9:13

[PatsFaninAZ]

The whole drive, I was pacing up and down doing the math in my head.

"Ok, second down, clock running, 40 seconds, plus 40 seconds, plus 15 seconds to pun, most Chargers would have is 6:20."

"Ok, he went out bounds, but clock has more than 5:00, so figure 25 seconds, plus 40, plus 40, plus 15 to punt, makes it 4:15."

"Ok, first down if he stays in bounds means 40, plus 40, plus 40, 2 minutes warning, minus 40 on the other side means Chargers get no more than 1:10 or so."

Etc.

The key to those drives is actually not just getting first downs, but getting them on third down. That's where you really chew up time.

Patriots actually got a bit unlucky with the 2:00 warning too, but it didn't matter.

Anyway, the point that I was paying attention to was the point at which no matter what happened all we'd need to win was recover an onside kick. That came around 3:50 by my amature calculation. (Barring a turnover and pick 6 or something.)

 

[thebooradley]

Anybody remember the Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions in 2002, when they wore the throwback uniforms.

The Patriots got the ball with 9:46 remaining in the 4th qtr, and in 22 plays they drove down to the 2 yard line where they finally knelt down to end the game.

Last night was not even a team record.

 

[shazam]

Anyone notice the clock kept running on a couple plays the Pats went out of bounds?

Not sure if they ruled forward progress or what but it happened twice on the final drive.

 

[Ring 6]

SD offense only had the ball for 3, that's 3 series in the 2nd half..........:rocker: :singing:

They must have won then, since everyone was trying to convicne us the blueprint is to give the Patriots fewer possesions.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Anyone notice the clock kept running on a couple plays the Pats went out of bounds?

Not sure if they ruled forward progress or what but it happened twice on the final drive.

Unless it's the last 5:00, the clock is started right back up after out of bounds in pro. It stops momentarily for the ball to be placed and then it's wound again. I watched this very closely and it was right the whole way.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

SD offense only had the ball for 3, that's 3 series in the 2nd half..........:rocker: :singing:

Same with the Jags.

I've said it all year -- our best "defense" has been our offense.

 

[eom]

The whole drive, I was pacing up and down doing the math in my head.

"Ok, second down, clock running, 40 seconds, plus 40 seconds, plus 15 seconds to pun, most Chargers would have is 6:20."

"Ok, he went out bounds, but clock has more than 5:00, so figure 25 seconds, plus 40, plus 40, plus 15 to punt, makes it 4:15."

"Ok, first down if he stays in bounds means 40, plus 40, plus 40, 2 minutes warning, minus 40 on the other side means Chargers get no more than 1:10 or so."

Etc.

I was mostly

 

[dhamz]

In all fairness - if I was down by 5 points with 9:38 to go in the 4th Quarter I'd never think for a moment that it my team would never see the ball again.

I'd have to have some faith that my defense would step up - possibly benefitting from having the Pats start deep in their own territory.

That being said, agressive play should have been Turner's game plan - and punting at the 36 yard line is not agressive.

In all fairness, I agree.

In all fairness, I also have no idea what that has to do with anything since SD was down 9, not 5 and needed 2 scores to win.

Down 9 in that spot against a team like NE on the road, you go for it. The move which was shaky at best looked even worse when their punter couldn't get the job done and launched a pathetic 23 yard punt.

 

[PaulThePat]

Anybody remember the Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions in 2002, when they wore the throwback uniforms.

The Patriots got the ball with 9:46 remaining in the 4th qtr, and in 22 plays they drove down to the 2 yard line where they finally knelt down to end the game.

Last night was not even a team record.

Hmmm...thanks for the info

 

[Frezo]

Let's put it this way...if Brady doesn't throw a pick in the Endzone and the Pats kick the field goal at the end.........because piling on points is what they do..........the score would have been 31 - 12.

Doesn't sound that close does it?

BB is lulling opponents into a false sense of security.......think 49ers v. Chargers...........this thing will be ugly for the Giants. (remember...the Giants only saw the 1st page of the playbook in week 17...the Pats ran NO misdirection or trick plays in that comeback. The Giants will get pages 2-299 SuperBowl Sunday).

Weren't the Pats also without K. Brady and Neal for that game?

 

[CTPatsFan]

Incredible last drive by the Patriots. Has to be one of the best drives of the year and we didn't even get any points on it. Great work by Laurence and Kevin with some clutch plays.

:rocker:

Indeed it was. Greedily, I was hoping they'd get into some longer 3rd down situations with the hope that they might go airborne a little, eat up chunks of yardage and put up another TD. Blowing over 9 minutes on the clock was a nice consolation.

 

[shmessy]

The Pats took control at the 9:13 mark of the game.

And just for fun here's Mark 9:13:


13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."

I just Googled to fact check on that one.

You are right! Good stuff, Funktopus!!!

 

[eom]

I just Googled to fact check on that one.

You are right! Good stuff, Funktopus!!!

I'm turning religious.........that's just creepy.

speaking of long drives, if I remember right, I think oakland, believe it or not, had some 12 min 20 play drive this year.

 

[alamo]

Down 9 in that spot against a team like NE on the road, you go for it. The move which was shaky at best looked even worse when their punter couldn't get the job done and launched a pathetic 23 yard punt.

For that situation, punting isn't a bad move. You're heading into the wind and a FG is not an option. You have 4th and 10, and the odds of a 1st down are pretty low. They had just whiffed on three short passes in a row. And if they fail the Pats get the ball in excellent field position.

That doesn't mean the coaching is off the hook, though. The real problem is that they were in a 4th and 10 situation in the first place. At the start of that series they should be thinking "this is 4 down territory". Why three passes? They needed to mix in a run or two on that series. If it's 4th and 5 I think they go for it, because the Pats can't play for the pass exclusively. But once they had screwed up the first three downs punting was the best option. If the punt had pinned the Pats inside the 5 we'd not be talking about this.