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Hard to know where to start this, so I’ll just ramble with a bunch of disorganized thoughts that pop into my head as I write.
1. I knew this was going to be a tough game once I read the the Browns D hadn’t allowed a 100 yd rusher or a 300yd passer this season. That’s outstanding. AND nothing that happened in the better part of the first 3 quarters would lead one to think differently of this defense.
2. I was also very disappointed when I heard Jason Campbell was going to be the QB. At times during his career he’s been a very effective QB. With the right team and right offense he can easily be as good as say, Andy Dalton. I knew if he had time, he had enough targets to make life hard for this team. He made a number of great throws into tight areas, took care of the ball and made good decisions
3. Kudos to Norv Turner for not being a wimp and trying to sit on this lead. He threw the ball the entire game, once he realized that the Pats has fixed the running attack. I loved/hated the reverse. It was a perfect call.
4. Last note on Cleveland. Browns fans should take hope from this game. It was a perfect outcome for them. Its clear they are on the right track. That’s a good defense. They have a very good OL and enough skill players to be a solid competitor for the playoffs. (the AFC North is going to be one tough division next year) And between Campbell and Hoyer they have 2 decent NFL QB’s. In the long run its probably better they didn’t win.
5. Joe Thomas took Chandler Jones to school today. The best LT in the league pretty much stoned Jones. I think once it was clear that we weren't going to get much pressure in a straight 4 man rush, I would have hoped that Patricia would have don't some blitzing or stunting to try and get Jones freed up. IE that hold and inside move that SF uses so successfully.
5. It might have taken until week 14 but I’m sure Josh Boyce opened some eyes today. Not just because he had 3 grabs and almost 50 yds, but he showed he is a dynamic player and a real deep threat. The PI shows that in a key moment he can get deep (and yes that was a PI, but more later)
6. It took more than half the season, but LaGarrette Blount has been a real find. He is running very hard now (he didn’t earlier), and for the last 3 games has shown he handle any role. Between Blount, Ridley and Vareen, the Pats have 3 RB’s that all can carry the load. 3 deep they can be as good as any team in the league.
7. The Pats showed that they CAN stop or at least control a team’s running game. The question is can they control one without committing 8 men to the box. Take away the 2 scrambles and the reverse, the Pats front held the Browns to 49 yds on 22 carries. That’s good work.
8. Josh Gordon is very good. The long TD wasn’t all Talib’s fault IMHO. He had no inside help or even safety help. There was a blown assignment or it was a very poorly schemed design. We certainly didn’t see it again.
9. That was MOST definitely a PI at the end of the game. Every time they ran the replay you could see another contact, tug, or pull. I could see there being a case made that the PI came at the 3 rather in the end zone, but even in the end zone Boyce’s shoulder was yanked back before the ball got there.
Jet fans and haters will complain, but if you followed Peter Kings excellent article this week, on officials, that ref will have no worries about being marked down on that flag. He really didn’t have a choice. Boyce had the defender beat and there was constant contact for over 5 yards before the ball got there.
10. I would have traded the win for a healthy Gronk. BUT that was a legal hit and in no way unfair. A guy that size with a full head of steam you HAVE to hit low. It was just unfortunate. Just a few series later, Josh Gordon gets hit almost the same way on a crossing pattern and just bounced right up. Luck of the draw. I don’t know what you can do to keep that from happening.
11. I want to whine about all the injuries for just a second. You know its not the volume. The Pats now have 5 starters go on the IR (Kelly, Wilfolk, Mayo, Volmer, and now Gronk). That’s not a huge number. I’m sure there are a number of teams that have lost 5 guys to the IR. But for us its the WHO. At the start of the year if you drew up a list of 5 guys we couldn’t lose, at least 4 of those names would have been on that list.
12. OK that enough whining. He’s what I think the Pats are about to do. I think they go back circa 2003-6 and dust off the first of BB’s great offensive innovations, the 4 wide. Between Boyce, Dobson, Thompkins Amendola, and Edelman, the Pats have plenty of receivers to make this work.
I also see use utilizing that great RB corp more. I think the running game can be dynamic. I would also like to see us continue to throw to our RB’s more, and not just screens. Vareen’s ability is obvious. Blount had a nice catch and run, and I think he can do that more often. IIRC he had 15 receptions for TB in 2011 Finally I don’t think we can totally forget the TE’s. 2 or 3 times a game they can provide a great change of pace. Just look at how wide open Mulligan was,.
13. So if the offense is going to continue score more than 30/game they will have to go no name. No big name targets. No go to guy. Truly spread the ball around and let the opponent guess where its going. Brady is the perfect QB to make this offense work. Remember he won 3 superbowls WITHOUT a Gronk at TE, or a Moss at WR, or a Welker in the slot. (and BTW - 2 of those defenses were statistically below average)
It won’t be easy and there will have to be some luck involved, but BOY will it be such a rewarding run if we can make it happen
14. Meantime we might not even be favored in the next 2 games so lets focus in on the real issue, which in my opinion is continuing to rebuild this defense so it can be the best it can be for a playoff run. IMHO the offense is going to be OK. There is only one person who is indispensable and he’s still playing and winning.
1. I knew this was going to be a tough game once I read the the Browns D hadn’t allowed a 100 yd rusher or a 300yd passer this season. That’s outstanding. AND nothing that happened in the better part of the first 3 quarters would lead one to think differently of this defense.
2. I was also very disappointed when I heard Jason Campbell was going to be the QB. At times during his career he’s been a very effective QB. With the right team and right offense he can easily be as good as say, Andy Dalton. I knew if he had time, he had enough targets to make life hard for this team. He made a number of great throws into tight areas, took care of the ball and made good decisions
3. Kudos to Norv Turner for not being a wimp and trying to sit on this lead. He threw the ball the entire game, once he realized that the Pats has fixed the running attack. I loved/hated the reverse. It was a perfect call.
4. Last note on Cleveland. Browns fans should take hope from this game. It was a perfect outcome for them. Its clear they are on the right track. That’s a good defense. They have a very good OL and enough skill players to be a solid competitor for the playoffs. (the AFC North is going to be one tough division next year) And between Campbell and Hoyer they have 2 decent NFL QB’s. In the long run its probably better they didn’t win.
5. Joe Thomas took Chandler Jones to school today. The best LT in the league pretty much stoned Jones. I think once it was clear that we weren't going to get much pressure in a straight 4 man rush, I would have hoped that Patricia would have don't some blitzing or stunting to try and get Jones freed up. IE that hold and inside move that SF uses so successfully.
5. It might have taken until week 14 but I’m sure Josh Boyce opened some eyes today. Not just because he had 3 grabs and almost 50 yds, but he showed he is a dynamic player and a real deep threat. The PI shows that in a key moment he can get deep (and yes that was a PI, but more later)
6. It took more than half the season, but LaGarrette Blount has been a real find. He is running very hard now (he didn’t earlier), and for the last 3 games has shown he handle any role. Between Blount, Ridley and Vareen, the Pats have 3 RB’s that all can carry the load. 3 deep they can be as good as any team in the league.
7. The Pats showed that they CAN stop or at least control a team’s running game. The question is can they control one without committing 8 men to the box. Take away the 2 scrambles and the reverse, the Pats front held the Browns to 49 yds on 22 carries. That’s good work.
8. Josh Gordon is very good. The long TD wasn’t all Talib’s fault IMHO. He had no inside help or even safety help. There was a blown assignment or it was a very poorly schemed design. We certainly didn’t see it again.
9. That was MOST definitely a PI at the end of the game. Every time they ran the replay you could see another contact, tug, or pull. I could see there being a case made that the PI came at the 3 rather in the end zone, but even in the end zone Boyce’s shoulder was yanked back before the ball got there.
Jet fans and haters will complain, but if you followed Peter Kings excellent article this week, on officials, that ref will have no worries about being marked down on that flag. He really didn’t have a choice. Boyce had the defender beat and there was constant contact for over 5 yards before the ball got there.
10. I would have traded the win for a healthy Gronk. BUT that was a legal hit and in no way unfair. A guy that size with a full head of steam you HAVE to hit low. It was just unfortunate. Just a few series later, Josh Gordon gets hit almost the same way on a crossing pattern and just bounced right up. Luck of the draw. I don’t know what you can do to keep that from happening.
11. I want to whine about all the injuries for just a second. You know its not the volume. The Pats now have 5 starters go on the IR (Kelly, Wilfolk, Mayo, Volmer, and now Gronk). That’s not a huge number. I’m sure there are a number of teams that have lost 5 guys to the IR. But for us its the WHO. At the start of the year if you drew up a list of 5 guys we couldn’t lose, at least 4 of those names would have been on that list.
12. OK that enough whining. He’s what I think the Pats are about to do. I think they go back circa 2003-6 and dust off the first of BB’s great offensive innovations, the 4 wide. Between Boyce, Dobson, Thompkins Amendola, and Edelman, the Pats have plenty of receivers to make this work.
I also see use utilizing that great RB corp more. I think the running game can be dynamic. I would also like to see us continue to throw to our RB’s more, and not just screens. Vareen’s ability is obvious. Blount had a nice catch and run, and I think he can do that more often. IIRC he had 15 receptions for TB in 2011 Finally I don’t think we can totally forget the TE’s. 2 or 3 times a game they can provide a great change of pace. Just look at how wide open Mulligan was,.
13. So if the offense is going to continue score more than 30/game they will have to go no name. No big name targets. No go to guy. Truly spread the ball around and let the opponent guess where its going. Brady is the perfect QB to make this offense work. Remember he won 3 superbowls WITHOUT a Gronk at TE, or a Moss at WR, or a Welker in the slot. (and BTW - 2 of those defenses were statistically below average)
It won’t be easy and there will have to be some luck involved, but BOY will it be such a rewarding run if we can make it happen
14. Meantime we might not even be favored in the next 2 games so lets focus in on the real issue, which in my opinion is continuing to rebuild this defense so it can be the best it can be for a playoff run. IMHO the offense is going to be OK. There is only one person who is indispensable and he’s still playing and winning.
