New England Patriots Discussion

[FlyingElvis]

Originally Posted by Jvig43

I am going to start advocating now to get some running back and TE screens in here.

Screens plays have completely disappeared from our gameplans for some reason. I agree, though, they should be implemented.

[Razor]

Originally Posted by FlyingElvis

Vince was beastly, that's for sure. He was probably pissed off b/c he wasn't mentioned in the "best DE of the playoffs" thread.

He's playing DT which is probably why. But **** me hard, he has been an animal all year and especially in the playoffs.

[ElectricEye]

Originally Posted by Jvig43

I am going to start advocating now to get some running back and TE screens in here.

It really blows my mind how much that went away. Lawfirm popped some big ones towards the end of the year because no one was expecting it, but Woodhead had like literally half the production he had last season in the passing game. Part of that is him being hurt/taking a step back, but part of it just seems like we've decided to go away from that for whatever reason....which doesn't make sense because it works. Maybe Hernandez lining up back there is the start of something good. It seems like a good way to take advantage of a Giants unit that has a reputation for selling out on the pass rush.

[Jvig43]

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

It really blows my mind how much that went away. Lawfirm popped some big ones towards the end of the year because no one was expecting it, but Woodhead had like literally half the production he had last season in the passing game. Part of that is him being hurt/taking a step back, but part of it just seems like we've decided to go away from that for whatever reason....which doesn't make sense because it works. Maybe Hernandez lining up back there is the start of something good. It seems like a good way to take advantage of a Giants unit that has a reputation for selling out on the pass rush.

This was my line of thinking as well. Whenever we played the Pass rush happy Colts back in the day I can't tell you how many screens and draws we ran that always picked up another first for us. It is mind boggling how they are non existent any longer in our offense.

[Babylon]

I think the Pats are going to have to go most of the way with an extra blocker on their left side. The Giants rush has been somewhat quiet because of mobile QBs like Rodgers and Smith but Brady isnt going to be able to have that option. Run between the tackles and throw to the TEs all day and they should be ok.

[descendency]

Would you sign Randy Moss to play in the Super Bowl?

[ElectricEye]

Probably not, but we defiantly need an option outside of the numbers.

[Jvig43]

Originally Posted by descendency

Would you sign Randy Moss to play in the Super Bowl?

I was totally going to post "We should sign Moss for this game" earlier today but just decided not to. No way we would when we got here with the team we did, it may affect chemistry or cause issues in the locker room or some mumbo jumbo. I wish he had just signed with us this year however.

[descendency]

Things I've noticed so far from the Giants game (rewatching):

* Andre Carter played in the game. Is on IR.
* Sebastian Vollmer played... hasn't played in a while.
* No passes deep in the first half by the Giants
* Gostkowski missed a chip shot field goal at the end of the first half.
* The pass rush from the Giants in the first half was mediocre at best.
* The second half pass rush caused a fumble.
* Brady's interceptions first 2 were just bad reads. Nearly had a 3rd that way.
* We had a muffed punt recovery that lead to a field goal. This kind of balances out an uncharacteristic miss by Gostkowski.
* Julian Edelman needs to just fair catch the punts. He fumbled one in this game and he fumbled a KR in the Ravens game. If he were a rookie, he'd be inactive.
* Kyle Arrington got a pick in the endzone on the Giants. I wouldn't bank on that happening. This secondary just doesn't have it right now.

[Don Vito]

Hold on Andre Carter was in the game?

[Vaylor]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

Hold on Andre Carter was in the game?

Umm yeah he didn't get hurt until week 15 against Denver.

[BradysKnee]

Just rewatched the game slow and all I can say is man Wilfork played out of his mind. Plays where other guys got pressure were because Vince was occupying 2-3 blockers. I cannot get over how badly he bitched Birk/Yanda etc.

[bored of education]

Congrats guy you know I'm a jack ass at times on the boards about the pat's but I know you guys are legit. Just can't stand the pink hat nation in NE at time, especially never being a fan of any teams here. Case in point where are the Celtic fans?

I am interested to see this match up as both Bradshaw and Nicks did not play and i think Beckum was inactive. You guys pointed out a few guys who did and did not play as well.

Should be an interesting match up. I can see Pats running some 2-4, 3-3 sets. Thoughts?

[Jvig43]

It's hard to be a celtics fan right now, a little painful even but I figure this season would be like this. Anyway thanks Boe and no worries about the Dbag thing, most of the time I know youre just trying to piss us off.

[ElectricEye]

Fans anywhere are bad. You make it out like it's exclusive to us. The sports culture here was a large part of the way I grew up....and it's been around far longer than the championships have been. It's important to me and it's something I resent you(along with anyone else) attacking, to be honest. Maybe I'm a little butthurt, but very few things butthurt me so I suppose I'm entitled to an extent. You make it your job to have something ass backward negative to say about something every single time one of our teams does a thing and it's just really douchy, to be honest.

It's whatever since in the end it's just an internet pissing match, but I'm not going to pretend that I respect it. Not with our teams or any other teams really. Easily one of my least favorite parts of interacting with any sports fans. Hated it with the college football thing earlier this month too.

[bored of education]

I SAID CONGRATS. I get butthurt too sirs. :(

Wilfork rapes, Gronk is a rapist (these are compliments, I swear)

[bored of education]

You resent it because you are in the minority and there is no denying that. But I am a different fan where I can spit off the back up guard of the Chiefs in 1994, the ball boy for the Bulls in there Championship runs, the 5th outfielder for the Indians in 2003. Maybe I am at fault because my passion runs deeper than the average fan? I get that a lot. People think I am a bit psychotic about sports but in life I go 100% or do not get involved at all hence why I may be good at my job too.

I understand your resentment towards me sir. I can accept that. But it does not change my feelings and watching more tape on the Patriots, panthers, Browns, Bills and Chiefs allows me to firmly back up my feelings and stand on them. You could do the same as a fan as me. We are in the same boat homie. So it's cool. I appreciate your thoughts

[bored of education]

Anyways back to the game, I wonder how even a 60%-75% Gronk will fare, will it be easier to jam him off the line and disrupt the timing?

Do you think G men abandon trying to stop the run like the Ravens do?

[ElectricEye]

That's just a people thing. Not mutually exclusive to sports. Everything I do I do 100% as well, so I can relate to that. I'm prone to obsession and general mania with things I'm into. One of the biggest life skills I've had to learn after a somewhat unsuccessful social life in my early teenage years is dealing with people who aren't as passionate or as interested in things as I am. A lot of people thought I was a dick when I was younger because I held people to the same kind of standards I held myself to....and they were sort of right. I was a douche to people on more than one occasion because they didn't know how to do something in a video game or something arbitrary like that. Point being is that not everyone can devote the time and interest level into things as much as some people can. It becomes more apparent with sports since a lot of people use them as a social function in addition to something to be interested in. That creates some abominations an annoying people, sure(which almost always show up when a team is successful and people are investing the most energy into things), bit it also creates some wonderful opportunities to connect and share with people we might not otherwise have been able to. I associate with plenty of people who aren't as into the Patriots as I am. Sure, it might be annoying when they ask stupid ****, but it doesn't make them inherently bad people and I understand their desire the be involved.


...and again, none of this happens exclusively in Boston or just in sports. It happens in a lot of places and through a lot of different outlets.

[bored of education]

I appreciate your insight EE, I really do man. We must be graduates of Balls So Hard University.

NO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!??!

[ElectricEye]

We've got two whole weeks to worry about the game. I would rather sit here and psychoanalyze you, to be honest. Did you grow up here?

Getting back to football for a bit, news is breaking tonight that O'Brien will be at Penn State until the middle of the week. Can't say I'm all that thrilled about that with how ill prepared we looked and the magnitude of this coming game.

[Jvig43]

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

We've got two whole weeks to worry about the game. I would rather sit here and psychoanalyze you, to be honest. Did you grow up here?

Getting back to football for a bit, news is breaking tonight that O'Brien will be at Penn State until the middle of the week. Can't say I'm all that thrilled about that with how ill prepared we looked and the magnitude of this coming game.

Hopefully McDaniels can step in and help out a bit, should have a better idea wat to expect this time around so Brady is getting killed every other play.

[nepg]

The OL is so much bigger and stronger this time around. Especially up the middle.

[Jvig43]

Originally Posted by nepg

The OL is so much bigger and stronger this time around. Especially up the middle.

Idk about that. Our line in 2007 was down right scary good until the superbowl.

[FlyingElvis]

I have to say, EE has it right on the fan conversation. Interacting with fans is a crap shoot, for sure. But the ability to interact with the pink-hats reflects well on the hard core fans. The current culture of putting them down is silly, considering the fact that everyone has to start somewhere. Success is really the only thing that ever turns a non-fan into a casual fan, and the casual fan into a true fan.

As far as interactions go, I enjoy watching games with freinds. Being the go-to "expert" in the room is fun, rather than tedious. However, for this upcoming game . . .

Mrs. FE works Sundays and asked me if I wanted her to get the shift off so I could go to a SB party. I am conflicted. Personally, in a non-Patriot SB, I'm more inclined to do the party thing and enjoy the social aspect of the game. For the Pats, however, I'm kind of digging my current plan of recording the game on my DVR and watching it with remote in hand so I can rewind all the "Big Plays" that aren't the highlight reel plays. V-Weazy blowing up a double team that leads to a throw away is fun to watch 2 or 3 times for me. Gronk blowing up Suggs is an immediate rewind, but not likely to thrill anyone else in the room. Commercials, half-time shows, and all the other fluff that comes with "THE Social Event of the Year!" gets skipped (love that fast forward button!) and I'd be giving that up in the social setting. Then again, enojoying the ups & downs with friends (at varying levels of fandom) is personally gratifying - especially if we win!