Game Thoughts

[Kontradiction]

One play i loved was Spikes almost Pick. This and the other Almost picks from our LB's was very encouraging because if they put themselves in the right place enough we are bound to get one or 2 e.g guyton's one today.

Loved gronk's impact on 2 td's in the red zone. Thought all the rookies held their own today in their various roles.

One player i have heard mentioned but i didn't see was Brace. Was anyone watching how he went? Have any impact that you saw? i was to busy watching the lb's and db's

That would have gone back for a big gain the other way. Spikes is excellent at reading the quarterback. I've said it all offseason, but I'll say it again... Spikes is a ballhawk at ILB.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

Congratulations to the team, the performance was near perfect. The playcalling was unbelievably good.

I'm only dissapointed with Butler, I'd expect more development, at this point, a rockie is better than him(great game Devin btw). He got beaten a lot of times in the second half by Ocho.

But overall, great performance by both sides of the ball. And I'm really excited, to see what Edelman brings to this offense with a full offseason as a WR.
And just imagine how good our defense would look like with Ty Warren, Bodden, and McGowan

 

[Urgent]

Fun game.
So glad football is back.

As noted, the O-line played really well, both pass-blocking and run-blocking. Brady was hardly touched, lots of time, lots of space. He looked as good as we have seen him. Didn't seem to let up once he signed that contract.

Tate is developing into an impressive weapon. A couple nice receptions to complement his returns.

How do you cover up a weakness at LB? Lots of three-safety play.
TBC had a very strong game, very active.
Spikes and Mayo were improved in the passing game, and helped shut down the inside running attack.
Guyton had the big defensive play of the game as a sub in a passing situation.
Whoever played at LOLB did nothing, whether it was Cunningham or Murrell. While they were in there, they were invisible.
Lots of big fronts and big nickels - looked like a number of plays in the second half with four big DL, all tackles, and lots of DB combo's with Sanders, Meriweather, and Chung.
That defense seems designed to contain the QB (sort of strange, given Carson Palmer's lack of mobility) and blanket the zones, without generating a strong rush.

Given the Patriots weakness at LB, it plays to their strength to face three-wide sets. They go six deep at DB (McCourty-Butler-Sanders-Meriweather-Chung-Wilhite/Wheatley) but are much thinner at LB.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

I give the MVP award to the entire offensive line. I thought they were absolutely spectacular in all facets today - run blocking, screens, pass protection. In some drop backs Brady had enough time to get to what seemed like his 4th and 5th progressions. The franchise was well protected today!

I also thought Vince Wilfork was dominant today. Great job of pushing the pocket and in run defense.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

I bleed blue.
I've seen some confident guys, as I am, but you... soon, the best defense in the nfl? wow.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Not much to add to what's already been said. I have almost zero complaints this week, even the 2nd half prevent defense didn't bother me. Just an amazing performance all around.

I guess Ghost missing a couple FG's and even the converted one looking iffy was a little concerning. But I don't see that staying a problem. Would have liked to see Taylor's carries more limited in a blowout also.

Good news in regards to our draft status as Oakland lost. It's so hard to not look ahead... if we can come of NY with a win we have an excellent shot at 4-0 heading into the bye. Big game next week!

 

[AzPatsFan]

Those numbers were also done with them running half their running plays at our nickel D which we pretty much statyed in the entire second half.

That is a cogent observation too. I noticed that Cincy did not succeed running wide, on either side. The ends were closed and what they got was between Guard and Tackle. Any team won't come back from 31-3, running there.

There are so many fans who want to win the battle spectacularly, and possibly lose the war.

Every Defensive formation has certain weaknesses, and the Pats played defensive formations that forced the Bengals to do certain things, that chewed up the clock, with the Cincinnatti offense doing the chewing.

 

[Fencer]

I dont know, when your strategy is to make them take so much time to score that they will run out of time before they catch you, what is so wrong with that? Not saying they decided to allow points but they played defense in a way that meant what they left available would produce that result, and they took away the big play that could have let them back in. I think that is a sound plan. But I didnt care if we won 80-3 or 38-37

And the offense had had more difficulty in the second half the defense might have given up even more points (while the offense scored fewer), which would not have been a good thing.

If you want to add "And by the way, it was pretty vanilla, saving wrinkles for other games" that might be a different matter -- but if you're saying that giving up a point a minute is a good trade, I'm still saying it's probably not exactly how the Pats planned things.

 

[BradyFTW!]

And the offense had had more difficulty in the second half the defense might have given up even more points (while the offense scored fewer), which would not have been a good thing.

If you want to add "And by the way, it was pretty vanilla, saving wrinkles for other games" that might be a different matter -- but if you're saying that giving up a point a minute is a good trade, I'm still saying it's probably not exactly how the Pats planned things.

Well, no, but that's a false dichotomy. I think everyone wishes that the Bengals hadn't scored 3 TDs in the second half. A little better execution, holding on to any one of those INTs that fell through their hands... it could easily have gone a lot better. But by the same token, we have to realize that the goal wasn't to shut them out. It was to slow them down, and while the Pats could have done a better job, they did a perfectly adequate one.

 

[jczxohn1]

My only prediction: Rex Ryan will be thinking about the Pats tonight, not the Ravens--

 

[Fencer]

Well, no, but that's a false dichotomy. I think everyone wishes that the Bengals hadn't scored 3 TDs in the second half. A little better execution, holding on to any one of those INTs that fell through their hands... it could easily have gone a lot better. But by the same token, we have to realize that the goal wasn't to shut them out. It was to slow them down, and while the Pats could have done a better job, they did a perfectly adequate one.

That's reasonable, but I think some people are making the point even more strongly, and they're overstating the case.

If you're going to go to the Prevent Defense, then it's not working well if it doesn't Prevent much of anything.

 

[BradyBranch39]

can't believe someone owned Chung in my dynasty league all the way back to last year.

 

[DocE]

The second half defense left a bitter taste in my mouth. They couldn't seem to get off the field to save their lives. I HOPE this is just a case of playing prevent due to having the lead.

The first half was great, much more pressure, especially on key downs, than I expected the Patriots to get.

I am not that concerned about Butler's poor 2nd half as he was essentially playing a soft man coverage keeping everything in front of him aside from the TD catch which was pure one on one (no safety over the top of Ocho, just like the little Twitter war).

I liked the offense early, wish Brady could hit that deep ball to Moss a little more consistently...it seems like he usually underthrows it. LOVED the Oline today both in pass protecting and run blocking. If they play like this all year, the Patriots can score on anyone. Pretty much everyone did something you wanted to see: Welker made a few plays that showed if he's not 100% he's 95+, Hernandez had a great catch and run, Fred Taylor ran tough, Brady was accurate and seemed more comfortable in the pocket, Moss showed some short area moves/quickness which he sometimes struggles with due to his build, Gronkowski showed up in the red zone, Algae Crumpler looked good, Faulk turned it on with the sideline catch, and Tate took that kick to the house.

 

[Joker]

They weren't playing prevent, they only rushed four...pissed me off too...until Brady hit Gronk for a TD that COULD NOT BE DEFENSED BETTER...no matter what anyone thinks, this game ended at the half

 

[Brady_12]

Maybe it's me but I don't remember a Pats team with this much speed in all three phases.

And it looks like we have some playmakers on D again, which is nice...

 

[resdubwhite]

theres no point in rehashing a lot of what others have said here.

But Wow. Impressive.
o-line, Welker, Taylor, Brady, McCourty, Chung. In fact well done team.

As for butler, sure he got a bit of an education in the second half, but he's not going to have to deal with 85 every week, and I'm sure there was a huge size mismatch there too. Palmer was done throwing to McCourtys side at that stage too which we can take as somewhat of a positive.

Lets hope the bruises heal quickly and bring on the jets.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Butler played enough last season for the other teams to develop a "book" on his tendencies in certain situations. Before mid-season Butler will be reacting to how teams attack him and we'll see improvement, at the same time McCourty will start getting burned and need to react to how teams attack him - the cycle of life in the NFL. Knowing what Butler was facing, I'd say he had a pretty darned good, if not great, game. Chad OchoJohnsonoh may not be the player he was a couple years ago, but he's fresh at this point in the season, which meant he was playing at a very high level with little wear & tear slowing him down.

An impressive job by the youngsters when you consider the game in that light.

 

[Ryan]

I was extremely impressed with how fast and physical the defense was in the first half. They were swarming to the ball like I haven't seen them do in a few years. It was great to watch. I don't know what was going on in the 2nd half....adjustments by Cinci, prevent D, whatever....but if the D can keep making big plays and continue to improve I like the Pats chances.

 

[bigcountry75]

A couple of things I agree on that I read in here already...

I agree with Andy that it was a great philosophy to play softer in the 2nd half up 31-3...It may not make sense to some people as they want to see us win 56-3 but by being aggressive could also make it a one score game rather quickly with the threats the bengals have at wr...

Secondly I agree that our Offense needs to keep doing what they do...I hated our 1st actual possession (not including the KO return) where we ran the ball on 1st and 2nd down and went 3 and out....We are not going to run out the whole clock in the 2nd half so keep passing and incorporate the run to keep them honest and take the life out of them.....

I did like the answer when Cincy cut it to 31-17 and we drove down the field taking about the first 8 min of the 4th Quarter and scored....That sealed the game for us....

Pat Chung played like a man possessed....He was hitting everything in sight and stopping them right in there tracks for a 1 or 2 yard gain.....


A couple things I didn't see but may have been mentioned....

Our tackling overall on defense was great....I can maybe count 2 or 3 missed tackles all game and it didn't lead to huge gains....We weren't even letting them fall forward as the Wr's and Rb's for cincy were hitting a brick wall and going right down....This is huge if we are going to blitz and play high risk/high reward man coverage defense....

I didn't see any props given to Alge crumpler....Everyone raves about the 2 rookies as they should but I kept a close eye on Alge and he played his arse off...He demolished that CB on the 1st TD to welker, Everytime we brough him in motion and ran the ball he was killing D-lineman for the bengals....On one play I remember him hitting a DT and driving him 5 yards down field....he is a HUGE asset in the running game and we don't need a true FB if he stays healthy and can continue to block like this....

I love seeing the Pats finally finish a game after all the leads we blew last season in the 4th Quarter so hopefully this tough camp that BB ran will help this team to play 60 minutes every game....

Bring on Fat Rex and the Jests....

 

[shmessy]

I was extremely impressed with how fast and physical the defense was in the first half. They were swarming to the ball like I haven't seen them do in a few years. It was great to watch. I don't know what was going on in the 2nd half....adjustments by Cinci, prevent D, whatever....but if the D can keep making big plays and continue to improve I like the Pats chances.

You hit on it, Ryan.

It's been years since we had a "swarming defense". For the first time in a while, I saw a Pats D that was AGGRESSIVE in that first half. The pattycake zones and containment philosophy of Dean pees was nowhere to be found in the first 30 minutes.