1523 replies to this topic

[RedOctober3829]

Off the good performance over Atlanta, the schedule doesn't get any easier with the Ravens coming to town. Joe Flacco has kept up his stellar rookie year play. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee have formed a dynamic duo in the backfield and old friend Kelley Washington has been given a chance to play WR again and is thriving. They are coming off a 34-3 stomping of the Browns.

You know the faces on defense. Ray Lewis. Ed Reed. Terrell Suggs. Haloti Ngata. It's going to be on the defense this week to stop Baltimore because I don't think they will score much given how Brady struggled against a pseudo-Ravens defense in the Jets game. Will they be healthy next week with Welker, Wilhite, Butler all inactive today and Wilfork and Maroney going out of the game? I'd like to see Brady develop a rhythm with Welker, Moss, Galloway, and Edelman and the TEs.

Fred Taylor stepped up today with a strong 100-yard effort. He will be the feature back as the season progresses, but you have to be careful not to overwork him. Matt Light and the rest of the OL did a great job as well but they will have their hands full with the rush of the Ravens.

Win. Get to 3-1 with the Jets having a tough game at New Orleans.

[ilol@u]

Couple of wise words: Stay the fuck away from Ed Reed.

Our defense has to continue their bend-don't-break mentality. Hopefully Wilfork and Wes Welker will be able to play. Don't really think Maroney would be a factor regardless. We have to be able to score in the Red Zone! No more of this Field Goal BS. That means our playcalling has to change once we're inside the 10. Hopefully this game will be another step forward in Brady's road to getting back at 100%.

In the end, im guessing:
Patriots 17
Ravens 13

Edited by ilol@u, 27 September 2009 - 10:52 PM.

[SeoulSoxFan]

Off the good performance over Atlanta, the schedule doesn't get any easier with the Ravens coming to town. Joe Flacco has kept up his stellar rookie year play. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee have formed a dynamic duo in the backfield and old friend Kelley Washington has been given a chance to play WR again and is thriving. They are coming off a 34-3 stomping of the Browns.

You know the faces on defense. Ray Lewis. Ed Reed. Terrell Suggs. Haloti Ngata. It's going to be on the defense this week to stop Baltimore because I don't think they will score much given how Brady struggled against a pseudo-Ravens defense in the Jets game. Will they be healthy next week with Welker, Wilhite, Butler all inactive today and Wilfork and Maroney going out of the game? I'd like to see Brady develop a rhythm with Welker, Moss, Galloway, and Edelman and the TEs.

Fred Taylor stepped up today with a strong 100-yard effort. He will be the feature back as the season progresses, but you have to be careful not to overwork him. Matt Light and the rest of the OL did a great job as well but they will have their hands full with the rush of the Ravens.

Win. Get to 3-1 with the Jets having a tough game at New Orleans.

Love it. Let's get RO3829 another week to start the game thread. Ravens will be the toughest test yet for the Pats, even more than the Jets.

Now they can put up points as well as stop the opposition. The key is still Galloway & Edelman. They have to come up big as Ravens won't single cover Moss like the Falcons did today.

Let's get to 3-1.

[dynomite]

I don't have a great feeling about this game, but ultimately I don't think it matters. I think this is a Patriots team that's going to get progressively better as the season progresses, and will be peaking come playoff time.

I'd be shocked if getting to the Super Bowl doesn't involve a trip through Baltimore this season, and I think the late-December Pats (with a healthy Welker, Mayo & Wilfork and a sharper Brady) will be a considerably different team than the one that takes the field this Sunday.

[Maalox]

For the Pats to win, Brady and the receiver corps will have to undertake a complete functionality transformation any time within the next six days convenient to themselves. I'm not holding my breath waiting for it.

The long-term goal is to improve their play every week on both sides of the ball. Then let the chips fall where they may.

[Nator]

The win over the Falcons was nice, but in the end it was over an NFC team. This game is huge with tie-breaking implications come January. The Patriots will need to wear their big-boy pants this week.

[BigSoxFan]

Does anyone know why Kelley Washington was not brought back? He was a pretty good special teams player for us and has turned in some pretty solid performances for Baltimore so far this season. Nothing spectacular but I'd certainly take him over Joey Galloway's carcass.

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

The key to this game will be the battle up front between our D-line and their young, bruising O-line. Flacco is getting the press, but the biggest improvement in the Ravens offense seems to be their line and running game. From 2006-2009, they have gone from 25th, 26th, 9th, to 2nd so far this year in terms of running efficiency by the FO metrics. We obviously need Wilfork to play, but if we can defend the run without eight in the box then I will take our chances against Flacco and what is still a pretty weak group of receivers.

[PC Drunken Friar]

Does anyone know why Kelley Washington was not brought back? He was a pretty good special teams player for us and has turned in some pretty solid performances for Baltimore so far this season. Nothing spectacular but I'd certainly take him over Joey Galloway's carcass.

He was a special teams player who caught like, 1 pass here? He got a significantly better contract from them than we would have ever given him. There was a recent article about how the Pats turned around his career even though he rarely saw the field.

[dynomite]

The win over the Falcons was nice, but in the end it was over an NFC team. This game is huge with tie-breaking implications come January. The Patriots will need to wear their big-boy pants this week.

As I said earlier, I really don't think it matters as much. Yes it would be nice to win this game obviously, but the Ravens are on the top of their game right now and we aren't.

If Brady progresses like Manning did last year and Mayo & Welker are healthy I could easily see us beat this team in Baltimore in December. Beating them with a rusty Brady, no Mayo and potentially no Wilfork in October is less of a concern.

[Carmine Hose]

Fred Taylor stepped up today with a strong 100-yard effort.

The Ravens just don't allow 100 yard rushers, so the Pats need to work away from that. I'd expect a heavy emphasis on the TEs in the flat and seam to offset the BAL attack.

[Ahriman]

If Brady offers up the same caliber performance against the Ravens that he did versus the Falcons, it's going to be ugly. As others have said, running the ball will be tough, so accuracy in the passing game is a must.

[John Dopson]

If Brady offers up the same caliber performance against the Ravens that he did versus the Falcons, it's going to be ugly. As others have said, running the ball will be tough, so accuracy in the passing game is a must.

They did give up 26 to the Chargers. KC scored 17 on them on offense with Brodie Croyle at QB. Hopefully we can at least match the 17, maybe score 21. Have to think BB will try to take away the strength (running game) and make the WR's beat the defense. So far he has been fairly successful in taking away strengths. TO and Evans and Gonzalez.

[redsahx]

I love Flacco's arm, but I can't help but think this isn't really a difficult team to handle defensively. The Patriots are not Cleveland or KC. The Ravens don't have any great receivers (though Mason is solid). McGahee doesn't scare me that much anymore. If this were last year, given our weak secondary in 08, I might be a bit more fearful of the big play from Flacco. Not so much now though.

So it does come down to the offense again. No turnovers, and we need some good clock chewing drives. Hopefully the Ravens don't grab a solid lead, because they are not a team that would be fun to play from behind.

[shawnrbu]

If the Patriots do not turn over the ball, then they will win. It takes the Patriots playing a bad game for them to lose at home. I'm confident Belichick can keep Baltimore's offense in check (they've been beating up on pansies).

[dcmissle]

I love Flacco's arm, but I can't help but think this isn't really a difficult team to handle defensively. The Patriots are not Cleveland or KC. The Ravens don't have any great receivers (though Mason is solid). McGahee doesn't scare me that much anymore. If this were last year, given our weak secondary in 08, I might be a bit more fearful of the big play from Flacco. Not so much now though.

So it does come down to the offense again. No turnovers, and we need some good clock chewing drives. Hopefully the Ravens don't grab a solid lead, because they are not a team that would be fun to play from behind.

I chuckle at this a bit when you consider the quality of receivers our Tom Brady was throwing to in "01, "03 and "04. Not that Flacco is Brady (of course), but they have much more at RB than McGahee -- he forms a formidable trio with McClain (who is a beast) and Rice (who is very good) -- and the Pats never had a TE like Heap when Heap is healthy (which admittedly is dicey proposition, but he's healthy now). You add a very good young o-line and that spells trouble, esp if Vince can't go with Mayo out.

This is a fundamentally different Ravens team than the one that took the field from 2001 through last year. The defense does not appear to be as good, yet, but for once this team is not fighting with an arm tied behind its back. It has a QB who can throw deep, is composed, and protects the football. They have put up 103 points in 3 games. They are dangerous.

Edited by dcmissle, 29 September 2009 - 05:00 PM.

[SoxScout]

OT -- Nick Kaczur -- Ankle -- DNP
LB -- Jerod Mayo -- Knee -- DNP
DT -- Vince Wilfork -- Ankle -- DNP

CB -- Darius Butler -- Thigh -- Limited
WR -- Randy Moss -- Back -- Limited
WR -- Matthew Slater -- Elbow -- Limited
DB -- Shawn Springs -- Knee -- Limited
WR -- Wes Welker -- Knee -- Limited
CB -- Jonathan Wilhite -- Groin -- Limited
DT -- Mike Wright -- Shoulder -- Limited

QB -- Tom Brady -- Right Shoulder -- Full

http://www.boston.co...4_practice.html

[Bellhorn]

I'll be satisfied if they play a good game and get through it without any more injuries. A win would be icing on the cake.

[Ed Hillel]

I've got a bad feeling about the Welker injury.

Looks like Wilfork's out this week.

[BigSoxFan]

What exactly is the Welker injury? Sounds like a sprain of some sort, which is typically 4-6 weeks.

[John Dopson]

What exactly is the Welker injury? Sounds like a sprain of some sort, which is typically 4-6 weeks.

All I keep hearing is swelling in the knee. Obviously something they're having a hard time controlling. It would be a huge hit for him to go on IR to say the least. I think Wilfork has a shot at playing this week if his ankle sprain is low and not high.

[Salva135]

I'll be satisfied if they play a good game and get through it without any more injuries. A win would be icing on the cake.

I don't understand this thought process at all. Of course they want to avoid injuries in every game, but it's also football. It's Week 4, why should we not be wanting them to win this game at all costs? Are some of us already just conceding the Ravens as the vastly superior team and hoping to ride this one out to amass the wins in easier games? Avoiding more injuries would be icing on the cake. A win IS the cake.

Edited by Salva135, 01 October 2009 - 11:11 PM.

[Bellhorn]

I don't understand this thought process at all. Of course they want to avoid injuries in every game, but it's also football. It's Week 4, why should we not be wanting them to win this game at all costs? Are some of us already just conceding the Ravens as the vastly superior team and hoping to ride this one out to amass the wins in easier games? Avoiding more injuries would be icing on the cake. A win IS the cake.

Having another significant injury to a Wilfork/Mayo level of player has far more potential to fuck up the season in the long term than losing this game does. Obviously, I'm not saying I want them to take it easy out on the field. Just that I'm resigned to the fact that this will be a tough game for them to win, and that I'm ultimately more interested in whether they can continue the upward trend toward their peak level of play.

[dynomite]

I don't understand this thought process at all. Of course they want to avoid injuries in every game, but it's also football. It's Week 4, why should we not be wanting them to win this game at all costs? Are some of us already just conceding the Ravens as the vastly superior team and hoping to ride this one out to amass the wins in easier games? Avoiding more injuries would be icing on the cake. A win IS the cake.

I think you're reading too much into what he was saying. In this case, he doesn't think a "win at all costs" is as important as the team avoiding another serious injury, and I don't disagree. (Obviously in practical terms he's not suggesting that the Pats go at half-speed or anything ridiculous, just what he's hoping for: no injuries and a win, in that order)

As I've said before in this thread, the Ravens are playing the best football in the league right now and are totally healthy. I don't particularly care if we lose to them in early October so long as we continue to improve and get healthier such that we're the better/healthier team in January.

[Commander Shears]

Reiss: Wilfork, Mayo at start of Friday practice

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who has been slowed by a left ankle injury, was present for the start of practice Friday.

Wilfork's official status will be revealed when the Patriots release their injury report later Friday. One of the Patriots' top run-stuffers, Wilfork injured his ankle in the second quarter of Sunday's 26-10 win over the Falcons and did not return. He was held out of practices Wednesday and Thursday.

In addition to Wilfork, linebacker Jerod Mayo was present for the start of practice. It marked the first time Mayo returned to the practice field since spraining his right MCL in the season opener.

Receivers Wes Welker (knee) and Randy Moss (back) were also present for the start of practice.

Reporters were present for stretching and one special teams drill. Players were in sweatpants and light shoulder pads.

[Ed Hillel]

Watson was on WEEI this morning and said that Welker and Wilfork will play.

[JakeRae]

Watson was on WEEI this morning and said that Welker and Wilfork will play.

This is the best news I've heard all week.

[SoxScout]

The Patriots added two players to their injury report on Saturday night. Left tackle Matt Light (knee) and defensive lineman Ty Warren (illness) have been added as "probable."

http://bit.ly/9anAx

[Royal Reader]

Meh. My best guess would be something like a 20-13 loss here, though with it being a home game a Pats victory is far from being a long shot. I remain optimistic that Brady and the receivers will click soon.

[InsideTheParker]

I have searched adhe.net and found no Patriots game. If anyone has a link, please post it. We lost reception of CBS Hartford/Springfield with the analog to digital changeover and I have promised my spouse he can watch online. Help!

[Jim Burton]

I have searched adhe.net and found no Patriots game. If anyone has a link, please post it. We lost reception of CBS Hartford/Springfield with the analog to digital changeover and I have promised my spouse he can watch online. Help!

Don't know when you searched it, but it's the first hit I see for NFL games:

http://atdhe.net/831...ngland-patriots
.
.Pat.

[mikeford]

ITP, check the nfl forum on myp2p.eu for links

[Papelmate]

realpatriots The Patriots inactives are Galloway, Wheatley, Lockett, Green-Ellis, Mayo, Ohrnberger, Simmons and Brace.

[bluefenderstrat]

Sounds like the Galloway era is coming to an end. I wonder if Edelman takes his spot?

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

Wilfork and Welker not listed. Excellent sign.

[Dick Pole Upside]

Sounds like the Galloway era is coming to an end. I wonder if Edelman takes his spot?

Looks that way, with Brandon Tate eligible to be activated in a couple of weeks (though it may take a few weeks after that). We may have a WR corps of Moss/Welker/Aiken/Edelman/Tate soon...

[j44thor]

Sounds like the Galloway era is coming to an end. I wonder if Edelman takes his spot?

I wonder why Kelly Washington was never given much of a chance to play WR for the Pats.
He is having a decent year so far for BAL and would be a huge help on ST.

When will the Pats give up their love affair with speed receivers that can't run routes (Bethel, Chad Jax, Doug Gabriel, Galloway, etc.).

[amh03]

From NESN Live Blog

11:31 a.m.: An interesting inactive list for the Patriots. First, Wes Welker and Vince Wilfork will play Sunday against the Ravens. Now, for the inactives -- Joey Galloway, Terrence Wheatley, Bret Lockett, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Jerod Mayo, Rich Ohrnberger, Kendall Simmons and Ron Brace.

Galloway has been less than productive for the Patriots, and he hasn't been on the injury report all week, leading the belief that he is a healthy scratch now that Welker is feeling good enough to play.

(edit - my bold)

[mikeford]

Praise Allah, fuck joey galloway

[Rook05]

I wonder why Kelly Washington was never given much of a chance to play WR for the Pats.
He is having a decent year so far for BAL and would be a huge help on ST.

When will the Pats give up their love affair with speed receivers that can't run routes (Bethel, Chad Jax, Doug Gabriel, Galloway, etc.).

I think the last few year's was more of a case of him not being to able to take the 3rd WR job. Gaffney had really cemented his role there.

[SoxScout]

I wonder why Kelly Washington was never given much of a chance to play WR for the Pats.
He is having a decent year so far for BAL and would be a huge help on ST.

When will the Pats give up their love affair with speed receivers that can't run routes (Bethel, Chad Jax, Doug Gabriel, Galloway, etc.).

Belichick talked about this this week. Said that Washington is doing a lot of nice things as the slot WR, but said not everyone can get on the field and he thinks we have have a pretty good player playing in the slot... we then got Aiken to replace Washington on ST... of course Washington looks more attractive playing on a team with no stud WRs.

[D Jack's Dome]

So its 1220 and ive been drinking since 9 AM.

I'm also by myself.

Am I a drunk?

[InsideTheParker]

Don't know when you searched it, but it's the first hit I see for NFL games:

http://atdhe.net/831...ngland-patriots
.
.Pat.

Thanks very much for your contribution to my domestic tranquillity! Maybe I looked tol early, but I couldn't see it.

[SoxScout]

Wilforks wife on twitter:

Not sure if i like u playig today but its not like u have your phone so we can talk about it
28 minutes ago from txt

Obviously something is not right with his ankle.

[D Jack's Dome]

Wilforks wife on twitter:

Obviously something is not right with his ankle.

He was probably being a baby and milking it at home.

He was also probably getting a blumpkin this morning from some whore. Hence the "no cell phone" comment.

Smart man.

[Judge Mental13]

Wilforks wife on twitter:

Obviously something is not right with his ankle.

I wonder where his phone is?

[Maalox]

I think Shannon is confusing Billy Cundiff, the Browns kicker who got his MBA from Arizona State, and Jonathan Roberts, the University of Florida kicker who is attending law school.

[Dick Pole Upside]

Not sure if i like u playig today but its not like u have your phone so we can talk about it
28 minutes ago from txt

Obviously something is not right with his ankle.

Bianca wants to ride the gravy train (pun intended) and doesn't want Vince's performance to take a (au jus) dip in a contract year

[shawnrbu]

Wilforks wife on twitter:

Obviously something is not right with his ankle.

She worried more about his health or the signing bonus?

And is Derrick Mason going to play?

[Bellhorn]

So its 1220 and ive been drinking since 9 AM.

I'm also by myself.

Am I a drunk?

If it quacks like a duck...

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.