PATSYLICIOUS

Definitely one of our achiles heels in the post dynasty era. Of course our awful pass D and inability to stop opposing offenses is another huge issue, but at least those ones are understandable looking at the personnel. At CB you have McCourty who may be a starting caliber CB and has been OK this year but still does get burnt quite a bit at the worst times. Dowling cannot get on the field for some reason and Dennard is also promising but both are largely unproven. The rest of the CB's are JAGS. Safety is an even bigger mess right now.

But you look at the personnel on this offense and how they play before the 4th quarter, there is just no excuse for how poor they look in the clutch. They look worse than the Jets offense, just inexcusable. Is it fixable? Who knows. Execution is poor even from Brady who used to be one of the most clutch there is. The playcalling too I've noticed is quite predictable and uncreative in these moments. Where's the PAP, where's the quick screens? It seems like they either line up in an obvious run formation and run straight into a wall of defenders or they line up in shotgun and there's nowhere to throw. And like I said the execution - the drops, the poor reads from Brady not recognizing extra blitzers and throwing at WR's feet. What's worse is this is the time where the O has the advantage, defense is gassed and most vulnerable at this time.

I was going to start a thread like this because I was curious myself. Normally, losses like the 3 we've had this year aren't always all bad because it could be a learning experience but how many times does it have to happen with this team. Baltimore and Seattle this year, last year's SB, last year's AFCC(until Cundiff bailed us out), SEVERAL games in 2009 where the offense completely stalled in the 2nd halves and we blew leads, 2006 AFCC, will it EVER be fixed? IS it fixable?

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Marqui

Not sure why you want this team to aspire to be the 2000 Colts.

marian

We need to have good defence, I'm not saying we should be just offense. It's just that as it is now, we should do a little extra something on offense because we know defense is still work in progress. If you remember going against these Colts teams (great offense, no defense), you should remember that it was tough team to beat and caused us headaches, because you had that feeleing that Manning and co. didn't want to go away and fought hard till end. This team could be a better version of that (with the perssonel we have now), but currently they get softer as the game reaches 4th QTR.

RhodyPatriot

An excellent post. You're absolutely spot on about Brady. Also love your observation on how this offense executes, they don't fight. When put in a situation where the choreographed timing offense breaks down and they have to fight to make plays they struggle. Very true.
That's why a change in attitude, i.e. they're going to dictate at the O-line and incorporate a pound the ball with the run mentality within the framework of their passing attack is so necessary for this team.
Brady is 35 years old and we've seen his best days....they're behind him.
He's still a tremendous player but he can't carry the load the way he once could and they MUST recognize that and lighten the burden on him. Yesterday was a classic example.
BTW part of the "run game" is the dink and dunk passing game. When is the last time Brady got over center and threw a 3 - 5 yd dart to ANYONE??? That used to be a standard play of theirs. Brady took a 1 step drop and fired a BB to one of his receivers coming off the line. It was very effective for them, kept the defense back on their heels and helped to move the chains. Gronk would be a natural for this since he's so tall. Never see it used anymore. Not sexy enough for this glitter and gold passing attack I guess.

BadMoFo

Brady not sharp when protecting leads? - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Closer to Chad Henne than Aaron Rodgers.

I know we've blown a few 4th quarter leads, but didn't realize we had blown the third most since 2009. I remember the early days when we never blew halftime leads, more than 30 in a row at one point before a Monday nighter against the Dolphins. Man, we're so spoiled.

IllegalContact

honestly, you have to have leads to blow them, but the methods to achieve this goal this year have been especially pathetic

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“ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.

Deus Irae

1.) It's QBR, so it's meaningless.

2.) Defenses generally blow leads, not offenses.

3.) Counting 2009, the Patriots have only lost 14 regular season games in 3+ seasons, and 6 of them came in that 2009 year when Brady was still recovering from the ACL surgery.

4.) It should come as no surprise that they're losing a "lot" of leads, because they're usually in the lead. That's what happens when you're an elite team with a powerful offense.

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BadMoFo

So are you saying, Brady has no part in this blame.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

If you want to blame Brady for anything,its failure to close out the game by not making enough plays to move the chains and the OC for not finding a way to close it out by picking on the opponents weakness (player or position).

In the end its almost always the defense that chokes until they turn blue.

Deus Irae

Yes, it's partly Brady's fault that the New England Patriots haven't gone undefeated since his return from ACL surgery.


There it is. What have we just accomplished by pointing this out?

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"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius