Metaphors
In the Starting Line-Up
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To put the context in some context:
1.) Flacco 27 for 35, 285 and 2 TDs
2.) Rivers 34 for 50, 336 and 1/1 TD/Int
It wasn't the Patriots defense stopping the Chargers, for the most part. It was the Chargers offense making boneheaded plays (rookie leaving ball after what would have been a college "down", but is not one in the NFL: Chargers players standing by after a backward pass and just allowing the Patriots to pick it up).
Here are their drives when not down by 2 scores (grouped by success):
Flacco
9 plays for 73 yds, 5 first downs, TD
3 plays for 36 yds, 2 first downs, TD
13 plays for 84 yds, 4 first downs, FG
15 plays for 81 yds, 5 first downs, FG
7 plays for 35 yds, 2 first downs, Punt
5 plays for 28 yds, 2 first downs, Punt
4 plays for 27 yds, 1 first down, Punt
3 plays for 5 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 4 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 0 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 9 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 3 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 5 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
13 drives
4 solid ones (2 TD, 2FG)
3 functional ones (changed field position)
6 pieces of crap
Rivers
11 plays for 36 yds, 3 first downs, FG
8 plays for 43 yds, 3 first downs, Fumble
4 plays for 39 yds, 1 first downs, Fumble
5 plays for 15 yds, 1 first down, Missed FG
4 plays for 13 yds, 1 first down, Punt
3 plays for 8 yds, 0 first downs, Punt
3 plays for 4 yds, 0 first downs, Fumble
3 plays for -7 yds, 0 first downs, Interception
8 drives
3 solid ones (FG, 2 TOs)
5 pieces of crap
For both of them, about half of their drives were complete garbage. They both had good games, which they should given they are quality QBs for likely playoff teams. However, they hardly sliced through the Pats defense at will.
I'm not trying to blow sunshine up anyone's posterior. The Pats defense is young, gaining experience but still not able to do everything that Belichick and fans would like them to do. However, it seems that people have lost the ability to distinguish between truth (reality as your eyes see it) and truthiness (reality as your gut feels it).
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