Who else is ready for a return to the run?

[ivanvamp]

That makes no sense. You don't decide to throw to the RB before the play, you throw to him if he is open.
It is entirely possible to get wide open on a handful of plays and covered on others. Your theory assumes we choose who to throw to and do it whether he is open or not.

After re-watching the game, the only real mistake I noticed that Brady made in terms of who to throw it to was on the INT on the deep ball to Gronk. I have said before that even though it was a major mistake, it was a defensible one in some ways. HOWEVER, on that play Hernandez was *WIDE* open (no Giant within 10-15 yards of him) about 10-15 yards downfield on the right. It would have been an easy 15-20 yard gain had Brady thrown it there. It would have set the Pats up with a first down somewhere in the range of NY's 35-40.

But other than that, I thought he generally threw to the open man.

 

[MP-Logick]

Fans just can't accept that losses often are simply because of offensive and defensive execution in the closing minutes of a game, and nothing else. There's not some major philosophical breakdown every time a team loses a game, although columnists who need a theme for their pieces often try to make it seem otherwise.

 

[Ring 6]

I love how people pick their own personal cause and decide that it must be THE ONE THAT COSTS US SUPER BOWLS.

Unfortunately, it is usually wrong. Case in point.

Argument, if we ran more we would win SBs.

Facts

Rushing yards
2011 SB Champ Giants 1427 Patriots 1764
2010 SB Champ Packers 1606 Patriots 1973
2009 SB Champs Saints 2106 Patriots 1921
2008 SB Champ Steelers 1690 Patriots 2278
2007 SB Champ Giants 2148 Patriots 1849
2006 SB Champ Colts 1762 Patriots 1969

In the last 6 years, we ran more than the SB Champ 4 times, were 185 yards less in one season, and had the highest scoring offense in NFL history in the other.

Over these 6 years, the SB champ averaged rushing for 1790 yards and the Patriots averaged 1959.

But it gets better. From 2006-2011 the Patriots have run the ball the FIFTH MOST TIMES IN THE NFL.

Yuo, we need to change that pass only philosophy that has us running more than 26 teams.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

It's kind of hard to argue for a "return to the run" when the worst rushing team in the NFL just won the Super Bowl.

They ran it though, even if we suck if we try or make the defense guess we would be more productive. I don't think NY was great at running in either SB but us passing 40+ times didn't make them work for it, nor did it run down clock when we needed that both times.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

I love how people pick their own personal cause and decide that it must be THE ONE THAT COSTS US SUPER BOWLS.

Unfortunately, it is usually wrong. Case in point.

Argument, if we ran more we would win SBs.

Facts

Rushing yards
2011 SB Champ Giants 1427 Patriots 1764
2010 SB Champ Packers 1606 Patriots 1973
2009 SB Champs Saints 2106 Patriots 1921
2008 SB Champ Steelers 1690 Patriots 2278
2007 SB Champ Giants 2148 Patriots 1849
2006 SB Champ Colts 1762 Patriots 1969

In the last 6 years, we ran more than the SB Champ 4 times, were 185 yards less in one season, and had the highest scoring offense in NFL history in the other.

Over these 6 years, the SB champ averaged rushing for 1790 yards and the Patriots averaged 1959.

But it gets better. From 2006-2011 the Patriots have run the ball the FIFTH MOST TIMES IN THE NFL.

Yuo, we need to change that pass only philosophy that has us running more than 26 teams.

Thanks to playing the Bills twice a year and having a huge lead. In a close game we barely run and while I am too sensitive to check the last SB boxscore I know in 07 we ran it maybe 10 times almost entirely with Faulk. We didn't run much against the Jets either so that is 3 of the last 4 playoff exits we failed to run and/or ran with a backup when we did.

We all know we blow out teams left and right, that leads to running. In the SB we can't even build a decent lead so none of the regular season numbers matter.

 

[Deus Irae]

Thanks to playing the Bills twice a year and having a huge lead. In a close game we barely run and while I am too sensitive to check the last SB boxscore I know in 07 we ran it maybe 10 times almost entirely with Faulk. We didn't run much against the Jets either so that is 3 of the last 4 playoff exits we failed to run and/or ran with a backup when we did.

We all know we blow out teams left and right, that leads to running. In the SB we can't even build a decent lead so none of the regular season numbers matter.

In the 2007 Super Bowl, the Patriots ran the ball 16 times, and Maroney had 14 of the 16 carries. Faulk only ran it once.

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2008 - Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[Dutchmaster617]

In the 2007 Super Bowl, the Patriots ran the ball 16 times, and Maroney had 14 of the 16 carries. Faulk only ran it once.

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2008 - Pro-Football-Reference.com

48-16, I was off by 7 rushes but clearly they abandoned the run,this means Brady and his o-line has to be perfect.

 

[Ring 6]

Thanks to playing the Bills twice a year and having a huge lead. In a close game we barely run and while I am too sensitive to check the last SB boxscore I know in 07 we ran it maybe 10 times almost entirely with Faulk. We didn't run much against the Jets either so that is 3 of the last 4 playoff exits we failed to run and/or ran with a backup when we did.

We all know we blow out teams left and right, that leads to running. In the SB we can't even build a decent lead so none of the regular season numbers matter.

Evbery team has games against good run Ds and bad run Ds, and every team has unbalanced games.
However, over SIX YEARS the Patriots have been among the most balanced teams in the NFL. Picking out exceptions to the rule doesn't change that.