Immediate Game Thoughts - I think the Pats just punted again edition

Ok, here we go.

• This game reminded me of a 2003 game. People forget how bad the offense was at times that season. That year, the Pats' defense won a lot of games despite the offense. The Pats won games like 17-6 vs. the Giants, 9-3 vs. the Brown, 12-0 vs. Cowboys, 12-0 vs. Dolphins, and 17-14 vs. the Titans. Unlike that year, this team won't go nearly as far playing this way all season. But it is good to see the defense win a game for the offense.

• The short term future of the rookies is a little scary, but I saw some things that gives me hope that once they learn this offense and improve their fundamentals they might actually be very good. Dobson was uncoverable tonight. He was always open. He needs to learn to run routes, look for the ball. and catch it (which I think his drops had to do with him overthinking things).

• Both Ninkovich and Jones had great evenings. I think they can be putting a lot of pressure on QBs this year. Jones has definitely developed more moves from last year. He over-relied on the bull rush last year. He has had some delayed blitzes, end arounds, and other moves tonight.

• The secondary is much improved. Still needs to get better, but Arrington looks more like the 2011 Arrington rather than the 2012 Arrington. He went out early and I don't think he came back. Hopefully he will be back in 10 days. Dennard has yet to show the sophomore slump that has plagued this team with CB draft picks. Gregory is much maligned on this board, but the guy makes a lot of heads up plays.

• I know the Jets fans will be patting their defense on the back, but I thought they played like crap. Brady had receivers wide open all night, but they just couldn't catch the ball.

• Speaking about the Jets' defense, has a player declined faster than David Harris? A few years back, he was boardline elite. Now he is boarderline a starter. He isn't even 30.

• This was the worst game for Wilfork for a long while. I know Vlad Ducasse has made a miraculous turnaround of his play, but he still shouldn't have had such an easy time winning one on one battles like he did with Wilfork.

• One rookie who will be overshadowed by people complaining about the rookies who underperformed was Buchannon. He was pretty impressive tonight in his limited role. Looks like they moved Jones inside and let Buchannon rushed outside. He got pressure on Smith multiple times to go with his sack.

• Kudos to Edelman. The guy did everything tonight. Awesome on punts. A career high in receptions for a game.

• I know it has gotta be incredibly frustrating for Brady, but this is where he needs to show he is a team leader. He can't pull a Marino and shout and pout as they young guys make mistakes. He needs to be a mentor to these guys. I almost wish they would bring in Troy Brown or Deion Branch to teach these guys.

• Tonight's game sucked, but a win is a win. They have 10 days to regroup. Hopefully, it will be with Gronk and maybe Amendola. Adding those guys back will definitely go a long way to fix this defense.

• Willie Colon and D'Brickishaw Ferguson are going to have an extra bye week 3. Putting your hands on a ref is going to draw a suspension. Throwing a punch probably will too.

• Wasn't exactly proud of the fans booing the Wilkerson injury. Even if he was faking it, I don't think it is the right thing to do. He looked legitimately injured.

Remember, 2 dropped/ not controlled passes and missed field goal and its 30-10. Without gronk, Danny and vereen. I know it was against a sub par defense but still. If the wide outs can correct their mistakes, I like out chances coming down the last half of season and hopefully into the post season.

Arrington did come back into the game after being shaken up.

The Jets are garbage, on both sides of the ball. The Patriots are killing themselves with mental errors - most of which are correctable. Any offense would like steaming dog **** if their top 3 offensive weapons were out.

The secondary is quickly becoming the strength of the D again after it's been a sieve for awhile now. The coverage downfield was great on a lot plays.

Wilfork must be injured or something. There's no way a scrub like DuCasse should be handling him like that. Thankfully, Jones and Ninkovich picked up the slack.

Ozymandias said:

Arrington did come back into the game after being shaken up.

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Good. I didn't remember seeing him.

I thought I saw Arrington around at the end.

I'd be more impressed with the receivers if the Jets hadn't throttled that Patriots' rushing attack. They didn't seem to be scheming against pass-first.

How the hell did you have time to even write all of that? I barely had time to go over to JI to tell them to f off, bite me, and ban me. I'm assuming the fulfilled at least the last request.

Fencer said:

I thought I saw Arrington around at the end.

I'd be more impressed with the receivers if the Jets hadn't throttled that Patriots' rushing attack. They didn't seem to be scheming against pass-first.

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I don't know. The Jets are built to stop the run. I don't think they were focusing on the run as much as you think. They did try to blitz Brady a lot and not getting to him nearly enough.

The Jets have always been a team that sends extra people with the rush and leaving at least their #1 CB on an island. Last year, Cromartie was on an island quite a bit and tonight Dobson burnt him multiple times.

I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty

The Scrizz said:

How the hell did you have time to even write all of that? I barely had time to go over to JI to tell them to f off, bite me, and ban me. I'm assuming the fulfilled at least the last request.

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well, I think I had extra time because I think I was already banned from JI.

BostonStrong said:

Beginning to think Thompkins is a bit dim-witted. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Not a cerebral player. AT ALL.

BUST?

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How can he be a bust? He is an undrafted rookie.

Fencer said:

I thought I saw Arrington around at the end.

I'd be more impressed with the receivers if the Jets hadn't throttled that Patriots' rushing attack. They didn't seem to be scheming against pass-first.

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The Jets front 7 is damn good. Like really, really good.

The Pats left about 30 points out there. The WR were getting open a lot and some of the deep balls were Brady being a bit off.

I wouldn't say I'm happy with how the rooks played but you can see that they at least have talent.

pheenix11 said:

I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty

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I'll take W 13–10 over L 35–38 any day of the week.

Glad to see the positivity. Twitter and Facebook were killing me tonight. Too many people with unrealistic expectations just overreacting.

Anyone hanging Dobson during his first NFL game is crazy. The drops are frustrating, sure, but the potential is there. It just is going to take some time.

Need WR and DT help. Our OL needs to get their crap together too.

I agree with everything except the part about Brady.

For the first time in a while the defense may have to win a lot of games this year. In the long run it's probably a good thing, and will build their confidence. They do remind me a bit of 2003. I think a lot of people forget how mediocre the offense looked in 2001 and 2003. Not that mediocrity is a sign of greatness, but there's more than one way to win.

If these receivers shrivel up because they get yelled at than they never had the necessary mental toughness. I'm sure there's a time for calm, constructive criticism, teaching, and evaluation. In the middle of a close game when someone just messed up a play they've been working on all week isn't that time.

BostonStrong said:

Beginning to think Thompkins is a bit dim-witted. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Not a cerebral player. AT ALL.

BUST?

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I know this is bait, but I'll bite:

How can a UDFA be a bust you complete fool?

Did you watch the game?

deters said:

Need WR and DT help. Our OL needs to get their crap together too.

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Let's be clear about the wideouts especially on the boundary - they were torching the Jets corners in 1-on-1 situations. So that's a plus. Brady wasn't perfect my any means, but a lot of those drops should have been catches, no question.

Dobson, separation wise, looks like a completely different player than he did in preseason. The assumption that he was dealing with an injury may have been right all along. Now he just needs to work on catching the ******* ball.

mgteich said:

Did you watch the game?

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No, I just randomly guessed that our OL couldn't run block, our WR's were running bad routes and dropping a lot of passes and our DT depth is garbage and a major weakness....

Sporin said:

Glad to see the positivity. Twitter and Facebook were killing me tonight. Too many people with unrealistic expectations just overreacting.

Anyone hanging Dobson during his first NFL game is crazy. The drops are frustrating, sure, but the potential is there. It just is going to take some time.

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Well, I guess I am the #2 homer on this board since no one wants to be considered #1 apparently.

Besides, we have the post game thread for all the negativity. There is a lot of things wrong about what the Pats did tonight, but I never go too hard on the team after a win. My tone would be different if the Pats lost.