Eric Allen on ESPNnews

[Aggie290]

FWIW
was discussing the pats/colts game. Thinks both offense's are evenly matched but the pats D can be had. He thinks BB put tom brady in yesterday to protect his defense.in his words - the names on the jerseys of the pats LB are great but they are aging and the colts will be able to run the football and control the clock and keep the ball away from brady and complete a few passes to clark and co to win the game

If i remember correctly, the Pats were subbing in the back ups when most of the yardage was piled up on them. I remember seeing Merriweather, Wright and some back up LB (can't remember who) all on the field at the same time in the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

 

[DarrylS]

The whole Defense stuff is yak radio stuff, this D has never been tested, but they will be and when that time comes we will see. Love to hear other teams talk about what players are missing, we are missing our best D lineman.. injuries are part of the game.

 

[Fencer]

The Colts earned their win last January fair and square. But the way they earned it is part by playing better early in the season, and hence having advantageous circumstances for the game.

If we're talking about whether they deserved their championship, they absolutely did, and the circumstances were what they were.

If we're talking about projecting from then to now, then looking at those circumstances -- like the flu bug that the Pats might not have gotten if they hadn't had to fly cross-country -- is fair game.

 

[primetime]

Allen's usually very high on the Patriots. He's definitely right about the linebackers being aging (well, Bruschi and Seau... Vrabel's still a firecracker, and Thomas and Colvin aren't old).

 

[363839]

If i remember correctly, the Pats were subbing in the back ups when most of the yardage was piled up on them. I remember seeing Merriweather, Wright and some back up LB (can't remember who) all on the field at the same time in the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

You couldn't have remembered seeing Merriweather.
They just drafted him in 07.

 

[Aggie290]

You couldn't have remembered seeing Merriweather.
They just drafted him in 07.

Oopsies....Sorry, meant to reply to a different thread about the Pats D in the Dolphin game...how the heck did it wind up here....Sorry everyone

 

[Krugman]

Suddenly the Pats are without a running game according to the pundits,while they certainly didnt rush for many yards against Miami you have to consider:
1)The passing game seemed to be working rather nicely,the Dolphins didnt show any sign of stopping it....2)The Pats are getting thin on RB's,so why risk your healthy starter when the passing game is more than adequate?(like Brown).

 

[SVN]

So what you are saying is your corners this year are better than Jason David and Nick Harper? - I don't think so despite the record

even i have to agree on this .Both those corners were horrible. Just the media made a story of them leaving the colts and colts getting weaker. I wouldve loved if they stayed in indy.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Oopsies....Sorry, meant to reply to a different thread about the Pats D in the Dolphin game...how the heck did it wind up here....Sorry everyone

You did see Meriweather . . . but Mike Wright was watching the game from home. /

 

[FrontSeven]

I like Eric Allen, but I disagree. The move was all about Cassell's lousy pick and another give-away TD. That's the way I saw, the way a milliion people saw it (at last count) and the way the coach saw it, as described at lenght in his post-game testimony under oath.

 

[cstjohn17]

FWIW
was discussing the pats/colts game. Thinks both offense's are evenly matched but the pats D can be had. He thinks BB put tom brady in yesterday to protect his defense.in his words - the names on the jerseys of the pats LB are great but they are aging and the colts will be able to run the football and control the clock and keep the ball away from brady and complete a few passes to clark and co to win the game

I don't agree with all his statements but the 07 defense does have plenty of room for improvement. It is kind of a bizarro world where the Colts play efficient offense and solid defense while the Pats score points but give up a lot of points.

We are almost at midseason, in the next 2-3 weeks the team identity is usually set. It would be nice to see a couple of weeks of solid defense heading into the bye week.

All this being said, I see the Pats - Colts match up as a coin flip. Two really good teams, it should be an all time classic.

 

[letekro]

Keep making excuses.

Of course the Colts were missing a starting safety and WR.

Tell me you're referring to Mike Doss and Brandon Stokeley????

Here's a sampling of names that you didn't see on the field when you made your great comeback last year:

Moss, Stallworth, Welker, K. Brady, S. Morris, K. Faulk, R. Harrison, J. Seau, A. Thomas, E. Wilson, B. Meriweather, R. Colvin.

Do you think that might make a difference. You guys have a great team, but I don't think you can ignore the impact the above names will have on this game.

 

[Eugene Chung]

If i remember correctly, the Pats were subbing in the back ups when most of the yardage was piled up on them. I remember seeing Merriweather, Wright and some back up LB (can't remember who) all on the field at the same time in the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

The LB was Pierre Woods. I remember Dierdorf making a comment about Michigan.

And as for the perceived "lack of balance" in the Pats offense:

Colts offense in '07 - 202 pass attempts (33.67/game; 51.53% of total plays from scrimmage) and 190 rush attempts (31.67/game; 48.47% of total plays from scrimmage)

Pats offense in '07 - 232 pass attempts (33.1/game; 50.88%) and 224 rush attempts (32/game; 49.12%)

The reason the Pats are blamed for a lack of balance is because the overwhelming majority of their touchdowns have been via the air. The RBs haven't been scoring often so the analysts become lazy and assume that the Pats don't run the ball.

 

[shmessy]

Mike Doss and Brandon Stokely. And we lost starting DT Montae Reagor in Week 7 for the season.

So having those guys back for this game will be the difference for ya?????