Practice / Playoff Roster Discussion Only!!!

[PatsFan2]

IDK, between Roberts and Harris, which is more likely to get too aggressive and overrun the play allowing Mariota (or Henry) to escape?

With our new Full strength D Roberts could really be a misile type player. With Van Noy and Harrison on the Edge he could be a little reckless in this healthy D. We have the players now who can cover his @ss.

 

[supafly]

IDK, between Roberts and Harris, which is more likely to get too aggressive and overrun the play allowing Mariota (or Henry) to escape?

I just feel as though Roberts may have a slight edge in speed/athleticism (obviously not saying a lot), and that he’s more comfortable playing in our system. Again, I could be off on my assessment. I just think that Roberts is still ahead on the depth chart, that’s all.

 

[maineman209]

I just don't see how Harris is even a long shot for active status unless injury causes multiple inactives. Running the numbers:
Specialists: 3 locks
Offense: 2 QB, 3 TE locks, 7 OL locks
WR: 6 locks of DA, Cooks, Hogan, Britt, Dorsett, Slater.
RBs: 5 locks of Lewis, Bolden, Develin, White, Burk. (1) Gill is inactive
OL: (1) Croston inactive
26 total for specialists and offense(STs/offense). 2 inactives.

Defense has 25 players with 5 needing to be inactive:
Secondary-9: Gilmore, Butler, Jones, Rowe, Bademosi, DMac, Chung, Richardson, Harmon are locks. (1)King ???
LBs-5: KVN, Roberts, Flowers, Harrison, Lee are locks (2)Grigsby, Harris ???
DL 6: Flowers, Guy, Brown, Wise, Butler, Branch, (locks). (2) RJF, Grissom ???

My memory might be slipping on the roster but the inactives equal Harris, Grissom, Grigsby, Gill, Croston, RJF, King. I don't know, maybe Richardson is inactive? for RJF or maybe for KIn or Grissom STs? But I cannot find any mix/numbers that results in Harris making it to the active roster.

Just as an FYI, Grigsby has been a very effective substitute gunner/tackler on ST since Ebner was injured, and has never been inactive. King has only been inactive when injured (hammy in weeks 4, 14, and 15). RJF has never been a healthy scratch, though Fleming was before Cannon got hurt.

Adoree Jackson has been a pretty good returner for the Titans, averaging 23 yds on 25 KR with a long of 57, and 8.5 yds on PR with a long of 46. So, in general, I don't think the Pats will arbitrarily short ST with multiple healthy scratches and risk giving Mariota, Henry and Walker a short field even once.

Also, while the Titans' KR coverage unit has been below average (allowing 23.4 yds/return). Even though a relatively small percentage of Kern's punts have been touchbacks or fair-caught, their PR coverage unit has been pretty good (7.0 yds/return), with Brynden Trawick being one of the top ST tacklers in the league this season.

For another thing, if Burkhead is active, it seems to me unlikely that he'll be contributing his typical 12 ST snaps (2 units). This means that Hollister (15 ST snaps/game) is also likely to be active, despite his relative lack of contributions in the passing attack. Britt and Dorsett contribute zero on ST, so one of them could sit.

By the same token, neither Roberts nor Harris contribute more than token ST snaps (<5/game), whereas Richards averages 20 ST snaps/game (about 78% over the last six weeks).

Lee has contributed a total of 11 ST snaps since he arrived in wk-12. Marquis Flowers has contributed about 12 ST snaps/game over the past six weeks. So, Lee may sit if he's not 100%.

 

[RobertWeathers]

long Allan Branch Inactive?? Branch have been a Beast in the Playoffs for us. I know Brown and Guy are playing very well but you never have enough cloggers in the middle.

With Henry back there?

Ben Jones is a pretty good center. Talented, big and physical. I think they need to match that.

This might be a 7 in the box game.

Branch will be active. Bank on that

 

[maineman209]

I just feel as though Roberts may have a slight edge in speed/athleticism (obviously not saying a lot), and that he’s more comfortable playing in our system. Again, I could be off on my assessment. I just think that Roberts is still ahead on the depth chart, that’s all.

I was half joking, but still it's probably a situational thing. Harris may play with more gap discipline for contain, while Roberts may be more capable of getting to Henry on the edge and perhaps rattling Mariota with an A-gap blitz. OTOH, blitz pressure up the middle that forces Mariota out of the pocket may be counter to a containment game plan.

For me, the defensive keys are ...
1) sealing Mariota in the pocket where he's more likely to throw a pick
2) taking Delanie Walker away as much as possible (Chung)
3) keeping Henry from breaking big chunk runs

 

[Vatahala]

Nice to see 7/11 off the injury report

Will the Pats have him primarily work left to right across the field to protect his right shoulder?

How many yards is it worth it to give up by stepping out of bounds rather then take a big hit to avoid a re-injury?

 

[maineman209]

Nice to see 7/11 off the injury report

Will the Pats have him primarily work left to right across the field to protect his right shoulder?

How many yards is it worth it to give up by stepping out of bounds rather then take a big hit to avoid a re-injury?

Depending on the game situation, it might be better to turtle in bounds.

 

[WinstonSmith]

How many yards is it worth it to give up by stepping out of bounds rather then take a big hit to avoid a re-injury?

You should ask Franco... @oldrover approved this reference.

 

[WinstonSmith]

-

 

[supafly]

Depending on the game situation, it might be better to turtle in bounds.

Brandon Lloyd approves this thinking.

 

[sean10mm]

Brandon Lloyd approves this thinking.

LOL I haven't thought about Lloyd in years!

Had one of the best highlight catches where he just dove forward like a nut with a face to get the ball.

Too bad he was an unreliable flake overall, though.

 

[supafly]

LOL I haven't thought about Lloyd in years!

Had one of the best highlight catches where he just dove forward like a nut with a face to get the ball.

Too bad he was an unreliable flake overall, though.

I wasn’t quite as hard on Lloyd, myself. He had 74 catches and almost a 1,000 season. He had a very good timing thing down with Tom on those back shoulder throws. I think he was somewhat unremarkable due to going down quickly after a catch, but he did his job well enough that I wanted him back for another season. Too bad he didn’t fit into the locker room + they couldn’t agree on the financials, IIRC.

I think the hope is that Cooks can incorporate some of Lloyd and Branch’s games into trying to become a more complete receiver, with the back shoulder stuff and some more versatility in the routes. Just a hunch. I think we see him do more next season after another offseason of work.

 

[patchick]

Seeing Hogan and Van Noy both cleared from the injury report has me SO excited for this game. Going into the season, the Patriots seemed to be well set up with:

- Receivers who were established in the system and could line up effectively at a variety of positions (Edelman, Hogan)
- Linebackers with a full, versatile skill set who were heady and experienced enough to wear the green dot (Hightower, Van Noy)

Losing all four of those guys for a good chunk of the season was a lot to handle. Hogan and KVN should both make everyone around them more effective.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

long Allan Branch Inactive?? Branch have been a Beast in the Playoffs for us. I know Brown and Guy are playing very well but you never have enough cloggers in the middle.

Agreed. If the Titans are leaning on Henry why wouldn't we want Branch and Harris? Isn't that why those guys are here? Home playoff games in January where we have to stop the run?

 

[oldrover]

How many yards is it worth it to give up by stepping out of bounds rather then take a big hit to avoid a re-injury?

You should ask Franco... @oldrover approved this reference.

LOL...




...Franco knows.

 

[long distance]

 

[irishfanatic]

Saying "adjust a little bit is probably putting it very mildly".

 

[maineman209]

I wasn’t quite as hard on Lloyd, myself. He had 74 catches and almost a 1,000 season. He had a very good timing thing down with Tom on those back shoulder throws. I think he was somewhat unremarkable due to going down quickly after a catch, but he did his job well enough that I wanted him back for another season. Too bad he didn’t fit into the locker room + they couldn’t agree on the financials, IIRC.

I think the hope is that Cooks can incorporate some of Lloyd and Branch’s games into trying to become a more complete receiver, with the back shoulder stuff and some more versatility in the routes. Just a hunch. I think we see him do more next season after another offseason of work.

Lloyd made several of those toe-dragging, full-extension, falling out of bounds sideline catches in the 10-15 yard range on comeback routes. It was as if he specialized in those. It seems like he had more of those in his one season than I've seen from all Pats receivers since.

 

[Patjew]

Lloyd made several of those toe-dragging, full-extension, falling out of bounds sideline catches in the 10-15 yard range on comeback routes. It was as if he specialized in those. It seems like he had more of those in his one season than I've seen from all Pats receivers since.

I really liked Lloyd. I don't know the man but he seemed to be somewhat of an emotionally or physiologically troubled person that did the best he could. Not a self-aware ******* like Chad Johnson... who I also liked.

I guess my point is, I only like people that I've never met.

 

[maineman209]

I really liked Lloyd. I don't know the man but he seemed to be somewhat of an emotionally or physiologically troubled person that did the best he could. Not a self-aware ******* like Chad Johnson... who I also liked.

I guess my point is, I only like people that I've never met.

I rigorously avoid meeting people in person whom I've "liked" from afar. It's always a letdown.