1) This game showed how important it is for the Pats to "stay on schedule". The onside kick to open the game was a haunting reminder of the soul-sucking 10 min FG drive to open the game that shan't be mentioned. Also, here are the situations faced in every Pats drive where they didn't score a TD (in order):
2nd and 13 (False start)
2nd and 20 (Sack)
1st and 20 (Holding)
2nd and 9 (1 yard run)
2nd and 10 (No gain run)
2nd and 6 (4 yard run)
Only the last drive left Brady with a manageable down-n-distance. Mental mistakes and losing on 1st down are the recipe for rattling Brady. Keep him in rhythm and this game is much different. That is fixable on offense.
2) This game was unusual in that apart from the bomb TD, none of the Pack's scoring drives averaged 5 ypp (excluding penalties):
3 first downs required for 40 yards
7 first downs required for 60 yards
6 first downs required for 59 yards
4 first downs required for 53 yards
In summary, they went a little over 200 yards and it took them 20 first downs to do it. Not a single penalty for the Pack in any of those drives but multiple penalties for the Pats adding 32 yards to the drive total. The long play on those drives? 16 yards
The Pack played clean football, stayed patient and were happy getting just 1 more yard than they needed. Give them credit.
3) Points 1 and 2 are not a blueprint for beating the Pats. Point 1 requires a lack of execution by the Pats and point 2 requires amazing discipline, focus and luck. It can happen over the course of a long season (the Browns game is another example) but I wouldn't count on it for any one game.
4) People need to back off Flynn for that last play. With 20 seconds and facing 4th down, he did exactly what was needed. At that point, you are only going to have one good shot at the end zone. Take your time, get the right call and get your best chance for success. A great call by the Pats to drop 8 on that play when there had to be an inclination to big blitz. If anything, Flynn broke the pocket a little early but that is nitpicking for that situation.
5) OT...That Jets win seriously hurt the chances for the Chargers to make the playoffs. Even if the Jets lose out, beating the Steelers improved their SOV enough so that it should beat out the Chargers if they tie. This means that the #5 Ravens and #6 Jets spot is pretty much set with the #3 Chiefs/Bolts and #4 Colts/Jags still to be decided. That means for the Jets to get back to the AFCC game, they will have to beat the Pats in January in Foxboro with the Pats coming off a bye. Good luck with that.
6) OT...The Colts should place Collie on IR today to remove any temptation to play him for the rest of the year, including playoffs. He had 2 horrific concussions in 7 weeks and a recurrence of symptoms with minimal contact in between those incidents. Any neurologist that would clear him to play in the next 7 weeks (date of Super Bowl) should have his license revoked. Even though he is a Colt, Collie is hard not to like. Seeing his face on the sideline after the clinching Hagler touchdown was scary. Slack-jawed, distant stare, no emotion...dude is too young to have the rest of his life put in jeopardy.
