Question about the Pats defending the Bills Recievers

Maybe I imagined this, but I barely remember any of the Bills receivers making that big of an impact last night.

Not TO, not Evans, not Parrish. It seemed the corners may have done a great job against the Bills receivers. And those are some damn good receivers (especially Evans, I'd take him over TO any day of the week).

Not that much of it matters when the backs and Tight Ends are open all day long. Just an observation.

It seemed like the Pats came in to the game determined to stop Owens and Evans, and force the Bills to try and find another way to beat them. Look at the final stats and TO and Evans combined for 5 catches for 71 yards. The other wide receivers had zero. The Buffalo tight ends, Schouman and Nelson, were as productive as that vaunted Buffalo receiving corps that we've been hearing about this off season; those two had 5 receptions for 54 yards, plus one TD.

The biggest part of the Buffalo passing game was RB Fred Jackson with 5 catches for 83 yards. He ended up with 140 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches.

More impressed with the secondary Mon nite, than at any time during the '08 season.... weren't chasing any receivers down the sidelines..

Watching the game I came to the same conclusion. I guessed that the game plan was to stop the recievers first and then focus on the running back. I wonder how much better we would have been if Mayo had played the whole game.

This was the bills, so just about every team we face is going to be better than them. The nyjsuck will be a better measure of how good we are.

I am looking forward to this D coming together as the season goes on. It could be a good one!

T.O droped a pass or two and the bills where not playing to win the game they where playing not to lose

and they still give up the game

im still waiting to see what they can do when teams open up there offense

This game was almost like the Colts game during the undefeated season.

This is my first post here. I normally just read and enjoy all the posts and until now, never had anything to add.

Gopats!!! said:

Watching the game I came to the same conclusion. I guessed that the game plan was to stop the recievers first and then focus on the running back.

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I agree, but I think the game plan was also to let Fred Jackson have a good night, specifically to offer up an attractive option to Trent Edwards that reduces other threats simply by existing. BB has executed this type of game plan in the past. I only say this because the guy's two best games of his career have both been against NE. He's otherwise pretty pedestrian.

Gopats!!! said:

Watching the game I came to the same conclusion. I guessed that the game plan was to stop the recievers first and then focus on the running back. I wonder how much better we would have been if Mayo had played the whole game.

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:yeahthat:

This was a bit of a "perfect storm" game. Opening night, Brady starting off rusty and tentative, and a defensive game plan that revolved even more than usual around that key man in the middle...and he goes down early. Not only is Guyton pushed into an unaccustomed starting position, not only does has to worry about being the green-dot man for the first time in his life, but the particular game plan places tons of responsibility on his shoulders.

That makes for a shaky start on both sides of the ball, which gives a huge boost of confidence to the much-maligned NFL football team they're lining up against.

But the Patriots won.

They pretty much doubled both outside recievers most of the night. That left underneath wide open for backs and TE's. Buffalo did an excellent job of capitalizing on those holes. It was pretty encouraging watching those young guys play that well. I want to see how this secondary does with the safeties closer to the line.

patchick said:

:yeahthat:

This was a bit of a "perfect storm" game. Opening night, Brady starting off rusty and tentative, and a defensive game plan that revolved even more than usual around that key man in the middle...and he goes down early. Not only is Guyton pushed into an unaccustomed starting position, not only does has to worry about being the green-dot man for the first time in his life, but the particular game plan places tons of responsibility on his shoulders.

That makes for a shaky start on both sides of the ball, which gives a huge boost of confidence to the much-maligned NFL football team they're lining up against.

But the Patriots won.

Click to expand...

That is the best part: They still won, but also managed to get some experience that can be built on. Guyton got some new experiences that hopefully will make him a better player in the long run.

Personally, I thought the scheme against the Bills was overly conservative - but that may owe alot to the number of new faces on the D.

Trent Edwards is widely known as Captain Checkdown, Bills fans are forever cataloging the numbers of times he'll go stright to the dump off option without really giving the #1 and #2 WR's a chance to get open.

He did nothing but checkdown all through pre-season - and that came after a horrendous finish to 2008 where he appeared to lose all confidence.

I think the Patriots should have targeted Fred Jackson right from the start - I always suspected he would see alot of the ball.

I expect other teams to key on the short routes as the season wears on and force Trent to do the one thing he is dead scared of doing - throwing the ball deep down field - he is paranoid about taking any chances with the ball.

Hindsight is 20/20, I know - but I thought all along that Owens would do little more than decoy.

Our real tests will come against teams willing to throw the rock deep.