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Well, once again I lost interest by the end of the 3rd quarter. The game is tied, and I guess I'll find out about the results after I finish this.
Things I liked -
I think the most impressive thing that popped out to me was the coverage of the secondary. It certainly wasn't perfect. The Redskins had some guys that are on "scholarship" too. But became clear VERY quickly was the fact that the Pats coverage guys were ALWAYS right on the ball. Much closer than last year. There were a lot of near misses, and plays that required perfect throws to beat the coverage. It was MUCH better than last year, and it bodes well for the regular season.
I liked how the DL played, though I'm not in love with the 4-3. They completely shut down the Skin's very good running attack until well into the 3rd quarter, when the subs started to be inserted, and even THEN it didn't suck
I liked how the OL pass protected. Did anyone hear the $100MM man's name called once. For the most part Brady had time to make a throw, even on his self imposed sack.
I liked the improvement I saw in Brady. (boy that sounds funny even as I type it). He was occasionally a little impatient, like his "sack" where he had more time than he thought, and a couple of other times, but all in all, there were streaks when it was pure 2007 Brady. We just have to see more of them.
I liked that the DL got some good pressure on the QB, not great, but AGAIN solid improvement over last year.
I liked the fact that we finally got Moroney involved in the passing game. We should have that swing pass, and option route over the middle any time we want it.
This year I think we will see a much improved defense, front to back.
Here's what I didn't like.
For all the great coverage the DBs did, they still allowed TOOO MUCH yardage after the catch. The tackling is still piss poor. Granted the Cooley 76 yd catch was a case of a broken coverage (and was one of only 2 plays the secondary was clearly beat - the other being a long incompletion that Bodden was beat on), but the fact was that it should have been only half of that yardage if, IIRC, Bodden had made the tackle
I'm getting real sick of watching our DEs simply run themselves out of the play. We'd teach HS kids that once they get beyond the QB's drop, DON'T keep running by him, go to plan B. Try a spin move or do a stop an go, or a reverse swim, AND I'm sure the Pats coaches aren't telling them to run themselves out of the play.
Burgess was a little better tonight, but I think I may want to my 3rd round pick back.
I also want my 3-4 back. At least I knew what was going on in that defense. The 4-3 seems too inconsistent to me, and I worry about a running attack that has planned for it. It also limits some guys. Woods is a 3-4 OLB, not a 4-3 OLB, sure he set the edge well on a number of running plays, but looked lost in coverage. I think Crable would be even more out of place.
Maybe its because I was raised in the 3-4 from HS, when it was called the 52 Okie, and OLBs were DEs, and DE were DTs, and a Noseman, was a noseman. Its a defense I played in college (NT/ILB),. Its the base defense I coached in HS. The only time I didn't play it was after college, and then I was a WSLB or a SS, so I was playing in space, so it mattered less what the front was. I don't know, but this 4-3, if that's going to be our base, will take some getting used to.
I know one thing. Wilfolk must LOVE the change from getting his ass beaten on at NT, from being forced to absorb punishment, to being the giver of it.
I didn't see Brace out there, was he hurt?
The offense missed Welker AND Edelman. Galloway took one for the team, taking his spot, but that, quite frankly, is NOT his skill set. Brady missed his 5-7 yd guy all night. Just a thought, but is Edelman being hidden for the rest of preseason, so they can stash him on the PS and go with 5 WRs
I didn't like the fact that we still can't get the TEs involved in the passing attack. I'm beginning to think that its not all the TEs fault.
I'm not happy with the running attack at all, and ITS NOT the fault of the RBs. Our running plays just take too damned long to develop, and we didn't run a single running play from the shot gun.
Summary:
There were things to hate. Things to worry about (like Brady's arm). And things to like. All in all I think we are on the right track, though no where near a finished product. Make no mistake that this should be a better team than last year's team....but it isn't yet.
Things I liked -
I think the most impressive thing that popped out to me was the coverage of the secondary. It certainly wasn't perfect. The Redskins had some guys that are on "scholarship" too. But became clear VERY quickly was the fact that the Pats coverage guys were ALWAYS right on the ball. Much closer than last year. There were a lot of near misses, and plays that required perfect throws to beat the coverage. It was MUCH better than last year, and it bodes well for the regular season.
I liked how the DL played, though I'm not in love with the 4-3. They completely shut down the Skin's very good running attack until well into the 3rd quarter, when the subs started to be inserted, and even THEN it didn't suck
I liked how the OL pass protected. Did anyone hear the $100MM man's name called once. For the most part Brady had time to make a throw, even on his self imposed sack.
I liked the improvement I saw in Brady. (boy that sounds funny even as I type it). He was occasionally a little impatient, like his "sack" where he had more time than he thought, and a couple of other times, but all in all, there were streaks when it was pure 2007 Brady. We just have to see more of them.
I liked that the DL got some good pressure on the QB, not great, but AGAIN solid improvement over last year.
I liked the fact that we finally got Moroney involved in the passing game. We should have that swing pass, and option route over the middle any time we want it.
This year I think we will see a much improved defense, front to back.
Here's what I didn't like.
For all the great coverage the DBs did, they still allowed TOOO MUCH yardage after the catch. The tackling is still piss poor. Granted the Cooley 76 yd catch was a case of a broken coverage (and was one of only 2 plays the secondary was clearly beat - the other being a long incompletion that Bodden was beat on), but the fact was that it should have been only half of that yardage if, IIRC, Bodden had made the tackle
I'm getting real sick of watching our DEs simply run themselves out of the play. We'd teach HS kids that once they get beyond the QB's drop, DON'T keep running by him, go to plan B. Try a spin move or do a stop an go, or a reverse swim, AND I'm sure the Pats coaches aren't telling them to run themselves out of the play.
Burgess was a little better tonight, but I think I may want to my 3rd round pick back.
I also want my 3-4 back. At least I knew what was going on in that defense. The 4-3 seems too inconsistent to me, and I worry about a running attack that has planned for it. It also limits some guys. Woods is a 3-4 OLB, not a 4-3 OLB, sure he set the edge well on a number of running plays, but looked lost in coverage. I think Crable would be even more out of place.
Maybe its because I was raised in the 3-4 from HS, when it was called the 52 Okie, and OLBs were DEs, and DE were DTs, and a Noseman, was a noseman. Its a defense I played in college (NT/ILB),. Its the base defense I coached in HS. The only time I didn't play it was after college, and then I was a WSLB or a SS, so I was playing in space, so it mattered less what the front was. I don't know, but this 4-3, if that's going to be our base, will take some getting used to.
I know one thing. Wilfolk must LOVE the change from getting his ass beaten on at NT, from being forced to absorb punishment, to being the giver of it.
I didn't see Brace out there, was he hurt?
The offense missed Welker AND Edelman. Galloway took one for the team, taking his spot, but that, quite frankly, is NOT his skill set. Brady missed his 5-7 yd guy all night. Just a thought, but is Edelman being hidden for the rest of preseason, so they can stash him on the PS and go with 5 WRs
I didn't like the fact that we still can't get the TEs involved in the passing attack. I'm beginning to think that its not all the TEs fault.
I'm not happy with the running attack at all, and ITS NOT the fault of the RBs. Our running plays just take too damned long to develop, and we didn't run a single running play from the shot gun.
Summary:
There were things to hate. Things to worry about (like Brady's arm). And things to like. All in all I think we are on the right track, though no where near a finished product. Make no mistake that this should be a better team than last year's team....but it isn't yet.
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