Game Thread: Bills vs. Patriots 10/2/2016

[SDGuy73]

DT Anthony Johnson cleared waivers and signed with the Patriots' practice squad. To make room for him, the club released OL Ian Silberman. Johnson had opportunities on the practice squad of other teams but said "loyalty" was one reason he came back to New England.

 

[SDGuy73]

Patriots injury report: QB Jacoby Brissett (right thumb), OT Marcus Cannon (calf), G Jonathan Cooper (foot), LB Jonathan Freeny (shoulder), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (right shoulder), TE Rob Gronkowski (hamstring). , LB Dont'a Hightower (knee) and CB Eric Rowe (ankle) were all limited in Wednesday's full-pads practice.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Patriots injury report: QB Jacoby Brissett (right thumb), OT Marcus Cannon (calf), G Jonathan Cooper (foot), LB Jonathan Freeny (shoulder), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (right shoulder), TE Rob Gronkowski (hamstring). , LB Dont'a Hightower (knee) and CB Eric Rowe (ankle) were all limited in Wednesday's full-pads practice.

In typical BB fashion that's how he filed the IR report. Everyone on the list was listed as limited. You go BB. I thought it would've been hilarious if he listed Coopers' foot injury as something different. That was a classic by Welker.

 

[BigKen]

8 names on the injury report. No surprises.

Saw films today of Garrapollo throwing 35 yard passes with no pain expression on his face.

If I was a gambling man, I'd put $1000 on the Pats Sunday.

Brissett was throwing the ball too. No bandages on his hand. No pain on his face either.

There was a huge 1 2 shadow on the field like something looming in the mist.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

Very quiet in Foxboro this week....creepy quiet......Pats doing their bizzness......

 

[BigKen]

The media has been severely restricted this week at Pats practices. They were allowed to film very selective portions of the drills. The most telling film was actually JG and JB throwing on Wednesday.

According to CSNNE, JB was playing backup Thursday and did very little in the practice. The question was asked...."Did JB re-injure the thumb on Wednesday?". Answer was, JB is fine, was observing JG. JG took 98% of all of the snaps Thursday and was easily throwing 30+ yards.

During the weekly press conference with Buffalo sportswriters, Julian Edelman was being interviewed when Dan Wibberkowski asked him if there was any chance he'd be playing QB. Later a film was released of all the Buffalo writers sitting and standing around a telephone module. Dan Wibberkowski was none other than Rex Ryan. They
were all laughing after Edelman hung up, but nationally, Ryan looked like he was a scared rabbit. No one can ever remember a head coach ever posing as a sportswriter on a weekly press conference.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

No Watkins...BB gonna stop that run and force TT to throw the ball...

 

[NWPATSFAN]

No Watkins...BB gonna stop that run and force TT to throw the ball...

Yeah, I'm not feeling bad Sammy will be out. What do you think BBs offensive game plan is? What do you think Rex tries to do defensively? Lots of pressure on the young QB?
4-0 Go Pats

 

[BigKen]

Rex is going to bring the house. Bills are a blitzing defense and they plan to come hard after JG. Rex wants to see JG get hurt and have to sit down.

I see Josh countering this with simple stretch runs outside. We might see a bit more of White or DJ to get to the edge. Also going to see JG take a quick 3 step drop and release. 2.7 to 2.8 seconds. Bills will be penalized if they hit him. It'll take near 5 seconds for the defense to get through even if they do. Passes will be 7-9 yards and with Edelman or Amendola, they could get 12-17 every time because the Bills secondary will not be coming tight for fear of getting juked out of position and having nothing but pasture behind them.

Pats defense will play these guys just a little different. 3-4 man rush. DE will stay square outside and pinch. That will force Taylor to hold position in the pocket for at least two to three extra seconds and force him to throw the ball. Critical that the DTs don't get pushed wide and open a hole in front of Taylor. McCoy is a different breed of cat. OLB have to double up behind the DE and not lit McCoy swing wide and turn up. They want him to stay wide and lateral and not let him break the line of scrimmage. He's tough but won't do extreme damage between the tackles. That and he'll get his teeth loosened by Collins or Sheard.

Rex Ryan is a bit giddy after beating the Cardinals last week. A fast start by the Pats and he'll come unglued on the sideline. If the pats can rip the Bills defense on the first drive Rex's brother Rob will foul his sweat pants with his facial contortions.

You know Belichick has something up his sleeve.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Rex is going to bring the house. Bills are a blitzing defense and they plan to come hard after JG. Rex wants to see JG get hurt and have to sit down.

I see Josh countering this with simple stretch runs outside. We might see a bit more of White or DJ to get to the edge. Also going to see JG take a quick 3 step drop and release. 2.7 to 2.8 seconds. Bills will be penalized if they hit him. It'll take near 5 seconds for the defense to get through even if they do. Passes will be 7-9 yards and with Edelman or Amendola, they could get 12-17 every time because the Bills secondary will not be coming tight for fear of getting juked out of position and having nothing but pasture behind them.

Pats defense will play these guys just a little different. 3-4 man rush. DE will stay square outside and pinch. That will force Taylor to hold position in the pocket for at least two to three extra seconds and force him to throw the ball. Critical that the DTs don't get pushed wide and open a hole in front of Taylor. McCoy is a different breed of cat. OLB have to double up behind the DE and not lit McCoy swing wide and turn up. They want him to stay wide and lateral and not let him break the line of scrimmage. He's tough but won't do extreme damage between the tackles. That and he'll get his teeth loosened by Collins or Sheard.

Rex Ryan is a bit giddy after beating the Cardinals last week. A fast start by the Pats and he'll come unglued on the sideline. If the pats can rip the Bills defense on the first drive Rex's brother Rob will foul his sweat pants with his facial contortions.

You know Belichick has something up his sleeve.

I like your thinking. Would love to see a couple calls go against Rex. That will get him going. Then BB hit him with some trick play for 6.

 

[cdumler7]

So a little off topic question but feel you guys would be able to answer this better than anyone. When did you know that you had a star in Tom Brady? Was there a point that you still were thinking "hey this guy can hold down the fort until Drew Bledsoe can come back." I ask this because the Broncos obviously have a late round QB starting that most didn't think much of and has been finding some success early on. National media wise they are of the notion that the Broncos will eventually trade this kid with Lynch being the true heir to the thrown while others now are starting to say the Broncos have a true starter. So was just wondering what it took for you to actually believe that Tom Brady was the real deal and how long it took.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

What's the latest weather reports? Last I heard it could be quite nasty? If TB was playing I wouldn't worry. He handles inclement weather well. JG we're not so sure about? I give a slight advantage to NE special teams. BB places such an emphasis on ball security and lane discipline. I see NE getting another ST turn over

 

[Southieinnc]

So a little off topic question but feel you guys would be able to answer this better than anyone. When did you know that you had a star in Tom Brady? Was there a point that you still were thinking "hey this guy can hold down the fort until Drew Bledsoe can come back." I ask this because the Broncos obviously have a late round QB starting that most didn't think much of and has been finding some success early on. National media wise they are of the notion that the Broncos will eventually trade this kid with Lynch being the true heir to the thrown while others now are starting to say the Broncos have a true starter. So was just wondering what it took for you to actually believe that Tom Brady was the real deal and how long it took.

What I saw in Brady early on was he was unflappable - kind of like what you are seeing in Siemian.
One problem with having a star QB as a GM - professional arrogance.
Elway thinks that Lynch is the future and he is chomping at the bit to start him.
I think you have your future QB starting right now - and Elway is going to get rid of him!
When BB saw Brady play - he was locked in.....

 

[cdumler7]

What I saw in Brady early on was he was unflappable - kind of like what you are seeing in Siemian.
One problem with having a star QB as a GM - professional arrogance.
Elway thinks that Lynch is the future and he is chomping at the bit to start him.
I think you have your future QB starting right now - and Elway is going to get rid of him!
When BB saw Brady play - he was locked in.....

You could be right on Elway. I think though he has figured out very quickly that whoever gives them the best chance to win makes him look the best and as a GM nothing makes you look better than finding a late round QB that becomes a star. I mean Belichick yes has been recognized by quite a bit but nothing quite as much as that of finding Brady and the two of them working together to lead one of the greatest runs in NFL history. I don't think Elway would mind that one bit.

You are right though he loves Lynch. He spent weeks leading up to the draft trying to trade up even higher than they did for him because they thought so highly of him. So just have to see what the future holds. I think most teams in the league though would love to have the problem of 2 young players that both could be starters in this league and be successful at the QB position.

 

[molsaniceman]

brisset it is

Jimmy Garoppolo (shoulder) is out for Week 4 against the Bills.

 

[BigKen]

So a little off topic question but feel you guys would be able to answer this better than anyone. When did you know that you had a star in Tom Brady? Was there a point that you still were thinking "hey this guy can hold down the fort until Drew Bledsoe can come back." I ask this because the Broncos obviously have a late round QB starting that most didn't think much of and has been finding some success early on. National media wise they are of the notion that the Broncos will eventually trade this kid with Lynch being the true heir to the thrown while others now are starting to say the Broncos have a true starter. So was just wondering what it took for you to actually believe that Tom Brady was the real deal and how long it took.

Personally, I liked Brady when he replaced Bledsoe, but he wasn't a star in my mind. He became a star to me, when the Pats were playing the Raiders in the 2001 Playoffs. When he fumbled and the Raiders recovered, he walked off the field with his hung so low, his nose was in his belly button. When they ruled the "Tuck Rule" and gave him back the ball, you could see the fire in his eyes on TV. I knew then, just by the way he came back out and took control, he was going to be better than anything we had ever seen in New England. That day, in my opinion, a star was born.

 

[BigKen]

The Bills are tearing the Patriots defense to shreds. I have never seen this team tackle so poorly. It's almost as if they're just going through the motions because Brissett is not going to be allowed to throw the ball.

They started off with a beautiful play and Edelman made a fabulous 90 yard run. Hogan was holding and they brought it back to the Pats 5. Instead of doing something a little off, they hand the ball of to Blount and the Bills were totally ready and got him for a yard loss. It's been all downhill since.

Why not just forfeit and not take the chance that some one will get hurt by playing at half speed??

Sometimes I think BB tries to get just a little too tricky and tricks himself. This Patriots team we're seeing today is horrible so far.

 

[BigKen]

Patriots finally put a decent drive together and are getting mauled by the Bills' defense. Nothing is called. Brissett slides after a short run and nearly gets his head taken off, no call. Bolden doen the sideline gets tackled and and the ball of course ids overthrown, no call. Bullshit.......

 

[BUD]

Some one has to catch the ball. 6 pts gone

 

[Old Lion]

BB being stubborn with the QB. This is what happens, you get shutout by a Rob Ryan defense. Pathetic.