Josh McDaniels Handicapped This Patriots Team

[onegameatatime]

No, McD did adjust. He went away from the run in the second half (the exact same thing he did in the first Indy game). His problem is not lack of adjustment. It is adjusting incorrectly.

The run was not really effective. There were decent yardage stas, but I think they were misleading. They were getting yarsd on 3rd and long draws, and a big chunk came from one run by Corey in a short yardage formation. They were not running the ball effectively and Maroney got stuffed in the backfield a few times.

A short passing game, 4-6 yards, can also chew up clock, and give the opportunity for a big play.

I still think people jump on McD because they can, and they can't jump on BB because of the genius factor. Last week, "abandoning" an ineffective running game and spreading it out seemed like a good idea. It used to be that throwing to set up the run was viewed as innovative. People also say to let the best playmaker make the plays, and in our case, that is Brady.

Does anyone think that BB is standing on the sideline in the hoodie and saying "gee, I wish we would run more," or "why doesn't Josh use play action once in a while." "Oh, well, it's Josh's show -- I'll keep my mouth shut."

C'mon.

This game came down to a few missed opportunities, a few dropped balls, and a defense that was worn down, whether due to the season, the SD game, flu, or the heat in the dome.

 

[onegameatatime]

Yeah, NEM presented some solid evidence to the court of PatsFans. McD didn't get the job done yesterday and screwed and already gassed D.

One of the worst plays of the game IMO was a delayed hand-off to Evans on 3 and 10. WTF was that. It may have set up a FG but where was the killer instinct?

Okay, I'll go along with you Patsnut. Since the coaching buck stops with BB, I'll start ripping him instead of McD.

How do you know the 3rd and 10 was McD's call (at least on the strategy). BB could be saying on his mic, "let's get in better position for the FG." Doesn't he listen to the plays as they are being called?

 

[ATippett56]

In my opinion, this was the Patriots offensive drive that turned the tide for the Colts:

New England Patriots at 07:33
1-10-IND48 (7:33) L.Maroney right tackle to NE 49 for -3 yards (B.Sanders).
2-13-NE49 (6:57) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to T.Brown to IND 46 for 5 yards (R.Morris).
3-8-IND46 (6:15) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to B.Watson to IND 32 for 14 yards (M.Jackson).
1-10-IND32 (5:37) T.Brady pass short right to R.Caldwell pushed ob at IND 27 for 5 yards (M.Jackson).
2-5-IND27 (5:12) L.Maroney up the middle to IND 28 for -1 yards (G.Brackett, J.Thomas).
3-6-IND28 (4:32) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short left to B.Watson pushed ob at IND 19 for 9 yards (C.June).
PENALTY on NE-T.Brown, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at IND 28 - No Play.
3-16-IND38 (4:05) (Shotgun) H.Evans up the middle to IND 34 for 4 yards (R.Mathis).
PENALTY on NE-B.Watson, Illegal Motion, 5 yards, enforced at IND 38 - No Play.
3-21-IND43 (3:37) (Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at IND 49 for -6 yards (R.Brock).
4-27-IND49 (3:13) T.Sauerbrun punts 37 yards to IND 12, Center-L.Paxton, fair catch by T.Wilkins.

Where the hell was the run blocking on that drive? To start a drive in Colts territory and come away with no points whatsoever was demoralizing, especially considering the momentum clearly on the New England Patriots side.

 

[onegameatatime]

In my opinion, this was the Patriots offensive drive that turned the tide for the Colts:

New England Patriots at 07:33
1-10-IND48 (7:33) L.Maroney right tackle to NE 49 for -3 yards (B.Sanders).
2-13-NE49 (6:57) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to T.Brown to IND 46 for 5 yards (R.Morris).
3-8-IND46 (6:15) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to B.Watson to IND 32 for 14 yards (M.Jackson).
1-10-IND32 (5:37) T.Brady pass short right to R.Caldwell pushed ob at IND 27 for 5 yards (M.Jackson).
2-5-IND27 (5:12) L.Maroney up the middle to IND 28 for -1 yards (G.Brackett, J.Thomas).
3-6-IND28 (4:32) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short left to B.Watson pushed ob at IND 19 for 9 yards (C.June).
PENALTY on NE-T.Brown, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at IND 28 - No Play.
3-16-IND38 (4:05) (Shotgun) H.Evans up the middle to IND 34 for 4 yards (R.Mathis).
PENALTY on NE-B.Watson, Illegal Motion, 5 yards, enforced at IND 38 - No Play.
3-21-IND43 (3:37) (Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at IND 49 for -6 yards (R.Brock).
4-27-IND49 (3:13) T.Sauerbrun punts 37 yards to IND 12, Center-L.Paxton, fair catch by T.Wilkins.

Where the hell was the run blocking on that drive? To start a drive in Colts territory and come away with no points whatsoever was demoralizing, especially considering the momentum clearly on the New England Patriots side.

Much as I love Troy, that OPI penalty was devastating in retrospect.

Although even at the 38 with 3rd and long, I thought they would take an easy play to try to make a long FG. That sack was where the momentum shifted. This was headed to blow-out.

 

[onegameatatime]

Much as I love Troy, that OPI penalty was devastating in retrospect.

Although even at the 38 with 3rd and long, I thought they would take an easy play to try to make a long FG. That sack was where the momentum shifted. This was headed to blow-out.

And give Dungy creadit for taking the 5 yard penalty. That was a gutsy call, and I thought it was a mistake at the time.

 

[ATippett56]

Much as I love Troy, that OPI penalty was devastating in retrospect.

Exactly! If the Patriots scored a touchdown on that drive, it would have too much for the Colts to overcome. That was the situation for the New England Patriots offense to put the dagger in.

 

[Rob0729]

Logistical errors like this usually involve the fault of the coordinator. It is reminiscent of the Pete Carroll era.

You don't know that. McDaniels could have called a unit and someone (most likely Evans) thought he was on it or that he called for a different unit or that they called one unit and then revised it and Evans didn't hear them. Not neccessarily the coaches' fault.

Again, a lot of people want to blame McDaniels for everything that went wrong, but he never gets the breaks anyone else does. No one gave McDaniels a break last year in the playoffs when Tom Ashworth was sick to death with the flu the night before the Broncos game, but they give a break to Pees because Bruschi had the flu. In fact, they give Pees a break because Bruschi had the flu, but Troy Brown and Ryan O'Callahan had the flu too.

Josh McDaniels is just a lightning rod player because of his age. Whenever anything goes wrong he is the first to be blamed. People make excuses for people like Brady, but then discount the same excuses when it comes with McDaniels. Brady and McDaniels worked with the same WRs. Except these guys were inadequet with Brady and more than adequet with McDaniels.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Patsnut, why do you have such blind faith in McDaniels, or a refusal to deal with reality? To call this thread 'dumb ass' reveals your inability to see the symptoms indicative of a poor offensive coordinator. Additionally, your post comes across as crass and in poor taste, especially for a 'mod'.

I don't have "blind" faith in anyone. I do know that EXECUTION is the biggest factor in a play working or not working. I also know that personnel on the field can make a play work or not. And if you don't have the personnel (Dillon or Faulk in the 4th) you have to call plays that fit the personnel that you have. I do not like it when a guy is being attacked and you all know that he won't come on here and defend himself.

Also for the 1000th time, BB is the HC. He stand close to McDaniels and has a headset. HE can overrule any play that is being called at any time and if McDaniels is such a moron, he would demote him. So, when you and others attack McDaniels you are attacking BB and Tom Brady who can change a play at the LOS.

And also for the 1000th time, I'm not a mod on this forum. I'm just another brick ion the wall on this forum.

So in summary, if you guys want to go after McDaniels,like NEM has repeatedly, I'm going to call them as I see them, crass or not.

 

[Rob0729]

Much as I love Troy, that OPI penalty was devastating in retrospect.

Although even at the 38 with 3rd and long, I thought they would take an easy play to try to make a long FG. That sack was where the momentum shifted. This was headed to blow-out.

Exactly, we had a first down without it. We ended up getting a 3rd and 16 because of it which for any OC is tough to make. And then Watson gets an illegal motion penalty that pushes us back even farther. Yet, people want to blame McDaniels for that. McDaniels called the right play on the orginal thrd down try. Watson got the first down and three yards to boot. He has no control over Brown's PI or Watson not setting coming out of the huddle.

Yet, people want to blame McDaniels for that drive stalling. It was Brown's fault first that that drive stalled, then Watson. McDaniels was low on the list of who was to blame on that drive.

 

[Rob0729]

Exactly! If the Patriots scored a touchdown on that drive, it would have too much for the Colts to overcome. That was the situation for the New England Patriots offense to put the dagger in.

And I defy how anyone can drop the blame on that drive on McDaniels' lap. He called the right play orginally and it was mistakes by the players that caused that drive to fail.

 

[maverick4]

That specific drive had some mistakes by players, yes, but look at the body of work from that half. McDaniels had ridiculous field position in the 2nd half. He did a poor job controlling the clock, abandoned his running game, and also could not generate a single first down when the game was on the line. That is not an execution problem by the players, it is poor strategy on McDaniels' part.

 

[ATippett56]

And I defy how anyone can drop the blame on that drive on McDaniels' lap. He called the right play orginally and it was mistakes by the players that caused that drive to fail.

I'm not. My point was that New England Patriots offensive drive was the turning point of the game. If the Patriots score a touchdown at the end of the first half instead of punting (due to mental mistakes by the Patriots offensive players), the game is out of reach.

 

[BlitzFritz]

I will be writing detailed articles of his season long ineptness and sending it to every media source available, internet, and newspaper media, as well as a copy to Josh himself, and Bob Kraft.

QUOTE]

Please don't.
NEM I love your passion and wacky personality
And I have gone on record as saying that JM is not a premier OC.
But we all should not continue to lay everything at his feet. It is bordering on obsessive to the point of losing objectivity.

I dont think I can take an entire offseason of get-rid-of-Josh rants!

(just a polite request into the ether)

 

[maverick4]

If NEM doesn't then I may do it (although I don't have a lot of time).

I feel that Brady is in the prime of his career, that we have some aging defensive players, and that this team deserves the smartest, most clever coordinators in the game, not a novice who is still learning on the job and wasting good opportunities.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Geez guys, don'[t you understand the english language. Josh McDaniels is the OFFENSIVE coordinator. That means it is HIS respopnsibility to coordinate every phase of the offensive part of the game plans, and the play calling.

More offensive coordinators, than coaches of other positions, were fired in mid season this year than I can ever recall.

The game has changed over the past decde where OFFENSE, not defense, has become the main tool used in the quest for winning. Sure, there are occasional exceptions, but it is the team that can put points on the scoreboard that usually wins the games, for the most part.

If BB is overriding McDaniels on offensive play callling, which I doubt, BTW, then McDaniels is nothing more than a flunky, filling a position in name only.

He is too young, he lacks the type of tenure, and experience that is needed in today's NFL to succeed in a position that high up on the coaching staff roster, and he lacks player communication skills, (i heard that somewhere) and that might be due to his youthful age, and appearance also.

He has been the weakest link on this team, and it was very evidenty in the lsecond half of yesterday's game. In fact, his failure started to show late in the 2nd quarter when he had another opportunity to really ice the game and put the Pats up 28-3, and he failed, miserably.

He was GOD awful in the 2nd half, calling plays that were so easy to see coming, because he continued his pattern, and obviously, the Colts just loved it because he did EXACTLY what they expeceted he would do after THEY, and not Josh, made the halftime adjustments.

Josh was caught with his pants down, and he hadn't a CLUE HOW TO COUNTER IT.

hE JUST FOLLOWED THE SAME ROUTINE HE DID IN THE FIRST MEETING WITH THE colts this season..and, as expected, failed again....


He must be removed from that crucial position on the coaching staff.

He is going to ruin any chance this team may have of regaining their stature at the top of the heap...which was right there for the taking yesterday, if not for the inepness of Josh McDaniels.

I will be writing detailed articles of his season long ineptness and sending it to every media source available, internet, and newspaper media, as well as a copy to Josh himself, and Bob Kraft.

Josh McDaniels total incompetence will not be tolerated by me, any longer.

Who am I? Just a fan. But I will say my piece...and I will make sure it is heard.

Will anything come of it? I hope so, but probably not. But I can hope.

I hope that hey get the attention that they justly deserve.

 

[Rob0729]

That specific drive had some mistakes by players, yes, but look at the body of work from that half. McDaniels had ridiculous field position in the 2nd half. He did a poor job controlling the clock, abandoned his running game, and also could not generate a single first down when the game was on the line. That is not an execution problem by the players, it is poor strategy on McDaniels' part.

And the Pats defense was giving away first downs like they were candy. But that was McDaniels' fault for keeping them on the field.

I think the offense had a heavy dose of execution problems and just not gameplanning. Brady threw balls into double coverage. Brady didn't connect with open receivers. Receivers dropped easy passes. Players had costly penalties. Heath Evans nearly had a first down and then stepping back two yards on a 3rd and 2 and ended up getting no gain. If Brady was forced to dump the ball or consistently throw into double coverage, the I would blame McDaniels. But just because a play or even series of plays aren't executed well doesn't neccessarily mean the OC is at fault.

There were some plays that I thought were horrible calls (like the Heath Evans draw on 3rd and 10), but I saw plenty of mental and physical mistakes by players on the field to dump this all of McDaniels' lap.

I'm not trying to be a McDaniels' apologist, but when people start to blame the offensive coordinator for the defensive problems and say the defensive coordinator has a free pass because one of his players had the flu and players went out; it is just piling on plain and simple.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm not. My point was that New England Patriots offensive drive was the turning point of the game. If the Patriots score a touchdown at the end of the first half instead of punting (due to mental mistakes by the Patriots offensive players), the game is out of reach.

Sorry, I wasn't directing this to you eventhough I quoted you. I agree that that was a critical drive, but I don't blame McDaniels for it failing. He blew other calls, but that drive falls square on the shoulders of the players.

 

[maverick4]

Rob, I am not lumping all of our problems onto McDaniels. There were player mistakes, and our defense was exhausted and hurt. Multiple factors helped us lose.

I am talking about McDaniels as a general liability for this team, and this last game is a prime example of what McDaniels has been doing all season.

 

[JoeSixPat]

What handicapped us was our best WR being a low level #2. Which hurt the passing game and the run game. We need better, you know, TALENT at WR. Someone who can get open for Brady and make the defense respect the passing game - that would open everything up.

Exactly -

This is not a knock against Caldwell. I was very critical of him and he missed major opportunities yesterday, but we would not have been in this game without him.

Moving forward we need to improve that position:

Talent and production at WR stretches the field

It puts less pressure on Brady

It opens up the running game

It opens up the short to mid receiving game, letting our TEs and RBs do more and get more yards after the catch

Does that not sound good to everyone?

I can't really quantify how many more games we could have won with a better WRs and better playcalling as a result of having better WRs - but one, possibly 2 games is not inconcieveable.

What difference would a 14-2 season have made to the Patriots SB chances as opposed to a 12-4 season? A pretty big one I think.

We'd have played one fewer game, have been better rested and would have been playing outside at Gilette. Any one of those could have been good for 4 points yesterday.

Now could McDaniels have made his adjustments earlier in the season? Who knows - but adjust he eventually did and that, along with better execution and an end to turnovers helped get us on a great roll at the end of the season.

There's a lot that handicapped this team - I trust that BB will make the right offseason moves to improve the team - and if he thinks we're ok at OC, I'll trust his judgment

 

[Born in the Bronx]

McDaniels is a novice. He runs Corey Dillon outside, Maroney inside, and keeps Faulk on the bench against the Colts. How does that make any sense?

With a 21-13 lead to start the offense in the 2nd half, McDaniels ran a total of 5 times the entire half. FIVE TIMES. It was also his fault for the '12 men in the huddle' penalty, as well as not generating a single first down late in the 4th quarter when it could have sealed the game. We lost 2nd half time of possession by a factor of 4:1. Finally, why put Heath Evans in the backfield on our final drive, instead of Faulk or Maroney? Idiocy.

The 2006 Patriots had the best collective offense, defense, and special teams of any Belichick team. However, they were handicapped by an offensive coordinator who was in over his head against much more experienced and intelligent opposing coaches. With our talent, McDaniels handicapped this team to only 12 wins this year, and made many 'rookie' mistakes as an offensive coordinator.

If I feel mad enough later, I may go back game-by-game and point out his many mistakes that occurred on an almost weekly basis.

Part of the job of head coach is hiring the right coordinators. Belichick had "Parcells" coaches for all 3 Super Bowl wins.