. for a #1 pick it's this the way he should have been playing?

Don't overlook the impact that coaching has. Lawrence has had 3 different OC's/HC's and I believe his HC have been the play callers. I think Lawrence is very good but I think an Elite player is about coaching and the way the player responds to that coaching.

 

[Uptown]

 

[TommyD4207]

I hate trying to make DVOA a football stat, it's just not.

Can't wait for those Lions and KC and Colts playoff matchups.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

A month or so ago you never could’ve told me Id be searching up rhamondre stevenson highlights. He makes us that more dangerous in the run and pass game.

And this block!

 

[n1997y]

A month or so ago you never could’ve told me Id be searching up rhamondre stevenson highlights. He makes us that more dangerous in the run and pass game.

And this block!

That blitz pickup was so good that they rewarded him with a snap at WR!

And that snap went pretty well…

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

That blitz pickup was so good that they rewarded him with a snap at WR!

And that snap went pretty well…

Wouldn’t mind if he got a few more of those

 

[n1997y]

Wouldn’t mind if he got a few more of those

I thought he made a nice move with the fake towards the post then coming back to the side. Got himself nicely open.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

That blitz pickup was so good that they rewarded him with a snap at WR!

And that snap went pretty well…

And that snap went so well they rewarded him with a snap at QB.

 

[SVN]

 

[SVN]

The fact is that we can beat anyone and everyone can beat us. It is as simple as that. When we look back on it next Monday it will all probably come down to the TO's. Who get's them. Who loses them.

Here is a case for the Chargers to come in and win. .,

1. LA's (still hard from not to put SD down) biggest weakness is their OL. no question. HOWEVER, the Pats biggest weakness on D is their pass rush That sort of negates each other and bodes well for LAs passing game and Herbert and his top receivers, who are better than the Pats' top receivers.

2. Herbert will have almost 2 more weeks of rest for his left hand when he takes the field and be as healthy as he's been in months. Plus he's hungry to get his first playoff win in his 3rd try. He'll be VERY motivated and locked in
.
3. Lately the Pats defense against the run has been bad. Even with Milt back it didn't look great against lowly Miami. The Chargers have a great rookie RB and will take advantage of that weakness and the lack of speed at the 2nd level and strong edge play, especially if Spillane and Landry don't go.

4. LA's pass offense is strong where the Pats pass defense is weakest. at the 2nd level and up the middle. We watched Miami move the ball up and down the field through the first 3rd quarters using motion and 7th round rookie QB. Twice in the 2nd half Miami was driving for the tying score in the red zone when they pissed themselves.

5. On Defense they Chargers have the ability to create INSTANT pressure both from the outside and up the middle. Tart will go head-to-head with Bradbury and make his life miserable forcing the Pats to double him all day and open big gaps for their speedy LB's and S's to take advantage of. The Chargers have 2 proven edge rushers to put fast pressure that way too. They will have Maye speeded up all game and prone to making mistakes against the chargers fine secondary, which includes a top 5 safety in Derwin James who will figure largely in both the Passing and run game. This is a defense who held the #1 seeded Broncos to 19 points ALSO on the road and with no offense to protect them and a Denver team with everything gain, against a Charger team who had 0 to gain

6. And lastly, This Charger team has faced a FAR harder road to get here. They played the #1 seed Broncos twice. the best defense in the league and rapidly rising Texans, plus they beat the eagles . PLus KC at the start of the year when they were at their best. They have wins over Denver and the Steelers.

BTW- don't bother rebutting my points. I already know most of the answers. This is just a rhetorical case I made just to show that we should not take this team for granted.

I know the eagles offfense is a basket case but they played some solid D against them. And also beat KC at their home on mahome's final game before injury.
That defense can be the scary for us esp with hollins also out .

 

[Hyped]

Good news is it'll be colder.

Dunno, this is a completely new generation of players with zero connections to the BB/Brady era other than Vrabel who was a player, McD who was the OC, Carlton Davis who played on defense on another team w/ TB12, and etc… most of these guys have been here only 5 years max (Jennings and Onwenu being here the longest)… we have only played outside at night in January ONCE since Brady left…..every other January game was a day game in week 17/18.

IOW, we don’t have experienced cold weather players other than maybe Milton Williams (Eagles last year @ the Linc)…

 

[Hyped]

I don't see how the Pats could lose to the Chargers unless they puke over themselves which is doubtful.

The Chargers are gonna be a tough test. Maybe the best defense we will see all season to date…in the AFC playoff field, I have the Chargers as the #3 D behind Houston and Denver. And there’s iron man Herbert who will make plays. Their offensive line is decimated, yet they stick to the run game and posses the ball.

This game will come down to turnovers, IMO. The Pats need to be patient… 1-2 turnovers and we are toast, IMO.

 

[SVN]

Good news is it'll be colder.

Chargers recently played at KC where it was frigid. i doubt it will be as much a factor.