I hate to say this but I think we were due.

[catent]

It was amazing winning 7 straight with elite defense and power running football. But like a loser crack addict we can't help but see if crappy spread shotgun works.

Totally disagree with your assessment. The Colts were bringing hard blitzes to the strong-side of every heavy formation we put out there. Slot blitzes, safety blitzes, linebackers coming. When the Colts saw formations that indicated likely run, they blitzed the hell out of the strong-side.

I was watching that game and thinking to myself, "the Pats need to get into more spread looks and force the Colts to declare, because if they keep playing in a phonebooth, Indy will keep bringing the house".

Putting aside last night's game specifically, the Pats are still struggling with handling blitzes from the slot and second-level, going back to early in the season. This is absolutely something Flores will exploit, and Frazier if he's smart. The offense needs to work on dealing with those types of blitzes in every regard: when running, when passing, and during play-action. They haven't demonstrated the ability to handle those looks well in any form.

I agree with the OP in general. I'm not sure if this game was about the Pats being due for a stinker, so much as it was about the Colts being due for a win against us. Indy hadn't beaten the Pats in any game (regular season nor postseason) in 12 years, until last night. Vinatieri banged the anvil, and then when the special-teams touchdown happened, I knew this was a 'universe aligning' type of catharsis for the Colts last night. Just happens sometimes.

As someone who grew up watching Michigan football (because it's my dad's alma mater), I had the same vibes before the Pats-Colts game as I did before the Michigan-Ohio State game this season. Obviously I was happy to see Michigan win and disappointed to see the Pats lose, respectively, but I had a gut feeling that Michigan was due for a win leading up to "The Game", and likewise, I had that same gut feeling that Indy was due last night.

Onto Buffalo.

 

[catent]

Our run defense needed to be exposed before the playoffs. They were spared from playing Chubb and Henry. I don't think we have the personnel to ever be elite against the run but we can be adequate.

This may be extreme but I feel this game should be the nail in the coffin for our special teams coach. 3 blocked punts and other mishaps over the year. Completely unacceptable considering how many st specialist we have on the roster. A BB coached team with bad st is rare. No coach of the year for this alone.

IMO, our special-teams haven't been ELITE since Scott O'Brien left (his final season coaching special teams was 2014, he still serves as a scout for the team).

They've been anywhere from good to very good since O'Brien left, but not quite at that truly airtight, elite level.

I would like to see this tightened up a bit because it looks like they're riding the coattails of good habits/technique, but not quite as sharp, forward-thinking, creative, or anticipatory as I would like to see (at times, that is -- they're still one of the better special teams units in the league on average).

 

[Jim Beankie]

Except for the Saints game ... never really were in that one

Pats were down 8 with 9min left in the 4th. I mean the Pats looked horrible and looked like they deserved to not be in it (being down 21-3 after the Jonnu pick 6), but they were in contention late. Like the Colts game, we couldn't stop the run at the end.

 

[Jim Beankie]

IMO, our special-teams haven't been ELITE since Scott O'Brien left (his final season coaching special teams was 2014, he still serves as a scout for the team).

They've been anywhere from good to very good since O'Brien left, but not quite at that truly airtight, elite level.

I would like to see this tightened up a bit because it looks like they're riding the coattails of good habits/technique, but not quite as sharp, forward-thinking, creative, or anticipatory as I would like to see (at times, that is -- they're still one of the better special teams units in the league on average).

All Pro punter and returner last year (and a darn good placekicker) and that isn't elite? I'm guessing you're talking about the unit as a whole but one doesn't get that kind of success without the entire unit being elite.

 

[catent]

All Pro punter and returner last year (and a darn good placekicker) and that isn't elite? I'm guessing you're talking about the unit as a whole but one doesn't get that kind of success without the entire unit being elite.

Kickoff coverage hasn't seemed great for a few years, a few mishaps on punt protection and/or punt coverage.

The FG unit and PR group generally seem solid. Kickoff coverage and punt protection/coverage sometimes seems like it could use a little polish to my eye.

 

[MrTibbs]

Gunner is such a non factor and has a knack of putting the ball on the ground. He provides nothing in the passing game and not much in the return game. Can we move on from him, Hightower and Wynn?

 

[archstanton543]

Gunner is such a non factor and has a knack of putting the ball on the ground. He provides nothing in the passing game and not much in the return game. Can we move on from him, Hightower and Wynn?

Gunner and Wynn are still on their rookie contracts. Wynn had his option picked up for some reason (blackmail photos of BB? Who knows?).

Hightower has had a great career here but it's time to part ways.

 

[MrTibbs]

Gunner and Wynn are still on their rookie contracts. Wynn had his option picked up for some reason (blackmail photos of BB? Who knows?).

Hightower has had a great career here but it's time to part ways.

Watch some all-22 of Hightower from this season....god awful. Slow, minimal effort, loss of agility, wrong gaps. He even mentioned how bad he's played. Absolutely time to move on from him.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Watch some all-22 of Hightower from this season....god awful. Slow, minimal effort, loss of agility, wrong gaps. He even mentioned how bad he's played. Absolutely time to move on from him.

We need to upgrade the LB position and OL this off season

 

[Patriot Missile]

Even during the Brady years, the Pats usually had one game a season where the wheels fell off and they never were in it. This Colts game wasn't that; in fact, we haven't had a loss all year where we weren't in it late. That's pretty remarkable.

True, imo with the exception of the Saints game we had a chance to win every game this season so far. I really wouldnt mind seeing this team again down the road. It was definitely a good teaching moment for BB to preach the 60 minutes emphasis.

 

[Patriot Missile]

We need to upgrade the LB position and OL this off season

Yep, Left tackle and LB are two points that will have to be addressed in either fa or the draft. Brown is a fa, Hightower, McCourty , Phillips, JC Jackson. Gonna be one of those offseasons that is hard to project.

 

[‘Mondre]

The fact it was a "wake up call" underlines how this is a team ahead of schedule. We weren't supposed to be 9-5 with a rookie quarterback and free agents still figuring out the system and culture. But we got hot and... drank a little of the media koolaid proclaiming us as top 5 beasts.

Now we're back on terra firma after seeing we have to play a complete game to defeat playoff squads like the Colts. We got mentally, physically, and emotionally whooped. The only silver linings were Mac's ability to rally in the 4th and us having three more weeks to regroup for the postseason so we can prove the Colts game isn't who we are against quality teams.

At this point, yee haw. This isn't a team that on paper should win anything this year. Now that we are no longer the AFC darling, maybe that means we can get back to being the underdog who fights and claws.

We were certainly supposed to be 9-5 with any qb after our spending spree.

without the covid opt outs last year is a 9 win team. Give us 11 that’s about what’s expected.

 

[Boston Boxer]

i said at the beginning of the season that i would consider the season a success if we made the playoffs. I will stick by that and don't expect anything more. Great season so far with a rookie QB and still no #1 WR

 

[RIpats88]

Mac Jones said they had a bad week of practice wonder if the team got too high on themselves.

Have to say though he showed me something with his resiliency to lead that comeback in the 4th even if it came short.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Based on their record the Pats are an upper middle class playoff team which is pretty amazing by realistic measures. However, the team should not be defined strictly by their won loss record. Now that the Saints shut out TB12 can we move that game to the moral victory column? If you consider the fumbles vs Miami and the superior talent of Tampa and Dallas the Pats have only lost 1 game. 13-1 fan boi record puts the team in good position for the number one seed. ;-)

 

[borg]

Mac Jones said they had a bad week of practice

Was it ....

and....

 

[oldrover]

It was definitely a good teaching moment for BB to preach the 60 minutes emphasis.

 

[qbno12]

Pats have always struggled coming off a bye. That has been a case for a really long time. It just happened that we had to play this game on the road and Indy had the advantage. If this game was at Foxboro, I'd they would have kept it close even if they didn't start well.

BB obviously is pissed. Hopefully they can bounce back and beat BUF this week.

 

[RIpats88]

Pats have always struggled coming off a bye. That has been a case for a really long time. It just happened that we had to play this game on the road and Indy had the advantage. If this game was at Foxboro, I'd they would have kept it close even if they didn't start well.

BB obviously is pissed. Hopefully they can bounce back and beat BUF this week.

I think they will bounce back. Hopefully our injured guys get healthy

 

[Lavictoire]

I was thinking the bye week they got a little rusty. hard to keep up the momentum.Doesnt that usually happen after a bye? They start slow then wake up later in the game?