Preseason Game 2, 2016, Pats/Bears

[Hawg73]

Agreed. And Garappolo's pretty far down my list of complaints.

Both lines look pretty bad, and the only player on defense who looks ready to play is Jamie Collins. I'm giving the RB position a pass, because Brandon Bolden's looked the best out of everyone so far. If Brandon Bolden's your #2 RB, you've got some damn problems.

I noticed Tyler Gaffney working hard on STs and I thought he did pretty well for himself last night and kept his legs churning for the extra yard.

He's not tremendous at anything, but I think he's pretty good at everything and I can see that we might consider keeping him over Bolden. Gaffney is just a better player on offense except for maybe pass pro.

I also think Blount looks about as good as he ever has and maybe a little better. His wheels look quicker to me.

Who the hell am I thinking of then?

Oh well. Nevermind (tm BostonTim 20,000+ Post Club)

Maybe that Michael Williams guy we had last year. He was a Tide.

 

[king of kings]

Have you been watching?
BB will put in an extra tackle if he want a simple blocker Derby is far to good of a player to wave and BB isn't about to give away that kind of a weapon to any team.

Did I just read that right . He's a lot better receiving TE then blocker. He is descent at blocking

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Did I just read that right . He's a lot better receiving TE then blocker. He is a decent Blocking TE.

Gronk is 6'6" 270
Bennett close to the same.

Derby 6'5" 255.

They can all block.

 

[BostonTim]

:shrug_n:

A Chinese guy and a Jewish guy are drinking in a bar. Halfway through the night the Jewish guy clocks the Chinese guy.

“What was that for?” sys the Chinaman

“Pearl Harbor”

“That was the Japanese, not Chinese.”

“Chinese, Japanese, all the same to me.”

They keep drinking until the Chinese guy punches the Jewish guy.

"Payback for my punch, huh?"

Nope It's for the Titanic. My great uncle died there.

“The Titanic? That was an iceberg”

“Iceberg, Goldberg, all the same to me. "

Cheers, BostonTim

 

[chevss454]

I noticed Tyler Gaffney working hard on STs and I thought he did pretty well for himself last night and kept his legs churning for the extra yard.

He's not tremendous at anything, but I think he's pretty good at everything and I can see that we might consider keeping him over Bolden. Gaffney is just a better player on offense except for maybe pass pro.

I also think Blount looks about as good as he ever has and maybe a little better. His wheels look quicker to me.

We all wondered why BB held on to Gaffney after 2 straight years on IR before the 2nd padded practice. I think we know now. Gaffney has shown he can play and produce. He has 12-15 more days to further prove his value.

I've already said this am that I thought Blount looked like v.2014Blount last night. He finished plays, made cuts and ran with a purpose. He's back in my good graces again, lol.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

Arkansas, Alabama, all the same to me. :dbanana:

Cheers

I think they're cousins...

 

[HSanders]

I mean, I'm viewing it through that lens. I don't need to see offense and defense blowing the other team off the field, but through the two games, starters vs. starters - they're not even really competitive.

Do you think any of that has to do with practicing against both NO and Chi for days before the game?

 

[mooseontheloose]

I think that ship has sailed. I'm not saying Derby is the next Greg Olsen, but it is crazy to think that there are 31 teams in the NFL that would see him on the waiver wire and go "Derby? Never heard of him. Let's keep Slappy McPizzapaddles instead."

Clearly, Derby has the potential to be a decent NFL starting TE and it's possible he could be better than that. He also seems to have a little bit of fire in his belly.

He's got the team made, regardless of how much they paid Clay Harbor. IMO.

Some guys you keep because they can just play even if the need isn't all that great. Attrition happens fast in this league.

Isn't Bennett likely to be a one-year rental? I can't see NE being able to afford him next off-season. Makes keeping a guy like Derby even more important because he could be Gronk's next partner in crime.

---------- Post added at 12:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------

We all wondered why BB held on to Gaffney after 2 straight years on IR before the 2nd padded practice. I think we know now. Gaffney has shown he can play and produce. He has 12-15 more days to further prove his value.

I've already said this am that I thought Blount looked like v.2014Blount last night. He finished plays, made cuts and ran with a purpose. He's back in my good graces again, lol.

My issue with Blount is that he's streaky as ****. At times he's looked like a legit top 5 RB in this league and other times I don't understand why he's even on the roster.

 

[yackittysacks]

I think they're cousins...

Incest is all relative.

 

[HSanders]

Anyone else think TB's owie was made up by BB to throw JG into the fire?
NFLN said he left the stadium with no noticeable bandages. And he went home or wherever, did not stay for the game? And to have them "let slip" the specifics of it "He cut himself with scissors trying to remove something from his cleats"??? Then Yee says that "eventually, it will heal"??? SOOO not Patriots mode. BB is testing JG, I'd bet on it. And since Yee is TB's and JG's agent I believe it's not hard to see him making some statement to go along with it.
TB has played through crazy nutty injuries even in less than meaningful games..it just makes ZERO sense to me as a true excuse.

 

[yackittysacks]

Anyone else think TB's owie was made up by BB to throw JG into the fire?
NFLN said he left the stadium with no noticeable bandages. And he went home or wherever, did not stay for the game? BB is testing JG, I'd bet on it.
The guy has played through crazy nutty injuries even in less than meaningful games..it just makes ZERO sense to me as a true excuse.

BB does do goofy ass stuff sometimes.

 

[patfan64]

BB does do goofy ass stuff sometimes.

Ted Wells will want to see the boo boo.

 

[HSanders]

BB does do goofy ass stuff sometimes.

He does anything he can inside or outside the box to prepare his team and players which is definitely inclusive of some WTF. Throw in that injury disclosures are not mandatory in preseason and well, there you go.

 

[chevss454]

Anyone else think TB's owie was made up by BB to throw JG into the fire?
NFLN said he left the stadium with no noticeable bandages. And he went home or wherever, did not stay for the game? And to have them "let slip" the specifics of it "He cut himself with scissors trying to remove something from his cleats"??? Then Yee says that "eventually, it will heal"??? SOOO not Patriots mode. BB is testing JG, I'd bet on it. And since Yee is TB's and JG's agent I believe it's not hard to see him making some statement to go along with it.
TB has played through crazy nutty injuries even in less than meaningful games..it just makes ZERO sense to me as a true excuse.

And last minute to boot. Surprise! So yes I agree with you BB wanted to test JG without TB in the stadium.

 

[Patriots-Lifer]

Did I just read that right . He's a lot better receiving TE then blocker. He is descent at blocking

Derby is a good blocker the two seasons as a LB helped that a lot. He played only one season at TE If he had played more he would not have been available to the Patriots.
But watching film he is a good blocker and a phenomenal pass catcher.

 

[spacecrime]

Arkansas, Alabama, all the same to me. :dbanana:

Cheers

I always forget which one has the glaciers....

 

[Pneumonic]

Some quick thoughts.

Thuney sure seems like a veteran out there. Under Dante's tutelage, I won't be surprised if he's a stud in no time.

With Gronk, Bennett and Edelman all necessitating double coverage of some sort, 7-11 (Hogan) is going to be a major matchup piece for Brady and Josh.

Derby over Harbour, whose reps Develin can replace.

Flowers looks to have the goods to log some quality starter reps. The kid seems to have some natural giddyup in his young legs.

Not sure what to think of this A Johnson kid but if he can replicate his performance another time you would think he's got it made, in Easley's old role ..... possibly at the expense of Branch and/or Knighton.

Such a logjam at CB. What a great problem to have.

 

[king of kings]

I put no stock in Preseason games . I seen a lot of people be Preseason monsters & regular season duds . Bb does nothing special & it all basic vanilla gameplan.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

Isn't Bennett likely to be a one-year rental? I can't see NE being able to afford him next off-season. Makes keeping a guy like Derby even more important because he could be Gronk's next partner in crime.

Great point...all the more to keep DemoDerby.

---------- Post added at 12:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------



My issue with Blount is that he's streaky as ****. At times he's looked like a legit top 5 RB in this league and other times I don't understand why he's even on the roster.

I think his whole career was like this...but, I agree.

Comments in red...

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

I put no stock in Preseason games . I seen a lot of people be Preseason monsters & regular season duds . Bb does nothing special & it all basic vanilla gameplan.

You want to find the players on the bubble who want it the most though...Derby isn't getting cut over Harbor from what I've seen so far. No way hose A. Look at Dion Lewis last year...example A.