Looking at the Patriots 2023

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I've been a Patriots fan for a long time, like many of the people on this blog. I'd just like to mention-the Patriots have, in the past, lost their first, in fact three of the first four regular season games and were good enough to get to the championship game, and won it. What I'm getting to is, this season, the first game is against the Eagles, who made it to the championship game last season. This would be a tough game (game one), even if we were sure the Patriots had a fine team. If the Pats were to lose game one, I'm saying it doesn't mean they won't have a good, or great. season. In fact, if the Pats lose their first couple of games, the season is not lost. I know there's a lot of stuff ahead of us as fans, and ahead of the team, but I just wanted to give an early opinion on the team. Thanks!
 
HSanders said:
according to nfl total access,zappe had other teams offer him a spot on their practice squads but chose to return.
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Somewhere on here it was said to be 7 teams. That is surprising but I am glad. Well, I am an admitted MAC Jones, Slappy, I don’t have any reason not to like BZ. He wears the laundry.
 
Steve1 said:
I've been a Patriots fan for a long time, like many of the people on this blog. I'd just like to mention-the Patriots have, in the past, lost their first, in fact three of the first four regular season games and were good enough to get to the championship game, and won it. What I'm getting to is, this season, the first game is against the Eagles, who made it to the championship game last season. This would be a tough game (game one), even if we were sure the Patriots had a fine team. If the Pats were to lose game one, I'm saying it doesn't mean they won't have a good, or great. season. In fact, if the Pats lose their first couple of games, the season is not lost. I know there's a lot of stuff ahead of us as fans, and ahead of the team, but I just wanted to give an early opinion on the team. Thanks!
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Based on what we saw in the preseason games, BOB and the offense have a long way to go in the next 11 days to become the well oiled machine we saw during the dynasty years. I don't know how long it will take but this team doesn't have the luxury of coming out of the gate slowly as in years past. Our D will keep us in some games but we need our O to pull its weight
rather quickly to keep from being behind the eight ball at the end of the year. Every game matters and I hope to see urgency, enthusiasm and inspired play right out of the gate, win or lose.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:

Sam Roberts? I agree that he has more upside and is cheaper, but is a wildly different player. You see Roberts as a potential zero/NT run stopper?

I spent some time watching Sam in hoping he'd be able to stick and, so far so good.

My take is that he really took to the weight room and looks stronger and quicker. I think he took a large majority of preseason snaps at DE after
playing more inside last season. He's improved his hand usage and ability to get off blocks, which is still not great, and is clearly a good size/speed combo prospect
but while improved he still has a ways to go. Sam doesn't seem to have great play recognition yet, which is understandable given his
lower competition level in College and he bites on inside influence plays giving up his edge too often. I saw multiple examples of that through
August and I'm sure he was yelled at plenty for that, but he still can't sort it out. I probably harp on that too much, but I believe that limits his ability
to earn more early-down snaps. In this regard he is similar to a younger Wise Jr. and the staff can't trust him enough. Yet.

Sam plays a little too tall, but his flexibility is good enough to break down and get low enough to make plays. His closing speed is good and he
appears to be in good condition and able to hustle late in games where he's played a lot of snaps. He's a pretty good tackler who covers a lot
of ground for a down lineman and I think he really gives everything he has.

I don't think he's great at anchoring despite his apparent strength and he struggles with double teams big-time. I think he might be used inside on passing
downs to get push and get his long arms into the lanes, but my guess is that we view him more as a outside guy.

He's unusual and has a funky style of getting past guys but one thing he does well is get penetration. I don't want to get too excited about him, but he
flashes some real talent.

I'm happy he is here, because he is a hell of a lot better than Byron Cowart or some of the other bottom of the roster DLs we're had here in recent years. Despite
some flaws in his game he does manage to be productive when he's in there and I look forward to seeing what he can become.
 
chevss454 said:
Based on what we saw in the preseason games, BOB and the offense have a long way to go in the next 11 days to become the well oiled machine we saw during the dynasty years. I don't know how long it will take but this team doesn't have the luxury of coming out of the gate slowly as in years past. Our D will keep us in some games but we need our O to pull its weight
rather quickly to keep from being behind the eight ball at the end of the year. Every game matters and I hope to see urgency, enthusiasm and inspired play right out of the gate, win or lose.
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I really wish the 1s played more in the preseason.
 
Bill is not going to take Zappe off the PS and put him on the 53 man roster. Seven teams tried to sig him awy yesterday, everyone of them to their practice squad. What does that tell you? Everyone wants his to QB the scout team in practices, no one wants him as their primary or backup. BB has a bout five days to find someone who can challenge Mac a bit or mentor him. Case Keenum or Colt McCoy would be perfect BU/Mentors. They have great game management skills and have been around for long enough to have done just about everything. OR bring in a younger guy who has similar skills and force Mac to up his game or mess his shorts. Someone like Miles Davis the Texans might give up for a fifth round pick.

If the offensive line is healed, T. Brown, Strange, D. Andrews, Owenue and either Lowe or Anderson could be a solid enough unit to give Mac four seconds to throw the ball. Mac has to get an alarm clock in his head or practice counting 1001, 1002, 1003, 1000 throw.

Two running backs? One can only assume that one of the 11 OL on the roster will be replaced by Kevin Harris.

Finally, the Wide Receivers. As a group, they would have to be at the bottom third of the league skill wise. We all got spoiled at the Brady magic. The guy was skilled at making WRs the best that they could be. Mac doesn't have that magic, so the WRs have to dig down and create their own. Pop and Boutte are rookies will have to learn and earn on the fly. Bourne and Parker are the mainstays and JuJu might be the deciding unknown or he could destroy a wheel. If he lasts through 17 games he will be a gift that keeps on giving.

Basically, the Patriots are a mystery, wrapped in puzzle. Even BB doesn't know what this team can or will do. They could shock the world and finish at 11-6 or take it on the chin Week one and continue to slide to 0-5. First four are split home and away and the Jets and Dolphins would like nothing more that to embarrass the hell out of team they've hated for the past 22.
 
chevss454 said:
Based on what we saw in the preseason games, BOB and the offense have a long way to go in the next 11 days to become the well oiled machine we saw during the dynasty years. I don't know how long it will take but this team doesn't have the luxury of coming out of the gate slowly as in years past. Our D will keep us in some games but we need our O to pull its weight
rather quickly to keep from being behind the eight ball at the end of the year. Every game matters and I hope to see urgency, enthusiasm and inspired play right out of the gate, win or lose.
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Okay, that makes sense. And I trust your opinion. In 2001, the Patriots had some players that were on the 1996 superbowl team. Those players got better, as they went along. This season, the Patriots don't have too many players that went to the superbowl in 2018, so that isn't in their favor. I'll be rooting for them to win the first couple of games, or at least split them. Thank you for your comment.
 
patswin said:
I believe he's going to do exactly that and Zappe will be active opening day.
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Yeah, my guess is that he'll either be the backup or the emergency QB, which in either case would require him to be on the 53 man roster.
 
I've heard a bunch of people talking about Keenum, McCoy, and Wentz. None of them are coming here. McCoy is hurt, Keenum has REALLY bad history with BOB, and Wentz is the opposite of everything Bill looks for in a QB, plus would be trying to be the starter.

Zappe will be the opening day backup, barring something out of nowhere.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
I've heard a bunch of people talking about Keenum, McCoy, and Wentz. None of them are coming here. McCoy is hurt, Keenum has REALLY bad history with BOB, and Wentz is the opposite of everything Bill looks for in a QB, plus would be trying to be the starter.

Zappe will be the opening day backup, barring something out of nowhere.
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Flagg the Wanderer said:
Patriots claimed QB Matt Corral from the Panthers. Interesting prospect, interesting move.
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:shrug-n:

That said, he won't be ready to be the backup in 10 days, so I still suspect Zappe will be active opening day.
 
So, I've said that I don't think the QB cuts were interesting. That's not quite true. I think it's interesting that the brass was worried enough about losing Sean Wade to risk losing Zappe and Cunningham on waivers.

Sean Wade was widely considered a high round 1 prospect a year before he came out. He struggled shifting from slot to boundary, and lost confidence/swagger. I'm seeing confidence at boundary corner, at slot corner, and at free safety. We always lose DBs. Jack has question marks hovering over his head already.

I think before this year is over, Sean Wade is going to emerge as a legit NFL-level DB, and end up being important to the Patriots, and I think the staff knows it.

Separate issue:
Onwenu is going to play RG, not RT. All the tackles brought in make this even more of a lock. The staff sees that the G-C-G shelf needs to be solid for a pocket QB to step up into, and wants the Patriots to have a dominant guard and filler tackle rather than risk any questions at guard and have a passable tackle.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
So, I've said that I don't think the QB cuts were interesting. That's not quite true. I think it's interesting that the brass was worried enough about losing Sean Wade to risk losing Zappe and Cunningham on waivers.

Sean Wade was widely considered a high round 1 prospect a year before he came out. He struggled shifting from slot to boundary, and lost confidence/swagger. I'm seeing confidence at boundary corner, at slot corner, and at free safety. We always lose DBs. Jack has question marks hovering over his head already.

I think before this year is over, Sean Wade is going to emerge as a legit NFL-level DB, and end up being important to the Patriots, and I think the staff knows it.

Separate issue:
Onwenu is going to play RG, not RT. All the tackles brought in make this even more of a lock. The staff sees that the G-C-G shelf needs to be solid for a pocket QB to step up into, and wants the Patriots to have a dominant guard and filler tackle rather than risk any questions at guard and have a passable tackle.
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...and now Lazar (and somewhat Barth) is giving a very similar take on Wade. Or already did, since this is on delay.
 
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