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How quick people forget. Division first then go from there.
Looking at the Patriots - 2021
- Thread starter spacecrime
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Big/Sky/Fly
370hssv vw6!s tu36v
Eh, that's on the team to do that. I love all of the people who think the team is somehow theirs. We are all spectators watching on the sidelines.
TyLawsPick6
Well-known member
No, you're correct. They have a gazillion holes to fill next year and I wasn't aware the final cap number was posted somewhere, though.
Folk they can probably do 1 year deals with unless they want to turn it over to Nordin.
We have a lot of shoes to fill. Jon Jones is also a FA, McCourty and Slater could retire at anytime along with Hightower, and guys like Trent Brown like you mention, and others could be gone. The key is the spike in the cap. It will be a feeding frenzy, so as long as BB has another good draft like he's been having, they'll need these recent draft picks to keep stepping up. Bentley is also a FA, as is Adrian Phillips.
BB could be in a position where a lot of these guys wants to stay, too. Adrian Phillips, Jon Jones, maybe even James White, might think that they don't want to play anywhere else like how it was with Guy, Andrews and White this past year.
Again, as long as BB has another nice draft, we'll probably see that paired with second tier/non-exciting FA signings (that some fans will bitch about without knowing how the player fits here).
jayShomp
Well-known member
That 26mil of space was was after spike in the cap, I think anyway. I was looking at overcap.com, and it shows it as a little over 208mil next year. It could be worse, the Saints will be 70mil over even after the increase, they've got some shuffling to do, Packers in cap hell too.
6 weeks is a long time.
Which AFC team is the biggest challenge? For me it's the Bills then KC who is playing much better now.
NFC team? TB for me and I'd love a rematch.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1466052780364206089
Which AFC team is the biggest challenge? For me it's the Bills then KC who is playing much better now.
NFC team? TB for me and I'd love a rematch.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1466052780364206089
Roberto71
Well-known member
Kendrick passed the Willie Mac test!!
View: https://twitter.com/bournepoly11/status/1466208392041668609?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/bournepoly11/status/1466208392041668609?s=21
Roberto71
Well-known member
Hard to believe that Dev has been here 12 seasons! Again, another reference to the no fun Patriots…
View: https://twitter.com/zackcoxnesn/status/1466121402172547077?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/zackcoxnesn/status/1466121402172547077?s=21
This should have come as no surprise, but it's still nice.
They all seem to be having a lot more fun now that Brady isn't here anymore though, hm?
I'm sure that's purely coincidental.
TyLawsPick6
Well-known member
Yes. Absolutely. I haven't seen BB this relaxed since 2016.They all seem to be having a lot more fun now that Brady isn't here anymore though, hm?
I'm sure that's purely coincidental.
When the veteran defensive player, maybe McCourty, walked into BB's office after 2019 and said "we're not going through that shit again", I am sure that veteran was speaking for a lot of the players.
Roberto71
Well-known member
They all seem to be having a lot more fun now that Brady isn't here anymore though, hm?
I'm sure that's purely coincidental.
Of course
i think jakobi is the biggest beneficiary. he has really blossomed. and i was heartbroken for him when someone (chevss?) posted on here recently about how he said tb wouldn't talk to him(or something like that).
Especially BB...They all seem to be having a lot more fun now that Brady isn't here anymore though, hm?
I'm sure that's purely coincidental.
Flagg the Wanderer
Mourning Algernon
Well, quite a few of those "every minute"s were when Brady was here, after all. It's not like he said that everything was fun again now...They all seem to be having a lot more fun now that Brady isn't here anymore though, hm?
I'm sure that's purely coincidental.
But there is that feel to the team this year, isn't there? I wonder how much of it is reflecting the enthusiasm and newness that comes with Mac and the contributing rookies, and the high-buy-in, high-energy, and impactful new guys like Judon and Bourne?
Momentum is a confidence builder.
theAthletic's power rankings
theathletic.com
Week 12 result: Bye
Problem area: Run defense. Teams aren’t attacking Arizona on the ground all that often; it has faced the fifth-fewest rushing attempts in the league this season. But when opponents do run, they are successful, with an average of 4.74 yards per attempt. Only the Vikings and Steelers are allowing more yards per rush, and according to TruMedia, the Cardinals are giving up 3.07 rushing yards after contact, the third most in the league. Why are we focusing on run defense here? Because Arizona’s final three games are against strong rushing teams: the Colts (with Jonathan Taylor), the Cowboys (with Ezekiel Elliott) and the Seahawks (which will feature a run-heavy offense whether it’s working or not). Even the winless Lions, whom the Cardinals face in Week 15, are a decent rushing team. Detroit averages more than 4.6 yards per carry.
Week 12 result: Beat the Rams, 36-28
Problem area: Aaron Rodgers’ toe. Don’t worry, we’re not going to post the photo again. But what the last month or so has taught us is that when the Packers have Rodgers on the field, they can make a strong argument they’re the best team in the NFC. And with defensive stars Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander potentially returning later this season, Rodgers’ toe is the key injury to watch. He limped at times in Sunday’s win, and he’s likely going to just have to manage the pain, play through it and hope he can avoid further injury.
Week 12 result: Beat the Colts, 38-31
Problem area: Third-down defense. The Buccaneers are a well-rounded team that looks ready to contend for another Super Bowl berth. They’ve had some uninspiring losses, but it’s tough to poke too many holes in this team. One area they could improve is third-down defense. They’re in the bottom half of the league, allowing opponents to convert on third down 40.9 percent of the time. Against the Colts, they allowed four third-down conversions when Indy needed 10 or more yards. That was outside the norm, but those situations can be the difference during the postseason.
Week 12 result: Bye
Problem area: Defensive sub packages. A month ago, we could have simply put the entire defense here, but the Chiefs have made an impressive turnaround in the three games preceding their bye. Defensive questions remain, however, particularly with their nickel or dime packages and when safety Daniel Sorensen is on the field. Sorensen’s playing time has dropped from the first half of the season (he played more than 90 percent of the defensive snaps in Weeks 1-5 and has played about 50 percent in the past two games), but we should expect opposing offenses to continue to try to exploit the Chiefs’ pass defense when he’s on the field.
Week 12 result: Beat the Titans, 36-13
Problem area: Red-zone offense. The Patriots have scored a touchdown on 55.6 percent of their trips to the red zone. That’s 24th in the NFL. Nick Folk attempted six field goals and made five of them against the Titans, and it wasn’t the first time an inability to finish on offense has popped up. The Patriots are still rolling, though. They won by 20-plus points for the third straight game, they have outscored their opponents 63-0 in the second half of their last four games and now have the NFL’s best point differential. The Patriots are a team with few weaknesses, with a real shot at the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
Week 12 result: Beat the Browns, 16-10
Problem area: Consistent quarterback play. The bar is extremely high for Lamar Jackson, and while his passing numbers have been decent this season (he’s averaging a career-high 261 passing yards per game), the Ravens should expect more if they want to hold on to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Baltimore survived his four-interception night in Week 12 in large part because of how the defense shut down the Browns, coupled with Cleveland’s own offensive struggles. That won’t happen when Baltimore plays better teams in the postseason.
Week 12 result: Beat the Saints, 31-6
Problem area: The offensive line, which is the same one that helped the Bills get to the AFC Championship Game a year ago. This year, though, the group has been a letdown.
[Bills OL ranks 18th (PFF) in pass blocking efficiency & has avg grades of 60 in blocking - Pats' OL is 6th with avg grades of 80]
Daryl Williams, Dion Dawkins and Cody Ford have allowed a combined 66 pressures. Jon Feliciano and Spencer Brown could help once they’re back on the field, but the Bills haven’t been consistent in pass protection all year. They also haven’t been able to run the ball. Buffalo has the defense and passing game to make up for it, but it needs to do a better job of keeping Josh Allen upright if it’s going to make a deep run.
Week 12 result: Lost to the Raiders, 36-33 in overtime [Week 13: Won vs injury riddled Saints last night 27-17, using Taysom Hill's 4 ints to good advantage. Otherwise the Saints played the Cowboys toe to toe and exposed E.Elliot as a poor RB (13/45yds) this year and held the Cowboys to 2/14 on 3rd downs. (8-4 now)]
Problem area: Continuity on the offensive line. The Cowboys are averaging just 3.6 yards per carry over their last three games. What used to be the strength of this team has become an area of concern. Dallas was rotating linemen early against the Raiders, but that didn’t help. The offensive line ranks in the top 10 in holding and false-start penalties, and penalties were a team-wide issue in the Thanksgiving loss to Las Vegas. Luckily for the Cowboys, they still have time to snap out of it before the postseason.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 13: Mac Jones is rolling, but what’s one problem area for the Patriots and other teams?
Every NFL team has a blind spot or an issue that could derail its hopes for the season's final weeks. We run down one per club.
theathletic.com
1. Arizona Cardinals (9-2)
Previous rank: 1Week 12 result: Bye
Problem area: Run defense. Teams aren’t attacking Arizona on the ground all that often; it has faced the fifth-fewest rushing attempts in the league this season. But when opponents do run, they are successful, with an average of 4.74 yards per attempt. Only the Vikings and Steelers are allowing more yards per rush, and according to TruMedia, the Cardinals are giving up 3.07 rushing yards after contact, the third most in the league. Why are we focusing on run defense here? Because Arizona’s final three games are against strong rushing teams: the Colts (with Jonathan Taylor), the Cowboys (with Ezekiel Elliott) and the Seahawks (which will feature a run-heavy offense whether it’s working or not). Even the winless Lions, whom the Cardinals face in Week 15, are a decent rushing team. Detroit averages more than 4.6 yards per carry.
2. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
Previous rank: 3Week 12 result: Beat the Rams, 36-28
Problem area: Aaron Rodgers’ toe. Don’t worry, we’re not going to post the photo again. But what the last month or so has taught us is that when the Packers have Rodgers on the field, they can make a strong argument they’re the best team in the NFC. And with defensive stars Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander potentially returning later this season, Rodgers’ toe is the key injury to watch. He limped at times in Sunday’s win, and he’s likely going to just have to manage the pain, play through it and hope he can avoid further injury.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)
Previous rank: 2Week 12 result: Beat the Colts, 38-31
Problem area: Third-down defense. The Buccaneers are a well-rounded team that looks ready to contend for another Super Bowl berth. They’ve had some uninspiring losses, but it’s tough to poke too many holes in this team. One area they could improve is third-down defense. They’re in the bottom half of the league, allowing opponents to convert on third down 40.9 percent of the time. Against the Colts, they allowed four third-down conversions when Indy needed 10 or more yards. That was outside the norm, but those situations can be the difference during the postseason.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)
Previous rank: T-4Week 12 result: Bye
Problem area: Defensive sub packages. A month ago, we could have simply put the entire defense here, but the Chiefs have made an impressive turnaround in the three games preceding their bye. Defensive questions remain, however, particularly with their nickel or dime packages and when safety Daniel Sorensen is on the field. Sorensen’s playing time has dropped from the first half of the season (he played more than 90 percent of the defensive snaps in Weeks 1-5 and has played about 50 percent in the past two games), but we should expect opposing offenses to continue to try to exploit the Chiefs’ pass defense when he’s on the field.
5. New England Patriots (8-4)
Previous rank: 7Week 12 result: Beat the Titans, 36-13
Problem area: Red-zone offense. The Patriots have scored a touchdown on 55.6 percent of their trips to the red zone. That’s 24th in the NFL. Nick Folk attempted six field goals and made five of them against the Titans, and it wasn’t the first time an inability to finish on offense has popped up. The Patriots are still rolling, though. They won by 20-plus points for the third straight game, they have outscored their opponents 63-0 in the second half of their last four games and now have the NFL’s best point differential. The Patriots are a team with few weaknesses, with a real shot at the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-3)
Previous rank: 9Week 12 result: Beat the Browns, 16-10
Problem area: Consistent quarterback play. The bar is extremely high for Lamar Jackson, and while his passing numbers have been decent this season (he’s averaging a career-high 261 passing yards per game), the Ravens should expect more if they want to hold on to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Baltimore survived his four-interception night in Week 12 in large part because of how the defense shut down the Browns, coupled with Cleveland’s own offensive struggles. That won’t happen when Baltimore plays better teams in the postseason.
7. Buffalo Bills (7-4)
Previous rank: 11Week 12 result: Beat the Saints, 31-6
Problem area: The offensive line, which is the same one that helped the Bills get to the AFC Championship Game a year ago. This year, though, the group has been a letdown.
[Bills OL ranks 18th (PFF) in pass blocking efficiency & has avg grades of 60 in blocking - Pats' OL is 6th with avg grades of 80]
Daryl Williams, Dion Dawkins and Cody Ford have allowed a combined 66 pressures. Jon Feliciano and Spencer Brown could help once they’re back on the field, but the Bills haven’t been consistent in pass protection all year. They also haven’t been able to run the ball. Buffalo has the defense and passing game to make up for it, but it needs to do a better job of keeping Josh Allen upright if it’s going to make a deep run.
8. Dallas Cowboys (7-4)
Previous rank: 8Week 12 result: Lost to the Raiders, 36-33 in overtime [Week 13: Won vs injury riddled Saints last night 27-17, using Taysom Hill's 4 ints to good advantage. Otherwise the Saints played the Cowboys toe to toe and exposed E.Elliot as a poor RB (13/45yds) this year and held the Cowboys to 2/14 on 3rd downs. (8-4 now)]
Problem area: Continuity on the offensive line. The Cowboys are averaging just 3.6 yards per carry over their last three games. What used to be the strength of this team has become an area of concern. Dallas was rotating linemen early against the Raiders, but that didn’t help. The offensive line ranks in the top 10 in holding and false-start penalties, and penalties were a team-wide issue in the Thanksgiving loss to Las Vegas. Luckily for the Cowboys, they still have time to snap out of it before the postseason.
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