What was the Offensive Gameplan...? (and other thoughts)

[PattieswinSB]

The notion that you have to pass because you're down is just nonsense. Down 20 in the 2nd half? Sure, you've got to skew toward the pass, no doubt. But down 10 in the first half? No reason to go heavy on the pass.

If you keep running it then you have a situation like last week where SD stuck to the run too much

 

[chicowalker]

If you keep running it then you have a situation like last week where SD stuck to the run too much

Chargers problem last week wasn't just the running game. Like the Pats today, their passing game wasn't effective, either, early on. Why not abandon the pass if that's the rationale?

 

[condon84]

Brady needed to match Peyton and he couldn't. It wasn't because of his receivers because they got open. We needed to extend drives to keep Peyton off the field. The first two drives were a waste. That pass to Slater was on Brady. Edelman was wide open in the middle for a first down.

We also played scared on defense. Pass rush was unimaginative.

 

[IcyPatriot]

It wasn't good enough for some people. THEY WANT PERFECTION AND NOTHING ELSE.

Because he gets paid for perfection ...

He doesn't get paid for a $5 million effort.

He took up $14 million of the cap ... $14 million hits at least 1 long pass ... 1 ... just 1???

 

[fumbrunner]

The notion that you have to pass because you're down is just nonsense. Down 20 in the 2nd half? Sure, you've got to skew toward the pass, no doubt. But down 10 in the first half? No reason to go heavy on the pass.

uh, Broncos got the first possession of the third quarter, killed off 7 mins and scored. When were the pats supposed to establish the run?

 

[IcyPatriot]

We could have kicked 2fgs and XP so that would be 23pts.
We throw deep one time Edelman and one time Dobson (was well covered) so
Brady didn't play well but wouldn't call it a choke when Slater, Collie, Edelman and Hoomanawanui was our receivers on more than a handfull of snaps

He missed a handfull of throws with wide open players.

Manning had players who at least got their hands on their misses.

 

[PattieswinSB]

The missed deep balls were key. No one has noticed how Brady's deep ball declined so much the past few years.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

The missed deep balls were key. No one has noticed how Brady's deep ball declined so much the past few years.

Other than 2007 it was never particularly good.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Icy, I think you're way off in your simplistic blame game. Brady was good except for the early overthrow of Edelman. It was also disappointing how little they came away with in 3 trips to the Denver 30, not sure who to blame for that just a general letdown.

I thought the game turned on that 90 yard drive by Denver in the 2nd period. Manning lobbed two throws up there that should have been picks - very poorly thrown, don't know how they weren't picked. Talib knocked out with a cheap shot. Pats D called on a bogus holding call on 3rd down. That drive was torture to watch.

 

[ausbacker]

Why is everyone piling on Mankins? Did nobody see how many assignments Wendell blew leaving Mankins exposed with more than one lineman?

Upgrading Wendell is the single greatest need on O if the Patriots are going with a pass heavy approach.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I made comment earlier in the week that perhaps all the injuries have forced the Pats to return to a championship-style offense. Watching today, maybe not.

Certainly the long drives the D surrendered hurt. But today's loss follows a pattern that it pains me to mention:

26-16
28-13
21-17
28-21
33-14
17-14
38-34
27-13

Those of the scores' of the Pats' last 8 playoff losses. They went over 20 points only twice, and one of those times it was just barely.

I'm far from down on Brady — quite the opposite. But with all the offensive firepower this team has had over recent years, these point totals in the biggest games are disappointing.

Yeah it's been a pattern and a pattern that some of us have been trying to talk about for a few years now. When was the last playoff game where Tom Brady elevated his game and brought this team to victory against a really good team?? Been years and he's had some very big weapons to use. Here's the pattern - get a 1st round bye, then beat up the divisional round opponent (and pad the stats) F/B playing poorly and losing or squeaking by in the AFC championship game.
Take away Brady's stats from that scrimmage they played against Tebow's Broncos a couple of years ago and Brady's playoff stats are downright MEDIOCRE over the past several years. Tom Brady's diminishing playoff mojo IS part of the problem and has been for several years.

 

[PattieswinSB]

uh, Broncos got the first possession of the third quarter, killed off 7 mins and scored. When were the pats supposed to establish the run?

Manning milked that clock well.

 

[PonyExpress]

I made comment earlier in the week that perhaps all the injuries have forced the Pats to return to a championship-style offense. Watching today, maybe not.

Certainly the long drives the D surrendered hurt. But today's loss follows a pattern that it pains me to mention:

26-16
28-13
21-17
28-21
33-14
17-14
38-34
27-13

Those of the scores' of the Pats' last 8 playoff losses. They went over 20 points only twice, and one of those times it was just barely.

I'm far from down on Brady — quite the opposite. But with all the offensive firepower this team has had over recent years, these point totals in the biggest games are disappointing.

I've been pointing this our for years. I find the outcome of this game surprising only in that Manning played so well. McDaniels is not a big time coach. Every designed play today, including the 2 point conversion, was a flub.

 

[ATippett56]

Why is everyone piling on Mankins? Did nobody see how many assignments Wendell blew leaving Mankins exposed with more than one lineman?

Upgrading Wendell is the single greatest need on O if the Patriots are going with a pass heavy approach.

Blind posters on this message board have nothing but blind hatred for Mankins and Connolly.

Wendell has been absolutely atrocious this season.

 

[DocHoliday]

Yeah it's been a pattern and a pattern that some of us have been trying to talk about for a few years now. When was the last playoff game where Tom Brady elevated his game and brought this team to victory against a really good team?? Been years and he's had some very big weapons to use. Here's the pattern - get a 1st round bye, then beat up the divisional round opponent (and pad the stats) F/B playing poorly and losing or squeaking by in the AFC championship game.
Take away Brady's stats from that scrimmage they played against Tebow's Broncos a couple of years ago and Brady's playoff stats are downright MEDIOCRE over the past several years. Tom Brady's diminishing playoff mojo IS part of the problem and has been for several years.

They don't lose easy games and thus get farther than other teams with similar sub-par talent. But they inevitably get exposed.

I'm not sure what you're up in arms about really. This defense couldn't stop Manning, Hoomanawanui was on the field nearly every snap, and Austin Collie was among your most reliable receivers.

 

[PittPatriot]

Matt Chatham said it best: Denver was stopping the run without putting 8 in the box.

That's a huge victory and it means the Pats blocking up front was poor.

The Pats were manhandled across the board. Everyone is to blame, including Brady and BB.

Isn't this exactly how the 2002-2004 Patriots teams beat the Colts? We had a stout front 7 (or sometimes 6) and dropped 5-7 guys into coverage depending on the down. Manning couldn't do enough (plus the terrible cold/snowy conditions) and we called him a choker. It sucks when the shoe fits us in recent times.

 

[naF staP]

It was easy to see that Blount wasn't going to be the runner he was the prior 2 games. Denver wasn't going to allow the Pats to run on them to day. End of story!

Kind of hard to keep a running game going when your defense allows drives that take up half the quarter and then also allows them to score on those drives.

D was horrible today. Horrible.

 

[Sciz]

Isn't this exactly how the 2002-2004 Patriots teams beat the Colts? We had a stout front 7 (or sometimes 6) and dropped 5-7 guys into coverage depending on the down. Manning couldn't do enough (plus the terrible cold/snowy conditions) and we called him a choker. It sucks when the shoe fits us in recent times.

Manning actually had receivers, though. It's one thing to both stop the run and the pass when the opposing receivers are Edelman, Collie, and Hoomanawanui. It's another when those receivers are Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark.

 

[chicowalker]

uh, Broncos got the first possession of the third quarter, killed off 7 mins and scored. When were the pats supposed to establish the run?

First half, when they passed more than twice as much as they ran.

 

[BradyBranch39]

As I tweeted, "pretty sure McDaniels' game plan today was designed with the sole purpose to get Cleveland to leave him the f alone."