ESPN Article (Q&A about Pats running up the score) - New England Patriots Forums

Patsguy05 · 10-01-2007, 07:53 AM

Sorry if this has been posted already. Good read.

" From Ryan C. in Charlotte, N.C.: "I noticed Brady threw a TD bomb to Moss in the fourth quarter with a 24-point lead on the Bills. Was he running up the score or padding his stats? You were all about criticizing these moves by Peyton Manning in 2004 when he broke the TD record, so I am just wondering if we can expect these same comments now about Brady?"

My answer: In case you didn't notice, the Patriots have been in Screws-You Mode ever since the Mangini thing happened. In Week 2, they went for it on fourth-and-goal in the last few minutes of the Chargers game, leading by 17 (and scored). In Week 3, they threw the bomb to Moss (and scored). Those are two plays that NEVER would have happened with this team in any other Belichick season. Manning was running up the score to break the TD record; the Pats are running up the score because it's the most effective way to wave both middle fingers at the rest of the league and prove that they didn't need to cheat to win three Super Bowls. I don't support either tactic, but as a Pats fan, it's been strangely enjoyable to watch them embrace a more villainous role. They have a nasty edge to them that they've never had before. It's like watching David Hasselhoff's evil twin brother show up on an old episode of "Knight Rider" or something.

So yeah, it's wrong to run up the score. I'd be the first one to admit it. But it's a natural reaction to the way they were vilified for two straight weeks. The rest of the nation turned them into a mutant cross between Cobra Kai and the Yankees, so screw it, they're acting like the Cobra Kai Yankees. Can you blame them? I can't answer that one objectively, so I won't try. But if you don't think they'll be running up the score in Cincinnati on Monday night, you're crazy. "

[Mod edit: Please identify the author and provide a link back to the source! I searched ESPN.com and cannot find the piece. If it stays as a random unattributed quote, it may be deleted. Thanks!]

Bertil · 10-01-2007, 08:12 AM

I don't buy this argument.

There were still NINE minutes left in the game at that point. In the NFL, that's still a long time, even if it was the Bills. The Pats basically called off the passing game after that, running on every subsequent play. I doubt that Dick Jauron thinks that they were running it up.

Michigan Dave · 10-01-2007, 08:15 AM

I saw that in the Simmons article. Meh. I have no problem with running your offense. The only thing Indy ever did that I had qualms with was the amateur fake-spike, fake-kneel, plays trying to trick teams when they were way up.

Oswlek · 10-01-2007, 08:21 AM

I will post what I did earlier with regard to that SD TD.

Quote:

In the NFL, it is more "honorable" to just call an obvious run play in that situation; teams do it all the time. Bringing in the FG unit is "running up the score" and a QB kneel is a slap in the face. Running the ball is the "classy" thing to do.

Fast forward to Buffalo and you see the same thing, but with a longer distance to go. The Sports Guy was offbase on this one.

StevePatsFan · 10-01-2007, 08:25 AM

Gimme a break, Colts ran it up so bad on the Saints on Thursday night and no one says anything about it. I hope they blow out everyone in their way this year.

Keegs · 10-01-2007, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigan Dave

I saw that in the Simmons article. Meh. I have no problem with running your offense. The only thing Indy ever did that I had qualms with was the amateur fake-spike, fake-kneel, plays trying to trick teams when they were way up.

wow i don't remember that, did they really do this?

I do recall the plethora of 1 yard td passes though.

Pats726 · 10-01-2007, 08:28 AM

Running up the score?? They could have..EASILY scored...again and again at the end...running Evans into the middle on a 4th and 6 is running up teh score,..right????
until someone is critical of Manning padding his stats passing liek crazy late in a game..I have no problem at all...

StevePatsFan · 10-01-2007, 08:33 AM

Saints (0-1-0) 0 10 0 0 10
Colts (1-0-0) 7 3 14 17 41

FG Adam Vinatieri, 33 yd field goal , 14:16. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards in 1:18

TD Reggie Wayne, 45 yd pass from Peyton Manning (Adam Vinatieri kick is good), 10:11. Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards in 2:45

TD Matt Giordano, 83 yd interception return (Adam Vinatieri kick is good), 01:11.

Caspir · 10-01-2007, 08:40 AM

I don't ever recall Peyton Manning sitting out the fourth quarter before, which Brady has already done, what, twice this year?

Also, I don't care about any team running up the score. The way I always felt was, when you stop trying to score on us, we'll stop trying to score on you. You don't get to soldier on and try to score while we run the ball up the middle three times in a row then punt.

SVN · 10-01-2007, 08:42 AM

pats didnt run up the score...here is big pats hater gregg easterbrook on what the pats did

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...ook/070925#new

Quote:

Warning -- Praise of New England: Notwithstanding the relentless anti-Belichick tone of the previous two columns, TMQ lauds the New England coach for showing good sportsmanship. Leading Buffalo 38-7 with 4 minutes remaining, the Flying Elvii faced fourth-and-6 on the Bills' 8. Belichick simply had the fullback dive up the middle, Buffalo ball, to hold down the final score.

hitting the FG would be running up the score.