Rob0729

1.) One of my biggest concerns with this team is the mistakes. The team is just not playing smart right now. They are one of the most penalized teams in the league and costly penalties played a big role in the Pats losing especially the Love roughing the passer and Browns PI in the endzone (I hate the PI rule being a spot foul). Brady didn't play smart either throwing the picks. One characteristic of Belichick football is usually smart football, but it is missing right now.
2.) I know the defense has a long, long way to go before they are remotely good, but I saw some good yesterday. The Pats did force the Bills to go three and out three of the first four drives in the second half (one in the first half), they had two INTs, they shut down the Bills for stretches in the game. The problem is they are a Jeckyl and Hyde defense and when they are bad, they are really bad.
3.) Congrats to Welker for having a career game. The Pats definitely need to extend him. He leads the NFL in receiving yards and we cannot even really enjoy it.
4.) I think the Pats need to use Stevan Ridley more. BJGE has not been nearly as effective last year and Ridley seems to be able to do more.
5.) I know they couldn't do it yesterday with Dowling and Chung out, but I think the Pats need to blitz far more. They barely have done it in the last two weeks. I know injuries to an already suspect secondary is a big reason for that, but they just aren't getting pressure for a four man front. The Pats need to get opposing QBs off balance because some of the problems with the secondary is because opposing QBs have all day to throw.
6.) Anyone see Deion Branch? For all the bashing of Ochocinco and Edelman, Branch has gotten an undeserved free pass. He is either the #1 or #2 WR and he was completely shut out. I think his disappearance is a bigger screw up than what Ochocinco or Edelman did in a lot of ways.
7.) Gronk each week is just showing how versatile he is. The guy is a deep threat, over the middle threat, and great blocker. And he is impossible to bring down.

patsfan-1982

the Good
right now it's looks as if the only person that can stop Brady is him self, Gonk keeps geting better each week and Welker is on fire

the Bad
Branch is a no show in a big game, the play calling on both sides of the ball have not been good the last 3 weeks the offense gets a big lead and then they dont run the football, the defense for some reason is playing man coverage with out a pass rush

everlong

On offense they need a higher commitment to the run and to play action. I'm not looking for a 50/50 split but yesterday was 45:26. Once you remove a Brady scramble, Welker reverse, two ill advised Edelman draws and 4 draws out of 6 runs by Woodhead that leaves 18 straight runs which isn't enough. I agree Ridley needs his shot. Going spread with the empty backfield after Ridley went for 8 and 4 back to back is unforgivable. That should have been play action or another run by Ridley.

This defensive line as constituted at this moment is not championship caliber. Be it scheme, personnel or whatever if this doesn't change it's going to cost them come playoff time.

__________________
"When Peyton Manning was a kid he used to go to bed at night and dream about throwing the winning touchdown for the Saints in the Superbowl. And on Sunday he did."

There's only two conclusions for Patriots fans on rookies. They are either a bust or being fitted for their bust in Canton.


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patsfaninpa

Hasn't been for a while. Maybe Haynesworth can be a difference maker in the playoffs and big games. But, sure doesn't look good. You can say the same thing about our entire defense. Brady has to play a flawless game. He can do it. But, we're going to lose some games where he doesn't. And, as the Colts saw with Manning. When faced against a top notch defense in the playoffs. The rest of the squad wasn't up to snuff.

Patrick Chung injury aside. We've let Meriweather, Sanders and J. Page go since last year. Have replaced them with; J. Barrett, Ihedigo and Ventrone. S.Brown was on the squad last year. That's some curious personnel decisions.

Rob0729

I don't know if you can just remove runs to make a point like that though. Other than Brady's run, the others are designed running plays. They count as runs.

That said, they do need to be more committed to the run with leads. The Pats need a nice long 9 minute drive while up by 3 TDs to put a dagger in the hearts of opposing teams.

Garbanza

Worst defense I have seen the Patriot have and I have been watching for a very long time.

Clearly this team can't overcome Brady's mistakes. When the defense needs to make a stand, it usually does not. They are ranked dead last in defense in the league. DEAD LAST.

Clearly they do not have the horses to play man. Clearly the defense lacks speed and Clearly the d-line is not getting any pressure on opposing QB's.

Color me confused that Belichick would change - kind of - defensive schemes in a season where there was no off season? Why would you let go of the smartest guy you had in the defensive backfield, Sanders?

You have to question some of his decisions and personnel moves this year. Chad Ocho Cinco? Horrid. Haynesworth? Nadda so far. Letting go of two good TE prospects for Gronk #2 whom you just let go? None of this makes any sense to me.

upstater1

Way, way too much is being made of Branch.

First off, he was doubled the entire game.

Secondly, Brady was looking at his primary routes all game. He rarely looked Branch's way. Branch took 2 guys with him every play--he was clearly the guy the Bills were focusing on, and it opened up the field for others.

JackBauer

Since when are Smith and Yeatman "good" TE prospects?

Mike in 333

It's likely that our defensive personnel won't change much except that Chung will be back and Ventrone will likely go back to the PS. I don't think Haynesworth will contribute substantially if at all, physically he just isn't ready to play and if he can't play now given how little he had to play last year he may not even be on the team in a week or so. Carter and Ellis have failed to help put pressure on the QB so that aspect of our redesigned defense isn't working.
Watching yesterday's game (I have mixed feelings about forgetting to DVR it) I kept thinking about how disorganized the defense looked while getting into their sets. The line knew their assignments but behind them there seemed to be too much repositioning that was less based on reading the offense and more because they were unclear on their coverage responsibilities. If so this is something that should be correctable with practice.
On offense the biggest problem was Brady's accuracy and not so much because he was throwing bad passes but because his timing with the receivers seemed to be off. It's very unusual for Brady to throw a pass that gets tipped, it's usually high and beyond the receiver like the first TD pass to Gronk or, as on the Woodhead pass, low so that if it is incomplete the ball ends up on the ground. Instead he threw behind Gronk on the endzone int and slightly higher than usual on the Woodhead tip which was really a freak interception because 99 out of 100 times the ball goes out of bounds.
Offensively we appear to handle adversity a little differently than the earlier years; we seem to like to go for the bigger play to get back in the game rather than trying to put together a balanced drive. At no point yesterday was it to our advantage to have the Bills offense on the field but it looked like the 2nd half drives were designed to be in the 3 to 4 minute range; get back in the lead as fast as possible and make Buffalo catch up. This didn't work well.

MoLewisrocks

In Branch's defense you said yourself he was blanketed, possibly because he carried the load just last week... He was never great against the double team, which is why he was never a true #1. That said, Ocho is shaping up to be closer to Galloway than even bad Moss... And Edelman is a solid punt returner, lacks the speed for KO, had 1 reception for 5 yards heading into yesterdays game which with Welker playing makes his selection as the 3rd or 4th WR a headscratcher and his use as a 4th RB (he's 4-19 and 2 fumbles in his career) just mindnumbing. I know Bill values versatility, and loves to scramble defenses eggs with varied personnel groupings, but trying to hard sell it when you have more talented/productuve guys at your disposal is counter productive. I'm reminded of the scene from Bill's football life where he admonishes BOB and TFB that he's not going to let them F around at the line with motions and crap incessantly, just not going to do it... Sometimes I think we get too cute. Just put the best personnel on the field and run your offense. I think yesterday we even overdid the hurry-up and did what Brady said you have to be careful of which is confusing and rushing yourself into bad execution.