New England Patriots thread (MOD WARNING - #4503)

Syferus

It's optimistic in the extreme to think any team is at much of a disadvantage by the Pats having to possibly change their go-to set in June. It's only the Patriots that are losers in that scenario.

Hazys

Syferus wrote: »

It's optimistic in the extreme to think any team is at much of a disadvantage by the Pats having to possibly change their go-to set in June. It's only the Patriots that are losers in that scenario.

To be fair the Patriots aren't that one dimensional.

The Patriots only had both Hernandez and Gronk together on the field together a handful of games last season and they made the AFC Championship.

Losing Hernandez the player is not ideal but there are 53 men on a roster and we have a very strong roster as can be seen anytime we cut a player they get picked up in waivers.

I'm still very confident in the Patriots, we are still one of the elite teams in the NFL and the bookmakers reflect that as the 3rd favourite for the Super Bowl. All this hysteria is way over blown.

Also we have Tebow now, so there.

Syferus

Hazys wrote: »

To be fair the Patriots aren't that one dimensional.

The Patriots only had both Hernandez and Gronk together on the field together a handful of games last season and they made the AFC Championship.

Losing Hernandez the player is not ideal but there are 53 men on a roster and we have a very strong roster as can be seen anytime we cut a player they get picked up in waivers.

I'm still very confident in the Patriots, we are still one of the elite teams in the NFL and the bookmakers reflect that as the 3rd favourite for the Super Bowl. All this hysteria is way over blown.

Also we have Tebow now, so there.

Oh, I don't think the Patriots will be a bad offense, still in the running to be top five if Gronk and Amendola stay fit, Brady has already proven he can elevate receivers. Hernandez being gone and a good few candidates for injury means that for the offense staying healthy has never been mroe important, the safety net is gone.

Still division champions, perhaps even good enough to earn a bye, but with the Patriots the question is always are they good enough to win a Superbowl? Even fully healthy I'd have a tough time opting for them over a Green Bay or a 49ers and the Seahawks have a chance to be great this year too. All NFC teams so if they did play one of them it'd mean they'd have came through a stacked looking conference.

Apart from the Broncos the AFC looks relatively weaker on paper and even they have a defense that leaks at the worst times. Could still see a Superbowl appearance this season for NE but that might be the ceiling of what's possible.

i think the playoffs is the issue for the pats brady and what i think will be a good d will get them to the playoffs but once they get there hernandez is gone, gronk has been injured the last 2 playoffs and hes coming back from a serious back issue and amendola is also very injury prone.
welker was a huge loss in hindsight they should have payed above the odds to keep him but hindsights grand he didnt look like as big of an issue at the time.

people are underrating the pats backup tes they are better than people realise but to be honest i cant see the pats doing anything in the playoffs unless gronk and amendola stay fully healthy and i cant see it happening.

resdubwhite

Noel Jolly Fountain wrote: »

i think the playoffs is the issue for the pats brady and what i think will be a good d will get them to the playoffs but once they get there hernandez is gone, gronk has been injured the last 2 playoffs and hes coming back from a serious back issue and amendola is also very injury prone.
welker was a huge loss in hindsight they should have payed above the odds to keep him but hindsights grand he didnt look like as big of an issue at the time.

people are underrating the pats backup tes they are better than people realise but to be honest i cant see the pats doing anything in the playoffs unless gronk and amendola stay fully healthy and i cant see it happening.

thats the crux of the issue. No way Pats aren't winning that division. It really is about how the rookie wr's and how healthy everyone is come the play off's that will decide their season.

matthew8

Is the door completely shut on Brandon Lloyd coming back or have the issues with the rest of the TE/WR corps opened the door for him?

Hazys

matthew8 wrote: »

Is the door completely shut on Brandon Lloyd coming back or have the issues with the rest of the TE/WR corps opened the door for him?

I dont know tbh.

They wanted him to take a paycut but he refused so he got cut. So there is obviously some interest in Lloyd at the right price. Maybe if Lloyd lowers his demands he'll be back, the longer he is a free agent the lower his leverage gets.

Or the Pats are more confident in the young WRs they drafted and are no longer interested in Lloyd at any price.

Hard to tell.

Son Of A Vidic

Syferus wrote: »

the AFC looks relatively weaker on paper

Ah now please. If you know anything about American football, if is has taught you anything, surely it should be that what happens on paper and what happens on the field are two very different realities? On paper we were hot favourites for SB's XLII and XLV and it didn't happen. But that's the beauty of the game.

Son Of A Vidic

matthew8 wrote: »

Is the door completely shut on Brandon Lloyd coming back or have the issues with the rest of the TE/WR corps opened the door for him?

I think hell will freeze over before we take him back. While his figures were decent enough last year. Brady did have to force feed him a lot at times. Also in the locker room he acted a bit of an odd ball and was reported to be a loner. Which was something that didn't make a good impression with the team.

Syferus

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Ah now please. If you know anything about American football, if is has taught you anything, surely it should be that what happens on paper and what happens on the field are two very different realities? On paper we were hot favourites for SB's XLII and XLV and it didn't happen. But that's the beauty of the game.

If I have to judge a conference in June it's not going to be based on jelly babies and candy cane! 'Paper' is all we have right now.

Definitely more proven commodities in the NFC, though.

Son Of A Vidic

Syferus wrote: »

If I have to judge a conference in June it's not going to be based on jelly babies and candy cane! 'Paper' is all we have right now.

Anybody that judges a conference in June, must enjoy wasting their own time.

TO.

Bobby Kraft made a decent decision to allow those who bought Hernandez shirts in the Pro Shop to return them for another shirt. Buddy was telling me earlier.

Edit : Looks like he was right

http://tracking.si.com/2013/06/28/patriots-proshop-offer-free-exchange-aaron-hernandez-jersey/

Son Of A Vidic

TO. wrote: »

Bobby Kraft made a decent decision to allow those who bought Hernandez shirts in the Pro Shop to return them for another shirt. Buddy was telling me earlier.

Edit : Looks like he was right

http://tracking.si.com/2013/06/28/patriots-proshop-offer-free-exchange-aaron-hernandez-jersey/

Fair play.

UnitedIrishman

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Anybody that judges a conference in June, must enjoy wasting their own time.

If you judge it on the previous season then the NFC was much the stronger with 8 sides with winning records in comparison to 6 in the AFC, and a better head to head ratio in interconference games.

That said, in a once of game in the playoffs it's anyones game - as proven in the Superbowl.

But I do think there are more sides rebuilding at the minute than are 'there' in the AFC compared to the NFC. Ravens (had to offload a lot in cap space and lost Lewis and Reed), Steelers, even the Pats to a degree with their receivers and a lot of youngsters blooded in on defence, are all at different stages of rebuilding.

Son Of A Vidic

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

If you judge it on the previous season then the NFC was much the stronger with 8 sides with winning records in comparison to 6 in the AFC, and a better head to head ratio in interconference games.

That said, in a once of game in the playoffs it's anyones game - as proven in the Superbowl.

But I do think there are more sides rebuilding at the minute than are 'there' in the AFC compared to the NFC. Ravens (had to offload a lot in cap space and lost Lewis and Reed), Steelers, even the Pats to a degree with their receivers and a lot of youngsters blooded in on defence, are all at different stages of rebuilding.

Good stuff UI, you are right, most of the big hitters in the AFC are in some sort of rebuilding process right now. And a couple of NFC teams have rebuilt and are nicely placed to go on a run. The NFC West is a perfect example. It has become such a competetive division right now, but it wasn't to long ago that it was the league laughingstock.

But that's the beauty of the NFL and no doubt in time, the pendulum will swing the other way soon enough. Personally I just don't bog myself down in which Conference/Division is stronger debate. Because anything can happen in this game. It's why we love it and hate it(when it goes against us) at times I suppose.

Masked Man

This is pretty interesting. I'll have to read it a couple more times but it has me a little worried about missing Hernandez. Although I'd question just how relevant last season's games without Hernandez will be.

Think I'll go down to the Church and light a few candles for Amendola's health.

Hazys

9 reasons why the loss of hernandez doesnt mean the patriots are totally screwed

http://boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoughts/9-reasons-why-the-loss-of-hernandez-doesnt-mean-the-patriots-are-totally-screwed/

Son Of A Vidic

Masked Man wrote: »

This is pretty interesting. I'll have to read it a couple more times but it has me a little worried about missing Hernandez. Although I'd question just how relevant last season's games without Hernandez will be.

Think I'll go down to the Church and light a few candles for Amendola's health.

Very interesting read that, it mentioned something I've been feeling and that is. Ballard might not get the reps we thought he'd get, when we signed him last year. I think Zach Sudfeld could steal the show at the TE spot. He has looked really good and should make the roster. I just hope he stays healthy.

me89

Just to cheer everyone up

me89

New logo.

http://nesn.com/2013/07/patriots-unveil-bold-new-logo-photo/

Son Of A Vidic

An unfortunate end indeed, just what we needed me89 .

And here's the gif version....




No, it never gets tired.

Son Of A Vidic

me89 wrote: »

New logo.

http://nesn.com/2013/07/patriots-unveil-bold-new-logo-photo/

I really like that new logo, much clearer and bolder than the old one. I'd so love to see us move back to the throwback uniform.



Just replace Pat the Patriot with the Flying Elvis logo.

HigginsJ

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

An unfortunate end indeed, just what we needed me89 .

And here's the gif version....




No, it never gets tired.

It really really never gets old

Syferus

You rarely see that version of the logo anyways but the redesign is better, simpler and less showy.

Still just feels like what it is, though - text bolted on to a pre-existing logo.

Masked Man

Just replace Pat the Patriot with the Flying Elvis logo.

Or just switch back to the minuteman. I actually prefer it to what we have now.

You rarely see that version of the logo anyways but the redesign is better, simpler and less showy.

New one is just going to be in the end zone anyway.

TO.

Masked Man wrote: »

New one is just going to be in the end zone anyway.

So they are leaving the old on on the front of the jersey then? Having said that unless you add white trimming to it the new one would look daft on the Navy home jersey.

Son Of A Vidic

Masked Man wrote: »

New one is just going to be in the end zone anyway.

There's a bit of confusion over it, ESPN Boston reported it as an end zone logo change only. But a few other sites didn't

TO. wrote: »

So they are leaving the old on on the front of the jersey then? Having said that unless you add white trimming to it the new one would look daft on the Navy home jersey.

That's a good point. I'd say if they did decide to add it to the jerseys. They'd have to make the lettering white on our home jersey and the blue as advertised on the away jersey.

resdubwhite

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Just replace Pat the Patriot with the Flying Elvis logo.

Sacrilege.

Son Of A Vidic

resdubwhite wrote: »

Sacrilege.

I actually do prefer it to the flying Elvis but for me, Pat the Patriot is a jinxed logo. Because we were always the nearly men while we had it.

JaMarcus Hustle

There's a picture on twitter of a guy queuing st Gillette for the Aaron Hernandez jersey exchange... wearing a Michael Vick Falcons jersey. Brilliantly played