Will our WRs make plays out of the slot? + Will Brady be able to adapt and master the vertical game?

[Mack Herron]

So much more diversity in the backfield this year with 4 receiving threats. Was surprised Josh didn't use them more last week.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

So much more diversity in the backfield this year with 4 receiving threats. Was surprised Josh didn't use them more last week.

I'm sorry, that's not diversity. It's still an all-boys club.

 

[Deus Irae]

Matt Chatham opines on utilizing running backs more, to replace some of the play calls that went to JE and DA.

Matt's being a little misleading there. Where you end up is partially dictated by where you start, especially in quick pass situations.

 

[Deus Irae]

So much more diversity in the backfield this year with 4 receiving threats. Was surprised Josh didn't use them more last week.

I'm about as big a McDaniels fan as there is on this forum, but last week's offensive game plan and in-game adjustments were both substandard, imo.

 

[TommyD4207]

I'm about as big a McDaniels fan as there is on this forum, but last week's offensive game plan and in-game adjustments were both substandard, imo.

Not one of Joshy's better gameplans, no.

 

[JoeSixPat]

They didn't get the deep threats not to use them - so there will be deep attempts for sure

But at the end of the day throwing deep remains a high risk, high reward scenario, and the ideal Patriots game plan is a low risk high reward one that features a very balanced offense

I think if they can't achieve that you'll see more deep throws - but let's hope they don't have to rely on the deep WRs to win

 

[mgteich]

They didn't get the deep threats not to use them - so there will be deep attempts for sure

But at the end of the day throwing deep remains a high risk, high reward scenario, and the ideal Patriots game plan is a low risk high reward one that features a very balanced offense

I think if they can't achieve that you'll see more deep throws - but let's hope they don't have to rely on the deep WRs to win

The issue is the underuse of the RB's in the passing game.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

 

[TommyD4207]

The issue is the underuse of the RB's in the passing game.

It was better last week. Watching the old-school screen game work that well was nice to see.

I'd expect a bit more of that this week, but more RBs lining up on the LOS as well.

 

[captain stone]

It was better last week. Watching the old-school screen game work that well was nice to see.

I'd expect a bit more of that this week, but more RBs lining up on the LOS as well...

…and in the backfield, and at the same time.

 

[PatsFan2]

Real happy that Phillip Dorsett is picking up our Offense his skill sets is very similar to Brandin Cooks. Every week he should get better and better you can see his game speed he plays very fast, McDaniels can do a lot of things with him in our Offense. Another Month or so barring injuries the Offense could end up being better than we all thought. We have a lot of Speed on Offense and hopefully Mitchell should be coming back too.

 

[maineman209]

They didn't get the deep threats not to use them - so there will be deep attempts for sure

But at the end of the day throwing deep remains a high risk, high reward scenario, and the ideal Patriots game plan is a low risk high reward one that features a very balanced offense

I think if they can't achieve that you'll see more deep throws - but let's hope they don't have to rely on the deep WRs to win

This is a pretty decent read from Kyed, at least for the NextGen stat analysis. Full disclosure ... I'm not a Kyed's fanboy by any stretch. Some of his things are decent, others are ridiculous interpretations of events. There's often a factoid or two embedded that's worthwhile, though.

 

[mgteich]

Once in awhile the field needs to be stretched. We now have Cooks, Hogan, Dorsett and Gronk as targets.

They didn't get the deep threats not to use them - so there will be deep attempts for sure

But at the end of the day throwing deep remains a high risk, high reward scenario, and the ideal Patriots game plan is a low risk high reward one that features a very balanced offense

I think if they can't achieve that you'll see more deep throws - but let's hope they don't have to rely on the deep WRs to win

 

[PatsFanInVa]

We've promoted a known-in-other-systems threat (cooks) and a barely known threat (dorsett) perhaps somewhat hopefully. Full disclosure: I think Cooks at least will end up doing well in that role. But the backs and a healthy 'Dola (or, whoever can step up) still need to take up a LOT of next-man-up slack underneath in the absence of JE11. To use an inexact but familiar metaphor, no Welker '07, no Moss '07. (And no stout Oline, no deep threat.) But if I've learned anything as a Pats fan, it's that everything is still gelling until it gets cold outside. We should be called the New England Polymers.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Patriots have gone vertical, and are getting good at it!

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Patriots have gone vertical, and are getting good at it!

Already 20 plays of 20 yards or more in just 3 games for tommy.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

But but but but but I've been told for years on this forum brady can't throw deep!

You look at his "deep threats" from 2010-2015 and you can see why he struggled: I mean not one of those WRs was capable of getting open deep

 

[mgteich]

what does kill him makes him stronger

Having Brady hold the ball for longer is leading to more sacks.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]