PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Rob Gronkowski and Nate Solder are OUT vs. Cardinals

by

Deep breaths. Deeeeeeep breaths. That’s what I’m taking since this tweet came across my timeline…

Gronk pulled up in a mid-August training camp practice, tweaking his hamstring and wasn’t seen again until this week’s practice. Meanwhile, Solder, possibly forced to play because Tom Brady needed fourth-preseason-game-snaps, pulled up lame himself against the Giants. Now both will miss the season opener. Yikes.

First, perspective. These are two vital players. There is no need to trot them out there in the first game of the season against an NFC opponent. This is a game that is as close as you can get to meaningless in the regular season.

That doesn’t make it any less scary though. Especially for, you know, a young quarterback making his first career start.

[Read more…] about Rob Gronkowski and Nate Solder are OUT vs. Cardinals

New England Patriots Gameplan: Week 1 at Arizona Cardinals

by

 

Patriots Cardinals GameplanThe long cold offseason is finally over. Patriots football is back this Sunday as the Pats travel to Arizona and face a stiff test from a Cardinals team that was one of the best in the NFC last season.

Of course the center of the media coverage is Jimmy Garoppolo, embarking on the first of his four game 2016 tour. Garoppolo was just okay this preseason, but didn’t have a turnover, and that might be the most important key to success for him over this first quarter of the season.

While everyone’s talking about Garoppolo — how he really feels about Tom Brady, how he feels about Tom Brady having an enormous banner hanging over the home stadium, how he feels about Tom Brady not being around to give him advice — what I’m most interested in this weekend is the Patriots defense.

Simply put, they are stacked. And if Jimmy gives them the chance, they can win every one of these four games.

Here’s the gameplan for the Cardinals…

[Read more…] about New England Patriots Gameplan: Week 1 at Arizona Cardinals

Patriots Season Kickoff Contributor Roundtable

by

With the season opener in Arizona quickly coming upon us, we took a moment with a few of the PatsPropaganda contributors to reflect upon training camp and get some generally feelings about the Patriots heading into the 2016 campaign.

Here’s what everyone had to say.

What was your biggest surprise of training camp?

Niko Davos: Cruel surprise? The extent of Sebastian Vollmer’s hip injury, which is expected to end his 2016-2017 campaign before it started. On a related note, however, the most pleasant surprise was the play of his replacement, Marcus Cannon. Cannon looked good throughout camp and preseason, and it would be a major factor if he could continue to play at this level into the regular season and beyond.

Adam Magnacca: I’m thrilled that all of the surprises this camp were good ones but I definitely wasn’t expecting Joe Thuney come in from Day 1 and lock down the LG position. I thought he was gonna come in and be a good to great backup on the interior of the line but boy did he prove me wrong. The more I learn about him the more I wanna grab a beer with him. But more importantly, I want him to play out of his mind this year and I have a good feeling about that position for the next 10 years.  *Honorable Mention: I loved watching Jacoby Brissett playing. I think if he keeps improving he could turn into a great Roethlisberger type player. I’m excited about his development. 

Rick Starke: I had Bryan Stork as a starter at guard in my preseason offensive line projection, so to go from “penciled in starter” to “total free agent, picked up by nobody” is kind of a big surprise, especially considering the calming influence he had on the line in 2014, and that he started at center, guard, and tackle last year.

[Read more…] about Patriots Season Kickoff Contributor Roundtable

Coffin Corner: (TB) 12 Reasons I love this Sunday.

by

Chapter 1 (of 22): “The Suspension Begins”

1. The NFL loves “The’s”. We’re relentlessly reminded of The Catch, The Comeback, The Fumble, The Drive, The Commissioner and now, they have added another “The” to their pantheon of the absurd and miraculous: The Suspension. (That link courtesy of the great, Fitzy).

It’s been hanging over our heads like the ‘light’ that popped up on the dashboard a month ago, only if the future of humanity was at stake not a new transmission. As the tacky, trolling ESPN clock counts down to the moment when TB12 races out of the tunnel with two baby lambs in his hands and revs the engine of the New England Patriots suped-up offense. So let’s pull into the service station, get rid of the “glowing wrench” and move on to football.

Speaking of wrenches, when Brady’s story is told, starring Matt Damon, they can just insert this footage to tell the story of his suspension negotiations:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sCWkBPML4E

‘He put three punishments on the table: the 4-game suspension, a game, or a public confession.’

As George Herbert brilliantly said: “The best revenge is living well.” So let’s live well. Also let’s take some Goddamn revenge! Here’s how we start:

[Read more…] about Coffin Corner: (TB) 12 Reasons I love this Sunday.

Can Jimmy Garoppolo Defy the Odds and Lead the Pats in his Four Games as a Starter?

by

ji

As we all know by now, New England Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady will sit out the first four games of the NFL regular season. On the heels of that controversial ‘Deflategate’ saga, backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo now steps into the spotlight left by his future Hall of Fame teammate. Some diehard Pats fans are questioning Garoppolo ability, and are worried that he will choke in the spotlight.

Every NFL fan understands how the first handful of regular season games are essential to a team’s success. For the Pats, these four games could easily make or break their playoff chances, which is why there will be a significant amount of pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo. This is a new scenario for both the team’s backup QB and the fans, as New England hasn’t opened a season without Brady as the starter since 2001, when Drew Bledsoe was still at the helm.

Apart from being a quick-releasing, good-looking quarterback out of Eastern Illinois – who generally played well during his brief stints as backup QB in his rookie year – what else do we need to know about Jimmy G? First off, if Garoppolo plays like he did in the preseason against the New Orleans Saints, then we could see the Patriots go at least 3-1 in the first four games. Ultimately, for number 10, there are a lot of factors to consider, and head coach Bill Belichick might play a major role.

The Boston Globe reported how Bill Belichick got Jimmy Garoppolo up to speed way before the finality of the now-infamous ‘Deflategate’. What’s important, for now, is to focus on the task at hand and what lies ahead, as well as deflecting all the outside interruptions. “Distractions that demand our attention appear more numerous than ever before in human history,” according to an infographic entitled ‘Improving Concentration and Focus’ which explores several studies on the subject. In other words, the battle starts way before the Pats hit the gridiron, as the challenge lie with how Jimmy G handles the pressure and negates the odds stacked against him.

The prop odds for the New England Patriots’ record for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season are at: 4-0 (+1150), 3-1 (+180), 2-2 (+145), 1-3 (+335), and 0-4 (+1500). With three of the first four games played at home versus the Miami Dolphins, the Houston Texans, and the Buffalo Bills (the lone away game against the Cardinals in Arizona), it’s more likely the Jimmy Garoppolo and Pats will start 2-2. If history suggests something significant with the aforementioned record, then maybe – just maybe – we can repeat what happened in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XLIX.

For now, let’s just wait and see how Jimmy G fares amidst the attention, the distraction, and the pressure.

Breaking Down What Eric Rowe Brings to Patriots

by

eric rowe patriotsMatt Patricia and the Patriots defense have a shiny new toy to play with in second year corner Eric Rowe. Mike already gave a great breakdown on Rowe’s acquisition, but I’m addicted to making GIFs and wanted to take a closer look at New England’s newest player.

When watching tape on Rowe, one thing that immediately stands out is his size. Listed at six-foot-one, Rowe has at least two inches on every corner currently on the roster. As Mike noted, Rowe should provide the Patriots an option in match-ups with larger receivers and maybe even tight ends. Additionally, I think Rowe’s size makes him a better option in run support than any of the current corners on the roster.

Against the Lions, Rowe was forced into action in the second quarter after an injury, and was given the tough assignment of  matching-up with Calvin Johnson on the outside. A tall task for any NFL corner, let alone a rookie. Yet, if I dare say so, Rowe looked pretty damn good against Megatron. Take a look for yourself.

[Read more…] about Breaking Down What Eric Rowe Brings to Patriots

PatsPropaganda AFC East Rivals Preview

by

The AFC East has been dominated by the Patriots for the past 15 years (aka the Brady/Belichick era), to a degree that hasn’t been otherwise seen in NFL history. The Patriots won the division title in 13 of those years. The two losses, to the Jets in 2002 and the Dolphins in 2008, came down to tiebreakers.

That doesn’t mean that division titles are always all but guaranteed, that division games aren’t still typically a bit tougher than non division games (math on that at the end of the article), or that we shouldn’t pay attention to what is happening with those other teams in the offseason.

Let’s take a look at the coaching staff of each team, the biggest “skill” names on each side of the ball (non offensive linemen, basically), and some of the offseason moves they’ve made.

[Read more…] about PatsPropaganda AFC East Rivals Preview