Ruled out
Brady Cooks, Butler Serves, Trump Got the Bill: Official 2017-18 New England Patriots Season Thread
- Thread starter William F. Russell
- Start date
I took Patriots - 4 1/2 and over 30 1/2 yesterday. Sucks that Gronk is out, but it's time for Cooks to shine and Amendola is always Brady's safety blanket. Easily one of the most under-rated WR's in the NFL.
Defense needs a good showing though.
Defense needs a good showing though.
I AM WARHOL
Veteran
Time to trade gronk. Actually next time he's healthy
.Yes, it sucks that he's out and isn't always there, but when he is which is more often than not, he is the biggest offensive threat in the NFL (not including QB's). The Patriots would not even get CLOSE to even value to what Gronk is worth when healthy.
I AM WARHOL
Veteran
Yes, it sucks that he's out and isn't always there, but when he is which is more often than not, he is the biggest offensive threat in the NFL (not including QB's). The Patriots would not even get CLOSE to even value to what Gronk is worth when healthy.
I just want him to be healthy
Nonetheless, they’ll take it, because it was markedly better than the way the Patriots had played in the first four weeks of the season. It is a performance from which they can build as they look ahead to their next game, Oct. 15 at the New York Jets.
The big plays, which have been New England's biggest problem, were limited (Winston helped, of course). Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, coming off a disastrous game in Week 4, matched up mostly against receiver Mike Evans and held him in check (five catches for 49 yards). The coverage was tighter. And there was more energy.
Patriots' defense -- yes, the defense -- leads way in ugly victory
The big plays, which have been New England's biggest problem, were limited (Winston helped, of course). Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, coming off a disastrous game in Week 4, matched up mostly against receiver Mike Evans and held him in check (five catches for 49 yards). The coverage was tighter. And there was more energy.
Patriots' defense -- yes, the defense -- leads way in ugly victory
Curtis D. Ace
Pro
James White had an essay recently featured in the Players Tribune reflecting on the Pats' Super Bowl comeback victory and how his life's changed since. It's a pretty good read...
I think the most interesting thing is that when we finally did win, even though it was the sole focus of all of our preparation that year, for me it felt kind of…. fake. Like I was in another dimension or something. I had all of these reporters circling around wanting to interview me. That’s not something that’s ever really happened before. That’s not how it works when you’re part of a committee. But on that day, after that game, the attention was on me and it felt weird as much as anything else.
In the days immediately following the Super Bowl, I got more attention than I’d ever received in my entire career combined up until that moment. It wasn’t just going on Conan, but also talking to reporters, going on radio shows, even just walking on the street in Boston and having people recognize me and freak out. It was all very different. Not in a bad way. I guess it just really hit me that my performance in that one game — one of hundreds of football games I’ve played in my life — is going to be something some people will remember me by.
I can see how those who aren’t prepared for the spotlight can get overwhelmed by it. I guess that’s why I’m glad my entire life had prepared me for my moment.
There's Always This Year | By James White
I think the most interesting thing is that when we finally did win, even though it was the sole focus of all of our preparation that year, for me it felt kind of…. fake. Like I was in another dimension or something. I had all of these reporters circling around wanting to interview me. That’s not something that’s ever really happened before. That’s not how it works when you’re part of a committee. But on that day, after that game, the attention was on me and it felt weird as much as anything else.
In the days immediately following the Super Bowl, I got more attention than I’d ever received in my entire career combined up until that moment. It wasn’t just going on Conan, but also talking to reporters, going on radio shows, even just walking on the street in Boston and having people recognize me and freak out. It was all very different. Not in a bad way. I guess it just really hit me that my performance in that one game — one of hundreds of football games I’ve played in my life — is going to be something some people will remember me by.
I can see how those who aren’t prepared for the spotlight can get overwhelmed by it. I guess that’s why I’m glad my entire life had prepared me for my moment.
There's Always This Year | By James White
Advanced Stats Report: Patriots at Buccaneers
Brady's passing chart vs. the Bucs
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Slot WR Performance
Pass Protection
Pass Rush/Rush Stops
Coverage
Brady's passing chart vs. the Bucs
Slot WR Performance
Pass Protection
Pass Rush/Rush Stops
Coverage
Gronk's byke :patsmjgrin:
His absence provides a springboard to highlight how the Patriots are tapping safeties Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung -- who both have unique crossover skills to play cornerback-type roles in certain packages -- to help fill the void.
That especially showed up in last week's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Chung sometimes covering tight end Cameron Brate but other times finding himself in the slot against receiver Adam Humphries.
"You probably won't find many guys that can do that," McCourty said of Chung. "And then [other times] he played strong safety, which is kind of like a linebacker role for us. In the course of a game, him being in the box, out on the perimeter, covering tight ends, playing deep -- it's his versatility."
With Eric Rowe likely out, Patriots can again tap versatility of safeties
That especially showed up in last week's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Chung sometimes covering tight end Cameron Brate but other times finding himself in the slot against receiver Adam Humphries.
"You probably won't find many guys that can do that," McCourty said of Chung. "And then [other times] he played strong safety, which is kind of like a linebacker role for us. In the course of a game, him being in the box, out on the perimeter, covering tight ends, playing deep -- it's his versatility."
With Eric Rowe likely out, Patriots can again tap versatility of safeties
Crazy that we're in a battle with the JETS for the #1 seed in the AFC East.