Saints game not lost because of Brady's first INT

[Kontradiction]

That INT did change the game. However, I won't fault Brady all the way for that. There is no excuse whatsoever for us going into a five wide shotgun formation on first down when we had just run the ball down their throats. Essentially, we turned our offense away from their weakness and played DIRECTLY into their strength. If we had stuck to the run game, we would have been up 14-3 at that point and could have sat back and ran the ball down their throats more which would have opened up the play action pass down the field. However, it is what it is. With the way the defense played against Brees, I'm not so sure a 14-3 lead would have been safe.

 

[ausbacker]

Re: That was the Saints superbowl to date

In the big games this season, at those crucial moments in the game, the Patriots have not been clutch. Past teams have been. That's really the only difference at the moment. Not executing under pressure in key situations. They have a way of building to a crescendo in a game.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

I have read a lot about how the Saints game was lost once Brady threw that first INT. For example the Patriots daily stated "The result was Brady’s first pick, a quick Saints TD and ultimately, the end of the game." Even after that score it was 7-10 Saints. This idea we lost after the INT is dumb. Two moments killed the Pats in theis game.

1) The missed FG before half. Had the Pats got this the score at half would have been 13-24. Missing it changed the out look more than we all knew at the time.

2) More importantly, the game was "lost" in my mind on the Saints first possesion of the second half, Pats take the 2nd half kick off, drive the filed for a TD and make it a 17-24 game. Next Saints possesion - 3 plays, 74 yrds and a TD. 17-31. Pats drive down the field, stall out and go for it on 4-4 at the 10 and come up empty. After the last Saints score the team acknowledged it would have to score TDs on every drive to win so they gave up on FGS. Had they kicked a FG it would have been 20-31, but 3s were not good enough with Brees tossing bombs left and right.

The rest of the game was completely down hill

Yeah I started that thread "Brady's 1st Pick"

I felt and still feel that It was a HUGE momentum swing. Momentum was clearly in Pats favor. Saints just got a FG hit left upright went through With D holding instead of a TD. Welker's Run back gave us great field position and had Saints at that point back on their heels not to mention NO fans quieting down with anxious cheers. It could have been 14-3 at that point. Yeah its easy to say we would have gotten smoked anyway but you don't know that. 14-3 could have changed Saints D mindset confidence wise. Maybe DB is forcing more passes for INTs. Our running game was decent with Maroney. Faulk was solid to. Brady, Welker & Moss might have had more openings. Yes Saints were awesome that night but before "that Brady pick" Saints were avg.

 

[sbpatfan]

The Patriots lost the game when the defense walked off the plane, they played awful.

 

[SidelineSid]

Re: That was the Saints superbowl to date

The Saints demonstrated no ability whatsoever to stop our ground game. We stopped our ground game for them, and simultaneously dug ourselves into such a deep hole that we couldn't run even if we wanted to, allowing them to sell out against the pass.

If we keep the ball on the ground for most of the second drive, and pass out of the play action (which Brady has always been exceptional at, I can't for the life of me figure out why we don't do it anymore), chances are better than not that we're up 14-3 midway through the second quarter. Absolutely no question that was the turning point of the game.

I think it can be pretty safely said that I'm not a chicken little (in most game day threads you'll find me laughing at the chicken littles for being so outrageously irrational), but before the first half was even over I had written "ballgame" and called it for what it was. We lost this game before halftime, as crazy as that sounds.

You hit the nail right on the head. We had a great deal of momentum going with the running game. I can't understand why we left it so fast. This problem has to be placed on our offensive coordinator. We started the game running the ball, so obviously Bill approved that type of game plan. Bill usually gives his OC's a lot of room. The fact that we practically abandoned the run says something about our OC.

Also, what happened to Maroney? He was doing fine at first. Was he hurt or something?

 

[BradyFTW!]

That INT did change the game. However, I won't fault Brady all the way for that. There is no excuse whatsoever for us going into a five wide shotgun formation on first down when we had just run the ball down their throats. Essentially, we turned our offense away from their weakness and played DIRECTLY into their strength. If we had stuck to the run game, we would have been up 14-3 at that point and could have sat back and ran the ball down their throats more which would have opened up the play action pass down the field. However, it is what it is. With the way the defense played against Brees, I'm not so sure a 14-3 lead would have been safe.

Of course you should blame Brady for that throw. Let me count the reasons:

1) Brady must not have seen McKenzie, who had perfect coverage on that throw.
2) Even if McKenzie had been on the other side of the field, Moss *still* wasn't open.
3) Brady just shouldn't throw the ball on the run. He's one of the best QBs of all time, but he legitimately sucks at throwing on the move. It's probably the single biggest weakness in his game.
4) He could have run for a few yards there or thrown the ball away- either outcome would have been acceptable. Instead he made a downright stupid decision. Possibly the worst throw I've ever seen him make.

 

[patriots pam]

Of course you should blame Brady for that throw. Let me count the reasons:

1) Brady must not have seen McKenzie, who had perfect coverage on that throw.
2) Even if McKenzie had been on the other side of the field, Moss *still* wasn't open.
3) Brady just shouldn't throw the ball on the run. He's one of the best QBs of all time, but he legitimately sucks at throwing on the move. It's probably the single biggest weakness in his game.
4) He could have run for a few yards there or thrown the ball away- either outcome would have been acceptable. Instead he made a downright stupid decision. Possibly the worst throw I've ever seen him make.

Kinda funny...during the week 11 Jets game, Brady actually completed a pass on the run (I know!) and then one of the announcers (Nantz or Simms?) said that throwing on the run used to be Brady's biggest weakness, but now it's one of his strengths. Yes, he actually said "strengths". I mean, I appreciate them giving out some TFB love and all, but, come on! My jaw dropped and I thought to myself..."Really? If that's true, then there must be something wrong with me because I still cringe every time he does it." And I can guarantee you I've got more love for TFB than they do. HEE!

 

[Nikolai]

That first INT was a 14-point swing that really did transform the game into a shootout, playing right into the Saints' hands. The Pats didn't necessarily lose because of that INT, but that play set the Pats up to have to play a flawless game from that point to have a chance.

Possibly the worst throw I've ever seen him make.

The second interception was worse, far worse.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

That first INT was a 14-point swing that really did transform the game into a shootout, playing right into the Saints' hands. The Pats didn't necessarily lose because of that INT, but that play set the Pats up to have to play a flawless game from that point to have a chance.



The second interception was worse, far worse.

I agree 1st INT it definitely changed momentum and point swing. Saints came down and scored & scored & scored.

2nd INT I had to check back of Brady's jersey to see if name on his back was Sanchez.

 

[BradyFTW!]

The second interception was worse, far worse.

I was blacked out by then, so I didn't see it (well, I probably did, but that's just a technicality). It was a rough night for BradyFTW! Either way, the game was already over at that point, so it didn't matter anyways. I'd still rank the first one higher because it completely swung the game.

 

[DocE]

First, to the poster who said McKenzie had "perfect coverage" on the interception, you might want to re-watch that play. Moss beat Mckenzie badly on the slant, but Brady was late with his throw due to pressure. By the time Brady threw the ball, Moss had turned upfield and Brady (apparently) thought he was going to adjust to a crossing route.

I think the INT was a huge play in the game, but I don't buy the theory that it was *the* play of the game. I felt like the Patriots had a decent shot to win after making it 24-17 early in the 3rd quarter. It was only after the long pass to Colston that I felt they were essentially out of the game. For whatever reason, the defense was badly out-matched on Monday. We have to hope that it was a combination of a great day from Brees and an awful day from Pats defense. The Patriots obviously can't contend unless the defense play 1,000 times better than they did late in the Colts game or at any point in the Saints game.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Thanks to the OP for posting this. It should be obvious that no game is won or lost on one single play.

I saw the game thread in this forum and wow, was it depressing. People wrote the team off at halftime. You'd think we were the worst team in the league. But we started the third quarter with a score and suddenly it's a one-possession game even after Brady's pick and the horrible defense and everything that went wrong for us in that first half.

Ghost's miss was a bigger deal than you may think. If he made it, BB might have kicked the field goal on the 4th and 4 since that would have brought us back to a 1-possession game (including 2-point conversion). Without it, it forced his hand to go for it.

The offensive play calling was awful. The offensive line was awful. The secondary was awful. The pass rush was awful. Really, there's plenty of blame to go around than just one INT. One pick does not cost us the game.

As for the team losing intensity after that pick, that's on everyone. If one INT is enough for this team to lose focus, they're not mentally tough enough to win this game anyways. I'm not saying it wasn't a factor, but it wasn't the single factor in the loss. It's on everyone, all the way up to the coordinators and BB.

 

[Mack Herron]

The offense was utterly unprepared for the double team of Moss and Welker. (Why did it take opponents so long?) Much of that fault has to be directed upstairs. We will see Sunday if they have made any progress on that.

 

[oldskool138]

The offense was utterly unprepared for the double team of Moss and Welker. (Why did it take opponents so long?)

Because Brady's favorite receiver used to be whoever was open. They didn't want to get beat by the Pats TE's and 3rd and 4th WR's. Part of the problem right now is the O-line's inability to stop a 3 or 4 man pass rush...and Brady focusing in almost exclusively on Moss and Welker.

 

[maverick4]

The offense was utterly unprepared for the double team of Moss and Welker. (Why did it take opponents so long?) Much of that fault has to be directed upstairs. We will see Sunday if they have made any progress on that.

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