Comparing this team to 2017

[charleshaleyfan94]

It may take awhile for Irving to become a significant contributor this season. He's missing more than just the first 4 games this season. He missed the last 4 games of 2017. He had no OTAs, no TC, no preseason games, and he's going to miss the first 4 games this season.

I don't understand why people rely or expect much from Irving or Gregory. If they are not here doing their jobs, then are hurting everyone around them.

 

[waldoputty]

Hmmm....I don’t know. I honestly need to see this team play. There’s too much ambiguity for me to compare anything. It’s all the injuries and new players.

u can say that about that every year.
the secondary last year was completely unpredictable due to young inexperienced talent.
they turned the top 3 weakness (lt, lb, rb absence) into strengths.
now they blew up the receiving corp, but i really think replacing dez and witten with austin, hurns, gallup and rico is adequate.
in fact, i think we will reap the benefits of the improved separation by mid season.
also think rico will provide both dez's jump ball ability and witten's catch in traffic skills and potentially be better in those 2 areas.

 

[charleshaleyfan94]

well panthers ol is really beat up, so lets hope we really take advantage of that.

they are probably saying the same thing about us lol

 

[charleshaleyfan94]

I would love to see what it would be like for Belichek or McVay to come in here and coach this roster. Fantasy Coaching here.
The Patriots new DC is very good. Their D looks completely different. They got Claiborne (Atlanta I believe, Chaz Green) to go straight after the QB and it was scary to see how quick he was.
If McVay could resurrect the hapless Rams O, what could he do here?

 

[Chrispierce]

u can say that about that every year.
the secondary last year was completely unpredictable due to young inexperienced talent.
they turned the top 3 weakness (lt, lb, rb absence) into strengths.
now they blew up the receiving corp, but i really think replacing dez and witten with austin, hurns, gallup and rico is adequate.
in fact, i think we will reap the benefits of the improved separation by mid season.
also think rico will provide both dez's jump ball ability and witten's catch in traffic skills and potentially be better in those 2 areas.

It’s harder for me this year,because they never did get all the starters on the field to take a peek. I have no idea how this team will really look come the season. If they can bloster the S and o-line? I’d say better. If Martin and Smith can’t hold up though? This team is gonna be in big trouble on offense.

 

[waldoputty]

It’s harder for me this year,because they never did get all the starters on the field to take a peek. I have no idea how this team will really look come the season. If they can bloster the S and o-line? I’d say better. If Martin and Smith can’t hold up though? This team is gonna be in big trouble on offense.

well u really cannot project much if 2 of the top 5 players do not hold up.
though tsmith now has 2 decent backups while there were none last year.
and there are 2 decent guard backups, which is an improvement over last year.

 

[waldoputty]

I would love to see what it would be like for Belichek or McVay to come in here and coach this roster. Fantasy Coaching here.
The Patriots new DC is very good. Their D looks completely different. They got Claiborne (Atlanta I believe, Chaz Green) to go straight after the QB and it was scary to see how quick he was.
If McVay could resurrect the hapless Rams O, what could he do here?

yes what would a real coach do for us...

 

[CrownCowboy]

How many snaps do you guys think Rico will get Sunday?

 

[waldoputty]

they are probably saying the same thing about us lol

only tfred will be out.
in comparison, they had to move their rt to lt, trade for a backup rt who will start due to yet another injury and their lg is also out.

 

[waldoputty]

How many snaps do you guys think Rico will get Sunday?

hard to say. i would guess 12-15.

 

[CrownCowboy]

hard to say. i would guess 12-15.

He better be in on all redzone plays which I would assume is a no-brainer.

 

[waldoputty]

He better be in on all redzone plays which I would assume is a no-brainer.

so i estimated 12-15 plays plus some in 3rd and ~3-8.
most curious how the d would play him if he lines up wide or in the slot.

 

[CrownCowboy]

so i estimated 12-15 plays plus some in 3rd and ~3-8.
most curious how the d would play him if he lines up wide or in the slot.

I'd imagine they'd bracket him up and send pressure from his direction instead of ever just playing him man to man but who knows.

 

[waldoputty]

I'd imagine they'd bracket him up and send pressure from his direction instead of ever just playing him man to man but who knows.

bracketing him up is a win.
less to contain zeke.
they had to bracket beas last year.
how many can u bracket at the same time.
red zone package of: zeke, austin, beas, rico, and swaim would be interesting

 

[CrownCowboy]

Rico is such a matchup problem in the passing game at that spot and I expect the coaching staff to have some packages and on the fly stuff to use him in. I don't care how little experience he has. He's an athlete and can do it. It's time to use his attributes to our advantage and see what we have.

 

[Chrispierce]

well u really cannot project much if 2 of the top 5 players do not hold up.
though tsmith now has 2 decent backups while there were none last year.
and there are 2 decent guard backups, which is an improvement over last year.

There’s too many question marks for me. I never did see the starters all get together. I’ll know once the season gets going if it’s the same old same old.

 

[charron]

oh yes, the Panthers will give them trial by fire immediately. The Panthers may/may not win a lot of games, but teams that play them are completely black and blue (no pun intended) when they leave the stadium. They are extremely physically tough. That is why the playcalling is extremely important when preparing for them. And Cam is big and bad.

Just meant no more pre season back. We will day e the best of each team. Just like they will face our best....who hasn't played a single snap all together yet. ShoiSh be interesting at least.

 

[CrownCowboy]

bracketing him up is a win.
less to contain zeke.
they had to bracket beas last year.
how many can u bracket at the same time.
red zone package of: zeke, austin, beas, rico, and swaim would be interesting

Yep. The Panthers have the personel up front to perhaps enable them to single him up and let their blitz packages do their thing but that's playing with fire. It's like you said, you can't give help over the top to everybody. We have the talent and players to create mismatches. It's time for this coaching staff to dial it up and put it together.

 

[waldoputty]

There’s too many question marks for me. I never did see the starters all get together. I’ll know once the season gets going if it’s the same old same old.

right, but just like we did not see rico do much except block.
that is because they need him to get block reps.
the 1st team o without zeke moved the ball and scored well.
and i dont think anyone scored on the 1st team d.
that is all u get.

 

[Flamma]

The offense looks weaker(no Fred rookie LG No true X or Y and a mediocre Z) the defense looks potentially stronger but will it be enough to cover up the discrepancies on offense. I’d feel better if the ability to lean on the coaching but with the offensive staff in place it’s all about do your job and beat the man in front of you even when the ability isn’t there to do that rather than to find ways to play strengths against weaknesss cough cough scheming players in positions to be successful

A better comparison would have been to compare this team to 2016. The offensive line has me a little worried. Overall I think the unit is above average. Witten and Dez were past their prime. This group of WRs have to be better than what we had. Don't go by preseason, our first team looked decent and that was without Zeke. I have a lot more confidence in Gallup and Hurns getting open than I did Dez and TWill the last two years. The defense is also much improved. To go 8-8 or 9-7 this year would be a huge disappointment.