PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Dussault

Pats Should Keep Garoppolo Through 2017

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tom brady jimmy garoppoloThis weekend will hopefully be the last time of the 2016 season that we see a quarterback not named Tom Brady under center for the Patriots. Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett have shown plenty of promise in limited action and it’s whipped Patriots nation into an early frenzy — “who gets traded and for how many first round draft picks?!”

Garoppolo has apprenticed for two full seasons under Brady, and against the Dolphins, Garoppolo took his game to a new level, looking calm and collected in the pocket, delivering laser passes with pinpoint accuracy. There’s still some unknowns with Garoppolo, like how he does against a blitz-happy, disguise-based defense like Rex Ryan’s, but it’s clear that Garoppolo has what it takes to at least get a shot as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Now the discussion of Brady’s inevitable exit have begun. The Patriots still have Brady under contract through 2019. Garoppolo is signed through the 2017 season, meaning this coming offseason is the last chance the Pats could have to move him for more than a potential 3rd round compensatory pick. Now the Patriots could also franchise tag Garoppolo in the spring of 2018 as they did with Matt Cassel and then move him for significant capital, but they’ll certainly be tempted by a number of offers in the spring of 2017.

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Patriots vs. Texans Film Review: Defense Edition

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The Patriots defense pitched their first shutout since 2012 in Week 17. Before that you have to go all the way back to the snow blowout of the Titans in 2009. So there was plenty to like from this performance, especially against a revamped Houston offense that is not without their fair share of threats.

The biggest schematic adjustment this week came in the form of a shift toward more Cover-2, which put Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon over the top on both sides of the field. This took away the deep passing game that was so vital to the Texans in their first two games.

The Pats primarily played out of a three-safety set because of this, putting more pressure on the front six to stop the run, but they did just that.

The result was pretty much a start-to-finish domination that laid to rest some of the uneasiness we felt after the Pats were torched in the second halves of their first two games.

Here’s what else stood out from the defensive film review… [Read more…] about Patriots vs. Texans Film Review: Defense Edition

Patriots Monday Morning Wakeup Call

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Tom Brady GIFPlenty to digest from the weekend’s slate of games. Most importantly, the Patriots now have a two game lead in the AFC East. Without Tom Brady. Yup.

One more against the Bills at home, and then our sweet prince shall return and all will be right with the football world once again.

Across the AFC the usual suspects are rising to the top of heap early in the season.

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Announcing the Pats-Bengals Welcome Back Bus!!

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Every season we put something fun into the works for a Patriots home game and the time has come to do it again!

This year, with the help of the new ride sharing site, Skedaddle, we’re putting together a Welcome Back Bus for Tom Brady’s first home game back with the Pats against the Bengals on Sunday, October 16th. And it’s not just me, your faithful blogger Mike D, who will be riding on the bus. I’ll also be joined by none other than Fitzy himself, Nick Stevens, and his Shit Pats Fans Say partner-in-crime George Kippenhan.

We’ll have giveaways and all kinds of fun on the rides down and back from Gillette. What’s better than riding to a Patriots game with a collection of super Patriots fans?!

Here’s how it works. Head over to the Skedaddle event page to buy your seat on the bus.  Prices start at $41.45, cheaper than you’re going to pay to park at Gillette anyway.

The bus will depart at 8:30am sharp on Sunday October 16th from Quincy Center (100 Granite St.), but try to get there by 8:15am as we have some fun planned prior to departure. Public parking is available nearby. And a Dunkin Donuts too!

Just a note that this DOES NOT include tickets to the game, you’ll have to get those on your own.

We’ll embark together for Gillette with plenty more on-bus fun planned, and then after the game, the bus will depart back for Quincy at 5pm. We’ll either be celebrating or commiserating together (but probably celebrating).

Space is limited. If enough people sign up we will add a second vehicle but there’s no guarantee.

It should be a blast and we hope you’ll join us!

Report: Brissett Tears Thumb Ligament, Faces Surgery

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Here we thought we escaped Thursday night’s win over the Texans without any injuries but alas, this tweet is now setting Patriots twitter aflame…

So yes, for the second time in two games, the Patriots quarterback has sustained a significant injury and the team is going to have to scramble before they face the Bills in nine days. You thought a rookie quarterback with just three days to prepare (but also all of training camp) was a challenge, how about a street free agent who could now get the start?

Of course perhaps Jimmy Garoppolo‘s shoulder will be in good enough shape by next Sunday. But as someone who had a separated shoulder, I don’t think we can count on it. So could it be TJ Yates as the third starting quarterback in four games for the Patriots? They’ll certainly have to make a move soon.

But again, the Pats are 3-0 and likely facing a Bills team that will be 0-3 and on the verge of cleaning house. And it’s a home game. So there’s no pressure and really, the Bills offense is so bad, the Patriots defense should pretty much beat them by themselves.

Tom Brady‘s return looms even larger now, and these back-to-back weeks of quarterback injuries are certainly giving me a pit in my stomach about whether or not Brady will escape the same fate as he usually does. But if there was any doubt about how much the Patriots need Brady, it should be long gone now.

Just when you think the Pats have conquered all challenges another new and unique one pops up. Never a dull moment.

Friday PM update – Don’t panic just yet, Shefter just dropped this:

Pats Posits: Damn It Feels Good to Be a Hoodie

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It’s not often that a Bill Belichick legacy win comes along, but that’s what happened Thursday night. Belichick, with a rookie quarterback, guided a near-perfect performance out of the entire team around the youngster. This will be one we mention when Belichick goes into Canton and it tied him with Curly Lambeau for fourth all-time in the regular-season win list with 226.

The Patriots moved to 3-0 with a dominating effort in all phases of the game, beating the Texans 27-0.

Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett, making the start for injured second-stringer Jimmy Garoppolo, was efficient and safe with the ball. He finished the game 11-of-19 for 103 yards and one rushing touchdown, a 27-yarder that gave the Pats a 10-0 lead which they held into halftime.

It was the second half that the Patriots truly put the pedal down, putting up a 13-play, 71-yard first drive that ended with a disappointing field goal. Then, Nate Ebner forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and six plays (and two pass interference calls in the end zone) later the Pats pushed their lead to 20-0.

And it didn’t stop there. For the first time, in what seems like a long time, the Patriots played a near-perfect 60 minutes is all three phases. It wasn’t totally perfect, but it was about as close as you can expect. Especially when you’re talking about a ROOKIE QUARTERBACK IN HIS FIRST START.

A feel good edition of Pats Posits is coming at you after the jump…

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Check out Fanchest for NFL Giftboxes!

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Today’s the first day of fall and that means the holidays are fast approaching! So we wanted to share with you all a great new service for sending gifts to that special NFL fan in your life called Fanchest. They already offer two levels of Patriots Fanchests, filled with Patriots goodies, and are adding new teams all the time.

Instead of having to pick and choose a bunch of little gifts, let Fanchest do the work for you. Your recipient won’t be disappointed!

Check out what mine looked like!

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The best part? Get $10 off  your order with the discount code “patspropaganda”!