Prisco - After Further Review: Only a matter of time before Pats offense clicks

[Kontradiction]

After Further Review: Only a matter of time before Pats offense clicks - CBSSports.com

All I've heard for the past week is how pathetic the New England Patriots' passing game is right now.

It always includes this line: The receivers stink.

I beg to differ.

The passing game is not working like it normally does, but there are signs that tell me that it will be just fine in a couple of weeks to maybe a month. So if you are going to get the Patriots, now is the time.

After their 13-10 victory over the Jets last week, which included Tom Brady screaming and ripping his young receivers for their poor play, I went back and watched the first two Patriots games in detail.

What I saw was a passing game that is just off a bit here and there. That included Brady last week against the Jets. I know it's sacrilegious to say that Brady was at fault, but I saw several instances where he missed big play chances with poor throws. It wasn't just his receivers, although they made their share of mistakes too.

Rookie receivers Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson both showed me something against the Jets. They know how to beat man coverage, and do a nice job on their releases at the line of scrimmage. Did they make some mistakes? Yes. They don't always look to be so sure of their route running, and they did have the drops, but there is talent there.

It's only a matter of time before they get the timing right -- and then watch out.

When they get tight end Rob Gronkowski back in a week or so, this offense has the potential -- I said potential -- to be even better than it has been in years past. Why? The rookie receivers can get deep. They scare down the field.

This week the Patriots face an improved Tampa Bay secondary led by Darrelle Revis, who knows the Patriots offense well, having faced it twice a year when he was with the Jets. But these young receivers give the Patriots a dimension he saw only when they had Randy Moss in 2007.

Nicely written article (aside from a few typos) where Prisco breaks down the All-22 film (complete with pics) of the Jets game in particular and gives us his take on the offense going forward. He notes that the receivers had some bad snaps as well as Brady.

 

[strngplyr]

I don't think it's anything none of us haven't already discussed, it's nice to see it getting some national play though. While I don't particularly care what other fans say about our team, it does get annoying hearing about how badly our offense is going to fail when we're 3-4 drops away from having another 200 passing yards and 3-4 TD's on season, probably making us a top 5 offense.

The few drops have just been so overly costly, it's frustrating to think about the number of points left on the table.

However, that IS a problem you can be sure will be fixed sooner rather than later and we'll stop ending drives early due to silly mistakes, Brady will get the feel for his receivers, he has no choice, and the receivers can't drop everything, big plays will be made.

The potential is all there, and it should already be happening, given how close they've been, but it's hard to not be optimistic about what we've seen.

 

[SVN]

I wish it was written by someone more credible than prisco. I remember himfrom his 24/7 manning ballwashing in indy days and a lot of clueless football articles written. I never really understood why cbs things he is any good.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'll agree that the potential is there. They were getting open last week, be it against zone or man. The timing has to get better, the blocking has to get better, and the drops have to stop. It'll also help a lot when Gronk and Amendola come back healthy.

 

[Kontradiction]

I wish it was written by someone more credible than prisco. I remember himfrom his 24/7 manning ballwashing in indy days and a lot of clueless football articles written. I never really understood why cbs things he is any good.

Prisco is kind of iffy in general when it comes to football knowledge. But even novices can break down All-22 film and point out errors. I usually tend to stay away from posting his opinions, but the breakdown of the All-22 film plus a stamp of approval from Reiss is what made me post it.

 

[Froob]

I wish it was written by someone more credible than prisco. I remember himfrom his 24/7 manning ballwashing in indy days and a lot of clueless football articles written. I never really understood why cbs things he is any good.

They probably don't, but pete pisses people off so they will come back and read his articles and rag on him.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I'll agree that the potential is there. They were getting open last week, be it against zone or man. The timing has to get better, the blocking has to get better, and the drops have to stop. It'll also help a lot when Gronk and Amendola come back healthy.

We'll know a lot more about their ability to get open after Sunday — much better secondary.

 

[kennyb]

I think this too. I think it just takes some time-eroo.

I'm glad he called out brady too. He misses pretty often, a little too often on deep balls. How'd brady like it if they yelled at him every time he screwed up?

But I"m hopeful.

They have 3 good guys coming back (eventually) S(t)udfeld, Amendolinski and Gronk (mad cow) ski.

 

[resdubwhite]

I'll agree that the potential is there. They were getting open last week, be it against zone or man. The timing has to get better, the blocking has to get better, and the drops have to stop. It'll also help a lot when Gronk and Amendola come back healthy.

hell. I think even with Suds there things will improve.

 

[Deus Irae]

ehhh... It's Prisco.

 

[Fixit]

I'm glad he called out brady too. He misses pretty often, a little too often on deep balls. How'd brady like it if they yelled at him every time he screwed up?

It really bothers me when people equate dropped balls with missed throws. Yeah, Brady missed some throws, but there's a big difference between missing a small window at a moving target 40 yards down the field with a 300-pounder in your face, and dropping a ball that hits you in the hands.

 

[BSR]

It really bothers me when people equate dropped balls with missed throws. Yeah, Brady missed some throws, but there's a big difference between missing a small window at a moving target 40 yards down the field with a 300-pounder in your face, and dropping a ball that hits you in the hands.

And there is a big difference between dropping a ball which hits you in the chest in stride and dropping a ball that you have to stretch out for to get your fingers on. Brady played poorly this last game and just as much of the blame is on him as it was his receivers, if not more.

 

[yukon cornelius]

It really bothers me when people equate dropped balls with missed throws. Yeah, Brady missed some throws, but there's a big difference between missing a small window at a moving target 40 yards down the field with a 300-pounder in your face, and dropping a ball that hits you in the hands.

not really


moving at top speed, defender you just shook loose from in pursuit, with another probably rapidly approaching to take your head, er, chest, off.....both skills are different and difficult.....and the QB is more than capable of making the throw just as the NFL receiver is more than capable of making the catch

failing to perform a skill that you are more than capable of is a mistake - Tim Tebow missing a throw is one thing, we know there's throws he simply can't make

tom brady missing a throw 30 yards downfield to a receiver that has 3 steps on the defender is a mistake, pure and simple

a receiver who has space dropping a ball when he has created that space is a mistake, plain and simple



i expect less mistakes out of #12 at this stage of his career


i expect mistakes out of the kids right now......but they better make less and less of them each week

 

[Deus Irae]

And there is a big difference between dropping a ball which hits you in the chest in stride and dropping a ball that you have to stretch out for to get your fingers on. Brady played poorly this last game and just as much of the blame is on him as it was his receivers, if not more.

You don't know where the receiver was supposed to be on the throw, so how can you make this claim? Zolak, who's closer to to the Patriots than either you or Prisco, has made a point of saying that the receivers have been rounding off routes, running routes at the wrong depth, etc...

 

[Fixit]

not really


moving at top speed, defender you just shook loose from in pursuit, with another probably rapidly approaching to take your head, er, chest, off.....both skills are different and difficult.....and the QB is more than capable of making the throw just as the NFL receiver is more than capable of making the catch

failing to perform a skill that you are more than capable of is a mistake - Tim Tebow missing a throw is one thing, we know there's throws he simply can't make

tom brady missing a throw 30 yards downfield to a receiver that has 3 steps on the defender is a mistake, pure and simple

a receiver who has space dropping a ball when he has created that space is a mistake, plain and simple



i expect less mistakes out of #12 at this stage of his career


i expect mistakes out of the kids right now......but they better make less and less of them each week

If you went outside right now, which would be more difficult: throwing an accurate 30-yard ball, or catching an accurate 30-yard ball?

Yeah, each guy is paid to do one of them, but the fact remains that it's still much more difficult to throw a catchable ball than it is to catch one.

This is like saying that catching a curveball for a strike and throwing one are equally as difficult.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't listen to Prisco because he sucks, but he isn't stating anything that many real analysts have been saying. Both Thompkins and Dobson did a great job against man coverage.

I know people have dismissed it because of the Jets secondary and the Jets putting an extra man in the box, but I don't know if I buy it. Yes, the poor secondary of the Jets has something to do with it, but even bad secondaries don't get beat as often as the Jets did a week ago unless the receivers are pretty good at beating man coverage. And bringing an extra man in the box to stop the run does not affect the one-on-one match ups of a man defense. It might affected over the top help on some of these plays, but it doesn't affect how Thompkins and Dobson got off the line in press coverage or how they beat their defender down the field up to the point where over the top help would have come into play.

 

[yukon cornelius]

If you went outside right now, which would be more difficult: throwing an accurate 30-yard ball, or catching an accurate 30-yard ball?

Yeah, each guy is paid to do one of them, but the fact remains that it's still much more difficult to throw a catchable ball than it is to catch one.

This is like saying that catching a curveball for a strike and throwing one are equally as difficult.

except i'm not an elite NFL QB


to, brady can make the throws....and has made them with a much higher rate of success than he made last thursday....last thursday he missed multiple throws that he normally makes


the receivers dropped some balls....some of which they "could" have made, some they "should" have made.....they made mistakes as well


i'll bet you if you put tom brady to the same question you asked above, he'd say the throw is easier......the skills require different abilities, to say one is "harder" is purely subjective


bottom line is, the QB missed throws they normally make, the receivers missed some balls an NFL receiver should have caught

 

[Deus Irae]

except i'm not an elite NFL QB


to, brady can make the throws....and has made them with a much higher rate of success than he made last thursday....last thursday he missed multiple throws that he normally makes


the receivers dropped some balls....some of which they "could" have made, some they "should" have made.....they made mistakes as well


i'll bet you if you put tom brady to the same question you asked above, he'd say the throw is easier......the skills require different abilities, to say one is "harder" is purely subjective


bottom line is, the QB missed throws they normally make, the receivers missed some balls an NFL receiver should have caught

Go read the article. His complaint about Brady while breaking down the endzone pass is a perfect example of why Prisco's too stupid to take seriously when it comes to this stuff.

 

[yukon cornelius]

You don't know where the receiver was supposed to be on the throw, so how can you make this claim? Zolak, who's closer to to the Patriots than either you or Prisco, has made a point of saying that the receivers have been rounding off routes, running routes at the wrong depth, etc...

Zolak's job is to generate listeners and calls.....he, too, is a media hack these days......i don't place much stock in what he says, either


Fauria was pretty complimentary in a guest call on EEI the other day

 

[Deus Irae]

Zolak's job is to generate listeners and calls.....he, too, is a media hack these days......i don't place much stock in what he says, either


Fauria was pretty complimentary in a guest call on EEI the other day

:bricks:

Zolak's the analyst on the broadcast.