Ran some tape back on Miami's final drive - my gawd, does Gregory approach that play aimlessly and with wreckless abandon. Didn't set and read the player's next move, just barrels wrecklessly on one line. If that line isn't where the player is going, he's just toast. Really poor instincts. On Clay's 4th and 5 plus, which was the play of this game, he had a square one one one opportunity to tackle the guy in practically stand still position and just whiffed completely on wasn't even much of a move. I'm not sure if he was anxious to get him in front of the marker or Fletcher coming across low threw him off, but if he just wrapped him up right there, game over.
On a play on the same drive, Hartline ran a quick slant for a first down and Gregory was covering the inside and just another flat out whiffed another tackle. No attempt to wrap, just a heave of his body. This guys a vet and that is rookie, low IQ stuff.
Which is precisely the reason why he'll likely be let go during the off-season. If he wasn't scheduled to have such a big cap hit, it may be different. He's still a very capable 3rd safety, but we definitely need to improve upon our starting position opposite McCourty. We have to hope that Harmon will be the guy, since T.Wilson looks like another wasted 2nd round pick. Then again, Harmon may need another year to develop too, but we may be stuck with him starting no matter what. We should have taken a safety in the first or second round in my opinion.
I found it surprising that one of either Tompkins or Dobson couldn't suit up in this game for red zone purposes. Extremely important game, was it really a surprise the team struggled in the red zone with the smurf WR's? They're either really banged up or BB realizes for this team to have any chance in the post season, they need to be 100%.
Doug Kyed from NESN reported tonight that Thompkins has looked very much in pain and not healed, despite having practiced. He is obviously still recovering.
Dobson wasn't that close to playing from all accounts, as he only practiced one time total since his injury, and that was on Friday. Hopefully we can get at least one of them back for the game at BAL on Sunday. That will be a major dogfight, as BAL now controls their destiny for winning the division outright.
For as good as a season Ghost has had this year, can't help but feel his worst game of the year was a major contributor to the L. The missed FG in great kicking conditions, the shanked kick off. He makes the FG, they win this game on the last drive. Even the best of kickers are going to miss a couple, you just hate it to be in a game where every point matters.
What happened to all the plus T/O's NE got so used to over the past couple years and earlier this year? Outside the weather flukey Denver game, this team has just not been able to force T/O's, make any types of momentum changing plays on D. Today's game was basically a wash given the late Brady pick was game ending either way and the botched FG snap was totally unforced.
Very unfortunate for Gostkowski, not only with the missed FG (which was bound to happen), but more so in the sense of the botched kickoff. Totally unexcusable.
As far as the failure to get turnovers goes, I just don't think this defense is very good..at all. Some will feel differently, but I'm not sure how. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.
Tannehill is a really good looking young QB. He's really calm in the pocket and generally collected at all times. He makes some really great big boy throws, strong timing routes, back shoulder. I'd expect Miami to be a team, because that kid, to be wreckoned with in the AFC East for awhile.
No surprise there. He went high in the draft for a good reason, and it seemed like many here immediately wrote him off after his rookie year. Yes, Miami has a capable QB finally, no doubt about it.
Really tough loss - you just hope they can still capture the bye. At this point, I'm tempering my expectations at a playoff game in Denver. Anything past that is gravy. I'd just like to see that chance, matchup and the pure entertainment value for that game. If they can get Tompkins/Dobson back healthy and on track, they will most certainly improve on the red zone O. AFC is so bad this year, anything can happen. Cinci is looking like a bunch of old ladies as we speak. The Pats played a sound football game today against a good football team. They lacked big plays, had a couple bad breaks. They rarely drop total stinkers and are in every game. Who knows what can happen.
They are allowing way too much pressure on Brady, and the apparent loss of Solder isn't going to help that any. It's quite possible he'll be shut down for the year with his 4th diagnosed concussion. I think in a best case scenario we won't get him back until the playoffs, so the bye is of the utmost importance for about 10 different reasons.
As you said, who knows what can happen? We could get the 2nd seed and give DEN a tough game in the AFFCG, or we could go one and done. On the other hand, we could certainly lose one of these last 2 games and end up as the 3rd seed. I expect CIN to be playing tough in their last game at home vs BAL, so I don't think we can count on them losing another game anymore. That expected loss happened tonight, as many assumed that it may.
Not only will the game at Baltimore be extremely difficult, I wouldn't even look past the last game at home to Buffalo at this point in time. They have a capable enough defense, a more than capable running game, and a scrambling/athletic QB who will force us to play zone defense to avoid getting burned by his ability to run. That usually doesn't work out too well, at least in terms of yds allowed. Again, I don't have much faith in this defense myself.
