With Gronkowski Gone, Patriots Will Go Only as Far as Edelman Can

[PatsFans.com Article]

With Gronkowski Gone, Patriots Will Go Only as Far as Edelman Can

Ian Logue

If Julian Edelman can remain healthy through the rest of the season, the Patriots still have a shot at a championship.

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[Bourne Again Christian]

disagree if Bennett gets Healthy and Hogan keeps performing combined with improved run blocking and the emegence of Mitchell I would feel alot better to start seeing Lengel and Deandrew White get some rapport with Brady

 

[PatsFan2]

Is DeAndrew White on our active roster???

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

They need bennett to be a factor. With amendola being injured i wouldn't mind keshawn martin or deandrew white. Maybe white can be something. Who knows.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't get this idea that Brady can't win with whatever weapons we throw out there, because he has done it many times.
We have Tom Freaking Brady.
If Edelman is out, then he has Bennett, Mitchell, Hogan, Lewis, White, Blount, and by the playoffs Amendola.
What team has a QB and WR/TE/RB combination that you would rather have?
We have a defense that is 2nd in points allowed, doing it while still finding itself, and is improving.
We have an OL that is playing the best it has in many years.
Sure Edelman is great, but Brady will find someone to throw to if he can't play.
If we play just average defense, and the OL plays well, I take Brady and whatever the weapons are over anyone out there.

Edit: Comments made based on headline before reading article.

 

[archstanton543]

Nope. He's a cog in the machinery but he's not the vital piece he once was at least not this year. Brady's gotten by without a 100% 2015 Edleman this year and he will continue to do so.

 

[Gronkowski123]

we need bennett to step up!! the guy hasn't scored a touchdown in 2 months. encouraging that tom actually looked at bennet in the redzone on sunday. too bad marty dropped the ball..

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

Don't agree at all. *Didn't read article only headline*.

 

[PatsFan2]

I am going to hold a drop against the lowly Rams against Bennett but I will against Baltimore and Denver...you listening Bennett??

 

[TinhWoodhead]

even with Gronk out, theres still 11 guys on the field, not 10 sometime even 12 on the D

 

[Vindicate]

I think Marty's drop in observable offensive production might have to do with him being assigned to blocking more often than not. We might see him be more involved in the passing game with Amendola and Gronkowski no longer a factor.

I am basing this off of very little reference, I just feel like I mostly seem him blocking. Even if he is in the passing game, sans a play here and there, it seems to be a screen pass. Which are the most frustrating thing to watch ever lol.

 

[Ian]

The point of the article is just the fact that if Edelman goes down, it becomes exponentially harder because Edelman has the same effect as Gronk, he draws a lot of the attention which allows other guys to make plays.

We saw it last year in Denver. If Edelman was 100%, they'd have 5 rings right now because they absolutely would have beaten Carolina and nearly beat Denver.

But without him, Brady's forced to try and win with Bennett, Hogan, Mitchell and an Amendola who will hopefully be healthy by the playoffs. It's clearly better than who he had in 2006, but hard to argue that having Edelman at where he is now health-wise on the field completely flips their chances there.

 

[patfanken]

Are we a fan base that has Alzhiemer's or something? Have we completely forgotten our past? Or have we regressed as a fan base and join those who want to march in lockstep with the yahoos who believe that the team with the best WR's are favorites to win it all???? Shame on you Ian.

Even without Gronk, Brady has some of the best receiver help he's had in his CAREER. Since we are celebrating the 2001 team, if you can name the #3 WR on that team, you qualify as a Pats nerd. (btw- it wasn't Terry Glenn. ) Also IIRC all the TE's combined, on that team, had fewer than 20 catches that regular season. And it wasn't much better in 2003 or 2004. Branch, Givens, Brown, and Graham might have big names here, but they didn't scare anyone in the rest of the league and kudos to you if you knew who was the #5 receiver was.

WITH Gronk this pass offense was virtually indefensable, without him it is "merely" very good. We shouldn't forget it. Even without Edelman, having Bennett, Mitchell, Hogan, Lewis, White, and Amendola, would give Brady a very representative receiver corps going into the playoffs, Certainly as good as anyone's top 6 receiving options.

BTW- perhaps the only saving grace coming from losing Gronk at this point of the season is that the team will have 5 games to adjust to the loss, which is far better than if he got hurt in the first playoff game.

 

[Vindicate]

The point of the article is just the fact that if Edelman goes down, it becomes exponentially harder because Edelman has the same effect as Gronk, he draws a lot of the attention which allows other guys to make plays.

We saw it last year in Denver. If Edelman was 100%, they'd have 5 rings right now because they absolutely would have beaten Carolina and nearly beat Denver.

But without him, Brady's forced to try and win with Bennett, Hogan, Mitchell and an Amendola who will hopefully be healthy by the playoff. It's clearly better than who he had in 2006, but hard to argue that having Edelman at where he is now health-wise on the field completely flips their chances there.

That's a quick thing to forget, is that Gronk and Edleman keep coverage honest for the other team. It's a trickle down effect and we remember how ineffective Lafell was rendered after being thrusted into the WR3/2 spot. It can effectively wipe a crucial depth player's production overnight. There is a huge difference between CB1/2 to CB3 it seems. Makes you appreciate Edleman more if he can just get open on some of the best coverage, same with Gronk.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The point of the article is just the fact that if Edelman goes down, it becomes exponentially harder because Edelman has the same effect as Gronk, he draws a lot of the attention which allows other guys to make plays.

We saw it last year in Denver. If Edelman was 100%, they'd have 5 rings right now because they absolutely would have beaten Carolina and nearly beat Denver.

But without him, Brady's forced to try and win with Bennett, Hogan, Mitchell and an Amendola who will hopefully be healthy by the playoff. It's clearly better than who he had in 2006, but hard to argue that having Edelman at where he is now health-wise on the field completely flips their chances there.

I dunna know, Ian. Even with a healthy JE11 the performance of the line that game was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen.

With that said, until we see DA healthy and Bennett playing like he is capable of, without Gronk the passing game rises and sets with JE11

 

[Ian]

Are we a fan base that has Alzhiemer's or something? Have we completely forgotten our past? Or have we regressed as a fan base and join those who want to march in lockstep with the yahoos who believe that the team with the best WR's are favorites to win it all???? Shame on you Ian.

Even without Gronk, Brady has some of the best receiver help he's had in his CAREER. Since we are celebrating the 2001 team, if you can name the #3 WR on that team, you qualify as a Pats nerd. (btw- it wasn't Terry Glenn. ) Also IIRC all the TE's combined, on that team, had fewer than 20 catches that regular season. And it wasn't much better in 2003 or 2004. Branch, Givens, Brown, and Graham might have big names here, but they didn't scare anyone in the rest of the league and kudos to you if you knew who was the #5 receiver was.

WITH Gronk this pass offense was virtually indefensable, without him it is "merely" very good. We shouldn't forget it. Even without Edelman, having Bennett, Mitchell, Hogan, Lewis, White, and Amendola, would give Brady a very representative receiver corps going into the playoffs, Certainly as good as anyone's top 6 receiving options.

BTW- perhaps the only saving grace coming from losing Gronk at this point of the season is that the team will have 5 games to adjust to the loss, which is far better than if he got hurt in the first playoff game.

I don't disagree with you in terms of the quality of receivers he finally has, it's absolutely the best he's ever had.

But I think it's tough to argue (and you've seen Amendola and others struggle in a lead role before when those two were out) that against tougher teams, having Edelman out there makes the other guys better.

With Bennett, they can survive losing Gronk. Losing Edelman too? I think that would be pretty tough and I'd be much more nervous heading into the postseason.

 

[Ian]

I dunna know, Ian. Even with a healthy JE11 the performance of the line that game was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen.

And as bad as it was, they still nearly came back and I think it would have turned out differently. That game comes in second behind how I felt in 2006 because it felt similar since I have no doubt they would have demolished Chicago.

And I liked their chances after watching how awful Carolina played, and I'm guessing plenty of the guys in that locker room did too.

 

[MassPats38]

I believe you may be underestimating the effect of Dion Lewis as well. If he can stay healthy, then the Pats have one more quick release guy who creates matchup issues.

I would not understate the value of Jules, but I would submit the well is a bit deeper than it was last year.

As for Denver, the Donkeys were getting by the line on pretty much every play and hammering Brady. As much as I like Jules, I do not know that he would have helped as the defense was getting to Brady before he would generally release the ball, as fast as he generally does do so. Brady needed better blockers.

 

[RobertWeathers]

And as bad as it was, they still nearly came back and I think it would have turned out differently. That game comes in second behind how I felt in 2006 because it felt similar since I have no doubt they would have demolished Chicago.

And I liked their chances after watching how awful Carolina played, and I'm guessing plenty of the guys in that locker room did too.

The win vs CAR no doubt. That would have given BB an extra week to coach the o-line.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I believe you may be underestimating the effect of Dion Lewis as well. If he can stay healthy, then the Pats have one more quick release guy who creates matchup issues.

I would not understate the value of Jules, but I would submit the well is a bit deeper than it was last year.

As for Denver, the Donkeys were getting by the line on pretty much every play and hammering Brady. As much as I like Jules, I do not know that he would have helped as the defense was getting to Brady before he would generally release the ball, as fast as he generally does do so. Brady needed better blockers.

Because of their ability to move the chains, Lewis and White are vital players down the stretch.