Lundblad: What's gone wrong the past 3 playoff games for Pats

[LetsGoPats36]

Our offensive line has been a joke for years. Brady makes them look so much better than they are. I've said enough about my feelings on Matt Light over the years, but he wasn't even the worst lineman last Sunday. We need to invest some higher end draft picks in linemen and sign a vet or two this offseason

 

[skinnydog]

Our offensive line has been a joke for years. Brady makes them look so much better than they are. I've said enough about my feelings on Matt Light over the years, but he wasn't even the worst lineman last Sunday. We need to invest some higher end draft picks in linemen and sign a vet or two this offseason

I've been critical of Light for the last few years, but thought he played pretty well this year. Koppen is undersized and that has always been a problem. Connolly played well at times this year, but neither one is above average on their best day. I'd love to see a stud OT and OG out of this draft.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Our offensive line has been a joke for years. Brady makes them look so much better than they are. I've said enough about my feelings on Matt Light over the years, but he wasn't even the worst lineman last Sunday. We need to invest some higher end draft picks in linemen and sign a vet or two this offseason

You may be a bit strong in your point. It's not all on the line.

Here is the issue. The Pats look for linemen who are quick in space, decent/good strength and ones that can run traps, sweeps, pulls, etc. The don't look for the 6'8" 340lb Mt. McKinley's of the world that are more in-line blockers. The problem is the big guys aren't as mobile and are susceptible to speed rushers. The bad part is because they aren't the strongest in the world, they can be overpowered. It's pick your poison. Obviously, BB wants linemen who along with the attributes I have mentioned, have good motor skills (I know, sounds like gym class grades for a 3rd grader), know body leverage, have good technique and are smart.

So I don't agree that the Pats line has been a joke for years. Statistically, they can boast that they have allowed very few sacks and have paved the way for a consistent running game. Essentially, it's the same type of line this team has had since 2001.

Think about it. In the hey-day, they had along with Light, guys like Andruzzi, Compton, Woody, Koppen, Neal, and pick a RT (Greg Robinson-Randall, Brandon Gorin, etc.). I mean....that is pretty much what the team has now talent-wise.

IMO, they need a legit running game and more defense. We make fun of him, but defenses knew that Antwoine Smith was getting the ball. Defenses knew Dillon was getting the ball. Team knew that they needed to stop them because they also knew that the Pats were not going to allow a hekuva lot of points. Now, team know that they will allow points, so they dare them to run and instead, tee off on TB. Teams take more calculated gambles in the post-season and what they are doing is throwing the kitchen sink at Tb and refusing to sit back and be picked apart.

With all that said, the running game will cool the pass rush and help TB be more effective in play-action.

However, they also need a defense that will stop people. That keeps the opposing team's defensive playcalling honest

 

[Marqui]

IMO, they need a legit running game and more defense. We make fun of him, but defenses knew that Antwoine Smith was getting the ball. Defenses knew Dillon was getting the ball. Team knew that they needed to stop them because they also knew that the Pats were not going to allow a hekuva lot of points. Now, team know that they will allow points, so they dare them to run and instead, tee off on TB. Teams take more calculated gambles in the post-season and what they are doing is throwing the kitchen sink at Tb and refusing to sit back and be picked apart.

Great post, completely agree. The Pats simply need to go back to being a physical team that relies more on the power running game and defense to win.

 

[juny]

The lack of adjustments is the most troubling if true.

I agree with this. It was clear the offense was stagnant, but yet the offensive game plan did not change one bit. You can say that about all the recent playoff losses.

 

[skinnydog]

I agree with this. It was clear the offense was stagnant, but yet the offensive game plan did not change one bit. You can say that about all the recent playoff losses.

I think it was pretty evident early on hat the Jets went all in on pass defense. I thought the Pats would respond by putting Brady under center and run more.

 

[Marqui]

I think it was pretty evident early on hat the Jets went all in on pass defense. I thought the Pats would respond by putting Brady under center and run more.

So did I. Was really sad watching the Pats bang their head against a wall all game for no apparent reason. Being a pass happy one-dimensional team has been killing this franchise for years now.

 

[Ring 6]

No question, that in all 3 of these losses, the OLine has been the root cause of the poor starts, getting behind and playing catchup.

With that said though, I think we need our QB to rise above that. Look at Big Ben, he'll get sacked alot, but he doesn't revert to the "Deer=Headlights" routine, he continues to play tough and play through it. This is what TB has to learn to do when he doesn't get his customary lengthy time to throw the football. Some of this might require him to tuck it and slide for 5-7 yards if that is what the defense is giving him, he has had a reluctancy to do this for some reason.

In the playoffs, as well all know, the intensity ramps up, and the opponent's DLine has ramped up and our OLine and QB haven't been able to focus and ramp up with it. I hope Brady looks back on these two PO losses, studies the tape and sees what he has to do to stay tough, stay focused when things get tough. Ditto for the OLine.......

Can we please drop this crap. Brady wasnt a deer in the headlights and he doesnt need to learn anything from Roethlisberger.
He completed 29 passes for 299 yards against a defense that was in his face all day long, and doing a good job of covering his recievers.
Revis was right. Take the loss like a man. He should have been talking to Pats FANS. Making yourself feel better by trashing Tom Brady is not taking the loss like anything resembling a man.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree, and Mankins of all people, the guy chirping about wanting to be paid as the highest OG in football has to look in the mirror and look at how he has played in the most important games. He hasn't performed like the All Pro he claims to be. I mean Sean Ellis had a monster game against this OLine and to be honest, that was all based on intensity not because Sean Ellis is an All World end, it's because he wanted it more, he wanted it more than the guy that was blocking him because the stakes were higher. Who's to blame for this? Dante S? I mean how does this OLine dominant during the regular season and them completely meltdown during crunch time ?

Sounds like you have it all figured out. They dont really care. Other teams try hard in big games and our players dont have any intensity, they just want to go through the motions and start the off-season. I mean you could see it in their eyes couldn't you. Clearly they didn't want this win as badly as you did, and should be ashamed they didnt sacrifice as much as you did to get it.

 

[RayClay]

The statistician seems to have uncovered a pattern whereby we scored less points in our playoff losses than in our playoff victories.

I agree we should try to score more points, not less, in future playoffs.

 

[Ring 6]

IMO, they need a legit running game and more defense. We make fun of him, but defenses knew that Antwoine Smith was getting the ball. Defenses knew Dillon was getting the ball. Team knew that they needed to stop them because they also knew that the Pats were not going to allow a hekuva lot of points. Now, team know that they will allow points, so they dare them to run and instead, tee off on TB. Teams take more calculated gambles in the post-season and what they are doing is throwing the kitchen sink at Tb and refusing to sit back and be picked apart.

With all that said, the running game will cool the pass rush and help TB be more effective in play-action.

However, they also need a defense that will stop people. That keeps the opposing team's defensive playcalling honest

Agree 100%.

We can find stats that say we had a good running game, but the fact is that we only used it for the most part when the game was in hand.

We had one of the greatest ever regular season offenses, and that offense built large leads throwing a ton, and running as an afterthought. By the time the game was over, and we ran with a big lead and it looked like balance.

Teams trying to stop us know that when we need to score we are going to pass 70% of the time. So, the defense sacrifices everything to take that away. Doesnt work often, but a good team can execute that gameplan AND have a couple of things break their way, and beat us.

All the Monday Morning QBing aside, it would be assinine for the Patriots to change the approach that worked as well this season as almost any approach ever has for any team in the league because its 14-3 at half. People here would be KILLING them if they ran 3rd and 7 draw plays. The coaching staff would have been moronic to trash what worked all season and try something they had not done.

Our success puts us in a position where teams will aggressively sell out to take away what we do, and we correctly, have a hard time changing it because it works.

We need to develop a team that is successful with balance, or successful taking whatever the defense gives. Instead of telling them what to take away, and relying on no one ever being able to do it, we need to make them take away more than they can.

The best Patriots teams were described as having a new and varied game plan every week tailored to the opponent.

The irony is we have become so good at throwing the ball, it is almost never stopped, but we end up with the same game plan every week, and WILL lose when a team puts in a game plan to stop it, executes it, and has a few things break their way. That happens maybe 20% of the time, in the regular season. Thats a great strategy to have a great regular season. But in the playoffs the competition is too good to consistently not have someone come in and stop us.

We dare teams to take away the best weapon any team has. Once in a while they can.

 

[LetsGoPats36]

I don't think Dante is to blame. In fact, I think we're lucky to have him as our OL coach. Our personnel is what needs fixing.

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't think Dante is to blame. In fact, I think we're lucky to have him as our OL coach. Our personnel is what needs fixing.

That's why all of the "Dante will coach him up!!!" posts from last year were so utterly laughable. You can be the best coach in the history of the world, but if the personnel isn't there then, well... for lack of a better word... you're ****ed.

 

[The_Riddler]

Can we please drop this crap. Brady wasnt a deer in the headlights and he doesnt need to learn anything from Roethlisberger.
He completed 29 passes for 299 yards against a defense that was in his face all day long, and doing a good job of covering his recievers.
Revis was right. Take the loss like a man. He should have been talking to Pats FANS. Making yourself feel better by trashing Tom Brady is not taking the loss like anything resembling a man.

You not accepting that this QB has laid an egg in his last 3 playoff games is the actual problem here. I mean are you kidding me ? TB-Homerism at it's very finest.

Throw out those garbage stats from the Jets game, most of that was against a prevent Jet defense, late in the game when the game was over, you can drop that weak argument.

You are actually trying to defend Brady's play in these last 3 PO games ? That's not accepting the loss like a man. Accepting facts and accepting the truth in what happened is something that you're not willing to do. So why don't you take this loss like a man and man up and admit that this QB did not play to standards and has to toughen up when things get tough instead of shelling up and ducking in the pocket when no one is there etc.

 

[RobertWeathers]

You not accepting that this QB has laid an egg in his last 3 playoff games is the actual problem here. I mean are you kidding me ? TB-Homerism at it's very finest.

Throw out those garbage stats from the Jets game, most of that was against a prevent Jet defense, late in the game when the game was over, you can drop that weak argument.

You are actually trying to defend Brady's play in these last 3 PO games ? That's not accepting the loss like a man. Accepting facts and accepting the truth in what happened is something that you're not willing to do. So why don't you take this loss like a man and man up and admit that this QB did not play to standards and has to toughen up when things get tough instead of shelling up and ducking in the pocket when no one is there etc.

You are not seeing the deeper issue, Riddler. The defense has regressed as well which has forced the offense to pass more just to keep pace in these games- which has made them predictable. In addition to that, team are going all out in stopping the passing game and daring the team to run- and it's working- 4 games in a row if you count 2007 AFCCG.

Of course Brady could have played better in his last 4 games. We all agree on that. With that said, a QB has never single-handedly win a SB and never will. To think that he can is not realistic.

 

[The_Riddler]

You are not seeing the deeper issue, Riddler. The defense has regressed as well which has forced the offense to pass more just to keep pace in these games- which has made them predictable. In addition to that, team are going all out in stopping the passing game and daring the team to run- and it's working- 4 games in a row if you count 2007 AFCCG.

Of course Brady could have played better in his last 4 games. We all agree on that. With that said, a QB has never single-handedly win a SB and never will. To think that he can is not realistic.

Look RW, I am not putting the loss completely on Brady. My #1 culprit is our OLine which in these 3 losses have gotten blown up by more motivated front-4's. Yet it's a 2-way street with the OLine and the QB and if one breaks down, the other has to raise his game to offset it.

Our defense was put into some crap field position situations due to a number of things (the fake punt, the bad pick by Brady down to our 10, the poor KR's by Tate etc) and overall, given what was thrown at them with the piss poor field position, I thought the Def played well enough to win the game. My only issues with the Def was the Cotchery play after we got the game to within a field goal. That was the one point where we needed them to step up and they failed us.

There's plenty of blame pie to go around, (Coaching, QB, ST, OLine and Def) but my order of blame would start first with the (OLine, QB) and then order the rest how you will.

That pick, believe it or not, did alot more damage than anything else. It set the tone for the Jets. That pick showed them that Brady is vulnerable and even though they didn't score as a result of it, what it did was give the Jets confidence to know that TB can be had and they rose their level of play because of it. Had we scored there, instead of throwing that horrible pass, we're up 7 and the Jets are thinking, here we go again and their confidence goes right back in the toilet. And we all know what happens to teams when we got on top of them first, it makes our defense better and it allows us to stick with our game plan, instead that pick forced the complete opposite to happen.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Riddler wants Tom to be a tough guy like Roethlisberger who won't take no for an answer and just slings it including at the most inopportune times. LOL Fine, give Tom the top 5 defense Ben plays behind and Tom can stubbornly just sling it... I certainly hope that strategy pans out tomorrow and Ben can complete more than the 52% of his passes so it doesn't end up like it did last month when the two met on Ben's home turf with an injured Polamalu on the bench...and they lost.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Look RW, I am not putting the loss completely on Brady. My #1 culprit is our OLine which in these 3 losses have gotten blown up by more motivated front-4's. Yet it's a 2-way street with the OLine and the QB and if one breaks down, the other has to raise his game to offset it.

Our defense was put into some crap field position situations due to a number of things (the fake punt, the bad pick by Brady down to our 10, the poor KR's by Tate etc) and overall, given what was thrown at them with the piss poor field position, I thought the Def played well enough to win the game. My only issues with the Def was the Cotchery play after we got the game to within a field goal. That was the one point where we needed them to step up and they failed us.

There's plenty of blame pie to go around, (Coaching, QB, ST, OLine and Def) but my order of blame would start first with the (OLine, QB) and then order the rest how you will.

That pick, believe it or not, did alot more damage than anything else. It set the tone for the Jets. That pick showed them that Brady is vulnerable and even though they didn't score as a result of it, what it did was give the Jets confidence to know that TB can be had and they rose their level of play because of it. Had we scored there, instead of throwing that horrible pass, we're up 7 and the Jets are thinking, here we go again and their confidence goes right back in the toilet. And we all know what happens to teams when we got on top of them first, it makes our defense better and it allows us to stick with our game plan, instead that pick forced the complete opposite to happen.

I don't disagree with anything you've said. Except the defense. I don't think that they played well enough to win.

However, think about this a little...In TBs first 5 playoff games, hes thrown 3 TDs, 2 INTs and has a QB rating of 78.6. Team record 5-0.

In TBs last 4 playoff games, 7 TDs, & INTs QB rating of 71.8. Team record 1-3.

Quite frankly, if the D didn't bail him out in 01 and the through the 1st 1/2 vs CAR, he'd have the same record.

 

[JMarr]

You are not seeing the deeper issue, Riddler. The defense has regressed as well which has forced the offense to pass more just to keep pace in these games- which has made them predictable. In addition to that, team are going all out in stopping the passing game and daring the team to run- and it's working- 4 games in a row if you count 2007 AFCCG.

Of course Brady could have played better in his last 4 games. We all agree on that. With that said, a QB has never single-handedly win a SB and never will. To think that he can is not realistic.

I completely disagree with the "defense has regressed" argument. This D was improving with each game this season, to the point where it was top 10 to top 5 by the end, and nothing changed in the Jets game--they played their asses off and kept us in the game. The Crotchery catch and run turned out to be a backbreaker, but you can't judge your D as insufficient if it gives up 1 big play a game, regardless of when it occurs.

The issue is the Offense and how it responds when the chips are down.

I do buy the argument about the playoffs being a different beast.
All year we had great balance on O and the first two drives Sunday were vintage 2010 Patriots. Drops happen, turnovers happen, points are left out on the field. Just like vs. the Ravens last year, we got smacked in the mouth early and the O went into shell-shocked mode. TFB showed that without at least TWO top notch weapons in the passing game (Welker in 2009, Moss in 2010) he can't put this team on his back.

Everyone's been calling for more balance and a better running game since 2007 and the emergence of BJGE and Woodhead out of nowhere lulled us into thinking we had solved that problem. .

 

[RobertWeathers]

I completely disagree with the "defense has regressed" argument. This D was improving with each game this season, to the point where it was top 10 to top 5 by the end, and nothing changed in the Jets game--they played their asses off and kept us in the game. The Crotchery catch and run turned out to be a backbreaker, but you can't judge your D as insufficient if it gives up 1 big play a game, regardless of when it occurs.

The issue is the Offense and how it responds when the chips are down.

I do buy the argument about the playoffs being a different beast.
All year we had great balance on O and the first two drives Sunday were vintage 2010 Patriots. Drops happen, turnovers happen, points are left out on the field. Just like vs. the Ravens last year, we got smacked in the mouth early and the O went into shell-shocked mode. TFB showed that without two top notch weapons in the passing game (Welker in 2009, Moss in 2010) he can't put this team on his back.

Everyone's been calling for more balance and a better running game since 2007 and the emergence of BJGE and Woodhead out of nowhere lulled us into thinking we had solved that problem. .

I agree with needing offensive balance. I don't agree that there is a serious commitment to the running game where teams need to respect it. As I've said in other posts, that line of thinking is directly correlated to the defense.

The numbers and playoff performances tell us that the 2007-2010 defenses are not as good as the 2001-2004 defenses. Furthermore, those defenses would not have allowed 28 points to the 2010 NYJ offense. 2010 D showed improvement, but they need more talent.

2006 was on it's way if Rodney had been there and the D hadn't suffered from the flu and exhaustion.