2021 New England Patriots Thread

[ClifSpliffy]

Not one bit. I am a football fan before I’m a jets fan and watch pretty much 95% of games that are on via TNF SNF MNF and RedZone. I know the Jets are a laughingstock.

nothing personal. it's not ur fault. like all of us, ur just a fan, tho iffn they made u the gm, the improvement would be rapid.

 

[Deepster]

nothing personal. it's not ur fault. like all of us, ur just a fan, tho iffn they made u the gm, the improvement would be rapid.

Nah. I have no clue how to build a team. I can however tell when the stink of the Jets has sunk someone for good though. Saleh has his work cut out for him the rest of this season if he wants any positive momentum to carry over to next year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The poster here is annointing Jones as maybe the best rookie QB ever. Wow. Bananaland.

Putting aside how cringeworthy it is when 60 year olds try to sound like Dave Portnoy, a quick google search revealed this link, so it's obviously not quite "bananaland."

Mac Jones by the numbers: Patriots rookie quarterback on pace to rewrite record books in Year One

Jones is having one of the best starts for a quarterback in NFL history

www.cbssports.com

I think the empirical evidence bears out that the two most important attributes in a successful NFL quarterback are accuracy and decision-making, and Jones excels at both of those things. The rest is almost entirely the organization, coaching, etc. that he lands in. Jones is well positioned there, too. He could have ended up in an organization like the JETS and all the accuracy and decision-making prowess in the world wouldn't save him. I think people who study the position agree that there is no such thing as a "can't miss NFL quarterback," but Jones has all the variables in the place to have a very good NFL career.

 

[Deepster]

He could have ended up in an organization like the JETS and all the accuracy and decision-making prowess in the world wouldn't save him. I think people who study the position agree that there is no such thing as a "can't miss NFL quarterback," but Jones has all the variables in the place to have a very good NFL career.

Gee. Maybe that point has something to do with the coach of the Jets vs the coach of the Pats....and not so much the amazing skills and excellence of Mac Jones so far. I mean, after all, the guy has made Brian Hoyer, Matt Cassell and a washed up Cam Newton look decent. I'll even say this....I was afraid the Pats were going to take Darnold and turn him around.

Let's see how tonight goes. Big game for the wunderkind.

 

[Deepster]

Hmm. 1 pass with 30 seconds to go in the 1st half.

He’s got 100% completion percentage!!!!!

 

[Waquoit]

The Bills dynasty didn't last very long.

 

[huskypantz]

What a game. Brilliant game plan by the Patriots.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Hmm. 1 pass with 30 seconds to go in the 1st half.

He’s got 100% completion percentage!!!!!

Agreed. It’s the reason they lo-

What? They won again?! They’ve got home field and a bye?!? What?

Let me drink them. Salty and delicious.

 

[Husky25]

That win was 100% game plan and was oddly compelling. Mac Jones' job was to turn around and give the ball to a runner. Not many young quarterbacks would be happy in that roll, but it looked like Jones embraced it. That is being a leader.

Oh, and the defense played outside their minds.

 

[Deepster]

That win was 100% game plan and was oddly compelling. Mac Jones' job was to turn around and give the ball to a runner. Not many young quarterbacks would be happy in that roll, but it looked like Jones embraced it. That is being a leader.

Oh, and the defense played outside their minds.

Being a leader? He has like 10 games under his belt and his coach told him what to do.

That game was 100% Belichick and Belichick knowing his safe rookie QB couldn't outplay Josh Allen in that stadium, in that spotlight, in that weather. So he didn't let his QB throw the ball.

So much for best rookie QB ever?

 

[Husky25]

Being a leader? He has like 10 games under his belt and his coach told him what to do.

The Patriots are 9-4 in 2021 and Jones has started all of them. So, this is demonstrably false.

That game was 100% Belichick and Belichick knowing his safe rookie QB couldn't outplay Josh Allen in that stadium, in that spotlight, in that weather. So he didn't let his QB throw the ball.

So much for best rookie QB ever?

Yes, Jones is a leader. He threw the ball 3 times while playing an entire regulation football game, didn't b1t(h and complain, and appeared to pretty much embraced his roll. Anything for team, even when it hurts your personal production level. That is a leadership characteristic.

I've already acknowledged that the reason for the win was game plan, with which the weather had more to do than anything else. I wouldn't be worried about the spotlight on a guy who started 17 games at Alabama and won a national title. I also doubt Belichick was concerned about Jones necessarily outplaying Allen, seeing as quarterbacks don't play directly against each other. They play against the defense and the Patriots D was huge last night. If Harry gets away from that punt like he should have, the game would have never been in doubt...but he didn't...

Sure, this game is points against the title of best rookie QB ever, but I' say you are lying if you thought it would have unfolded like it did when this discussion started. Be that as it may, Patriots fans still have every reason to be encouraged. He'll still probably win Rookie of the Year and hopefully (for his sake) go to a Super Bowl or two during his career. For Patriots fans' sake, hopefully within the first 5 years, before he potentially prices himself out of New England.

I was wrong about Jones (no big shakes, given that I do not get paid as an NFL personnel guy or college scout). Looks like the Patriots were not.

 

[Deepster]

The Patriots are 9-4 in 2021 and Jones has started all of them. So, this is demonstrably false.



Yes, Jones is a leader. He threw the ball 3 times while playing an entire regulation football game, didn't b1t(h and complain, and appeared to pretty much embraced his roll. Anything for team, even when it hurts your personal production level. That is a leadership characteristic.

I've already acknowledged that the reason for the win was game plan, with which the weather had more to do than anything else. I wouldn't be worried about the spotlight on a guy who started 17 games at Alabama and won a national title. I also doubt Belichick was concerned about Jones necessarily outplaying Allen, seeing as quarterbacks don't play directly against each other. They play against the defense and the Patriots D was huge last night. If Harry gets away from that punt like he should have, the game would have never been in doubt...but he didn't...

Sure, this game is points against the title of best rookie QB ever, but I' say you are lying if you thought it would have unfolded like it did when this discussion started. Be that as it may, Patriots fans still have every reason to be encouraged. He'll still probably win Rookie of the Year and hopefully (for his sake) go to a Super Bowl or two during his career. For Patriots fans' sake, hopefully within the first 5 years, before he potentially prices himself out of New England.

I was wrong about Jones (no big shakes, given that I do not get paid as an NFL personnel guy or college scout). Looks like the Patriots were not.

I am beyond impressed at what Belichick cooked up last night. That could/should have been a passing of the torch for Buffalo in taking over this division for the next decade and he turned that stadium into a mausoleum.

That said? Any QB in the league, starting or backup, could have executed that gameplan and won that game.

 

[Waquoit]

Jones threw for 67% in the game, below his career average.

 

[Husky25]

I am beyond impressed at what Belichick cooked up last night. That could/should have been a passing of the torch for Buffalo in taking over this division for the next decade and he turned that stadium into a mausoleum.

That said? Any QB in the league, starting or backup, could have executed that gameplan and won that game.

I'm actually less impressed about the design of the game plan, than I am that they had the fortitude to stay with it. There were a number of longer yardage situations, particularly going left to right, with the wind, where I was sure Jones was going to throw, but just handed off to Bolden.

 

[Husky25]

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I was yelling at the TV when they were handing off on 3rd and 15 but, yeah, they seemed to be absolutely confident in what they could do defensively against Buffalo. Part of me likes the "look, just so there's no doubt, we are absolutely telling you what we're going to do here, and we do not think you can stop us" aspect of it.

Speaking of which, you rarely see a team as rattled after a game as the Bills were, from McDermott down.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was yelling at the TV when they were handing off on 3rd and 15 but, yeah, they seemed to be absolutely confident in what they could do defensively against Buffalo. Part of me likes the "look, just so there's no doubt, we are absolutely telling you what we're going to do here, and we do not think you can stop us" aspect of it.

Speaking of which, you rarely see a team as rattled after a game as the Bills were, from McDermott down.

Same. I knew they could throw, yet it seems that once they got that 8 point lead, Bill knew that with Buffalo needing two scores the only way they'd get them is if the Patriots coughed up the ball. Indeed, he was right. If not for a barely muffed point, Buffalo doesn't get their one touchdown. Jones and others confirmed as much this week. That 2 point conversion changed the game. The decision not to throw had nothing to do with Jones.

I'm not going to pretend that Jones has the arm Allen has, I'm not sure anybody in the league has the arm strength Allen has. Maybe Rodgers 15 years ago.

 

[Husky25]

Same. I knew they could throw, yet it seems that once they got that 8 point lead, Bill knew that with Buffalo needing two scores the only way they'd get them is if the Patriots coughed up the ball. Indeed, he was right. If not for a barely muffed point, Buffalo doesn't get their one touchdown. Jones and others confirmed as much this week. That 2 point conversion changed the game. The decision not to throw had nothing to do with Jones.

I'm not going to pretend that Jones has the arm Allen has, I'm not sure anybody in the league has the arm strength Allen has. Maybe Rodgers 15 years ago.

Not just two scores. Two touchdowns.

Even though Tyler Bass kicked the ball ten rows into the stands on the fly to start the game, I actually thought they were playing up the weather a bit too much early on. Then I saw the b-roll (for lack of better term) of the snow and wind two hours before kick off and how Bass said he was only comfortable from extra point range or closer.

I didn't realize he meant the old extra point spot.

 

[Deepster]

Same. I knew they could throw, yet it seems that once they got that 8 point lead, Bill knew that with Buffalo needing two scores the only way they'd get them is if the Patriots coughed up the ball. Indeed, he was right.

What makes you know they "could" throw?

 

[HuskyHawk]

What makes you know they "could" throw?

Because the whole team talked about it, and the reasons why they didn't. It wasn't because they couldn't. Had they been behind they would have.

 

[Deepster]

Because the whole team talked about it, and the reasons why they didn't. It wasn't because they couldn't. Had they been behind they would have.

Revisionist history.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

'appropo of nothing, i found it fascinating that Air Force won a blowout game the other day, scoring near 50, by running the ball like 68 times, and never throwing even one pass. outstanding, and a massive punking for the theory that a qb throwing pretty 50 yard strikes to a sideline cone, or to the beer lady in section 109, is somehow 'the only way to go.'

awkward. hey, how did mac do?
yup, this really happened.

 

[HuskyHawk]

'appropo of nothing, i found it fascinating that Air Force won a blowout game the other day, scoring near 50, by running the ball like 68 times, and never throwing even one pass. outstanding, and a massive punking for the theory that a qb throwing pretty 50 yard strikes to a sideline cone, or to the beer lady in section 109, is somehow 'the only way to go.'

awkward. hey, how did mac do?
yup, this really happened.

Notwithstanding @Deepster’s tears, what Bill does, has always done, is contrarian. He was a 3-4 guy when 4-3 dominated. As outside linebackers, popularized by guys like LT who played for him were in demand, he shifted to 4-3.

In the current game, WR are wildly overvalued, and RB undervalued. 25 years ago it was the opposite. Buffalo plays nickel 90% of the tIme, their D is built to stop the pass. So…don’t pass. In an era of 3 or 4 WR sets, he has 2 RBs and often 2 TE sets. If defenses are pass focused, run on them. But flexible players and schemes mean he will switch at any moment to counter what you do.

 

[Dove]

Hmm. 1 pass with 30 seconds to go in the 1st half.

He’s got 100% completion percentage!!!!!

Note to self...Deepster's good at math.

 

[Husky25]

Notwithstanding @Deepster’s tears, what Bill does, has always done, is contrarian. He was a 3-4 guy when 4-3 dominated. As outside linebackers, popularized by guys like LT who played for him were in demand, he shifted to 4-3.

In the current game, WR are wildly overvalued, and RB undervalued. 25 years ago it was the opposite. Buffalo plays nickel 90% of the tIme, their D is built to stop the pass. So…don’t pass. In an era of 3 or 4 WR sets, he has 2 RBs and often 2 TE sets. If defenses are pass focused, run on them. But flexible players and schemes mean he will switch at any moment to counter what you do.

Moneyball as applied to football.