Week 13 Pats - Colts Post-Game Thread

[Rob0729]

Curran: Belichick uses Colts to further experiment

Omg, I figured it out! Copy and paste, I mean.

Curran is right. The Pats approached this game as a scrimmage to try out players at new positions. I love this from the article about Slater:

Slater said he learned he’d be playing defense “just this week.” But, he added, “I’ve known since I’ve been here to just be ready to do whatever they ask me to do. They approached me with it this week and I know I’m a role player on this team and whatever role they give me, that’s what I’m going to do.

I know the Pats are depleted at safety, but there was no reason to start Slater there other than to try things out and see if he could slide into the position in an emergency.

 

[SEA_Pat]

By the way, I haven't seen anyone posting yet on what to me was the biggest revelation from this game - Stevan Ridley's mohawk.

 

[SEA_Pat]

Devin McCourty is officially entering bust territory.

He makes me miss Ellis Hobbs/Deltha O'Neal/Hank Poteat/Duane Starks/Jason Webster.

Now THIS is something I think you actually believe. The reason being that you DO miss Hobbs et al in our defensive backfield as you want the team to lose. That's because you're no more a Patriot fan than I flew to the moon over the weekend and back. Why not tell the truth and put the team you really support in your sig. Is it the Rats or the Ratbirds, or someone else?

 

[SEA_Pat]

Colts also had the ball on the 1 yard line and shot themselves in the foot with the false start. I don't care what the score was in the 4th. When a QB like Orlovsky gets his team back in the game in the 4th because the D continues to suck it is cause for concern.

This is another hallmark of the Negative Nancys. Whenever the Defense stiffens and stops the other team, it's not because of what they did, it's because the other team "shot itself in the foot". That false start penalty occurred because the entire defensive line unexpectedly shifted over one gap in unison, causing not one, but TWO Tight Ends located on either side of the OL to false start at the same time. Why? Because the Defense caused it. Orlovsky's interception to Mayo was another example, it was savvy defense and a great grab by a guy whose hands have rightfully been questioned over the years, but of course to the NNs it was "a scrub QB giving the ball away to the Patriots because he sucks".

I thought Orlovsky's throws towards the end of the game were very impressive. Why not? He had nothing to lose, was loose, and they knew they didn't have a ghost of a chance to win anyway so could just let it all hang out. There are no consequences if he throws an INT, so he can let it go. Notice that when the game wasn't out of reach, how effective was he?

He may be a 3rd stringer, but he's got enough talent to make it to the NFL. Garcon and Wayne would definitely start over all of our WRs other than WWW. Is it so surprising they can make some plays when it doesn't matter over a bunch of experimental defensive sets with DBs who BB is just trying out to give them experience and see what other options he's got?

 

[ScottishPat]

Jim Irsay sent a tweet about 10 mins ago saying this:

"We out rushed them, out passed them..but the turnovers killed us"

I sent 3 back saying:

"LOL #deluded"

"You started playing when you were 31-3 down. #deluded"

"I thought that points counted towards a W, not stats. Enjoy the playoffs, oh, that's right you won't be there!"

F**k him and the rest of that joke of an Organisation!

He also sent another tweet before that one saying:

"Started thinking Tampa Bay,2003..not 2b but exciting finish...Cassel led Pats n 2008 put up 15..Orlovsky led Colts puts up 24..interesting"

Sent another back with:

"2 very different Defenses! BITTER AS F**K THAT YOU LOST! How's Plan B coming along or did you forget that you needed one?!"

Had a good laugh when I read that back though or was it because the Colts are 0-12 and we are steaming ahead towards the Playoffs, I don't know! LOL

 

[Ring 6]

It's Belichick's mantra to be peaking in December however I did not see a New England Patriots football team playing 60 minutes of focused football.

I saw a New England Patriots defensive secondary that made Dan Orlovsky look like a Pro-Bowl quarterback aside from the interception by linebacker Jerod Mayo.

You don't make the probowl by falling behind by 28 points then padding stats when there was no chance to win the game.

 

[ensoul]

200+ yards and both TDs coming in the 4th while down 31-3.

It is not alarming to people who know football.

It is alarming when any QB (never mind Orlovsky) throws 18-20 in the 4th no matter who you have out there. Or when Young throws 400 yards the previous week. At what point do people stop saying these are garbage yards but rather real causes for concern?

 

[IllegalContact]

This is another hallmark of the Negative Nancys. Whenever the Defense stiffens and stops the other team, it's not because of what they did, it's because the other team "shot itself in the foot". That false start penalty occurred because the entire defensive line unexpectedly shifted over one gap in unison, causing not one, but TWO Tight Ends located on either side of the OL to false start at the same time. Why? Because the Defense caused it. Orlovsky's interception to Mayo was another example, it was savvy defense and a great grab by a guy whose hands have rightfully been questioned over the years, but of course to the NNs it was "a scrub QB giving the ball away to the Patriots because he sucks".

I thought Orlovsky's throws towards the end of the game were very impressive. Why not? He had nothing to lose, was loose, and they knew they didn't have a ghost of a chance to win anyway so could just let it all hang out. There are no consequences if he throws an INT, so he can let it go. Notice that when the game wasn't out of reach, how effective was he?

He may be a 3rd stringer, but he's got enough talent to make it to the NFL. Garcon and Wayne would definitely start over all of our WRs other than WWW. Is it so surprising they can make some plays when it doesn't matter over a bunch of experimental defensive sets with DBs who BB is just trying out to give them experience and see what other options he's got?

and its denial on your part.....com playoff time, this team is going to get slapped around

 

[PatriotFan77]

It is alarming when any QB (never mind Orlovsky) throws 18-20 in the 4th no matter who you have out there. Or when Young throws 400 yards the previous week. At what point do people stop saying these are garbage yards but rather real causes for concern?

Alarming, no. Annoying, yes. It is annoying to destroy an awful team for 50 minutes and then completely lose focus and allow a team back in it for the last 10.

If Orlovsky or Young had put up those numbers during the course of the ENTIRE game and had their respective teams in the game the WHOLE time, as opposed to relatively getting their doors blown off, it would be alarming. The only cause for concern in my opinion is the lack of focus the Patriots displayed after KICKING THE **** out of the Colts for 3.5 quarters.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

One of the better outcomes we could have hoped for against an 0-11 team:

- Team starts off sluggish, takes about a quarter to really settle in.
- Team really gets rolling in the 2nd quarter, finishing the half with a beautifully executed 2-minute TD.
- Team continues good play through the 3rd quarter, builds 31-3 lead.
- Team gets soft, gets burned for 21pts to make the game appear close.

The takeaways from the game are clear: When focused and executing, the team can be unbeatable. However, get a little lax and *anyone* can take you out. People complain like this is a bad thing, but it's not. Glad this game showed the team both sides of that coin and gives BB something to hammer home going forward.

As to game specifics, the Colts had no answer for the quick hitters to Welker underneath. The guy found soft spots in the short zone all day. Gronk was a beast and had my favorite play of the day: The goalline lateral/screen for the TD; That should be a goalline staple as he's so huge and out wide against the smaller defenders makes him a pain to tackle with no room for error. Solder held up great vs. Mathis and Light did well vs. Freeney (I didn't notice if he got lots of help as he has in the past, but Freeney didn't make Brady's life miserable). The D played great for 3+ quarters. The goalline stand early on was great and that kickstarted a good run of defense for the next 40 minutes.

Would have liked to see more from the running game and Chad cannot drop that sideline pass, but otherwise things went well while building that big lead.

Regards,
Chris

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

While watching the game, there was something visually "off". I couldn't put my finger on it. At first I thought it was seeing the Colts in white as I thought they hadn't done that since 2006...until I remembered they played in Foxboro last year. But it did have to do with the white uniforms, though. I kept thinking back to the 2003 AFCCG, but why? Then it dawned on me: This was the first day game outdoors these two teams have played since then.

Regards,
Chris

 

[pherein]

The New England Patriots kept the hammer down during the entire 2007 NFL Season. If the New Orleans Saints could do it earlier in the season against the pathetic Colts, so should the New England Patriots.

I wouldn't let it bother you. Remember, at least you won. Our defense never showed up VS The Rams, they just kicked our butts.
But I think it was a good thing, because it really woke up the team, and our defense has been improving since .
..and it wasn't that bad either, keeping any NFL team to 24pts is the normal average if I remember correctly. Yes, the colts suck as a collective team. I think that can be established as a fact. But also consider that are rivals with your team. Im pretty positive they killed themselves to beat you, and are very familiar with your style of play, unlike us.
I wouldn't worry about it at all.

 

[MP-Logick]

NE's offense might be as good as the Saints, but I wouldn't say it's nearly as explosive. Never expected anything like 62-7.

 

[TomPatriot]

It is alarming when any QB (never mind Orlovsky) throws 18-20 in the 4th no matter who you have out there. Or when Young throws 400 yards the previous week. At what point do people stop saying these are garbage yards but rather real causes for concern?

After a loss?