2013 Patriots Football

[Boris Badenov]

I'm way less concerned about the passing game (Gronkowski, Amendola and Vereen are all due to return at some point) than I am about Ridley. Two and change yards per rush, and seemed to hit a brick wall every time we needed him to make a play. Sure, he didn't fumble, but he had too many no-gain/negative yardage plays; we need him to play better.

Does the blame lie with Ridley, or with the offensive line that seemingly didn't open any holes this week?

And even that might be a function of the fact that we had one legit NFL receiver on the field most of the time.

I'm not ready to form any opinions about Ridley or anyone else yet. We're 2-0 facing a slew of key injuries, and have made plays on both sides of the ball when we've needed to. That's good enough for me.

I worry more about a trap game later in the season, to be honest. I could easily see us giving one back once everyone is healthy, just because there will be a presumption that we will roll over people.

[Rondo2287]

I'm way less concerned about the passing game (Gronkowski, Amendola and Vereen are all due to return at some point) than I am about Ridley. Two and change yards per rush, and seemed to hit a brick wall every time we needed him to make a play. Sure, he didn't fumble, but he had too many no-gain/negative yardage plays; we need him to play better.

Does the blame lie with Ridley, or with the offensive line that seemingly didn't open any holes this week?

The Jets have a really good and young front 7. Furthermore they were giving the Pats the deep ball and daring them to beat them deep.

The WRs weren't up to the task.

Agreed on both of these points.  Also gronk is an excellent blocking tight end.  His return should help both Brady and Ridley

[slamtheking]

only hope for Pats fans this year is the rest of the AFC East isn't very good.  They'll probably make the playoffs only because they'll probably win their division while having a worse record than the wildcard teams. 

[kozlodoev]

Wow ... hope Gronk is back next week ... the pass receiving corp is horrendous right now ... easy passes dropped over-and-over ... haven't seen Brady that angry in a long time, and he gets angry a lot. Tough night for Ridley, too ... jeez.pats have been underwhelming, to say the least, but two-and-zero anyway.

This might the least impressive 2-0 football team I've ever seen. You're right: the receiving corp is pretty bad at this point; Gronk can't get back soon enough, and Amendola got hurt in record time, even for him. This might be the shakiest offensive squad the Brady-era Pats have had. I know that Gronk, Amendola, and Vereen are due back in the near future, and hopefully those guys stay healthy upon return; and thankfully the Pats pulled out these first two games despite sloppy play; but right now I see this team not going far—certainly not a Super Bowl contender.

Amendola played 30 games in his first two seasons, while having full time KR and PR duties. I guess dislocating your elbow magically makes you "injury-prone".

[Fafnir]

Dislocating his elbow, breaking his clavicle (missing 5 games), and now he's hurt his groin to miss another game and counting.

In the past 3 years he's played in 40% of his team's games with three separate injuries. Games missed isn't a good metric as it punishes early injuries more than late, but there is a reason he's viewed as injury prone.

[Rondo2287]

Dislocating his elbow, breaking his clavicle (missing 5 games), and now he's hurt his groin to miss another game and counting.

In the past 3 years he's played in 40% of his team's games with three separate injuries. Games missed isn't a good metric as it punishes early injuries more than late, but there is a reason he's viewed as injury prone.

I kinda liken him to anderson varejao.  Yes the injuries are kinda bizarre and not necessarily recurring, but when you have a clear pattern of bizarre injuries you are still injury prone even if it isnt the same injury that keeps coming back to bite you.

[kozlodoev]

Dislocating his elbow, breaking his clavicle (missing 5 games), and now he's hurt his groin to miss another game and counting.

In the past 3 years he's played in 40% of his team's games with three separate injuries. Games missed isn't a good metric as it punishes early injuries more than late, but there is a reason he's viewed as injury prone.

Yes, and excluding the year when he dislocated the elbow, he's played in 85% of his team's games. You know, Tom Brady played virtually 0% of his team's games one year, it all depends on how you slice it.

[Fafnir]

Dislocating his elbow, breaking his clavicle (missing 5 games), and now he's hurt his groin to miss another game and counting.

In the past 3 years he's played in 40% of his team's games with three separate injuries. Games missed isn't a good metric as it punishes early injuries more than late, but there is a reason he's viewed as injury prone.

Yes, and excluding the year when he dislocated the elbow, he's played in 85% of his team's games. You know, Tom Brady played virtually 0% of his team's games one year, it all depends on how you slice it.

When you've played 4 seasons having a single season long injury catastrophic injury is a lot more worrying than when you've played 13.

[kozlodoev]

Dislocating his elbow, breaking his clavicle (missing 5 games), and now he's hurt his groin to miss another game and counting.

In the past 3 years he's played in 40% of his team's games with three separate injuries. Games missed isn't a good metric as it punishes early injuries more than late, but there is a reason he's viewed as injury prone.

Yes, and excluding the year when he dislocated the elbow, he's played in 85% of his team's games. You know, Tom Brady played virtually 0% of his team's games one year, it all depends on how you slice it.

When you've played 4 seasons having a single season long injury catastrophic injury is a lot more worrying than when you've played 13.

It's not any more worrying than it is in other circumstances, it just makes it easier to slant the argument (oh look, he missed 25% of his team's games over his career).

[Fafnir]

You don't think catastrophic injuries make future injury more likely? Or that healthy track records are a positive indicator for future health?

[D.o.s.]

You don't think catastrophic injuries make future injury more likely? Or that healthy track records are a positive indicator for future health?

"Not at all," said Greg Oden.

[kozlodoev]

You don't think catastrophic injuries make future injury more likely? Or that healthy track records are a positive indicator for future health?

Healthy track records are positive indicators -- but you can't establish a 14-year track record when you've been in the league for 4 seasons, so the reverse is not as straightforward as people would like it to be.

Also, maybe this is just crazy talk, but I don't think that dislocating your elbow in a freak fall makes you any more likely to strain your groin. But that's just me.

[Rondo2287]

You don't think catastrophic injuries make future injury more likely? Or that healthy track records are a positive indicator for future health?

Healthy track records are positive indicators -- but you can't establish a 14-year track record when you've been in the league for 4 seasons, so the reverse is not as straightforward as people would like it to be.

Also, maybe this is just crazy talk, but I don't think that dislocating your elbow in a freak fall makes you any more likely to strain your groin. But that's just me.

True but several freak injuries leads one to question if the person is fragile overall.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Wow ... hope Gronk is back next week ... the pass receiving corp is horrendous right now ... easy passes dropped over-and-over ... haven't seen Brady that angry in a long time, and he gets angry a lot. Tough night for Ridley, too ... jeez.pats have been underwhelming, to say the least, but two-and-zero anyway.

This might the least impressive 2-0 football team I've ever seen. You're right: the receiving corp is pretty bad at this point; Gronk can't get back soon enough, and Amendola got hurt in record time, even for him. This might be the shakiest offensive squad the Brady-era Pats have had. I know that Gronk, Amendola, and Vereen are due back in the near future, and hopefully those guys stay healthy upon return; and thankfully the Pats pulled out these first two games despite sloppy play; but right now I see this team not going far—certainly not a Super Bowl contender.

Amendola played 30 games in his first two seasons, while having full time KR and PR duties. I guess dislocating your elbow magically makes you "injury-prone".

No, having a string of injuries, as he has over the past three seasons (including this one), makes you injury prone.

But whatever, I just want to see the guy stay on the field.

[Fan from VT]

I think we've actually faced two good defenses as well. Bills front 7 is supposed to be their strength, and Jets defense is legit. That could explain some of the running problems.

I also think the passing game will improve if the team is patient. Thompkins is getting his feet under him. We know Dobson has great hands, so he will get over the dropsies. I was more encouraged to see him get separation, because eventually if he separates he'll catch all those. He's just gotta get on the same page as brady with the hot reads and brady needs to get his timing for those guys down (thompkins having to dive...nearly a great play, and a few overthrows when guys had their men beat).