- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
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Just got back from Charlotte: one of my less pleasant solo drives I have to admit. Some impressions (I have not read any threads or watched it on TV yet, so this is based on my watching the game in person 18th row, 15 yard line (awesome tic I got very cheap on craig'slist))...
First, Carolina fans were very classy, nobody was a jerk after the game: people actually patted me on the back (in a nice way) to say 'nice game.' Great people all around. Big Patriot fan turnout at the game, which was nice.
That stadium is *loud*. Much louder than I have experienced my one time at Gillette. It is built to encourage noise, even the seats are built so you can slam the seat against the back and make a very loud noise (which they encourage every third down).
Cam Newton is a beast. I knew this already, but by reading some of the commentators here the past week you'd think he was just an average QB. I hope nobody here makes that mistake again.
That PI call on McCourtey was complete freaking BS.He was going for the ball, it should have been offensive PI.
Talib did not seem healthy, seemed to be playing very soft and loose rather than tight, nowhere near the shut-down corner we saw before his re-injury. That was depressing. Gronk did not seem healthy, he was hobbling on the sidelines a lot, sitting out a lot of plays at the beginning it seemed; though his TD was awesome I got it on my cell phone with video I will post when I figure out how.
Our OLine play didn't protect Brady enough, as I had predicted based on our previous troubles with good 4-3 defenses. Brady rarely had much time to throw, he was just always in trouble.
Why did we try to pass it on 3rd and 1 when we were on their 8 and running the ball very effectively? That seemed a stupid play call. Our run game was really humming along.
Our defense could not stop them when we needed to, reminiscent of our last two super bowl losses. Pretty much the exact same situation.
This may sound simplisitc, but I actually put a lot on the Ridley fumble. And that Mankins penalty. Both huge momentum changers.
Carolina is simply the real deal. They are a really good team and deserve mad props. From where they were last year, to this year, it is impressive. NC is going crazy, this was like a playoff game for them. we seemed to come out a bit flat out of our bye, frankly. Second half we turned it around and it became a good game, but they flat-out outplayed us, looked like the better team for the most part. Frankly, seeing the Pats in person, especially our weakened defense, made me realize in more stark terms just how crazy it is that we came into this game 7 and 2. It's sort of a miracle.
Finally (really this time) it was great to see BB on the sidelines coaching up the defense. He did this all through the second half, and you can tell it is what he lives for. I kept waiting for the Talib or McCourtey interception to finish off the Panthers in the Panthers' last drive...to no avail. That drive home sucked. Gotta eat and get some sleep.....
First, Carolina fans were very classy, nobody was a jerk after the game: people actually patted me on the back (in a nice way) to say 'nice game.' Great people all around. Big Patriot fan turnout at the game, which was nice.
That stadium is *loud*. Much louder than I have experienced my one time at Gillette. It is built to encourage noise, even the seats are built so you can slam the seat against the back and make a very loud noise (which they encourage every third down).
Cam Newton is a beast. I knew this already, but by reading some of the commentators here the past week you'd think he was just an average QB. I hope nobody here makes that mistake again.
That PI call on McCourtey was complete freaking BS.He was going for the ball, it should have been offensive PI.
Talib did not seem healthy, seemed to be playing very soft and loose rather than tight, nowhere near the shut-down corner we saw before his re-injury. That was depressing. Gronk did not seem healthy, he was hobbling on the sidelines a lot, sitting out a lot of plays at the beginning it seemed; though his TD was awesome I got it on my cell phone with video I will post when I figure out how.
Our OLine play didn't protect Brady enough, as I had predicted based on our previous troubles with good 4-3 defenses. Brady rarely had much time to throw, he was just always in trouble.
Why did we try to pass it on 3rd and 1 when we were on their 8 and running the ball very effectively? That seemed a stupid play call. Our run game was really humming along.
Our defense could not stop them when we needed to, reminiscent of our last two super bowl losses. Pretty much the exact same situation.
This may sound simplisitc, but I actually put a lot on the Ridley fumble. And that Mankins penalty. Both huge momentum changers.
Carolina is simply the real deal. They are a really good team and deserve mad props. From where they were last year, to this year, it is impressive. NC is going crazy, this was like a playoff game for them. we seemed to come out a bit flat out of our bye, frankly. Second half we turned it around and it became a good game, but they flat-out outplayed us, looked like the better team for the most part. Frankly, seeing the Pats in person, especially our weakened defense, made me realize in more stark terms just how crazy it is that we came into this game 7 and 2. It's sort of a miracle.
Finally (really this time) it was great to see BB on the sidelines coaching up the defense. He did this all through the second half, and you can tell it is what he lives for. I kept waiting for the Talib or McCourtey interception to finish off the Panthers in the Panthers' last drive...to no avail. That drive home sucked. Gotta eat and get some sleep.....
