The Black Unicorn: TE Martellus Bennett in NE
- Thread starter ScubaSteveAvery
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Happy birthday everyone! Best thing I've seen in a while. If you liked the "Celebrating What It Is" thread or if you got a little too much pleasure out of watching Seahawks Fan -Butler pick reaction videos...you'll enjoy this!
Language NSFW
Language NSFW
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Here's a little video on Martellus Bennett and his children's book ambitions.
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/2016-6-16-martellus-bennett-nfl/
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/2016-6-16-martellus-bennett-nfl/
Well, I'm sure most of you have seen this. If you haven't, what are you waiting for?
Best line: "Fantasy football? Don't draft me, man. I'm a blue-collar TE." LOL.
Perhaps the bestFA signing acquisition of the off-season. Ready to continue to do serious damage with a healthy Gronk. I say he's easily the most lovable non-Patriot-like Patriot since Moss.
From NESN's excellent breakdown: http://nesn.com/2016/10/patriots-film-review-how-new-england-only-previewed-two-tight-end-attack/
Both Bennett & Gronk were inline as if to block. They both broke out. MB easily beat his man on his way to a TD (although Gronk is even more open with no one around him for 5 yards).
FooballOutsiders.com currently has MB as the #1 TE: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/te with a ridiculous 108 DYAR (Greg Olsen is 2nd with 88).
Best line: "Fantasy football? Don't draft me, man. I'm a blue-collar TE." LOL.
Perhaps the best
From NESN's excellent breakdown: http://nesn.com/2016/10/patriots-film-review-how-new-england-only-previewed-two-tight-end-attack/
Both Bennett & Gronk were inline as if to block. They both broke out. MB easily beat his man on his way to a TD (although Gronk is even more open with no one around him for 5 yards).
FooballOutsiders.com currently has MB as the #1 TE: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/te with a ridiculous 108 DYAR (Greg Olsen is 2nd with 88).
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So much good stuff in that piece. My fav quote has to be from Marty. "Yeah, fuck Jason (Garrett)."
That's completely stuck in my head. Yes, you're right that he was ACQUIRED and not signed via FA.
Thanks for posting that fantastic E60 piece. It's really, really easy to get down on the sport, with all the BS from the commish on down to the players struggling with problems or just jerks. Men like these two are the ones that young kids should look up to. Well-spoken, authentic, caring family men that have very meaningful lives outside the game.
I agree with the dad..hope he gets his ring!!
I agree with the dad..hope he gets his ring!!
The second story on that program, about the kid Cubs fan, was even better than the Bennett Brothers story
Here's a cool Bennett story:
I was texting my buddy back home after Bennett's second TD and he mentioned his wife was going to meet with MB in a couple weeks. Apparently, she met him at a popup reading he was doing on Newbury for his kid's book. My friend's wife has been trying to publish a children's book, and MB was apparently very accommodating and offered to help her navigate the process and maybe publish the book under his house.
I was texting my buddy back home after Bennett's second TD and he mentioned his wife was going to meet with MB in a couple weeks. Apparently, she met him at a popup reading he was doing on Newbury for his kid's book. My friend's wife has been trying to publish a children's book, and MB was apparently very accommodating and offered to help her navigate the process and maybe publish the book under his house.
Always engaging, @MartysaurusRex walks by and says, "What's up, Mike? Looking a little taller today." Unfortunately, it's just not the case.
This is hilarious! If you need a reason to read this article, here's a quote
"During their rides, Bennett discussed with Rob Gronkowski the importance of reading books."
Does anyone know if Marty likes PCP? I'm guessing no, but it'd be great if there's a quote out there about him not liking it, or if someone here once offered it to him and he was like, "no, I don't like PCP."
If he starts doing the shovel digging TD celebration I'm going to be worried.
He may not be as versatile as the mass murderer in that I don't ever see him getting lined up in the backfield, but his blocking ability and dual threat with Gronk when they are both running routes is superior than what AH brought.
Marty, please no undercover car rides with Denzel.
He may not be as versatile as the mass murderer in that I don't ever see him getting lined up in the backfield, but his blocking ability and dual threat with Gronk when they are both running routes is superior than what AH brought.
Marty, please no undercover car rides with Denzel.
Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 41m41 minutes ago
Q: Why do you prefer to wear fewer layers on game day? Martellus Bennett: "Same reason women wear less on Halloween. It's sexier."
Q: Why do you prefer to wear fewer layers on game day? Martellus Bennett: "Same reason women wear less on Halloween. It's sexier."
I don't know if you guys saw the locker room celebration: http://www.patriots.com/video/2016/12/19/patriots-locker-room-celebration-following-win-over-broncos
Bennett remarks (inaccurately, as Papelbon's Poutine notes) that he's never had the experience of winning a division. The last time he played in the playoffs was 2009. In the video above, you can see a few other new Patriots who are getting their first "hat and t-shirt" experience: Chris Hogan and Kyle Van Noy. This makes me wonder if this as intentional strategy of Belichick's, to target guys who are really hungry to win. Aside from Bennett, Hogan, and Van Noy, Chris Long had never been on a division winner, and Mingo and McClellin had never been on a playoff team. Those were basically all the major additions this offseason.
Going back, there are plenty more examples: Steven Jackson and Scott Chandler last year, Revis and Ayers in 2014, Blount in 2013, Brian Waters in 2012, and going way back guys like Rodney, Fred Taylor, even Doug Flutie. I imagine guys who are coming from teams that aren't as successful might cost less, too, but I wonder if there's a psychological component to it, to keep the guys for whom this might be old hat jazzed up for their teammates who are experiencing it anew. Or maybe not.
Bennett remarks (inaccurately, as Papelbon's Poutine notes) that he's never had the experience of winning a division. The last time he played in the playoffs was 2009. In the video above, you can see a few other new Patriots who are getting their first "hat and t-shirt" experience: Chris Hogan and Kyle Van Noy. This makes me wonder if this as intentional strategy of Belichick's, to target guys who are really hungry to win. Aside from Bennett, Hogan, and Van Noy, Chris Long had never been on a division winner, and Mingo and McClellin had never been on a playoff team. Those were basically all the major additions this offseason.
Going back, there are plenty more examples: Steven Jackson and Scott Chandler last year, Revis and Ayers in 2014, Blount in 2013, Brian Waters in 2012, and going way back guys like Rodney, Fred Taylor, even Doug Flutie. I imagine guys who are coming from teams that aren't as successful might cost less, too, but I wonder if there's a psychological component to it, to keep the guys for whom this might be old hat jazzed up for their teammates who are experiencing it anew. Or maybe not.
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Reporters asked Bennett about his TD yesterday, and his response was along the lines of "we ran the same play in preseason against Carolina and missed it, shows that we have progressed as an offense". BB must love that stuff - a player remembering a specific play from 4 months ago. Hope they find a way to sign this guy for another 2-3 years.
This looks to be a great draft class at TE. I'd guess Belichick would prefer drafting a TE, but they may go another direction in this draft and re-sign the black unicorn.
Could do both - re-sign Bennett and draft a guy in the third or fourth round to provide depth and insurance.
I'm not close enough to this to predict the round, but I was also thinking that this isn't and either/or question - Bennett/draft choice only becomes an "or" if you believe that a) Gronk makes it through next year healthy and b) Lengel sticks around, or no real 3rd TE is needed. If you have any questions about either - and there's certainly reason to wonder about Gronk's health - then Bennett and draft pick makes sense.
Late to the show here, but I was just listening to the Xbox one postgame show with the PFW guys from Sunday, and the first thing they mentioned when Bennett came up was that they were encouraged because this exact play had been tried in preseason and didn't work, and they went to it again and this time it worked
“@RyanHannable: Marty Bennett on the fans: I’ve been on four different teams and these are some of the best ones. They are believers.”
“@MarkDanielsPJ: Bennett: I’m going home and going to make a cake… a you’re awesome cake”
“@RyanHannable: Bennett: I’m probably going to go home and make a cake and write ‘You are awesome’ on it.”
“@RyanHannable: Martellus Bennett’s message to his brother: ”Now, I am going to the Super Bowl mother [expletive].“”
“@RyanHannable: Marty Bennett: ”I have the winning disease right now.“”
“@RyanHannable: Martellus Bennett on playing in NE: ”Here it was never individual goals that I set with my teammates. It was about us.“”
“@MarkDanielsPJ: Bennett: I’m going home and going to make a cake… a you’re awesome cake”
“@RyanHannable: Bennett: I’m probably going to go home and make a cake and write ‘You are awesome’ on it.”
“@RyanHannable: Martellus Bennett’s message to his brother: ”Now, I am going to the Super Bowl mother [expletive].“”
“@RyanHannable: Marty Bennett: ”I have the winning disease right now.“”
“@RyanHannable: Martellus Bennett on playing in NE: ”Here it was never individual goals that I set with my teammates. It was about us.“”
I love Bennett, but he has been really disappointing down the stretch. I know he's banged up, but we need him to be productive against Atlanta. Can't just keep relying on Edelman and Hogan to account for 80% of the team's yardage.
He's playing with broken bones in his ankle and has bone chips. Anything we get out of him right now is a bonus.
I wonder how much of that is him having to stay in and block because Gronk got injured? Or even because Blount hasn't been completely healthy either? I expect the Pats receiving core to actually be the healthiest it has been in a while in two weeks. Hogan, Amendola, Mitchell/Floyd should pick up some of the slack.
Jen McCaffrey @jcmccaffrey 11h11 hours ago
Bennett says he loves the New England fans and when they call him Mah-ty. "Sometimes my wife says, 'Mah-ty come ovah here' as a joke"
Johnny MehlerVerified account @JohnnyBangor Jan 14
.@MartysaurusRex is hilarious. "They yelled Mah-ty...they put an H in my name...I don't have an H in my name" when he went down injured
I don't know if it's the cumulative effect of injuries or the fact that Gronk is out, but I do have the sense that Bennett is a really unfair matchup when he's your 2nd TE, and merely good when he is your top option. Many teams don't even have one DB / LB who can shadow a hybrid TE in coverage and still hold up against the run; almost nobody has two. That trickles down everywhere else on the field.
Which doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for him at all, just some context.
I love Bennett and hope that they can bring him back. I'm nervous about Gronk's return, and either way, having that TE pairing is pretty outrageous when healthy.
The two weeks will probably help a bit. Bennett is clearly a wonderful player to have on the team. He has played 114 snaps since January 1 and will not play again until Feb. 5. Hopefully he can be in a position (toradol) to grind through 60 quality snaps for one more day.
But I agree, he is awesome and with Gronk out there as well I'd already be planning the parade route.
But I agree, he is awesome and with Gronk out there as well I'd already be planning the parade route.
Interestingly, Matt Lengel played zero snaps on offense Sunday. So the Pats played 24 snaps with no tight ends out there. That might be game-plan specific (they wanted to keep Pittsburgh's shaky secondary out there instead of adding a linebacker).
It looks like Develin played 25 snaps. I wonder how many of those were the snaps Marty didn't play. He gets used a bit like a tight end.
Only 2, nearly all the other non tight end snaps were 4 WR and either lewis or white and they ran the pony formation with lewis white and 3 wrs 2 or 3 times.