My thoughts
 

I am amazed. I still can't believe that NE pulled that one out. Not since the Oakland game that started it all have I been in complete disbelief over a Pats victory. I would like to be able to sit here and say that NE played just a little bit better than SD, but it would be a lie. Many of the mistakes made by the Chargers were unsolicited. I realize that team errors are all part of determining who played better, but I also see games for how they were and how they indicate future success as well. So, when a game is decided because:

* At least 3 balls were dropped by wide open WRs and another easy int was dropped.

* A punt was muffed and the player stupidly thought that he might be able to get up again.

* A 4th down pass was selfishly intercepted rather than bat down.

* Points 11-21 were aided largely by stupid unnecessary roughness penalties.

* SD would inexplicably stop running the ball even though NE had never given them a reason to do so.

I just have to admit that NE was terribly lucky to have faced a wlidly immature team. Please don't take this the wrong way. I am not enjoying this game any less than I have before. If anything, I am still hovering a few feet above the ground because NE is still chugging even though we all know that they played at best a C+ game.

(I should add that I am one of the most ardent opposers of those that call NE lucky. Nearly every play that people called luck in the past included a heady play by NE that went largely unnoticed. None of the above fit that description, though)

* Fun story: After NE's opening drive of the third quarter went nowhere, I got up and told my wife that NE was going to lose. There was really no frustration, just acceptance. SD is a good team and they were playing great ball at the time, so there was no shame in a loss to them. I got up to get a drink leaving my three year old daughter alone in the living room with the game. As I am pouring my beverage, she calls to me - totally unsolicited, "The Patriots are going to win, Daddy." (Edited to add: This was the first time she had ever called them by name) It was just like that; totally matter-of-fact. Understand, this is a girl who can tell basketball from baseball from football, but that is about it. Something changed in me when I heard her say that though, and I never left the couch during live action again.

* SD's pass rush was almost a total bust, but their secondary was far better than I gave them credit for. Tom played a bad game, but those guys had a lot to do with it.

* That said, Brady was terrible out there yesterday. Considering how well NE's OL held up under constant 6 and 7 man rushes, I espected a lot better from Tommy than that. Now, on a lot of the plays no one was open, so I don't really fault him for some intentional overthrows, but he was off even when he had time. It was off his back foot, but the pass to Troy that was int'd in the 3rd quarter was at least 10 yards underthrown and if the pass to Watson was anywhere near him, he could have rolled in for the TD. It is remarkable how well he can shrug off poor play, though. He was the Tom of old over the final 5 minutes.

* I think SD out-thought themselves. NE never stopped LDT (more on this later) yet it seemed the sequence went something like this: LDT for 11/ LDT for 5/ Rivers incomplete/ Rivers incomplete. I think that they went out of their way to not play "Marty-ball" and that was what killed them in the end.

* How incredibly stupid of a play was it when Colvin read the screen and yet Rivers still kept looking for an opening and was ultimately picked off? Hey Rivers. Even if you get the ball in there Tomlinson is just going to get knocked out after at most two yards. Just throw the ball away. See, even though that was stupid, I don't see that as lucky because Colvin made a terrific play. Forced errors require skill.

* Troy Brown's play has been talked about quite a bit here, but it was such a great play that I felt it warranted mentioning again.

* I have to imaging that Caldwell is still smiling right now. In the last 5 minutes he scored a TD and caught what was ultimately the first nail of the coffin.

* Gostkowski was funny in his postgame interview. He said something along the lines of, "Offense? Defense? I don't know, I just kick the ball." Well, Stephen, you did a fine job of it. I would like to see a little more depth on thos kickoffs, though.

* NE's defense needs to get some major recognition for their job. SD started almost every drive a first down away from mid field, and they only crossed the 30 three times. SD scored TDs on every one of those and they may have dropped a few passes, but that doesn't take away from just how well NE's defense played. The secondary, in particular, really upped their play in the second half because Rivers was just about useless even though NE did not get much pressure on him at all. Samuel had two huge plays on SD's final two drives just before the end game flurry.

Unbelievable game. I am sure that I missed something, but I am still on cloud nine. I will post some thoughts on Indy and the NFL playoffs a little later, but merging everything into one last time seemed a bit much.

I welcome your thoughts.

Re: My thoughts
 

good pts .i also think we missed 2 easy TD's in deep throws and also one call was odd when they sent troy deep who isnt the fastest guy we have anymore.
one more bonehead play by chargers..3rd and 4 in the 4th quarter ..chargers went to samuel instead of chad scott who was replacing the injured hobbs...that was big play by samuel..

Re: My thoughts
 

Tommy's bad game was, indeed, mysterious. The chances of it happening next week are small, though, given :

- He plays great on turf
- He rarely has two bad games in a row
- He's comfortable against the Cover Two
- He's Tommy Brady and he's a big game QB

Re: My thoughts
 

Yes. I don't expect Brady to play poorly next week either.

Frankly, I am glad that the Colts are playing better on defense. I think that they were surprised by how much Sanders' addition improved the Colts last time and now they have some fil to work with.

Re: My thoughts
 

A wildly immature team. That about says it.

I don't think Eric Parker muffed a punt all year long. I'm still trying to understand why he didn't jump on that ball and curl up like a baby. What a goat he was - 2 catches for 24 yards, a muffed punt and 3 dropped first downs... meanwhile, Caldwell torches his ex teammates. As a Charger, he fumbled the ball on the 20 with a minute to go against the Jets...

The biggest gift you didn't mention was the defensive calls inside 2 minutes of the first half. It boggles the mind that Wade Phillips will play a pressure defense for the entire first half and then fall into playing a straight up prevent in the final two minutes. He's done it for his entire coaching career.

I think the Charger coaches are about to lose their jobs. Yesterday's coaching was appalling.... ouch, ouch ouch.

Re: My thoughts
 

It was a very good game... I'm so glad your daughter saw that they were going to win... By the middle of the third, I was seeing flashbacks of Denver and the Pat meltdown, and was waiting for the Pats to melt... Amazingly, they held it together... I'm so proud of our guys, they played 60 minutes and never gave up... On to the Colts now, and Brady said that he's already watched the past 5 games of the Colts and hasn't gone to bed yet... They are already preparing for them... Says he can't sleep because of the high of the win...

Re: My thoughts
 

I think the question of this week will be whether Manning will have three bad weeks in a row?

Re: My thoughts
 

I think some mistakes are just mistakes caused by nervousness or carelessness, but these were two great teams, and the "mistakes" were caused mostly by defensive schemes and pressure. Brady's errant passes, for instance, were the result of pressure on him and fears of interceptions. The Chargers did a good job intimidating Brady by making diving attempts at interceptions. I think in some cases Brady's misthrows were a result of overcaution. A good D will complicate matters for any QB, and the Chargers were certainly a worthy match for the Pats.

Re: My thoughts
 

I know, I almost wish there was a way he could have slowed himself down enough, to move back out to get the score... That would have been huge, and a complete shock to the Chargers... Like a complete "rub it in your face" for giving up on me type deal... Great catch, great throw... :rocker:

Re: My thoughts
 

Thanks Owslek: I always enjoy your posts. I agree with most of what you said, but i disagree with the C+ grade. The Pats played their hearts out against a very talented if poorly coached team. The fumbled punt and interception are clear examples of poor situational football and not mistakes that you will see the Pats of the Belichek era make more than once (see Gabriel, Doug). I think we were overmatched most of the day in all three phases. This was SD's game to win except for Troy's play that is one of the most extraorninary palys I've seen on a football field. Unless he strips the ball and we recover, there was no other chance to win that game IMO. In my mind it was more impressive that the Tuck rule, which i would count as lucky (though the following drive we anything but luck). You are correct that we could not stop LT in a clock killing role and even Schottenheimer couldn't screw that up. The OL played well but the pressure was there all day and I think that led to poor accuracy in the pasisng game.