USCPatriot

Before I start, let me just say I am already over this loss. This team has shown plenty of resiliency over the past decade and will continue to do so under Bill Belichick. I as well as EVERYBODY here has no right to question his methods.

BUT does anyone else feel like this has been one of the most poorly coached games we have seen in a while? Welkers limited role on offense, the play calling, the decision to not even attempt to gain more yardage for a closer field goal. These are ALL substantial head scratchers that even the most inferior humans would react to. Again, I could care less now about the outcome of todays game AND I give a hand to the Defense who ultimately did their job along with Gotskowski who made 3 previous tough field goals but the offense needs to step their game up.

Does anyone else think that this was one of the worst BB coached games this team has seen? Even still, they lost by two on a missed field goal, thats substantially better than getting blown out. Just pointing that out to the people that are driving themselves insane right now trying to get an answer out of BB.

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PATRIOTSFANINPA

The Playoff game against the Jets in 2010 and the playoff Ravens game in 2009 were probably his worst in terms of preparation for the opponent.

I don't think the game plan was all that bad yesterday but more of a team that looked ahead to Baltimore too early and maybe took a lightly heralded NFC team too lightly.

Ice_Ice_Brady

I agree with you, which partly goes to show how great BB is on a consistent basis. It's rare that he is to blame for a loss. Most of the time people on these boards are quick to blame coaches and coordinators, when in fact it's execution that's the problem. But today's game was extremely poor coaching. The offensive gameplan truly was stubborn and head-scratching. The strategic decisions were also baffling. Seemed like BB was inhabited today by a rookie coach.

I really don't see a lot of blame from the offense today. With the exception of the tipped pass on the first play, no turnovers. Brady has a good game- not great game- altogether. He avoided several sacks, put the ball on the money most of the time, and tore up the defense when he actually targeted WW and RG. Edelman had a strong game (and I am the first to criticize Edelman), the offensive line blocked well for half the game (although when they were clearly losing momentum, the playcalling was to continue running the ball into a brick wall.) Can't really single out Lloyd, Welker, Gronkowski, or anyone for this loss. It was the coaching, simple as that.

I think something is up with the offense that we don't know about. Pure speculation, but could Welker have a concussion? He just looks dazed out there. He seems to want to go down quickly and isn't as interested in YAC. His eyes just don't seem normal- he seems almost confused. On one pass to the sidelines, the ball went through his hands without him making an attempt to catch it. Just strange- very strange.

They are not sending Gronk into the seem as much. Possible complications for his ankle? Maybe I am overreacting, but I've yet to see the highly explosive player as last year.

Could be more to it than we realize is all I'm saying.

woolster22

Where was Ridley in the second half? ...Nuff said...

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jbb9s

i think the 07 super bowl was poorly coached. The Patriots should have beat that Giants team by 17 points. They could have made all the helmet catches they wanted in garbage time......

regular season, this was the most infuriating loss. horrible horrible Miami team. They also lost home field advantage because of this loss. didn't matter in the end though...

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=241220015

MoLewisrocks

I don't think that had anything to do with it. The defense played exceptionally well. The troubles were on offense and ST. And once Hernandez went down they were toast because the game plan has now become totally 2 all world TE dependent. And the roster has been needlessly shortened with developmental players because someone thought they didn't need veteran depth on offense this year other than at TE...

MoLewisrocks

Getting stuffed. If anything Josh tried too hard to feature the run. Try watching the game before adding commentary.

MoLewisrocks

I was thinking concussion for Welker initially, but he's never been on the injury report or missed practice and if he had symptoms he'd be out - that's an independent neurologist's decision unless it went unreported because it occurred in a practice which would be criminal. I think he's rusty and his and Brady's fine timing is a hair off because he never got a pre season snap after mid August. He even mentioned his lack of pre season snaps prior to week 1. And I think he's swallowing hard because of what is going on. But if there were something wrong, why on earth would you have let Branch go. And then added Salas who is inactive.

Gronk could be the ankle or the lifestyle. Both he and Ahern were still prone to occasional periods of loss of focus. He doesn't look lame so much as plodding. Again, that is why you have plan B, and it doesn't always just mean collecting injured TE's to create the illusion of depth.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

In 2007 SB it was the battle of the trenches that decided that game,Brady had virtually no time in the pocket and Mankins might have played his worst game thus far that day.....more of the line that lost that SB then the game plan.

You can plan a game to perfection,but if the fat guys protecting the QB ain't doing it,you ain't winning any game.

The Pats OL was Justin Tuck,Osi and Strahan's beeches that day.

crawhammer

The game plan, the playing calling, and the coaching overall were primarily to blame for this loss imo. Belichick ultimately has to bear the responsibility. This garbage with Edelman starting and seeing more playing time than Welker is about the dumbest decision ever made by a coach.

And for the record, I'm of the opinion that Belichick's "genius" has always been highly overrated. He certainly was not a genius in Cleveland and all of his success in New England has been directly tied to Tom Brady. Perhaps most telling, Belichick has been repeatedly outcoached in the postseason since the last Super Bowl championship in '04.