Official Patriots/Falcons Post Game Thread

[borg]

The D is improving:
Points allowed by D.....17,16,10....

 

[Patspsycho]

Yes. Galloway actually had an 8 yard reception.

They were in a 2 TE 2 WR formation at least on the first drive in the 2nd half and Galloway was the odd man out.

 

[DaBruinz]

did wilfork come back in the 2nd half?

No. Wilfork did not return. Pryor was playing in his place.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

16 point win isn't a blowout???

two scores.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Wr depth is a big issuie, as well as a pass rush .. .The Ravens are going be a tough game... if we can produce in the red zone then we shall be ok...

 

[aurakilla]

The D is improving:
Points allowed by D.....17,16,10....

Quality of opponents got better as the D let up less points as well

 

[BradyFTW!]

Interesting outlook. We shut down an excellent running team, but since you think we arent good against the run that means they arent a good running team

The Falcons run the ball a lot, but they don't do it especially well. Don't let that keep you from building obvious straw-men though- that seems to pretty much be your M.O.

I didn't say that hte Pats' run D was bad. I said that there are two obvious reasons why they couldn't run on us today: either our run D is much, much better than we thought, or their ground game isn't as good as most people think. I think it's a fair amount of both, but I'm leaning towards a little more of the latter. Now, if we can repeat this performance next week against Baltimore, then I'll be happy (and relieved) to admit that I was wrong. But considering that a lot of sources that I trust a great deal were putting up red flags about ATL's running game before the season even started (Turner piled up stats feasting on bad D's last year- was very unspectacular the rest of the time), it's clear to me which way to lean.

Please try to support your assertion that the Falcons are an "excellent running team". I'm like to see how you got that impression. And know in advance that if you just point to Turner's rushing totals, I'll just give you a game-by-game breakdown that shows that he was awesome against crappy teams, but that's about it. His eye-popping stats are pretty much the result of crazy stats against Detroit, KC, St. Louis, and Green Bay- a bunch of absolutely terrible Ds.

 

[JackBauer]

The Falcons run the ball a lot, but they don't do it especially well. Don't let that keep you from building obvious straw-men though- common sense and basic reasoning has never stopped you before.

To be honest, I tend to agree with him. I think the Pats defense is very good against the run... but I'd be interested in hearing why you believe otherwise.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I think also Brady's shoulder is hurt more than he is letting on... That hit by Hayensworth might have done something to his pschye... He was ok... But he still misses some throws...

 

[crowell33]

two scores.

Yes, as long as both scores are touchdowns, and as long as you make both two point conversions, and give up zero points defensively, then you would have a tie. ( Hey by this logic, a 24 point blowout is "only a three score game"

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I don't think it will be that good if the play calling doesn't get more creative. They did blitz more this game, but right now Pees, or whoever makes the calls, is still not up to par with 03-04.

I think this is the 10th time this week I say it but Ill say it again. He'll get more creative as the players get more experience, he's keeping things more basic because theres a lot of new faces in the D.
Then again, if they stop the other team from scoring who cares what they look like.

 

[letekro]

Brandon McGowan is becoming a very important player in this defense.

 

[crowell33]

Brandon McGowan is becoming a very important player in this defense.

Agreed. Had a nice stop in coverage ( I believe on fourth down ) in addition to forced fumble his partner Sanders recovered.

 

[JackBauer]

Brandon McGowan is becoming a very important player in this defense.

Although his coverage was poor on the Gonzalez reception, I agree

 

[letekro]

I think this is the 10th time this week I say it but Ill say it again. He'll get more creative as the players get more experience, he's keeping things more basic because theres a lot of new faces in the D.
Then again, if they stop the other team from scoring who cares what they look like.

Because the Jets are the team du jour and now everyone thinks that in order to have a good defense you have to blitz every down. Patriots have always dialed up TIMELY blitzes, which I agree, are dependent on the experience level of the defense.

 

[crowell33]

Although his coverage was poor on the Gonzalez reception, I agree

Yes, the ONE Gonzalez reception he gave up all game.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yes. Galloway actually had an 8 yard reception.

I think he had 2 catches after the big drop.

One was a diving catch on 3rd down going for a first in Falcons territory. Another was a catch on 3rd and 7 where he stretched out to make it close enough for us to go for it on 4th down. Key plays.

 

[crypto]

I think this is the 10th time this week I say it but Ill say it again. He'll get more creative as the players get more experience, he's keeping things more basic because theres a lot of new faces in the D.
Then again, if they stop the other team from scoring who cares what they look like.

I hope so. But I don't remember him doing much of interest last year. Maybe because they were all so old.

Because the Jets are the team du jour and now everyone thinks that in order to have a good defense you have to blitz every down. Patriots have always dialed up TIMELY blitzes, which I agree, are dependent on the experience level of the defense.

If this was a sideways shot at what I said, that's not what I meant. I'm not worried about sheer pressure as much as I want to see schemes that baffle opposing teams.

 

[JackBauer]

Yes, the ONE Gonzalez reception he gave up all game.

Uh, yeah, don't confuse my post for trenchant criticism and overreact or anything.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Not too worried about the Wilfork injury- IMO he's pretty overrated across the board, but especially in a 4-3. The way I feel about losing him is probably pretty similar to how most of you felt about losing Seymour: it's certainly not ideal, but we can more or less replace him with what we already have on the roster, so that's that.

I'm not sold on the Falcons as being a particularly good team. They're alright, definitely, but what do they do well? They certainly couldn't stop the run or run the ball, and since I'm not sold on the Pats being good against the run (especially without Wilfork), for now I figure that the Falcons just aren't that great.

This contradiction is simply moronic, you state that he is so overrated at the beggining of your post, but in the same breath you state how important he TRULY is by saying we couldn't stop the run without him. That seems to be a pretty important component by most ppl's football standards.

Some ppl even think that if you can't stop the run in Jan. You can't win an NFL championship. But yeah I can see how he's just a jag. Everythng else in your post seemed thought out and well written, but this in particular stuck out.