Uncategorized

We can draw up any stats we want but Tom Brady’s strength is not throwing the ball deep and that’s okay. The Patriots have realized this over the years and built a team around him to play to his strengths – reading the defense, throwing the ball quickly to receivers who can get open quickly and pick up YAC.

There’s many folks out there who think that until Brady magically turns into Joe Flacco, launching deep balls off of play action every set of downs, that the Pats offense is doomed.

There’s no question, teams need to be able to challenge all areas of the field, and I think the Pats still hope that Dobson can help do that, but not in that Flacco/Ravens offense style.

I think back to the Packers’ Lombardi power sweep. It was their bread and butter. Everyone knew it was what they would hang their hat on, but they still couldn’t stop it. 

I don’t think the Pats offense is all that different. When executed by all 11 men on offense it’s nearly impossible to stop. When there are breakdowns – in protection, in receivers not running the right route, in Brady rushing his reads – it looks like crap. 

But things can change quickly in the NFL and just because execution was a mess one week doesn’t mean it will be like that all season. Get Dobson up to speed, get Gronk back closer to his old self, open some more space for Edelman and get the OL blocking better and I think everyone will be surprised how big a leap this offense will take from what we’ve seen in the first month of the season.

I don’t know, I mean they went and got Talib in 2012 so I guess it’s possible but otherwise I highly doubt some kind of a blockbuster trade. Maybe some depth on the back end of the roster. These kind of mega trades just don’t happen in the NFL.

It made sense with Talib in that it was the one missing piece at the time. But is there really one missing piece right now? I’d prefer to see how Gronk progresses, let Dobson get in there and let the offensive line settle down before making any kind of statement about what one position would put the team over the hump and would be worth giving up players/draft capital for.

I think so, but I think this whole storyline is another one that has been a bit blown out of proportion this week, along with just about everything else.

The Pats have played plenty of man coverage through four games, but just because Revis isn’t following a single guy around people are up in arms. Who’s the elite receiver that we needed to take out of the game those first four weeks? Because to an extent you’re also taking Revis out of the game.

I agree that the Pats passive zone defense can be maddening at times, but things will slowly get more and more diverse. I’m not sure why BB has this kind of progression every year with his defense, but he’s consistent with it.

Man coverage is not the end-all be-all coverage. The best defense can mix and match all coverages because with how good quarterbacks are these days, disguise is the end-all, be-all.

This week has been circled for a while on my calendar because it is the first truly elite receiver we’ve faced this year. But I also heard rumblings that BB thought Revis was misused just manning up the top threat. 

I’m not sure if Browner is ready to step out there and play a full game, but there’s certainly a point of view that using his bigger size against Green’s size makes sense. 

However Gio Bernard scares me against man coverage. If all your DBs and LBs except the one covering him are turning their backs and running down the field with their guys, it could make for some explosive plays from the diminutive back.

Who knows, maybe Revis does just follow AJ all over the field. I would’t complain, but I think we all need some patience as we get deeper into the season and start facing some really good offenses.