Wake Up Folks, Our Offense Lost It, Not Defense

[newton_tom_cat]

everyone wants to blame our defense, especially because they gave up a TD on the giants last possession. they like to pick on them because they're old. and yes i have doubts about harrison and bruschi, but for the most part the defense as a whole played well enough to win. they held the giants to 17 points, their lowest point total in 4 post season games.

our offense let us down by only scoring 14 and keeping the defense on the field too much. prior to our 2nd TD with less than 3 mins to go, we had only scored once, and that was a TD on our opening drive.

i think 4 reasons explain the offensive letdown:

- lack of running game
- teams game planning against moss
- brady losing some sharpness in the post season
- uncharacteristically bad oline play

of these i think lack of running game was the biggest problem. if we had a running game we could sustain longer drives, take pressure off brady and open up more deep plays for moss. the bad oline play i'm guessing was a combination of injured LG, giants strong front 7 and lack of a running game and RBs that can help in pass protection.

w/o calling out names, all i can say is we need to upgrade our RB situation and fast. this isn't getting it done and we'll have a much tougher go of it next season now that teams have figured out how to game plan for us.

 

[BradyisGod]

Wake up original poster...it was the combination of the two. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[VOODOOZF]

Bottom line:

Two years in a row the Patriots lost their final game of the year because their defense could not stop the opposing teams offense from driving the length of the field in the final minutes of the game.

Defense is the clear need in the draft.

I also think the Patriots offense might be a little to flashy and depend on the pass too often for it's own good.

 

[ALP]

everyone wants to blame our defense, especially because they gave up a TD on the giants last possession. they like to pick on them because they're old. and yes i have doubts about harrison and bruschi, but for the most part the defense as a whole played well enough to win. they held the giants to 17 points, their lowest point total in 4 post season games.

our offense let us down by only scoring 14 and keeping the defense on the field too much. prior to our 2nd TD with less than 3 mins to go, we had only scored once, and that was a TD on our opening drive.

i think 4 reasons explain the offensive letdown:

- lack of running game
- teams game planning against moss
- brady losing some sharpness in the post season
- uncharacteristically bad oline play

of these i think lack of running game was the biggest problem. if we had a running game we could sustain longer drives, take pressure off brady and open up more deep plays for moss. the bad oline play i'm guessing was a combination of injured LG, giants strong front 7 and lack of a running game and RBs that can help in pass protection.

w/o calling out names, all i can say is we need to upgrade our RB situation and fast. this isn't getting it done and we'll have a much tougher go of it next season now that teams have figured out how to game plan for us.

i agree with you, it was the Offense...

BUT....after that ur pretty much wrong...
we have lasted without a runinggame on multiple occasions...it was not the problem...what u call "uncharacteristic o-line play" was the problem, and one i would more precicely call "and our O-line playing like they were in high school, facing an all-pro D-line"

our problems were wiht the O-line, and with the O-line alone...

the recievers were open, but brady did not have the time, and just because brady was off, it was on only 4 or 5 passes....the loss goes agasint the O-line...plain and simple

 

[newton_tom_cat]

I also think the Patriots offense might be a little to flashy and depend on the pass too often for it's own good.

It's also called "lack of a consistent running game"

 

[BradyFTW!]

I agree with the general idea behind the thread, sure. That said, the defense definitely needs an overhaul this offseason regardless.

 

[dhamz]

The defense gave up 14 points in the 4th quarter of the biggest game of the year blowing the lead twice.

The offense only scored 14 points in the biggest game of the year.

Wake up folks, losing was a total team effort.

 

[Snake]

The defense is made up in good part of aging athletes. The stress those guys were under this entire season, and the level they were required to play to win 18 consecutive games had to take its toll on their ability to play at the same level and intensity they played during the first half of the season.

The defense needs some youth...especially at linebacker.

 

[BradyisGod]

I think we also need to remember the BEGINNING of the game. If I recall, the Pats didn't even get the ball until 4 minutes and change in the first quarter. That's a long friggin drive.

 

[JoePats]

They are both to blame.

The offense scored only 14 points...
But the offense was clutch.

The defense only allowed 17...
But was anything but clutch.

Had the defense played better in the 4th quarter, we win.
Had the offense played better in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, we win.

There is plenty of blame to go around.

IMO it's not fair only look at the 4th quarter when evaluating the defense, and as bad as the O was, give them credit for getting what could have been the GW TD.

Neither unit was good enough. That's the point.

 

[IcyPatriot]

everyone wants to blame our defense, especially because they gave up a TD on the giants last possession.

NOT EVERYONE​

ENOUGH OF THE FRIGGING' BLAME
GAME THREADS FROM THE HONOR SOCIETY.​

 

[newton_tom_cat]

They are both to blame.

The offense scored only 14 points...
But the offense was clutch.

The defense only allowed 17...
But was anything but clutch.

Had the defense played better in the 4th quarter, we win.
Had the offense played better in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, we win.

There is plenty of blame to go around.

IMO it's not fair only look at the 4th quarter when evaluating the defense, and as bad as the O was, give them credit for getting what could have been the GW TD.

Neither unit was good enough. That's the point.

You ultimately judge a unit by it's total production during a game, not what it did at this and that time etc. 7 points is 7 points no matter when it's scored. It all counts the same.

Fact of the matter is the OFFENSE HAD ITS WORST PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON by a full 6 points (2nd worst being 20 points in 2nd game against Jets.) Had they just matched the game against Jets we would have won by 3.

That our defense held the opposing team to just 17 when our offense only scored on its 1st possession and last full possession is in itself a credit to them.

 

[BradyManny]

Fact of the matter is the OFFENSE HAD ITS WORST PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON by a full 6 points (2nd worst being 20 points in 2nd game against Jets.) Had they just matched the game against Jets we would have won by 3.

That our defense held the opposing team to just 17 when our offense only scored on its 1st possession and last full possession is in itself a credit to them.

But the offense scored when it mattered and the defense couldn't stop them when it counted. That's what it boils down to. If you hand your defense a 4 point lead with 2:30 to go, you should feel comfortable that they are going to stop the other team. Our defense's lone weakness throughout the year was in clear passing situations, and it reared it's ugly head in the most inopportune time.

Every game is different, and is its own beats. So while the OL might have been a sieve, and Brady might not have been 100% sharp, as far as I'm concerned, they did their job. The defense just came up a little short, and I expect BB and Pioli to turn their attention to the defense, particularly against the pass, in the offseason.

 

[DarrylStingley]

The offense sucked, no doubt.

But Belichick preaches situational football.

And at the end of that game, when it really conted, the offense did not deliver and the defense did.

If the defense DID THEIR FREAKING jobs at the end of that game, the Pats would be champs. Asante, Merriwether, Seymour and Harrison were all in position to make game ending plays, and the whole defense could have stopped an 83 yard drive by a midling offense.

As a result of the defense's failure after the offense scored, the Pats lost. Thus, the premise of this thread, while understandable, is wrong.

 

[Xzibit23]

It shouldn't be about whether the offense or defense were to blame, its about who should have MORE blame. Obviously, both units failed at critical junctures of the game, but the offense played subpar throughout the game whereas the defense failed primarily in the 4th quarter. So, naturally, the offense should have more blame for why the team lost the SB. Ultimately, when you hold a team to 17 points and your offense is supposedly the best in nfl history, you should win.

 

[SavioKid]

They are both to blame.

The offense scored only 14 points...
But the offense was clutch.

The defense only allowed 17...
But was anything but clutch.

Had the defense played better in the 4th quarter, we win.
Had the offense played better in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, we win.

There is plenty of blame to go around.

IMO it's not fair only look at the 4th quarter when evaluating the defense, and as bad as the O was, give them credit for getting what could have been the GW TD.

Neither unit was good enough. That's the point.

The point I think being really made is going into the game, how worried was everyone about our Defense not the offense and who performed more unexpectedly. We all knew we had aging LBs / mediocre DBs and never thought (most likely thought) we can hold them below 20 .... but we never thought the offense would be held to just 14 points either! The offense had 5 tries (possesions) from the 2nd to 4th quaters to expand on a 7-3 lead which would of changed the 'dynamics' of the game immensly (the defense was playing well beyond expectations at that point).

It's not a question of the obvious changes / improvements needed in the offseason (clearly it's the defense since it is not a defense made for an entire NFL season next year) but who really played below expectations in the game = clearly it was the offense with the worst OL play / lack of consistent running game / Brady not his usual accurate self ...etc..this is the big letdown overall.

 

[richpats]

I can think of 4 playoff games the last 3 years where we completely abandoned the run:

at Denver
at San Diego
at Indianapolis
vs NY Giants

3 losses and a miraculous win - does that tell us anything?

 

[patsfaninpa]

The Philly game was the odd one for me this year. We were 10-0. Had a lock on top seed. Nothing to prove to anyone. We came out winging the ball. Something like 28 passes in 30 plays. A scramble by Brady and a short run near the goal-line. I feel we have the personnel to run the ball. But, it was so easy to throw on most teams. We were seduced by the pass. Maroney showed in the Jacksonville and SD games that he can run on big, tough defensive fronts. We just have to be committed to do it. Don't forget S.Morris will be coming back. Maroney does seem to run better behind a lead-blocker. Which limits the passing game some. But, it opens up play-action. Offensive personnel is A+. Just needs some tweaking not an overhaul.

 

[richpats]

The Philly game was the odd one for me this year. We were 10-0. Had a lock on top seed. Nothing to prove to anyone. We came out winging the ball. Something like 28 passes in 30 plays. A scramble by Brady and a short run near the goal-line. I feel we have the personnel to run the ball. But, it was so easy to throw on most teams. We were seduced by the pass. Maroney showed in the Jacksonville and SD games that he can run on big, tough defensive fronts. We just have to be committed to do it. Don't forget S.Morris will be coming back. Maroney does seem to run better behind a lead-blocker. Which limits the passing game some. But, it opens up play-action. Offensive personnel is A+. Just needs some tweaking not an overhaul.

The Giants showed that commitment to the running game DOES pay dividends, even if it's mediocre. I think our passing prowess does make us impatient with the run, it's like "why run when we have Wes Welker?!"

 

[newton_tom_cat]

The Giants showed that commitment to the running game DOES pay dividends, even if it's mediocre. I think our passing prowess does make us impatient with the run, it's like "why run when we have Wes Welker?!"

they also have power backs that can run in traffic. maroney only gets yards when there are massive holes and he can get thru the line untouched. faulk is a receiver. morris was the best of the 3. and we all know how well dillon kept our drives alive when he was in his prime.