Fans might have to wait over a week before receiving their Christmas gift from the New England Patriots.
The Patriots face a tough matchup against the New York Jets in Week 16 that looks even more difficult with key players likely sitting due to injuries. That means the Patriots might have to wait until their Week 17 matchup with the Miami Dolphins to clinch the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
That also means the Patriots might not receive an extra week of rest before heading into their first-round bye. Cut to the other 31 teams playing the world’s smallest violin for the Patriots and their supporters.
Before we get into this week’s mailbag, I want to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thanks for reading this year. You guys have made it a blast.
Without further ado, Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!
@DougKyed Can Hankerson and Jackson learn the playbook in time to contribute this year? Easier to plugin a RB w/ Belichick’s system right?
— @MattToTheFuture
Steven Jackson? Yes. I think he could contribute as quickly as Sunday.
Leonard Hankerson? I’m not sure. It’s daunting enough for a wide receiver to try to learn the Patriots’ complex system, coming in during OTAs. To try to pick up the system in mid-December seems a little crazy.
If Danny Amendola (knee) sits this week, however, Hankerson would move up to third on the depth chart behind Brandon LaFell, who’s dealing with a foot injury, and Keshawn Martin. That means he’s one injury away from receiving regular playing time.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick explained last week it’s much easier to quickly acclimate in the running game, and since the Patriots have James White to handle passing snaps, the Patriots can ease Jackson into the offense. Jackson has one year of experience in Josh McDaniels’ system, but that’s one season out of 11. It remains to be seen how valuable that one year actually can be for Jackson, and how much he’ll be able to remember of it.
@DougKyed How will the other RBs’ offensive roles be altered with the addition of Steven Jackson?
— @DNOMN8R314
If Jackson is good enough to contribute with regular running back snaps, I believe that keeps Joey Iosefa as second on the depth chart in the “big back” role. Iosefa likely would also receive more snaps as a fullback.
Brandon Bolden moves down to the super-sub role, where he can back up Jackson and White, the third-down back. Bolden also would regain his special teams role.
Bolden is likely to receive some snaps at running back even with Jackson on board, but it’s obvious the Patriots don’t want him to be a 20-touch-a-game offensive player. I still believe he could be, but Belichick obviously loves using him on special teams, where he’s a star.
White should actually continue to receive even more snaps in the passing game. His biggest issue is that there’s little deception when he’s in the game. The Patriots obviously are going to pass.
@DougKyed What’s your favorite and least favorite part of Christmas ?
— @June__NYC
I really enjoy Christmas, so while this might seem lame, my least favorite part is it ending. My second-least favorite part of Christmas is when I’m at the mall trying to get something accomplished quickly, and there’s a family of five walking in front of me slowly two feet apart from one another. Really grinds my gears.
My favorite part is spending time with family, movies, music and lights. Getting and giving stuff is cool too, of course.
@DougKyed Who wins in a 40 yard foot race, TB12 or Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia…???
— @papatimber99
Tom Brady, definitely.
Assistant special teams coach Ray Ventrone obviously would beat Brady in race, and I’d put money on safeties coach Brian Flores, too. I’d be interested to see if cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer could beat him. It would be competitive.
@DougKyed Who’s your favorite interview on the team? Obvious answer is Gronk but something tells me you’re gonna go in a different direction
— @garylanglais
There are a lot of good guys on the team, but I’d probably go with Julian Edelman because he’s legitimately funny, not just athlete-funny. He also can be really insightful when he wants to be.
The Rutgers guys are great, too.
@DougKyed Thoughts on resting everyone for the Jets, then going full bore at Miami?
— @MrQuindazzi
I actually like this idea, but I can’t see Belichick doing it.
I think the Patriots could partially try it, however, by resting guys like Danny Amendola, Dont’a Hightower, Devin McCourty, Julian Edelman and Patrick Chung. They could even give Rob Gronkowski a limited role.
With the Dolphins, a near-surefire win, on the horizon, there’s no need to be reckless in Week 16.
@DougKyed is a Christmas Story the best Christmas movie ever or the greatest?
— @Cam_McDonough
Sorry, Cam. “Home Alone” is my personal favorite Christmas movie.
My top five would be:
1. “Home Alone”
2. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
3. “The Santa Clause”
4. “Home Alone 2”
5. “The Muppet Christmas Carol”
I don’t really consider “Die Hard” a Christmas movie, and this doesn’t list include Christmas specials like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
And if you don’t agree? That’s fine! We all have different tastes. There’s no need to yell at me on Twitter.
@DougKyed what already existing song would you choose as your wrestling theme?
— @donotwant
This:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avwEwQAQHFg
Or this:
Or this:
Or the breakdown in this:
I’ll go with Verse.
@DougKyed which players are the Wet Bandits of the NFL? Buzz?
— @StephenMWarren
Roger Goodell and Mike Kensil? Warren Sapp?
@DougKyed Last Jets game the Pats hardly ran at all. Do you envision the same this time around?
— @SteveClaflinIT
I certainly don’t think they’ll run more than they pass or anything crazy, but I can’t envision them having just five handoffs, as they did in Week 7, either.
The Patriots will be forced to run more with Edelman out and Amendola possibly sitting. Gronkowski had 11 catches on 16 targets for 108 yards in that game, as well. I can’t see the Patriots throwing to him that many times.
The Patriots’ plan to stay away from the run worked because of the health of their passing game and starting running back Dion Lewis’ injury. They’re not so lucky this time, which is why I think this will be a very, very close game.
@DougKyed Santa Claus, better at DT or OL?
— @Kid_From_Quincy
I’ve never envisioned Santa as being very tall, so I’d put him on the defensive line.
He was described as “lively and quick” in “A Visit From St. Nicholas” with a “round little belly,” so maybe he could rush as a three-technique defensive tackle.
@DougKyed is this offensive line finally trending in the right direction?
— @EricJsaint
They looked better in Week 15 than they did in Week 14, but you have to consider the competition. The Titans aren’t nearly as talented as the Houston Texans, but Tennessee still gave the Patriots’ offensive line trouble.
I thought David Andrews played well at center in Week 15, so perhaps we’ll see him receive more playing time moving forward. Sebastian Vollmer is having a lot of trouble at left tackle. I wonder if we’ll see him slide back to right tackle at some point in these next two games to see how Marcus Cannon looks protecting the blind side. If it doesn’t work, the Patriots always could move Vollmer back. The Patriots also have offensive tackles La’Adrian Waddle and Cameron Fleming on their roster.
@DougKyed If you had 1 WWE wish for 2016, what would it be?
— @AirLarsen
Finn Balor. WWE needs to bring him up from NXT for or directly after WrestleMania.
I also need to see a Roman Reigns-Seth Rollins feud.
If I really had one wish, it would be for an offseason. That’s not going to happen, though, so I’ll just have to hope for lots of Balor and Sami Zayn.
Thumbnail photo via Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports Images
