Game Thoughts: It wasn't the revenge game we wanted, but the revenge was sweet anyway

BelichickFan said:

When we got the TD to go up by 13 does anyone know why we didn't go for two ? I am NOT a proponent of going for two too early (doing so likely cost the Browns a win yesterday) but this was early in the 4th quarter, the risk of being up by 12 instead of 13 seems to be completely outweighed by the benefit of 14 instead of 13. As that point in the game, 12 was almost as good as 13, it seemed whereas 14 instead of 13 would have been huge.

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Because we have a crazy athletic LB that can hurdle a OL and erase an extra point.

Going in I would have wanted a 73-0 type of beat down but would you trade the butt punt for a blowout? The Colts and their fans are used to us being them but now they've been lowered to the Jets level.

Rob0729 said:

I forgot to mention the funniest thing about that stupid punt formation call is that even after the game, Pagano had no clue that that it was doomed for failure no matter what happened. He took responsibility for the play because he said that he didn't communicate it well enough that they only should have snapped the ball if there was 12 men on the defense or the defender goes offsides. He seemed clueless that even if they did, it would have been offsetting penalties and they would just replay the down. The Patriots committing a penalty would not change the fact that the Colts lined up in an illegal formation.

Dead Man Walking.

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I saw the play as a tribute to how much BB is in the heads of other HC's around the League. Pagano was probably thinking something along the lines of, "I'll show Belichick that I can be just as smart as he was in the Ravens game last year. I'll throw this formation at him and his team won't know what to do with it."

Two problems.
One, he hadn't trained his guys to execute (whatever it was he was trying to execute ) so they went into an illegal formation.
Two, the Patriots' defenders were so well trained that they just adapted on the fly, covered everybody up and nearly beheaded the poor guy who took the snap, as Peter King so kindly put it this morning.

Moral of the story? "Never try to out-Belichick Belichick."

PatsFanSince74 said:

I saw the play as a tribute to how much BB is in the heads of other HC's around the League. Pagano was probably thinking something along the lines of, "I'll show Belichick that I can be just as smart as he was in the Ravens game last year. I'll throw this formation at him and his team won't know what to do with it."

Two problems.
One, he hadn't trained his guys to execute (whatever it was he was trying to execute ) so they went into an illegal formation.
Two, the Patriots' defenders were so well trained that they just adapted on the fly, covered everybody up and nearly beheaded the poor guy who took the snap, as Peter King so kindly put it this morning.

Moral of the story? "Never try to out-Belichick Belichick."

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No the funny thing is Pat McAfee said that the Colts had been practicing that formation since last year. So they have been practicing an illegal formation for a long while.

Rob0729 said:

No the funny thing is Pat McAfee said that the Colts had been practicing that formation since last year. So they have been practicing an illegal formation for a long while.

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That's even better, if what they practiced was the same as the guys actually did it on the field!

I still need an explanation for why

1. They put a backup receiver at center.
2. They had a safety at quarterback.
3. He wasn't even in shotgun. This is what kills me the most.

Its weird I have never seen this formation on a Punt and not sure why you would but we ran it every extra point play in HS.

Essentially the center, holder (qb) and myself the kicker(rb) would line up on the left side. If there were 2 or less people on our side the center would snap to the holder (our qb) and we would either option that side or I the kicker would run through fake the kick and run an out 1 on 1. If they had it covered the qb/holder would yell something and the rest of the team would come over and we would kick a normal XP.

What baffles me is they only had a qb and a center. Then based on how New England covered they should have called the rest of the team over and punted or called a time out.

I.M. Fletcher said:

Couple things

2. Colts seemingly got our B plan, using Lewis and gronk only when necessary in the second half, and straight runs until the second half as well. Almost felt like they know they will be playing these guys again, and played a decidedly vanilla style until the pick6 changed the gameplan.

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It did seem that way, and I hope it is true.

I.M. Fletcher said:

Couple things

4. Everyone says it was a finger issue, I would bet dollars to donuts it was the headshot on the touchdown that effected Edelman.

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Had the same thought; he may need some time off before playoffs. With LaFell coming back and Amendola as a reasonable replacement, that may be soon.