Patriots Win Over Baltimore, Four Things To Take Away From It - New England Patriots Forums

PatsFans.com Article · 01-23-2012, 12:20 PM

Patriots Win Over Baltimore, Four Things To Take Away From It
By: Steve Balestrieri

The Patriots two best players on the field yesterday were Vince Wilfork and Brandon Spikes. When was the last time in a Patriots victory were the two best players on the field for them was from the defensive side of the ball? ...

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***Ghost of Ben Dreith*** · 01-23-2012, 01:41 PM

Don't necessarily agree with the comment on Harbaugh "choking" on the no-time-out call.

A perspective on this was made by the Cardinal's kicker who stated that if Harbaugh had called a time out....he might have "iced" his own kicker....he further stated it was the kicker's responsibility to call the time out if he wasn't ready to kick...not the coaches. So....this is some insight from a current NFL kicker.

I personally like this response better than blaming it on the coach for the time out. Players have to be responsible along with the coaches.

***Mark Morse*** · 01-23-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost of Ben Dreith

Don't necessarily agree with the comment on Harbaugh "choking" on the no-time-out call.

A perspective on this was made by the Cardinal's kicker who stated that if Harbaugh had called a time out....he might have "iced" his own kicker....he further stated it was the kicker's responsibility to call the time out if he wasn't ready to kick...not the coaches. So....this is some insight from a current NFL kicker.

I personally like this response better than blaming it on the coach for the time out. Players have to be responsible along with the coaches.

Harbaugh has no balls ... early in the game he had a chance to go for a short 4th down play inside the 10, and chose to kick a FG instead. In hindsight, that play may have cost them the game.

What are you going to do with that extra Timeout? There was confusion, a late decision and ultimately in the most pressure packed situation, a shanked chip shot FG attempt.

Bottom line ... as Bill Belichick likes to say ... you have to "do your job" ... and Baltmore didn't!

groganbootleg · 01-23-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost of Ben Dreith

Don't necessarily agree with the comment on Harbaugh "choking" on the no-time-out call.

A perspective on this was made by the Cardinal's kicker who stated that if Harbaugh had called a time out....he might have "iced" his own kicker....he further stated it was the kicker's responsibility to call the time out if he wasn't ready to kick...not the coaches. So....this is some insight from a current NFL kicker.

I personally like this response better than blaming it on the coach for the time out. Players have to be responsible along with the coaches.

and there was also plenty of kickers out there saying there is no such thing as icing your own kicker. Would you rather have a guy running out there at the last minute or "ice" him and have everyone take there time and get it right?

MaineMan · 01-23-2012, 04:38 PM

Saw a couple plays when the Pats were rushing three on which Wilfork was TRIPLE-teamed and STILL making headway. Saying that he was a "beast" somehow doesn't seem to quite do his performance justice.

Good observation on Spikes consistently plugging Rice's cutback lanes. That's his job and he's way better at it than any of the other Pats' ILBs - probably already better at that than most ILBs in the league.