WickedGame Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Anyone else notice a theme emerging with the Patriots this week? To wit: 7/29 Tim Graham reports OLB Derrick Burgess is mulling retirement. The Patriots LB corps was weak last year (22nd in sacks). The team already released OLB Adalius Thomas 7/28 OLB Shawn Crable is released. Crable was a 2008 a 3rd-rounder from and failed to live up to expectations, despite ideal measurables for a 3-4 OLB. 7/28 Andy Hart reports on what's left of the Pats' 2008 and 2007 drafts: 2008 - 1st Round - Jerrod Mayo (LB) - Stud 2008 - 2nd Round - Terrence Wheatley (CB) - Fighting for a roster spot 2008 - 3rd Round - Shawn Crable (OLB) - Cut 2008 - 3rd Round - Kevin O'Connell (QB) - Cut 2008 - 4th Round - Jonathan Wilhite (CB) - Sliding down the depth chart 2008 - 5th Round - Matthew Slater (WR) - Special teams player 2007 - 1st Round - Brandon Meriweather (S) - Starter 2007 - 4th-7th Rounds - Kareem Brown, Clint Oldenburg, Justin Rogers, Mike Richardson, Justise Hairston, Corey Hilliard, Oscar Lua, Mike Elgin -- Not much to say about this group. Now, granted the Patriots have been known for building through free agency, and have used the draft primarily for depth. Still, two draft classes and only two starters? A linebacking corps revealing more and more holes? Anyone else see us taking advantage of the cracks in the armor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 All those misses by the pats does seem promising for us. Their armor might be getting more brittle by the season. Someday we'll give it one good whack and it'll shatter. Maybe that will be the day Belicheat decides to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 It's hard to win in the NFL...when you can't cheat. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 It's hard to win in the NFL...when you can't cheat. PTR I suspect they continue to cheat anyway they can. Fortunately their best methods were discovered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milehiLou Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 6-10 if they are lucky! they have nooooo secondary or linebackers. or rbs or recieving corps. or depth at qb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hossage Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 They have nothing, except for Brady, Belichek, Moss, a good offensive line, and the refs. So um, we are going to have to take it from them this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 The problem is that the Pats* haven't drafted up their front 7 all that well at all since 2007. They traded Seymour and Vrable, Bruschi retired, Thomas was relased, and Jarvis Green left via free agency. And the only real player they have added to the mix is Mayo and while he is a very good player he isn't enough to replace all the talent that left. In this years draft they added Spikes and Cunningham and in last years draft they added Brace so they have to count on some of those guys developing or else its not going to be pretty. Because right now Wilfork and Mayo are studs but the rest of that front doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpl6876 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I do believe the Pats are slipping back to the pack. Their defense has some issues as exploited by last years playoff game. God, did I love it! One could easily argue that the Jets have surpassed them. However, lets not fool ourselves and think we are going to beat them this season. IMO, at best a 1-1 split but more likely they will sweep us. They still have Brady, Moss, and a good O line. That should be enough to beat us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpl6876 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 6-10 if they are lucky! they have nooooo secondary or linebackers. or rbs or recieving corps. or depth at qb I would bet the farm (if I had one) that they will be better than 6-10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pneumonic Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 The Pats defense needs top producing DL to work well. They have two VG ones in Wilfork and Warren and last years find Pryor appears to be a keeper. Brace has tons of talent and skill but has been slow in adapting to 2 gap life in NE. The Pats return versatile guy in Wright and also added G Warren and D Lewis as backups so they would appear to be in VG shape at this most critical aspect of their defense. Draft pick Cunningham will need to step into the shoes of quasi DE/hybrid OLB guys like Thomas and Burgess. This shouldn't be too problematic as neither Thomas nor Burgess amounted to much last year. Banta-Cain is back. At ILB the Pats have a ton of highly skilled and talented players, many whom they have added the last 2 drafts but, who knows how they'll all perform. Key however, are the guys up front in the trenches. They'll make or break things for the defensive front 7. Pats look stocked in the secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsox Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Pats could possibly colapse this year or not be the dominant team we once knew. That game against the Ravens proved that. I look for the Patriots to be anywhere from 7-9 to 10-6. They got alot of good pieces, but alot of young guys. I expect the AFC East to be pretty tight. No one really impresses me in the division. I expect it to be a tight race up until the end of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddaryl Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 good hopefully they'll continue ot waste all those extra draft picks they have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 The Pats defense needs top producing DL to work well. They have two VG ones in Wilfork and Warren and last years find Pryor appears to be a keeper. Brace has tons of talent and skill but has been slow in adapting to 2 gap life in NE. The Pats return versatile guy in Wright and also added G Warren and D Lewis as backups so they would appear to be in VG shape at this most critical aspect of their defense. Draft pick Cunningham will need to step into the shoes of quasi DE/hybrid OLB guys like Thomas and Burgess. This shouldn't be too problematic as neither Thomas nor Burgess amounted to much last year. Banta-Cain is back. At ILB the Pats have a ton of highly skilled and talented players, many whom they have added the last 2 drafts but, who knows how they'll all perform. Key however, are the guys up front in the trenches. They'll make or break things for the defensive front 7. Pats look stocked in the secondary. Wilfork and Mayo are the only real good stand out players in the Pats* front 7 the rest are average or unproven. They have no pass rush (Banta-Cain was a one year wounder he will regress to a 5 sack guy and Cunningham isn't as a rookie going to provide 8 sacks) and their DE's are very average (Warren very overrated and Pryor is average) and their other MLB spot is a rookie in Spikes. Their D also lacks a lot of depth. Brace backs up Wilfork but who is backing up Mayo and Spikes at MLB? Who is the back ups for the OLB spot? Warren and Pryor start at DE but one injury could upset the apple cart big time thanks to the departure of Green. All in all the Pats* front 7 seems very average and dependent on a lot of recent draft picks to come through early. Their secondary is much better but it should be since they have thrown a ton of picks at it although they still don't have that one shut down corner but their safeties are good and they are deep at corner. Their offense is aging and their front 7 isn't inspiring confidence at all. I would pencil in the Pats* as a 9-7 team good but not a playoff team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Trading down for all those extra draft picks and striking out on a couple pretty deep drafts- I love it! We are going to sweep the Pats this year! That is my prediction and I am sticking with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I do believe the Pats are slipping back to the pack. Their defense has some issues as exploited by last years playoff game. God, did I love it! One could easily argue that the Jets have surpassed them. However, lets not fool ourselves and think we are going to beat them this season. IMO, at best a 1-1 split but more likely they will sweep us. They still have Brady, Moss, and a good O line. That should be enough to beat us. I'll take that. It's probably the training camp optimism talking, but I wouldn't be shocked if we beat them once. The Pats* are slipping back to the pack. I don't think we'll see a bad team any time soon, but they're not the dominant cheaters they once were. The rest of the league is starting to catch up to them and even though Brady & Moss are still there, they are REALLY going to miss Welker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Not to mention that Brady's deal is up after this season and he's not too happy that the Pats* are dragging their feet waiting to see what happens with the CBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKRAAPY Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 And!!! Logan Mankins is sitting out of camp and demanding a trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pneumonic Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Wes Welker passed his medical, is back on the field practicing, and will be good to go game 1. I think he's superhuman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills Fan in Charlotte Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 I'll take that. It's probably the training camp optimism talking, but I wouldn't be shocked if we beat them once. The Pats* are slipping back to the pack. I don't think we'll see a bad team any time soon, but they're not the dominant cheaters they once were. The rest of the league is starting to catch up to them and even though Brady & Moss are still there, they are REALLY going to miss Welker. Welker was cleared from the PUP list today. He is expected to start week 1 vs. the Bengals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan in n.h Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Wes Welker passed his medical, is back on the field practicing, and will be good to go game 1. I think he's superhuman. welker might have passed his medical but he is on the sidelines.the pats cant risk a re-injury to him.living in NH i get to hear a lot about it.he might even start on pup list.hopefully he is on it till game three. no welker no win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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