Archives for September 2016

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September 22, 2016 by Mike Dussault

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The Patriots Should be Fine Against the Texans: Here’s Why

September 22, 2016 by Pete Smith

Legarrette Blount

With Jimmy Garoppolo listed as doubtful, all signs point to rookie Jacoby Brisset making his first professional start for the Patriots tonight against the Houston Texans. While that isn’t ideal for Patriots fans it also presents an intriguing underdog situation for Bill Belichick and the Patriots, and I’m surprisingly confident that the Patriots will end the night 3-0. Here’s why:

The running game has been a highlight of the offense this year, and the Patriots have had a running back on the field almost every offensive snap this season. Through two games the Patriots have somewhat returned to form in the running game averaging 130+ rushing yards per game, and averaging almost 4 yards per carry. That’s good enough to get the job done in this league for most teams.

New England Patriots Gameplan: Week 3 vs. Houston Texans

September 21, 2016 by Mike Dussault

Are you enjoying this Patriots season so far? We’re two games in and it seems like our Patriots Nation is on fire, raging against itself in an endless cycle of small-picture angst . The hot taeks are rolling in faster than we can even keep up with them. Why haven’t the Patriots signed a quarterback!? The hubris of Bill Belichick! And now he’s going to force Jimmy Garoppolo to play with one arm!!

Yes, the Patriots are driving many people mad this week and it’s quickly feeling like us against the world once again.

And if all that wasn’t enough there’s a glowing puff piece on the front page of the New York Times website this morning about Exponent. You know, the company that told us second hand smoke wasn’t dangerous and that the Patriots balls were deflated .02 PSI below where the Ideal Gas Law said they should be. I’m going to resist going down that rabbit hole since we’re so close to end of Deflategate, but let’s just say there’s no specific mention of the two biggest criticisms of Exponents work — the lack of any timing element and the assumption that referee Walt Anderson was wrong in remembering which gauge he used. Read Florio’s takedown of it if you want more on this. I don’t.

Let’s try to talk about real football. Although if it wasn’t clear before, it sure is now — we’re going to be hearing about Bradoppolo non-stop for the next year-and-a-half, at least. Of course this is an unheard of “problem” in the NFL, having two very good quarterbacks and having to choose between them. It’s a fascinating story but one that I prefer to put on the backburner until the offseason. Meanwhile most of the media will waste the football season wondering “WHAT WILL THEY DO????”.

In a little over a week Tom Brady will be back and the New England Patriots 2016 season will truly begin. It’s nice to know Garoppolo has a lot of promise, but there’s plenty to play out over the next four months before we have to really worry about what will happen in the future.

Here’s the gameplan for a Texans team looking to come into Foxboro to make a statement win. Well, a statement win that would have a big Jacoby Brissett-sized asterisk.

Patriots Terrible Takes – Week 2

September 21, 2016 by James Conway

Patriots Cardinals Gameplan

Holy Terrible Takes: The injury to Il Grappa’s shoulder had the NFL media freaking the off out. Quite a sight. It’s so fun to have everyone in the national media scrambling to expose what idiots they are. Anyway, a truncated look at the concern trolling from them.

1. Peyton Manning should be on Belichick’s speed dial. Why not?! Boomer asks… um…

To be fair to Boomer Esiason, he hasn’t had an intelligent thing to say for some time and now he’s knee-deep in the derp-tastic sports radio world. I mean, let’s move on and pray for his family. Someone mentioned Doug Flutie and Vinny Testaverde-type players to Bill Belichick’s face. To his face. And folks wonder why Belichick is dismissive of the NFL media. Amazing.

The Media List:

Tim Tebow: (without comment).

TJ Yates: Sure. This is only reasonable mention. (Brought up by the only sane man covering the NFL, Greg Bedard, obviously)(reports that he was worked out Tuesday exemplify this.)

Ryan Lindley and Matt Flynn: Both were evaluated and cut.

Matt Cassell: Belichick’s already proven he can win with this bag of balls and super nice guy.

Johnnie Manziel: We know what the Patriots scouts think about him. That’s before he hit his girlfriend, etc.

Honorable mentions: Tarvaris Jackson, Jimmy Clausen (only room for one Jimmy), Josh Freeman, Charlie Whitehurst, Michael Vick, Good god, someone suggested A Hasselback?

The fact that the Patriots released their Monday workout invites and didn’t include a single QB was BB trolling at peak. Glory in the highest. (Yates was Tues. left w/o contract).

Week 3 Scouting Report: Houston Texans

September 21, 2016 by Adam Magnacca

The Football Gods giveth, and boy can they taketh away. I was almost bored watching Garoppolo decimate the Dolphins defense and play like a seasoned veteran. That’ll teach me to take great QB play for granted (again). Jacoby Brissett was a player I was excited to see play in the preseason because I liked his skill set and his build. I was hoping he might get a little more prep before his first game action, but the NFL is a fickle beast.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Texans aka “The Only Team that Doesn’t Get their Own Color Rush Uniform”

Week 3: vs. Houston Texans (Tickets)

Thursday, September 22,

8:25pm EST, NFL Network

Gillette Stadium, Clear, 60s.

Opponent/Patriots Stats:
Texans: 2-0

Notable Games: Defeated Bears 23-14 and Chiefs 19-12

Common Opponents: None yet.

Recent games vs. Pats: 2015 – Patriots 27-6. 2013 – Patriots 34-31.

[table id=16Texans /]

Patriots Special Teams Report: Week 2 vs. Miami Dolphins

September 20, 2016 by Sam Hollister

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While special teams appeared to make little impact on Sunday’s nail-biter of a win against the pesky Dolphins, Ryan Allen’s struggles throughout the day had great significance in the field position battle. Miami’s average starting field position after Allen’s punts was the Miami 17, which, on paper, seems to indicate that Allen was able to flip the field successfully on several occasions.

However, Allen left a ton of “hidden yardage” on the field, meaning that the Dolphins mediocre field position could have easily been worse if Allen had been able to place his punts with better accuracy. None of his four punts landed inside the Miami 14 yard line, despite the fact that not a single one was from deep in Patriot territory. In fact, the deepest Allen was forced to punt from was the NE 41. He punted from the MIA 47, MIA 44, NE 41, and the NE 46, meaning that Allen had a relatively easy chance to back the Dolphins up to their own goal line, and failed to do so each time.

Breaking Down the Patriots Four-Drive Defensive Breakdown

September 19, 2016 by Mike Dussault

Quick turnaround this week so I’m jumping right in on the film review (before the A22 is released) to take a closer look at the last four Dolphins’ drives of the game. Miami scored three-straight touchdowns on 70-plus yard drives that ranged from five plays to nine plays, turning what should’ve been a blowout into a game that went down to the final play.

The Dolphins moved the ball with frightening ease, but it’s important to remember this is how the Patriots defense started off the game:

Punt
Punt
Punt
Punt
Fumble
Interception
Field Goal

The Patriots defense is far better than what they showed on the final four drives before the game-sealing interception.

Let’s take a closer look at what was going on: