Patriots Pregame Thread Pre-Game - Divisional Round Texans at Patriots

[ViperGTS]

Hell the Pats might drop 40 on the Texans for all we know. Last weeks game is a good teaching tape and my guess is you will see that Sunday.

 

[reflexblue]

Concerning Campbell every game in which he had a questionable performance he bounced back the next week. So i see him playing much better this week.

 

[Ring 6]

Are you saying no to passing out of Jumbo or that it should not be our base offense this weekend?

Just asking because they have been pretty successful passing out of Jumbo in the last month

It should not be our base offense.
Yes we can use it, and throw out of it a couple of times but our base offense should be 11 or 12 personnel with the ball in Drake Mayes hands not 3 yards and a cloud of dust.

 

[upstater1]

Uh oh…Willy’s gonna erase Hunter & Anderson on Sunday…

Hey Will, they are calling out your manhood. Many are also saying you're not a real Cajun and that you hate crawdads. People are out here claiming your favorite jazz artist is Kenny G.

 

[Ring 6]

If you read my posts in this thread I mentioned on more than one occasion that he had an excellent 2nd half, had 334 yards of offense on his own…etc.
I talk about good and bad.

You spend a lot more time knocking him and arguing about it than you do talking about the good.

Stating his stats isn’t the same thing as harping on plays that don’t go well and extrapolating them as proving flaws.

I have not seen you post that a second year Qb in his first game in the playoffs had a 9-3 in the 4th quarter and his coaching staff had so much confidence in him they put that drive in his shoulders, running only a couple of times on 2nd and short and letting him win the game for them and he delivered.

In my view a fan of team that is 14-3 just won a playoff game and had an mvo level QB would rather talk about that than picking at what went wrong and trying to find a way to tell everyone to doubt the qb.
I guess that’s just me.

 

[dliverey44]

I was thinking about this last night and putting both out there also really helps their pass protection, and will buy Maye more time.

If they choose to go hurry up with both of them on the field they will be able to create a lot of mismatches in the pass game given both RBs have some WR abilities.

 

[Ring 6]

I've been listening to the ESPN talking heads all morning and the prevalent train of thought has been this, "if he was shaky against the very good Charger DL, it is going to be worse against the GREAT Texan pass rush". Then they highlight 58% completion %, 3 TO's and 16 points. On the surface this IS a perfectly logical position. However, this is one stat that has stuck with me that I haven't heard once this week that is, to me, a very telling one. 11-15 for 174. Those are Drakes 2nd half passing stats. And they are excellent numbers for any QB. For example if you take Brady's first half #'s of the Atlanta SB, there IS no statue in front of the stadium. I would opine that it's how you finish the game that matters and these mediots are pretty much ignoring what happened. I haven't heard this position from our guys, they have been much more supportive as a whole.

Just sayin'..

Also it was 2 turnovers not 3 and he wasn’t shaky. He threw for 280 yards and as you point out he was very good in the second half.

Here’s a little fun fact. Chargers had 45 sacks, Texans 47. Not really much of a difference

 

[shmessy]

Think Drake basically figured it out by the second half and but for a couple of bad plays (missing Hooper in end zone - maybe wind impacted) and not eating a sack again, we would've put up 17 pts in the second half and won in even more of a laugher.

Texans will present a different challenge - not a mental one but a physical one, for the entire offense not just Drake. The key will be Josh's ability to get the Texans out of their standard D and force them to play out of their comfort zone. Drake and offense have to execute at a high level in order for that to work (as always). If we go big and still can't run on their nickel, we are in trouble.

Here's where I think the Patriots will do far better than the national "experts" think.

Bedard rightfully mentioned the Texans are a "We Do What We Do" Defense that overpowers other teams' offense that do not have the complexity and flexibility to morph on the fly. Let me repeat that: The Texans are a "We Do What We Do" Defense that overpowers other teams' offense that do not have the complexity and flexibility to morph on the fly .

Meanwhile, the Josh McDaniels offense is generally recognized as perhaps THE most complex and flexible offense in football. Hell it took Kyle Williams and Efton Chism a full training camp/preseason and 10 weeks into the regular to get somewhat comfortable. Hell, Ocho Cinco never could (yes, it was O'Brien at the time, but he was running Josh's). The list of established veteran league talent that couldn't grasp it is long, Joey Galloway, Jonnu Smith, Cam Newton, Kyle Brady, etc.

The Patriots can switch gears, speeds, trajectories AROUND the (admittedly) great Texans Defense.

McDaniels found ways around the Legion of Doom, the Lewis/Suggs Ravens, etc. These were all-time great defenses that were supposed to wipe the Pats/McDaniels off the floor.

We have seen this all-time favorite movie before. Get out the popcorn!

.

 

[Uptown]

He still loves us…

 

[TommyD4207]

Here's where I think the Patriots will do far better than the national "experts" think.

Bedard rightfully mentioned the Texans are a "We Do What We Do" Defense that overpowers other teams' offense that do not have the complexity and flexibility to morph on the fly. Let me repeat that: The Texans are a "We Do What We Do" Defense that overpowers other teams' offense that do not have the complexity and flexibility to morph on the fly .

Meanwhile, the Josh McDaniels offense is generally recognized as perhaps THE most complex and flexible offense in football. Hell it took Kyle Williams and Efton Chism a full training camp/preseason and 10 weeks into the regular to get somewhat comfortable. Hell, Ocho Cinco never could (yes, it was O'Brien at the time, but he was running Josh's). The list of talent that couldn't grasp it is long, Joey Galloway, N'Keal Harry, Cam Newton, Kyle Brady, etc.

The Patriots can switch gears, speeds, trajectories AROUND the (admittedly) great Texans Defense.

McDaniels found ways around the Legion of Doom, the Lewis/Suggs Ravens, etc. These were all-time great defenses that were supposed to wipe the Pats/McDaniels off the floor.

Sorry, but we have seen this movie before. Get out the popcorn!

Can Drake "Drake Maye" Maye protect the football?

That's the game. If he can, Patriots win.

 

[shmessy]

Schefter doesn't expect Nico plays at all this weekend (btw WEEI's title is MISLEADING):

 

[mgteich]

I can't name any player or staff on that list that I would rather have than the people we currently have doing those things. Instead of New England South, they're New England JV.

that list of players is an advantage to the patriots whenever they play

 

[jdlboot14]

Is the Moses knee injury the same he's been dealing with the last month or so... seems he always gets Wed practice off.

Also, how many open spots do they have on the 53 right now? Lost track if they'd have to cut someone to bring back Jennings or Austin. Seems that if Gonzo fares well after today that he'll be a go, and Jennings might be activated back from IR. We obviously need a 3rd RB since Johnson was released.

 

[TommyD4207]

Is the Moses knee injury the same he's been dealing with the last month or so... seems he always gets Wed practice off.

Also, how many open spots do they have on the 53 right now? Lost track if they'd have to cut someone to bring back Jennings or Austin. Seems that if Gonzo fares well after today that he'll be a go, and Jennings might be activated back from IR. We obviously need a 3rd RB since Johnson was released.

Yes, and it's like 3 months.
Morgan Moses has been an absolute tough guy down the stretch, and has been playing pretty damned well.

Dude can taste it.

 

[Dexter]

 

[shmessy]

Is the Moses knee injury the same he's been dealing with the last month or so... seems he always gets Wed practice off.

Also, how many open spots do they have on the 53 right now? Lost track if they'd have to cut someone to bring back Jennings or Austin. Seems that if Gonzo fares well after today that he'll be a go, and Jennings might be activated back from IR. We obviously need a 3rd RB since Johnson was released.

It’s been noted both he and Hunter Henry often get “veterans’ Wednesdays” off.

.

 

[DaBruinz]

He’ll be facing Hunter most of the time, but..

Am I the only one who saw Anderson get his hands into Campbell's facemask on first two plays shown? Those both would have been flagged on Anderson in the NFL level.

 

[DaBruinz]

You shouldn't assume that Woods has passed Austin, given that Austin has just spent a month on Injured Reserve ...

Umm.. Woods was getting Defensive Snaps for the 8 games prior to Austin going onto the IR. Austin saw exactly ZERO defensive snaps from Weeks 5-12. Woods saw 46 defensive snaps. Feel free to explain what it could be that explains it..

 

[shmessy]

Never forget.

Absolutely love this guy.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

You spend a lot more time knocking him and arguing about it than you do talking about the good.

Stating his stats isn’t the same thing as harping on plays that don’t go well and extrapolating them as proving flaws.

I have not seen you post that a second year Qb in his first game in the playoffs had a 9-3 in the 4th quarter and his coaching staff had so much confidence in him they put that drive in his shoulders, running only a couple of times on 2nd and short and letting him win the game for them and he delivered.

In my view a fan of team that is 14-3 just won a playoff game and had an mvo level QB would rather talk about that than picking at what went wrong and trying to find a way to tell everyone to doubt the qb.
I guess that’s just me.

And there's the problem.
I said he made a bad play because he did. I never extrapolated "them as proving flaws". I don't even know what that means. I also never tried "to find a way to tell everyone to doubt the qb." Again, what are you even talking about?
I see no problem talking about good and bad plays. You do, and that's your prerogative.
But let's be clear, you are the one that thinks talking about a bad play means someone is doubting the QB, and extrapolating them as flaws.
Most objective posters have no problem talking about the good and bad, and most don't think talking about a bad play means anything more than that, one bad play.
Do you think Vrabel will be preaching ball security with Maye this week?
I guarantee he will, so I guess that means he doubts the QB and is extrapolating flaws.