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It Is What It Is » Jon Gruden on Patriots-Texans: ‘This game has all the makings of a shootout’

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It Is What It Is » Jon Gruden on Patriots-Texans: ‘This game has all the makings of a shootout’

“For the Texans, they possess the ball almost 36 minutes a game with their running game and high-percentage pass offense. I think keeping Tom Brady off the field and doing what they do on offense – protecting the ball, moving the ball and scoring points – is the recipe for success for the Texans. For the Patriots, they’re going to have to rely on Tom Brady once again – his ability to recognize, audible and attack. The Texans injuries in the secondary and at linebacker are going to make things difficult for Houston. This game has all the makings of a shootout. “I also think how the Patriots offensive line can handle the fierce front of the Texans is going to be something to watch. Houston has the best inside pass-rush that I’ve seen with Antonio Smith, J.J. Watt and Jared Crick coming in as the third tackle. They’ve got some real energy and playmaking inside.”

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townienews:

From The “How Come It Took You Guys So Fahkin’ Long To Make This?” Department Comes…THE RAINMAKER.

Yes, it sucks on rye, with stale chips and a sour pickle shaped like a dick (a dickle) that Edelmania! gets hurt JUST when we’d made a special holiday shirt to celebrate his ascension to Pats prominence. Oh, it sucks many more hard-boiled footballs for the Pats because he was killing it on special AND regular teams (BTFW – can we call them “return teams” and not “special teams” from now on? “special teams” just has a connotation that kinda, well…yeah. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Not negative. Just, you know, just…yeah.) ANYFAHKINWAY…the Edelmania! shirts are on hold, hoping he comes back in Foxboro football freak shape next fall (and refunds issued to all who purchased). And what to do with all the blank shirt lying around? Cover them in rain. Yup, a loss for one is a gain for another. We’d wanted to do this shirt for some time now. Sad that we got around to it when someone else went down. Noentheless it’s a wicked pissah kinda killah shirt that is available ASAMFP for only $15 at the Townie News Store (free parking!). And yes, the shirt will ship in time for Hernando to rain in all his Patriotic glory al over you, or under the Christmas tree of another die-hahd Patsperson.

Heal well, Edelmania! Bring the rains, Hernando! GFY, Texans! And let’s go Pats!

More soon right here from this very WGFY station.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/kickass-new-shirt-the-rainmaker/

When Ra’s I Dowling comes back, and if he performs at the level a second round pick is supposed to perform. Will he play in the slot or Taliban or dennard. Who plays better on the outside or do you see Ra’s I getting cut after camp.

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Oh boy a Ras-I question! I had high hopes for Ras-I coming into this year, but after a second straight year of under performance and injuries I’m not holding out much hope for anything out of him next year.

Who knows, maybe he’ll surprise us all, but I’m not holding my breath. Really all three of those guys are outside corners. And I know that the Pats would like a longer, physical outside corner like Dowling and Talib to enable them to play more man-to-man, but right now the jury is out on them.

Dennard will be back, and I haven’t seen enough out of Talib to make me think the Pats will break the bank to retain him. Thus I think corner will once again be an area where they’ll need to add personnel this off-season, both via free agency and the draft.

Dowling will have the chance to come back and compete for a job, but I think it’s a long shot to expect him to lock down a starting outside spot.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS | Word of Muth: Appraising the Patriots

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FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS | Word of Muth: Appraising the Patriots

Great stuff here as always from the Word of Muth, breaking down the offensive line against the Dolphins. Vollmer is definitely one to keep an eye on this Monday night. Hopefully he can bounce back, but if he can’t it could be another major injury hurdle for the Pats to overcome this year. 

Vollmer has been great all year, but missed Week 12’s game against the Jets with an injury. He was a game-time decision on Sunday, and it looked like New England may have made the wrong decision. Vollmer struggled in both the passing and running game against Cameron Wake for most of Sunday. In the running game he was consistently behind his blocks: his helmet was never on the correct side of the defensive lineman. Generally, if the defender is running towards your side, you want your helmet on the defender’s outside number or shoulder (depending on if the play is going inside or outside). Vollmer never threatened to get outside of Wake. As a result, Wake was never worried about losing leverage and was able to dig his cleats into the ground and hold the point. On backside cutoffs, Vollmer had the same issue. He was unable to get his head across defensive tackles, so he gave up far too much penetration. It wasn’t just the lack of movement or some leakage in the running plays: it was the huge negative plays he allowed. He gave up a sack-and-a-half and was responsible for another sack he wasn’t credited for. (His man beat him inside, forcing Brady to give ground and roll right into Solder’s man.) He also had a holding penalty. Those are all drive-killers.