The problem with the Patriots is lack of top end talent

[Kontradiction]

a.) The patriots are 10-4 even if amendola didn't get hurt the team would still be 10-4, at not point this season has amendola cost the patriots a win

b.) the issue is injuries, thats the only issue.

c.) you called amendola out in your first sentence. "The problem is letting Welker go and replacing him with Amendola who then got injured, unfortunately" I went ahead and bolded your own words there, Letting welker go was NOT a problem that has hurt this team. Welker has missed more games this season than edelman, and with the way this season has gone for the patriots had welker stayed he would have gotten a torn something or other.

My issue isn't with them replacing Welker with Amendola, though I would have preferred Welker. Read the underlined portion, which is the most important part. When talking about injuries, it makes sense to not ignore the fact that I pointed out an injury to one of the most important positions on the offense. And you also did a piss poor job of responding to my request, since that part of the post in now way blames the loss on Amendola.

And as for this...

b.) the issue is injuries, thats the only issue.

That's what I was trying to point out in the O.P. before you flew off the handle.

 

[chasa]

That's what I was trying to point out in the O.P. before you flew off the handle.

Considering the amount of times i've read "if only we had welker" this season Seeing you open up a post with "the problem is they let welker go and replaced him with Amendola" Seemed to imply that you are blaming the losses on amendola.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

When do Patriot fans get over Welker?

never :bricks:

 

[IndianPat]

Injuries are a part of the game.
Releasing Zach Sudfeld. Patriots were a bit hasty in letting him go, despite his on the field disasters. The kid would have been a great body to have just about now.

 

[Kontradiction]

Considering the amount of times i've read "if only we had welker" this season Seeing you open up a post with "the problem is they let welker go and replaced him with Amendola" Seemed to imply that you are blaming the losses on amendola.

That's because your reading comprehension was an utter failure. If it wasn't, you would have picked up on the "who then got injured, unfortunately", (with "injured" and "unfortunately" being the operative words) part.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Injuries are a part of the game.
Releasing Zach Sudfeld. Patriots were a bit hasty in letting him go, despite his on the field disasters. The kid would have been a great body to have just about now.

He was a disaster on the field and chose to let him go...nothing wrong with that move

 

[chasa]

That's because your reading comprehension was an utter failure. If it wasn't, you would have picked up on the "who then got injured, unfortunately", (with "injured" and "unfortunately" being the operative words) part.

Or you could have said Injuries, And not called Amendola out after saying Letting welker get away, because either you meant it that way or you were baiting for someone to comment on it.

 

[ATippett56]

the real problem is gronk shopping in a scooter

That young whippersnapper stole my scooter!

[Waves cane at Gronk]

 

[ATippett56]

The problem with the Patriots is....

Watching Marquice Cole try to cover Mike Wallace, let alone any NFL wide receiver.

 

[Rob0729]

Injuries are a part of the game.
Releasing Zach Sudfeld. Patriots were a bit hasty in letting him go, despite his on the field disasters. The kid would have been a great body to have just about now.

They misjudged the market and felt that they could have snuck him back onto the practice squad. It probably was stupid to believe no one would try to claim him.

That said, Sudfeld didn't do anything while he was here and hasn't done a heck of a lot more with the Jets. The guy had 4 receptions for 56 yards this season. I know Geno Smith sucks, but if Sudfeld was remotely starter ready he would have more production than that.

 

[mgteich]

I would note that we will likely have a slot receiver with over 100 catches this year. The announcers are good at hindsight. They noted that we were able to lose Welker because we had players like Edelman. Of course, we also have Amendola and Collie to help out in the slot. Our "problem" is NOT replacing Welker in the slot.

Our problem is replacing Gronk. Our problem is not having a healthy downfield receiver: or rather having one that is better than Boyce.

When do Patriot fans get over Welker?

 

[PATSNUTme]

OK- I'll play- my answer to the question is :

Nothing! This team, with all the injuries they have had, fights it's ass off every single game. Here is a team with several of it's best players gone for the season, 13 rookies on the roster, and still 10-4.

This is one of my favorite Patriots teams - probably top 10. And I've been a Patriots fan for 45 years.

I have no expectations of their winning the SB or even getting close to the SB, but if there is a way to do it, this team will because of BB, TFB, and shear determination.

I guess this makes me a blind homer to some. But I consider myself a realist with my eyes wide open. that is why I'm enjoying this team so much.

 

[Kontradiction]

Or you could have said Injuries, And not called Amendola out after saying Letting welker get away, because either you meant it that way or you were baiting for someone to comment on it.

So you're just hell bent on arguing about something even though it's been pointed out multiple times that you weren't thinking or reading particularly well. In that case, let me ask you two questions and then laugh when you either answer them and destroy your case or don't answer them honestly...

1. Did Amendola originally come here as a Welker replacement?

2. Did Amendola get injured?

 

[SVN]

OK- I'll play- my answer to the question is :

Nothing! This team, with all the injuries they have had, fights it's ass off every single game. Here is a team with several of it's best players gone for the season, 13 rookies on the roster, and still 10-4.

This is one of my favorite Patriots teams - probably top 10. And I've been a Patriots fan for 45 years.

I have no expectations of their winning the SB or even getting close to the SB, but if there is a way to do it, this team will because of BB, TFB, and shear determination.

I guess this makes me a blind homer to some. But I consider myself a realist with my eyes wide open. that is why I'm enjoying this team so much.

Chat: Chat with Tedy Bruschi - SportsNation - ESPN Boston

Brian (Boston)

I'm really stretching for a silver lining here, but could all the injuries and close games be the kind of thing that galvanizes a team like the Patriots to do big things in the post-season? When you were a player would adversity really fire you and the team up or is it all about game planning and execution?
Tedy (2:13 PM)

Brian, this is how the AFC is this year. There isn't one team I think the Patriots couldn't beat in the AFC playoffs. Is anyone scared of Denver? Is anyone scared of the Bengals? They just got beaten down by the Steelers. The Colts? You never know what you're going to get there. The Chiefs look good but they are beatable too. When this gets to the playoffs, and I am assuming the Patriots will win one of their next two and be in the playoffs, this team has just as good of a chance as any in the AFC to make it to the Super Bowl.

DJ (Ann Arbor)

Hi Tedy. With 5 starters and 4 Pro Bowlers on IR, I hope for the best but think this isn't our year. If you were GM where would you focus resources in draft and free agency, thinking about maximizing the teams chances during rest of Brady era? D line? TE? What's the biggest need?
Tedy (2:18 PM)

DJ, I wouldn't give up the season. I would never give up any season in Week 16 when a team has 10 victories. There are so many variables in football, variables that you or I couldn't even begin to predict on any given Sunday. This is as an objective of a statement as I could say: The Patriots still have as good of a chance as any team to make the Super Bowl. Looking at the AFC as a whole, every team has a shot. There is no dominant team in the AFC. Let's save the offseason questions for the offseason.

 

[Rob0729]

I would note that we will likely have a slot receiver with over 100 catches this year. The announcers are good at hindsight. They noted that we were able to lose Welker because we had players like Edelman. Of course, we also have Amendola and Collie to help out in the slot. Our "problem" is NOT replacing Welker in the slot.

Our problem is replacing Gronk. Our problem is not having a healthy downfield receiver: or rather having one that is better than Boyce.

Yeah, Welker was really hardly missed thus far this year. Maybe in a game or two the Pats could have really needed him. But otherwise, in every game someone stepped up and replaced his production.

Other than Gronk being out. I think the Pats miss Woodhead more than any one not currently on the roster. Vereen is more versatile and better than Woodhead when healthy, but the Pats killed teams with the Woodhead draws and Vereen doesn't run that play.

Unfortunately, I still believe it was Woodhead's choice not to come back over the Pats lack of interest to bring him back. I can't blame a guy for wanting to get more playing time if he left like I suspect.

 

[ATippett56]

Defensive snaps - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

MIAMI -- A look at snaps played by Patriots defenders in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, while analyzing what it means (as charted in press box, small margin for error):

S Steve Gregory -- 63 of 63
S Devin McCourty -- 63 of 63
DE Rob Ninkovich -- 63 of 63
CB Aqib Talib -- 63 of 63
CB Kyle Arrington -- 61 of 63
DE Chandler Jones -- 61 of 63
CB Alfonzo Dennard -- 57 of 63
LB Dont'a Hightower -- 40 of 63
DT Chris Jones -- 38 of 63
NT Sealver Siliga -- 38 of 63
LB Jamie Collins --29 of 63
DT Joe Vellano -- 24 of 63
LB Dane Fletcher -- 23 of 63
LB Brandon Spikes -- 21 of 63
CB Logan Ryan -- 17 of 63
NT Isaac Sopoaga -- 15 of 63
DE Andre Carter -- 13 of 63
CB Marquice Cole -- 4 of 63

(Penalties included.)

Analysis: When Cole came on late in the second quarter for the injured Arrington, the Dolphins quickly targeted him and produced a 39-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Mike Wallace. As part of a game plan that had top corner Talib playing inside for most of the game, Arrington's injury created a situation where Cole, more of a natural slot corner, aligned on the outside against Wallace. That was a matchup the Dolphins took advantage of, and led to the question: What made Cole a better option than the rookie Ryan, or even McCourty (with Duron Harmon entering at safety)? ... At defensive tackle, Siliga and Chris Jones were the top combination, with the rookie Vellano third on the depth chart, followed by Sopoaga. ... Chandler Jones, who usually plays every snap, missed two in the third quarter when he stayed down after one play. It appeared to just be cramping, as he came back quickly. ... Spikes had a limited workload, in part because the Patriots were mostly in sub defenses and seemed to prefer the speed/athleticism of either the rookie Collins or the four-year veteran Fletcher.

 

[Boomer B]

The biggest problem with the patriots right now is the fans and their expectations. This team has been hammered by injuries all season long ans has somehow found ways to put themselves into position for a bye, yet all week every week all we hear about is how bad their players are and how much they suck. Most fanbases would be wetting themselves at the fact that their team has a great shot at a bye for the play-offs but Patriot fans see anything short of a perfect season as a sign of complete decay, for christ'ssakes there are actually people saying that the team needs a complete rebuild....seriously? Get the **** out of here.


Now i am not saying that they don't have real weaknesses and real needs this coming offseason, but for the most part this is a deep and well constructed team that has overachieved and overcome most of the personel losses they have suffered, and even though yesterday's loss sucked being 10-4 at this point of the season still puts them at the top of the league, and that's with 14 rookies playing and many of their best players sitting it out. Do they look like a championship team, no, but other than Seattle who does? They need to win one more game to seal the division up, then get as healthy as possible and go for a run in the play-offs. It's been done many times by team's no one thought would win a Super Bowl, and the patriots have the best bad weather QB in football history with the actual Game in a bad weather city for once. The road won't be easy, especially if they have to beat Denver in Denver and Seattle in the SB, but it can still be done and I'm looking forward to watching them try and do it.

Someone asked the question recently of which Patriot's non-championship season was our favorite, and my response, much as i hate to say it was it will probably be this one. The Patriots can win it all, but i wouldn't bet on it, however the season itself has been a great deal of fun to follow and this team has been squeezing pretty much everything they can get out of themselves, so rather than knock them I am just going to take it for what it is, hope they can somehow manage to pull a Lombardi out of it, and respect the effort they have given us this season. Imo it bodes really well for the next few years and their chances of getting another ring or two before Brady hangs them up. if nothing else it should give them both a hunger for next season and a great deal of confidence in how good they can be if they work their asses off all offseason and come into next season ready to go.


So here is my advice, like it or not, stop your *****ing and crying and enjoy the season, win it all or not it will all be gone in a very short while, and the bastards moved the Draft to May so even that is a long way off.

Best post of the year. Every Patriot fan should be very proud of this team. Most other teams in the NFL would have thrown in the towel long ago.

 

[IcyPatriot]

The problem with the Patriots is that they have too many fans that do not understand that the other team is capable of making great plays also because they have some great players themselves. At 10-4 after being decimated with injuries ... what would Vegas odds be on that when the season began?

 

[Ring 6]

They misjudged the market and felt that they could have snuck him back onto the practice squad. It probably was stupid to believe no one would try to claim him.

That said, Sudfeld didn't do anything while he was here and hasn't done a heck of a lot more with the Jets. The guy had 4 receptions for 56 yards this season. I know Geno Smith sucks, but if Sudfeld was remotely starter ready he would have more production than that.

No they cut him because he sucks as a football player.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

The problem with the Patriots is....

The biggest problem with the patriots right now is the fans and their expectations. This team has been hammered by injuries all season long ans has somehow found ways to put themselves into position for a bye, yet all week every week all we hear about is how bad their players are and how much they suck. Most fanbases would be wetting themselves at the fact that their team has a great shot at a bye for the play-offs but Patriot fans see anything short of a perfect season as a sign of complete decay, for christ'ssakes there are actually people saying that the team needs a complete rebuild....seriously? Get the **** out of here.


Now i am not saying that they don't have real weaknesses and real needs this coming offseason, but for the most part this is a deep and well constructed team that has overachieved and overcome most of the personel losses they have suffered, and even though yesterday's loss sucked being 10-4 at this point of the season still puts them at the top of the league, and that's with 14 rookies playing and many of their best players sitting it out. Do they look like a championship team, no, but other than Seattle who does? They need to win one more game to seal the division up, then get as healthy as possible and go for a run in the play-offs. It's been done many times by team's no one thought would win a Super Bowl, and the patriots have the best bad weather QB in football history with the actual Game in a bad weather city for once. The road won't be easy, especially if they have to beat Denver in Denver and Seattle in the SB, but it can still be done and I'm looking forward to watching them try and do it.

Someone asked the question recently of which Patriot's non-championship season was our favorite, and my response, much as i hate to say it was it will probably be this one. The Patriots can win it all, but i wouldn't bet on it, however the season itself has been a great deal of fun to follow and this team has been squeezing pretty much everything they can get out of themselves, so rather than knock them I am just going to take it for what it is, hope they can somehow manage to pull a Lombardi out of it, and respect the effort they have given us this season. Imo it bodes really well for the next few years and their chances of getting another ring or two before Brady hangs them up. if nothing else it should give them both a hunger for next season and a great deal of confidence in how good they can be if they work their asses off all offseason and come into next season ready to go.


So here is my advice, like it or not, stop your *****ing and crying and enjoy the season, win it all or not it will all be gone in a very short while, and the bastards moved the Draft to May so even that is a long way off.

That's why I refuse to count this team out of the SB. What they have gone through, they won't give up. I still believe if the secondary gets healthy (bye) and AD plus KT will get healthy and help. As much as it looks bad, Ridley is on the rise, KT and AD aren't the 1st game rookies we saw, and the secondary can be amazing. I am cautiously optimistic that we could pull a giants or ravens this year.