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OK, 1am and I've had a chance to think this one over, gather a few stats and try an put it in perspective. Going into the game I expected a close game. I thought the Pats could score 23-27 and hold the Broncos to just under 20. The key to this game I thought would be TO's. The Pats have been pretty poor this year in creating TO's, but on the plus side, they don't give many away either. So my feeling was that if they don't give any away and made the Bronco's have a long field to score, they'd be OK and win a close game. Instead they create THREE Denver TO's (punt block, pick ,and muffed punt) and don't give away any, and win in a rout. That's the way it should have been all season. 
So instead of having ST's be the last thing we talk about in the break down, perhaps this week we should stat it off with ST's since they were a direct cause of upward of 24 of the Pats points in this game.
1. ST's- If there has been one thing (among several others) that distinguishs Bill from his peers is his maniacal dedication to special teams. I doubt any other teams dedicate so many roster spots to what we call "core ST's guys", Where else would Brandon Bolden still have a job. Where else would BB trade a pick to pick up a guy like Bademosi, who until he got to NE rarely played on the regular D, and the list could go on and on.
a. But what was most impressive about tonight's ST's execution was not just the raw number of critical plays, but the fact they were in so many areas of ST's. The Pats KO coverage unit had 7 balls returns, only one made it past the 25. There was one punt (a 46 yd beauty by Allen) that resulted in a muff and a quite recover by Hollister. There was the punt block by Burkhead. There was the KO return by Lewis. (the ONLY one he got) Gotskowski's KO's were so well placed and the coverage so blanketing that he got the ultimate compliment when a KR took a knee about a foot inside the end zone. Only the punt return game didn't shine, but there was no need to return anything tonight and risk Amendola.
b. They just did everything so well this entire game, it was not only a pleasure to watch, but it should be a blueprint for other teams to see how it's done. ST's created 17 points for the Pats and it was a bonehead play by Denver's ST's that gave the ball back to the Pats who put ANOTHER 7 point up on the board.
2. OFFENSE -
a. General thoughts - Simply a brilliant plan by Josh tonight. 9 different receivers caught the ball is a well balanced passing attack. No one had more than 6 catches and no one had more than 74 yds.
b. They completely neutralized the great Denver CB's by pretty much ignoring them. Cooks and Dorsett eventually combined for 8 catches for 90 yds, but for the most part they were decoys and short yardage threats. Instead the bulk of the throws when to the TE's and RB's on the inside and to Amendola from the slot.
c. As I have said on several occasions, the key stat in the run game wasn't so much how many yards they gained (100) but the amount of carries (29) and did those runs move the chains (yes). No run will make anyone's highlight reel, but it was solid work by Lewis and Burkhead.
d. My only real complaint the entire night was that 3rd and 3 they ran early in the 4th that was too cute by a half and resulted in a loss on a throw to Cooks. Fortunately the Pats got the ball back on the 12 men on the field penalty. SO what am I complaining about anyway.
e. The only other complaint was being first and goal from the 2 and having to kick a FG But overall the Pats were 4/6 in the red zone which is pretty good.
QB- Brady had a great night tonight. He was very sharp in his short an medium rang throws. He didn't go deep much, but when he did he overthrew his guys, but that is nitpicking of the highest order.. Brady's been fairly good for most of the season, but coming off the bye I thought this was his best game, even though he only threw for 266 yds.
Hoyer had a nice little welcome back in his series. He got a few first downs and looked competent.
4. OL - The best game of the year for the OL - zero Penalties. One sack on a missed block on a blitzing S by White, and very few QB hits (2 or 3 I think). The scheme they developed was brilliant. Waddle did himself proud, but Devlin was often there to help. Unlike in Dallas where they left their back up on an island all game an never gave him help even after his man had sacked Prescott SIX f*cking times.
b. Solder had his best game of the year. While Waddle was getting most of the help, Solder was a stud on the other side.
c. And as usual, the interior 3 were solid at keeping any inside pressure away from Brady. We were all worried about Denver's vaunted rush, but this could have been the cleanest Brady has been all season. It bodes well.
3. RB's - Lewis and Burkhead did most of the damage, with Gillislee being a healthy scratch. Both ran hard and got what was there, but Lewis once again had 2 or 3 negative runs trying to make something out of nothing.
Gillislee missing this game could be something or nothing. If we know the Pats next week he could get 20 carries. But I'm sure it will be a major topic of discussion in some thread this week. I hope it won't be in this one.
4. Receivers - Nice to see Allen get off the shnide. It was a good catch against tight coverage while he was being held. It was even nicer to see how his teammates were so happy for him, especially Brady and Gronk.
b. Marty had a very productive 7 snaps in this game. His shoulder is definitely a problem for him. He's not going to be much of a blocking factor with it. My instincts are telling me he's not going to make it through the 8-11 games coming up. But while he's active, it can only be a good thing. I think the Pats are going to massively manage his snap count. I'll be surprised to see it ever get past 20/game in the regular season
c. Gronk's snaps aren't being managed closely, but his target are. It would be easy to see him get 10+ a game, but I don't see that happening until the playoffs come around. I think he got 6 or 7 tonight include the TD what wasn't.
BTW- I can see how it was call incomplete on the field, AND I can see why it wasn't overturned. But after watching it several times, I also think it was a catch Ce la vie.
d. Cooks and Dorsett weren't featured but they did their jobs. They has some production, while neutralizing the strength of the Denver defense.
e. Nice to see Devlin get a few looks in the passing game. I bet this was not only his high for snaps, but in how key he was to the game plan this week
5. Defense - General thoughts -
a. The Bronco's marched down the field the first few times they had the ball this game. Fortunately they didn't allow a TD, and the offense and ST's were putting up copious numbers. Something Collingsworth said struck a note. The first 2 drives generally include all the "scripted plays" (about 15-20) These are the ones that are usually executed well. It is also the time where the D gets to see what the offense is trying to do to the defense and what matchups they are trying to get. So I wasn't surprised to see Denver move the ball early, but I expected, as the Pats made adjustments, I expected to see things tighten up over time. Stopping them twice in the red zone were big wins.
b. Our front 7 is really a bunch of no-names who individually won't throw a scare into DC we face. But once again they only allowed 16 points, and like I had hoped, the coverage and pressure got tighter and tighter over the course of the night, forcing Denver to make big plays (well mostly Sanders).
c. On of the stats that made me think we are creating a great secondary to go along with a front 7 where the sum will be better than the individual parts. SEVENTEEN different players recorded tackles tonight. No standouts, 5 tackles led the team, but so many contributed.
d. No sacks tonight. That was a disappointment given the state of the Denver OL and the fact Osweiler usually stands in the pocket. But I do have to admit, I thought the Pats put more pressure on Osweiler than Denver did to Brady.
6. Front 7- The run D was decent. They allowed Denver RB's a very respectable 4.4 ypc over 26 carries, but I never thought they were ever running wild. It should be noted that a lot of those good runs came when the Pats were way ahead and expecting pass. Denver had to run the ball WELL to win. They never reached that standard. And like I said, while they didn't get any sacks, the DL at least made Osweiler "feel their presence".
I will be interested to here what Bedard or PFF have to say with their numbers later in the week.
7. Secondary.
a. I thought Gilbert had a very strong game on Thomas. He didn't cover Thomas exclusively, but for the most part. Thomas had 5 catches for just 44 yds. That's under 10/catch, which is outstanding again a supposedly elite WR. A touch slow on the TD catch, but that is nitpicking, given the circus catch Thomas made. (and it was a catch). He will only get better as he gets more time on the field. His play on Thomas made Denver throw at Butler.
b. Butler was undressed by Sanders in the first half (4 for 66yds) Sanders made a triple move on Malcolm that was beautiful to watch even for a Pats fan (the first big gain). Malcolm bit on a couple moves Sander gave him, but as the game wore on Butler tighten is coverage considerably and by the second half, any catch Sanders made required either a great catch, or a great pass.
c. Hats off to Sanders who played a great game. Fortunately he was about the only one who stood out.
d. The Safeties did their job. Tackled well, and covered the rest of the Bronco's (TE's and RB's) very well. Chung made a nice move jumping that route for the pick. He was solid all night as were the rest of the DB's though Sander killed Jones on an in-cut for a big 3rd down gain in the first half.
e. Overall the secondary was good, but also improving. Not only their communications, but their coverage as the game went along. The only troubling stat was that Denver converted on 8 of 15 third down opportunities. That's too high and needs to get better.
7. General football thoughts from Sunday's games -
a. Oakland has a better offense than the Broncos. Their OL is supposedly elite. That's my big worry vs our no-name DL - On the other hand, their secondary is a mess, and after watching our OL erase the Denver rush, I can see a big day for the offense. How ironic. A shoot out in Mexico City.
b. Saw a few highlights of the Colts Game and have 2 thoughts. I saw Mingo make a few plays on the regular D, and wondered if we should have kept him. He was great on ST's here. but I had hoped he'd develop a role on the regular defense. It seem like has done than in Indy. Did they simply make him a higher offer, or did we just dump him.
Jabaal Sheard is very quietly having a very good year with the Colts. That one I know was all about the money.
c. Do you know that Elandon Roberts now has more tackles than Jamie Collins (34-31), though Collins has a pick and FF. I've read some where where PFF has him ranked low, and it looks like he isn't making much of an impact on the Browns' D. Certainly much less of one than he made here. What's up with that. Did we dodge a $10MM/yr bullet? Looks like.
d. For the last 2 seasons, Ben Rothlessberger has SUCKED on the road. He's not much better at home, but he IS better. The Steelers are really lucky they won today. That being said, Ryan Shazier is a really good LB and and interesting match up with Gronk. Could have been just a bad game for the Steelers on the road against a bad team, but I feel better about our chances in Pittsburgh a few weeks from now than I did Sunday morning.
e. God I feel for Phillip Rivers. For the last 2 years he's being living in a nightmare where is loses just about every close game the Chargers are in, and they're in a LOT of them. Today was no different. I saw the end of it and to say they (not Rivers) blew it would be an understatement. But it's 3am now and I promised myself I would go past that, So ask me about it tomorrow and I'll tell you about the 2 or three things that could have made that game a win for Rivers.
Goodnight all. Make your comments and complaints and get a good discussion going. This was the game we thought we were going to get every week when the season started. Which reminds me. Don't be righting off the 4-4, or 5-4 teams and the like. You shouldn't have to be reminded that way back in 2001 around this time of the year, our own Pats team was a very mediocre 5-5 and we all know how that ended up.
So instead of having ST's be the last thing we talk about in the break down, perhaps this week we should stat it off with ST's since they were a direct cause of upward of 24 of the Pats points in this game.
1. ST's- If there has been one thing (among several others) that distinguishs Bill from his peers is his maniacal dedication to special teams. I doubt any other teams dedicate so many roster spots to what we call "core ST's guys", Where else would Brandon Bolden still have a job. Where else would BB trade a pick to pick up a guy like Bademosi, who until he got to NE rarely played on the regular D, and the list could go on and on.
a. But what was most impressive about tonight's ST's execution was not just the raw number of critical plays, but the fact they were in so many areas of ST's. The Pats KO coverage unit had 7 balls returns, only one made it past the 25. There was one punt (a 46 yd beauty by Allen) that resulted in a muff and a quite recover by Hollister. There was the punt block by Burkhead. There was the KO return by Lewis. (the ONLY one he got) Gotskowski's KO's were so well placed and the coverage so blanketing that he got the ultimate compliment when a KR took a knee about a foot inside the end zone. Only the punt return game didn't shine, but there was no need to return anything tonight and risk Amendola.
b. They just did everything so well this entire game, it was not only a pleasure to watch, but it should be a blueprint for other teams to see how it's done. ST's created 17 points for the Pats and it was a bonehead play by Denver's ST's that gave the ball back to the Pats who put ANOTHER 7 point up on the board.
2. OFFENSE -
a. General thoughts - Simply a brilliant plan by Josh tonight. 9 different receivers caught the ball is a well balanced passing attack. No one had more than 6 catches and no one had more than 74 yds.
b. They completely neutralized the great Denver CB's by pretty much ignoring them. Cooks and Dorsett eventually combined for 8 catches for 90 yds, but for the most part they were decoys and short yardage threats. Instead the bulk of the throws when to the TE's and RB's on the inside and to Amendola from the slot.
c. As I have said on several occasions, the key stat in the run game wasn't so much how many yards they gained (100) but the amount of carries (29) and did those runs move the chains (yes). No run will make anyone's highlight reel, but it was solid work by Lewis and Burkhead.
d. My only real complaint the entire night was that 3rd and 3 they ran early in the 4th that was too cute by a half and resulted in a loss on a throw to Cooks. Fortunately the Pats got the ball back on the 12 men on the field penalty. SO what am I complaining about anyway.
e. The only other complaint was being first and goal from the 2 and having to kick a FG But overall the Pats were 4/6 in the red zone which is pretty good.
QB- Brady had a great night tonight. He was very sharp in his short an medium rang throws. He didn't go deep much, but when he did he overthrew his guys, but that is nitpicking of the highest order.
. Brady's been fairly good for most of the season, but coming off the bye I thought this was his best game, even though he only threw for 266 yds.Hoyer had a nice little welcome back in his series. He got a few first downs and looked competent.
4. OL - The best game of the year for the OL - zero Penalties. One sack on a missed block on a blitzing S by White, and very few QB hits (2 or 3 I think). The scheme they developed was brilliant. Waddle did himself proud, but Devlin was often there to help. Unlike in Dallas where they left their back up on an island all game an never gave him help even after his man had sacked Prescott SIX f*cking times.
b. Solder had his best game of the year. While Waddle was getting most of the help, Solder was a stud on the other side.
c. And as usual, the interior 3 were solid at keeping any inside pressure away from Brady. We were all worried about Denver's vaunted rush, but this could have been the cleanest Brady has been all season. It bodes well.
3. RB's - Lewis and Burkhead did most of the damage, with Gillislee being a healthy scratch. Both ran hard and got what was there, but Lewis once again had 2 or 3 negative runs trying to make something out of nothing.
Gillislee missing this game could be something or nothing. If we know the Pats next week he could get 20 carries. But I'm sure it will be a major topic of discussion in some thread this week. I hope it won't be in this one.
4. Receivers - Nice to see Allen get off the shnide. It was a good catch against tight coverage while he was being held. It was even nicer to see how his teammates were so happy for him, especially Brady and Gronk.
b. Marty had a very productive 7 snaps in this game. His shoulder is definitely a problem for him. He's not going to be much of a blocking factor with it. My instincts are telling me he's not going to make it through the 8-11 games coming up. But while he's active, it can only be a good thing. I think the Pats are going to massively manage his snap count. I'll be surprised to see it ever get past 20/game in the regular season
c. Gronk's snaps aren't being managed closely, but his target are. It would be easy to see him get 10+ a game, but I don't see that happening until the playoffs come around. I think he got 6 or 7 tonight include the TD what wasn't.
BTW- I can see how it was call incomplete on the field, AND I can see why it wasn't overturned. But after watching it several times, I also think it was a catch Ce la vie.
d. Cooks and Dorsett weren't featured but they did their jobs. They has some production, while neutralizing the strength of the Denver defense.
e. Nice to see Devlin get a few looks in the passing game. I bet this was not only his high for snaps, but in how key he was to the game plan this week
5. Defense - General thoughts -
a. The Bronco's marched down the field the first few times they had the ball this game. Fortunately they didn't allow a TD, and the offense and ST's were putting up copious numbers. Something Collingsworth said struck a note. The first 2 drives generally include all the "scripted plays" (about 15-20) These are the ones that are usually executed well. It is also the time where the D gets to see what the offense is trying to do to the defense and what matchups they are trying to get. So I wasn't surprised to see Denver move the ball early, but I expected, as the Pats made adjustments, I expected to see things tighten up over time. Stopping them twice in the red zone were big wins.
b. Our front 7 is really a bunch of no-names who individually won't throw a scare into DC we face. But once again they only allowed 16 points, and like I had hoped, the coverage and pressure got tighter and tighter over the course of the night, forcing Denver to make big plays (well mostly Sanders).
c. On of the stats that made me think we are creating a great secondary to go along with a front 7 where the sum will be better than the individual parts. SEVENTEEN different players recorded tackles tonight. No standouts, 5 tackles led the team, but so many contributed.
d. No sacks tonight. That was a disappointment given the state of the Denver OL and the fact Osweiler usually stands in the pocket. But I do have to admit, I thought the Pats put more pressure on Osweiler than Denver did to Brady.
6. Front 7- The run D was decent. They allowed Denver RB's a very respectable 4.4 ypc over 26 carries, but I never thought they were ever running wild. It should be noted that a lot of those good runs came when the Pats were way ahead and expecting pass. Denver had to run the ball WELL to win. They never reached that standard. And like I said, while they didn't get any sacks, the DL at least made Osweiler "feel their presence".
I will be interested to here what Bedard or PFF have to say with their numbers later in the week.
7. Secondary.
a. I thought Gilbert had a very strong game on Thomas. He didn't cover Thomas exclusively, but for the most part. Thomas had 5 catches for just 44 yds. That's under 10/catch, which is outstanding again a supposedly elite WR. A touch slow on the TD catch, but that is nitpicking, given the circus catch Thomas made. (and it was a catch). He will only get better as he gets more time on the field. His play on Thomas made Denver throw at Butler.
b. Butler was undressed by Sanders in the first half (4 for 66yds) Sanders made a triple move on Malcolm that was beautiful to watch even for a Pats fan (the first big gain). Malcolm bit on a couple moves Sander gave him, but as the game wore on Butler tighten is coverage considerably and by the second half, any catch Sanders made required either a great catch, or a great pass.
c. Hats off to Sanders who played a great game. Fortunately he was about the only one who stood out.
d. The Safeties did their job. Tackled well, and covered the rest of the Bronco's (TE's and RB's) very well. Chung made a nice move jumping that route for the pick. He was solid all night as were the rest of the DB's though Sander killed Jones on an in-cut for a big 3rd down gain in the first half.
e. Overall the secondary was good, but also improving. Not only their communications, but their coverage as the game went along. The only troubling stat was that Denver converted on 8 of 15 third down opportunities. That's too high and needs to get better.
7. General football thoughts from Sunday's games -
a. Oakland has a better offense than the Broncos. Their OL is supposedly elite. That's my big worry vs our no-name DL - On the other hand, their secondary is a mess, and after watching our OL erase the Denver rush, I can see a big day for the offense. How ironic. A shoot out in Mexico City.
b. Saw a few highlights of the Colts Game and have 2 thoughts. I saw Mingo make a few plays on the regular D, and wondered if we should have kept him. He was great on ST's here. but I had hoped he'd develop a role on the regular defense. It seem like has done than in Indy. Did they simply make him a higher offer, or did we just dump him.
Jabaal Sheard is very quietly having a very good year with the Colts. That one I know was all about the money.
c. Do you know that Elandon Roberts now has more tackles than Jamie Collins (34-31), though Collins has a pick and FF. I've read some where where PFF has him ranked low, and it looks like he isn't making much of an impact on the Browns' D. Certainly much less of one than he made here. What's up with that. Did we dodge a $10MM/yr bullet? Looks like.
d. For the last 2 seasons, Ben Rothlessberger has SUCKED on the road. He's not much better at home, but he IS better. The Steelers are really lucky they won today. That being said, Ryan Shazier is a really good LB and and interesting match up with Gronk. Could have been just a bad game for the Steelers on the road against a bad team, but I feel better about our chances in Pittsburgh a few weeks from now than I did Sunday morning.
e. God I feel for Phillip Rivers. For the last 2 years he's being living in a nightmare where is loses just about every close game the Chargers are in, and they're in a LOT of them. Today was no different. I saw the end of it and to say they (not Rivers) blew it would be an understatement. But it's 3am now and I promised myself I would go past that, So ask me about it tomorrow and I'll tell you about the 2 or three things that could have made that game a win for Rivers.
Goodnight all. Make your comments and complaints and get a good discussion going. This was the game we thought we were going to get every week when the season started. Which reminds me. Don't be righting off the 4-4, or 5-4 teams and the like. You shouldn't have to be reminded that way back in 2001 around this time of the year, our own Pats team was a very mediocre 5-5 and we all know how that ended up.
