***OFFICIAL NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS SEASON THREAD*** (13-4) - Patriots @ Broncos - Sun 3:05PM EST - Bra

[DeadsetAce]

listening to sports hub. sounds like the NFL has changed it's tune on where it stands on Brady. previously their story was that he was "generally aware" of deflated balls. on friday they submitted some paperwork with the language "Brady allegedly 'approved of, consented to, and provided inducements in support of . . . a scheme to tamper with the game balls” and “willfully obstructed' the league’s Deflategate investigation."

criminal mastermind brady



defamation suit here we come

 

[mr marcus]

 

[str8drop]

The Gray talks have been under the radar but have been there. He had a crowd last week after practice because of some plays he made and apparently today he had another good day of practice. They're saying he looks more "swift", he cut 10lbs and now is around 225. I think there's good chance Gray could be the starter for Week 1 because Blount has to serve his one game suspension. All depends on how camp/preseason goes of course.

As far as the defense our fav bend don't break conservative defensive philosophy will likely be in full effect early until they figure out who they are, so to speak.

Sheard has been getting generating a lot of talks so far particularly in reference to his strength, quickness, and versatility.

I'm really interested in seeing how the LB core plays out as well. We could potentially have one of the best LB cores in the league this season.

Butler, like everybody else has been saying, is still really looking good in practice. He's been getting the overwhelming majority of reps at Left CB while Ryan, Fletch, Brown, and Daryl Roberts have been sharing the RCB reps.

 

[str8drop]

Also apparently we cut Flynn and picked up Ryan Lindley :x

 

[DeadsetAce]

Also apparently we cut Flynn and picked up Ryan Lindley :x

Lindley had a horrendous practice today. something like 9-20 and a pick. Geno numbers :x

but word is we'll bring Flynn back once his hammy heals. Lindley is just a warm body for the game this week and possibly next

 

[str8drop]

^Yeah I saw the same thing hopefully that ends up happening 

Came across these Butler clips 

 

Was hoping there would be more clips out there with the way they've been raving about this dude 

 

 

[DeadsetAce]

^ nice clips, man

 

[prez t]

ive heard Butlers been looking great in camp

 

[DeadsetAce]

one thing to keep in mind on Butler that i heard pointed out today...our top WRs haven't really practiced much. so Butler's been lining up against our depth guys for much of camp. not to say he'd struggle, but people need to temper expectations. the one good thing to see is that he's been a lock at starting LCB since camp started. so they're giving him TONS of reps.

 

[rolaholic]

Looks like TB got a small victory during todays settlement hearing . One of the most important exchanges of the day

View media item 1669512
I hope Tom doesn't settle like the league wants and pushes for a court ruling since it's looking more and more likely that the judge would rule in his and the NFLPA's favor...

 

[DeadsetAce]

yeah both sides got hammered to a degree, but the NFL clearly got hammered quite a bit more. they are saying that Berman did say prior to anything starting today that no one should read too much into anything he says today. that said, based on the questions asked, it seems like he's putting more pressure on the NFL than he is on Brady to settle. the one statement that did stick out more than anything to me is when he told the NFL the "they better come to grips that a settlement in favor of the NFLPA is very possible".

#FreeBrady

 

[rolaholic]

Yea he also threw some hard ones at Brady/Kessler but he really let loose on the leagues inconsistencies throughout the investigation and pointed out the sheer absurdity of the whole matter a couple of times

.

 Berman: Turns out Mr. Brady did better with higher inflated balls than underinflated balls. You might say he got no competitive advantage

 Kessler said that this is the most overblown case/story in his 40 years of practicing law...

Is there some sort of timetable on when this thing might be settled? Before the preseason ends maybe? 

 

[DeadsetAce]

Is there some sort of timetable on when this thing might be settled? Before the preseason ends maybe? 

so i believe a court ordered decision would be on September 4th. so any settlement would come before that time. goal is to have it decided (at the latest) in time to give the Pats 1 week to prepare for Jimmy starting against Pitt.

 

[7th Chamber]

Is there some sort of timetable on when this thing might be settled? Before the preseason ends maybe? 

In the event that this matter doesn't settle at any time, Judge Berman ordered that Oral Arguments take place on August 19th and then he would rule sometime prior to September 4th.

Oral Arguments could end up getting really contentious with the way things are looking.

With that being said, I feel like Judge Berman is putting plenty of pressure for this thing to resolve itself. However, the NFL not wanting to budge on Brady accepting the Wells Report is absolutely comical. Judge Berman doesn't even know what to make of the language in the report and they expect Brady to just accept its findings.

 

[DeadsetAce]

for tonight's game....

FOXBORO — The Patriots take the field tonight for the first time since Super Bowl XLIX. Though it’s under far less significant circumstances, their quest to defend the crown takes another step as they open their preseason slate vs. the Packers at Gillette Stadium. Here are five things to watch:

1. Quarterback carousel

Tom Brady shouldn’t go anywhere near the field against a live defense, first, because of the state of the offensive line and, second, because he has nothing to prove while completing 78.7 percent of his passes throughout training camp. So now, all eyes will be on Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been spotty with a 64.1 camp completion percentage and seven interceptions. Sure, yesterday’s appeal hearing seemed to go well for Brady, but the Patriots need Garoppolo to catch fire in game conditions the way he did last summer, just in case. The problem is Garoppolo won’t be surrounded by many, if any, starters for more than a handful of plays. It’s tough to find a rhythm behind a backup offensive line while throwing to receivers who won’t all make the team.

2. Line dancing

Left tackle Nate Solder missed the last practice and a half. Center Bryan Stork has missed three consecutive practices. Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer remains limited in team drills. So unless there’s a drastic change, Brady shouldn’t stand behind three backups and two rookies. With that in mind, it’s time to get a good look at left guard Shaq Mason and right guard Tre’ Jackson. Mason has been good, and Jackson looks real good, but it’s better to see them perform in a chaotic environment. Also, Cameron Fleming should get an extended look at right tackle, and rookie David Andrews and Josh Kline are in a good competition for the backup center job. With Ryan Wendell and Marcus Cannon also out tonight, there’s room for some young guys to make an impression, for better or worse.

3. Busy bubble

Of the interesting camp battles unfolding, keep an eye on rookie cornerback Darryl Roberts, a seventh-round pick who has broken up a team-high 10 passes in 11 practices and has made a case to surpass veterans Bradley Fletcher, Robert McClain and maybe even Tarell Brown on the depth chart. Josh Boyce and Brandon Gibson might be fighting for one receiver job. Tavon Wilson, who has three interceptions in camp, is outperforming Nate Ebner in a possible battle for one safety job. Defensive end Zach Moore is trying to hang on, and 30-year-old defensive tackle Antonio Johnson has been a surprise. Jonathan Freeny and James Morris have the edge over their linebacker competitors due to injuries, so they could create more separation. A lot still needs to be sorted out.

4. Run it down

LeGarrette Blount is the no-doubt starting running back, but he’ll continue to rest his right knee tonight. Tyler Gaffney was waived yesterday, and Travaris Cadet and Dion Lewis are likely out with injuries, and it’s conceivable Brandon Bolden could get the veteran treatment. That leaves Jonas Gray and James White to prove themselves, and it will be a good test behind a backup line. Gray can show how many snaps he deserves behind Blount, and White needs to show if he has made any improvement in terms of running through contact. Both should make the 53-man roster, but their performance in the preseason will help the coaches figure out how much of a load they can take off Blount and Bolden, who has taken charge of the receiving role in the last week.

5. Veteran treatment

If Brady is out, it opens up the possibility for other healthy starters also resting, including Bolden, tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Danny Amendola, special teams captain Matthew Slater, defensive ends Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones and Jabaal Sheard, linebackers Jamie Collins and Jerod Mayo and safeties Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung. Beyond that, would Malcolm Butler get the same treatment because he is clearly their No. 1 corner? (By the way, wideouts Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, tight end Scott Chandler and linebacker Dont’a Hightower are all dealing with injury situations.) There’s always something to be learned with how Bill Belichick treats certain areas of the depth chart in the preseason.

 

[str8drop]

Is there some sort of timetable on when this thing might be settled? Before the preseason ends maybe? 

In the event that this matter doesn't settle at any time, Judge Berman ordered that Oral Arguments take place on August 19th and then he would rule sometime prior to September 4th.

Unless they have another conference between now and next Wednesday I think August 19th is just gonna end up being another settlement conference. The judge reserved it for either another conference or Oral Arguments depending on how yesterday went.

 

[DeadsetAce]

Brady is playing tonight

stupid.*******.idea.

 

[7th Chamber]

Hopefully he plays like 2 snaps.

 

[DeadsetAce]

^ yeah hopefully three straight handoffs

gronk came out on the field with no brace or sleeve on his arm...so i assume he's not playing

 

[nooera]

Bend dont break

 

[str8drop]

Butler 

 

[mwalker]

 that D was looking shaky for a moment 

 

[DeadsetAce]

this DL looking like a brick wall on these short down situations

 

[nooera]

Trey Flowers :x

Picked him up with the pick we got in the Mankins trade . . .

 

[mwalker]

 gray with that sprint