PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

jacoby brissett

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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The Patriots Should be Fine Against the Texans: Here’s Why

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Legarrette Blount

With Jimmy Garoppolo listed as doubtful, all signs point to rookie Jacoby Brisset making his first professional start for the Patriots tonight against the Houston Texans. While that isn’t ideal for Patriots fans it also presents an intriguing underdog situation for Bill Belichick and the Patriots, and I’m surprisingly confident that the Patriots will end the night 3-0. Here’s why:

The running game has been a highlight of the offense this year, and the Patriots have had a running back on the field almost every offensive snap this season. Through two games the Patriots have somewhat returned to form in the running game averaging 130+ rushing yards per game, and averaging almost 4 yards per carry. That’s good enough to get the job done in this league for most teams.

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New England Patriots Gameplan: Week 3 vs. Houston Texans

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<a rel=Are you enjoying this Patriots season so far? We’re two games in and it seems like our Patriots Nation is on fire, raging against itself in an endless cycle of small-picture angst . The hot taeks are rolling in faster than we can even keep up with them. Why haven’t the Patriots signed a quarterback!? The hubris of Bill Belichick! And now he’s going to force Jimmy Garoppolo to play with one arm!!

Yes, the Patriots are driving many people mad this week and it’s quickly feeling like us against the world once again.

And if all that wasn’t enough there’s a glowing puff piece on the front page of the New York Times website this morning about Exponent. You know, the company that told us second hand smoke wasn’t dangerous and that the Patriots balls were deflated .02 PSI below where the Ideal Gas Law said they should be. I’m going to resist going down that rabbit hole since we’re so close to end of Deflategate, but let’s just say there’s no specific mention of the two biggest criticisms of Exponents work — the lack of any timing element and the assumption that referee Walt Anderson was wrong in remembering which gauge he used. Read Florio’s takedown of it if you want more on this. I don’t.

Let’s try to talk about real football. Although if it wasn’t clear before, it sure is now — we’re going to be hearing about Bradoppolo non-stop for the next year-and-a-half, at least. Of course this is an unheard of “problem” in the NFL, having two very good quarterbacks and having to choose between them. It’s a fascinating story but one that I prefer to put on the backburner until the offseason. Meanwhile most of the media will waste the football season wondering “WHAT WILL THEY DO????”.

In a little over a week Tom Brady will be back and the New England Patriots 2016 season will truly begin. It’s nice to know Garoppolo has a lot of promise, but there’s plenty to play out over the next four months before we have to really worry about what will happen in the future.

Here’s the gameplan for a Texans team looking to come into Foxboro to make a statement win. Well, a statement win that would have a big Jacoby Brissett-sized asterisk.

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Pats Posits: We’re On to Jacoby Brissett

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The 2016 Patriots season took a drastic turn on Sunday against the Dolphins.

The Pats exploded out of the gate, with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing three touchdowns and looking Brady-esque with his pocket movement. He delivered multiple strikes, converting the first four third-downs he faced.

It was like it was 2007 again. The defense forced four punts and two turnovers in the first half. The Dolphin’s headsets were going out. Garoppolo was about mak

Then Garoppolo took this hit…

And the entire season changed course. The Pats held on 31-24, needing a game-sealing interception to seal what was a 24-3 lead. It was far more stressful than it should’ve been.

Meanwhile, Garoppolo has an AC sprain and is already out for the Texans on Thursday night.

And just like that, all the talk of Brady vs. Garoppolo comes to a screeching halt.  Garoppolo will be back this season, but he shouldn’t see the field again (we hope).

A powder keg of hot taeks was just dropped overboard to the bottom of the ocean with this injury. But it will be back. They always come back.

For now, the Pats must survive the Texans and Bills with rookie Jacoby Brissett at quarterback and protect their 2-0 record. This is one of the most fascinating coaching challenges Bill Belichick has faced. Luckily it should only last two games.

More on Brissett, Garoppolo and a defense that gave up three consecutive touchdowns and needed an interception to seal what should’ve been a blowout in the Posits…

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Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test

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Ty Law Super BowlAlmost every year since I started blogging the Patriots I’ve done a rookie eyeball test when the rookie numbers and helmet/facemask choices were finally revealed. This is purely superficial, but as someone who was always obsessed with “look good, play good”, I find it incredibly relevant.

Some guys just don’t look the part – their number doesn’t fit their position or it’s got bad juju (like 17 on the Pats) or their helmet doesn’t fit quite right or they have an unorthodox facemask choice that doesn’t fit their position. Yes, the meaningless options are endless.

As pics started to leak out from rookie minicamp here’s a review of those I could identify from the first batch of pics that Patriots.com released today:

 

Cyrus Jones: #24

First, I love the choice of #24 and was there really any other option for Jones if he considers himself a legit professional cornerback in the National Football League? If he had turned that down for something in the thirties I’d have real concerns about Jones’ long-term viability.

As for his facemask/helmet I’m not totally feeling this right now, and it’s more the helmet because generally this facemask style is the best option for a cornerback. But he’s gone the Josh Boyce route with the helmet and it’s riding just a bit too high and tight for me to truly give him an elite cornerback look grade. I’m worried a stiff arm to the facemask will break his face.

Ty Law, a seen above in SB36, is of course the ideal.

Grade: A-


Malcolm Mitchell #19

I was hoping for #81 with Mitchell but am fine with the consolation choice of #19, which was my own number in high school (hockey, but still). As for the helmet, I’m a little deer-in-headlights at the moment because he looks so friggin’ much like Aaron Dobson.

Though these new helmets are safer and seem to have good range of vision, I just can’t give a receiver an elite grade when they’re wearing this. While his college look was similar, it had some extra bars that took the Dobson feel of it all out of the equation. Maybe we can talk him into going back to that? There’s still plenty of time for a change.

Still, dude looks pretty solid and I’m excited to see what he can do.

Grade: B

 

Jacoby Brissett #7

Was hoping Brissett might go with #9 but #7 will do, it’s sure better than #13 or, Hoodie forbid, #1. This was the same helmet/facemask combination that he went with in college and I’m a little more accepting of this style for a QB than I am for a receiver like Mitchell.

Of course, in a perfect world he’d go with the Brady look, the queen mother of quarterback helmet/facemask looks, but I think the young guys might be scared off of that helmet because concussions or something.

Brady is the standard-bearer for all-time QB looks, not only with his number 12, but with the perfect loose-fitting helmet. That’s probably my biggest problem with bad helmet looks, when they’re too tight and ride too high on their head. Brissett looks pretty good here without much rookie high-hat.

Not perfect, but I’m intrigued.

Grade: A-

 

Joe Thuney #62

Hey look, it’s Ryan Wendell. Just kidding, it’s everyone’s favorite new genius offensive linemen Joe Thuney. Okay, nothing against Thuney here but I’m not feeling this facemask for an offensive lineman, like at all. It’s too short. You’re gonna get popped in the chin, bro.

Logan Mankins is my standard-bearer for interior offensive linemen looks. And if we’re really getting picky I’d far prefer the old Matt Light/Dan Koppen look more than anything. There’s just nothing to get excited about here, not the number nor the questionable choice in facemask. Thuney has work to do to crawl out of the boring, average look category. I’m sure he cares very much about this and will respond accordingly.

Grade: C

 

Not Ted Karras #64

Saving Thuney is Not Ted Karras, who I thought was Ted Karras before getting corrected because most of the rookies haven’t been officially designated on Patriots.com yet and apparently this guy’s got a tattoo that Karras doesn’t have so here we are.

But it doesn’t really matter, whoever this guy is it’s not what I’m looking for. Now body-wise there’s a lot to like about Not Karras but WHAT. IS. THIS. FACEMASK? No no no no. This cannot stand.

A couple years ago Brandon Bolden tried to rock one of these weird new facemasks and I haven’t forgiven him since even though he abandoned it. Not Karras is probably some guy in for a tryout that we don’t know and probably never will.

Grade: D

Patriots Day Two Draft Pick Posits

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I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning last night, watching almost everything I could find on the four newest Patriots. I have to say I generally feel more excited that immediately after the draft. I was really only familiar with Cyrus Jones of all the draftees, so it was a process of discovery, and there’s a lot to like from these players.

You can check out some of the videos over at my media-heavy Tumblr site, PatsPropaganda.net. More will be popping up throughout the day.

Here are some general thoughts as I dove in deeper on the new guys:

Cyrus Jones
  • Size is the knock on him and why everyone is only projecting him to the slot, but I think he’s smart enough and quick enough to cover just about type of receiver.
  • His quote to the media that his teammates joked about him needing his own office with the coaches because he studies so much film is so Patriots.
  • This guy is a weapon as a punt returner and that could be a huge help in cutting down on the wear and tear on Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola.
  • He immediately shoots to the top of the slot corner depth chart as I see it.
  • Understands how receivers try to set him up and knows how to counter. Extremely quick in mirroring routes, partly because of his foot speed but also his recognition.
  • Playmaker who is always around the ball.
  • Jones will make this defense better and has all the traits that make him a perfect fit. He plays with some edge and is a sound tackler. Reminds me a bit of the Tyrann Mathieu.
Joe Thuney
  • It’s pronounced “Toon-ey”.
  • Really smart, got multiple degrees as NC State.
  • Played every spot on the line, ending up at left tackle.
  • Really great hip bend. A smooth athlete with loose hips. Not ideal size for tackle, but is athletic enough to play there. Gets good leverage with good technique.
  • Not a mauler, but a technical player who can process the game and has the athletic traits where I think he could beat out Marcus Cannon for the swing tackle role. He is more athletic than Cannon or Fleming.
  • One of the best Pro Football Focus ranked pass blockers, it will be interesting to see what they do if he ends up at guard. Shaq Mason is his mirror image — a great run blocker.
Jacoby Brissett
  • Watched his 2014 game against the #1 ranked Florida State team and he was electric, making plays with both his arm and his feet.
  • Closest pro comparison? Ben Roethlisberger. He’s big and strong and fearless in the face of pressure. This can hurt him too, but he got off a few passes as he was in the clutch, about to be sacked.
  • Not an explosive runner, but an excellent athlete who knows how to make guys miss. Knows when to run and when to stay. Good pocket presence, though in the game I say the offensive line struggled against such a good front as the Seminoles.
  • Good with the short passing game. Can read defenses and knows how to look off throws to set up defenders. With a year or two to develop, Brissett could develop into something very interesting.
Vincent Valentine
  • Of the four picks, Valentine is the one I’m still scratching my head over. I get it from a size perspective, but in the few games I watched of him I didn’t see many flashes.
  • He can hold his ground and if he catches an offensive linemen off-balance he’ll truck them. But many instances I saw where he was pushed out of the way or missed the chance to make a tackle.
  • Personality-wish I got a gentle giant vibe from him, which scares me even more.
  • For those of you who’ve been with the blog since the Shawn “Crazy Legs” Crable days, Valentine is the antithesis of Crazy Legs. He already has the best calves on the team. They’re crazy huge and stand out even on a 320 pound man.
  • If I was scouting calves this guy’d be in the first round, but as a defensive tackle I have yet to see a consistent anything to get me excited.