Teams New England Patriots - The Pats

[ausbacker]

I had this grand plan of downloading the game on TYT, avoiding social media and turning off my ESPN notifications.

Then I remembered I have Amendola in one league and the Pats D in another. Can I avoid checking my week one matchups...

Where's the fun in that?

 

[Galactic]

We want Gronk

 

[pantskyle]

Good times.

 

[ausbacker]

Watching today I kept thinking to myself there's no reason why the Patriots cannot replicate the Packers shifty Wide Receivers of Cobb and Nelson with Amendola and Edelman.

Getting a healthy Gronkowski back is going to be an injection for this team. The amount of room that is going to create for Amendola/Edelman/Vereen to operate in is going to be unfair.

I'm not too concerned with the rookies. They played as if it was their first proper game of NFL today. It also didn't help that there was a heap of uncalled holding penalties.

If there was a concern defensively it was that there was little to no pass rush or reliable and effective collapsing of the pocket. That needs to be remedied as the better Quarterbacks will pick apart the Secondary.

The Patriots got the win, a win in the division. That's all that matters in the wash up.

 

[Knowledge]

How much concern is there surrounding Ridley's ability to hold onto the ball? I only ask because I read that he was having issues in pre-season too, however I don't pay that close attention to pre-season so I may be wrong. Vareen was great today fwiw.

 

[ausbacker]

How much concern is there surrounding Ridley's ability to hold onto the ball? I only ask because I read that he was having issues in pre-season too, however I don't pay that close attention to pre-season so I may be wrong. Vareen was great today fwiw.

Not too much. The fumble itself was a bit of bad luck. That said, he does need to pay more attention to his ball security. Ridley and Vereen are a complimentary 1-2 punch. Many of us are hoping they can become top echelon players to take some of the pressure off Brady.

 

[Galactic]

I'm not too concerned with the rookies. They played as if it was their first proper game of NFL today. It also didn't help that there was a heap of uncalled holding penalties.

Yeah they will develop, there will be a few bumps for them. I think they were a little more out of their depth than everyone inc BB and TB,expected though. Fixable stuff though, Ill take the win. Lots to prep for this short week.

 

[pantskyle]

Not too much. The fumble itself was a bit of bad luck. That said, he does need to pay more attention to his ball security. Ridley and Vereen are a complimentary 1-2 punch. Many of us are hoping they can become top echelon players to take some of the pressure off Brady.

Vereen out for a few weeks.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Vereen out for a few weeks.

Crap. I was just listening to Simmons' podcast and heard that. He was great yesterday, could be a while yet before we see the offence get up to speed with the Ridley-Vereen combo once Vereen's back, get Gronk back, and Thompkins to just figure it out a bit more...

 

[lyall]

Been lurking on this board for years, time to actually say something I think

Damn for Vereen, thought he had a great game yesterday. Good work for playing on too, apparently it happened in the first quarter.

Super impressed with some of the catches Amendola made, especially in the last 2 minutes, getting the Pats into field goal territory. Will also be nice when Thompkins starts taking a few more of those catches, a couple of easy ones missed but it was his first game so I'll cut him some slack for now

Good to get the win and onto the Jets on Friday morning.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Vereen placed on the IR with designation to return, out 8 weeks. He can return after the week 10 bye.

Ouch...

 

[ausbacker]

Vereen placed on the IR with designation to return, out 8 weeks. He can return after the week 10 bye.

Ouch...

It's rather obvious that Bill Belichick cut a deal with Al Pacino with the 3 out of 4 Superbowls. Who in their right mind fluffs a big lead to Peyton "Playoff Clutch" Manning in the 2006 AFC Championship match, surrenders an undefeated season to Eli "I just threw it up and some prick caught it on his helmet" Manning in SB42, the very next season loses Tom Brady in the opening quarter of week 1, has the Ravens maul them at home after Ray Rice goes 80 yards for a TD on the first offensive play of the game, allows Bernard Pollard on teams that Patriots have to play to get to and/or win the Superbowl only to have him screw the Patriots on multiple occasions and then has Patrick "I cannot cover" Chung arrive a year too late on a long completion to Mario Manningham to effective hand the Giants another Superbowl by default? To top all of that off, whatever deity you pray to decides that we'll let the Ravens march into Foxboro, beat the crap out of the Patriots inside the Red Zone and allow the alleged axe murderer to finish his career off with Superbowl number 2?

I am just chuffed.

 

[Blacky]

This is one beat up offense. If Sudfeld and Amendola miss this week it could be scary

When is Gronk back?

 

[Galactic]

Got me wondering the same thing.. Brady to Brady? Gronk will be back I think week 4, but who knows. I say rest him and Amendola as long as needed so we have them when we"ll need them most ATL NO ect

 

[Blacky]

Wonder what Troy Brown is up to these days

 

[lyall]

Dobson might be a chance to play, but as we saw with Thompkins you cant really be pinning your hopes on the rookies straight away

 

[Scully2Folau]

I think Thompkins is still running a route in Buffalo. Hopefully the kid can pick it up soon enough.

 

[ausbacker]

This is one beat up offense. If Sudfeld and Amendola miss this week it could be scary

When is Gronk back?

I have a suspicion he'll back back for week 3 against the Buccaneers. That said, I do believe his game time will be managed as the Patriots phase him back into football. They'll need him as it's away at the Falcons and Bengals then home to face the Saints.

 

[ausbacker]

I think Thompkins is still running a route in Buffalo. Hopefully the kid can pick it up soon enough.

He'll be fine. All of the rookies played like rookies and let the speed of the game get to them. It also didn't help that Thompkins was being mauled without fear of a flag. The amount of holding penalties that should have been thrown in his direction was mind boggling (I'm not normally one to complain about poor officiating).

 

[pantskyle]

So Gronk if definitely out?

 

[ausbacker]

So Gronk if definitely out?

The Doubtful designation almost always means the player won't be playing.

Taken from NFL Fantasy Help.

• Inactive (IA) - Players are officially inactive for the current game and will not play
• Out (O) – Not scheduled to play
• Doubtful (D) – Players have approximately a 25% chance of playing
• Questionable (Q) – Players have approximately a 50% chance of playing
• Probable (P) – Players are very likely to start in the upcoming week

 

[pantskyle]

I see. I have him in my first NFL fantasy team. Out he goes.

 

[Blacky]

He isn't playing.

Not even 2.5% chance

Agree with ausbacker that he will play next week

 

[Scorpio]

I'm half expecting to lose tomorrow's game. Brady will need to be at his absolute best with the receivers he'll have at his disposal. Jets always seem to bring something extra to Gillette Stadium as well.

 

[Beetlebum]

The one team I detest losing to is the J-E-T-S and that fat ****ing flog Rex Ryan.