Thats my only explanation for the game. You can say about picks and cassel fumbles but their defense is legit and they had a hand in it. People should just calm down. Sometimes the other team just plays better. it happens. We got pasted by the steelers defense once with brady too.
Sure we couldve played better but cassel isnt playing the jets or the fins this time on defense.They have had a very difficult and with all the injuries have still persevered.
somehow iam not that dissappointed in our performance because this was a possibility with their defense .
just my 2 cents.
I was at church and recorded the game, I was surprised at the final score when I got home and have been sitting here with the DVR trying to diagnose the problems:
- The Steelers' defense was not dictating the game until
after they had a 13 point lead. I give them credit for being a good D, but the Pats did it to themselves again.
- Special Teams for NE played poorly with penalties and Slater's turnover, not to mention giving up a couple nice returns when the contain men (Slater and Wilhite) came in missing the tackle and leaving their lanes open.
- The first Harrison strip sack came after Sammy Morris released into his pattern without chipping on one of the most potent pass rushers in the NFL. If he had chipped Harrison - who had Light beat at the snap - there was no strip sack.
- The second Harrison strip sack came after the Steelers had unleashed their pass rush with the 13 point lead.
- NE left points on the field allowing Pittsburgh to stay in the game. Case in point: Pitt was able to line up with passing formations forcing NE into their nickel package to set up runs by Moore while in the nickel. With a NE lead Pitt would have been unable to run like that, putting the game on Toothlessburger's shoulders to make plays consistently - not his strength.
- Dinged up players affected the game: Slater was back to receive the kick because Hobbs has been playing hurt and had been out on the previous series for some plays with Richardson covering for him. Welker was contained early, but was then knocked out of the game by an illegal hit. Koppen is playing hurt and gave up a sack, to Casey Hampton of all people.
- For all that Cassel had a couple off throws, his receivers did more damage with drops.
Watching this game, I can't tip my hat to the Steeler D as the reason NE lost. Pittsburgh took advantage of NE mistakes and minimized their own, they won by playing smarter - very frustrating when it's your team on the wrong side.
Some other observations:
- Mike Wright was adequate in for Ty Warren, he was driven off the ball on a couple plays, he also held up well on a few more and was pretty decent subbing for Wilfork. What hurt most on runs to that side was Mike Vrabel being ineffective against TE Heath Miller - I'm not in the Vrabes is washed up camp, but he was struggling with Miller.
- Pierre Woods looked very good against the run, but they took him out for the Nickel package so he saw limited time up until he was injured when he planted his face in Heath Miller's shoulder pads.
- Gary Guyton playing OLB in place of Woods looked pretty decent and he played the run well in the Nickel package.
- Delta O'Neal will not be back next season, I believe he was meant to be a stop-gap until Wheatley was ready and I expect NE to shop for another veteran CB in Free Agency.
- Mayo didn't seem to cover as much ground as I've seen from him in the past, he had some good plays.
- I thought James Sanders had a strong game.
- I thought Cassel was solid again. The lousy weather may have affected a couple throws, but he wasn't really bothered by it - whether his receivers were is another thing.
- I hated the rollout call in the red zone that had Cassel throwing back across his body to Moss in the middle of the field. It almost resulted in an interception, keep him in the pocket and let him improvise if he has to scramble, but don't send him outside with inside routes.
- NE was running the ball well against that #1 run D, if they could have gotten a lead and ground the clock a little more...