Improvement

[Southieinnc]

What does improvement look like?
You can improve your team in the off season by fixing weakness's or you can add new talent/
You can even get healthy!

Unfortunately, when you "improve" or make any changes, other things change.
In short, not all improvements lead to a better outcome.
Just look at Miami. They did "everything" right.

We had? one of the best o-lines in football with bad WR's and QB. We also were strong at RB - and "improved" the position!
We new have a promising QB and improved WR's. Added to the O-line and brought back players.
It's not working yet.

We were a fumble vs Miami and a Doink vs SB champs from being 3-1 in 1st place.
We have 1 of the best defense's in football and great coaching.

What we don't yet have are the wins! I see that changing soon.
Look at Miami. They are not "just missing" They have 1 win and should have lost that. They are going to have to keep rebuilding or rebuild again.
We have hope! End of last year we did not.
Go Patriots!

 

[sharkymcwrath]

Great post and I totally agree. Hopefully we don't fall too deep into a hole before it all comes together which I believe it will.

That said, our schedule looks a helluva lot harder than it did when it first came out.

 

[Southieinnc]

Great post and I totally agree. Hopefully we don't fall too deep into a hole before it all comes together which I believe it will.

That said, our schedule looks a helluva lot harder than it did when it first came out.

Would have laughed at this schedule 3 years ago.
Fix the problems we go undefeated the rest of the way!

Those are all winable games. The toughest 1 is Cleveland - Cleveland!

 

[Yankee Traveler]

On a side note...I was thinking this morning...

Tom Brady, unquestionably best to ever play his position and one of the greatest to play the sport ever, brought out the best in every one around him. He made the offense better.
Because he made the offense better, the defense had to be better and was better just because they went against him every day in practice.
because the defense got better playing against Brady, they made the offense better going against a better defense.
The cumulative process was not there last year and to a certain degree this summer due to roster turn over etc. and it will take a bit before the offense really stresses the defense in practice and vice a versa.

 

[molsaniceman]

when u get the QB of the future it gives u a chance course having the best coach on the planet doesnt hurt either

 

[nefansince75]

On a side note...I was thinking this morning...

Tom Brady, unquestionably best to ever play his position and one of the greatest to play the sport ever, brought out the best in every one around him. He made the offense better.
Because he made the offense better, the defense had to be better and was better just because they went against him every day in practice.
because the defense got better playing against Brady, they made the offense better going against a better defense.
The cumulative process was not there last year and to a certain degree this summer due to roster turn over etc. and it will take a bit before the offense really stresses the defense in practice and vice a versa.

The new guy seems to have that spirit in him...

 

[molsaniceman]

ESPN's Field Yates reports the Patriots are "working towards a deal" with free agent LB Jamie Collins.​

Collins, 32 in October, was most recently released from Detroit after the Lions found no interested suitors on the trade market. His third stint with the Patriots, Collins is at least familiar with Bill Belichick's scheme and was at his best the last time he was with New England. He'll come off the bench as veteran depth when officially signed.

 

[molsaniceman]

bad news

Patriots placed LT Isaiah Wynn on the reserve/COVID list.​

Wynn, New England’s starting left tackle, and starting left guard Mike Onwenu were both discouragingly placed on the COVID-19 list on Tuesday. There is no word yet on whether either is vaccinated, which will ultimately decide how much time they need to miss. It's not an issue for Mac Jones in the short-term against Houston in Week 5.

 

[BigKen]

Wynn, New England’s starting left tackle, and starting left guard Mike Onwenu were both discouragingly placed on the COVID-19 list on Tuesday. There is no word yet on whether either is vaccinated, which will ultimately decide how much time they need to miss. It's not an issue for Mac Jones in the short-term against Houston in Week 5.

This might be a golden opportunity to clean up the OL. BB knows that his bench can't take over the left side. The most probable thing is to Put Trent Brown at LT and Karras at LG. Sign two free agents and put Durant and Cajuste on the PS or cut them. When Wynn and Owenue get off Covid my guess is that you'll see two totally different players. Or two free agents.

 

[Southieinnc]

This might be a golden opportunity to clean up the OL. BB knows that his bench can't take over the left side. The most probable thing is to Put Trent Brown at LT and Karras at LG. Sign two free agents and put Durant and Cajuste on the PS or cut them. When Wynn and Owenue get off Covid my guess is that you'll see two totally different players. Or two free agents.

Like itor not, it's time to shake things up!

 

[sharkymcwrath]

Like itor not, it's time to shake things up!

I can certainly appreciate BB's history of keeping things in-house and promoting from within but I do wonder about O-line coaching. If he can't bring back Scar maybe it's time to go looking for a coach?

 

[Southieinnc]

I can certainly appreciate BB's history of keeping things in-house and promoting from within but I do wonder about O-line coaching. If he can't bring back Scar maybe it's time to go looking for a coach?

We don't know what's going on and we don't know what happened after they fired the experienced O - line coach.
What we do know was Belichick wasn't happy. No new coach you have to wonder was BB not happy because he was not finding anybody?

 

[Yankee Traveler]

I can certainly appreciate BB's history of keeping things in-house and promoting from within but I do wonder about O-line coaching. If he can't bring back Scar maybe it's time to go looking for a coach?

Who's the best college OL coach?

Is he looking to make a jump?

 

[Dude]

Agree, this team will pull itself together. It’s a good team. To overcome the O-line deficiencies, get the ball out faster.

 

[BigKen]

Agree, this team will pull itself together. It’s a good team. To overcome the O-line deficiencies, get the ball out faster.

After Sunday's game, NESN had the stop watch on Brady's delivery. They showed him dropping back on five different occasions and entire process was an impressive 3.2 seconds from hike to pass.

During Mac's NFL record of 19 straight completions against the Bucs, NESN also had the stop watch on him. Mac on the five occasions that NESN showed delivered the ball in, you guessed it, 3.2 second from hike to pass.

How about Bill find a couple of linemen who can give Mac about .5 more seconds??

 

[Southieinnc]

Agree, this team will pull itself together. It’s a good team. To overcome the O-line deficiencies, get the ball out faster.

So the Dallas game showed a much more competitive team. That is 2 good games against Tampa and Dallas.
The loss was hard to swallow. Everybody woke up angry this morning. But at least we were in this game!

We have gotten used to prevailing in these epic battles. We are not quite there yet.
The biggest problem (of many) I saw in Dallas game is taking our foot off the gas after the 1st quarter.

 

[BigKen]

2-4 Patriots next six are against the Jets, @Chargers, @Panthers, Browns, @Falcons, Titans

3 Home, 3 Away

Two easiest are the Jets and Falcons. The Chargers are an unknown because they look like a beast one weak and a lost child the next.
The Panthers seem to get behind and then become vicious. The Browns are relentless and just don't stop coming at you. The Titans are a bad team because Vrabel just refuses to lose to his old coach.

If Mac is allowed to play, Patriots could be 6-6 after 12. If he's kept under protective custody, the pats will be lucky to be 3-9 or 4-8.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

2-4 Patriots next six are against the Jets, @Chargers, @Panthers, Browns, @Falcons, Titans

3 Home, 3 Away

Two easiest are the Jets and Falcons. The Chargers are an unknown because they look like a beast one weak and a lost child the next.
The Panthers seem to get behind and then become vicious. The Browns are relentless and just don't stop coming at you. The Titans are a bad team because Vrabel just refuses to lose to his old coach.

If Mac is allowed to play, Patriots could be 6-6 after 12. If he's kept under protective custody, the pats will be lucky to be 3-9 or 4-8.

Mac has been doing enough to win. He's doing what he does best. That is short to mid range with deadly accuracy. He's not a great long ball thrower.

Combine that with receivers who aren't quick or great at seperation and an Oline that is absyml he's doing pretty much the best he or that offense can. Mac does need to know when to change the play or give up the quick screen/behind the LOS toss before he gets a receiver killed. That or throw a stop and go pump fake every once in a while. Too often they are losing yards or downs because of it.

Yes the play selection could improve. Giving the ball to Bolden on 3rd and 3 is a recipie for disaster.

Bottom line is the D needs to get some damb stops.

 

[nefansince75]

He's not a great long ball thrower.

That's a conclusion based on what? The passing game is a team game that relies on a QB putting the ball in a place, the receivers getting to that place, line holding long enough for both to happen and, most importantly, each of those being emphasized in the game plan (practiced, practiced, practiced).

If any of this is missing then any QB "is not a great long ball thrower".

 

[BigKen]

He hit a near perfect long one to Bourne Sunday.

Meyers dropped a dead nuts perfect 35 yarder two weeks ago.

Mac hasn't been allowed to 'air it out' very often. He's been very accurate when he does.

For this team, the quality of the WRs restricts the quantity of downfield passes.