Things I learned from this game

[JSn]

We are progressing well and are a good team.

1. Gaffney's drop could have happened to anyone. It sucked, but we always forgive those when we manage to win. He is not a bad football player.
   
   
2. Thomas' penalty was a lack of discipline. You can bet he'll get all the discipline he can handle today. It's interesting to see these game-screwing brain-farts from this side. Really drives home how important mistake-free football is.
   
   
3. Manning has lost something. He had some good moments, but I'd be surprised if they do better than .500
   
   
4. Cassel is the real deal. He still has progress to make, but this guy's ceiling may be a long ways off. He had to carry the burden of some screwed up play calling and dealt well with pressure all night. Games are rarely closer than that.
   
   
5. Bill is a genius, but even geniuses step in dog crap sometimes. Bad night for the coach. I'd say he'll learn from it, but he so rarely does those thing, I don't think he has to.
   
   
6. Moss is a weapon even when he's not getting the ball. I think he's a big reason our run game was still good last night.
   
   
7. The Law Firm is very likely the real deal as well. With a nickname like that, and some very decisive running, we now know we can succeed even if we only activate one of our vets on any given day. If they all made it through a game healthy, we would put up some pretty amazing ground yards.
   
   
8. We have some serious ability to control the clock. I was amazed at the length of some of these drives. That will help us win games.
   
   
9. Our Secondary needs leadership. This is more of an assumption, but I think we need someone who can fill the void Rodney has left behind back there. If Wheatley is hurt bad (I really hope not, he looked good) it may yet be time to consider having The Law on both sides of he ball.
   
   
   Despite that, our secondary could be awesome next year without a lot of changes. It's too bad some of these guys have had to be rushed in, but the speed of our D overall next year will be totally different from last year. That will be interesting, especially if our offense regains its venom.
   
   
10. Finally, some frustrating stuff happened, but we really played a good game. These Patriots, with a few tweaks, are a playoff calibre team.

This game had that sickening feeling of SB42, maybe almost worse in a sense, where we really had the game under control, but got beat by panic rather than adjusting. Luckily it wasn't the SB and it wasn't a division game.

The AFCE is going to be ours.

 

[Pats726]

Have to agree....it was a team loss...things happen...I could tell BB after the game would be blaming more himself than anyone else...and HE knows it...but it was a team loss...no need to finger point...there were a FEW things that would have changed the game...obviously...but..I really do NOT think teh zebras can be blamed in this one..

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

ooooh, a positive thread. Thank you JSN.

and I agree with your comments
Do you think it's time for BB to admit, that NOT wearing the hoodie is a bad thing for the team?

 

[JSn]

Do you think it's time for BB to admit, that NOT wearing the hoodie is a bad thing for the team?

LOL - Sure if it will save someone from starting a thread about it.

I took off my Pat's hat about the third quarter and stretched out. Maybe that's why they lost, hehe.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

LOL - Sure if it will save someone from starting a thread about it.

I took off my Pat's hat about the third quarter and stretched out. Maybe that's why they lost, hehe.

The other two losses came when I couldnt see the game. Atleast I know it wasnt me, cuz I was watching last night.lol.

Blame the missing hoodie

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We have some serious ability to control the clock. I was amazed at the length of some of these drives. That will help us win games.

To wit, the Pats had only six meaningful drives (not counting the desperation shot at the end):
3 plays, 2:09
13 plays, 6:58*
13 plays, 6:18*
15 plays, 7:48*
15 plays, 6:39*
8 plays, 4:11

*Scoring drives

 

[mcgraw_wv]

I think watching last nights game, it did feel like SB$@ all over again towards the end.

And by that I mean, Josh McDaniels needs to put down his "My Sons Down with 30 seconds left Madden Playbook"

Last year in the Super Bowl, and again last night, you have a chance to move the ball on 3 plays, quick plays, workj the sidelines, and move down the field... Like Brady did in 2001 againt the Rams late in the game.

So far, when the chips are down, and his back is against the wall, he has one call... Go deep to the most obvious play in the book... Randy Moss...

HE should have been sending Randy real deep and hitting Watson or thomas on 20 yard post corner patterns underneath that to the side line... I know with 25 seconds and no timeouts it's pretty tough, but if you can excute 50 yards worth of sideline catches, your in a position for atleast an attempt at a long FG.

McDaniels just doesn't know that you can move the ball and work the field, of course if you get tackled it's over, but if you throw it up for grabs against 5 defenders that are all looking for moss its over too...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

And by that I mean, Josh McDaniels needs to put down his "My Sons Down with 30 seconds left Madden Playbook"

If he had a TO to work with, things would probably have turned out differently. But he didn't.

 

[Rob0729]

I think watching last nights game, it did feel like SB$@ all over again towards the end.

And by that I mean, Josh McDaniels needs to put down his "My Sons Down with 30 seconds left Madden Playbook"

Last year in the Super Bowl, and again last night, you have a chance to move the ball on 3 plays, quick plays, workj the sidelines, and move down the field... Like Brady did in 2001 againt the Rams late in the game.

So far, when the chips are down, and his back is against the wall, he has one call... Go deep to the most obvious play in the book... Randy Moss...

HE should have been sending Randy real deep and hitting Watson or thomas on 20 yard post corner patterns underneath that to the side line... I know with 25 seconds and no timeouts it's pretty tough, but if you can excute 50 yards worth of sideline catches, your in a position for atleast an attempt at a long FG.

McDaniels just doesn't know that you can move the ball and work the field, of course if you get tackled it's over, but if you throw it up for grabs against 5 defenders that are all looking for moss its over too...

The Pats had to move about 50 yards in 21 seconds with no time outs. There was next to no shot for the Pats to move down the field with sideline catches since the Colts were taking away the sidelines.

Sorry, but McDaniel's only shot was to do what he did. There was probably something like a 5% chance (probably less) the Pats put points on the board no matter what the Pats did. If the Pats had a minute or so or a time out or two, I could see your point. But the Pats' best hope was to huck the ball down field and hope for a blown coverage or a PI penalty.

 

[bbabin]

Thanks Jsn. These are a lot of the same thoughts I was having after the game. I was actually really encouraged by the game and only slightly disappointed with the loss. I think there's little doubt that if Thomas hadn't committed that penalty we would have won last night. And looking at it drive by drive, the Patriots really had offensive control for the entire game. If red zone offense can improve, games like this won't be so close...

Looking forward to the Bills!

 

[scout]

I agree, and would add what a change in having our healthy offensive linemen back. No sacks and Cassell had time to look down field. I really like how the law firm runs, but having a healthy Jordan or Morris is going to make this team more dangerous.

 

[CTPatsFan]

Well said JSn. Given my tempered expectations this season there has been some progression.

 

[CTPatsFan]

I really like how the law firm runs, but having a healthy Jordan or Morris is going to make this team more dangerous.

Absolutely!

Laurence who?

And I like the way Mayo and Guyton play.

 

[jimache]

... as bad as it feels after a "dumb/undeserved" loss ... i kinda feel confident on the team now ... well ... more than before ... we can definitely can control the clock ... we have a rookie back that can perform at a decent level ... and Casel, although a long way to go is improving considerably... it's going to be a good season ... :beatingcoming:


GO PATS ...

 

[satz]

We had rookies in the defensive backfield. the first impresive drive came with picks . once it was adjusted things looked good.

some things which no one mentioned was the kick return to the 43 yd line int he 4th. things went down after that as manning got a shorter field and the defence could not pressure.

we rushed 4 and once fixing the pick routes shut manning down.I am more impressed with the so much coverage we held them to 47 yd[2.2 yd/carry] for the night with a light front 7 package.
we did not get the lead even once as i thought in the past games once we get the lead we went big front 7 package to absolutely create some pass rush.
so one i think i learned next time if we play them in the playoff we will be ready or more importantly our rookie db class will be ready.

 

[MassPats38]

I agree with most of what you say, JSn, with some exceptions.

Thomas's back was to the play and it is very likely he never heard the whistle with the crowd noise. I suspect Thomas will not get an earful if that is the case and he was aggressively blocking downfield. As such, I am not as sure it was a stupid penalty, despite the effect on the outcome.

I thought Belichick's goal line timeout was strange, but if he saw something and all points mattered at that point it had to be done. If the Pats got stuffed, there would have been cries of bad coaching for running the play rather than calling a timeout. The challenge would have been fine if he won, but he didn't. One timeout would not have done much with 28 seconds and 80 yards to go.

Gaffney's drop was bad, but the guy has had pretty sure hands and has made some big catches for the Pats. It sucks, given the outcome, but I won't forget his past performance over one play.

As much as I don't like the Colts and hate seeing them win, the Pats played well on a road game against a team that really had to win to keep its season alive. The offense clicked, and the defense kept the score low against some good receivers (even if Harrison has lost a step) while stuffing the running game all night. Anthony Gonzalez looked liked a hero out there, but the secondary made plenty of good plays last night as well.

In the end, I am not as ticked off as I would have been if the Colts stole the game. Given the fact the Colts marched 91 yards to score and take the lead initially, the game could easily have gotten out of hand if the Pats lost their head on the road. Cassel kept his composure before a hostile crowd (although for the love of Pete needs not to get hit upright on runs) and did not take a sack from the Colts speed rushers. The Colts just took advantage of some miscues and won a tight game in the end.

I also take heart in the fact that if 18 points at home in a must win game is all the Colts can muster, they may not be seen again this season or in the playoffs. As they seemed like they could have beaten the Titans up to the last few minutes of that game, I now do not view any AFC team as unbeatable for the Pats.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think there's little doubt that if Thomas hadn't committed that penalty we would have won last night.

Don't be so sure. And, also, remember that part of it was that Law Firm had come up just short--if he had made the first down, it'd have been Pats' ball from 15 yards further out.

Conversely, what if the Pats had given up four fewer yards' on Vinatraitor's FG?

Or, for that matter, if Jerod Mayo had made that INT?

 

[102 Pat]

I learned that it's a night and day with Cassel now. He's improved game by game and it's a really encouraging sign. Getting a healthly Jordan and Morris will make such a difference. With two divisional games coming up (and I'm travelling down to see the Jets game ), I can't see why this team can't be 7-3. Buffalo has looked very normal after there hot start and the Bills O-line seems to be having a hard time protecting Edwards.

 

[bigdgp]

I learned that it's a night and day with Cassel now. He's improved game by game and it's a really encouraging sign. Getting a healthly Jordan and Morris will make such a difference. With two divisional games coming up (and I'm travelling down to see the Jets game ), I can't see why this team can't be 7-3. Buffalo has looked very normal after there hot start and the Bills O-line seems to be having a hard time protecting Edwards.

I'm hoping that now Cassel is settling in that they will start to open up the playbook a little bit more for him. That deep ball to Gaffney was on the money and I'm hoping that it will instill some confidence for the OC to call some longer routes knowing that Cassel can hit them.

 

[condon84]

We are progressing well and are a good team.

1. Cassel is the real deal. He still has progress to make, but this guy's ceiling may be a long ways off. He had to carry the burden of some screwed up play calling and dealt well with pressure all night. Games are rarely closer than that.
   
   

1. 
   
   They (coaches) didn't give Cassel enough opportunities to make plays. Cassel has showed that he can make plays with his arm and also his legs. When we finally gave him the chance to start throwing the ball, we effectively moved a lot quicker down the field. Moss has shown that he'll take the short and intermediate gains if he's being prevented from going long. Just like last week against the Rams, Cassel and Moss showed great chemistry when they emphasized passing the ball. Cassel has progressed and I thought last night was a good opportunity to utilize our WRs especially with Indy playing their 3rd, 4th, and 5th CBs.