PostGame Thread REACTIONS: Preseason Game 1: NE vs HOU

[Kasmir]

Well, at least the Game Day Thread is in mid-season form

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[Kasmir]

Third string. I’m not saying our second string is that much better, but they started the third string out there tonight.

I've been hoping to see this from Malik.

Assuming he continues like this, it really makes sense to have Malik dress as QB2 on gameday with Zappe available as QB3 only if both Mac and Malik go down. Zappe active as QB2 adds very little other than holding a clipboard, but they can put packages in for Malik and he can go in as a WR as well.

IF Mac goes down and Malik stinks up the joint -- which I think is unlikely -- Malik can always pull up lame to activate Zappe.

 

[captain stone]

Did anyone notice if Hines played? I haven’t seen his name mentioned at all since camp started, so I’m assuming he’s already circling the drain. Ugh.

Yeah, he played a lot of Left Guard actually... and sucked at it, just like everyone else out there.

 

[captain stone]

Yup. Every team in the NFL would get the same result, or worse. This means nothing.

It certainly means that our backups suck at their jobs worse than Houston's backup defensive linemen at theirs.

But most of them - i.e.: the rookies & McDermott - aren't going anywhere, so we're stuck with them.

 

[FCB02062]

Thornton made a nice catch, white made his presence felt... that's about it....against a team that won 3 games last year and started a rookie QB...
there were times, not too long ago, when the Patriots backups would go up there and look like a first team. those days are long gone and hard to find with the talent acquisition of late

 

[Patsfan1958]

Postgame quotes from Belichick, Zappe, Cunningham, etc....

New England Patriots Postgame Quotes 8/10

 

[ctpatsfan77]

IF Mac goes down and Malik stinks up the joint -- which I think is unlikely -- Malik can always pull up lame to activate Zappe.

Only if they want to get docked draft picks.

 

[slash83]

Wasn’t able to catch the game.

Did Pop play?
How did CG look in the 3-4 series he played?
K.White I’ve read looked good.

 

[Tunescribe]

BornAgainNumbnuts thinks Zappe played great tonight but everyone else really sucked. You were there...did YOU notice a change in the team's offense in any respect when Cunningham finally debuted?

One thing I noted about Zappe is his delivery is exactly the same as last season, he looks like he has to heave the ball with all his might to get it anywhere. I've seen commentary that he's working on adjusting his release to compensate for lack of height/batted balls at the LOS. But that seldom translates from practice (where it's consciously deliberate) to the heat of battle (where instincts/ingrained muscle memory take over). We saw this with Tim Tebow. In practice, Tebow threw perfectly because he was thinking about it but in games he unconsciously resorted to the same horrid throwing motion that eventually killed his NFL career.

Zappe throws about a quarter sidearm; his arm isn't very strong but his accuracy is reasonable, a la that ball to Thornton. He makes good decisions yet unfortunately, he isn't big or athletic enough to compensate with his feet when necessary. If Mac gets hurt again and Zappe is pressed into service for any length of time I'd wonder if pass blocking/drops, etc. would require adjusting to give him clearer passing lanes.

Of course, Cunningham is the kind of athlete that can make something happen when the offensive line is conducting Chinese fire drills. Excitement can be contagious, who knows what his potential might be.

 

[mgcolby]

I will never understand the people that act as if a preseason game played by almost entirely by backups, is somehow indictive of how the team will perform.

Really need to look at how individual players performed. And even then, for some you have to factor in who was playing with or around them.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Did anyone notice if Hines played? I haven’t seen his name mentioned at all since camp started, so I’m assuming he’s already circling the drain. Ugh.

Hines was in for the final drive I noticed. Not sure that means anything positive for him.

 

[thecore762]

The running backs failed to impress tonight. The offensive live is going to be the death of the qbs on this team if they can’t figure things out asap.

First game of the preseason, understandable, but these guys looked pretty bad.

 

[Crazy World of Troy Brown]

You think the new O-Line Coach had them prepared? It starts with Coaching.
BB is paying him real good money, 3 times more than a average O-Line Coach earns.
I will be keeping my eye on the Rams, and their new O-line Coach, Ryan Wendell, who we interviewed, and I was hoping we sign.

 

[Crazy World of Troy Brown]

Running backs need holes, QB's need time. Simple.

 

[Kasmir]

Only if they want to get docked draft picks.

When has that happened?

 

[IcyPatriot]

Our QB room may be in the bottom 5 of the league. Zappe is not who some think he is. Malik is a fun gadget guy, but far from being able to run a fully integrated offense. McSorely is an embarrassment to this franchise. There's better camp arms.
Serious question - if Wentz or Foles would come for cheap, which would you take as a vet QB2 over Zappe?

Absolutely ... Some insiders say the Mac/Zappe relationship is cold. I would rather see a vet as #2 and hide Malik on IR.

 

[n6249c]

is it really good for a CB to be making tackles? Or is it a sign he’s giving up completions? His force fumble was on a catch he gave up.

 

[Pape]

@JackBauer you disagree with my post... What part isn't true, or is the part you disagree with?