The Official Patriots vs Titans POST game thread

[LetsGoPats36]

Brady compensated for a couple gaffes during pass protection but overall the blocking was solid.

Run blocking was notably better, though.

Welker got kind of 2010 Moss'ed today. Hope there is a concerted effort to get him his touches next week. The passing game seemed slightly off this afternoon and it's fairly obvious why.

Tough for me to think about the offense too much when for the first time in years the defense actually has facets worth getting excited about.

They looked quicker, hit harder and collapsed the pocket better than we've seen in a looooong time. Nice to see some instant returns on draft picks and the development of some the draft picks that have required more patience.

It's far from perfect or a finished product, but we finally have the makings of a real, difference-making defense.

 

[hodgey]

Pass coverage? They had a few big plays on a 4th and 1 single coverage and a scramble when the QB got out of the pocket. On the other hand they had an INT, just missed another and forced what would have been a fumble a few years ago on a text-book legal hit.

Which leads to Ninko. He did his job, which was keeping Locker in the pocket. Jones really only got unleashed when they were really backed up.

Pass protection. If that's the worst it's going to get with Cannon at tackle and Solder against a pro-bowler, I'll take it.

Zoltan. Meh. Barely noticed him. Did he not drop every punt inside the 5?

Welker. Yep, that bum nearly cost us the game by... missing one catch off his helmet? Let's look at just stats and see 3 catches what a stiff. Let's ignore that we didn't need the 5 yard passing game because we were getting 6 or 7 running it.

Imho pass coverage with the exception of Dowling was soft. I think we allowed 300 or so yards. Arringtongton had solid coverage on the interception.

Ninko was a zero factor. Made no impact plays. I understand contain, but I feel better with Cunningham than Ninko. It is one game.

Solder beaten many times in pass protection. Brady had to get rid of the ball immediately therefore limiting the downfield passing game.

Welker had a subpar game.

 

[Gumby]

Just finished watching tape-delayed.

for all the draftnik, know-it-alls; take that 1Q - hightower, jones, wilson all making big time plays.

Ridley looks like a monster for stats this year. I loved seeing one of his runs in the 4th; he made a beautiful cut at the 10 yd gain pt to the right and turned it into an 18 or 20 yd pickup. Lawfirm was good; but would never have made that cut and probably wouldn't have the speed to get to that hole at the 10yd pt either.

Now the potential bad news. He better learn to carry that football better; 1 arming in traffic and carrying to the inside of the field on an outside run with all the tacklers to the inside. I saw them take a swat on that play (1Q i think) and got scared. Felt better after he started ripping those long ones. but if he does that more; folks will get film and then start swattign and ripping on him even more.

Lloyd was good as advertised - just that trust thing was obvious on the 1st missed td. He obviously is used to playing with guys who would underthrow that pass and not lead him enough.

OL - looked relatively solid.

DL - OH my GAWWD. Holding a 2000 yd rusher to 4 yds. gotta love it.

CBS - I like the announcer combo generally but they made some boneheaded comments there - miscalling names and a couple other idiot things that made me shake my head.
Then at end of game CBS shows a stat line for TB with an INT and I am sitting there going; DID I WALK AWAY from the laptop and miss something? Good to see it didn't exist on the final stats.

 

[The Scrizz]

Ninkovich did 0 the whole game and should take a seat. Cuningham is as ready as he will ever be, will get his shot next few weeks.

Woodhead is 2 yards and a dive. Wasted plays giving it to him, take a seat.
Have another one of those undrafted guys who can do it better when SR needs a breather. Still have mister big upside/injury prone, if he can shake himself and get ready to play.

Very thin at corner two C to C- / below average.
Arrington D- who still hasn't turned his head to pick up a ball. Thinks his job is trail the receiver by a couple of yards and hope for a riccochet to get his cheap interceptions. Take a seat.

Patriots changing from guys who can do 6 things pretty good to guys who can do a few things very well. About time.

You aren't going to make the 1st round of cuts with posts like this. It is filled with ignorance.

1st. Ninkovitch did his job as anyone with a clue could see.

Here is how I see this game. The Pats front 7 had 2 main objectives. Stop the run and keep Locker in the pocket. They did both very well except for a few plays.

The Pats were in base almost all game which means the secondary were on their own. I remember exactly one blitz all game, which was Arrington on a corner blitz.

The secondary got beat overhead twice. One on a 4th and 1 with single coverage (there's a reason that there is not an Arrington island) and the TD that happened to take place when they lost pocket contain on Locker.

Hmm. The front 7 playing run and pocket contain and the secondary keeping the ball in front of them. Seems like a pretty solid game plan. And it seems like they executed it.

But just ignore the style of D they played and place blame on individuals for a few crummy plays here and there.

Oh, and Arrington was responsible for the INT. His head was turned around on that play.

Woodhead had exactly 6 touches. Cut the bum.

This wasn't a perfect game, but I would call it a well executed game.

I would not call your post well executed. D-, have a seat.

 

[Hael]

Frankly i've felt we've had a very good run D for a long time now.

Last year we gave up a ton of garbage yards, so its jilted. Also we had such problems in our pass D, that they would play pass packages almost every down.

 

[DaBruinz]

Thats funny because I find it "inane" when someone will waste time to post with the only intent to throw a meaningless jabs at an opinion. Wish we could get more discussion about what happened on the field and less blowhards.

Maybe you should actually discuss what happened on the field since 3 of your points make no sense at all..

 

[Deus Irae]

Frankly i've felt we've had a very good run D for a long time now.

Last year we gave up a ton of garbage yards, so its jilted. Also we had such problems in our pass D, that they would play pass packages almost every down.

Given that even Wilfork acknowledged the team's problems with run defense in sub packages before this year, I think we can scrap your argument and just focus on what looked like significant improvement in this game.

 

[DaBruinz]

Ninkovich did 0 the whole game and should take a seat. Cuningham is as ready as he will ever be, will get his shot next few weeks.

Woodhead is 2 yards and a dive. Wasted plays giving it to him, take a seat.
Have another one of those undrafted guys who can do it better when SR needs a breather. Still have mister big upside/injury prone, if he can shake himself and get ready to play.

Very thin at corner two C to C- / below average.
Arrington D- who still hasn't turned his head to pick up a ball. Thinks his job is trail the receiver by a couple of yards and hope for a riccochet to get his cheap interceptions. Take a seat.

Patriots changing from guys who can do 6 things pretty good to guys who can do a few things very well. About time.

WOW.. Total over-reaction on every point.
Woodhead did more than 2 yards and a dive. He got was was there for him to get.

You're 100% wrong on Arrington who only had ONE bad play, which was the TD to Washington, in which he attempted pass Washington off to Gregory. The problem was that Gregory and McCourty already had men in their zone. OH, I forgot to mention, Arrington was facing Locker the entire time, so his head WAS turned towards the ball.

As I stated elsewhere, Ninko did his job the way others have against mobile QBs. That was to stand the tackle up and keep Locker in the pocket.

Lets hear the rest of your over-reactions now.

 

[The Scrizz]

Imho pass coverage with the exception of Dowling was soft. I think we allowed 300 or so yards. Arringtongton had solid coverage on the interception.

Ninko was a zero factor. Made no impact plays. I understand contain, but I feel better with Cunningham than Ninko. It is one game.

Solder beaten many times in pass protection. Brady had to get rid of the ball immediately therefore limiting the downfield passing game.

Welker had a subpar game.

Yes the coverage was soft because they were allowing underneath throws. We allowed almost 300 yards passing and about 300 yards total. I wonder if that was by design because it almost seems like it was. There are 11 players on D and the secondary schemes need to compliment the front 7 schemes. What good is giving up no running yards if you're giving up 50 yard TD's.

The Pats gave up 3 plays of 20+ yards. 3.

1 was the TD when the front 7 didn't do their job and gave up contain and 1 on the 4th and 1 play.

You obviously don't understand contain.

 

[DaBruinz]

Imho pass coverage with the exception of Dowling was soft. I think we allowed 300 or so yards. Arringtongton had solid coverage on the interception.

Ninko was a zero factor. Made no impact plays. I understand contain, but I feel better with Cunningham than Ninko. It is one game.

Solder beaten many times in pass protection. Brady had to get rid of the ball immediately therefore limiting the downfield passing game.

Welker had a subpar game.

The pats gave up 229 yards Passing. A far stretch from 300..

Ninko wasn't a zero factor. He helped keep Locker in the pocket. Something that the Pats focus on with mobile QBs.

Solder wasn't "beaten" many times in pass protection. The Pats gave up 1 sack and 2 or 3 hurries as a unit.

How did Welker have a sub-par game? Other than the one that hit him in the mask when he jumped for it. He honestly didn't seem to be a major part of the game plan. Not to mention that he was double covered almost the entire game..

 

[Ring 6]

Yes, Andy. Some of us actually watched the game. And you know what else? Some of us realize that when the clock is winding down and the offense is telegraphing to the defense EXACTLY what they are going to do, the defense can make the play. Especially when you run the same play back to back.

It should say something that the Pats decided to RUN the ball in that situation instead of just taking a knee..

He still looked terrible.
What does it say that it wasn't late enough in the game to take a knee?

 

[Ring 6]

Ninkovich did not have his best game finished the day with out a number on the stat sheet, but that can be somewhat misleading. I think it is to early to talk about taking him out of the starting lineup. We had a great day against the run and he spent the majority of snaps at LE so he had to been doing something setting the edge.

Actually the OLB sets the edge, but a good point that we sacrifice run D size and weren't hurt. Now if we could get something productive out of that LE spot, it would be great.

 

[Ring 6]

Welker had 3-14... Lets focus on getting him more involved before we start asking to bring in Branch and Gaffney.

It changes game to game. Welker also had a drop and we ran the ball 35 times.

 

[The Scrizz]

The pats gave up 229 yards Passing. A far stretch from 300..

Ninko wasn't a zero factor. He helped keep Locker in the pocket. Something that the Pats focus on with mobile QBs.

Solder wasn't "beaten" many times in pass protection. The Pats gave up 1 sack and 2 or 3 hurries as a unit.

How did Welker have a sub-par game? Other than the one that hit him in the mask when he jumped for it. He honestly didn't seem to be a major part of the game plan. Not to mention that he was double covered almost the entire game..

They had another 43 from Hasselbeck but the point stands.

 

[Ring 6]

I really like Cunningham taking snaps at DT in the nickel and sub packages. He looks unstoppable in that position with his speed and power.

If you move him to Ninks spot who fills that void? Long term I expect to see Bequette develop toward the end of the year.

If Cunningham replaces Ninkovich in the base, it doesn't mean he can't move inside in nickel.

 

[hodgey]

Yes the coverage was soft because they were allowing underneath throws. We allowed almost 300 yards passing and about 300 yards total. I wonder if that was by design because it almost seems like it was. There are 11 players on D and the secondary schemes need to compliment the front 7 schemes. What good is giving up no running yards if you're giving up 50 yard TD's.

The Pats gave up 3 plays of 20+ yards. 3.

1 was the TD when the front 7 didn't do their job and gave up contain and 1 on the 4th and 1 play.

You obviously don't understand contain.

Yeah I agree like I originally said there was tons more to be positive about and few negatives. I would like to see us be able to challenge in the short to intermediate zones. Like we've seen in the past as the competition rises the ability to compete in those areas in the secondary can be the difference. Games like these provide a platform to improve. Again let me say todays game couldnt have gone much better

 

[rookBoston]

In the Bold Predictions thread, I tabbed Cunningham for 10 sacks. He got his quota today and seems on track.

I drafted Hernandez and the Pats D in my fantasy football leagues, and both stepped up and proved me right. This team is already much better than the team that went to the SB last year. Some depth on the OL would be great, and I'd love it if we had a legit FB. But this team should steamroll the regular season and hopefully ride into the playoffs on a wave.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Lloyd didn't light up the field today with 5 for 69...but he is only going to get better. He is going to help open up underneath sooo much this year for gronk and hernandez. I really wish they connected on that TD mishap. But it will come around

 

[Dingleberry]

Lloyd didn't light up the field today with 5 for 69...but he is only going to get better.

And just think, in one game he has already matched 1/3 of the season output from the previous #85.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

And just think, in one game he has already matched 1/3 of the season output from the previous #85.

That and just the speed/his route running skills and how he has the ability to catch almost anything thrown his way..he will get his first TD next week