Week 3 Pre Game Thread - Ravens @ Pats

[gitgronked82]

Don’t love that McMillian and Dugger aren’t practicing this week. Need both of them (Dugger, especially) for Jackson. At least we have Wilson and Peppers. Fingers crossed one or both of Dugger/McMillian can go.

Has it been reported that they aren’t practicing on Thursday?

 

[ashley]

Don’t love that McMillian and Dugger aren’t practicing this week. Need both of them (Dugger, especially) for Jackson. At least we have Wilson and Peppers. Fingers crossed one or both of Dugger/McMillian can go.

That was just yesterday that Dugger didn't practice. McMillian was limited, but he has been passed up on the depth chart by Mack Wilson. Let's see what today and tomorrow look like for Dugger, but I agree it would be a hit if Dugger can't go.

 

[ashley]

Has it been reported that they aren’t practicing on Thursday?

No

 

[Mack Herron]

That was just yesterday that Dugger didn't practice. McMillian was limited, but he has been passed up on the depth chart by Mack Wilson. Let's see what today and tomorrow look like for Dugger, but I agree it would be a hit if Dugger can't go.

We all want Dugger in the lineup and hopefully he will be. But safety might be our deepest position and I’ve been impressed by Peppers in particular.

WR has also been considered to have good depth but I’m not sure anyone has been as reliable or consistent as Meyers who was not moving well yesterday. Even if he plays, it sounds like he is pretty far from fine.

 

[slash83]

Dugger was present but limited yesterday.

 

[ashley]

Dugger was present but limited yesterday.

He was at practice but didn't practice. Let's see about today.

 

[Rob0729]

The comparison was Allen to Tua.

That Tua TD bullet looked like Allen threw it.

It was a good throw, but not a throw that most other QBs couldn't throw. Including Mac Jones. It was a 12 yard pass. Mac, at least last year, was pinpoint accurate in that range. It wasn't a 30-40 yard bomb that we are talking about.

We saw Tua week one and he was mediocre. He missed quite a few open receivers.

Tua and Mac are very similar in arm strength and talent. I think Mac has a higher ceiling as long as his bad habits from the last two games are what he is becoming. The difference on Sunday is that Tua had two top WRs in Hill and Waddle against a god awful secondary that left these Hill consistently wide open. The only great pass Tua had week one was when the Pats blew the coverage and Hill was able to break free untouched.

When Tua has Alabama type conditions (fast WRs who have five yard buffers) he is an absolute stud. But so was Mac. Let's see Tua repeat his production last Sunday against a good defense that covers Hill.

You are basing you analysis of Tua based one game and specifically one play. Tua last year had 2653 yards, 16 TDs, and 10 INTs in 13 games. That is pretty average. He was ok week one against the Pats, but nothing special. You are judging everything from his career performance in one game.

But I am done arguing Tua. We are onto Lamar.

 

[Rob0729]

I think Sunday will be the first real significant test of the new LB corp. They are going to have to have their heads on a swivel with Jackson's running ability. They may have to drop out of coverage right into run support in an instance. We will see if the new speed in that group is going to pay off.

 

[sb1]

I would guess Dobbins will probably play. Now we'll see how much we've gotten better at stopping the run compared to last year if at all.

 

[VJCPatriot]

This is the pass you don't think Mac could throw:



BTW, this throw could have been intercepted if the defender timed his jump better. He was in position to intercept the ball.

But Cowherd and I am are talking about this underthrown floater.



And this one which isn't as underthrown.

You know Mac Jones looked pretty good too... when he was throwing to the likes of Waddle, Metchie, and Williams. Just saying it's easier to look better with the weapons that Tua has right now. Meanwhile the Patriots best WR this season is Agholor. However FattyP is giving "Where's Waldo" Parker more snaps than either Bourne or Agholor. OOF.

 

[VJCPatriot]

We all want Dugger in the lineup and hopefully he will be. But safety might be our deepest position and I’ve been impressed by Peppers in particular.

WR has also been considered to have good depth but I’m not sure anyone has been as reliable or consistent as Meyers who was not moving well yesterday. Even if he plays, it sounds like he is pretty far from fine.

I'm not worried exactly because safety is our deepest position. Dugger can't go we've got Phillips, Peppers, Bledsoe who can all plug into that role. It's probably better to play it safe and bench him than risk rushing him back and aggravating the injury.

I'm more worried about how to contain Jackson. What scheme can BB cook up to stop one of the hottest QBs in the league right now?

 

[ashley]

 

[DaBruinz]

View attachment 45611

OK. You're talking about JUST this year. Got it.. Silly comparison unless you're talking Fantasy Football, IMHO.

 

[Mack Herron]

I'm not worried exactly because safety is our deepest position. Dugger can't go we've got Phillips, Peppers, Bledsoe who can all plug into that role. It's probably better to play it safe and bench him than risk rushing him back and aggravating the injury.

I'm more worried about how to contain Jackson. What scheme can BB cook up to stop one of the hottest QBs in the league right now?

I don’t know what schemes he will use, but he’s got faster, more athletic defenders to scheme with. While the offense has yet to fire on all cylinders, the defense without Hightower, Van Noy and Jackson has been more effective and will likely improve as well.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

OK. You're talking about JUST this year. Got it.. Silly comparison unless you're talking Fantasy Football, IMHO.

Sacks have nothing to do with FF lol.

Also that's career, not just this year. Mac has taken some terrible sacks and was top 10-12 in yards lost last year.

 

[ashley]

Getting everyone ready for a Friday:

 

[1960Pats]

My greatest concern for Jones has more to do with the OL getting it all together. They looked better vs Pitt but almost got Jones killed vs Miami.

Jones could also use some effective pass-catchers. They seem to be lacking those.

 

[Clieb]

Digging deeper into the Edelman/Meyers comparison.....

As mentioned above, Meyers is on pace to surpass Edelman's best season in both catches and yards and while projecting forward is typically a fool's folly, I can't help but chuckle about how each are perceived by we fans.

Career catch %
Meyers.......68%
JE..................66%

Yds/Rec
Meyers.......11.6
JE..................11.0

1st downs
Meyers...on pace for 51 (42 in '21)
JE..............low 50's during his starter years
-----------------------------------------
Necessary acknowledgements:

JE scored TDs (6 TDs/yr as starter)
JE shined is high leverage games...aka...playoffs
JE caught passes from Tom Brady
JE shared the field with the GOAT TE

Meyers is TD challenged
Meyers QBs (when starting): Cam Newton and Mac McCorky
Meyers has shared/shares the field with N'Keal Harry, Jonnu Smith, and whichever jump ball specialist the consultants send out on any given Sunday
--------------------------------------------
Perception:
Despite uncanny regular season stat similarities...
One is an all-time fan favorite with local HOF support
The other, 'not good enough for a championship team'

New Englanders do love their scrappy little __________ guys!
3
2
1

------------------------------------------------------------
Getting back to the business of football....
What kind of contract will JM command on the open market next year and will Bill pay up for Mac's binky?

From the outside looking in, I have to believe GMs would be salivating for this type of lower cost reliability especially when paired with legitimate threats.

Of course, the commonly heard narrative regarding Meyers (and NE) is that teams are more than happy to let arm strength-challenged Mac McCorky string high volume underneath passes to his binky Meyers who has demonstrated sub-minimal ability to create yards after the catch (or TDs)

I love Meyers - I think he's a great player, and he's developing into a solid WR - much like we saw from JE in the early part of his career.

A key difference that doesn't really show up on the stats you shared - JE got open a lot - Meyers is making some good catches, but he's very rarely got separation JE had like 500 YAC per season vs 200 for Jakobi.

Maybe it doesn't matter how you get your yards if statistically they end up similar, but it doesn't look the same on the field.

They're also used a lot differently in the offense even if they both played the slot... so i'm not sure how much we can tell by comparing their stats.

 

[sb1]

I know the Ravens are 2-2 in Foxboro in the playoffs but have they ever beaten us in the regular season here? I don't think they have.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I know the Ravens are 2-2 in Foxboro in the playoffs but have they ever beaten us in the regular season here? I don't think they have.

You are correct