PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

After seeing the steady progress and development of the rookie WR’s during the first few games, it was both shocking and depressing to see how flat the offense was against Cinci. How much of that can you blame on a good defense (this was the same team that beat Green Bay) vs. the players not making plays (when they were coming along better)? How much fault, if any, should we put in Brady’s hands? And will the Pats actually try to RUN the ball against the Saints, like they NEED to do to win?

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You touch on solid points and I think all are partially true. Look, anyone who has ever played sports can probably tell you there are certain games where you just don’t have it. You’ll lose to a crappy team, much less a good team on the road.

Here are three simple explanations:

  1. The Bengals have the exact formula known to give Brady problems. They can get pressure with their front four and have a beast in the middle who can push the pocket. This is Giants vs. Patriots Gameplan 101. It also helped that the Bengals offense played conservatively and limited their mistakes. Even still the Pats had their chances. 
  2. The whole offense was flat and the rookie WRs played like deer in headlights. Danny Amendola was back, but was still being managed to the point where he wasn’t a focal point of the offense. I think if you put Vereen and Ridley in this game and it’s likely a Patriots win. 
  3. Brady played bad too. It happens. But again, I see it all as interconnected, and from the second play of the game we saw it coming. Brady gets sacked before he even knows what’s happening and that just set the tone for the rest of the day.

So, the good news is that this was just the fifth game of the season. The Patriots have better football in them and with the return of Amendola last weekend, and Gronk this weekend, the great return to health has begun, at least on offense. Things will get better quickly now. Or at least they should and that’s what I’m expecting.

And you’re right, it starts with the running game. Losing Vereen was a killer, but they should only have to weather four more games without him. Once they can lean on the ground game and get their explosiveness there back, it should open things up and make it easier on the passing game.