Eagles at Patriots post-game thoughts thread

[SVN]

Curran: Drop kick the least of Patriots' problems in loss
two important points

To me, the bigger issue in this game is that the onside kick, the Brady throwback pass and his two forced interceptions were all indicators that the Patriots were trying too hard. And they really didn’t need to. What they needed to do was simply be themselves. Hard to do with all the injuries, right?

I don’t think this loss was about injuries, though. Even though the Patriots were missing their best defensive player in Dont'a Hightower (that’s what I’ve concluded) and their best non-Brady offensive player in Gronk, this loss was in the details. Darius Fleming peeling out too early on punt coverage and missing Chris Marangos. Fleming -- and others -- missing tackles on the Darren Sproles punt return. The weird clock management at the end of the first half that forced them to punt. And the missed challenge.

That’s a play that should haunt a coaching staff that’s usually so prepared for the most minute eventuality.

Here’s what happened. On third-and-3 from the Patriots’ 48 with 13:07 left, Sam Bradford rolled right and tried to find receiver Nelson Agholor on the sidelines. The pass fell incomplete but Malcolm Butler was whistled for an 11-yard pass interference, giving Philly a first down. But Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins was gesturing wildly that he’d tipped the pass. Once a ball is deflected, defensive pass interference is waved off. That’s a play that can be reviewed. The flag would have been picked up if it was determined Collins tipped it . . . and it’s clear by watching the ball’s trajectory on replay that it was tipped. The Eagles would have punted. At that point, with the Patriots down 28-14 and holding all their timeouts, there was minimal risk even if the challenge went against them. The Eagles went on to score at the end of that drive putting the Patriots down 21 points with 11:14 remaining.

 

[PatsDeb]

Ah, it was 40-50 yards and YES.

Okay, the YES still stands. Dumb, unnecessary play that exhibited hubris, gave the other team confidence and a reason to be pissed, and started them on the road to victory. And us in the other direction to boot. As I said in the game thread (I actually posted from my seat at the game, something I have never done before), shades of 4th & 2 in Indy. One of a handful of plays I will never agree with calling, no matter what the argument.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Pro Football Focus‏@PFF
After being pressured 31% of dropbacks in first 9 games, Tom Brady has been pressured 48% of the time the last 3, 2nd-highest in the league
Tom E. Curran ‏@tomecurran 2h2 hours ago
Tom E. Curran Retweeted Pro Football Focus
Less to do with OL than injury to always-open Julian Edelman. Brady forced to wait longer for downfield routes.

One comment from my end about the offensive line.

These last 3 weeks, the Patriots have played against a team that's had more rest than they have.
- They played the Bills on MNF when the Bills last played 11 days earlier on TNF
- They played Denver on SNF, a short-week for the Pats while Denver had normal rest
- Then yesterday they played a Philly team that last played on Thanksgiving

It's interesting to me that their greatest struggles have come now in that stretch. Maybe they're just not good enough/healthy enough to handle a D-line with extra burst at this point. In the 9 prior games, this has only happened twice - the Colt game (they played prior Thursday) and the Redskin game (coming off bye week).

They'll be on equal footing Sunday against the Texans, huge test there.

 

[JMC00]

You must hate how BB took that intentional safety back in the days because by your logic giving the other team points on purpose because you know your D will get a stop is the ultimate arrogance.

Just don't understand the logic that trying to do something to go up 3 scores is arrogant when all it will lead to is in surrendering 20 yards in field position.

Has anyone thought that what if Pats kick that off and the Eagles return it for a TD? I bet in hindsight they would sign up for pooch kicking it and giving them the ball at the 40.

This was absolutely no different than Gostowski having a bad kick and it going out of bounds and the Eagles starting at the 40 because of the penalty.

 

[Gronkowski123]

still in shock.

hate that we have to wait until sunday night...

 

[SVN]

still in shock.

hate that we have to wait until sunday night...

And i hate its a night game on the road.

 

[JMC00]

- Then yesterday they played a Philly team that last played on Thanksgiving

A Philly team that played the early game and played the game a 90 minute flight away from Philly.

Whereas the Pats played the SNF game out west, which is basically the equivalent of playing a MNF game at home.

 

[primetime]

What was the missed challenge?

edit: Never mind, spelled out in the Curran article. Wow. I didn't think that ball was tipped (also thought the interference call was borderline regardless), but I must have missed the replay. Also had no idea it could be reviewed. Yeah, they shouldn't have missed that.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

What was the missed challenge?

edit: Never mind, spelled out in the Curran article. Wow. I didn't think that ball was tipped (also thought the interference call was borderline regardless), but I must have missed the replay. Also had no idea it could be reviewed. Yeah, they shouldn't have missed that.

Eh, it was Pete Morelli's crew -- they probably would have reviewed it and said the interference happened before the ball was tipped.......

 

[SHOWTIME15]

What was the missed challenge?

edit: Never mind, spelled out in the Curran article. Wow. I didn't think that ball was tipped (also thought the interference call was borderline regardless), but I must have missed the replay. Also had no idea it could be reviewed. Yeah, they shouldn't have missed that.

the coaching has not been sharp. also, is ernie adams sick or something?

 

[luuked]

Just don't understand the logic that trying to do something to go up 3 scores is arrogant when all it will lead to is in surrendering 20 yards in field position.

Has anyone thought that what if Pats kick that off and the Eagles return it for a TD? I bet in hindsight they would sign up for pooch kicking it and giving them the ball at the 40.

This was absolutely no different than Gostowski having a bad kick and it going out of bounds and the Eagles starting at the 40 because of the penalty.

Totally agree.

What makes me even more bothered is how the dropkick morphed into an onside kick in some minds. There is a huge difference in field position between an onside kick and that dropkick.

 

[RobertWeathers]

the coaching has not been sharp. also, is ernie adams sick or something?

Y'know.....this is something that I'm not quite sure to make of.

I think it's a black hole argument to question coordinators on play-calling, etc. but some of the coaching decisions in the DEN and yesterday's games have been uncharacteristically peculiar.

 

[Gronkowski123]

will gronk's daddy let his son play this week?
doesnt want to risk gronk because they have that important party cruise in the offseason.

 

[Guts]

We got our asses kicked doesn't matter if they almost came back at the end it's still a loss where they were leading 14-0 at one point. Not too concerned yet due to our injuries, but damn the line needs to keep Brady up more he's the only one whose keeping us in games at this point.(although he had a ****ty game by his standards)

 

[SHOWTIME15]

will gronk's daddy let his son play this week?
doesnt want to risk gronk because they have that important party cruise in the offseason.

i doubt it. as has been written about in other threads, a bone bruise is much more serious than it sounds.

 

[Love The Drake]

The referees were awful it wasnt what they called it what they didnt.

Whats the old saying the best offense is backing out of your stance and anchor before the d line has a chance.

Also a few plays looked like the defensivebacks were going thru our receovers with their back turned and not playing the ball.

The INT for the TD Admendola was mugged.

Lafell needs to fix it now
Blount needs to play like Tarzan not like Jane.
He had 2 vintage runs the rest awful.
Playcalling has to be at fault here as well.
Mccourty had a bad day it happens.
Butler was lights out
Ryan was average
Chung got exposed.
Why in the world did we not spy on sproles.
Did we play bump and run once?
I saw alot of off man.
Damaris Johnson flashed more than Lafell and hes only been here a week.
However you cant coach size.
Chandler had his best game as a Patriot.
Lets hope this is just the begining.
Bolden was less than a jag.
Martin I like what I see.
When we run the ball its telegraphed this is Mcdaniels biggest flaw as a coordinator.

Special teams what happened if anything remotely similar happens like that again I beleive Mr Judge will be looking for a new team.
How much of that was play design vs players not doing their jobs.

We NEED HIGHTOWER back
One of Edelman or Gronk back will elevate this offense.
Both make us legitimate Superbowl hopefuls.

 

[condon84]

You must hate how BB took that intentional safety back in the days because by your logic giving the other team points on purpose because you know your D will get a stop is the ultimate arrogance.

Context dude.

If you can't comprehend that, then this discussion is futile.

 

[condon84]

I dont think it was arrogance but the fact that they were practicing and trying all these tricks with ebner indicates they thought they can get away with this at home vs the eagles.

Full Definition of ARROGANCE
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

 

[luuked]

Context dude.

If you can't comprehend that, then this discussion is futile.

So whats the context maestro?

Giving up 20yds of field position for a chance to hit the killing shot seems like a good trade off. Not sure where your ******** "arrogance" comes into play.

And again dont come with the idiotic and wrong momentum argument because ee immediately pinned the eagles to a 3 & 10 afterwards. They gained confidence on a 20yd completion on that third down but lacked any immediate momentum on the plays before.

 

[condon84]

So whats the context maestro?

Giving up 20yds of field position for a chance to hit the killing shot seems like a good trade off. Not sure where your ******** "arrogance" comes into play.

And again dont come with the idiotic and wrong momentum argument because ee immediately pinned the eagles to a 3 & 10 afterwards. They gained confidence on a 20yd completion on that third down but lacked any immediate momentum on the plays before.

We gave up a safety in a desperate way to switch field position and try to get the ball back in the dying moments of the game.

We drop kicked a kickoff after our offense has gone on 80 yard td drives the previous two possession in the 2nd quarter where there was no sense of desperation whatsoever.

Like I said, if you can't see the two situations differently and why both strategies are not equal, then that's a referendum on you.