Game Thoughts

[Deus Irae]

Just as an aside....


Henne was a standup guy in his post-game comments.

 

[Rob0729]

Tomorrow we will hear Felger and Mazz talk about how dreadful the defense was because they only forced one punt.

Well, they will be upset that they can't biatch about value picks for two weeks with Chung and Ninkovitch as the MVPs of the night. They traded down for Chung and Ninkovitch was an undrafted free agent.

 

[Patspsycho]

I predicted that we would win big tonight, and in another thread I predicted that if we won tonight, we would go on a winning streak. Watch for that to happen.

Tonight we exorcised our ghosts. Winning on the road, and scoring in the 2nd half, and in Miami, on Monday Night Football, of all the time and places.. Can't ask for a major confidence booster than this.

 

[Deus Irae]

Where? Because everyone is rejoicing that they kicked ass in the second half?

No one has forgotten anything. It's not like the entirety of Patsfans.com now thinks the defense is the Steel Curtain reincarnated.

What a strange comment.

This is a game thoughts thread, and the O.P. didn't note the first half issues. There was nothing strange about my comment.

 

[roguepatriot]

Agree with OP that the defence is going to be roller-coaster this year. However, by the end of it, they should have the experience/confidence to hang-in for the playoffs games and let the O win the game. Also along the way they win all the games the D is playing well and 50% of the shootouts when they are not.

Defence and special teams definitely showed the athleticism of younger guys with something to prove. There should also be a few posters/reporters eating crow about some players. They allowed the offense to play very conservatively. Not sure if I like that,but it definitely worked tonight. Maybe teams will stop double covering Moss and Welker if the can keep winning like this.

Finally have to hope Meriweather's injury is not serious and everyone is back after the bye. Wheatley may still surprise some people if he can stay uninjured

 

[cmasspatsfan]

They did give up to many easy passes, but they also made plays. It's been a long time since we have a defense that is capable of making plays. The younglings are not perfect. There are going to be ups and downs.

YES!, guys stepped up and made big plays, big plays begat big plays

 

[reflexblue]

I predicted that we would win big tonight, and in another thread I predicted that if we won tonight, we would go on a winning streak. Watch for that to happen.

Tonight we exorcised our ghosts. Winning on the road, and scoring in the 2nd half, and in Miami, on Monday Night Football, of all the time and places.. Can't ask for a major confidence booster than this.

:youtheman: Good points on winning in miami and on monday night.

 

[gmtaxi27]

I haven't felt this good about a road win since the 2007 win at the Meadowlands vs the Giants to clinch 16-0. Awsome, awsome win!

 

[Angry Man]

Even with this being week 4 I feel this game is really going to be the turning point for the Pats this season. The first half was a story of a team that did bend a little bit by letting Miami get ahead early but refused to break. The second half then turned into a story of the Pats simply dominating the Dolphins. But in the end its confidence to the team especially for the defense and special teams. Going into the bye week this is a fantastic way to go out.

Now if the Vikings can beat the Jets next Monday.... that really will help the Pats out with taking over the AFC East! :rocker:

 

[BSR]

I think another big play or series of plays were those that ended up with the Pats stopping them on 4th and 1. That was something it seems I hadn't seen in quite a while. That impressed me just as much as any of the picks.

Also, Cunningham seemed to be some putting pressure there in the middle part of the game, but the pressure let up near the end.

 

[emoney_33]

Great win, but I think people are forgetting that first half a bit too quickly.

1st half defense:

PUNT, TD, INT, INT

Don't need to bring up the offense because I'm surely not worried about the offense in 2010.


3 of 4 in Miami now

 

[condon84]

Great effort by our STs. But let's not kid ourselves with our defense. Henne made two awful reads and threw two dumb passes. I'll credit Ninkovich for taking advantage of the opportunity, but that was more Henne's fault than our defense forcing it.

Our defense is still scary bad.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

1. Great win but just like we shouldn't panic after a loss, we shouldn't overreact to a win. The defense was better but still has a ways to go... if not for a couple Ninkovich picks we were getting gashed in the first half, and we can't really be relying on Nink to be that kind of playmaker week in week out. Still, lots to be encouraged about... like I said in the other thread it's really just that 3rd down defense especially all the long conversions. DB's mistakes in those situations seem correctable so I feel confident in our ability to keep improving. Still right now, this defense isn't as good as the 14 points you see on the scoreboard IMO.

2. I'm amazed in our ability to find guys like Woodhead/BJGE. They've run as well for us as anyone in the BB era not named Dillon. Just amazed by how good the Woodman has been for us, if that keeps up this offense is going to be very hard to stop.

3. Special teams: nuff said.

4. People are not giving the offense enough credit, even though yes they were not dynamite. But still, a 9+ minute drive in the first half. Big FG to finish the first half before getting the ball to start the 2nd half. Big TD drive in response to the Fins cutting the lead to 20-14. One first half drive was killed by a holding penalty that brought up a 35 yard play by Hernandez. The low #'s on offense are not as bad as they looked.

1 and 4 are coming from someone who's continually defended the defense and blasted O'brien.

Can't be mad about 3-1 with a defense still trying to find it's identity. I did not expect a win tonight so very very pumped up heading into the bye, can't wait for the rest of the season!

 

[emoney_33]

I agree with you. Nink step up and saved us from our D, in the first half, the game might have turned out different with it wasn't for him. What really won the game was the STs.

This makes no sense to me. You are basically saying "The defense would have been screwed if the defense didn't step up and get turnovers".

 

[Patspsycho]

Great effort by our STs. But let's not kid ourselves with our defense. Henne made two awful reads and threw two dumb passes. I'll credit Ninkovich for taking advantage of the opportunity, but that was more Henne's fault than our defense forcing it.

Our defense is still scary bad.

Ninko's 2nd interception was perfect. He sat on the route and undercut it at exactly the right moment.

 

[scout]

Haven't seen any mention concerning the law firm. I really liked his play. He gets tough yards and always gains a few more yards on his way down. He's a keeper.

 

[PatsFan37]

Great win, but I think people are forgetting that first half a bit too quickly.

Was that the half that wasn't full?

They crushed Miami at Miami. Better still, after they got a lead in the 3rd quarter, they never took their foot off Henne's throat. Did you see the look on Brady's face when they were up by 2 scores late in the game? No mercy.

Are there problems? Sure. But I saw a young defense coming of age tonight. This is the confidence they'll need to face the murderer's row they've got ahead of them.

Even Belichick was grinning ear to ear.

 

[emoney_33]

Great effort by our STs. But let's not kid ourselves with our defense. Henne made two awful reads and threw two dumb passes. I'll credit Ninkovich for taking advantage of the opportunity, but that was more Henne's fault than our defense forcing it.

Our defense is still scary bad.

It is you who is kidding yourself. INTs are rarely "great" throws with amazing defensive plays. And a "perfect" throw will never be intercepted. The defense generated turnovers but let's still biatch about it because it wasn't pretty enough of a turnover?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I think another big play or series of plays were those that ended up with the Pats stopping them on 4th and 1. That was something it seems I hadn't seen in quite a while. That impressed me just as much as any of the picks.

Also, Cunningham seemed to be some putting pressure there in the middle part of the game, but the pressure let up near the end.

Need more pressure with a 4 man rush. Coverage still too soft. Too much room over the middle. Much better but still a long ways to go - at least now you can believe that it might come together this season instead of next.

Great to see nothing forced to Moss. TB took what the Fins gave him.

I was never a BJGE fan, but he convinced me tonight, 16 carries for 86 yards for a 4.8 YPC average - this guy looks like the real deal. Maybe not a game breaker, but he can run and falls forward.

 

[Deus Irae]

Great effort by our STs. But let's not kid ourselves with our defense. Henne made two awful reads and threw two dumb passes. I'll credit Ninkovich for taking advantage of the opportunity, but that was more Henne's fault than our defense forcing it.

Our defense is still scary bad.

Henne accepted blame for the first 2 picks, and called the 3rd one a "communication" issue. Henne was definitely the Patriots first half MVP. But, as so often happens, when you don't put a team away, it can come back to bite you. Today, it was the Patriots making another team pay.