Revisting the 2009 playoffs

[Jared]

So let's get in our wayback machine to January of 2010, when the Pats and Ravens met in the playoffs. Most people don't like to even think about this game because of the horrendous first quarter, but I feel like a few things need to be pointed out.


1: 2nd-4th quarters. It is easy to focus on the first quarter mess (long run by McGahee, turnovers), but you end up overlooking the fact that the defense tightened up. If we only look at the last three quarters, we win 14-9. "But Jared!" you cry out. "Even 14 points is really bad for us this year!" You're right. So let's look at who were the...

2: Leading receivers.

Randy Moss: 5-48
Julian Edelman: 6-44
Kevin Faulk: 6-37
Sammy Morris: 3-15
Sam Aiken: 1-5
Bet Watson: 1-3
Chris Baker: 1-2

Randy Moss was a shell of his former self, and Welker had just blown up his knee in Week 17. Welker Jr. (Edelman) did his best, but after that we were throwing to an already ancient Kevin Faulk and three guys who are all no longer on the team for various reasons.

This year we have our All Pro WR back. We have a very solid complimentary WR in Branch. Ben Watson and Chris Baker are replaced by #87 and #84. The Ravens won't be able to double and triple one guy like they did in 2009 to Moss.

But the last and most dreaded item:

3. Turnovers. 3 INTs and 1 lost fumble on an early strip sack. Those plus a terrible receiving corps were the primary reasons for the loss.


Lesson: Yes 2009 playoffs against the Ravens sucked. But there were good points (the later quarters), areas of weakness in 2009 are now areas of strength in 2011 (WR/TE), and the main cause of the drubbing (turnovers) are completely fixable.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

So let's get in our wayback machine to January of 2010, when the Pats and Ravens met in the playoffs. Most people don't like to even think about this game because of the horrendous first quarter, but I feel like a few things need to be pointed out.

Lesson: Yes 2009 playoffs against the Ravens sucked. But there were good points (the later quarters), areas of weakness in 2009 are now areas of strength in 2011 (WR/TE), and the main cause of the drubbing (turnovers) are completely fixable.

You also forgot "Locker room cancers," which do not plague the current roster.

 

[Guts]

This team would have crawled out of that deficit and won that game. Often overlooked is how close they are in the locker room and how mental tough this team is

 

[Patspsycho]

You also forgot "Locker room cancers," which do not plague the current roster.

Not only that but this was probably the most mentally soft team in the BB era. There was just no toughness. No comebacks, no road wins, IIRC.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Not only that but this was probably the most mentally soft team in the BB era. There was just no toughness. No comebacks, no road wins, IIRC.

In fact, IIRC, the Pats lost as many Q4 leads in 2009 as they did in the rest of Brady's career combined.

At least we know Edelman came to play that day. . . .

 

[Sciz]

Don't forget how beat up that team was, either.

Brady was playing with broken ribs and a broken finger on his throwing hand.
Welker had just gone to IR.
Moss was playing with a separated shoulder.
Wilfork had a foot injury and had missed weeks 15-17.
Ty Warren missed week 15, played hurt and reinjured his knee week 16, and missed week 17, before playing hurt against the Ravens.
Mayo was playing at 70% speed all season after being rushed back from his knee sprain early in the season.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Two totally different teams this go around. Id bet my house that on the first play from scrimmage Rice doesnt go 80 yards and take it to the house.

 

[Sciz]

Two totally different teams this go around.

This can't be emphasized enough.

In that playoff game, the Pats started guys like:
Sam Aiken
Chris Baker
Laurence Maroney
Julian Edelman
Tully Banta-Cain
Gary Guyton
Adalius Thomas
Shawn Springs
Brandon Meriweather

In all, the Pats will have 17 different starters than that game, 16 if Vollmer plays. The only constants among the starters are Brady, Light, Mankins, Wilfork, and Mayo.

 

[flynismo]

Two totally different teams this go around.

I keep hearing that. We're far better this time around as well, particularly on defense. Not to mention we have an actual #1 reciever now, and a pair of real deep threats, as opposed to Mark Clayton, who drops the probable game winning td near your end zone at the end of the game.

 

[patsfan-1982]

for me the biggest Difference is not just all the talent that Brady has to thrown to but this is the best OL Brady has ever had in he's career

 

[patsfan06]

for me the biggest Difference is not just all the talent that Brady has to thrown to but this is the best OL Brady has ever had in he's career

Agreed. This O-Line is beast. The fact that we can plug in backups like Wendell, Connelly, Thomas, Cannon, etc. without a blink of the eye is great.

Also those recieving yard totals are eye popping just cause of the names...the talent we have this year is so much better its really mind blowing.

 

[mosi]

A better game to watch is the 2010 game. The first game without Moss and a game everyone said we would get crushed because we had no way to stretch the field. A great game that showed the mental toughness of that team. The return of Deon. The defense played well enough and contained Rice pretty much the whole game as well. One of my favorite games of 2010.

 

[Sparetire]

Three keys for beating the ravens:

1) O-Line doing their jobs and leting brady do his thing.
2) stopping RR on the run (with Chung and Spikes back it's alot better)
3) hoping Ed reed is injured for the game.

PS - i know i shouldnt but i think i should, Flacco can be dangerous sometimes, focusing on the running game only can hurt us bad.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

In all, the Pats will have 17 different starters than that game, 16 if Vollmer plays. The only constants among the starters are Brady, Light, Mankins, Wilfork, and Mayo.

That is pretty amazing. Two years, 17 of 22 starters replaced (or in Welker's case, returning from injury).

Remarkable re-build.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Look, this team is nothing like either the 2007 or the 2009 Pats.

I think they should and will beat the Ravens. I think that the Ravens are going to have a hard time covering Gronk, Welker, and Hernandez. The Ravens on the other hand, are pretty much the same team, only older and slower. Flacco only thorws a deep ball (which concerns me, seeing the amount of deep balls the Pats secondary has given up this year). However, Im liking the addition of Sterling Moore and moving McCourtey to saftey. Flacco was sacked something like 5 times yesterday. I don't think that the Ravens can keep up with the Pats. The only difference will be , just like in 2009, if the Pats turn the ball over. The Pats did an excellent job of making Denver try and go 80 plus yards on each drive. The Ravens offense is pretty much the same, not build for long sustained drives. Don't turn the ball over, keep them in long fields (Mesko was great on Sat) and the Pats should win this game easily.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I know that the media is bringing it up, but comparing either 2009 team with the teams today is stupid. Also the teams played in 2010, and comparing those teams is also dumb.

Where I live in So.Maine, it snowed a lot the first part of the winter of 2009. We got our first real snow in 2012 last week. Different year, different snow and the 2012 snow had nothing to do with the 2009 snow.

This is the NFL. Changes take place from year to year, month to month, and as we are now seeing, week to week.

 

[MassPats38]

This is not the same Patriots team as 2009. Team chemistry, red zone, talent, team attitude, etc. are all improved. You never felt good about the team on the whole in 2009, and the Welker injury felt like doom because the team lacked depth. The 2009 team couldn't finish games, while the 2011 Pats may start slow but consistently finishes.

The 2011 and 2009 Ravens look similar statistically, but the numbers that got them to 9-7 in 2009 earn them 12-4 this year. The primary difference is Flacco, who is throwing the ball and completing passes at a career low and just looks worse thise year than in previous years.

The Ravens got thrashed in San Diego one month ago in a game that mattered greatly in terms of playoff possibilities. Had the Steelers beaten the Niners the next day, then the Raven would be a wildcard team. The Ravens defense is still scary, but it has looked older and slower in games this season.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I keep hearing that. We're far better this time around as well, particularly on defense. Not to mention we have an actual #1 reciever now, and a pair of real deep threats, as opposed to Mark Clayton, who drops the probable game winning td near your end zone at the end of the game.

I was wondering how long it would be before someone brought up Ocho Cinco.

 

[Kid~Brady]

A better game to watch is the 2010 game. The first game without Moss and a game everyone said we would get crushed because we had no way to stretch the field. A great game that showed the mental toughness of that team. The return of Deon. The defense played well enough and contained Rice pretty much the whole game as well. One of my favorite games of 2010.

Exactly what I was going to mention. I have this game saved forever. Great game, Deion's first game back with us with a great TD at the end to take us into OT with the Ravens.

I remember our defense stepping up big in this game. We forced 3-4, 3 and outs that game.

 

[Kid~Brady]

Lets win this game to shut that horrible game out.

Lets do this for Myra!