Disclaimer - I'm going to start off this edition with a rant so beware.
1. This night started like so many of them leading up to this "game", with our intrepid media once again hyping the QB controversy to an obnoxious end. Remember this all started with a very nice outing by JG. So immediately any thoughts of Brady wanting to play tonight would be depicted as Brady being paranoid about his position, and those lost snaps would be detrimental to JG's development. Or Brady is demanding those snaps and since we all know that BB has no control of the team, Brady's going to get what he wants. So at any rate the lead story here was "the QB questions".
Of course this isn't going to change now that JG had a rougher outing against a very good Panther D. But now our intrepid media will just change the focus a bit. Without missing a beat the same hypocritical media that a few days ago was speculating on the changing of the guard, will be pulling their hair out wondering what the Pats are going to do in 2 weeks without a QB.
They really have no shame. For the most part real reporting and analysis (Matt Chatham and Mike Reiss excluded) has been replaced with nothing more than wall to wall click baiting.
2. I have said for a couple of weeks that anyone who thinks that JG isn't going to go through a series of serious ups and downs has lost touch with reality. They have also conveniently forgotten that Tom Brady's first few years were full of them. They have forgotten that the Team was 5-5 after the first 10 games of the 2001 season. They have forgotten the 9-7 2002 season that included an improbably win to end the season against the Dolphins. And these are ups and down endured by the GOAT, what can we expect from a mere mortal like JG.
3. As to the QB's actual performance let me say this. Tom Brady pretty much sucked except for that gem he threw to Hogan for the TD. His overall lack of sharpness DID prove how much he really did needed those snaps. He wasn't off by much, but he was off, and I'd rather see that crap now than in Oct. I wouldn't mind him getting a few snaps next week either.. And even if his production was subpar, he did show the drastic difference between him (the GOAT) and JG. His presence on the LOS was palpable. He decision making was markedly faster. And his ability to see and react to what's coming infinitely more accurate. JUST AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
4. Nothing is going to make JG any better except more snaps. Plus he did a number of very good things tonight. It was clear he was making a conscious effort to stay in the pocket and move within it. When he got into a rhythm he looked very smooth and decisive. When things didn't play out as he expected, not so much. He missed a couple of blitzes and those that he spotted he didn't get to his 2nd hot read fast enough (good D's will usually cover the first hot read)
The media will make a big deal of Jimmie's step back tonight, (as well as some nervous nellie fans here ), but I just see it as another set of experiences that he desperately needs to go through in order to get to be the guy who can help us win some games the first quarter of the season. Jimmy at his worse this preseason is infinitely better than Matt Cassell was in that 2008 preseason.
5. I do hope tonight will end forever those fans who last week were trying to figure out how much cap space the Pats would save and the draft picks they could get by trading Tom Brady after this season.
Of course that being said I can hardly wait to see the swag we will pick up for JG.
6. Thankfully there are 21 other positions out there to watch besides the QB's so at this point the rant is over.
7. Over all I though the OL took another step forward tonight, at least that is my impression. I thought, against a tough blitzing D, they gave JG enough time to throw, for the most part. I also thought they blocked for the run much better tonight.....and that was with Karras and Barker getting most of the important RG snaps. It's not where we'd like it to be, but I think we'll be OK as the season goes on.
8. I hope tonight will end the nervous nellies' cries for more RB's this season. Gaffney ran well and Blount looked good....again. Plus he caught the ball well. We had heard about him working on his pass catching this off season. It will definitely help JG and the offense if the defense see him as a passing threat. However the guy I'm most excited about was DJ Foster. I really liked what he did. I liked that he showed that rare burst of speed. Then he stole my heart with his 2 runs that actually made yardage. (Unlike some 3rd down backs I know).
I know issues still remain about his ability to pass block and his mastery of the offense, and we still don't know if he can stay on the field for any consistent length of time. So I think we are stuck with White for at least part of the season. But there is no question in my mind that if he can stay healthy, and find a role other than just a 3rd down back, DJ Foster will eventually take that job away from White.
9. Chris Hogan is another keeper.
10. The defense looked great despite the fact that there were a lot of surprising combinations out there with the ones, especially at DT and LB. Our starting DB's showed some VERY close coverage even when Carolina threw a rare completion. Our second string guys were almost as good, though the drop off was noticeable. I think that #35 will be gone before the end of the week, despite his great pick in the first game. My first five CB's at this point are Butler, Ryan, Jones, Coleman, and Roberts. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they keep 6 for the first four games.
11. Based on the stats, both #3 QBs should have been the starters. It only shows how really little these games mean when JG sucked and he STILL outplayed the league's MVP.
12. BTW- just to point out how good our D is, the Panther offense is all based off a read option look and the large number of plays that are run off that basic play. If you don't see that series often, or at least have a week to work on it intensely, it can be very effective. I doubt the Pats spent more than 2 days on it, and even then I doubt it was like it would have been for a regular season game, yet they still played both the pass very well and the run fairly well.
13. Well I'm sure there are some people here, plus the entire click baiting media that will be on fire with JG's performance. I guess we are going to have to just weather the storm.
14 When are they going to take Matt Chatham off the sideline and get him IN the booth. I love Furia's personality and enthusiasm, but he's just trying too hard and ends up talking too much and saying too little. Chatham consistently leaves you a wiser and more informed fan, WITHOUT resorting to any of the usual fluff. He gets in and gets out and the viewers are usually better off for the experience. It sickens me that guys like Volin and Tomasi get more air time than he does.
15. I was disappoint that Anthony Johnson didn't follow up in this game. I have visions of him becoming the player I was hoping Dominick Easley should have become if he had better health and his head on straight. Maybe he did better than I thought with the few snaps he got.
16. I'm not sure who the other LB's were early in the game (another Johnson IIRC), but he was better than Freeney in the run game, whoever he was. Freeney blew one run play with poor technique off the read option, and might have had another duck the head and miss the tackle play later, though I have to admit I didn't see the number of the LB who missed that play.
17. This defense will do some more blitzing this year I predict. We have the people who can do it well.
18. Not to make excuses, but early in the game penalties killed was a key reason why the offense was so erratic
19. Next week I'd like JG to take 3 series, and Brady get 2 series before they turn it over to Jacoby.
20. BTW- Brissett was VERY impressive, albeit against the dregs, but still it was a lot better than what we usually get from first year QB's in this system.
