Comments and Observations from the Jets game

[Deus Irae]

Yep, not a fan of the playcalling. I haven't looked at the play-by-play, but I'm fairly sure the vast majority of 1st down plays were runs, especially between the tackles. The yardage was almost always low. I thought maybe they were setting up for a big play-action payoff on first down at some point later in the game. Never happened.

Here's the play-by-play breakdown, unless I erred (I used NFL.com). If there was a penalty on first down that resulted in another first down, I tallied the play that resulted in a penalty. I Hope it's got enough detail of what you were looking for.

2 run/4 pass on drive 1 (Missed FG)

6 run/0 pass on drive 2 (TD)

0 run/1 pass on drive 3 (Punt)

0 run/2 pass on drive 4 (TD)

1 run/2 pass on drive 5 (INT)

1 run/0 pass on drive 6 (Punt)

1 run/0 pass on drive 7 (INT)

1 run/2 pass on drive 8 (Punt)

0 run/5 pass on drive 9 (Fumble)

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Good observations on the hole. Here are a few things that bugged me the most.

18.) Brady seemed to develop the 'binky' mentality in the second half. Either the lesser lights stopped getting open, or Brady needs to break that habit.

Great post but this is the point that IMO was a big problem. I watched the game at Buffalo Wild Wings with a friend watching the Texans game. (but he was seeing enough of the Pats game to know what was going on) Even he was noticing how Brady was forcing passes to Moss in the 2nd half.

As you say, maybe the other WRs simply weren't getting open. But it does definitely feel like Brady has lost some of his patience and is forcing too much to Moss.

I don't think this is a binky issue. I do think Brady believes that if he doesn't have time to make the read that Moss can win or at least defend a jump ball if he's covered one-on-one, no matter how tight. The bigger problem in my mind is that Brady was rushing throws when the line was stopping the rush. On those jump balls to Moss, there was sometimes pressure, but at least twice, Brady reacted to pressure that wasn't there. The Jets got some push, but the line picked up the rushers, and Brady still bailed out to Moss. He's going to feel like an ass when he looks at the tape. The line did their job extremely well yesterday, and Brady failed to take proper advantage of it.

My own observations/whining:

1. Butler needs to get his hands off the man an on the ball. That first PI call would have been a pick if he'd turned around, rather than holding his man.

2. Somebody needed to hit Keller every single time coming off the LOS. It never happened. This one falls to the coaching staff. That's as simple an adjustment as there is. Nobody else was hurting the Pats as much as him.

3. This could have been a blowout if not for stupid penalties. Tate lining up in the wrong spot; Belichik being indecisive enough to get a delay of game and mess with Ghost, Arrington crashing into the punt returner; Banta Cain with a delicate late hit 3 yards out of bounds. At least Smith earned his unnecessary roughness penalty. (Hope he sits a game for it.)

4. BGJE isn't very good. I'd be thrilled with a Taylor/Faulk two-back rotation, but then Fred might have gone down like Kevin did. I hate drafting backs in the early rounds, but I think I'll make an exception next year.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

0 run/1 pass on drive 3 (Punt)

...

1 run/0 pass on drive 6 (Punt)

What does this mean? I don't see how you have one-play drives ending in punts.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

What does this mean? I don't see how you have one-play drives ending in punts.

That was the playcalls on 1st down. If it's one run and zero pass, it means we ran it on first down and went 3-and-out.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

That was the playcalls on 1st down. If it's one run and zero pass, it means we ran it on first down and went 3-and-out.

Ah yes, reading comprehension. I'm going to go get another cup of coffee.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Great comments.

Maybe you didn't mention it because it was obvious, but you don't win games with a 3-zip turnover differential against you.

Also, are you not concerned that Gostkowski missed a "you gotta make it" 37 yarder after he took too long to get the snap off on the 32 yarder? He also missed a 43 yarder last week. If the Pats get the ball inside the 20, they have to expect that three points is automatic, unless there is a turnover or the weather or wind intervenes. If they get it inside the 30, it's gotta be a pretty sure thing.

 

[aluminum seats]

Also, are you not concerned that Gostkowski missed a "you gotta make it" 37 yarder after he took too long to get the snap off on the 32 yarder? He also missed a 43 yarder last week. If the Pats get the ball inside the 20, they have to expect that three points is automatic, unless there is a turnover or the weather or wind intervenes. If they get it inside the 30, it's gotta be a pretty sure thing.

Yup, it all adds up. He misses that one, and the Jets nail the 50 (ok, 49) yarder at half-time. Flip those around, and the Pats are up 17-7 at half. (Which they'd probably still blow, but you know.)

Good points in the OP. The Gronk thing really bugs me--seems to me he'd be a tough match-up, and I only remember one throw to him. Grrr.

 

[The Brandon Five]

The Gronk thing really bugs me--seems to me he'd be a tough match-up, and I only remember one throw to him. Grrr.

Which he dropped.

 

[aluminum seats]

Which he dropped.

Yeah, they should cut him. Welker bobbled a ball, too, probably should get rid of him also.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Moss made one play out of about 7 chances. He refuses to dive or extend for the ball in the middle of the field.

Butler HORRIBLE

Dumb penalties setting up the Jests. Tully you idiot.

They ran all over us in the 2nd half and the offense was pathetic.

 

[Sicilian]

All good points. I think what seems to stand out is that we have a very unstable team at the moment, at least on defense. When The offense is playing well, and extending drives, and giving the defense rest, they can hold their own. As soon as they have to defend back to back drives after a turnover or 3 and out, it's like the switch gets turned off.

The defense had a bad game, but I feel like if the offense maintained some semblance of production in the 2nd half, the D would have looked a bit better... still not great, but better.

 

[Mack Herron]

Which he dropped.

Gronk had his man beat and Brady saw it but underthrew him badly. Good pass might be 6 there.

 

[aluminum seats]

Gronk had his man beat and Brady saw it but underthrew him badly. Good pass might be 6 there.

This is true. But even if Gronk had dropped a pass right in his hands, it shouldn't mean they don't go to him again.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

A couple of thoughts on players who were reported to be struggling:

Butler - I've been expecting him to struggle, teams have tape on him from his rookie season as well as preseason and the Cincy game; his tendencies are being dissected by some pretty damned good coaches. Now the challenge is to see if our coaches, and Butler himself, can respond. McCourty is still an unknown, so Butler is getting the sophomore jinx treatment. In all, I'm not worried.

Gostkowski - while it may be that the missed FG was all on Gost not having his mind right, he also has a new holder with whom he's not worked with very long, I just feel his early struggles this season are related to PK & Holder not being completely in-sync yet. The specialist threesome needs to go on a snap, catch, place, kick spree on the practice field with Scotty O'Bwan. It is what it is, growing pains.

 

[aluminum seats]

Gostkowski - while it may be that the missed FG was all on Gost not having his mind right, he also has a new holder with whom he's not worked with very long, I just feel his early struggles this season are related to PK & Holder not being completely in-sync yet. The specialist threesome needs to go on a snap, catch, place, kick spree on the practice field with Scotty O'Bwan. It is what it is, growing pains.

I hear ya and there could be an element of that (new holder), but that always kind of cracks me up with kickers. A kick spree on the practice field? I mean, what else does he have to do? His whole life is kicking. Kick kick kick. Just figure it out already.

 

[Its_The_Patriots]

Yeah, they should cut him. Welker bobbled a ball, too, probably should get rid of him also.

Don't forget Brady threw 2 INTs, Belichick should trade him for Rex Grossman.

 

[SuperPatsFan]

Cross-posting my brilliance from here for your benefit.

Watching a couple of those long runs LT ripped in the second half, both were run out of a bunch formation, against a Pats D employing a 42 (i.e 5 DB) defense. If the Pats personnel is set up for defending the pass, and the Jets keep running on it, that's the defensive co-ordinator's fault, whomever he is.

ETA: The pats come back with a 34. Sanchez completes a 10-yarder to Cotchery (McCourty with the "10-yard cushion"). The Pats continue with the 34, and Sanchez completes a 21-yarder to Keller with Spikes trailing (*ahem* covering). Then the Pats come back with the 42 and LT rips off a 31-yard run.

The lesson? The Pats can't stop a good running game in the 42, and they can't stop a good passing game in the 34. :bricks:

ETA2: Start of the 4th. Pats 2nd and 3, stack left with Welker behind Tate. Welker is WIDE OPEN in the flat for a first down, and Brady lobs it downfield for Moss, and it's intercepted. :bricks:

 

[TruthSeeker]

The Jets were better than us, PERIOD. The better team won. The better coached team won. They have 2 things we wished we had, a defense and a running game. Just being realistic. Only positives, Hernandez and Mccourty look like stud draft choices, and Gronk is gonna be a beast as well.

 

[Deus Irae]

2. Somebody needed to hit Keller every single time coming off the LOS. It never happened. This one falls to the coaching staff. That's as simple an adjustment as there is. Nobody else was hurting the Pats as much as him.

We see this a lot, and it's not just tight ends who get free releases. The team gives them to the receivers, too. It's probably one of the reasons that people get frustrated about the "10 yard cushion", and I personally think it's one of the reasons that the Colts have been beating the Patriots in head-to-head matchups. New England doesn't interrupt timing patterns, which allows opposing QBs to throw the ball on time rather than having to adjust.

I'd love to hear BB expound on his reasoning behind allowing so many free releases, but I don't think he's going to be forthcoming with it anytime soon.

 

[A.C Vegas]

The "binkie" thing bugs me a lot i looked into the pass plays in the second half and more went to the non "binkies" then the binkies and 75% of the passes were short passes/attempts