Game Thoughts: The fish were squished, filleted, diced, and used for chum edition

[ashley]

I forgot one.

People have been calling for the Pats to upgrade the CB position, but I don't know if they need a starter. They do desperately need a #CB though. Coleman gets burnt way too often. He is going to be a liability against an offense with plenty of weapons.

I agree with you that Coleman get's burnt way too often and would be a liability against a high powered offense(Pitt, Cincy Green Bay)

I do however think that a starting CB is needed. (preferably a number 1) I would feel a lot better if Butler was our number 2 and Ryan was our number 3. I know that Ryan has been playing better than when he got benched last year, but the thought of him continuously getting burnt against Green Bay and every decent team we played last year, keeps popping in my mind.

 

[FalconHeavy]

Brady was talking to a dolphin player for a long time after the game in the field. who was that guy ? a future patriot ??

 

[The Brandon Five]

Funny how fans are so high on Butler and so down on Ryan. To my eye, they each make big plays and they each give up big plays. But, that's the nature of the position in the modern NFL. Can't hardly touch a receiver without drawing a flag. The measure of their quality is even when the opposing O makes a big completion, at least they're in the frame to force the QB and receiver to actually make a play.

I think Ryan is not quite as good at coverage as Malcolm but does appear to have more of a nose for the ball.

This defense will get better, too. Sheard is a weapon and adds a dimension to the front when he's healthy. And the young secondary, Coleman and Butler especially, are still on a steep learning curve. Every game is an opportunity for them to grow.

There was a play late in the game where Coleman got burnt, but he recovered and punched the ball out. Me likey.

 

[Rob0729]

Rob, look forward to this thread every week. Great job, better than some syndicated writers. Good stuff !

Thanks, but I think guys like Ken do it better than me. He gives much more detail.

 

[Rhodey]

Personally, I thought the Pats were going to blow it open earlier. After the safety, it was looking like they were going to go up over 20 (points). MIA started playing well...didn't want a 9-7 game; MIA getting back into it. Of course, it all worked out well. However, if I had to pick a tipping point in the game, I'd say that was it. And on a second reflection, part of the Pats game is to wear 'em down, which takes time.

 

[Rhodey]

Rob, look forward to this thread every week. Great job, better than some syndicated writers. Good stuff !

They probably come in here- for insights -before they write their column. And they thought we gather them from their offerings.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Brady was talking to a dolphin player for a long time after the game in the field. who was that guy ? a future patriot ??

It was #35, free safety Walt Aikens (2nd year player). Dunno why Brady was talking with him for so long, though.

 

[Rhodey]

Another forgotten thought:

I was impressed how this depleted like manhandled Suh. Sure they doubled him all night, but he was a rag doll getting pushed off the line. When you pay a guy like Suh that much money, he should be able to beat the double team on a fairly consistent basis. At times, he barely gave them a fight.

It's as though he's sentenced to a career- by his own contract(s) -to play on average teams, until he retires. In the end, he's just some other name that was supposed to bring a championship to some city with high hopes. That must be frustrating. I'm sure the fans are impressed when they see pictures of his house and all the stuff he bought. What a consolation!

 

[Rhodey]

Can we re Rip-up Dion Lewis's current contract?? Kid should be signed for Ten years. Edelman in an interview called Lewis "little dirty" because he do em dirty! The Patriots are indefensible with Lewis on the field a poster said it best yesterday in a post. "He who tries to Defend everything Defends Nothing". The Offense now with LaFell getting up to Speed CANNOT! be Stopped 2015 Offene > 2007 Offense it's even close.



I now have serious man crush on Hightower I gonna ditch my wife and ask him out. Seriously you cannot say enough about how Great he's becoming he's Big - Fast and Strong Dante Hightower is playing the way BB hoped Adalius Thomas would play after he signed him FA many moons ago. Hightower should be Rushing the passer off the Edge more his pass Rush is Elite he came close multiple times last night. This has the be the Best Front Seven we have in the BB era. Our Defense Front 7 is really making up for "ok" Defensive Secondary.

He can run & catch! What a difference when the Pats have one of these players in their lineup. Let's face it, a lot of the Pats chances to repeat will come down to the health report in December. If they're in good shape (physically), they're the faves.

 

[Rhodey]

Here we go:

• I am going to say something controversial. I think Logan Ryan may be playing better than Brandon Browner did last year. I think people vastly underrate the guy and overrate Browner. Browner was great if he could jam the guy he is covering. But if he missed the jam, that guy was always wide open. I think Ryan has far better coverage skills than Browner. Browner was an one trick pony (although it was a very effective trick at times). Ryan gives up decent sized plays in coverage, but so did Browner.

Controversy is good. It's negative personal controversy that is bad. Oddly, most managers and business sorts are unaware of this. Shame on them! And we're all Pats fans, so fire away.

The bottom line is stop the big pass. Ya don't stop 'em all, but ya don't allow them all, either. Of course, it's the situational ones that are the biggies. And when they come during big games (e.g. Super Bowl; second half), they can really change an outcome. Methinks my perspective is a bit different in that I view the entire season is like a big practice session for that big game. Look what Butler did at the end of last year. The bottom line is he made that big play when it counted.

However, having guys like Ryan stepping up gives the whole defense & team a more solid footing; a confidence factor that says: I trust our guys and if they don't make the play, it must have been one heck of a play.

 

[PatsFan2]

Brady to LaFell Back Shoulder throw and catch great element added to already Great Offense. LaFell have a Big catch radius I see why Brady likes him. The Back Shoulder throw is unstoppable against single coverage.

 

[bbobbo]

It was #35, free safety Walt Aikens (2nd year player). Dunno why Brady was talking with him for so long, though.

he was saying, "hey walt, remember last year when i had that 17-yard run against you? good times!"

Tom Brady said he wanted to 'run somebody over'

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

Does anyone have any observations on Hicks? I thought I saw him pushing the pocket a few times .....

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Here we go:

• If I was the rest of the league, I would be petitioning the League to shorten games to three quarters because something happens to Brady and this offense in the fourth quarter that makes them unstoppable.

I'm not sure if this is an anomaly or if the stats back it up, but what's most remarkable about the Patriots, to me, is the 180 turnaround they have done over the last few years in terms of getting better as the game goes on, especially in the fourth quarter. Sure seemed like from roughly 2009-2012 or so, you always hoped they would put the game away early because both the offense and defense was always inept in crunch time. Games that come to mind are the 4th and 2 game against Manning (and multiple other major comebacks that year), and various playoff losses where they were ground down as they game went on.

On defense, I think it mainly has to do with depth and their younger players having the stamina, and on offense, LaFell makes a huge difference as does Edelman being more physical in short yardage than Welker was. The team has really changed its identify from front runner to accelerator.

 

[mosey threetupu]

Brady to LaFell Back Shoulder throw and catch great element added to already Great Offense. LaFell have a Big catch radius I see why Brady likes him. The Back Shoulder throw is unstoppable with single coverage.

I'm sure it's probably been mentioned but I haven't seen it so I'll bring it up here. The play where Brady escaped pressure, spun out of the pocket and threw an absolutely perfect bomb to LaFell is one of the best plays I've ever seen him make. Too bad LaFell got punched in the facemask and the refs didn't call PI.

 

[Rob0729]

Correction from my initial thoughts. Dion Lewis blew up Rahsad Jones, not Wake. Here is a picture of it courtesy of Mark Daniels' Twitter.

 

[glm]

Personally, I thought the Pats were going to blow it open earlier. After the safety, it was looking like they were going to go up over 20 (points). MIA started playing well...didn't want a 9-7 game; MIA getting back into it. Of course, it all worked out well. However, if I had to pick a tipping point in the game, I'd say that was it. And on a second reflection, part of the Pats game is to wear 'em down, which takes time.

I'd say the nail in the coffin was Harmon's pick in the fourth. You could tell that took the life out of Miami

 

[everlong]

Last night was the Tannehill safety. How can they have such a stupid miscommunication in that spot?

He was channeling his inner Peyton Manning.

 

[everlong]

Another forgotten thought:

I was impressed how this depleted line manhandled Suh. Sure they doubled him all night, but he was a rag doll getting pushed off the line. When you pay a guy like Suh that much money, he should be able to beat the double team on a fairly consistent basis. At times, he barely gave them a fight.

I think we can assume Team Gronk won the snow day game.

 

[rochrist]

It's as though he's sentenced to a career- by his own contract(s) -to play on average teams, until he retires. In the end, he's just some other name that was supposed to bring a championship to some city with high hopes. That must be frustrating. I'm sure the fans are impressed when they see pictures of his house and all the stuff he bought. What a consolation!

He sentenced to play on average mediocre teams by his own choice. There isn't a DT alive worth what he's getting. And now truly good team would give him that contract.