Their goes the running game for week 1

[BPF]

Maroney will play this week, minor injury that kept him out of preseason game will not keep him out of the real thing.

 

[Kdo5]

I give this thread 5 thumbs down.

 

[R_T26]

LOL, most of us weren't even considering RB in the 1st round of the draft this year, now we're dead without the 1st round guy we took.

That said, Lawrence get well soon.

well speak for yourself, because I championed for an RB or a reciever (specifically jackson)in the first round, because i saw it was our offense that cost us the denver game, and the lack of running game that allowed denver to blitz at will and brady was getting hit one to many times. Obviously my opinion was on par with the FO. Though of course their were the posters who said they wont take an RB in the 1st round because BB doesnt take RB's that high etc.

 

[kolbitr]

Re: There goes the running game for week 1

It's interesting that Steelers fans seem much calmer about losing their starting (and nearly unbeaten) quarterback for an indefinite period of time than many of us are over losing a rookie rb to a probably minor injury. Patriots fans, as well, are more optimistic about Pittsburgh's chances without Ben than many here about ours without Maroney.

We need to relish the challenges as well as the dominations! If we can't suit up and beat the Bills without a rookie, then we'll be in trouble. Let's wait and see how the guys respond, including Dillon and the OL, before judging the offense's chances against competition like the Broncos.

We could also see this as an effort by the Team to avoid annointing any rookie as a saviour, no matter how promising they might look. A vote of confidence for the guys who have brought us to the top before, perhaps.

 

[Patriot Games]

Once again someone makes an observation and their automatically a DOOMSDAYER. Corey Dillon and his 10,000 yards what does that have to with anything. Thats like Cardinals fans saying "were fine we have the 2 time MVP at QB". Have you seen Dillon this preseason, he's still the same guy as last year, slow to the line. Some of you guys are so unobjective. If someone said we dont have Branch and Givens, you guys would be the first ones to say well we have Maroney and the run game now. Now maroney may be out, and it doesnt matter because he's a rookie who hasnt even played in the NFL yet. anything to suit your argument. be honest, this team can not afford to take any hits on offense.

If Dillon does well against Buffalo, Pats win something like 30-7.

If Dillon doesn't do well against Buffalo, Pats win something like 23-7.

So, yes. Anyone who is panicked because Dillon's BACKUP, a rookie who has never taken a snap in an NFL regular-season game, may miss the first week of the season against a horrible competitor is a Doomsdayer.

Dillon was hurt for the majority of last season. Right now, he is supposedly doing just fine. When healthy in the past, Dillon has been extremely effective. He is one season removed from a 1600-yard performance. Is that likely to happen again? No. But a more productive year than last year's injury-shortened season is likely.

I think Labor Day is a bit early to hit the panic button.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

so we got only 2 recievers who know the playbook, and Dillon and his 2.5 ypc. for week 1. And the season hasnt even started yet. This team does not have the depth to be able to take any injuries on offense.

Not a good sign if we're hitting the panic button over a rook who hasn't played a single regular season snap yet...I think we're gonna be more resilient than that...now, if it were Brady...

 

[Jimke]

Other than Troy Brown, how many wide receivers do you expect

to have more than one catch in this game?

 

[patsox23]

well speak for yourself, because I championed for an RB or a reciever (specifically jackson)in the first round, because i saw it was our offense that cost us the denver game, and the lack of running game that allowed denver to blitz at will and brady was getting hit one to many times.

Gee. What insight. None of us thought that the running game - without a healthy Dillon, Faulk, Light, Koppen or Ashworth (or Kaczur) - played a big role in the loss to Denver.

How do you not acknowledge that a LOT of what ailed the Pats offense last year has been FIXED this year, even without Maroney in the lineup? Do you seriously believe that?

 

[BPF]

From Reiss, doesn't seem to be an issue.

"Rookie running back Laurence Maroney walked through the locker room at a brisk pace and smiled as reporters approached him. He declined interview requests."

 

[patsox23]

Other than Troy Brown, how many wide receivers do you expect

to have more than one catch in this game?

Good, fair question. Maybe you can make that its own thread. My answer would be two - Caldwell and Gabriel. I think each will have 2, maybe one of them grabs 3. With the healthy and improved OL, Brady will have a running game (even without LoMo) and time to throw. He'll find his WRs.

As for "receivers," in general, I'd say...6 besides Troy, those being - Caldwell and Gabriel, Faulk, Dillon, Watson, Graham. Each of those guys will have more than one catch.

 

[mdhprime]

Once again someone makes an observation and their automatically a DOOMSDAYER. Corey Dillon and his 10,000 yards what does that have to with anything. Thats like Cardinals fans saying "were fine we have the 2 time MVP at QB". Have you seen Dillon this preseason, he's still the same guy as last year, slow to the line. Some of you guys are so unobjective. If someone said we dont have Branch and Givens, you guys would be the first ones to say well we have Maroney and the run game now. Now maroney may be out, and it doesnt matter because he's a rookie who hasnt even played in the NFL yet. anything to suit your argument. be honest, this team can not afford to take any hits on offense.

This isn't an observation. It is a rant. You can't predict how Dillon is going to play from the few downs you saw during the pre-season. As for your observation that the team can't "take any hits on the offense" I got news for you, no team is the same after an injury to a starter or an important player. You need to chill.

 

[SCPatBoy]

It is just aggravating as thee has been not even an inkling of info on this....Everyone suggested he was fine and that we were just resting him.......I mean at least we know Bruschi has a broken thumb....Jackson...a hamstring problem.......With Maroney...everyone says he's fine, nothing major, but almost a week and a half isn't long enough for him to recover.......................I am convinced he needs to be a contributor for most of the season for us to stay on top!!!!

 

[BPF]

Why don't we hold off till the injury report comes out on Wednesday. This seems a little odd, getting info out of Pats is not easy.

 

[CheerforTom]

It's 'there' goes the running game. Not their.

 

[since67]

i was going to post but now i'm afraid to...

 

[DaBruinz]

so we got only 2 recievers who know the playbook, and Dillon and his 2.5 ypc. for week 1. And the season hasnt even started yet. This team does not have the depth to be able to take any injuries on offense.

1st off, where the hell are you coming up with this stuff from?

1) Dillon, Maroney, Faulk and Evans will be fine for the Bills game.
2) The O-line is relatively healthy with the only questionmark being Kaczur.
3) I think you are wrong in your over-reaction about the depth this team has on offense. Maybe at QB and possibly WR, but they have great O-line depth, RB depth and TE depth.

 

[DaBruinz]

So how has how our offense improved since last year? Cant be the running game, since we had Dillon already last year. Cant be the 3 tight end set because Thomas is only a rookie.

1) Healthy O-line.
2) Healthy Starting RB - Dillon was injured coming out of camp
3) Healthy #2 RB - Faulk was injured coming out of camp and has been replaced by Maroney
4) Healthy #3 RB - Faulk is an upgrade from Pass
5) Healthy #4 RB - Evans is here and we didn't have a 4th last year until really last in the season.
6) a #1 TE who is greatly improved from last year - This is Watson.
7) an Upgrade at RT - Just about anything is an upgrade over Gorin.

Yes, we have questions at receiver, but I honesly believe that with the amazing QB we have, he will get them the ball even when a play breaks down.

 

[DaBruinz]

well speak for yourself, because I championed for an RB or a reciever (specifically jackson)in the first round, because i saw it was our offense that cost us the denver game, and the lack of running game that allowed denver to blitz at will and brady was getting hit one to many times. Obviously my opinion was on par with the FO. Though of course their were the posters who said they wont take an RB in the 1st round because BB doesnt take RB's that high etc.

Hmm. And here I thought that what cost the Pats the game were the special teams gaffs by Troy Brown (which really wasn't a gaff since he was interferred with) and Ellis Hobbs (which wasn't a gaff since he was speared). Yes, there was a fumble by Faulk and an interception thrown by Brady, but, hell all that doesn't happen if the pass interference against Samuel is called properly.

 

[brady2brown]

Once again someone makes an observation and their automatically a DOOMSDAYER. Corey Dillon and his 10,000 yards what does that have to with anything. Thats like Cardinals fans saying "were fine we have the 2 time MVP at QB". Have you seen Dillon this preseason, he's still the same guy as last year, slow to the line. Some of you guys are so unobjective.

No, no, no. Please don't say I am being unobjective because I think our running game will be fine with Dillon, Faulk, and Evans. I AM being objective.

You also are being objective by saying THERE GOES OUR RUNNING GAME without our draft pick. People aren't picking on you because they think your not objective, it's because your saying an exceedingly dumb thing. No offense, but Dillon-Faulk match up very nicely with the running games of much of the NFL, including teams where they don't have Tom Brady to make the Defense play honest.

Chill, take a breath, and hope no one revisits this thread 4:00 Sunday afternoon after our running backs pick up over a hundred yards.

 

[stcjones]

Oh yeah whose that Corey Dillon guy...or that Kevin Faulk guy? Never heard of them because we got the best running back in the draft and he is automatically our running game when he hasnt played a regular season game. Forget about that RB Dillon thats healthy thats rushed for over 10,000 yards in his career. Forget Faulk too, or running game is doomed.

I cant believe it, its amazing. I like Maroney in all but I hate how everybody $hits on Dillon and Faulk. Dillon had 1 bad year. ONE. All I hear is how Dillon is washed up and he no longer has anything left. What a ridiculouys bunch of crap, this thread is.

agreed....good post Kdo......