Great stuff here and here from Tom E. Curran over the past couple days and it looks like there will be even more coming. Here are some of Cosell’s most interesting Patriots observations:
On Brandon Tate
GC: Very often, the way players are used tells you how a coaching staff feels about them. The way the Patriots use Brandon Tate tells that they don’t think much of him at this point. He runs about three routes and the only time the ball comes to him is when a play is specifically called for him. In terms of physical ability, he’s very good. If you look at the skill set of a wideout, he has it. He’s big, he runs well, he’s got good lateral quickness. But in taking the spot of Randy Moss, he was stepping in for someone who was as good a vertical receiver as we’ve ever seen. Tate has vertical skills but not Randy Moss vertical skills and that’s why coverage was different for Tate after Moss left. I also think Tate’s hands can be erratic That can’t happen with the few plays they run for him. They just don’t feel he was ready last year. And he’s the kind of guy getting killed by the work stoppage. He really needed this offseason.
Two things to add here… Randy Moss was really only running one route at the end of his Patriots tenure, and Tate should clearly benefit from having a year in the system. Still Cosell is right, the lockout is killing guys like him and Taylor Price.
GC: “Reading the defense before the snap is critical for all quarterbacks. Tom Brady, (Peyton) Manning, (Drew) Brees and (Aaron) Rodgers are the best in football at deciphering the personnel packages and the favorable matchups that are there to take advantage of. The magic with Brady happens before the ball is snapped. With all the Patriots’ personnel packages and multi-dimensional tight ends, it makes it difficult for a defense. It makes them declare their personnel and their coverages and when they declare, that’s when quarterbacks like Brady have the advantage."
On Presnap Reads of Tom Brady
GC: "Reading the defense before the snap is critical for all quarterbacks. Tom Brady, (Peyton) Manning, (Drew) Brees and (Aaron) Rodgers are the best in football at deciphering the personnel packages and the favorable matchups that are there to take advantage of. The magic with Brady happens before the ball is snapped. With all the Patriots’ personnel packages and multi-dimensional tight ends, it makes it difficult for a defense. It makes them declare their personnel and their coverages and when they declare, that’s when quarterbacks like Brady have the advantage."