What a bad performance by Brady

[rtunstal]

Let?s all face it they were out played and out coached. The better team won. I am a die-hard pats fan, but that was just bad playing on both sides of the ball. This team had a chance to make a statement with this game and they screwed it up with uncommon mistakes. This will only cement the saying that the pats are over hyped and that the only teams they can beat are bad teams.

Some people would like to blame the play calling (as bad as it was) with all the trickery, but if they had worked we would have all been ecstatic about how good they are and that no one can stop them now. But the hard fact is this team needs to get a whole lot better if they want to go far in the play offs, if they don?t they will be out of it very quickly.

As of right now the colts are the best in the league I know this is not saying much because they always lose in the play offs, but if they play everyone the way the played the pats the could win the SB. They came into this game with a chip on their shoulders about how they only won last year because our defense was all beat up. Well this time they weren?t and they beat the pats. Lets not give any accuses they just beat the pats.

The pats are a good team but they needed to play their type of game not the Colts type of game. They should?ve played Patriot football instead they played Manning football. The Colts have one of the best QB/WR tandems in the history of the NFL. Payton and Marvin have been together for at least 8-9 years now, so they will be good together. Brady needed to play his style instead of trying to compete with Manning. This has what made Brady one of the best QB in the game today. Throwing into 3-man coverage?s is asinine, especially when you have open wide receivers underneath. Brady has done that in the past, but remember he had been with Deion and DG for at least 2-3 seasons before he trusted them enough to do that. I can honestly say if he had played his style and not Manning?s, the game would of probably had a different outcome.

The Patriots lost so let us all be good fans and say congratulation to the Colts because they deserved the win and they were the better team that night.

 

[borg]

I wonder what what it would be like to have a WR that received so much respect that DBs consistently provided 10 yard cushions. I also wonder what it would be like to have a WR that could out-jump a DB.

 

[Drewwho]

The good/great teams have good/great QB's who throw the ball to good/great WR's...sorry, but our WR's need the ball right on the numbers to make the catch. Sad to say, but if Brady does not hit them just perfect, anything can happen including horrible interceptions. Hard to believe that he only had 4 ints going into last night with this group.

I think the cold got to some of them. Let's face it, Gabriel and Caldwell are not used to this cold temperature and I really think it affected the passing game.

Of course, Brady was not Brady, but he is going to have struggles like this for more weeks to come. It will get there but he isen't exactly throwing to Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne. That was all too painfully obvious last night!

 

[vyrago]

"As for the picks, the first one (deep into the end zone) seemed like either miscommunication or a bad route. Weren't the others all tipped?"

Agreed, it was an uncharacteristic performance by Brady (except for last year's plyoff game against Denver). He threw to the back pylon on that first pick and there was not a Pats shirt in sight. I said at the time to my uninterested dog, "who the heck is he throwing that to?" I think someone was supposed to be there and wasn't. If the first five or so plays of the drive are scripted, someone missed a route or an audible.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I thought of starting a new thread but I didn't want to sound like a chicken little. However, is anybody else worried about Brady? I mean, this is two games now, maybe three including the playoff game vs. Denver, in which he's just not been himself. He almost acts like someone else is controlling him (don't believe in this) and makes bad decisions in some cases and bad throws in others. This vs. the Minnesota game where he looked as sharp as Unitas or Montana, or, well, Brady. The other characteristic he's had in the bad games is the hang-dog appearance (worst in this year's Denver game, not so bad last night). He almost looks depressed, and, depressed people can severely underperform when they are in a low phase.

Hope I'm just being paranoid.

 

[lobster]

Next season Cassel should give Brady a strong challenge for the starting QB job.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Next season Cassel should give Brady a strong challenge for the starting QB job.

You're out of your mind.

 

[Dragda]

Did you see some of the overhead shots from behind the Colts defense? B.Sanders was taking 2-3 steps towards the line of scrimmage before Brady handed the ball off. I'm stunned we couldn't beat that with play-action. Roll left have the te chip Freeney and hit somebody on a deep post.

I thought J.Seau was a monster out there. Big problemswas the penalties on 3rd down. I feel that 1st 3rd and 15 set the tone for the game. Manning eluded Seymour and Warren. Launched that bomb to M.Harrison. Big gain for them and R.Harrison hurt on play. Manning's tough. He's going to get his.
You're not going to shut them out. Just wish we could keep our db's healthy for the rest of the season.

Penalties were huge. The turnovers bigger than huge. But the D did everything right but somehow Peyton would throw out a lame duck prayer of a pass and a receiver would come back and somehow catch it. Every time. In freaking credible.

 

[patsfaninpa]

When was the last time Brady brought us back against a good team? I can't remember the last time we beat a really good team. Maybe SB 39?

Uh...we beat last year's Super Bowl champs on their field after
losing Harrison and Light during the game. Comeback by Brady. Tampa
and Jacksonville were playoff teams last year too.

 

[Dragda]

I thought of starting a new thread but I didn't want to sound like a chicken little. However, is anybody else worried about Brady? I mean, this is two games now, maybe three including the playoff game vs. Denver, in which he's just not been himself. He almost acts like someone else is controlling him (don't believe in this) and makes bad decisions in some cases and bad throws in others. This vs. the Minnesota game where he looked as sharp as Unitas or Montana, or, well, Brady. The other characteristic he's had in the bad games is the hang-dog appearance (worst in this year's Denver game, not so bad last night). He almost looks depressed, and, depressed people can severely underperform when they are in a low phase.

Hope I'm just being paranoid.

He does have those bad games. They seem to be a little more common than they used to. Used to have one per season. Now he has had a couple this year. Still, I wouldn't want any other QB to lead this team/

Credit the Colts, though, for being physical. They played to win while the Pats played the down. I was impressed by how they played so hard. They had some great performances out there. Still we were within stiking distance.

 

[lobster]

I thought of starting a new thread but I didn't want to sound like a chicken little. However, is anybody else worried about Brady?

Hope I'm just being paranoid.

Yates was recently on the PS for a reason. For example I saw him twice manage to get in the way of the RB. However I view Brady's problem as primarily discipline - keeping Brady to playing his game. He needs to accept he's not a Peyton Manning and stay disciplined enough to play his game. For whatever reason Charlie Weis with his expletive-filled tirades and Parcell's-like manner kept Brady strongly on track.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I thought of starting a new thread but I didn't want to sound like a chicken little. However, is anybody else worried about Brady? I mean, this is two games now, maybe three including the playoff game vs. Denver, in which he's just not been himself. He almost acts like someone else is controlling him (don't believe in this) and makes bad decisions in some cases and bad throws in others. This vs. the Minnesota game where he looked as sharp as Unitas or Montana, or, well, Brady. The other characteristic he's had in the bad games is the hang-dog appearance (worst in this year's Denver game, not so bad last night). He almost looks depressed, and, depressed people can severely underperform when they are in a low phase.

Hope I'm just being paranoid.

I checked with a psychiatrist who is also a Pat's fan, and he said to assure you if you are worried about Brady you are paranoid. If you are worried about his receivers, or the secondary, maybe not so much.

Another nervous unhappy poster several posts back was concerned that Brady hadn't brought us back since SB 39. He has, but guess what, we haven't had a complete team since we walked off that field in Jacksonville either due to massive injuries or annual financial defections.

Last year we had virtually no running game due to injury and virtually no D for the first several games. This year we have the best stable of RB's in the BB/TB era, and an improved defense compared to this time last year, but we also have WR by committee in transition - and no matter how many he drafts never more than 2 available TE's one of whom is a rookie and the other still flirting with inconsistency entering his third season. And we may have lost Harrison again last night on the fourth play of the Colts first offensive series. That's something to be legitimately paranoid about.

I understand not wanting to overpay for talent and I don't think Brady needs elite receivers particularly when he has a viable running game. But the truth is you get what you pay for if Harrison and Wayne are any indication (and Javon Walker might be another), and we have no one on the roster who comes close to that talent level let alone polish. Brady doesn't even have a go to guy other than the 35 year old backup DB who in week 8 remains our most consistent WR.

And then Lobster wants to have him spanked. LOL

Brady has the temperment of a saint. There aren't that many HOF 2 (and should have been 3) time Superbowl MVP's who have consistently done more with less while making fewer faces. Last year he kept us in it when in reality we were that wounded .500 team. That we are 6-2 this season with the toughest portion of the schedule already behind us is just testament to the the system and the fortitude of the QB who runs it. That some fans cannot see that is just indicative of how spoiled we have become, particularly where expectations on the QB are concerned. 74% career regular season winning percentage come what may. 90% winning percentage in 4 playoff seasons. How quickly we forget what life was like before him.

BTW Brady is part of the game planning and play calling process, but he doesn't run the offense, any more than Josh does. It's Belichick's name on the bottom of the game plan - proved it last week when he announced to the QB on Tuesday AM that it was time to unveil the passing game. Manning and his OC and HC have a very different relationship. They make suggestions and Peyton mulls them. Ditto Manning and his GM. Believe me if Brady had any say he wouldn't be breaking in 4 out of 5 new WR's in his prime. But he respects the discipline of the guy who decided we had to. He backed his HC and GM, and should at least get that level of backing from us fans as he struggles to make Belichick's decisions work.

 

[Buchanty]

He backed his HC and GM, and should at least get that level of backing from us fans as he struggles to make Belichick's decisions work. [/QUOTE]

Well said Mo. Brady did not have a good game but it wasnt dreadful. Funnily enough his completion rate was better than Mannings even with the interceptions. It is said that there is a fine line between sanity and madness and it would seem the same fine line separates an interception from an incompletion or a fortunate reception. Manning was fortunate on a couple of throws (Rodney sadly injured on one of them), Brady was unfortunate on a couple of his, and the deflecton on the Dillon pass was just good defense.

Part of me is perversely glad that they lost... despite all the mistakes, the penalties, the turnovers and being out of synch, we were close to drawing level with less than a minute (at the IND 32 yard line) when misfortune called for the final time. One thing though I have learned over the years is that the Pats really really learn from their mistakes, and this game comes at just the right time in the year. I would have hated for them to progress through November under the mistaken impression that they were the best of the NFL. They obviously have some flaws and this game will bring them sharply into focus.

I have also learned that Brady really hates a poor performance even more than the fans and even more than Belichick. He usually comes back stronger and more focused (sorry Jets but once again you will face TB burning to restore his poise and accuracy). I also think that it gives him the incentive to focus on revenge in the off-season, and isnt there another saying that revenge is a dish best served cold? So please let TB learn, smoulder and come out in December and January as cool as can be.

All in all the Colts deserved to win, their defense played above themselves, and if we did lose to a touchdown, then losing to Harrison's grab in the corner is no shame (that was one hell of a reception!) A couple of plaudits must go to the Pats defense - Chad Scott, Junior and Rosie. On the offense it is still a pleasure to watch Maroney. Let's get Neal and Graham back on the Offense and I am sure the Pats will dominate once more.

 

[Bella*chick]

I was so anxious for the boards to come back up. Now I'm wondering why. Same old stuff. Last week we are world-beaters, this week, the sky is falling. I was disgusted and frequently furious at what happened last night. But ultimately, the only thing that has stayed with me through today is utter astonishment we were still in it at the end. This team is nowhere near as bad as they played last night.

 

[Drewwho]

I was so anxious for the boards to come back up. Now I'm wondering why. Same old stuff. Last week we are world-beaters, this week, the sky is falling. I was disgusted and frequently furious at what happened last night. But ultimately, the only thing that has stayed with me through today is utter astonishment we were still in it at the end. This team is nowhere near as bad as they played last night.

Good point. I am guilty myself. Maybe just typing out fustrations helps people...

Not sure if anyone in Boston sports history goes from Hero to Zero faster than Brady from week to week.

Mo's points are excellent - best post I've read in a while. Brady is a saint in the way he keeps his fustrations to himself. He is NOT the offensive coordinator or head coach. I admit that Brady was not on in this game, but it seems that most QB's in this league has WR's that jump up and grap balls out of the air. Brady has NEVER had a guy like that. His WR's could not execute the passes and 3 of 4 of those ints are just as much on the WR's as they are on Brady. It seems that if Brady does not plant the pass perfect on the numbers the balls are dropped or in this game tipped. Even at times when Brady has planted balls on the hands of Watson, Faulk and Caldwell, they still get dropped at a high rate.

Very fustrating for fans, can you imagine what it is like for Brady??? We won't know until after he retires and writes his book, but I am sure his Dad is getting an earful pretty much every day!

 

[Brownfan80]

I was so anxious for the boards to come back up. Now I'm wondering why. Same old stuff. Last week we are world-beaters, this week, the sky is falling. I was disgusted and frequently furious at what happened last night. But ultimately, the only thing that has stayed with me through today is utter astonishment we were still in it at the end. This team is nowhere near as bad as they played last night.

Damned right! I think last night showed that even our coach and our QB can lay an egg on the same night. But that even when the egg gets laid they can still try to make a game of it. At least it was closer than the last hiccup (Denver).

That said, they can't keep playing like this and expect to do anything in the playoffs. I hope this step backwards is just another building block towards success. Often those bad games can become exactly that, and I hope this one turns into that sort of situation (think about the 2001 regular season Rams game and what that did for the team down the stretch even though it was a loss).

When the Pats watch film they'll know they have no one to blame but themselves. That could be very dangerous for the opposition come crunchtime.

 

[Bella*chick]

Damned right! I think last night showed that even our coach and our QB can lay an egg on the same night. But that even when the egg gets laid they can still try to make a game of it. At least it was closer than the last hiccup (Denver).

That said, they can't keep playing like this and expect to do anything in the playoffs. I hope this step backwards is just another building block towards success. Often those bad games can become exactly that, and I hope this one turns into that sort of situation (think about the 2001 regular season Rams game and what that did for the team down the stretch even though it was a loss).

When the Pats watch film they'll know they have no one to blame but themselves. That could be very dangerous for the opposition come crunchtime.

I have to say, the thing that had me most bewildered and angry is the same thing as for most others....WHY were we playing Manning ball and throwing it for quick strikes? That first drive was a KILLER mistake and it set up the lousy tempo for the game. I just don't get it. We have good runners, thye have a poor run defense. Was it too obvious? Did they get too cute? Especially after it was evident the rhythm wasn't there, why did abandon the run. We were never down by more than 10, right?

I'm not a football coach, but I was very, very baffled. It seemed like they had a "plan" for the passing game to continue it's evolution, and it took a step back. I don't think I'll ever understand it, and I know BB will never say anything in his press conferences, so I guess we all have to speculate.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I checked with a psychiatrist who is also a Pat's fan, and he said to assure you if you are worried about Brady you are paranoid. If you are worried about his receivers, or the secondary, maybe not so much.

Another nervous unhappy poster several posts back was concerned that Brady hadn't brought us back since SB 39. He has, but guess what, we haven't had a complete team since we walked off that field in Jacksonville either due to massive injuries or annual financial defections.

Last year we had virtually no running game due to injury and virtually no D for the first several games. This year we have the best stable of RB's in the BB/TB era, and an improved defense compared to this time last year, but we also have WR by committee in transition - and no matter how many he drafts never more than 2 available TE's one of whom is a rookie and the other still flirting with inconsistency entering his third season. And we may have lost Harrison again last night on the fourth play of the Colts first offensive series. That's something to be legitimately paranoid about.

I understand not wanting to overpay for talent and I don't think Brady needs elite receivers particularly when he has a viable running game. But the truth is you get what you pay for if Harrison and Wayne are any indication (and Javon Walker might be another), and we have no one on the roster who comes close to that talent level let alone polish. Brady doesn't even have a go to guy other than the 35 year old backup DB who in week 8 remains our most consistent WR.

And then Lobster wants to have him spanked. LOL

Brady has the temperment of a saint. There aren't that many HOF 2 (and should have been 3) time Superbowl MVP's who have consistently done more with less while making fewer faces. Last year he kept us in it when in reality we were that wounded .500 team. That we are 6-2 this season with the toughest portion of the schedule already behind us is just testament to the the system and the fortitude of the QB who runs it. That some fans cannot see that is just indicative of how spoiled we have become, particularly where expectations on the QB are concerned. 74% career regular season winning percentage come what may. 90% winning percentage in 4 playoff seasons. How quickly we forget what life was like before him.

BTW Brady is part of the game planning and play calling process, but he doesn't run the offense, any more than Josh does. It's Belichick's name on the bottom of the game plan - proved it last week when he announced to the QB on Tuesday AM that it was time to unveil the passing game. Manning and his OC and HC have a very different relationship. They make suggestions and Peyton mulls them. Ditto Manning and his GM. Believe me if Brady had any say he wouldn't be breaking in 4 out of 5 new WR's in his prime. But he respects the discipline of the guy who decided we had to. He backed his HC and GM, and should at least get that level of backing from us fans as he struggles to make Belichick's decisions work.

Everything you said is true. There has been no better Boston/NE superstar athlete from all sports with more intelligence, better attitude, more team loyalty, better teammate, more desire to win while being more coachable than Tom. Well, changed my mind, put Bird, Russell, Orr and Ortiz in that category also. It's just that sometimes Tom goes out there with the fire in his eyes and ice in his veins and other times he looks down right from the start. I don't remember any of our other stars being that way. Sure, you could say we've got the near perfect star athlete here, in Tom, and what do you want out of him. Well, we are very demanding of our stars and I generally defend Tom and point to the receivers and the running game (in the past) as more the problem when they lose. It's just that once in a (great) while he looks defeated from the start. Maybe it is the loss of Branch and Givens, still. Last thing, on these Pats boards, we gleefully pointed out Peyton Manning's downcast displays and frustration when the Pats made him look bad in past games of glory. That was OK, but we can't ever wonder about Tom Brady?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Everything you said is true. There has been no better Boston/NE superstar athlete from all sports with more intelligence, better attitude, more team loyalty, better teammate, more desire to win while being more coachable than Tom. Well, changed my mind, put Bird, Russell, Orr and Ortiz in that category also. It's just that sometimes Tom goes out there with the fire in his eyes and ice in his veins and other times he looks down right from the start. I don't remember any of our other stars being that way. Sure, you could say we've got the near perfect star athlete here, in Tom, and what do you want out of him. Well, we are very demanding of our stars and I generally defend Tom and point to the receivers and the running game (in the past) as more the problem when they lose. It's just that once in a (great) while he looks defeated from the start. Maybe it is the loss of Branch and Givens, still. Last thing, on these Pats boards, we gleefully pointed out Peyton Manning's downcast displays and frustration when the Pats made him look bad in past games of glory. That was OK, but we can't ever wonder about Tom Brady?

I never really followed the Celtics, but I don't recall Red eviscerating Larry's team during their run. Smaller team so if he had the dropoff likely would have been more readily apparent. Ditto Orr who ended up leaving near the beginning of the exodus the Bruins have never really recovered from as a franchise. Papi has 1 championship under his belt and is likely wishing he wasn't so quick to sign on for the long haul. He was clearly depressed as this second season removed from the 1 in 86 and done season wound down.

Brady was very disappointed to see his 2 top WR and a PK he had come to rely on implicitly gone as this season opened. But he shook it off and publicly restated his faith in the FO that constructed 3 Championship teams in his first 6 seasons here. He also cautioned us that while he would make it work and he had faith it would, it would take time. Even after the Minnesota blowout last week he again cautioned that this team remained some weeks away from being all it could be.

I don't think he looked depressed let alone defeated at all Sunday night. Frustrated at times, as were we all, although he is better than any QB I've ever seen at shaking that off and not making a spectacle of his frustration. His temperment is exceedingly level. That is what his teamates draw off of at crunch time. Yet oddly that leads to some here slamming him for not being emotional enough. Pats 1 was incensed that he was smiling as he was chatting with Manning as the game ended and again in his post game PC. I guess he wanted anger and devastation. Sometimes Tommy just can't win with the overbearing fan base no matter what he does. For them if we win it's a team effort, and if we lose he sucks! While his receivers only drop passes that they should not have been expected to extend for. All I know is if Mannings receivers weren't closet circus performers he'd have been the QB on the short end of the stick Sunday night. And somebody would likely have had tire track marks to deal with post game.

 

[Bella*chick]

I don't think he looked depressed let alone defeated at all Sunday night. Frustrated at times, as were we all, although he is better than any QB I've ever seen at shaking that off and not making a spectacle of his frustration. His temperment is exceedingly level. That is what his teamates draw off of at crunch time. Yet oddly that leads to some here slamming him for not being emotional enough. Pats 1 was incensed that he was smiling as he was chatting with Manning as the game ended and again in his post game PC. I guess he wanted anger and devastation. Sometimes Tommy just can't win with the overbearing fan base no matter what he does. For them if we win it's a team effort, and if we lose he sucks! While his receivers only drop passes that they should not have been expected to extend for. All I know is if Mannings receivers weren't closet circus performers he'd have been the QB on the short end of the stick Sunday night. And somebody would likely have had tire track marks to deal with post game.

Thanks for bringing this up, Mo, because I saw that post as well. The thing is, had there been anger and devastation, what would have happened? The return of the "Brady is depressed" Body Language police. He just can't win.