Watching the Jones: Dazed & Confused
- Thread starter Ed Hillel
- Start date
Looked like a tweak to me. As someone who isn't a doctor, I'll accept half of the going DRS rate.
They really, really need him in there vs. Denver. I'm not sure they have enough to score 20+ on Denver's D, which has a much better secondary than BUF and should have Ware back.
It isn't an exaggeration to say that next Sunday's game is the toughest of the regular season.
I didn't see any replays or anything because I was at the game but Amendola was on the sidelines trying to get his knee loose from what it looked like. Hopefully just an MCL strain but that could still keep him out for a few weeks depending on how it responds to treatment
Christopher Price tweeted that Amendola was favoring the knee way BEFORE the punt return. So, maybe it was already hurt.
Also, when they showed the replay of him walking off the field, he seemed to be grabbing the back of his leg.
Also, when they showed the replay of him walking off the field, he seemed to be grabbing the back of his leg.
Could certainly be a hamstring, too, based on that and the way he was working it on the sideline
I can't find a clip, but it certainly looked like a hamstring in real time to me. He was backing up with no lateral movement or force from another player when he bounced up lame.
SportsCenter showed Amendola favoring his leg some time prior to the punt, when the Pats were rushing off the running play to White that scored the TD. This was right after DA's catch and long run, so perhaps that's when he tweaked something.
Patriots notebook had this. Said that he tweaked the knee/leg on the 41 yard reception.
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots/2015/11/patriots_notebook_add_danny_amendola_aaron_dobson_to_injury_list
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots/2015/11/patriots_notebook_add_danny_amendola_aaron_dobson_to_injury_list
If Welker hadn't already signed elsewhere how much of Patriots Nation would be calling for the Pats to add him?
The run of injuries on the line and now WR cannot make it easier to get Jones and Fletcher activated---doesn't that need to happen this week or else they go to IR?
Little bit of a roster spot crunch coming up this week
Little bit of a roster spot crunch coming up this week
Terrelle Pryor time baby. (Wasn't he in for a visit?)
Looking over Rotoworld's list of Free Agents is ugly:
http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/clubhouse/nfl/fa/free-agent
Looking over Rotoworld's list of Free Agents is ugly:
http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/clubhouse/nfl/fa/free-agent
Assuming Dobson is done and Amendola misses at least a couple games, it'll be fascinating to see how they adjust. That leaves them with no true slot guy, and with a stable of mostly unproven possession receivers (LaFell obviously being the most seasoned and trusted) -- plus Gronk and Chandler, with White out of the backfield. There are no real downfield threats, and limited RAC potential. I'm hoping to see a more concerted effort to use the two big TEs, although that may be tough against a pass rush like Denver's. I look forward to hearing from folks who know the Xs and Os a lot better than I.
1) In Bill we trust, but why the fuck is our one healthy slot receiver out there returning punts? Especially after he was already hobbling?
2) Have all these injuries altered expectations for anyone? A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking Super Bowl or bust. Now, not so much. They just don't have the healthy bodies.
2) Have all these injuries altered expectations for anyone? A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking Super Bowl or bust. Now, not so much. They just don't have the healthy bodies.
I don't believe the Pats would sit a healthy player, even with a 2-game lead over Denver and Cincy. However, let's' assume Amendola pulled a hammy and that it's mild. The Pats have one less day to prepare for Sunday night's game. The forecast low in Denver for Sunday is 18 degrees. And if you aggravate a hammy, you can turn a short term injury into a season ender at this stage of the regular season. It makes zero sense to make a decision that puts Amendola in Edelman's spot or worse.
If they can hold on to a first round bye, get Edelman back for the playoffs, nurse Amendola back to the line-up and get Collins back in the next few weeks, then I think the expectations remain the same.
And they don't need to do all of those things for them to be the same. But all would help.
We always hear how BB values special teams equal to offense and defense. Amendola made a game changing punt return last week and another key one, albeit much shorter, last night when the O needed every yard it could get from special teams.
Breer: Patriots WR Danny Amendola will have an MRI later today to assess the knee injury he suffered last night.
Tirico said something about Matt Slater getting dinged on a Pats kickoff play - anyone heard anything on that front this morning?
Still holding out hope for 1 seed. Unless you assume a tie, Denver or Cincy will lose at least one more game. Denver also has to play at Pittsburgh, with the Steelers fighting for a playoff spot. And Cincy hosts Pittsburgh as well.
Too bad this game at Denver wasn't a bit later. We might have been able to effectively concede it.
Too bad this game at Denver wasn't a bit later. We might have been able to effectively concede it.
Phil Perry said this morning on Toucher & Rich that Tom Curran saw Amendola leave the building last night without crutches or a boot and didn't appear to have a limp.
Amendola's injury did not look that serious, and he stayed on the sideline. Belichick is going to coach this team to win at Denver; there's no point ceding a head to head matchup against one of the top teams in the conference. Winning the next game is a mentality that is ingrained into football coaches; that's not going to change now. So if Amendola is able, he'll play. And last night's game should show why it's useful having players on the roster that know how to return punts.
This past game, the Pats inactives were Collins, Coleman, Edelman, Flowers, Jackson, Siliga, and Martin, with all but Siliga nursing injuries. It's reasonable to assume that Coleman and Martin will be active against Denver, and possibly Jackson as well. Collins should be back in a couple. None of them are going on the IR, so it does make it tricky to activate Fletcher or Jones. Dobson could go on the IR if his injury will keep him out more than a couple of weeks.
This past game, the Pats inactives were Collins, Coleman, Edelman, Flowers, Jackson, Siliga, and Martin, with all but Siliga nursing injuries. It's reasonable to assume that Coleman and Martin will be active against Denver, and possibly Jackson as well. Collins should be back in a couple. None of them are going on the IR, so it does make it tricky to activate Fletcher or Jones. Dobson could go on the IR if his injury will keep him out more than a couple of weeks.
Mike Garafolo: Belief (read: hope) is nothing major but tests will tell the story. https://t.co/hw1qvbTO2l
Getting Martin healthy is key this week. Otherwise, I don't know who the Pats have left to field punts.
Wonder if Jones gets Siliga's spot. Seems like Fletcher has a hard path unless he takes Bostic's spot. Good chance if they need a receiver it will take the spot of Dobson heading to IR.
Other than dramatically reducing the chances of a perfect season, no. Solder, Lewis, and Brown are the only starters out for the year at this point with Wendell and perhaps Dobson as fringe players joining them. Those losses suck, but that's not the kind of attrition that kills Super Bowl hopes. They're still giant favorites to get a bye and big favorites to get homefield.
Im sort of in the opposite camp. Denver isn't some unbeatable juggernaut. Pats opened -5.5 and are still -3 as of now. Winning this week all but wraps up a bye and probably gives the Pats homefield (anyone think even with a skeleton crew for the Pats that Philly or Tennessee is winning in Foxboro very often? Or the Pats are going 0-3 on the road in December? Or the Bengals run the table?) Win this one and the coaching staff can basically use the rest of the season as an extended prep for the playoffs resting players and managing injuries as they see fit.
I'm not saying I wouldn't try to win the week. I'm lamenting that we pretty much have to.
I would draw the line at playing people who are not fully healthy and would be at risk for further injury. Amendola, for example, with his injury history and a hammy on a cold night after a short week. I would take no chances with him.
And if the o-line is not up to protecting Brady and the Pats fall significantly behind, I think about getting him out of there.
I would draw the line at playing people who are not fully healthy and would be at risk for further injury. Amendola, for example, with his injury history and a hammy on a cold night after a short week. I would take no chances with him.
And if the o-line is not up to protecting Brady and the Pats fall significantly behind, I think about getting him out of there.
It would be nice to win, but its far from a must win. 13-3 is probably the floor and even losing to Denver that's getting them a bye more often than not.
Id just rather have the game now so that if the Pats win they can have tons of flexibility in managing the rest of the season.
Id just rather have the game now so that if the Pats win they can have tons of flexibility in managing the rest of the season.
He came back in after that. I think Slater has been "dinged" in three of the past 4 games.
And McKeldin fumbled punts twice. You at least need someone who's not going to fuck it up and make the right decision about fielding it -- seems straightforward until your guy blows it.
I don't think the Pats have a history of rushing guys back to play when they might be at risk to aggravate an existing injury. Seems like they're usually pretty cautious. So I'm not worried about them doing anything with Amendola that would needlessly jeopardize his season. It's not like the Pats don't know what's at stake if they lose him for the year.
And it seems unlikely the Pats would fall "significantly" behind. Their D should keep them in the game even if the O is sputtering.