Well, he did target Joey Galloway 12 times in their 2009 Week 2 loss to the Jets as well (5 catches, 53 yards) and we know what happened there. But you have to like that Brady kept going to him, even when it was clear they weren’t on the same page in this one. The thing to watch is how many targets he has this week and going forward especially once Amendola is back. That will be the true test.
The Patriots have placed Shane Vereen on the injured reserve/designated to return list, meaning the running back will miss at least the next eight games.
Patriots place Shane Vereen on IR, will miss at least 8 games – Extra Points – Boston.com
Get ready for a lot of “when Vereen and Gronk get back….”
https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-patriots-have-placed-shane-vereen-on-the/
Since the patriots seem to be slow starters early in the season and get better as the season goes on, when do u expect them to really start clicking
It usually take 4-6 games to really know what you have. At that point your strengths and weaknesses are pretty apparent, not only internally but to the rest of the NFL as well. Then it becomes about trying to fix those problems.
Ideally, I’d like to see how they respond to a lot of different game situations – being down late in the 4th quarter (like they were vs. the Bills), being up late in the 4th quarter and needing a stop to seal the win, going down or up early, etc. Adversity helps forge a team and prepare them for the playoffs, where all the teams are good, all the games are usually back and forth and come down to the very end.
So I’d say by the time the Pats see the Jets again on 10/20 they’ll have a pretty good idea of how good they are. Then they’ll have two big divisional games that could potentially really set them up to put a stranglehold on the AFCE crown.
I will say that this season, with all the rookie weapons, I’m not expecting consistency or dominance out of the offense until after the bye. Everyone just need to accept that this isn’t the well-oiled Welker/Gronk/Hernandez machine of the last few seasons.
There will be times where it does look like that machine and there will be others where it looks disjointed, like it did Sunday.
As for the defense, I have high expectations, and they really start this week against a rookie QB, when the offense needs them to really deliver a solid performance to help offset some injuries.
I don’t know if I would classify Tom Brady as struggling,” Ryan said. “I’d have to see that to believe it; I don’t think he’s ever struggled. To me, what I saw was a team that could really run the football. In the past, they’ve run the ball, but not with the conviction that I saw in that first week, against a pretty darn good front. That’s something that obviously looks like New England is going to run the ball more than they’ve done in the past. If Tom had such a bad game, they had two receivers over 100 yards. Oh my goodness,” Ryan said, laughing. “You have a couple Wes Welker clones there in [Julian] Edelman and [Danny] Amendola, so it’s difficult, no question.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/i-dont-know-if-i-would-classify-tom-brady-as/
Patriots’ injury issues mean defense must step up
This offseason I had two mantras to the 2013 Patriots:
1. There would be growing pains with the offensive turnover, but in the long run they would be better set up, both short and long-term, to be more explosive and unpredictable.
2. It was time for the defense to go from one that just didn’t lose games, to a defense that wins games.
Now here we are in week two, and these two things are truer than ever, yet because the offense didn’t look unstoppable many are ready to hit the panic button.
There’s no question, losing Vereen and possibly Amendola hurts, but both should be fine in the long run. So let’s look at this game for what it is, an excellent challenge against a divisional opponent who always plays us tough early in the season.
What we saw from the Pats offense is exactly what was expected. Inconsistency, and, gasp, an undrafted rookie actually playing like an undrafted rookie in Kenbrell Thompkins.
But let’s look at the positive. Julian Edelman played arguably his best game as a pro. If the preseason was any indication, Thompkins should bounce back, and Aaron Dobson said this morning he’s expecting to play.
Are they the 2007 Pats offense right now? No. But come on, it’s not like we need to hang 50 on the Jets to get the win.
So that makes me turn the page to the defense. This game is all about them as I see it. This is their chance to prove they can control games.
They’ve got a rookie quarterback, making his first road start and likely missing a significant weapon of his own in Jeremy Kerley coming into town. My expectation is for the defense to be the difference and shut Geno Smith completely down.
Let’s remember what happened in week two last year. The Pats lost to the Cardinals when they had Welker, Gronk, Lloyd, and Branch. The first couple weeks of the season are always flukey.
I think that Brady with Ridley (yes, Ridley), Edelman, Thompkins, Boyce, Dobson and whoever else they throw in there are good enough to put more points on the board than Geno Smith and the Jets offense IF the Patriots defense comes to play like an experienced veteran defense loaded with high-round draft picks should play in this situation.
For the offense, this will be nothing but a positive learning experience whether they win or lose. The young receivers will be thrown into the fire against a Jets defense that knows how to give Brady problems.
For the defense, it’s time to live up to what we talked about all offseason.
Amendola is “highly likely to be out” Zudfeld has a pulled Hammy, Vereen had wrist surgery, and Gronk is still on the mend, and the KT took a step back from his preseason performance. Should we be worried about the Offense not only for Thursday but overall?
Getting a lot of these kinds of comments and messages coming this morning. This requires a full post, be back shortly…
If you’d like to get a #Buttfumble shirt in time for Thursday’s game order by 1pm today. Choose Priority shipping and it should arrive Thursday, just in time for the (*gasp!*) AFC East 1st place showdown between the Pats and Jets in Foxboro. Hoodathunkit?
And obviously we remember, honor and cherish the greatest football fail in history because, well, it’s the Buttfumble. But the perpetrator of said assterpiece won’t be playing Thursday night. And don’t expect anything like how previous contests between these two AFC East rivals have gone Thursday night. No asswhipping handed down by the Pats. Regardless of what the Vegas oddsmakers (Pats by 12.5?) say. This will be a tough game. A rough-n-tumble, won in the trenches, junkpunch you in the mouth slugfest kind of affair. Jets kinda shouldn’t have won Week 1. But maybe the same could be said for the Pats? Pats are as banged up as someone who went to a bachelor party the night before. The Jets are dinged up, lead by a rookie QB making his 1st start in Foxboro, against Belichick, on primetime. Youth abounds with the Pats. The Jets will be playing with house money, the old “nothing to lose” mentality. Could get messy as neither team has established a tempo or style yet, though it is only Week 2. Expecting Foxboro faithful to get lubed and bring the noise. TFB & Crew will need it.
Also, if anyone has some Stick Em, please visit Stevan Ridley before game time. Thanks!
OK – get your Buttfumble shirt today at The Townie News Store. Plenty more to come this week as we gear up for the Rex rhetoric and some serious Bradyface on national TV. Talk soon. GFY, Jets! Let’s Go Pats!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/townienews-if-youd-like-to-get-a-buttfumble/
