Patriots Pregame Thread Week 4 discussion: Pats @ Cowboys

[Thelonious]

Illustrates that we actually have among the best depth on the OL of any team. It's not necessarily starter-level depth, but nobody has that.

That's fair enough, though it might be nice occasionally to have the offense not play the poor relative to the defense's perpetually plutocratic embarrassment of riches.

 

[PatsFan2]

Gonzo going need to play Big again because we going to have to Double on the other side.

 

[PatsFan2]

The void left by Strange's absence is a smallish void as such voids go, particluarly when a first-rounder is involved.

Those Rookies are getting valuable playing time. IF they continue playing well Strange might be on the bench as a backup they are both Bigger Sow and Mafi that is and Stronger than Cole Strange.

 

[Real fan 02]

I am having a lot of trouble figuring this game out. The Pats have better coaches; the Cowboys have better players. It is difficult to suss out the actual quality of both teams based on their perplexing records. Which of the various Dak's will show up, and can the Pats' defense influence this? All I know about X's and O's is that one stands for hugs, the other for kisses, so I get no help there. Will an outraged Cowboys team try to touch Mac's naughty parts in support of Jerruh's lifelong commitment to sexual propriety? I do not know.

So I am just gonna guess. The Pats will win 24-17. Under pressure all day, Dak will make three significant mistakes, one or two of which will lead to Pats' scores. The Pats' younger WR's will have a surprisingly good day, benefiting from play action throws, and from the fact that Bill finally realizes neither JJSS nor Parker is worth much out there. Remember when Brady would play games which looked sort of meh in the box score but which nevertheless accounted for the win? That's what Mac will do this game: like17 of 24 for 210 yards, one or two TD's, one interception attributable to a drop. Maybe not even that good, but clearly and importantly good enough. Mac will continue to demonstrate what a tough little fella - tennis brat or not - he really is. The Pats will feature the running game, with Zack again outgaining Rhamondre. Rhamondre will have one longish pass and decent but inconsistent running. Pharoah will do something interesting to wild but unjustified acclaim, acclaim in which I will happily participate.

Some of this is built on mere hope, of course, but I'm just feeling hopeful for some reason. I just think it's gonna be a happy day. How's that for penetrating analysis?

Agreed 100%.. I guess it's ultimately up to the players on how they take that coaching, and execute it to the game plan each week. I can honestly say we have literally beat our selves in basically every game lost going back to last season. So it's a patriots thing more so than anything teams tried to do. So your absolutely right usually we have the better coaching week to week. When a team has talent at the skill positions it makes a coach look good like what Miami is doing!

 

[Real fan 02]

Gonzo going need to play Big again because we going to have to Double on the other side.

The depth in the secondary is going nothing like we thought heading into the season.. this was the concern about JJ.. as great as he's been.. he's a CB on the other side of 30.. guys like Speed and Wade are going to have to contribute and hold up!

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Those Rookies are getting valuable playing time. IF they continue playing well Strange might be on the bench as a backup they are both Bigger Sow and Mafi that is and Stronger than Cole Strange.

But not nearly as explosive or flexible. Let's hope Mafi and Sow and Strange are all on the team for a long time.

 

[Thelonious]

Someone pointed out that through the "dynasty" years the Pats rarely had a statistically stellar O-line. Their ranking tended to be in the low-mid teens, I believe. What they did have, as I recall, were 1) Dante, 2) pretty consistent personnel over time. Maybe that suggests what Bill's take on O-lines is and accounts for his reluctance to spend a lot of dough on star-quality O linemen. He has a snazzy new coach and a gaggle of middling O linemen he will likely be able to keep for a while at low cost. I'm not necessarily saying I agree with this approach, but it might just be what's going on.

 

[PatsFan2]

Mac's best game to me was against Minnesota in the Dome last year we got robbed on a TD by Henry that was reversed. IF Mac duplicates below we win going away.

Patriots 26-33 Vikings (Nov 24, 2022) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings NFL game from November 24, 2022 on ESPN. Includes all passing, rushing and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

 

[PatsFan2]

Really hope Thornton can be useful once he comes off IR. This offense needs his speed desperately.

T Thornton better be quite a few Rookie WRs are making impacts on their respective Teams. We shouldn't expect anything less from a Second Year player.

 

[h0c2000]

A personal favorite of mine.

 

[DaBruinz]

With Jon Jones out again, The Pats are going to be hard-pressed at CB unless Mills gets the start opposite Gonzalez.

I'm a tad confused by the Pats only elevating Pharms. I'd have thought that Borders or Hearn would have been ready to contribute..

Unless the front 6 completely dominates the Dallas line, I think the Pats are going to have issues against The trio of Lamb, Cooks, and Gallup.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

With Jon Jones out again, The Pats are going to be hard-pressed at CB unless Mills gets the start opposite Gonzalez.

I'm a tad confused by the Pats only elevating Pharms. I'd have thought that Borders or Hearn would have been ready to contribute..

Unless the front 6 completely dominates the Dallas line, I think the Pats are going to have issues against The trio of Lamb, Cooks, and Gallup.

Peppers and Duggar were both faster at their combine than Gallup. Gonzo on Lamb. Cooks might be an issue.

Who is the Cowboys top CB? Gillmore?

 

[PP2]

Well I think you came up with one important insight, T. "the cowboys have better players, but the Pats have the better coaches". Well EVERY coach who gets to that level is a knowledgeable and hard working coach, but like in every field some are just better than others. I would opine that the Pats will go into this game better game plan than the Cowboys. Maybe not a LOT better, but better nonetheless.

McCarthy has been a HC for many years with the Packers and now with the Cowboys, so he must be doing SOMETHING right. But I look on this game like I would playing the Steelers. Tomlin is obviously a REALLY good coach, his record speaks for itself. But when it comes to playing the Pats they usually come in 2nd as far as game plans and in game adjustments.

McCarthy might be doing something right, but not everything. Far from everything. He is a terrible game manager who doesn't exploit mismatches or weaknesses. And he's not alone, Tomlin and Reid both have terrible game management skills when things don't go their ways, and Reid is horrible with clock management, something he has NOT improved on, in his entire tenure as HC of KC. Yet both are at the top of the list of the longest tenured coaches in the league.

For the amount of grief this board gives BB, I have not yet seen a significant slip in his skill set as a head coach.

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[PP2]

Is that a legit boom box? Do they still make them anymore?

 

[Patsfan1958]

 

[Uptown]

 

[Real fan 02]

With Jon Jones out again, The Pats are going to be hard-pressed at CB unless Mills gets the start opposite Gonzalez.

I'm a tad confused by the Pats only elevating Pharms. I'd have thought that Borders or Hearn would have been ready to contribute..

Unless the front 6 completely dominates the Dallas line, I think the Pats are going to have issues against The trio of Lamb, Cooks, and Gallup.

Agreed! I don't know what the thinking was.. I wondered why borders or some one else wasn't elevated. So outside of gonzo we are relying on myles Bryant and the safeties? I'm concerned about the depth in the secondary.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[PatsFan2]

Cowboys O-line nursing Ankle and Hamstring injuries...in the same sentence as the word healthy?? I suddenly love the Patriots Defensive chances.