Josh McDaniels

[Snake Eyes]

I've been maybe more critical of him all year than anyone else, but in spite of the score, I thought he called a great game and the offense just didn't execute. Quite frankly, this offense is outmatched without Gronk and with Deion Branch as the 3rd best receiver on the team and no amount of coaching can overcome that. McDaniels had several great play calls where the Ravens over-pursued and the offense either didn't execute or got a lot less yards than they could have.

Obviously the offense has major holes that need to be addressed and I'm on the we need a real #1 receiver bandwagon as much as anybody, but McDaniels got progressively better during the year and I think having him next year with 2012 back in New England under his belt is something to look forward to. The running game is better than it's been in years, and the offense was elite this year in spite of the fact it's only real physical advantage over other teams (Gronknandez) wasn't healthy all year. I would love to see what he can do with a healthy Gronknandez and a #1 receiver opposite Lloyd next year.

The offense is predictable, and I detest this smash-mouth passing game that he's so fond of which gets our receivers beat up, it's high risk/low gain.

Long story short, McDaniels doesn't believe in using trickery and deception, he thinks it's fine just to try to out execute the opposition, and I think we've had ample evidence why that's a bad idea.

 

[ivanvamp]

Well, this game almost certainly would have looked different if the Pats had Gronk and Edelman playing (not to mention Talib...but let's just stick with the offense). Their horrible red zone performance was hugely affected by the absence of Gronkowski.

One of these years, maybe they'll actually have everyone healthy for a big playoff game. Wouldn't that be nice......

 

[ivanvamp]

I'll agree with you on Vereen. The fact Woodhead still gets snaps over him is a joke. I think you didn't see a lot of the plays on 3rd down we normally see because Baltimore made a concerted effort to shut them down and force Brady to beat them another way.

As for screens, there were 1-2 where McDaniels called them, they were there because Baltimore was over aggressive, and Brady didn't execute for one reason or another. Screens are also only gonna work so many times against a veteran defense.

I also don't understand why Vereen wasn't in very much at all. The guy can be electric. The Ravens had no answer for him in pass patterns. Just line him up in the backfield, where a LB would have had a responsibility for him, then send him out on swing routes. No Raven LB had the speed to stay with him, and the patterns are simple...almost like running plays.

 

[ivanvamp]

15 point margin on 2 TOs, before the desperation TO at the end. TOs weren't the whole problem by any means.

One of the TOs (Ridley's fumble) led to 7 points for Baltimore. The first Brady pick (tipped pass) cost the Pats at least 3 points, maybe 7.

The Pats lost by 15, so those two TOs were HUGE.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

it's hard to believe that a guy who is calling his 4th game as OC for the Ravens called a better game than McDaniels....

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Relax - the offense is fine.

13 pts for the games, zero points in the 2nd half against a good but nothing special defense. Embarrassing!!! The offense isn't fine. This offense does not elevate its' game on the big stage, against physical defenses. This is a soft offense. It is a BIG problem. It is not fine.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The play-calling could have been better. Adjustments could have been made. but...

1) No Gronk to go to in the red zone
2) WW drop
3) Ridley fumble
4) Injured Talib

Change those 4 things into positives and I firmly believe that we are talking differently this morning.

Don't forget the fluke INT and Brady/Hernandez making critical clock errors at the end of the first half. It was more than one Welker drop too and Lloyd dropped a key 3rd down. That right there is at least 13-20 more points on the board in addition to what you listed, that you cannot put on JMD.

Playcalling maybe could have been better, but this was more about execution IMO. Eventually offenses stall in the playoffs no matter how great they are, it happens every year and we saw why. They get punched in the mouth and just aren't the same. We need a reliable secondary that can keep us in games when that happens and once Talib went down, that all went out the window. Offense picked the worst possible game to sputter.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I've never been a proponent of passing on 3rd and 2. They built this running game up over the last 2 seasons and on 3 occasions decided to pass instead. Thats bothersome to me. I'm in the mindset if they run it in those situations and fail I'm ok with it because it was the right call in my mind.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Throw in the lucky bounced interception and we are in complete agreement..

...and we were practicing with paddles recently for jj "swatt"...


....totally different ballgame if we had Edelman and Gronk as well...

our old dc- dean pees was the ravens dc and caldwell was the oc for the ravens.....they had better plays....better execution



not a big fan of lloyd or mcdaniels....i think tb would operate better solo

 

[RoughingthePasser]

The offense is predictable, and I detest this smash-mouth passing game that he's so fond of which gets our receivers beat up, it's high risk/low gain.

Long story short, McDaniels doesn't believe in using trickery and deception, he thinks it's fine just to try to out execute the opposition, and I think we've had ample evidence why that's a bad idea.

the welker td was a good play...but i agree....is bb just giving josh a job?
our recievers arent built like boldin and the ravens....when boldin scored the td -he threww gregory and mccourty off him and laughed...

they were more physical....we need more beef in key areas

 

[condon84]

That's more of an indictment on the talent than it is on the coaching. Scheming can only get you so far with inferior talent. The fact Baltimore had a weapon in Boldin who didn't need great scheming to be productive and New England didn't isn't McDaniels' fault.

What do you think he should have done differently?

Everyone had a hand on the lose yesterday, coaches and players. I can't complain about "lack of talent" when we just tore the league up scoring 35+ points a game all season with essentially the same personnel we had on the field yesterday. Brady missed some open guys, receivers dropped passes, and our coaching staff didnt help when BMore made adjustments in the second half.

 

[UofApatsfan]

it's hard to believe that a guy who is calling his 4th game as OC for the Ravens called a better game than McDaniels....

I'm sure McDaniels would have called the redzone play "throw a lob pass to your physical receiver who can make the catch in double coverage" if New England had Anquan Boldin.

 

[zipster9]

Everyone had a hand on the lose yesterday, coaches and players. I can't complain about "lack of talent" when we just tore the league up scoring 35+ points a game all season with essentially the same personnel we had on the field yesterday. Brady missed some open guys, receivers dropped passes, and our coaching staff didnt help when BMore made adjustments in the second half.

Absolutely. 2nd-half adjustments were dismal, offensive wise!

0-pts in 2nd half! BillB, Josh, and TomB were clueless.

13pts in the game is the lowest pts scored by the Patriots in years!

Another reason why Patriots MUST draft or sign a "tall, fast, WR, that can jump-ball". No vertical game, reduces offensive options.