Reality Break: Offense Last Night (Ben & Brady Show)

[RayClay]

Are we better with Branch? Of course. Are we screwed without him? No.
That is my point. The Patriots will put NFL receivers out on the field, they will get open and Brady will find them.
Is Branch the difference between winning and losing? No, but he makes Brady's job easier.
The reality is that in the offense we run, there will be opportunities for whoever is in that position.
The difference between it being Branch and someone else is:
1) Reliability. Brady trusts Branch, knows they will see the same thing and react the same way. Branch catches the football.
2) Run after the catch.

To say we cannot get receivers open without Branch is simply false. The play design gets receivers open, and Bradys ability to find them and get them the ball results in production.

Sometimes it sounds like people on this board feel like its a choice between Jerry Rice (Branch) and a slow footed 8th grader who never saw a football before (everyone else).

Absolutely Branch adds to the position. But the difference in having Branch or whoever else plays is ADDITIVE. His replacement(s) will be adequate.
That is a far way from excellent vs awful.
The reality is its adequate vs adequate plus a few special additive qualities.

Agreed. Teams are cutting receivers as we speak.

It'd be nice to have Branch and Jackson, but a vet or two can be utilized and maybe become depth when our top receivers become available.

We've got some young guys floating around too. It's called opportunity Bam, Musinski etc.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

AJ makes a good point, not to mention that Watson interviewed after the game pointed out Washington's defense stayed in the same "Cover Two" coverage that allowed the Pats to create mismatches for him in the middle of the field - Troy and Grahambo got to take advantage of that a couple times themselves.

Improving the WRs improves 'one' aspect of the passing game. First impressions - In the Skins' game the O-line looked pretty good in pass protection; the TEs, Watson in particular, were killer; the RBs put together some nice catches and RAC. Troy and Bam both did some nice things in the game, I'll reserve judgement on Reche until I've looked closer at the tape. That's pretty decent all-around play in the passing game, which helped a lot with the Skins apparently keying on the run. Deion or Chad or whomever BB gets to step in and play well just makes the WR corps a more potent aspect of a what has been a potent passing game in the past two contests.