Patriots lacking playmakers

[PF1996]

Especially on defense which is why they are a very average team and will remain that way until the FO starts doing a better job of getting better players both in the draft and in FA. Since 2002, we have signed and retained only two good FA. We have drafted poorly at the LB, DB and WR position and failed to retain the two half-way decent WRs we did draft. What's even more galling is that other teams keep picking up good players in the draft or FA. Look at the Rhodes kid for the Jets. Or Darren Sharper, signed from the Packers by the Vikings. Think for a moment about how many players on the Pats you would NOT trade for another team's player. I would trade ALL the linebackers currently on the Pats roster. They ALL are poor-average, including Bruschi and Vrabel. I would trade all the DBs except Rodney and Hobbs. I don't see the Patriots making much of an attempt to keep Samuel, although he may still re-sign because he stinks so much there isn't going to be much demand for his services. The Dline guys are okay but they are not the best in the league (I don't think I would even put them top ten). The Oline blocks okay but cannot runblock for ANYTHING...PATHETIC. This has been the case for quite some time so perhaps a coaching change is needed.

This loss will be placed on the offense and they stunk but the D stunk just as badly. But for the fact that Denver's offense is not particularly good, this game would have been a very bad blowout. I strongly suspect (heck, expect) the Pats to be blown out against Cinci. Hopefully they can make some changes (4-3 maybe) in time for the Colts but I have my doubts.

The Pats D is barely average. The linebacks are average and the secondary is below average. The D-line is playing very average right now. What bothers me the most about the Pats D, is that they are not physical whatsoever. I'm not only referring to hitting the opponents but more importantly, getting off blocks, closing gaps, stopping players in their tracks. Even when the Pats do seal their gaps, the players are still PUSHED FORWARD by the opposing teams. Receivers drag the Pats DBs for extra yards. The linebackers and D-linemen more times than not CANNOT GET OFF THEIR BLOCKS (or so it appears to my untrained eyes). The Patriots players seem to lack strength and technique skills on defense. The DBs are ALWAYS playing WAY off their guys and the few times they try to jam someone, it's extremely weak and USELESS, the receivers just run RIGHT through. ANY receiver of ANY size. Conversely, the Patriots receivers cannot get OFF of jams quickly at the line of scrimmage. They run routes that do NOT create separation from their defenders or take FOREVER to do so.

Brady is also not that good of a QB. I guess people don't want to say this after annointing him the best QB in the league (and I'm a Brady fan and wished he were the best QB in the league) so they use the excuse of Branch being gone. However, there were many times during this game where receivers got open and Brady just made poor throws for NO reason whatsoever. Throws that guys like Manning and Palmer and Pennington would complete. Brady is playing like a less mobile Jake Plummer and I would have no problem if he is benched. (I also wish he would stop saying "we didn't play well enough, we didn't throw well enough" and say "I didn't play well enough, I didn't throw the ball well enough")

Lastly, the offensive coaching is horrendous. It's almost as though the Pats offensive coaches have a certain script of run/pass, whatever and they refuse to get away from it regardless of the situation on the field. No playaction during most of the game. No screens. No attempts to try to loosen up the Broncos in the box. No rollouts, no screens. Just run twice, get zero-four yards, then throw.

This Pats team is actually worse (in terms of their playing) than the team last year. I think it's quite likely that the Jets will win the AFCE - so just do as I'm doing, accept it and look forward to the draft. This year will not be our year.

Weird - Brady seems kinda happy in his press conference.

 

[skri65]

You need to get a hold of yourself. A lot of what your'e saying is ludicrous. Brady may be in a funk, but what your'e saying is crazy talk.


Put in Cassel against the Bengals next week. See what happens.

Get a grip, man.


"Brady is not that good of a QB"...Get some sleep. Maybe when you wake up tomorrow you'll start being rational. Brady is in a funk, but what he's done in the past can't be questioned. He's made some of the nicest passes I've ever seen. He's also made some mof the most clutch passes i've ever seen. He's also done so on a consistent basis. He is uncomfortable right now. He will get comfortable as the season progresses.

 

[Seymour93]

However, there were many times during this game where receivers got open and Brady just made poor throws for NO reason whatsoever. Throws that guys like Manning and Palmer and Pennington would complete.

You had me up until there.

 

[patsox23]

Especially on defense which is why they are a very average team and will remain that way until the FO starts doing a better job of getting better players both in the draft and in FA. Since 2002, we have signed and retained only two good FA. We have drafted poorly at the LB, DB and WR position and failed to retain the two half-way decent WRs we did draft. What's even more galling is that other teams keep picking up good players in the draft or FA. Look at the Rhodes kid for the Jets. Or Darren Sharper, signed from the Packers by the Vikings. Think for a moment about how many players on the Pats you would NOT trade for another team's player. I would trade ALL the linebackers currently on the Pats roster. They ALL are poor-average, including Bruschi and Vrabel. I would trade all the DBs except Rodney and Hobbs. I don't see the Patriots making much of an attempt to keep Samuel, although he may still re-sign because he stinks so much there isn't going to be much demand for his services. The Dline guys are okay but they are not the best in the league (I don't think I would even put them top ten). The Oline blocks okay but cannot runblock for ANYTHING...PATHETIC. This has been the case for quite some time so perhaps a coaching change is needed.

This loss will be placed on the offense and they stunk but the D stunk just as badly. But for the fact that Denver's offense is not particularly good, this game would have been a very bad blowout. I strongly suspect (heck, expect) the Pats to be blown out against Cinci. Hopefully they can make some changes (4-3 maybe) in time for the Colts but I have my doubts.

The Pats D is barely average. The linebacks are average and the secondary is below average. The D-line is playing very average right now. What bothers me the most about the Pats D, is that they are not physical whatsoever. I'm not only referring to hitting the opponents but more importantly, getting off blocks, closing gaps, stopping players in their tracks. Even when the Pats do seal their gaps, the players are still PUSHED FORWARD by the opposing teams. Receivers drag the Pats DBs for extra yards. The linebackers and D-linemen more times than not CANNOT GET OFF THEIR BLOCKS (or so it appears to my untrained eyes). The Patriots players seem to lack strength and technique skills on defense. The DBs are ALWAYS playing WAY off their guys and the few times they try to jam someone, it's extremely weak and USELESS, the receivers just run RIGHT through. ANY receiver of ANY size. Conversely, the Patriots receivers cannot get OFF of jams quickly at the line of scrimmage. They run routes that do NOT create separation from their defenders or take FOREVER to do so.

Brady is also not that good of a QB. I guess people don't want to say this after annointing him the best QB in the league (and I'm a Brady fan and wished he were the best QB in the league) so they use the excuse of Branch being gone. However, there were many times during this game where receivers got open and Brady just made poor throws for NO reason whatsoever. Throws that guys like Manning and Palmer and Pennington would complete. Brady is playing like a less mobile Jake Plummer and I would have no problem if he is benched. (I also wish he would stop saying "we didn't play well enough, we didn't throw well enough" and say "I didn't play well enough, I didn't throw the ball well enough")

Lastly, the offensive coaching is horrendous. It's almost as though the Pats offensive coaches have a certain script of run/pass, whatever and they refuse to get away from it regardless of the situation on the field. No playaction during most of the game. No screens. No attempts to try to loosen up the Broncos in the box. No rollouts, no screens. Just run twice, get zero-four yards, then throw.

This Pats team is actually worse (in terms of their playing) than the team last year. I think it's quite likely that the Jets will win the AFCE - so just do as I'm doing, accept it and look forward to the draft. This year will not be our year.

Weird - Brady seems kinda happy in his press conference.

This is, quite possibly, the most frantic knee-jerk I've ever witnessed. Get ahold of yourself, Nancy. You "would trade ALL the linebackers currently on the roster?" Why would anyone, EVER, take anything you have to post from this day forward AT ALL seriously?

 

[edgecy]

playmakers?

Brady (even though he's not acting like one right now)
Dillon
Seymour
Bruschi
Vrabel

Looks like we're doing good. 5 playmakers on a 22 player team.

 

[PF1996]

I would trade the Pats linebackers for the Steelers linebackers, among others, if given the opportunity. Of course that opportunity will not present itself, hence my comment was simply an indication of how average the Pats linebackers are in terms of both talent and their play. If you wouldn't make that trade, then I guess you're quite satisfied with slow players who miss tackles, overpursue and can't get off blocks. Since I want the Patriots to win, I am NOT satisfied with such players and wish we could get better players.

You can continue to pretend to be obtuse if you want but the Pats currently have NO playmakers on D or O...and by "playmakers", I mean players capable of altering the complexion of a game by their OWN individual efforts. What has Seymour or Brady or Dillon or Bruschi or Vrabel done to alter complexions of games this year? Wait, let me rephrase, what has Seymour or Brady or Dillon or Bruschi or Vrabel individually done to POSITIVELY alter complexions of games this year? Brady has been playing like a third tier QB and his stats would be WORSE if his receivers hadn't bailed him out with good catches and YAC. Dillon depends on the LINE to BLOCK WELL for him to get his yards. Yes, he can carry tacklers for extra yards through the holes, but he will not make anyone miss if the Oline doesn't do its job. What has Seymour done...besides be unable to disengage from his blockers? On the first run Denver had, it was right around the left edge, past Seymour and Colvin, neither got off their blocks until the RB was 7 yards or so downfield. Bruschi and Vrabel are also getting blocked DOWNFIELD (i.e. they can't get off their blocks) and are overpursing the play and missing tackles. Maybe the Patriots have playmakers in your Madden games but in REAL LIFE, on the FIELD, where it MATTERS, they have none. This is why they are an average (at best) team and will remain that way until the FO gets some playmakers on the field.

 

[oldskool138]

I'm not knee-jerking here but the Pats need to create turnovers! There were a couple of big hits in the secondary that dislodged the ball (especially the one that should have been a fumble) for incompletions.

I know you can't go for a pick every time because you can get burned and fumbles are tricky since the ball might bounce back into the hands of the fumbling team. The thing is, opposing teams are not afraid to throw into the "teeth" of the Pats secondary and (last night) the D-Line wasn't able to get to Jake.

The jury is still out on Dean Pees but IMO he needs to make more inspired decisions in choosing his defensive packages. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[MrTibbs]

The defense hasn't gotten consistant turnovers in TWO seasons. Last season the team had 10 interceptions TOTAL. Last year Ty Law had that by himself. Asante Samuels IS NOT starter material. The Patriots need physical guys who can run no more midgest patrolling the secondary. Noboyd is afraid or even the least bit concerned about a Samuels and Hobbs. Remember the days of O.T.I.S. and Law? Now that was a secondary!