Official Niners @ Pats postgame thread

[RhodyPatriot]

Patriots were simply not ready to play last night. Flat as a pancake.
Niners came out of the gate aggressively and were at full speed from the 1st minute of the game.
The Texan blowout was the worst thing for this group. They heard all week how great they are.
Coaching staff did a very poor job preparing this team to play last night.
Coaching staff did an equally poor job in-game. Slow to make adjustments, blitzing in the wrong situations that exposed a banged up D-backfield.
Far too many mistakes by all 4 groups, i.e. O,D, ST and coaching.
Niners are a very good team and will exploit mistakes and poor play.
Patriots got back into the game because the Niners played prevent D once they got a big lead. If they kept the pedal to the medal there was no way Brady was bringing the Patriots back. In fact you saw how the Niner D put it back in high gear once the Patriots tied the score. Brady struggled after that and the Patriots never sniffed the end zone again. Harbaugh will learn from that.
The upside for the Patriots is that there is not a defense in the AFC that can contain their O. The downside for the Patriots is that their road just got so much more difficult. They have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[upstater1]

Yeah, having the Bye would be nice, but it's not going to happen. We're gonna have to do it the hard way.

That said, MY GOD, HOW do you give up such a long return after the tie game? HOW? Were there uncalled holds? Please tell me it was a reffing thing because MY GOD.

I counted at least 3 on the play. There were Patriots all around him and he was running down the sideline. Patriots on either side. Looked like he was going through a military ceremony at West Point with Patriots making a nice path for him. Three of the Patriots reached out with their arms as they were being held.

 

[upstater1]

He played lights out in the second half, but otherwise that's revisionist history. he threw two picks and had a 69 Pass Rating last night. He's still Tom Brady, but every now and then we have to admit that he isn't perfect.

I don't believe in moral victories either.

That passing rating thing is really a joke.

He had a great night last night.

The first pick was all his fault. But he was dead on last night on long balls. He was very accurate elsewhere too.

The passing rating thing puts too much emphasis on completion rate and ignores all the other things (like moving the offense and scoring points). Too much emphasis on throwing TDs (look at how many the Patriots ran in last night, including Brady. 3 rushing TDs. Passing rating doesn't account for that.

And even the INT to Hernandez was a play they complete 99.9% of the time. It's actually a safe play, not supposed to be dangerous at all. Aaron short-armed it.

I thought Brady had one of his best night's of the season, and he did it against the best pass rushing defense in the league.

 

[vyrago]

I was thinking the same thing :/

This is the reverse Giants game of 07. For some reason, I think this game bodes well for the Pats. Could be I'm an idiot, but I don't think so.

 

[1960Pats]

That was one of helluva performance we put in the second half...unfortunately it wasn't enough. Despite the lopsided start we refused to throw in the towel and as usual when two elite teams play it came down to a couple of plays here and there. Hell, Brady himself showed more fight and determination in that game than the Eagles have shown all year.

I'll just go ahead and say it, after this performance I fear NO team in the AFC. So we'll have to go into Denver and then Houston to get back to the Super Bowl. So be it, this team is going to New Orleans.

That said, I need to get something off my chest.

There is one thing to be said about discussing the team's flaws during the week, after all despite their dominance over the past decade this team DOES have flaws. The defense is not where it should be this far into the rebuild, we lack a consistent threat on the outside in the passing game, etc. etc. That's fine, Belichick is after all human and we should talk about his shortcomings.

But as a fan, to throw in the towel BEFORE HALFTIME when the defect is only 14?!?!?!!??

With this coach? This QB? And everything this team has accomplished over the last decade??!?!?!?!?!

****ing disgraceful. Christ, we are spoiled.

Bring on Jacksonville.

Well said.

That reminds me of two of my former co-workers who were at the Snow Bowl win against Oakland in 2001 and left in the 3rd quarter. It changed the way that I looked at them, especially since one of them was a Bledsole (a fan who was still upset about Brady taking over, even after the Pats won the SB.)

I know the weather was lousy, but they should have been prepared for that anyway. All of those empty seats reflects badly on the rest of us. I sometimes see the fans leaving and wonder if any of them are the type that claim to be better fans because they go to the games.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

yada yada.

you make your breaks. we fumbled twice and were picked twice and after we tie the game our ST gives Kaepernick the ball on our 35 yard line. I don't care if a magic fairy made the ball bouce one way or the other, they recovered five of their fumbles and we didn't.

we're the ones who need some "luck" now in the form of a Cleveland win or a KC miracle over the Broncos, because the one place I don't want to play in January is Denver. I can see us winning three on the road in the playoffs, but Denver scares the **** out of me.

You're so smart yet you say BB doesn't lose twice to the same team in the same season, when we lost to the Giants in the regular season last year.

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

This is the reverse Giants game of 07. For some reason, I think this game bodes well for the Pats. Could be I'm an idiot, but I don't think so.

The Pats played two of the best teams in the league back to back and completely outclassed one and lost to the other by 7 points after getting embarrassed in the 1st half. The Pats can and most likely should beat any team, anywhere, any day. Get Gronk back, get the running game on track, and let the D continue to get experience and all should be good.

 

[spook75]

The loss sucks, the first half and all the turnovers were Embarrassing ., but I feel super confident about the team heading into the playoffs . Go pats.

 

[Kontradiction]

Most worrisome was receivers running free behind the secondary. Reminded me of the old defense. Everything else looks correctable.

That's because they weren't respecting the deep ball whatsoever.

I honestly have no idea why we played so much zone in the first half. We have the corners now to be able to handle receivers like that while playing press (which they showed in the second half). Either way, it was a valient comeback which was ultimately stymied by horrific execution throughout the first half and on the kick return as well as turnovers.

 

[mayoclinic]

That's because they weren't respecting the deep ball whatsoever.

I honestly have no idea why we played so much zone in the first half. We have the corners now to be able to handle receivers like that while playing press (which they showed in the second half). Either way, it was a valient comeback which was ultimately stymied by horrific execution throughout the first half and on the kick return as well as turnovers.

I hate our zone coverage. It always seems to give up huge chunks of yardage and more big plays than when we play man.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

He played lights out in the second half, but otherwise that's revisionist history. he threw two picks and had a 69 Pass Rating last night. He's still Tom Brady, but every now and then we have to admit that he isn't perfect.

I don't believe in moral victories either.

Agreed. A home game in December has no room for moral victory, but I think this game gave us a little more perspective. We were quick to anoint ourselves after the Texans experienced something similar to what we dealt with last night. The pendulum swings back and forth.

One encouraging thing about last night is that the team brought themselves back into the game with 3 and outs and drives by the offense. No turnovers. The defense was hit or miss, and I think the defense looked tired from the start, but it's hard to make stops when the opposition gets the ball inside the 20 after a turnover 3 times. That was an all but instant 21 points, except our D fought back once or twice. We don't have a defense that will win the game by itself, but it didn't lose it last night.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Who in the current MVP race could have accomplished what Brady had to over come. Brady is a one man show. He almost won this game all by his damn self. HE NEVER GAVE UP.

That's how you and I see it, but the voters will see that Peyton went into Baltimore yesterday, delivered a workmanlike, no mistake performance and walked out with a W against a division leader (even a shaky one) on the road. The voters will see that Brady played lights out in the second half, but threw two picks and had a 69 pass rating hung on him.

Let's stop worrying about the goddam MVP and focus on the Jags and hope that the Browns channel the great teams in their past and beat the Broncos.

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't get some of you people. This BS that they were outcoached is a joke. They weren't outcoached. A fluke interception like the one that Aldon Smith got off Hernandez isn't being outcoached. A fluke fumble like Vereen's isn't the team being outcoached.

The gameplan going in was fine. The problem was the execution.

The reasons why the Patriots lost:
1) 4 Turnovers. The forced fumble by Whitner was a damn good play. The interception by Rogers should have been illegal contact (at the very minimum) since it was clear that Rogers initiated contact that forced Welker to chance his route well beyond the 5 yard area. The other interception was a fluke. As was Vereen's fumble.

2) The Refs were absolutely horrible. The last time I saw such a lop-sided calling was with the replacement refs against Arizona. I watched Hochuli change a call given to him by the side judge to go against the Pats even though the side judge clearly pointed that it was against the 49ers. The call on Develin was BS. The 49ers guy didn't even try and block Develin correctly. He grabbed Develin's Jersey and threw Develin down. Then there was the fiasco with the Ted Ginn touch/no touch challenge. Hochuli tried his darndest to screw the Pats there and did by taking away their Time Out and Challenge even though it was clear that the Pats didn't commit Illegal touching. Not to mention that there was holding on Marquice Cole by Tramaine Brock that went uncalled. It's hard to win a game when the refs are so blatantly biased against you.

3) Lack of execution by the Pats offense. Mankins and Solder failed to account for Smith on 2 occasions early on and nearly got Brady killed. Wendell couldn't do his job on either screen play, failing to block out Patrick Willis and then totally Whiffing on Carlos Rogers. I said it last night that I felt they should have pulled Wendell, slid Connolly to center and then put Thomas in at RG. The drops by Welker and Hernandez in the first half always seemed to come at critical times.

4) Lack of communication by the Pats defense. The 2nd 49ers TD I put squarely on Hightower and Spikes. They can't both pass their men back to Dennard and expect Dennard to be able to cover them Hightower passed Walker back and Spikes passed Vernon Davis back. Dennard shaded towards Davis, who was going up the seam, only to have Kapernick go to Walker. There were other plays as well where it was clear that communication was the issue.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I think they were due for a letdown, but it really hurts thinking they will have to go to Denver. I just can't see Denver losing at home to CLE or KC.

Don't give up. Cleveland could surprise us and beat them, though I doubt KC has the talent or balls.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Game Stats:

1st Downs
SF - 19
NE - 32

Total Yards
SF - 383
NE - 520

Total Plays
SF - 65
NE - 92

Final Score
SF - 41
NE - 34

What won the game for SF was:

(1) Turnovers - 4 for NE, 2 for SF
(2) Lucky fumble recoveries - ESPN has SF recovering 6 of the 7 fumbles in the game
(3) Special Teams/Field Position - NE was constantly in worse field position due to special teams, and that James KO return after the Pats tied it at 31 was huge

I'm not sure the Pats don't blow them out if they meet again.

You left out one thing (bolded above).

Points (1) and (2) are, like, "Huh?"

Four turnovers are four turnovers (1). You can't make that many against a ****ty team, let alone one of the best in the NFL, and expect to win.

What's a "lucky" fumble recovery (2)? Last time I checked someone has to to get to the ball and then pick-up/fall-on the ball and then keep the ball in the scrum that ensues.

Agree on point (3) though; that return to our 35 after finally climbing the mountain to tie the game was a back breaker, as were the holding penalties on at least two late SF kicks.

Let's worry about beating Jacksonville and Miami in their Super Bowls over the next two weeks and not fantasize what "might" happen in a Super Bowl that is almost two months away.

 

[sevengables_2207]

I don't get some of you people. This BS that they were outcoached is a joke. They weren't outcoached. A fluke interception like the one that Aldon Smith got off Hernandez isn't being outcoached. A fluke fumble like Vereen's isn't the team being outcoached.

The gameplan going in was fine. The problem was the execution.

The reasons why the Patriots lost:
1) 4 Turnovers. The forced fumble by Whitner was a damn good play. The interception by Rogers should have been illegal contact (at the very minimum) since it was clear that Rogers initiated contact that forced Welker to chance his route well beyond the 5 yard area. The other interception was a fluke. As was Vereen's fumble.

2) The Refs were absolutely horrible. The last time I saw such a lop-sided calling was with the replacement refs against Arizona. I watched Hochuli change a call given to him by the side judge to go against the Pats even though the side judge clearly pointed that it was against the 49ers. The call on Develin was BS. The 49ers guy didn't even try and block Develin correctly. He grabbed Develin's Jersey and threw Develin down. Then there was the fiasco with the Ted Ginn touch/no touch challenge. Hochuli tried his darndest to screw the Pats there and did by taking away their Time Out and Challenge even though it was clear that the Pats didn't commit Illegal touching. Not to mention that there was holding on Marquice Cole by Tramaine Brock that went uncalled. It's hard to win a game when the refs are so blatantly biased against you.

3) Lack of execution by the Pats offense. Mankins and Solder failed to account for Smith on 2 occasions early on and nearly got Brady killed. Wendell couldn't do his job on either screen play, failing to block out Patrick Willis and then totally Whiffing on Carlos Rogers. I said it last night that I felt they should have pulled Wendell, slid Connolly to center and then put Thomas in at RG. The drops by Welker and Hernandez in the first half always seemed to come at critical times.

4) Lack of communication by the Pats defense. The 2nd 49ers TD I put squarely on Hightower and Spikes. They can't both pass their men back to Dennard and expect Dennard to be able to cover them Hightower passed Walker back and Spikes passed Vernon Davis back. Dennard shaded towards Davis, who was going up the seam, only to have Kapernick go to Walker. There were other plays as well where it was clear that communication was the issue.

I am in agreement about Hochuli. Seems like every time his crew officiates a Patriots game, it is prime for at least few WTF? calls against them.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: MVP should have been sealed up tonight

Commendable effort by TB but AP took the lead in the MVP by a good distance - where would the Vikes be without him? Peyton can sit back now and enjoy CPOY. Still nothing is certain at this stage

Peterson will have to top Dicerson's quarter century old record and the Vikings will have to make the playoffs for him to get the MVP; this is a QB league and QB's draw the audiences that buy the beer and the cars that get peddled there. After this weekend, it's Peyton's to lose, unfortunately.

Let's focus on the Jags, please!

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't get some of you people. This BS that they were outcoached is a joke. They weren't outcoached. A fluke interception like the one that Aldon Smith got off Hernandez isn't being outcoached. A fluke fumble like Vereen's isn't the team being outcoached.

The gameplan going in was fine. The problem was the execution.

The reasons why the Patriots lost:
1) 4 Turnovers. The forced fumble by Whitner was a damn good play. The interception by Rogers should have been illegal contact (at the very minimum) since it was clear that Rogers initiated contact that forced Welker to chance his route well beyond the 5 yard area. The other interception was a fluke. As was Vereen's fumble.

2) The Refs were absolutely horrible. The last time I saw such a lop-sided calling was with the replacement refs against Arizona. I watched Hochuli change a call given to him by the side judge to go against the Pats even though the side judge clearly pointed that it was against the 49ers. The call on Develin was BS. The 49ers guy didn't even try and block Develin correctly. He grabbed Develin's Jersey and threw Develin down. Then there was the fiasco with the Ted Ginn touch/no touch challenge. Hochuli tried his darndest to screw the Pats there and did by taking away their Time Out and Challenge even though it was clear that the Pats didn't commit Illegal touching. Not to mention that there was holding on Marquice Cole by Tramaine Brock that went uncalled. It's hard to win a game when the refs are so blatantly biased against you.

3) Lack of execution by the Pats offense. Mankins and Solder failed to account for Smith on 2 occasions early on and nearly got Brady killed. Wendell couldn't do his job on either screen play, failing to block out Patrick Willis and then totally Whiffing on Carlos Rogers. I said it last night that I felt they should have pulled Wendell, slid Connolly to center and then put Thomas in at RG. The drops by Welker and Hernandez in the first half always seemed to come at critical times.

4) Lack of communication by the Pats defense. The 2nd 49ers TD I put squarely on Hightower and Spikes. They can't both pass their men back to Dennard and expect Dennard to be able to cover them Hightower passed Walker back and Spikes passed Vernon Davis back. Dennard shaded towards Davis, who was going up the seam, only to have Kapernick go to Walker. There were other plays as well where it was clear that communication was the issue.

I wouldn't say that they were "out-coached" per se. But there were a couple of head scratching calls in this game. And I'm someone that has vehemently defended the coaching in all the losses this year.

Now, that being said, I've also been on record as stating that horrific execution in all three phases throughout the game was what really cost us.

 

[JackBauer]

I wouldn't say that they were "out-coached" per se. But there were a couple of head scratching calls in this game. And I'm someone that has vehemently defended the coaching in all the losses this year.

Now, that being said, I've also been on record as stating that horrific execution in all three phases throughout the game was what really cost us.

<cough> sending an all-out blitz while leaving a corner who couldn't cover grandma in a wheelchair on the outside against the opposing team's best receiver

 

[SeymourTrophies]

<cough> sending an all-out blitz while leaving a corner who couldn't cover grandma in a wheelchair on the outside against the opposing team's best receiver

That sounds eerily familiar :bricks: