The New Week Starts Tomorrow

[mgteich]

Obviously, we'll crush NO next week. That just the way the patriots and Brady do things.

HOWEVER, that doesn't address the fact that we potentially need help at three positons, not for this week, but for later in the season.

PUNT RETURNER
After 3 concussions, Bill will need to decide how much to play Danny, and at what position. It would help if someone else returned punts. Obviously, Belichick doesn't want to use a roster spot on a punt returner. He may have little choice.

WIDE RECEIVER
With Edelman gone, Lucien gone, and Mitchell injured, the team decided that Carr wasn't worth keeping. I'm fine with that judgment. And yes, Dorsett might help, or he may not. We have Cooks and Hogan.

Andy tells me that we need have 4 active WR's. I'm not so sure, but we obviously need 4 if one is Amendola.

It seems obvious to me that we need to use fewer 3 WR sets, certainly until and if Dorsett learns the offensive system, which could (is likely to) take several weeks at least. We need to use our TE's more in the passing game, and certainly our RB's more.

We have a couple of WR's on the PS. Perhaps they will be able to help later in the season, and perhaps Mitchell will be back, and/or Danny will be healthy.

In the meantime, the open question is whether Belichick secures another WR. My guess is not unless he has been here before. However, Belichick may decide that one more option is needed; that is, one more option that may be ready to be a contributor in the second half, after learning the system.

DE/OLB
I just don't know how big a role Hightower will be playing going forward. I expect Marsh to improve each week. However, it does seem that Harris/Roberts/Langi should be able to play much more, with Van Noy taking some outside responsibility.

Wise and Guy will be better at DE, once they learn the system better.

The BOTTOM line is that we have Flowers, Guy, Wise, Marsh, Van Noy (and Hightower) to play DE/OLB. That should be enough. Obviously, Belichick could sign Ayers if he believed that this would be an improvement.

 

[supafly]

I'd like to think that we'll beat NO this week, and I agree that is how Brady and Belichick normally respond after a loss.

At some point, that will no longer be an automatic bounce back victory. Times will have changed. I'd like to think that we're not there just yet. I'm expecting a hard fought win. Can't get on board with the idea of a blowout. Have to hope that Amendola can play. I don't expect HT to play, yet.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I'd like to think that we'll beat NO this week, and I agree that is how Brady and Belichick normally respond after a loss.

At some point, that will no longer be an automatic bounce back victory. Times will have changed. I'd like to think that we're not there just yet. I'm expecting a hard fought win. Can't get on board with the idea of a blowout. Have to hope that Amendola can play. I don't expect HT to play, yet.

Didn't they lose two in row not long ago? The saints will be a desperate team at home as well. Got to play a good game.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I'd like to think that we'll beat NO this week, and I agree that is how Brady and Belichick normally respond after a loss.

At some point, that will no longer be an automatic bounce back victory. Times will have changed. I'd like to think that we're not there just yet. I'm expecting a hard fought win. Can't get on board with the idea of a blowout. Have to hope that Amendola can play. I don't expect HT to play, yet.

So you think Hightower will miss the game? Yikes.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I expect a big game from Flowers. And think we'll see his versatility against that OL. I can see moving around a bit and hopefully in on some stunts. I'm thinking 2+ Sacks including one on the edge.

 

[supafly]

So you think Hightower will miss the game? Yikes.

Obviously, I don't have any inside info and am not a medical professional, but historically speaking, they don't normally try to rush players back, particularly ones with reoccurring issues, and especially this early in the season.

The initial report was an MCL sprain, with the recovery period being 2-3 games. The next morning the word "mild" and phrase "week to week" were added, so take from it what you will. Personally, I'm expecting a missed game, but perhaps I'm just on the pessimistic side? I think coming back for week 3 or 4 may be needed, simply due to the quick turnaround on TNF again a few days later in week 5.

It would also allow him to take advantage of a 17 day recovery period, since there is a 10 day window between last week and this. We'll see. Hopefully, he doesn't miss a snap and is moving around better than expected.

 

[thecore762]

I'm worried about our interior line than the outside, they have bruisers like Ingram in there and with no HT they will go right at us, it will depend on our DT and middle linebackers to stop the run...without HT it's gonna be tough, and the pass rush, only Flowers has proven that he can get to the QBs, I haven't seen much from the others.

I'm hoping a heavy dose of Gronk in this upcoming game.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I'm worried about our interior line than the outside, they have bruisers like Ingram in there and with no HT they will go right at us, it will depend on our DT and middle linebackers to stop the run...without HT it's gonna be tough, and the pass rush, only Flowers has proven that he can get to the QBs, I haven't seen much from the others.

I'm hoping a heavy dose of Gronk in this upcoming game.

Well I rather see more of the rookie.

 

[supafly]

Well I rather see more of the rookie.

You mean the rookie DT Butler? I think we'll be seeing more of him in the coming games. Vincent Valentine's injury situation bears watching, too.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

You mean the rookie DT Butler? I think we'll be seeing more of him in the coming games. Vincent Valentine's injury situation bears watching, too.

We need valentine back badly and we need brown to step up in the trenches. More snaps for wise as well.

 

[supafly]

Didn't they lose two in row not long ago? The saints will be a desperate team at home as well. Got to play a good game.

New England lost two in a row in '15, '12, '11, '09, '06, '02, '01, and '00 during the Bill Belichick era, or approximately half the seasons since he's been here.

Interestingly enough, they did not lose two in a row during some of what we deem as their more challenging years, which occurred in '13, (no WRs) '08, (no Brady) and '05 (no defense).

 

[Pats1989]

Crush NO? Fat chance. They will be desperate.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Some of our RB's possess cat like quickness and need to basically play a WR type role.

 

[supafly]

Crush NO? Fat chance. They will be desperate.

They should be used to that kind of desperation by now, having started 0-3 last year, 0-3 in 2015, and 0-2 in 2014.

 

[Ring 6]

Obviously, I don't have any inside info and am not a medical professional, but historically speaking, they don't normally try to rush players back, particularly ones with reoccurring issues, and especially this early in the season.

The initial report was an MCL sprain, with the recovery period being 2-3 games. The next morning the word "mild" and phrase "week to week" were added, so take from it what you will. Personally, I'm expecting a missed game, but perhaps I'm just on the pessimistic side? I think coming back for week 3 or 4 may be needed, simply due to the quick turnaround on TNF again a few days later in week 5.

It would also allow him to take advantage of a 17 day recovery period, since there is a 10 day window between last week and this. We'll see. Hopefully, he doesn't miss a snap and is moving around better than expected.

Was there an initial report of 2-3 weeks and mcl or was that the speculation.
My point being I don't think the injury or prognosis changed I think the perception did because people were guessing.

 

[varjao]

If the team doesn't feel confident Mitchell will come back effective we may need to get another WR from some other team practice squad or make a trade. And even so he would come back only after week 8.

I'm afraid that with the shortage of WR and Dwayne Allen struggling in the passing game that Brady will throw the ball too much to Gronk and the big dude is or should be on a pitch count.

 

[captain stone]

I expect a big game from Flowers. And think we'll see his versatility against that OL. I can see moving around a bit and hopefully in on some stunts. I'm thinking 2+ Sacks including one on the edge.

Sean Payton isn't letting that happen. They'll double-team Flowers (and not just chip-block either) and single-block everybody else until and unless some other Pats defender makes them change.

 

[supafly]

Was there an initial report of 2-3 weeks and mcl or was that the speculation.
My point being I don't think the injury or prognosis changed I think the perception did because people were guessing.

Quite possibly. I just remember seeing a screenshot of a tweet from one of the beat writers directly after the game. Most likely in the gameday thread. It may actually have been 2-4 weeks, but the diagnosis was the same.

The next AM I woke up and people here were quoting a report that used the terms "mild" and "week to week." Even if that's the case, they may choose caution. We'll have to see.

 

[Ring 6]

Quite possibly. I just remember seeing a screenshot of a tweet from one of the beat writers directly after the game. Most likely in the gameday thread. It may actually have been 2-4 weeks, but the diagnosis was the same.

The next AM I woke up and people here were quoting a report that used the terms "mild" and "week to week." Even if that's the case, they may choose caution. We'll have to see.

Yeah I think the initial was more like it looks like an mcl and if it is thise are usually 2-4 weeks.

 

[mgteich]

If the team doesn't feel confident Mitchell will come back effective we may need to get another WR from some other team practice squad or make a trade. And even so he would come back only after week 8.

I'm afraid that with the shortage of WR and Dwayne Allen struggling in the passing game that Brady will throw the ball too much to Gronk and the big dude is or should be on a pitch count.

Sure, a PS player could be added, perhaps from our own squad. However, if we aren't counting on Mitchell, and perhaps Amendola, then we need to trade for a WR.