Bedard Review :In their biggest game, the Patriots failed to measure up

[SVN]

In their biggest game, the Patriots failed to measure up - Patriots - Boston.com

 

[PP2]

Very sensible analysis.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

they laid a giant egg when it mattered the most

 

[DocHoliday]

Surprised it was Arrington who had a good game.

Props to Wendell - hopefully he'll be the Patriots center for a long, long time.

Disappointed in the 265 lb Hooman. Shorter and only 10 lbs lighter than Gronk, but was completely manhandled by the Ravens.

 

[DarrylStingley]

As usual, Bedard with a stong, well considered, well researched analysis.

He's really great.

 

[Mack Herron]

Good analysis. He doesn't rate the coaching, but so many break downs in execution by normally effective players giving good effort suggest the coaches were not putting players in a position to succeed. Not to take anything away from the Ravens, who played a role in many of the mistakes, but the Patriots game planning was as bad as its been all year. Also, the problems of depth at TE, DE, S and CB were problems that were recognized in the off-season and which BB (the GM) was unable to address.

 

[blackglass3]

My only beef with Bedard is I asked him Monday what the severity of Talib's injury was. I was curious if it was a strained hammy, maybe torn hammy, or if it was his hip again and what his recovery time would be like in case he comes back. I don't know if other people were asking rudely or if he took it as I was calling Talib out for not getting back into the game, but he had a little hissy fit about it sent to everyone and DM'ed me a very curt "What's the differnece?" I don't know, I found it pretty rude. Isn't his job to report? If he didn't want to say what the problem was, it seems there would have been a more mature way to handle it.

 

[Jackson 2]

My only beef with Bedard is I asked him Monday what the severity of Talib's injury was. I was curious if it was a strained hammy, maybe torn hammy, or if it was his hip again and what his recovery time would be like in case he comes back. I don't know if other people were asking rudely or if he took it as I was calling Talib out for not getting back into the game, but he had a little hissy fit about it sent to everyone and DM'ed me a very curt "What's the differnece?" I don't know, I found it pretty rude. Isn't his job to report? If he didn't want to say what the problem was, it seems there would have been a more mature way to handle it.

Something must have pi$$ed him off that day, as you suspect, because my experience, albeit limited, with him is that his direct communication has been polite and civil.

 

[DarrylStingley]

Something must have pi$$ed him off that day, as you suspect, because my experience, albeit limited, with him is that his direct communication has been polite and civil.

Mine too. We went back and forth several times on the Talib signing when it first happened. We were actually arguing the whole way and it was very civil.

 

[Elijah T.]

Excellent review.

Not being able to run against the nickel was a huge deal.

Great job highlighting the coverage and protection on the Welker drop early in the third quarter.

 

[DaBruinz]

Bedard's review is garbage. Blaming the Running game for the lack of offense when the running game did it's job when actually called upon.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Bedard's review is garbage. Blaming the Running game for the lack of offense when the running game did it's job when actually called upon.

Should have been called on more IMO

 

[Sciz]

Bedard's review is garbage. Blaming the Running game for the lack of offense when the running game did it's job when actually called upon.

When you're playing against nickel coverage the entire game, I don't think 3.9 YPC and a longest run of 9 yards is "doing it's job."

 

[eom]

I'm not the kind of person that hangs a game on one play -- there are a lot of plays in a game, but if ridley doesn't get knocked out it's 2nd and 2 at midfield, and it's not like the pats couldn't move the ball.
if they drive the rest of the way and manage a td it's an even game with maybe ~10 min to play, and could've gone either way.

so, that's all my imagination, but the point being if ridley doesn't get knocked out I wonder if we're this critical this week, or are we lauding them as a clutch team.

 

[DaBruinz]

As usual, Bedard with a stong, well considered, well researched analysis.

He's really great.

HUH?? This is one of the worst articles he's ever written. It's flawed 6 ways to Sunday starting with his blaming the running game for the loss. It doesn't matter that they didn't have a run over 10 yards. As for his claim that they only got 3.6 yards a carry running against the Raven's Nickel and Dime defense, I've gotta call BS. The Pats only ran the ball 28 times. Two of which were "runs" by Brady for a total of 5 yards when there was no pass to be had. The Ravens weren't in their Nickel and Dime packages 90% of the game. And that is what Bedard is insinuating which this claim.

You can't blame the running game if the OC doesn't call for a run play on any of the 1st three 3rd and 2s DESPITE them having some good runs against the Raven's defense.

This is just another antagonistic piece by a Boston sports writer that has dressed it up with fluff to try and convince people what he says is correct. Unfortunately, people who actually watched the game know he's talking out his rear end.

 

[DaBruinz]

When you're playing against nickel coverage the entire game, I don't think 3.9 YPC and a longest run of 9 yards is "doing it's job."

They weren't playing against Nickel and Dime coverage the entire game. Sorry Sciz. Just wasn't happening.

 

[reflexblue]

I think the pats played their best game against the Texans. Both teams were never the same after that game, the pats seemed lack luster, and the texans sucked.

 

[jnug]

I don't agree with much of what was in the piece. I do agree that the Brady to Welker 3rd down missed connection was the play of the game. The entire momentum swung over to the Ravens and they never looked back after that play.

I am sure the Ravens did not miss that Welker had peeked at Pollard before dropping the ball which told the Ravens that their plan to hit the snot out of the Pats ball handlers was working like a charm. That and the defense getting off the field is why that play was the turning point in the game.

 

[Sciz]

They weren't playing against Nickel and Dime coverage the entire game. Sorry Sciz. Just wasn't happening.

Just watched every Ravens defensive snap. Now I won't claim to be flawless, but I came to the exact same conclusion as Bedard.

There was one snap of a three safety, no cornerback defense when the Pats put two extra OL on the field.

There were two snaps of the standard four DBs.

There were 80 snaps of two safeties and three cornerbacks, the nickel defense.

And the numbers check out perfectly. Reed and Pollard played every single snap (83). The CBs each missed one snap (leaving 82), which Ihedigbo (1) played. The other 80 snaps, either Brown (44) or Smith (36) was on the field, but unless both Bedard and I missed it, never both. That would mean the Ravens played 96.4% of their defensive snaps in the nickel.

So yeah, you might want to take that back.

 

[jnug]

The issue for me is not whether the Ravens were in nickel or not...that is easy enough to see....my issue is that I believe they should have run the ball more than they did. The yards per rush numbers are deceiving in that there were a few plays where the Ravens stuffed the run right at the point of attack. Well that should not have said, stop running the ball. That should have said, stop using the running plays that are being stuffed.

The quick hitters were the running plays that were being stuffed. Those tend to be running plays where a great move from somebody on the D-line can fill the hole and the play is stuffed. The running play where Brady came to the line and tried to snap the ball quickly was a quick hitter and it was promptly stuffed. Against nickel defense you really want to avoid giving a single defender the opportunity to stuff a play and you want to get numbers, more of your guys working against fewer of their guys. Those running plays worked very well for the Pats.