Is Moss teaching Brady to hold the ball too long??????

[Ochmed Jones]

After looking back at Patriot games last season, I saw many instances where Brady held the ball trying to get it to Moss instead of using the relief valve for the shorter gain. Luckily most did not result in sack or injury, at least until the SB.

I am concerned that Brady holding the ball a little longer, is the Moss effect, and maybe he needs to dump it down more, especailly if Moss is covered high/low like in the Philly, Balt and Giant games.

 

[Deus Irae]

After looking back at Patriot games last season, I saw many instances where Brady held the ball trying to get it to Moss instead of using the relief valve for the shorter gain. Luckily most did not result in sack or injury, at least until the SB.

I am concerned that Brady holding the ball a little longer, is the Moss effect, and maybe he needs to dump it down more, especailly if Moss is covered high/low like in the Philly, Balt and Giant games.

Wes Welker, the team's "underneath" man, was tied for the league lead in receptions.

 

[Wildo7]

Hopefully Randy is here as long as Brady is and it's a non-issue.

 

[reflexblue]

After looking back at Patriot games last season, I saw many instances where Brady held the ball trying to get it to Moss instead of using the relief valve for the shorter gain. Luckily most did not result in sack or injury, at least until the SB.

I am concerned that Brady holding the ball a little longer, is the Moss effect, and maybe he needs to dump it down more, especailly if Moss is covered high/low like in the Philly, Balt and Giant games.

I remember the same thing,especially when they were closing in on the TD records. And I think thats what it had to do with.

 

[Rob0729]

Funny, I watched Brady break the single game completion record against Jacksonville in the division round and basically have a drive that took almost the entire fourth quarter of the AFC Championship game by using his quick release and the short passing game while Moss was a non-factor. I don't see any real signs that Brady is holding onto the ball too much.

There were signs at the end of the season I guess, but I chock that up to the passing record and Brady's desire to get Moss the TD record.

In the Super Bowl, if Brady had the ball for more than 2 seconds, he was holding on to the ball too long. Brady had no time at all due to monster pressure. It had little to do with him holding on to the ball too long. Besides, Welker wouldn't have tied the Super Bowl reception record if Brady was over relying on Moss.

I really don't know how when you have the most prolific offense of all time and a career MVP year for Brady that you can really question what Brady is doing. Also, remember that Welker did break the Patriots reception record. That means that Brady clearly didn't abandon the short passing game.

Besides, the Patriots rarely go into the season with the same offensive strategy from the previous season. One of the strengths of the Patriots offense is how they can going into the season with a lot of new wrinkles to the offense to keep opposing defenses off-kilter. I expect to see a more balanced running and passing attack and Brady and Moss not to going to beat their records this season. Brady will continue to look downfield for Moss, but I expect less of it this season.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Yes!! Brady got into a bad habit of waiting on one receiver in certain situations and hopefully he'll change that bad habit this season.
Yes he was pressured in the Super Bowl from beginning to end but there were too many plays where Brady was looking only for Moss.
The last drive of the SB comes to mind IMMEDIATELY.
Was shocked how TB looked long on every pass when he had time on the clock and open receivers underneath to move the ball and try to get into FG position. Hoepfully TB has earned from that.
Forget the stats, go with what your eyes tell you when you watch a team or player. Yes, there were too many times last season when Tom Brady held the ball way too long waiting for Randy Moss.

 

[Patjew]

This is close to last on the list of things I'm worried about for this upcoming season.

 

[RussFrancis]

I felt he held the ball too long and looked for Randy in one out of the 19 games we all watched last year. Unfortunately, it was the final game.

Fortunately, Brady's a smart guy, and he'll probably learn from that lesson.

 

[PatsFan37]

This is close to last on the list of things I'm worried about for this upcoming season.

Yup, I'd worry more about Kaczur not holding his blocks long enough than Brady holding the ball too long. The Jax game showed me that Brady never forgot his roots in the short game. They game-play and look for their opportunities. This is just as much McDaniels calling a play that has Moss as the first read, as it is Brady holding the ball too long.

 

[Patjew]

Yup, I'd worry more about Kaczur not holding his blocks long enough than Brady holding the ball too long. The Jax game showed me that Brady never forgot his roots in the short game. They game-play and look for their opportunities. This is just as much McDaniels calling a play that has Moss as the first read, as it is Brady holding the ball too long.

Yes, exactly. When they called shorter passes to Moss in the second-to-last drive of the SB, the O ate them up.

 

[ScottieC]

After looking back at Patriot games last season, I saw many instances where Brady held the ball trying to get it to Moss instead of using the relief valve for the shorter gain. Luckily most did not result in sack or injury, at least until the SB.

I am concerned that Brady holding the ball a little longer, is the Moss effect, and maybe he needs to dump it down more, especailly if Moss is covered high/low like in the Philly, Balt and Giant games.

50 Td's and 23 to Moss? Yea he can hold the ball as long as he wants with that kind of production.

Seriously, I hear ya - But I think that's all about Randy and Tom learning to play together and probably more Tom learning how to use Randy. I have a feeling that if our line holds up this year, Tom and Randy are going to have huge year.

Year Two of Randy/Tom can ONLY be better. Perhaps not in total TD's - But I think another record year in about to be birthed.

Also - Randy was hurt as well going into the Playoffs - No one is going to talk about it, but he got hurt in the Giants game.

 

[Patjew]

Also - Randy was hurt as well going into the Playoffs - No one is going to talk about it, but he got hurt in the Giants game.

Am I repressing that memory? I don't remember that. Talk about it!

 

[ScottieC]

Am I repressing that memory? I don't remember that. Talk about it!

The guys at PFW have said that a few times over the summer, and last week (I think - Perhaps week before) they talked about it more that Randy got hurt in that game - No talk of what the injury was or when it happened, Of course the obvious part is that he is not himself after catching TD no. 23 or really thru the Super Bowl.

 

[Patjew]

The guys at PFW have said that a few times over the summer, and last week (I think - Perhaps week before) they talked about it more that Randy got hurt in that game - No talk of what the injury was or when it happened, Of course the obvious part is that he is not himself after catching TD no. 23 or really thru the Super Bowl.

Oh right, during the regular season Giants game. Thanks, I get it now.

 

[ScottieC]

Oh right, during the regular season Giants game. Thanks, I get it now.

I'm not sure if it has really been discussed here, but after watching the Super Bowl again (oh god the pain), I think that the Giants knew that Randy was not Randy, I mean they ran single coverage on him almost the whole game and I never saw Randy use his ability to break off that coverage - Of course Tom was getting buried at the line so there were a lot fewer chances to get Randy the ball - But still I think it's evident in how the Giants played Randy that something was not right.

Single coverage on Randy Moss in the Super Bowl? Any other game and that's a defensive melt down of biblical proportions with Tom Brady at QB.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The guys at PFW have said that a few times over the summer, and last week (I think - Perhaps week before) they talked about it more that Randy got hurt in that game - No talk of what the injury was or when it happened, Of course the obvious part is that he is not himself after catching TD no. 23 or really thru the Super Bowl.

I think you are mistaking the kind of hurt they are talking about. I think his psyche got a little bruised, as well as his jaw if I recall, but the physical part of that was not at issue. Wasn't that the game where he went out for a series after getting whacked? That was one of the physically toughest matchups we faced all season and it turned out to be a bit of a playoff precursor (the so called blueprint - hit Moss and harass Brady and take your chances with whatever else they manage to do).

As for the question at hand, he did hold the ball longer at times last season but those usually resulted in huge plays or INC. That was a result of getting used to newer and better weapons and closing in on records. In the SB when he was getting flattened it had nothing to with him and everything to do with line play (ours and theirs). Guys were on him (and covering underneath) making it imposssible for him to hold on to the ball long enough to let anything downfield develop. The only thing he possibly could have done is hold the ball longer by rolling out, but given the ankle and the way that line was being manhandled it's not likely that would have proved any more successful. What they needed in that game beyond a better performance from the OL was a healthy Morris (and Neal) to enable them to feature the running game more. But that wasn't what they had to game plan with. They basically went with what got them there (even loaning Maroney to the return game to cover for Hobbs injury) because they didn't believe they could run it well enough to have an impact and they believed they could pass it well enough to.

 

[ScottieC]

I think you are mistaking the kind of hurt they are talking about. I think his psyche got a little bruised, as well as his jaw if I recall, but the physical part of that was not at issue. Wasn't that the game where he went out for a series after getting whacked? That was one of the physically toughest matchups we faced all season and it turned out to be a bit of a playoff precursor (the so called blueprint - hit Moss and harass Brady and take your chances with whatever else they manage to do).

As for the question at hand, he did hold the ball longer at times last season but those usually resulted in huge plays or INC. That was a result of getting used to newer and better weapons and closing in on records. In the SB when he was getting flattened it had nothing to with him and everything to do with line play (ours and theirs). Guys were on him (and covering underneath) making it imposssible for him to hold on to the ball long enough to let anything downfield develop. The only thing he possibly could have done is hold the ball longer by rolling out, but given the ankle and the way that line was being manhandled it's not likely that would have proved any more successful. What they needed in that game beyond a better performance from the OL was a healthy Morris (and Neal) to enable them to feature the running game more. But that wasn't what they had to game plan with. They basically went with what got them there (even loaning Maroney to the return game to cover for Hobbs injury) because they didn't believe they could run it well enough to have an impact and they believed they could pass it well enough to.

No, I did not take it as a mental thing and I don't think they sold it as a mental issue - Their comment was that he was not 100% Physically due to something that happened in the Week 17 game - Bascially he was playing injured. Of course you have to believe the PFW guys - and I do for the most part - Paul was the one that talked about this and I trust his info more than the others.

I know the play you are talking about, he came back and got TD 22 on one of the next plays he's in.....perhaps he hurt himself doing that dance.

 

[Xzibit23]

I'm not sure if it has really been discussed here, but after watching the Super Bowl again (oh god the pain), I think that the Giants knew that Randy was not Randy, I mean they ran single coverage on him almost the whole game and I never saw Randy use his ability to break off that coverage - Of course Tom was getting buried at the line so there were a lot fewer chances to get Randy the ball - But still I think it's evident in how the Giants played Randy that something was not right.

Single coverage on Randy Moss in the Super Bowl? Any other game and that's a defensive melt down of biblical proportions with Tom Brady at QB.

I dont know..i remember that game differently, I distinctly remember the Giants secondary routinely getting beat but Brady having no time to hit his receivers. I do agree that they used a lot of single converage on Moss, I just dont think it was that effective.

 

[makoute]

I'm not sure if it has really been discussed here, but after watching the Super Bowl again (oh god the pain), I think that the Giants knew that Randy was not Randy, I mean they ran single coverage on him almost the whole game and I never saw Randy use his ability to break off that coverage - Of course Tom was getting buried at the line so there were a lot fewer chances to get Randy the ball - But still I think it's evident in how the Giants played Randy that something was not right.

Single coverage on Randy Moss in the Super Bowl? Any other game and that's a defensive melt down of biblical proportions with Tom Brady at QB.

I don't know about that, from what I remember from that nightmare, Moss was routinely burning the Giants secondary down field, even the last 2 bombs he was ahead of the defenders, the ball just didn't get there. Brady just didn't have enough time to throw the ball. The Giants D Line dominated that game.

 

[IcyPatriot]

For all the years I have been watching football if you don't run the off-tackles and if you don't throw long then all the stuff in the middle becomes much harder. Some here forget why we had to dink and dunk so much. The other teams knew we couldn't go deep and they knew we couldn't run for 150+ yards every game.

If we still had to win that way it would be much harder now that defenses have learned to adjust. So get used to brady holding it here and there ... it's what makes us the #1 offense in the NFL.