2011 New England Patriots thread

[deadheadskier]

It was nice to watch a pre-season game last night and see some of the new players trying to make the team.

Ridley looked like a solid RB, especially his pass catching skills. Taylor Price had a heckuva game. He looks like a similar WR to Ocho Cinco. Hopefully he can learn a bit from Chad and New England has their mid to deep threat WR for the near future.

GO PATS!!!!!

 

[Geoff]

It's hard to tell when they're playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars 2nd and 3rd string. Jacksonville isn't a deep team and they've only had a week of practice.

I was encouraged by the quarterback play.

 

[deadheadskier]

Yeah, I'm not going to read a lot into it. Still good to see the season get going. Ridley looks like a decisive RB. Hit the holes hard and kept his legs churning unlike our recent failure of a draft pick at RB in Maroney

 

[drjeff]

No significant additions to the injury report. That's all that I really cared about with respect to last nights game! That be said, man was it GREAT to see some NFL football again!

 

[deadheadskier]

Were you at the Razor Doc?

 

[drjeff]

Were you at the Razor Doc?

I skipped that one DHS. My presence was required at home in about 10 different ways, and in my mind, about the only thing that game 1 of preseason is good for is making sure that the tailgating gear hasn't suffered any damage during the offseason! :lol:

Unfortunately with the preseason schedule the Pats have this year, their other home game (Game 4) is argueably just as useless with respect to the starters as game 1 Just a weird home schedule for the Pats this year, with their only 1PM home games being on Christmas Eve and New Years Day, and the other 6 regular season home games being either 4:15 or 8/8:20PM starts depending on if it's the Sunday night or Monday night game that week.

 

[deadheadskier]

If I wrote the schedule, all Pats game would be after 4 starting November 1st.

Doesn't get much better than having a great ski day on Sunday and get home in time to watch the Pats whoop somebodies ass

 

[speden]

It was an interesting game. Too bad the Jaguars weren't a little better organized. Figures that on a short training camp schedule that Belichick would be miles ahead of them.

I'm wondering how many tight ends they are going to keep this year. I thought probably three with rookie Lee Smith grabbing the third spot, but Will Yeatman seems to be coming on strong. He was a lacrosse player and Belichick loves lacrosse. The kid apparently makes some big hits.

The squad is shaping up nicely, but I worry about Brady. He hasn't been as accurate the last few years despite winning MVP last year. It's worrisome that they haven't been able to win a playoff game for quite a while now. This season Bill looks like he's going for a little more grit and brute force. I say bring it on! Let's see some real domination this season.

 

[jack97]

It was nice to watch a pre-season game last night and see some of the new players trying to make the team.

Ridley looked like a solid RB, especially his pass catching skills. Taylor Price had a heckuva game. He looks like a similar WR to Ocho Cinco. Hopefully he can learn a bit from Chad and New England has their mid to deep threat WR for the near future.

GO PATS!!!!!

I'm more curious on the d side of the ball. imo, pats have been trying to adapt to the new rule changes and to the type of talent the college ranks have provided.

Having that said, I have been totally amazed at what Coach Belichick has done given the turnover in his staff. I believe this is his first season where he has had some stability in that area. So then he changes the D line personel.... now it's a question of will they attack or stay with their status quo of playing a discipline gap control game.

 

[speden]

Very refreshing last night to see the Pats defense destroy an opponent. What's it going to look like when Haynesworth gets out there? Could be devastating.

Funny how the backups looked great last week, but then reverted back to rookies last night. That int by Mallet looked pitiful. Ridley looks fearless hitting the holes, but what good is that if he's going to keep losing the ball. Hopefully Faulk will teach him the tricks of the trade to secure the ball better.

Brady looked pretty good, but after a fast start the offense seemed to go flat. That 2:00 minute drill at the end of the first half just couldn't get out of its own way. Seemed like Brady had a couple throws where he hung the receivers out to dry. He looks good, but I'd say he's still a little rusty. If the defense keeps giving them such great field position, the scores are going to be high this year.

Main thing that bugged me last night is the incredibly horribly stupid new kickoff rule. How many touchbacks are we going to have to watch this season? The TV stations looked like they are going to continue to sandwich every kickoff by commercials, but that only works if the kickoff play is exciting enough to keep you at the set. Might as well take a ten minute break from the TV after every score since there won't be any action for about that long. If seems like the rule is going to give the scoring team a big advantage over a punting team. A kickoff will pin the other team at the 20, while a punt will still be returnable. Last night the Bucs were kept pinned back by unreturnable kickoffs, while the Pats got a power boost from getting to return punts. The rich get richer...

 

[jack97]

Brady looked like he was playing a video game out there. He lines up; reads the D, makes the right call and throws it at the right spot.

hmmm....I think the pats D has the making to be in par with their past championship teams. Not in terms of style of play but in terms of domination.

 

[deadheadskier]

kick off rule change is the dumbest thing I've ever seen from the NFL. The single most exciting play in the game is a kick off return touchdown. They were already incredibly rare. Why in the world you'd take that away is beyond me.

 

[drjeff]

kick off rule change is the dumbest thing I've ever seen from the NFL. The single most exciting play in the game is a kick off return touchdown. They were already incredibly rare. Why in the world you'd take that away is beyond me.

Agree 100% The most "exciting" thing about a kick off now will be to see if any kickers can ceremoniously kick it through the uprights on a kick off! :lol: Plus, now the field crews will get to leave the net up behind the goal post more than likely for more than just PAT and field goal attempts!

 

[Geoff]

I'm surprised the TV networks allowed the rules change. It negates the most exciting play in football. If Devin Hester is about to receive a kickoff, you're unlikely to go to the kitchen to fix yourself a snack even if the game is a blowout. It also means that teams can focus on defending the surprise on-side kick. It's not like they have to worry about blocking assignments.

I'm not getting too excited about New England yet. They are a more experienced team than Jacksonville or Tampa Bay so they should perform better on minimal practice time.

 

[drjeff]

I'm not getting too excited about New England yet. They are a more experienced team than Jacksonville or Tampa Bay so they should perform better on minimal practice time.

All that I'm looking for now is that #1) they don't look totally confused and #2) who's on the injury report after each game (except of course for Tom Brady and that right shoulder of his which he never seems to be able to get healed up throughout his entire career )

The Patriots have a tough looking schedule. Where they're at after week 10 when they've just come out of a stretch of Jets at Foxboro, Cowboys at Foxboro, bye, Steelers at Heinz, Giants at Foxboro and then the Jets at the Meadowlands will say all that is needed as they head into their last 7 games and the playoff drive (especially since they then get the Colts and Eagles in the 3 games after that stretch.

On paper atleast, the middle of their season has 7 out of 8 games against teams that should be in the playoffs (the 8th game is against the Chiefs). But of course that's on paper, and only time will tell!

 

[jack97]

I'm not getting too excited about New England yet. They are a more experienced team than Jacksonville or Tampa Bay so they should perform better on minimal practice time.

I'm still feel the scars of the pats back in the 80s. I remember John Stephens, had a great rookie season, he piled up yardage on the those sweeps. Had a sophomore slump and was never the same, not sure what happen; did opposing teams figured out how to neutralize the blocking schemes or his addictions got the best of him.

Having said that, yes, the offense has more exp than the defense however, the o line had two starters out; Light and Neal (retired). Then the two sophomore tight ends, not sure if the jinx will get the better of them either.

The defense has changed philosophy in the line gaps; so d linemen and LBs have diff assignments and responsbilties......i think it was a pretty good showing given the short preseason.

 

[BLESS]

better than porn.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d821d0244/A-Football-Life-Bill-Belichick

 

[drjeff]

Looking forward to sitting in the stands tonight and watching the game. I'm going to have my Dad with me (who's a Giants fan) and that's always fun. Plus pregame the Patriots are going to have a re-inactment of the ceremony they did in their 1st home game after 9-11 where former Patriot do-everything guy, Joe Andruzzi and his brother who's a NYC firefighter will be on the field for a 9-11 remembrance ceremony! :flag:

 

[speden]

Very satisfying win for the Pats over the Cowboys yesterday. I've been waiting for a game where the Pats defense would make the difference. The Cowboys pretty much took Welker out of the game, and sure enough, the Pats offense started to sputter and stall. It was great to see the defense rise to the challenge, especially in the face of all the turnovers. I really didn't think they would be able to. But the Cowboys did help out, with dropped passes, and overly conservative play calling at the end.

If the defense can keep improving, this could be a good year.

 

[Nick]

That was a helluva close one yesterday, great game.