I hope so, you’d think with Edelman out and the Texans trying to take away Wes Welker that Lloyd should have his chances. I think offensively it could come down to him and Hernandez. Will be interesting to see if they move Lloyd around a little more, I think we could see him inside this week to keep the Texans guessing.
On coaching scared of injuries
I was listening to FoPP’er (Friend of PatsPropaganda) Jerry Thornton’s appearance/flash guy audition on Dennis and Callahan this morning and the good old boys decided to ambush my fellow Hoodie Head by rehashing the whole “Gronk shouldn’t be on special teams, Welker shouldn’t be returning punts, they’re too valuable” argument. I wanted to jump through my internet radio feed listening to it, as I usually do when listening to D & C try to wax poetic on football strategery.
So here’s my two cents, because as a card carrying Belichickian with a forum to express my opinion I’ve been too silent on this issue.
Really, before Gronk who was the last Patriot to get injured doing something the sports pundits deemed him too valuable for? Who was the last guy to get injured on the extra point team? Or even returning a punt for that matter?
It’s never that cut and dry or simple, and this stupid argument has gone on far too long. Almost as long as the running up the score one but that’s another post for another day.
Look at 2009. The Pats were ready to sit Welker in the finale against the Texans after a couple series, knowing he was too valuable. What happens? First possession he blows out his ACL making a simple cut that he’s made a thousand times (albeit on some shoddy sod).
Or how about 2008 when Brady didn’t take a single snap in preseason? Well that makes sense, right? He’s too valuable to get hurt in preseason. Then he goes out in the first game, looks like his timing is off and ends up getting his season ended after holding the ball far too long and stepping right up into Bernard Pollard’s oncoming low blow.
The point is that if you want to be a successful coach you don’t do it from a perspective of considering which players are more important than others or which situations are more dangerous than others.
You play your best players where they’re best because that’s what makes you the best team.
You cannot coach and prepare your team with “not getting people injured” as impetus, not only because it’s a waste of time, but because of the message it sends your team as well.
“Player A is too important to do this, but hey shitty Player B you should be a fine stop gap in there and if you get hurt it won’t matter. You might fumble the ball or miss a block and totally screw us, but hey, at least our important guys will stay healthy.”
That’s not how you coach to win week in and week out.
And there’s no closing that Pandora’s Box once you open it. Devin McCourty’s our best defensive back, should he really be playing kick off coverage? And forget about the extra point team, what was Gronk doing on the kick off return team where he basically gets in a car crash every play?
While we’re at it should Mike Vrabel have really been playing offense? He was one of our best pass rushers. Or what about Troy Brown playing defense? I know we need him but defensive backs get hurt far more frequently than wide receivers.
You could make a case for any number of starters who shouldn’t be playing special teams, or in roles outside their normal positions, or in games that are already decided or have no meaning.
Injuries are the worst part of sports, but there’s no way to predict or avoid them. You’ve got to try to make your team the best it can be at every spot and if guys get hurt doing something that might not be their forte so be it.
At least they got hurt doing everything they could to help the team win, and that’s what this is all about.
And I really hope Jerry gets the flash job now so he can continue to be the voice of genius football coaching on D & C. They need someone there to enlighten them on a permanent basis.
It Is What It Is » Jon Gruden on Patriots-Texans: ‘This game has all the makings of a shootout’
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.”
How Tom Brady Can Lean on Aaron Rodgers’ Success vs Texans | Bleacher Report
How Tom Brady Can Lean on Aaron Rodgers’ Success vs Texans | Bleacher Report
Great scouting work from Frenz. If Brady has time there will be plays there to be made.
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.
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.