2015 Patriots Football

[kozlodoev]

The OLine is a much bigger problem for the rest of the year. A practice squad player at LOT and a TE at ROT is a recipe for disaster.

They're inching dangerously close to having to have Michael Williams or a practice squad guy take major snaps. If Vollmer is to miss any time (and concussions are tricky, you never know), then you're looking at Cameron Fleming as your full-time LT. It's not exactly awe-inspiring, given he wasn't good enough to be on the roster at the start of season.

[Neurotic Guy]

They'll survive without Lewis, though he was doing a great job as a Kevin Faulk clone.

The OLine is a much bigger problem for the rest of the year. A practice squad player at LOT and a TE at ROT is a recipe for disaster.

I agree that the O-line is the bigger concern, but I think things will be ok. Stork is back now and Vollmer and Cannon should both be back. So we'll probably end up with a line of Vollmer, Stork, Andrews, Mason, and Cannon, which is still pretty good.

Too bad trade deadling passed last week.  I am sure they could have picked up an OK fill-in for a draft pick.   

We only need guys that can hold a block for 2.2 seconds!

[kozlodoev]

I agree that the O-line is the bigger concern, but I think things will be ok. Stork is back now and Vollmer and Cannon should both be back. So we'll probably end up with a line of Vollmer, Stork, Andrews, Mason, and Cannon, which is still pretty good.

Tre Jackson will eventually also be back. But right now we have no clue how much time Vollmer and Cannon will miss, and Stork is "going through his preseason", by Bill's own account (also, he will likely have to play RT at least in the short term... ouch).

[nickagneta]

The only thing that matters about the O line is that come playoff time they have 7 men that have defined roles and are doing their jobs as well as possible. If so then the Super Bowl should be in reach.

If they are thin for a game or two and even leading to Brady having a bad game or two and the team losing a game or two, no biggie. Just don't ever let Beady get hit so hard he gets injured and just have the situation worked out by the playoffs. That's all that matters with the O line. If you miss your man and he looks unabated to Brady, hold him, trip him, clip him. Whatever. Just don't let him hurt Brady. Better to have a bunch of penalties than a hurt QB.

And given what we have seen of the quality of play and coaching in that area given the rash of injuries thus far, I have faith they will be fine.

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

[PhoSita]

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

Definitely true.

The Pats have done a good job making sure their skill position players are quality pass blockers, too, which helps their depth.

Gronkowski, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, even LaFell and any of the running backs they put out there -- these guys all know how to block, which is a prerequisite for getting snaps on this team.

[kozlodoev]

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

Definitely true.

The Pats have done a good job making sure their skill position players are quality pass blockers, too, which helps their depth.

Gronkowski, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, even LaFell and any of the running backs they put out there -- these guys all know how to block, which is a prerequisite for getting snaps on this team.

The OL hasn't been good. It's been below average (per PFF, I think it ranked 18th in the NFL or so as of last week).

It hasn't been a real issue, because Brady has (a) a phenomenally quick release this season (2.2 secs, top in the NFL), and (b) better passer rating when under pressure (115 vs 118, or something like that).

[PhoSita]

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

Definitely true.

The Pats have done a good job making sure their skill position players are quality pass blockers, too, which helps their depth.

Gronkowski, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, even LaFell and any of the running backs they put out there -- these guys all know how to block, which is a prerequisite for getting snaps on this team.

The OL hasn't been good. It's been below average (per PFF, I think it ranked 18th in the NFL or so as of last week).

It hasn't been a real issue, because Brady has (a) a phenomenally quick release this season, and (b) better passer rating when under pressure.

This is a good point, too, Brady's excellence allows the OL to look better than they are, because the job they have to do is easier.  They don't have to provide more than a few seconds of protection.

Still, with all the injuries the OL has sustained, you'd think they'd be worse than 18th.

[Donoghus]

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

Definitely true.

The Pats have done a good job making sure their skill position players are quality pass blockers, too, which helps their depth.

Gronkowski, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, even LaFell and any of the running backs they put out there -- these guys all know how to block, which is a prerequisite for getting snaps on this team.

The OL hasn't been good. It's been below average (per PFF, I think it ranked 18th in the NFL or so as of last week).

It hasn't been a real issue, because Brady has (a) a phenomenally quick release this season, and (b) better passer rating when under pressure.

This is a good point, too, Brady's excellence allows the OL to look better than they are, because the job they have to do is easier.  They don't have to provide more than a few seconds of protection.

Still, with all the injuries the OL has sustained, you'd think they'd be worse than 18th.

It also speaks to his receivers and their abilities to read the defense in front of them and find the both the soft spots & get the necessary separation.  Amendola & Edelman, in particular.

[kozlodoev]

LaFell is a pretty good blocker too.

I am worried about their ability to macgyver it in the long run, though. I don't think Stork looked great on the right side of the line yesterday. There was one particular play in the red zone where it seems like his guy just blew by him and leveled Blount for a loss.

Between (1) having to stack the TEs for blocking help, (2) asking the receivers to block, and (3) not having Dion Lewis as an outlet  from the back field, the coaching staff has their work cut out for them. I just hope Vollmer doesn't have to miss time.

[nickagneta]

Really makes you think though. At the beginning of the year people were calling into question this offensive line as a major weakness with not a good amount of veteran talent. 9 weeks later they have been decimated with injuries and yet their 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th guys on the line are playing at an outstanding quality level. This Pats team had a lo more depth there than anyone ever gave them credit for.

Definitely true.

The Pats have done a good job making sure their skill position players are quality pass blockers, too, which helps their depth.

Gronkowski, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, even LaFell and any of the running backs they put out there -- these guys all know how to block, which is a prerequisite for getting snaps on this team.

The OL hasn't been good. It's been below average (per PFF, I think it ranked 18th in the NFL or so as of last week).

It hasn't been a real issue, because Brady has (a) a phenomenally quick release this season, and (b) better passer rating when under pressure.

This is a good point, too, Brady's excellence allows the OL to look better than they are, because the job they have to do is easier.  They don't have to provide more than a few seconds of protection.

While I agree with this, I also don't think enough credit is being given to the Oline for what they have done. I don't care what the stats say. This o line has been extremely young with many rookies putting in big rotational minutes and also endured huge losses that has caused centers to be playing tackle, guard to be playing center and guards and tackles to be switching sides. That's a lot easier said than done at the pro level. High school and college, not. So much but in the pros, that's major. And yet. Brady is getting the time to throw, the holes are opening up for the running backs and the penalties haven't been costly in the area.

Brady is the best of all time. Gronk and Edelman are superstars. Blunt and Lewis have been way above average as a running back tandem. But the O line has been good too and deserves as much credit as any other unit for this teams success.

[kozlodoev]

This o line has been extremely young with many rookies putting in big rotational minutes and also endured huge losses that has caused centers to be playing tackle, guard to be playing center and guards and tackles to be switching sides.

No guard has played center; David Andrews took all the snaps at C this season. There have really only been two major switches: Vollmer from RT to LT (worth noting that he played LT in college), and Stork from C to RG/RT (has started 6 games as RG/LG in college).

Other than that, all movement along the line has involved guys that are designated swing linemen (Fleming, Kline, and Cannon).

It's not as dramatic as it seems, but I do agree that the Jackson/Mason line rotation has worked better than expected. Forgive the bad pun...

[Donoghus]

Ha!  Larry Legend chiming in on Deflategate 

Per CSNNE:

“I thought it was a bunch of lying, if you want to know the truth,” said Bird. “That’s something [Bob] Kravitz [Indianapolis sports columnist] came up with, and I never believed any of it.

Whole article: http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/bird-backs-brady-deflategate-bunch-lying

[Neurotic Guy]

This o line has been extremely young with many rookies putting in big rotational minutes and also endured huge losses that has caused centers to be playing tackle, guard to be playing center and guards and tackles to be switching sides.

No guard has played center; David Andrews took all the snaps at C this season. There have really only been two major switches: Vollmer from RT to LT (worth noting that he played LT in college), and Stork from C to RG/RT (has started 6 games as RG/LG in college).

Other than that, all movement along the line has involved guys that are designated swing linemen (Fleming, Kline, and Cannon).

It's not as dramatic as it seems, but I do agree that the Jackson/Mason line rotation has worked better than expected. Forgive the bad pun...

Subtle enough for me to have lost 5 minutes of my life figuring it out.   

We need a lineman named Dixon.

[kozlodoev]

They mic'd up Chandler Jones last week... it's hilarious.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap3000000578255/Sound-FX-Chandler-Jones

[Roy H.]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25372168/tom-brady-fulfills-selfless-6-year-olds-wish-with-coolest-gift-ever?FTAG=YHF7e3228e