The Annual Guess the Record Thread

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

2016 was sort of an exception. Even in 2016 Amendola and Mitchell pretty much shared the WR3 role. We wouldn’t have been screwed with my one or the other as we saw last year when Amendola basically replaced both of them.
Perhaps never use was a slight exaggeration but we have never needed to have 4, which we will have in 4 weeks anyway.

You’re not seeing the picture here are you?

 

[RobertWeathers]

2016 was sort of an exception. Even in 2016 Amendola and Mitchell pretty much shared the WR3 role. We wouldn’t have been screwed with my one or the other as we saw last year when Amendola basically replaced both of them.
Perhaps never use was a slight exaggeration but we have never needed to have 4, which we will have in 4 weeks anyway.

I hear you and I don't think they are a "4/5 wide team" all the time but I do believe it is their preference is to always have 4 quality WRs that they can play at the same time whenever the need calls for them. Even with Jules back, the current corps will need to prove they are as such.

 

[Ring 6]

Me? No cause I don't know **** about any other teams. I'm just saying, I get the uncertainty. We've had depth before offensively, I think we're a little thinner this year than we have been since 2013. Not just at WR but at OT too with Cannon's injury history and Wynn being out for the year

After 4 games we have 4 WRs in appropriate roles and potentially a 5th from these Rainer claims. When have we ever been deeper than that?
Same at OT. Typical is to have an OT3 that we have some confidence in and an OT4 either with very little experience or on the practice squad. If there were major concerns here we could have kept Tobin who has starting experience but instead we cut to 51.

 

[oldrover]

I don't understand the pessimism some people have.

https://imgflip.com/gif-maker

 

[Double TE]

11-5. I am worried about the lack of play makers on offense. Losing Cooks and Lewis could really hurt. I like the D though.

 

[Ring 6]

I hear you and I don't think they are a "4/5 wide team" all the time but I do believe it is their preference is to always have 4 quality WRs that they can play at the same time whenever the need calls for them. Even with Jules back, the current corps will need to prove they are as such.

We almost have never put 4wr on the field together. When we spread the field there is always a te and a rb.
Look at the wr group with Edelman.
Who is in a position that exceeds what we expected of them going in?
1 Edelman
2 Hogan
3 Patterson/Dorsett
4 Dorsett/Patterson

Who is out of whack?
Let’s say any of the competitors that ended up cut were still here. Who is an upgrade in what spot? We had 8 NFL receivers who have had success in the league battling for 4 spots. These are the 4 that won the jobs and I don’t see where there is a problem.
Sure we ate light in the first 4 games but we have the best NonWR receiving group in the nfl and Tom Brady at qb.
Something tells me we aren’t falling apart because of a wr5 that would be wr4 in 4 weeks.
Sometimes people act like there should be 4 starters sitting behind the top 4 or we “have concerns”. Those “concerns” are just part of any nfl team.

If you want to find all the teams with great talent at wr5,6,7..... let me know who they are and if they exist I’ll reconsider but I’ve never seen that.

 

[tasmlab]

I'm surprised the "BB is a terrible GM...drafter...talent evaluator..." or "McDaniels can't call a game to save his life..." or "Our defense isn't aggressive enough...where are the sacks..." crowd hasn't come in with the 4-12/6-10/8-8 predictions yet.

Someone predicting less than 10 wins has a LOT of precedent working against them.

 

[PatsDeb]

13-3. We'll win a few we should lose and we'll lose a few we should win (just like every year). Go Pats!!

 

[A Defiant Goose]

After 4 games we have 4 WRs in appropriate roles and potentially a 5th from these Rainer claims. When have we ever been deeper than that?
Same at OT. Typical is to have an OT3 that we have some confidence in and an OT4 either with very little experience or on the practice squad. If there were major concerns here we could have kept Tobin who has starting experience but instead we cut to 51.

Well since this is a thread about their W/L record I don't think you can discount the first four games so easily. Edelman's not gonna be there, so it immediately puts Hogan at #1, Dorsett/CP at 2/3, and … ? Of course we still have the GOAT TE and a great RB corps but can you at least meet me halfway and say in the first 4 weeks the WR picture isn't as clear? And once Edelman does come back, we're hoping he's back to business as usual and/or doesn't get injured again, cause if he does we're right back to Hogan as our #1 and I don't think he's good in that role

 

[RobertWeathers]

We almost have never put 4wr on the field together. When we spread the field there is always a te and a rb.
Look at the wr group with Edelman.
Who is in a position that exceeds what we expected of them going in?
1 Edelman
2 Hogan
3 Patterson/Dorsett
4 Dorsett/Patterson

Who is out of whack?
Let’s say any of the competitors that ended up cut were still here. Who is an upgrade in what spot? We had 8 NFL receivers who have had success in the league battling for 4 spots. These are the 4 that won the jobs and I don’t see where there is a problem.
Sure we ate light in the first 4 games but we have the best NonWR receiving group in the nfl and Tom Brady at qb.
Something tells me we aren’t falling apart because of a wr5 that would be wr4 in 4 weeks.
Sometimes people act like there should be 4 starters sitting behind the top 4 or we “have concerns”. Those “concerns” are just part of any nfl team.

If you want to find all the teams with great talent at wr5,6,7..... let me know who they are and if they exist I’ll reconsider but I’ve never seen that.

In terms of targets....

2015 their WR3/4 was Martin and Dobson. It hurt them when LaFell went in the tank.
2014 their WR3/4 was DA and Dobson. It didn't hurt them a they had Gronk
2013 their WR3/4 depth was Dobson and Thompkins. It hurt them when they lost Gronk.
2012 their WR3/4 depth was Jules and Branch. Jules got hurt and Branch was done. It hurt them when they lost Gronk

You brought up the talent question and as you know I have reservations that Dorsett and Patterson can run the same routes with the same level with quality that Tom will be ok with. Once I see them perform, the production out of WR3 and WR4 is a question mark.

 

[Ring 6]

Well since this is a thread about their W/L record I don't think you can discount the first four games so easily. Edelman's not gonna be there, so it immediately puts Hogan at #1, Dorsett/CP at 2/3, and … ? Of course we still have the GOAT TE and a great RB corps but can you at least meet me halfway and say in the first 4 weeks the WR picture isn't as clear? And once Edelman does come back, we're hoping he's back to business as usual and/or doesn't get injured again, cause if he does we're right back to Hogan as our #1 and I don't think he's good in that role

I think brady makes it work and we win at least 3 of the first 4.
Of all positions WR is the one that would concern me the last if there were issues.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I think brady makes it work and we win at least 3 of the first 4.
Of all positions WR is the one that would concern me the last if there were issues.

I think so too but wouldn't be surprised to see 2-2, which isn't doom and gloom but doesn't give us much wiggle room the rest of the year

 

[Ring 6]

In terms of targets....

2015 their WR3/4 was Martin and Dobson. It hurt them when LaFell went in the tank.

Good example.
Edelman played 9 games.
Amendola played 14
Lafell played 11.
That’s 14 games missed by wr1-3 (not counting the portions they missed when injured) and Martin and Dobson had 37 and 21 targets.
Martin wasn’t on the roster at the start of the season.

2014 their WR3/4 was DA and Dobson. It didn't hurt them a they had Gronk

Dobson had 5 targets. Kinda proves my point.

2013 their WR3/4 depth was Dobson and Thompkins. It hurt them when they lost Gronk.

We have better players than that now.

2012 their WR3/4 depth was Jules and Branch. Jules got hurt and Branch was done. It hurt them when they lost Gronk

WR3 and wr4 has 61 combined targets.

You brought up the talent question and as you know I have reservations that Dorsett and Patterson can run the same routes with the same level with quality that Tom will be ok with. Once I see them perform, the production out of WR3 and WR4 is a question mark.

Where in any of those years did we have talent at wr4,5,etc?

We went to at least the AFCCG in each of those years.
You want to blame gronk being injured and not winning a sb on the wr4? Strange.

 

[Vatahala]

12-4.

Pats had the most votes among MMQB writing staff with 6 votes to make it to the SB followed by the Steelers with 4 and KC surprisingly to me had 3 votes. That's a lot of confidence in a untested Mahomes.

 

[Ring 6]

I think so too but wouldn't be surprised to see 2-2, which isn't doom and gloom but doesn't give us much wiggle room the rest of the year

2-2, 4-0, 2-2, 4-0, 3-1, 2-2
Last 6 seasons first 4 games.
Last 4 seasons next 12.
10-2, 8-4, 10-2, 8-4, 11-1, 11-1

 

[captain stone]

We almost have never put 4wr on the field together. When we spread the field there is always a te and a rb.
Look at the wr group with Edelman.
Who is in a position that exceeds what we expected of them going in?
1 Edelman
2 Hogan
3 Patterson/Dorsett
4 Dorsett/Patterson

Who is out of whack?

All of them.

And for the first 4 weeks at least, Phil Dorsett is our #2 WR. Let that sink in...

 

[Ring 6]

All of them.

And for the first 4 weeks at least, Phil Dorsett is our #2 WR. Let that sink in...

You think Edelman is not an appropriate 1? Seems to have worked out well.
Hogan has been 2 since he arrived.
Dorsett and Patterson were brought in to be WR3 and wr4.

Let’s do this.
I predict the first 4 weeks are:
3-1 win/loss record.
28 ppg
1100 passing yards for Brady.

What do you predict?

Let’s see who is closer

 

[RobertWeathers]

Good example.
Edelman played 9 games.
Amendola played 14
Lafell played 11.
That’s 14 games missed by wr1-3 (not counting the portions they missed when injured) and Martin and Dobson had 37 and 21 targets.
Martin wasn’t on the roster at the start of the season.



Dobson had 5 targets. Kinda proves my point.



We have better players than that now.



WR3 and wr4 has 61 combined targets.



Where in any of those years did we have talent at wr4,5,etc?

We went to at least the AFCCG in each of those years.
You want to blame gronk being injured and not winning a sb on the wr4? Strange.

My point is with the exception of 2016, in the years when Gronk was hurt and in 2015 they had crappy depth at WR3/4/5

Even with Jules and Hogs as WR1/2 right now that is questionable. I hope Dorsett & Patterson prove me wrong.

If Gronk goes down it is a more legitimate concern they will have enough quality intermediate/downfield receivers. Maybe Hollister can step up (which I think is a good possibility)

 

[mcmurtry86]

All of them.

And for the first 4 weeks at least, Phil Dorsett is our #2 WR. Let that sink in...

Right, the confidence a person has in the WR group is dependent upon what they expect of Dorsett and Patterson. For some, those guys are exciting and talented players just waiting to fulfill their 1st round promise

To others, they're busts who have shown nothing to indicate they will be able to produce in New England. One of those guys as the 4th WR is fine but they're scary as guys who will be getting a lot of snaps (especially early on and probably late in the year after injuries strike the starters/Gronk)

Neither of them have shown to have NFL caliber skills at WR. Not sure why anyone is happy with them as the #2 and 3 WR to start the year. The first 4 games count as much as the next 12.

I also think the "WR is just fine" crowd is assuming Edelman will be his usual self and not a declining or rusty version of himself. That remains to be seen

 

[varjao]

11-5