Do the Pats have another "gear?"

[Gene In Montana]

Hey y'all! This has been running through my mind for some time now. Do you think the Pats (team & players) have another "gear" they might shift into in the playoffs? Now I know playoff football is more intense than the regular season. But I just have this funny feeling that Moss has another gear we haven't seen. Welker too. Plus Rodney hasn't played in a playoff game in a few years. For Seau I think it's been 12 years.

Also, do you think Belichick et. al. have been playing "vanilla" with some teams over the course of the regular season thinking the Pats might run into them in the playoffs? Also, maybe the Pats played a little vanilla down the final stretch of the regular season to "hide" things.

Thoughts? Comments (other than "This is a stupid topic," "All these points are quite obvious, moron," etc.)?

Just another note... I watched "Path To Perfection" (by NFL Films) on the NFL Network last night. What a GREAT production!!! I'm stoked!!!! :woohoo:

 

[D-cleater]

They do Gene, but its not in the receiving corps. The fifth gear is the running game, and I think you are going to see it tonight.

The Jags are going to open in a nickel defense and we are going to run it down their throats to open the passing game. My prediction is for Maroney to get 35-40 yards in the first quarter, and then just a handfull of touches, perhaps one for a big gainer, in the 2nd and 3rd quarters as we put up a couple of hundred yards passing and a three more touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, we go to running back by committee to completely demoralize the Jags, strike fear into our next opponents, and keep Maroney fresh for Indy/SD .

You heard it here, folks, right in Gene from Montana's game day thread about the extra gear. Enjoy seeing Maroney pound it up the middle *AND* bounce it to the outside for 5.6 YPC.

 

[ShrewBeer]

Hey y'all! This has been running through my mind for some time now. Do you think the Pats (team & players) have another "gear" they might shift into in the playoffs? Now I know playoff football is more intense than the regular season. But I just have this funny feeling that Moss has another gear we haven't seen. Welker too. Plus Rodney hasn't played in a playoff game in a few years. For Seau I think it's been 12 years.

Also, do you think Belichick et. al. have been playing "vanilla" with some teams over the course of the regular season thinking the Pats might run into them in the playoffs? Also, maybe the Pats played a little vanilla down the final stretch of the regular season to "hide" things.

i dont think welker has another gear. that little shrimp has dominated the entire nfl this year. moss, seau, and harrison however, i def think have another gear that will kill people. moss and seau are here for the sole purpose of winning in the playoffs. they arent interested in us fans, money, women, or anything else. i believe they both will blow our minds this offseason.

i know bill has been playing vanilla with the last few games.the offensive playbook has been half the size. i get the feeling that the team has been preparing for the playoffs for quite a few weeks. by this i mean they have been practicing plays that wouldnt be used in the game. in the playoffs in the past, you see bill mix up the defense and shock people, whereas i think this year you will see bill mix up the offense and shock people.

 

[chrisfx811]

I hope the o-line has another gear in terms of run blocking... really holding their blocks until Maroney gets to the 2nd level. (which takes time if he starts practicing for Dancing with the Stars)

I also hope the 'd' has another gear in terms of sound tackling up front, and pressure in the backfield.

I'm hoping for AD to have a big game, and Harrison to get a pick or 2.

 

[Fencer]

I think it's mainly on defense. The defense has had a lot of game in which it played pretty mediocrely for several quarters, then went into total shutdown mode for about the last three possessions of the fourth. This was particularly the case in the comeback games, so it is not a matter of getting a lead, making the opponents have to be one-dimensionally pass-happy, etc.

Rather, I think it is that the defense can be confusing and brilliant for a few possessions per game, but not for a whole game. Opponents have been studying the Patriots' methods for YEARS now, and also have ever more copycat schemes to combat. They commonly can adjust well enough to neutralize the Pats scheme advantages for PART of a game, but thankfully not for a whole one.

 

[PonyExpress]

Hey y'all! This has been running through my mind for some time now. Do you think the Pats (team & players) have another "gear" they might shift into in the playoffs? Now I know playoff football is more intense than the regular season. But I just have this funny feeling that Moss has another gear we haven't seen. Welker too. Plus Rodney hasn't played in a playoff game in a few years. For Seau I think it's been 12 years.

Also, do you think Belichick et. al. have been playing "vanilla" with some teams over the course of the regular season thinking the Pats might run into them in the playoffs? Also, maybe the Pats played a little vanilla down the final stretch of the regular season to "hide" things.

Thoughts? Comments (other than "This is a stupid topic," "All these points are quite obvious, moron," etc.)?

Just another note... I watched "Path To Perfection" (by NFL Films) on the NFL Network last night. What a GREAT production!!! I'm stoked!!!! :woohoo:

I absolutely believe the Pats have another gear, and that we'll see it tonight. I also believe the Pats were playing possum on several occasions, such as the 2nd half of the Miami game, and that their intensity wavered from game to game after locking up homefield advantage. Tonight we'll see their A effort, and it will be an awesome sight.

 

[Mainefan]

Yes they do, and the simplest way to describe it is to say it's the gear right above the top gear of any other team.

People may say that Jacksonville can win this game, and they may be right. But no one will say that the Patriot's can't win this game or any other. The question is always, "can they be beat?" not "can they win?" It's a subtle but significant difference.

 

[Michael]

 

[RayClay]

Concentration and preparation will put them a cut above.

Lack of indecision may make it appear individuals have another gear, but it's just the effect that knowing where and when to do something adds to innate athletic ability.

 

[PatsFann]

yes they do and you will see it tonight, it's called "passing gear".

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Concentration and preparation will put them a cut above.

Lack of indecision may make it appear individuals have another gear, but it's just the effect that knowing where and when to do something adds to innate athletic ability.

I remember reading a blurb about Chad Brown, right after he joined the team the first time around, and he marveled (literally) at the fact that the Patriots were the first team he'd ever seen at any level where the coaching staff had answers to every question.

He said when he played elsewhere, sometimes hypothetical situations would be brought up by someone, usually an exotic, unusual play, and if the coaching staff didn't have a plausible answer to it, they'd say, "well, we just have to hope they don't run that".

It was never like that with the Patriots, he said. He felt that that, and the superb conditioning that was required of the players, were in his estimation why the Pats were so successful.

 

[Gene In Montana]

Well... So much for the "extra gear" tonight. Kind of an ugly win, but I'll take it. Hopefully Moss and the defense will kick it into a higher gear next week.

 

[Truck]

I don't know if its coaching in game adjustments, endurance, or players taking it to a new level; its probably all-of-the-above; but when its close at halftime, they've been incredible at pulling away; and also at being relentless when losing in the 4th

 

[snafu]

They do Gene, but its not in the receiving corps. The fifth gear is the running game, and I think you are going to see it tonight.

The Jags are going to open in a nickel defense and we are going to run it down their throats to open the passing game. My prediction is for Maroney to get 35-40 yards in the first quarter, and then just a handfull of touches, perhaps one for a big gainer, in the 2nd and 3rd quarters as we put up a couple of hundred yards passing and a three more touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, we go to running back by committee to completely demoralize the Jags, strike fear into our next opponents, and keep Maroney fresh for Indy/SD .

You heard it here, folks, right in Gene from Montana's game day thread about the extra gear. Enjoy seeing Maroney pound it up the middle *AND* bounce it to the outside for 5.6 YPC.

Dude you called it

Except he got 5.55 per carry. How disappointing?:bricks:

On the other hand he probably exceeded you expectations if you factor in 2 receptions for 42 yards or take away the last few carries as they were design to try and run out the clock..

 

[D-cleater]

Originally Posted by D-cleater
They do Gene, but its not in the receiving corps. The fifth gear is the running game, and I think you are going to see it tonight.

The Jags are going to open in a nickel defense and we are going to run it down their throats to open the passing game. My prediction is for Maroney to get 35-40 yards in the first quarter, and then just a handfull of touches, perhaps one for a big gainer, in the 2nd and 3rd quarters as we put up a couple of hundred yards passing and a three more touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, we go to running back by committee to completely demoralize the Jags, strike fear into our next opponents, and keep Maroney fresh for Indy/SD .

You heard it here, folks, right in Gene from Montana's game day thread about the extra gear. Enjoy seeing Maroney pound it up the middle *AND* bounce it to the outside for 5.6 YPC.

Dude you called it

Except he got 5.55 per carry. How disappointing?:bricks:

On the other hand he probably exceeded you expectations if you factor in 2 receptions for 42 yards or take away the last few carries as they were design to try and run out the clock..

HAHAHAHAH - Thanks bro! I hadn't been able to log on much last week so I wasn't sure if this was a re-occuring theme in people's predictions..... but I just knew this was Maroney's game to break out. Yes, my return to this thread is completely self serving and I'm enjoying the heck out of it.

But Maroney reminds me so much of of A. Smith from '01 , '03 ( with a lot more talent and speed obviously), where people knocked him during the season only for him to come up big in the playoffs.

Like Brady said in postgame... he took his knocks during the season, and was in the doghouse... I personally believe he was frustrated and had a tough time taking the coaching... but now that he has, and found his way....I think he's going to continue to play a bigger role this year and next.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

i sure hope we have another gear on defense saved up for indy. cant have another performance like that from the secondary

 

[Run it up baby!]

Well... So much for the "extra gear" tonight. Kind of an ugly win, but I'll take it. Hopefully Moss and the defense will kick it into a higher gear next week.

What? Ugly win? Apparently I was watching a different game.

Here's what I saw:

Brady was amazing, setting yet more records. 92% completion percentage, 262 yards, 3 TDs, 141 rating.

Maroney was stellar, rushing for 122 yards in 22 tries, 5.5 YPC. He also had 40 yards receiving for a total of 162 all purpose yards.

And the defense? The POOR defense???? The defense gave up 20 points to a Jaguar team that averaged 32 PPG over the last 8 games. They held MJD and Taylor, one of the most feared rushing duo's in the game, to a measly 66 yards, while also holding a good rushing QB to only 14 yards.

0 turnovers.

Only 1 sack allowed.


So let me ask you, what more did you expect? a 56-0 shutout victory with Brady connecting for 6 TDs and 500 passing yards, while the D holds the Jags to 50 yards of total offense?

Get real!

 

[FrontSeven]

The extra gear kicks in whenever they are in a tight game. This is the one thing that must intimidate the other guys - it's nearly impossible to beat them when that happens.

We saw it in the second half last night, the second half against the Giants, the second half against the Ravens, the second half against the Eagles, the second half against the Steelers.

 

[Gene In Montana]

What? Ugly win? Apparently I was watching a different game...


Get real!

Dude, it's a free country. I am entitled to my opinion as are you.

While the offense was stellar, I wasn't happy with the defense at all. I've seen/read some post game interviews with BB, TB, et. al. They even mentioned that the defense was spotty (for lack of a better word). So are you trying to tell me that you know more than they do? Hmmm... Maybe we have the wrong coach and players. Maybe I shouldn't agree with them. I tell ya what, I'm gonna write a letter to Bobby Kraft and tell him to hire you since you know more than the players and coaching staff do.

You rock, man!!! That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!!!

 

[Run it up baby!]

Dude, it's a free country. I am entitled to my opinion as are you.

While the offense was stellar, I wasn't happy with the defense at all. I've seen/read some post game interviews with BB, TB, et. al. They even mentioned that the defense was spotty (for lack of a better word). So are you trying to tell me that you know more than they do? Hmmm... Maybe we have the wrong coach and players. Maybe I shouldn't agree with them. I tell ya what, I'm gonna write a letter to Bobby Kraft and tell him to hire you since you know more than the players and coaching staff do.

You rock, man!!! That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!!!

I never claimed to know more than they did, I just can't be upset about giving up 20 points to a team that averaged 32 over the last 8 games, and also stopping the 2-headed monster in MJD/Taylor. Sure the secondary was spotty at times, but you can't really expect to contain a great running game and a passing game for a full 60 minutes.

Oh well, as you said, you're entitled to your opinion as am I.