Quick Game Thoughts - Digging for Gold Nuggets in loss to the 49ers edition

[Rob0729]

Here we go:

1. It seemed like the Pats had a hang over from last week's game. I think they thought they would come in and dictate their will whenever they got on the field. Part of it was the rain, but execution was horrible in all phases in the first half.
2. The Pats probably should have used the no huddle, hurry up sooner. The fact that the 49ers don't make a lot of personnel changes on defense would have tired them out a lot quicker IMHO. Granted with the Pats turning over the ball and not making plays early on offense, wouldn't have made much of difference.
3. I am getting disappointed in Welker. He seems more concerned about turning up field and/or looking for the flag that catching the football. I think that is playing a big role in his consistency.
4. Bad day for the RBs not named Woodhead. Ridley needs to work on ball protection. Woodhead was a good RB to run other than on the goalline because the 49ers defense might be too big to see him so low hitting the line.
5. Credit the 49ers. They are the best team in the NFC and possibly the NFL. I still think the Pats can beat them and decisively in a rematch if they meet in the Super Bowl. If they can get tired in the cold, wait until they are in a hot dome.
6. I agree with Collinsworth. The Pats gave up so much to get back in the game that they might have had nothing left when the score was tied.
7. I will give the offense credit for getting over 500 yards and 34 points against the best defense in the league. That said, they might have gotten over 600 yards and 40 points if they weren't so awful in the first half.
8. Ed Hochuli should be fired. I don't believe the Pats lost because of the refereeing and the 49ers were victims of a lot of bad calls/non-calls too, but the officiating was replacement refs quality and Hochuli lost control of the game on that punt call. It was a cluster ****. That was inexcusable in one of the biggest prime time game of the year. Hell, it was inexcusable for a Jags/Raiders game.
9. Although, the odds of a first round bye are dwindling, this was the one game the Pats could afford to lose in any tiebreaker. Although even then, I don't know if any tiebreaker at this point would come down to conference wins unless the Ravens, Pats, and Broncos are tied at 11-5. Not really likely.

 

[BradyBranch39]

#8 is so dead on it kills me. How does that man have a job outside of law?

 

[smg93]

From a silver lining point of view, I really liked the fightback in the second half. The Pats could have packed it in at the start of the 3rd but they kept fighting on both Offense and Defense to make it a game. I really think that will serve them well in the future.

That correlation between Turnovers and Wins really showed up today. A big "takeaway" for me from this game is if the team just takes care of the ball, they will always have a chance to win.

 

[Rob0729]

From a silver lining point of view, I really liked the fightback in the second half. The Pats could have packed it in at the start of the 3rd but they kept fighting on both Offense and Defense to make it a game. I really think that will serve them well in the future.

That correlation between Turnovers and Wins really showed up today. A big "takeaway" for me from this game is if the team just takes care of the ball, they will always have a chance to win.

I know it is a cliche, but the old adage is true that if you win the turnover battle you are more likely to win the game.

 

[hodgey]

Wow Rob I got to admire how you can find a silver lining in almost anything related to the Pats. Guess it dont matter until the playoffs! Glad we made a fight of it.

 

[Rob0729]

Wow Rob I got to admire how you can find a silver lining in almost anything related to the Pats. Guess it dont matter until the playoffs! Glad we made a fight of it.

I am figured everyone else would focus on the negatives. I haven't seen the Pats play worse than they did in the first half in a long, long time and I am upset they fell apart after an amazing comeback. But everyone is rehashing that in the post game thread.

I saw a lot of negatives and positives in this game. if this was vs. a good team, I would be killing the Pats. But I felt the Pats and 49ers were the two best teams in the NFL coming in this game.

 

[smg93]

Another nugget for me is that every team in the league now knows that the Pats can put points on anyone in the NFL - even the so called best D in the league. That's always nerve wracking to any opponent.

 

[Rob0729]

BTW, one more thing about Hochuli. If he didn't have to over explain everything, the game would have gotten over a half hour earlier.

Also, thank God the Pats won't have to play the NFC West again for another four years unless they meet a one of the teams in that division in the Super Bowl. The Pats are 10-1 outside that division and 1-3 in it.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I am figured everyone else would focus on the negatives. I haven't seen the Pats play worse than they did in the first half in a long, long time and I am upset they fell apart after an amazing comeback. But everyone is rehashing that in the post game thread.

I saw a lot of negatives and positives in this game. if this was vs. a good team, I would be killing the Pats. But I felt the Pats and 49ers were the two best teams in the NFL coming in this game.

I assume you mean "wasn't vs."? Or, at least, versus a team significantly worse than SF (e.g., the JEST or Bills)?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

So let me ask you this: why did this game end up 41-34, while the Texans essentially gave up last week?

 

[Rob0729]

I assume you mean "wasn't vs."? Or, at least, versus a team significantly worse than SF (e.g., the JEST or Bills)?

Yes, sorry. It is after 1 AM. You know the old saying "Nothing good is ever written after midnight on a message board".

 

[Joker]

Yes, sorry. It is after 1 AM. You know the old saying "Nothing good is ever written after midnight on a message board".

that's urban myth...why, I, Joe "Hemingway" Kerr, do my best work right here after 1 a.m.

 

[PATS16N0]

I don't think it's arrogance (at least I hope not) but I'm simply not scared of Denver or Texas no matter where we play them, there or here.

Any loss is worse than a win but this war with the 49'ers is what this team needed before the post season. I wish we got the better of it, but we still needed it.

This team has heart and this team has grit. This team can run a post season gauntlet.

It isn't often we put ourselves in that big a hole.

I'm no less confident today than I was yesterday about us being leagues ahead of the second best team in the AFC. We will go to New Orleans and I can guarandamntee you, if the 49'ers make it, they won't be happy to see this Patriot team there waiting for them.

 

[Rob0729]

that's urban myth...why, I, Joe "Hemingway" Kerr, do my best work right here after 1 a.m.

Yeah, but you are a crazy old man who stays up every night, all night writing your insane thoughts on message boards. And I mean that in the most loving and endearing way.

 

[Joker]

one man's insanity is another's Nobel Literature prize winner...and I can still drop twenty points on any clowns in the wheel chair league...BAH!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

that's urban myth...why, I, Joe "Hemingway" Kerr, do my best work right here after 1 a.m.

Hemingway? You strike me as more of a Faulkner type.

 

[Joker]

Hemingway? You strike me as more of a Faulkner type.

heh...my ex-wife thinks I'm more Shakespearean...to paraphrase...

he is but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

that's me.... Siggy Nobuddy...no wonder Rob wants me imprisoned in Shady Acres Institute For The Extremely Obtuse....

 

[ATippett56]

That correlation between Turnovers and Wins really showed up today. A big "takeaway" for me from this game is if the team just takes care of the ball, they will always have a chance to win.

You do realize that the two first half turnovers by the New England Patriots offense resulted in zero points by the 49ers offense?

Watch San Francisco 49ers vs. New England Patriots [12/16/2012] - NFL.com

 

[BritPat]

You do realize that the two first half turnovers by the New England Patriots offense resulted in zero points by the 49ers offense?

Watch San Francisco 49ers vs. New England Patriots [12/16/2012] - NFL.com

More importantly, they resulted in zero points for us.

 

[Marqui]

One big takeaway for me was Gregory getting benched for Chung. Good because Greg just isn't a starting level safety imo.