The New official Patriots vs Steelers Post game thread.

[DaBruinz]

I'll just repost a comment that I made earlier.

I think the onside kick was just dumb in that situation. even if it had worked to perfection it was not the smart thing to do. That was saying to the D, we don't trust you. Makes a bad situation worse.

Actually, doesn't the onside kick say exactly the opposite? To me, the onside kick says we need to get the ball back, but if we don't we trust the D to stop them and not let them get a 1st down. I think it says that they didn't trust the kick coverage to be able to stop Brown.

 

[RayClay]

By the way, for all those saying how much the pressure sucked, we had 5 sacks against probably the toughest QB in the league to bring down. And that's with guys dancing around 5 yards from any coverage on 3rd and 15s.

It was almost comical to see five DBs run into each other on one play while the receiver could have eaten a sandwich waiting for the ball to arrive. Incredible.

 

[JackBauer]

I think you can talk about scheme, adjustments, etc. all you want. At the end of the day the Pats lack talent on defense. Wilfork was the only above average talent on that side of the ball today (a healthy Mayo would be 2). Outside of that it is a bunch of role players and JAGs.

A bit harsh, IMO, but agreed that there is a pretty marked lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[DaBruinz]

I was delighted to see that after drafting 2 RBs, we decided to use neither (particularly the one who has been running with success all year when given opportunities), and instead decided to go with the 35-year-old coming off PUP who can't run. I understand you want him in for blitz pickup, but still.

Also: having perused the game thread on my BlackBerry, I'm at a loss as to why BendButDontBreak37 is still allowed to post on this forum.

JB - Faulk actually ran the ball pretty well. That being said, I would like to point you back to my comments about the Offensive Game Plan.

 

[RayClay]

I'll just repost a comment that I made earlier.

I think the onside kick was just dumb in that situation. even if it had worked to perfection it was not the smart thing to do. That was saying to the D, we don't trust you. Makes a bad situation worse.

And the D (secondary) had gained trust up to that point, how? Guyton caught a gift and Chung actually covered someone one play, other than that?.......

 

[RayClay]

We NEEEEED Moss back badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either him or Owens...... this is embarrassing. No deep threats, only 8 yard passes. How is it possible to go 16-0 ****ting on records left and right, to a 50/50 pass/rush team!?!? Bill needs to be fired!!! Hate me all you want for saying it, but we've drafted **** for 5 years+ now...the defense hasn't been respectable since Teddy and Vrabel. Bill should go, the O coordinator should be killed, and please!!!!!!!!!!" Get back Randy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now with that being said.....Gronkowskis catch was a TD!.... thanks refs..... I also didn't realize punching the ball 30 yards was legal :/again....ref, hang yourself! but regardless of the horrible officiating...... without a real #1 wideout( not 2 slot receivers)....we are doomed! Prepare for what happened today to happen a lot more! Randy! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! ............fire the whole coaching staff....and stuck up Kraft! And one more thing...... Chad got offered way more than they offered moss....I bet Mrs. KRAFT is rolling in her grave after seeing how amazing Chad has been! Goodluck with the remainder of the season my fellow patriots! Cause were about as good as the God damn jets as far as I'm concerned! Yours truly..... the man who should be new englands general manager!

Go away, your gimmick is weak. Remarks about Mrs. Kraft should put you where you belong quickly. Byeeee.

 

[JackBauer]

JB - Faulk actually ran the ball pretty well. That being said, I would like to point you back to my comments about the Offensive Game Plan.

I thought he was okay, but he seems to be to have lost a step. I think he's best used sparingly at this point.

I agree 100% on the offensive gameplan, or lack thereof. Of course, there were the usual execution issues, too, like when Brady decided to get all jumpy when the pressure wasn't even that close to him and miss a wide open Price.

 

[DaBruinz]

We NEEEEED Moss back badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either him or Owens...... this is embarrassing. No deep threats, only 8 yard passes. How is it possible to go 16-0 ****ting on records left and right, to a 50/50 pass/rush team!?!? Bill needs to be fired!!! Hate me all you want for saying it, but we've drafted **** for 5 years+ now...the defense hasn't been respectable since Teddy and Vrabel. Bill should go, the O coordinator should be killed, and please!!!!!!!!!!" Get back Randy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now with that being said.....Gronkowskis catch was a TD!.... thanks refs..... I also didn't realize punching the ball 30 yards was legal :/again....ref, hang yourself! but regardless of the horrible officiating...... without a real #1 wideout( not 2 slot receivers)....we are doomed! Prepare for what happened today to happen a lot more! Randy! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! ............fire the whole coaching staff....and stuck up Kraft! And one more thing...... Chad got offered way more than they offered moss....I bet Mrs. KRAFT is rolling in her grave after seeing how amazing Chad has been! Goodluck with the remainder of the season my fellow patriots! Cause were about as good as the God damn jets as far as I'm concerned! Yours truly..... the man who should be new englands general manager!

Randy Moss won't do anything to help this team. But thank you for posting the same garbage again..

As for you being the New England GM, *ROFLMAO* You've not proven you know a damn thing. Hell, I think that DW Toys would be a better GM than you.. And THAT is saying something..

 

[NEPats1]

Harrison always mentions it on tv and it seems teams are starting to play more press man coverage vs the Pats and they struggle with it.

 

[JFK]

I don't see how people disagree with Belichick's decision to onside kick it. Up to that point the Patriots hadn't forced a punt ALL GAME. I repeat: the Patriots hadn't forced a punt all game. What makes you think it would magically change in the final 2 minutes?

Also, even after the onside kick, we still had a chance to stop them. We gave up a 1st down. So BB was proven right.

Up to that point the Pats offense had not been good. You think it would magically change? The first TD we scored was courtesy of Guyton. The Defense stopped the Steelers even after the stupid onside. BB relies on the offense when he shouldn't. Weird for a defensive genius. We should have kicked deep and hoped our defense stopped them.

 

[Sciz]

So at what point should the coaches have adjust to what they were seeing on the field?

They should've been able to right away. The problem is that they weren't practicing for it at all this past week.

On defense, they were working on defending Wallace deep (Slater lined up 2 yards past the LoS in practice this past week to simulate Wallace's speed) and containing Roethlisberger in the pocket. Well, Wallace averaged 10 yards per reception with a long of 16, and Ben didn't accomplish a whole lot outside of the pocket. He was perfectly fine with sitting back and getting the Pats inside and underneath rather than outside and deep.

Here's a quote from Arrington:

From the first few drives, they kind of declared it as an inside passing game, but you never want to give the ball up on one play either.

There was no bomb to Wallace for 40 yards on a fade route. There were just a lot of slants and such to him. The team was not prepared.

On offense, the Pats were obviously preparing for zone blitzes. It's the Steelers. That's what you prepare for. Well, they abandoned that. When the Pats sent 5 guys out on routes on 3rd and long, the Steelers played 2-deep, man underneath while rushing 4. That's not what you get from the Steelers, so the Patriots weren't expecting it. Unfortunately, that's what they got.

I said earlier this week that Pittsburgh's only chance was to completely switch things up. Well, they did.

 

[Sciz]

2 weeks of coaching preparation
Fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That does no good when you're preparing for the wrong thing. And by wrong thing, I mean something that Pittsburgh never does. (Until today.)

 

[NEPats1]

They should've been able to right away. The problem is that they weren't practicing for it at all this past week.

On defense, they were working on defending Wallace deep (Slater lined up 2 yards past the LoS in practice this past week to simulate Wallace's speed) and containing Roethlisberger in the pocket. Well, Wallace averaged 10 yards per reception with a long of 16, and Ben didn't accomplish a whole lot outside of the pocket. He was perfectly fine with sitting back and getting the Pats inside and underneath rather than outside and deep.

Here's a quote from Arrington:

There was no bomb to Wallace for 40 yards on a fade route. There were just a lot of slants and such to him. The team was not prepared.

On offense, the Pats were obviously preparing for zone blitzes. It's the Steelers. That's what you prepare for. Well, they abandoned that. When the Pats sent 5 guys out on routes on 3rd and long, the Steelers played 2-deep, man underneath while rushing 4. That's not what you get from the Steelers, so the Patriots weren't expecting it. Unfortunately, that's what they got.

I said earlier this week that Pittsburgh's only chance was to completely switch things up. Well, they did.

Dude you're a great poster appreciate the info, I just wish the announcers would mention stuff like this to help me out.

 

[RayClay]

I don't expect Brady to march down the field every time while gaining rhythm when he gets the ball only once a quarter. Sorry, he's not magical and the Steelers have a good defense he's embarrassed in the past, they are going to game plan and feed off the play of Rothlis, knowing the can go all out and will get plenty of rest.

 

[JFK]

We do need a deep threat. Give Price a chance

 

[kudzif]

Patriots are the Pig that built its House from Straw

The Patriots problems are fundamental ie our house is built wrong. I know that today's game the offense had their share of the blame for the defeat that was obvious, but at some point they will put it together. Our atrocious secondary and overall defence cannot simply be fixed with coaching. There is just a lack of talent and ability on the defensive side of the football.Yes, Belichick can mask this during the rest of the season and we will win some more games , but come play off time these defensive issues will cripple us. At the end of the day players play and Coaches coach. Bill cannot go out there on the field. Come the off season some rethinking needs to be done on how the defence is being built and run.

 

[dhamz]

I was delighted to see that after drafting 2 RBs, we decided to use neither (particularly the one who has been running with success all year when given opportunities), and instead decided to go with the 35-year-old coming off PUP who can't run. I understand you want him in for blitz pickup, but still.

Also: having perused the game thread on my BlackBerry, I'm at a loss as to why BendButDontBreak37 is still allowed to post on this forum.

I thought more than anything Faulk's coming of PUP and playing such a big role highlights the dropoff we have seen in Woodhead this year. He has gone from a guy who got 10 highly productive touches a game last year to what is now a deep reserve role.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

A deep threat wouldn't have helped today. This game was lost in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

 

[TriplecHamp]

That does no good when you're preparing for the wrong thing. And by wrong thing, I mean something that Pittsburgh never does. (Until today.)

this is going to sound bad but agreed. Honestly Id like our chances come playoff time if we get in and play them again. Kind of like that Miami game a couple years ago, this is just one of those games where everything was wrong from the start and the defense looked lost. This team needs to get it together for next week.

Another thing I noticed is that maybe its a good idea for this team to start with the ball if they get the chance. Our defense isn't setting ay tones and having them give up a 10 minute drive and 7 points is the worst thing possible. If Brady had the ball to start the game and went down for a quick score things may have turned out differently.

 

[pork3]

That does no good when you're preparing for the wrong thing. And by wrong thing, I mean something that Pittsburgh never does. (Until today.)

True, but wasn't that also the case in the Jets game in the playoffs?
If I recall correctly, they were expecting a lot of man coverage, but they got a lot of zone.

In any event, I guess a more applicable argument would be whether this team has problems adjusting to what they're given by the opposition in game?

Cheers.

-Jamman