Lundblad - Closer look at 1st quarter woes

[TBradyOwnsYou]

How bad are New England Patriots' first-quarter woes? - ESPN Boston

A few tidbits I found interesting or had issue with:

Yet, New England proved adept at coming back from early deficits. In those six games in which they trailed going into the second quarter, the Patriots went 5-1. To put that in perspective, the rest of the NFL was just 58-146.

Those five wins when trailing after the first quarter are the most in a single season in Patriots history. The last team with more wins when trailing after the first quarter? The 2009 Saints, who won six on their way to a Super Bowl title.

What? No. A team that starts slow surely couldn't succeed in the postseason!!

When playing from behind, Brady connected on 14 touchdowns and just one interception, good for a 106.5 passer rating. Brady hasn't always been a great comeback quarterback. Just two years ago, he had four touchdowns and three interceptions when the Patriots trailed

This is where I got confused. Does he think 09 was his first season?

In 2008, the league instituted a rule providing the option to defer the decision to kick or receive until the second half. New England has deferred all but once since. Overall, the Patriots have deferred 28 straight winning coin flips, last opting to receive on Sept. 7, 2008.

Isn't that when... well, for the superstitious let's hope Bill continues to always defer!!!

Overall nothing really new, not a mind blowing article, but a few interesting tidbits (to me at least) and I didn't see it posted anywhere yet.

 

[borg]

The combination of deferring and a horrible defense breeds 1st quarter deficits......but...... how can we really complain about BB's track record of deferment and wins.......YET.......let's analyze what could be going on out there.

15 out of 16 times this year, the opposition had the ball first on offense. However the 60 minute chess match transpires, at least for one series, the opposition is inflicting its desired game plan on the Patriots defense....a game plan they have implemented and practiced for the prior 6 days. "We have studied how to beat the Patriots, and in this first series, this is how it's done." They have built their offense and are using their pieces as designed. And in the last three weeks, these teams have been successful in the first series, the second series, and even on their third series. It's only when the Patriots offense clicks and scores points....forcing teams to abandon their strengths and play catch up.....thus playing into the strength of the defense = forcing turnovers.

The Pats are designed as front runners...despite their recent come from behind success verses crappy teams. They couldn't turn around their deficit vs Pitt. Do you really expect the Pats to play catch up verses Baltimore as well.

Back during the '03-'04 SB runs, the Pats were nearly perfect on opening drives...forcing offenses to play catch up immediately. It will be interesting how BB treats the coin flip vs the great Ds of Pitt or Balt. Will he continue his economical sensibilities and defer....or go with his gut and go after the quick lead. I only ask because a certain 4th and short call verses Indy comes to mind...where BB defies his own logic...out of fear of the oppositions capabilities.

 

[BradyManny]

How bad are New England Patriots' first-quarter woes? - ESPN Boston

A few tidbits I found interesting or had issue with:



What? No. A team that starts slow surely couldn't succeed in the postseason!!



This is where I got confused. Does he think 09 was his first season?



Isn't that when... well, for the superstitious let's hope Bill continues to always defer!!!

Overall nothing really new, not a mind blowing article, but a few interesting tidbits (to me at least) and I didn't see it posted anywhere yet.

Geez. Brady not good from playing behind? Did he sleep through every season of his career save for 2009?

Anyway - I tend to think there is something to the tie between the Saints & the Patriots coming from behind. It says to me that the first quarter is not a large enough sample size. As the sample size increases, as the game goes on, things trend towards the norm. Meaning the better team wins.

Ideally, the Pats could get off to some fast starts though and not make life so difficult for themselves...