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- Jul 11, 2005
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I was too pissed last night to put together anything cogent or even worth reading. Between the officiating and the injuries, it was all I could do to take my insulin shot without jabbing the needle into my eye. BUT the sun did rise this morning despite the loss and it's time to man up and take a look at what happened and try to add something meaningful to the discussion.
1. It is certainly fair to say that the officials cost the Pats this game. IIRC the Pats didn't have an offensive drive in the fourth quarter that didn't have at least one 10 yard penalty, until the last one that tied the game.
What was so frustrating was that the officials did such a good job keeping their flags in their pockets for most of the game letting the ticky tack calls go by on both teams. Then almost on cue they sabotaged so many Pats drives late in the game throwing flags on the Pats that they let go previously, while at the same time ignoring calls those same calls on Denver.
I won't bother to go into detail as I am sure other have poured out their own frustrations already on the board ad nauseum. Leave to say, it was BAD, and I am as angry as the rest of you.
2. But it wasn't the only reason the Pats lost that game. Yes it was a factor, but had the Pats executed better they would have won the game anyway. Obviously Harper's fumble was a turning point. I was wondering during the game why KMartin wasn't back there. One of the comments back when we traded for him was that he had return skills.
Harper's fumble was unfortunate, but Julian Edelman had a season when he fumbled punts 4 times in a season (and IIRC, he got them all back). It happens, even to the best of them.
We also were a bit unlucky in that Denver coughed the ball up twice and we didn't get either of them. Had we recovered even one of them we win the game.
3. Brady was sacked 3 times, but overall I thought he had decent protection for most of the night. Obviously he had to hold the ball a lot longer without DA and Edelman, so at least 2 of those sacks were more of the coverage kind.
That being said, Kline didn't have one of his best nights. Most of his troubles came, IMHO, because he was slow getting off the ball. That could have been because of the crowd noise. Also, it is clear that OL isn't getting much of a push in the running game but more on that later.
4. I'd like a closer look at what was happening to our DE's on those sweep plays. Clearly Ninko was held on the first TD. I wonder what was happening on the rest. A lot of the Denver runs were successful because the LB's were over running the play, especially Freeney. But before we bury him as another Pats whipping boy, lets remember that he was in on 12 tackles and had a sack. He wasn't Hightower or Collins, but he WAS decent and seems to contribute more with every game.
5. The most disappointing aspect of this game for me was the fact we allowed 17 4th quarter points. Last season one of the keys to the Pats success was the fact that for the last 10 or 11 games (including the playoffs), the Pats D did NOT allow a single TD in the 4th quarter. I had thought that over the last 2 or 3 games the D was starting to show the same kind of results. Allowing 2 TDs (three if you count the OT) was, quite frankly, horrifying
6. The run game needs to be fixed. And it has nothing to do with the RB's. What has to change is the scheming for those runs. Right now we have the most predictable run game in the league. You know when and where we will run and what formations we will run from. It is incomprehensible to me that the most sophisticated and complex passing attack in the league, would have such an unimaginative running attack.
7. It's become evident to me that I might have right all along with James White. The fact is that since he's been thrust into the lineup as the 3rd down back, the Pats have conspicuously ignored him. Even in the game he had his 2 TD's, he was almost an after thought. Still unable to make people miss or not be knocked down by first contact on even a semi-regular basis.
8. On the Positive side -
a. Lost in the quagmire of the officiating, injuries and the loss, was what an amazing drive Brady put on to tie the game. Without most of his weapons, a crumbling OL, and on the road; he drove the Pats over 50 yards in about 6o seconds,. It was pure Brady......and later Gotskowsi.
b. The was Scott Chandler's most productive game of the season. I don't understand why people were riding him so badly in the game thread. I don't know why they get pissed when he doesn't get open running go routes on the outside. BTW- when he DID get open, Brady missed him. He came up big in that last drive.
c. The OL was better, and will continue to get better as the season goes on.....assumiing they stay healthy.
d. I didn't expect to win this game going in. However as the game progressed, I felt that even WITH all the injuries, we were the better team and will crush Denver in the playoffs should we meet.
e. Malcolm Brown is getting better with every game. But the best interior DLman this season has to be Alan Branch. The man is a beast and makes multiple impact plays every game. And to think he was on everyone's throw away list during this TC. It only goes to show you what WE know.
f. It looks like BOTH Hightower and Gronk will be back before too long. I'd let them both take next week off, just to make sure. Collins should be back next week, and we can cobble enough offense to beat the hapless Eagles at home. Let's remember what the prize is, and it isn't wins in December,
9; On Denver's last drive to tie the game, I waited in fear for the inevitable 40 yd PI to be thrown. Instead I watched Brock Osweiler throw THREE perfect throws against very tight coverage to get that score. I don't know how Manning gets back his job, if that kid keeps playing as well as he has been. All three of those key completions aren't going to be made with Manning throwing the ball.
I think the kid is going to be a good QB in the NFL and another example of someone who BENEFITED from NOT having to be thrown into the mix right out of college. He sat for over 3 seasons learning how to be a pro.
10. I bet Josh is second guessing himself for his play calling at the end of the first half. It was very curious. I can understand it from a basic strategy stand point, HOWEVER when you have the GOAT bad weather QB in the league history, I don't understand taking the ball out of his hands in a situation he's done so well. Especially the way the D was playing at that time. What was even more surprising it continued well into the 3rd quarter of the game. Very strange.
OK, my weekly obligation is complete. Now I can just ignore the noise and patiently wait for next Sunday when I can wash this stink off me with another win.
1. It is certainly fair to say that the officials cost the Pats this game. IIRC the Pats didn't have an offensive drive in the fourth quarter that didn't have at least one 10 yard penalty, until the last one that tied the game.
What was so frustrating was that the officials did such a good job keeping their flags in their pockets for most of the game letting the ticky tack calls go by on both teams. Then almost on cue they sabotaged so many Pats drives late in the game throwing flags on the Pats that they let go previously, while at the same time ignoring calls those same calls on Denver.
I won't bother to go into detail as I am sure other have poured out their own frustrations already on the board ad nauseum. Leave to say, it was BAD, and I am as angry as the rest of you.
2. But it wasn't the only reason the Pats lost that game. Yes it was a factor, but had the Pats executed better they would have won the game anyway. Obviously Harper's fumble was a turning point. I was wondering during the game why KMartin wasn't back there. One of the comments back when we traded for him was that he had return skills.
Harper's fumble was unfortunate, but Julian Edelman had a season when he fumbled punts 4 times in a season (and IIRC, he got them all back). It happens, even to the best of them.
We also were a bit unlucky in that Denver coughed the ball up twice and we didn't get either of them. Had we recovered even one of them we win the game.
3. Brady was sacked 3 times, but overall I thought he had decent protection for most of the night. Obviously he had to hold the ball a lot longer without DA and Edelman, so at least 2 of those sacks were more of the coverage kind.
That being said, Kline didn't have one of his best nights. Most of his troubles came, IMHO, because he was slow getting off the ball. That could have been because of the crowd noise. Also, it is clear that OL isn't getting much of a push in the running game but more on that later.
4. I'd like a closer look at what was happening to our DE's on those sweep plays. Clearly Ninko was held on the first TD. I wonder what was happening on the rest. A lot of the Denver runs were successful because the LB's were over running the play, especially Freeney. But before we bury him as another Pats whipping boy, lets remember that he was in on 12 tackles and had a sack. He wasn't Hightower or Collins, but he WAS decent and seems to contribute more with every game.
5. The most disappointing aspect of this game for me was the fact we allowed 17 4th quarter points. Last season one of the keys to the Pats success was the fact that for the last 10 or 11 games (including the playoffs), the Pats D did NOT allow a single TD in the 4th quarter. I had thought that over the last 2 or 3 games the D was starting to show the same kind of results. Allowing 2 TDs (three if you count the OT) was, quite frankly, horrifying
6. The run game needs to be fixed. And it has nothing to do with the RB's. What has to change is the scheming for those runs. Right now we have the most predictable run game in the league. You know when and where we will run and what formations we will run from. It is incomprehensible to me that the most sophisticated and complex passing attack in the league, would have such an unimaginative running attack.
7. It's become evident to me that I might have right all along with James White. The fact is that since he's been thrust into the lineup as the 3rd down back, the Pats have conspicuously ignored him. Even in the game he had his 2 TD's, he was almost an after thought. Still unable to make people miss or not be knocked down by first contact on even a semi-regular basis.
8. On the Positive side -
a. Lost in the quagmire of the officiating, injuries and the loss, was what an amazing drive Brady put on to tie the game. Without most of his weapons, a crumbling OL, and on the road; he drove the Pats over 50 yards in about 6o seconds,. It was pure Brady......and later Gotskowsi.
b. The was Scott Chandler's most productive game of the season. I don't understand why people were riding him so badly in the game thread. I don't know why they get pissed when he doesn't get open running go routes on the outside. BTW- when he DID get open, Brady missed him. He came up big in that last drive.
c. The OL was better, and will continue to get better as the season goes on.....assumiing they stay healthy.
d. I didn't expect to win this game going in. However as the game progressed, I felt that even WITH all the injuries, we were the better team and will crush Denver in the playoffs should we meet.
e. Malcolm Brown is getting better with every game. But the best interior DLman this season has to be Alan Branch. The man is a beast and makes multiple impact plays every game. And to think he was on everyone's throw away list during this TC. It only goes to show you what WE know.
f. It looks like BOTH Hightower and Gronk will be back before too long. I'd let them both take next week off, just to make sure. Collins should be back next week, and we can cobble enough offense to beat the hapless Eagles at home. Let's remember what the prize is, and it isn't wins in December,
9; On Denver's last drive to tie the game, I waited in fear for the inevitable 40 yd PI to be thrown. Instead I watched Brock Osweiler throw THREE perfect throws against very tight coverage to get that score. I don't know how Manning gets back his job, if that kid keeps playing as well as he has been. All three of those key completions aren't going to be made with Manning throwing the ball.
I think the kid is going to be a good QB in the NFL and another example of someone who BENEFITED from NOT having to be thrown into the mix right out of college. He sat for over 3 seasons learning how to be a pro.
10. I bet Josh is second guessing himself for his play calling at the end of the first half. It was very curious. I can understand it from a basic strategy stand point, HOWEVER when you have the GOAT bad weather QB in the league history, I don't understand taking the ball out of his hands in a situation he's done so well. Especially the way the D was playing at that time. What was even more surprising it continued well into the 3rd quarter of the game. Very strange.
OK, my weekly obligation is complete. Now I can just ignore the noise and patiently wait for next Sunday when I can wash this stink off me with another win.
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