NE@BUF post-game (over)reaction thread

[nowayback]

Bills 1st game of the year since BB

2003 0-31 sb
2006 19-17 12-4 lost AFC final
2009 25-24 10-6 lost Ravens 1st rnd

Never beat them easy 1st game, and I am sure most of us remember a lot of sloppy , see saw games against the Bills.

Good that there were so many mistakes all in one game, and Pats still won. Lot of stuff to work on, unfortunately short week. If I were to worry about something it would be the OL, but I am sure they will find their way.

I believe the rookies will just improve as the season goes on.

If I remember correctly many here wanted to see if the Pats can win sloppy hard nosed games.

 

[Kontradiction]

Blount sucks.

Activate Washington, deactivate Blount.

Blount needs a full three steps to really get going. If he doesn't get that, he's getting taken down in the backfield. If he does get that, he's pretty hard to stop. But that "full three steps" thing has always been his weakness.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Blount needs a full three steps to really get going. If he doesn't get that, he's getting taken down in the backfield. If he does get that, he's pretty hard to stop. But that "full three steps" thing has always been his weakness.

He needs to run like a big guy. He had plenty of steps on the first kickoff and got dropped like he was Woodhead's size. He should be putting a shoulder into that tackler and getting 3 more yards. His light feet are talked about like they are an asset - not in this league. He's big but has no power. He makes nice dance moves but doesn't cut. That's fine for the open field, but not when contact is imminent, which is 80% of the time in the NFL.

 

[Kontradiction]

He needs to run like a big guy. He had plenty of steps on the first kickoff and got dropped like he was Woodhead's size. He should be putting a shoulder into that tackler and getting 3 more yards. His light feet are talked about like they are an asset - not in this league. He's big but has no power. He makes nice dance moves but doesn't cut. That's fine for the open field, but not when contact is imminent, which is 80% of the time in the NFL.

I was talking about him as a RB. He's not a fit as a return man.

 

[Deus Irae]

Last year's big issues:

Safety play
Only 2 'real' WRs
TE injuries
LBs in coverage
Line issues in the first games


Yesterday's issues:
Safety play
Only 2 'real' WRs
TE injuries
LBs in coverage
Line issues

Plus ca change....*










*It's game one, and it's just one game. I get it.

 

[Gronkowski123]

Eric Allen just ripped the PATS on ESPN. ******* ******* he is..

 

[old 55]

Pass Interference?

Let me say that I was forced to watch the game from a local bar/restaurant with no sound on the TV and glare on the screen. BUT it did seem to me that the Buffalo defenders were hitting the receiver before the ball arrived almost every time. I didn't see any pass interference calls despite some cases were there was no question that the defenders should have been flagged. I'm not excusing our bad play, and I do think our rookies were hearing footsteps all game long, but am I wrong or were the Bills getting there early?

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Re: Pass Interference?

not really

There was sometimes contact but not blatant, and none that I saw where the defender was not arguably also making a play on the ball.

I refuse to be a whiny Coltish fan-turd begging for PI on every case of incidental contact. Real men need to fight for the ball.

Our rookies were not coming toward the ball, were wrong-footed, didn't get feet down, didn't stop on back-shoulder throws, and in general had a deer-in-the headlights look. Hopefully it was mostly first game jitters, because they didn't make nearly so many mistakes in the slower pace of preseason games.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Re: Pass Interference?

IMO there were more than a couple of instances of blatant holding (but not that many).

Think that even the announcers pointed one out during the first quarter (against Thompkins?) wondering how the ref missed it.

 

[chicowalker]

Re: Pass Interference?

I didn't think it was a regular occurrence at all.

I saw 2 PIs I thought should be called, one of which surprised me that it wasn't. There was a play on the sideline where I think Thompkins was held on a backshoulder pass -- because the defender had jersey as Thompkins was turning, I thought it would definitely be called. There was another play in the 4th quarter, I think, where I thought a defender pretty clearly interfered -- the two players were definitely handfighting, but I thought the defender also impeded the receiver well past 5 yards.

But nothing lopsided, and if the young receivers were affected in any way, hopefully they learn from it.

 

[Sciz]

Re: Pass Interference?

I don't know about PI necessarily, but I would have called way more illegal contact.

 

[Aßßynormal]

Re: Pass Interference?

If the Refs want to go back to the pre-Polian rule, I'm all for it. Otherwise, it's just a quirk of that particular Referee crew and we should note it for future games.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Re: Pass Interference?

If the Refs want to go back to the pre-Polian rule, I'm all for it. Otherwise, it's just a quirk of that particular Referee crew and we should note it for future games.

Yeah, as much as KT deserved to have drawn a holding call on at least one play, I'm happy to have refs call it that way when our DBs are deeling with guys as fast as Goodwin and Johnson. (Or maybe that was KT's welcome to the NFL moment from the refs.)

 

[fxkane]

Re: Pass Interference?

From my experience in calling plays on TV, I think that only the replays are accurate. It often looks like the defender makes contact before the ball, but often on replay (few are shown) this is not the case.

Even that final Tampa Bay play that gave the game to the Jets looked on TV that Davis pushed Geno Smith out of bounds, but in fact Smith was clearly already out of bounds.

 

[everlong]

Re: Pass Interference?

I don't know about PI necessarily, but I would have called way more illegal contact.

There was a lot of hand checking going on but I felt like the refs let both teams do it and honestly I wish they went back to letting them play.

Either way as BB says you do business as businss is being done so it's on the receivers adapt and get open. If the refs are letting it go the receiver can hand check for position as well.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Re: Pass Interference?

If the Refs want to go back to the pre-Polian rule, I'm all for it. Otherwise, it's just a quirk of that particular Referee crew and we should note it for future games.

Agreed. I've noticed that various referee crews do not call it unless it's blatant and taking place in critical times. You take particular note of these things when Wes Welker is one of your receivers.

I was in a bar, so I didn't hear the commentary, but I do remember thinking that there were a few plays that would have drawn a holding call in the secondary with other refereeing crews. I think holding happens as often defensively as they say that it happens offensively, and you just can't call every hold.

 

[old 55]

Re: Pass Interference?

Thanks to all. Like I said, I was not in the best viewing situation and it's good to get the input of those who had better views of the game.

 

[AQPE]

Re: Pass Interference?

The inconsistency regarding offensive PI drives me even more crazy. For example, Niners-Giants yesterday was a festival of pick plays and pushing off; see Boldin's game-sealing catch. Not that I minded the final result, mind you

 

[Peter Pat]

Buffalo Turf

Was it me, or did it seem like the Patriots were losing footing all day. Two of the turnovers Ridley's fumble and the Brady int, the players tripped without being touched. There were also several other plays that i remember where the players lost footing. Did any player make a statement about the condition of the turf, or any reporter ask the question, it seemed to have a big impact on the game.

 

[Guts]

Re: Buffalo Turf

It was probably hosed down on purpose. Thing is though, that the Bills had to deal with it to and they didn't seem affected by it at all.