Wonderful analysis from Steve Grogan

[neuronet]

Grogan is a wonderful analyst: why isn't he working for the four-letter network?
http://www.patsfans.com/grogan/grogan_06.php?story_id=3224

Money quotes:
I would have like to have seen the Patriots spread it out and go to that five-wide receiver formation and use that quick passing game that had been so successful for them all year. Maybe they even should have gone no-huddle and let Tom Brady just try and pick them apart. The other thing they could have done is go to two tight ends and let them help block before they got out into their pass routes, but they just didn't seem to try and help the offensive line when you could tell they were struggling.


RRM: Bill Belichick's decision to pass up a field goal attempt and go for it on fourth-and-13 from the Giants 32-yardline in the 1st quarter in retrospect looms large. Those three points could have forced overtime, so did you understand that decision?

SG: That was a strange call, it really was. You have your field kicker in perfect conditions in a domed stadium and apparently Stephen Gostkowski was hitting them from that distance in pregame warm ups. If you miss the kick you end up giving the Giants pretty good field position, but if you don't convert the fourth down you are going to give them pretty good field position regardless so I'm not sure what Belichick was thinking there.

That was far from the only thing I didn't understand. I thought it was strange the way the Patriots handled the last 30 seconds. Just heaving the ball as far as you could down the field three times with three time outs and only needing a field goal surprised me. I thought they would try and get some 15 yard plays, call time out, do it again, call timeout, and try and get themselves into position to possibly tie the game. The sack disrupted things but they still had time, and heaving it down there like they did didn't make sense to me.

RRM: After the Randy Moss touchdown that put the Patriots ahead 14-10 with 2:34 left to play Patriots' Nation had a collective sigh of relief. Unfortunately we all know what happened next, but aren't championship defenses not supposed to allow 83-yard game-winning touchdown drives late in a title game?

SG: The Patriots' defense did everything they needed to do except make plays, and they had chances to make plays. Asante Samuel missed a potential game-winning interception and nine times out of 10 Rodney Harrison knocks that ball out of David Tyree's hands. On that same play they had Manning trapped in the pocket by his jersey with four guys around him and they let him come out of there and make a big play. They were in position to win the game and they just couldn't put it away, which is highly unusual for a Bill Belichick coached team.

RRM: For the superstitious types out there you had to have a bad feeling when Bill Belichick came out wearing a red sweatshirt as opposed to the gray one he usually dons?

SG: I think everyone in New England had the same feeling. I really don't know what that was all about.

 

[DocE]

I agreed with much of what Grogan said as well. Going in to the game, I expected a return to the 5 wide, no huddle offense and a bunch of quick scores. I expected this strategy for a number of reasons.

No.1: Giants secondary is the weak spot of their defense and having 5 receivers out on the field forces them to put even more DB's on the field.

No. 2: The combination of spreading the field out and using the no huddle would limit where the pass rush could come from. It would be tough for the Giants to bring more than 5 guys if the Pats had them spread out with 5 wide or to call an exotic blitz while the Pats hurried to the line to run another play.

No. 3: We were in a DOME! The conditions were perfect to go back to our "warm weather" offense.

I will never understand why the Pats didn't go to this strategy in this game. Were they simply tight? Did they believe a more conservative strategy was the better approach not merely a "safer" one?

The decision not to kick the field goal baffled me as well, but the play call on that 4th down was equally curious. A double covered Jabar Gaffney on a go route was the best option on the field?

How about the call to blitz on the Burress TD? The only way I can understand this call is if the Patriots thought it was a "Do or Die" play. Meaning, if they get to Manning and sack him (with no timeouts remaining for the Giants) that they were back in prime position to win the game AND if they don't get there...atleast they would have some time to come back and answer on offense. Even if that was their line of thinking, wouldn't leaving Ellis Hobbs all alone on Burress be a major red flag? It would be one thing if Burress was on the short side of the field (thus limiting his route options), but Hobbs was forced to defend a full half (or more) of the field with no help. The ONLY way that play isn't a TD is if Manning makes a terrible throw. That throw is always going to get off before the pass rush gets there and a 6'5 receiver is always going to provide a huge target against a 5'9 corner who is an average player at his position.

Finally, the Pats last possession. I thought there was time to complete a couple short passes and put some pressure on the Giants. At worst, we should have been able to move the ball far enough to attempt a hail mary to the endzone. The Pats line was the HUGE GOAT of the game, and that final sack by scrub Jay Alford was inexcusable. If that sack doesn't happen, what do you think happens on that 3rd down? If Brady would have been able to put 5 more yards on that pass to Moss it would have been a TD. He would have had 5 more yards to give it IF the Pats line didn't allow that final sack.
I still would have much preferred some shorter passes on that last drive. With close to 30 seconds and 3 timeouts, we could have used the whole field and had a shot at a game tying FG.

 

[Rocky]

Grogan is a wonderful analyst: why isn't he working for the four-letter network?
http://www.patsfans.com/grogan/grogan_06.php?story_id=3224

I would have like to have seen the Patriots spread it out and go to that five-wide receiver formation and use that quick passing game that had been so successful for them all year. Maybe they even should have gone no-huddle and let Tom Brady just try and pick them apart.

SG: I think everyone in New England had the same feeling. I really don't know what that was all about.

I still can't believe they didn't go with the 5 wide and pick that secondary apart. Get those pass rushers tired. Hurry up.

The red sweatshirt was bizarre. Was that Belichick's attempt at trying to 'look nice' for the big game?

Grogan almost seems a bit pissed in that article. I don't blame him. Did anyone see Tom Curran on Comcast? He seemed very annoyed about this game and almost seemed to snap at Felger a few times.

 

[Mack Herron]

BB's worst coached game of his career. Most unfortunate.

 

[marty]

I guess that confirms a bit what I was saying most of the game when the O couldn't get in sync...."why aren't they going no huddle"????

 

[SavioKid]

Grogan is dead on huh: especially mixing up on Offense - no huddle / spread formation / or double TE max protection....as much as the D didn't come up with the game ending play (INT / sack ..) it was the ineffectiveness of MOST of the game from the offense that I point fingers at....

But I got to stop being a sore loser...Gmen outplayed us / especially on Defense.

 

[neuronet]

But I got to stop being a sore loser...Gmen outplayed us / especially on Defense.

They schooled us true, but it is helpful to analyze what we did wrong so we can never do it again.

"WE" meaning people on this message board, which obviously BB uses for all his coaching decisions.

 

[Boston Tim]

BB was spending his time with the Defense during the game. The Offense was entirely in McDaniel's hands and he BLEW the game entirely. A very poor game plan to start and no adjustments made at the half. He just stinks.

 

[SavioKid]

BB was spending his time with the Defense during the game. The Offense was entirely in McDaniel's hands and he BLEW the game entirely. A very poor game plan to start and no adjustments made at the half. He just stinks.

I was wondering why the Offense didn't adjust...That's still hard to believe that Coach B didn't devote ANY time to the offense in the 2nd half.....This is the weirdest game in Coach B / Brady playoff history that they got outcoached in the 2nd half (BIG credit to Gmen's D-coordinator Spanuolo. He is probably the best D-coord out there) & out played (why didn't Brqady audible the OL protection better? ) ... this is unreal. Even Grogan said where was the max TE (double) protection! Maybe u got something Boston_Tim

Yeah, why doesn't Coach B listen to this board for advice!