Last night a good win for us, we had been pretty invincible last few weeks, I might have actually gotten a little concerned if we went into the playoffs without a struggle like that. Lots of areas BB can attack this week and good lessons for the team. And as an added bonus, we made it out of there with a win.
Like I said in the other thread, I'm GLAD we gave up an onsides kick. Good for it to happen in this game and not in the playoffs. That is something if I were playing the Patriots I would absolutely want to do, the way Brady and the offense is playing right now. Hopefully our ST's learned a good lesson and will be prepared for it next time, I'm sure if you ask the COLTS they'd have appreciated something like that in a regular season game last year.
I hope we can come out next week and crush the Bills after this performance. Of course, right now I will gladly take a 1 point win and clinch home field, but I really want to see this team bounce back from this and play a solid game. Especially the OL and the front 7 who got tossed around alot of the night. Next Sunday will tell alot, even if it is just the Bills, they are playing much better lately.
I have to agree with Patsy about this being a good win for us. We came out flat and unaware, pretty much stayed that way for most of the game, and still managed to win. The players must be feeling lucky that they got away with one, and as a result, are less likely to not take Buffalo or Miami seriously.
Some good things -
The O put together 2 solid drives when they needed to (in the 1st to take the lead, and again in the 4th when we absolutely needed a score) despite not getting on the field much and really never getting into a rhythm.
Devin McCourty played great even though he was playing with sore ribs. That unnecessary roughness call was BS. Hit with his shoulder and helped dislodge the ball. Can't ask for better than that.
The D did get two important stops that helped us win the game, despite their pretty poor performance overall. The end of the game, obviously, and also in the 4th quarter, they did manage a goal line stand after a BS PI call in the endzone that put GB on the one. The boys held them to a figgie (putting GB up by 6), which we really needed. If GB had gone up by 10 there, I think the last of the wind would have left our sails. Instead, we managed to put up the next 10 points and win the game. Good stop in a night of not too many!
A few not-so-goods that stand out:
Play calling at the end of close games!!!! Andy Johnson, where are you to argue with me?! On our last possession, back at our own 10, we give to Woodhead on 1st down up the middle and he gets 5 yards. Okay, so far so good. Next play. What!!?? A short low throw to Welker who's surrounded by at least 50 GB players. Incomplete. Next Play. What!!?? Another low throw, which we don't even know where it's supposed to go, because it is batted way high at the LOS and a lineman has to bat it down to make sure it is not intercepted. NO TIME OFF THE CLOCK. GB players sighted laughing on the sidelines (not really, just imagining). ARRGGGHHH. I know lots of people are going to say, well the running game was doing nothing all night. But, that's not true. Woodhead was making positive yards at the end of the game. Just give it to him and see what he can do, if nothing else, to take a minute off the clock and make them burn their time outs. They had already burned one, but then didn't have to bother.
What happened to the O-line for most of the game? Brady got crunched a few times and just avoided it many others.
Just overall flatness for most of the game. Chalk it up to many things - injuries, coming out of a brutal stretch of the sched, whatever. The crowd was flat too for much of the game, but got fired up for the 4th quarter. They didn't leave either.
Okay, I'm done for the moment. I'm glad we got the win. On to Buffalo!!