There has got to be some crazy concern within the organization about the locker room with Hernandez shooting his friend and possibly murdering someone. They cut him so they will have dead $ for these next two seasons. Gronk and his partying ways and he doesn't know how to not get injured. I know those two were still young but who did they learn from? And who are these rookies learning from? The Pats are developing true professionals let me tell ya. Their top tier players are messing up numerous times royally. They lose a huge leader in Wes Welker who Brady wanted to keep? Sounds like they even sideswiped him on the loss of Welker. Is Belicheat letting things get away from him? Beginning of the end? They will do alright because of Brady. But I honestly think they are getting more credit than is due this year now. They will struggle to win the division and struggle to make the playoffs. Especially with all the moves the Phins have made. I do think we need to mesh and fast with all the new faces but I see us doing well and challenging for the division. Thoughts?
Well, given Hernandez is now gone, surely the lockerroom would be a better place without him? The playing field might not, but surely the team won't miss a murderer in their ranks?
Gronk's injury woes are possibly a bit overplayed. His multiple surgeries on the arm were more about a lingering infection, which is now gone, than any kind of issue which would hamper his performance. Yes, he has a back problem. I seriously doubt he is alone in that. We were wondering would Richard Marshall even pull on s shirt in OTAs and he's out there, scampering around. Who really knows how his back is right now? So Gronk will miss a few games but the surgery seems to have been pretty minor, compared to, say, Manning's. Peyton hasn't looked back from his much more serious procedure.
Amendola is looking good by all accounts. Edelman is a decent WR. So, by the time we get to play them, I'd be surprised if we weren't facing Ridley, Amendola, Edelman, Gronk (with ex-Giant Ballard or 6'7" Zach Sudfeld in 2 TE sets and maybe Dobson or Jenkins in 3 WR sets), when we play them in Oct. It's hardly car-crash stuff. They play the Jets twice and the Bills once in the Gronk-less stretch, which on paper should be 3 wins. Atlanta, TB (if they get pressure on Brady) NO and Cincy are four much tougher asks. You'd still expect 5-2 or 4-3 at worst out of that run.
They will miss Gronk for some games, they don't have the WR corps they used to. But Belichick (like Ireland) has never really valued WRs high in the draft and lately always makes do with one stud and a bunch of guys. Given their depth at RB, they might lean on the run a bit more in early games. Ridley, Vereen, Blount and Washington is pretty tasty, depth and flexibility wise.
I agree with the basic idea that they're slipping. I don't think they'll do better than 10-6. Brady is still a great but he's getting happy feet in the pocket - sees pass pressure that isn't even there sometimes. Their unbelievably crappy drafts over the last few years have totally eroded their depth. At the same time, Belichick's smartness in FA means they've rarely missed a beat when big players have been off the field. Amendola, Ballard, Talib, Adrian Wilson are all pretty canny acquisitions.
On gameday, there are few better than Belichick. I see the AFCE being the mountain it always is, in terms of getting past the Pats. Maybe not for too long more though.
