Game Thoughts - As the Saints go marching home with a loss

[juny]

I don't remember if and when I said that. I thought last year he was overrated on this team. This year he is a top CB.

fixed for ya

 

[Marqui]

I don't remember if and when I said that. I thought last year he was overrated on this team. This year he is a top 5 CB.

Yea my bad, I mistook you for someone else.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

this teams record is better than it was last year at this time...strange huh? considering all the negativity around the team this year vs. last year.

.

Yep, actually our best start aside from 2004 and 2007. And we most likely just played our toughest stretch of regular season.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

BTW do you still say Talib isn't a top 10 CB?

I don't know who said he wasn't top 10, but last year it wouldn't have been crazy to say that. While he did make a huge impact by allowing us to move others around in the secondary, he was far from the shutdown type that he is this year. This year he is easily top 5.

 

[Rob0729]

BTW, a lot of people owe Gostkowski an apology. Other than one kick this season, he has been perfect. And people wanted him cut.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

I'm wondering how its going to play out with Talib. While I believe he's a top 5 corner in this league, he definitely has durability issues and I'm not sure how that's going to play out in the off season. I just don't see the Pats paying top $$ on a player that doesn't have the durability especially after what they're experiencing with Amendola and past CB's like Ras-I-Dowling.

 

[Ozymandias]

BTW, a lot of people owe Gostkowski an apology. Other than one kick this season, he has been perfect. And people wanted him cut.

The kicking specialists are playing out of their minds right now. Allen might be the best rookie punter I've seen in awhile.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Brady got sacked 5 TIMES!

 

[DefenseRules]

Brady got sacked 5 TIMES!

Hopefully, he can weather the storm and stay healthy. This OL has some issues.

 

[DefenseRules]

The kicking specialists are playing out of their minds right now. Allen might be the best rookie punter I've seen in awhile.

He has most definitely been impressive. I had some doubts after they released Zoltan, but the kid is pretty good.

 

[Aßßynormal]

A nice win but doesn't take away the fact that in goalline offensive plays,McDaniels playcalling sucks ****.

A few weeks ago the called pass to Solder in the end zone who IS NOT Vrabel and today's continuous runs that weren't getting anywhere almost cost the team another game.

I think he needs to use his brains deep inside the opponents territory or it may cost us big time in January.

Throwing into End Zone from inside the 10 hasn't been working. The running game got us home two out of three times. On the third time, blocking on second and third down stank, we still may not of scored but the play calling was fine. I think we went into this game determined to score on the ground.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Throwing into End Zone from inside the 10 hasn't been working. The running game got us home two out of three times. On the third time, blocking on second and third down stank, we still may not of scored but the play calling was fine. I think we went into this game determined to score on the ground.

Even if the run was a good idea..which it wasn't IMO,I would have gone with Bloundt over Bolden...he seems a bit better bodied to carry the load down deep inside than Bolden is.

A little creativity there doesn't hurt either...except for mentally challenged calls like throwing to a LT who is not a college TE anymore.

 

[MassPats38]

I was really surprised when half the stadium cleared out with 2+ min left.

Very disappointing. It is not like you beat any traffic on Route 1 at that point, and it blows that the broadcast noted that fact. We have some very good fans at the game that remember life before Brady, but I doubt the diehards are going to jump to the defense of that sad scenario. Improbable win, but not impossible.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

dobson has one of the greatest QBs throwing to him..yet drops the ball left and right. Has a squib throwing to him at marshall and catches everything

 

[Ozymandias]

dobson has one of the greatest QBs throwing to him..yet drops the ball left and right. Has a squib throwing to him at marshall and catches everything

That should be a clear indication to you that it's a confidence issue.

He has all the skills, but that means squat if your confidence doesn't match up or exceed that. He's in a pressure situation and it's obviously weighing him to be playing with such a perfectionist that Tom is, which is leading to errors like the drops, wrong routes, etc.

Once he gets over his own mental uncertainty he'll be ballin' out.

 

[PatsFan2]

dobson has one of the greatest QBs throwing to him..yet drops the ball left and right. Has a squib throwing to him at marshall and catches everything

Yeah really disturbing that drop on 4th down was brutal that should have been routine. I see why Brady like Thomkins over Dobson. I think Thomkins have finally won me over.

 

[JMC00]

dobson has one of the greatest QBs throwing to him..yet drops the ball left and right. Has a squib throwing to him at marshall and catches everything

Although this whole team seems like it has gotten the case of the drops. It's so weird.

 

[JMC00]

That should be a clear indication to you that it's a confidence issue.

He has all the skills, but that means squat if your confidence doesn't match up or exceed that. He's in a pressure situation and it's obviously weighing him to be playing with such a perfectionist that Tom is, which is leading to errors like the drops, wrong routes, etc.

Once he gets over his own mental uncertainty he'll be ballin' out.

He's already shown flashes. Was actually the leading receiver for the Pats today.

 

[supafly]

They went 3 for 5 in the red zone.

Only gripe for me is it should have been Ridley instead of Blount running the ball in the red zone on the first drive.

The other one they went with what had gotten them in the end zone 2 previous times, running the ball.

I sat here last week and pounded the table that they should have ran it 3 or even 4 straight times from the Bengals 1. I'm not gonna turn around and kill them for doing it this week.

Last week's situation from the one yd line consisting of a pass to Solder was night and day difference from this week's first and goal from the 8.

Last week they should have run 3 straight times--that was obvious.

This week they should have at least passed once, if not twice to try and go up 27-17, instead of simply settling for the FG. Let's be honest, had we not had a miracle TD catch with :05 seconds left, we would've lost by a point and that failure to convert (or even try) from 1st and goal at the 8 would've looked much, more worse with a 24-23 loss.

 

[supafly]

I got in a fight with my friends on 4th and 6. I said they should have punted and try to get the ball back because failing to convert would force the Pats to answer with a TD because the Saints were guaranteed a field goal. I was right and luckily the Pats got that TD.

I absolutely 100% agreed with going for it on 4th down at that point.

First of all, it was a very good playcall. You can't blame the coaches for Dobson dropping yet another catch in a crucial situation that hit him directly between the numbers. 9/10 times the player catches the ball in stride and the drive continues.

As far as the situation goes though, even if you don't convert and IF the Saints score a TD we'd still have time to get the ball back and attempt to score a TD + a 2 pt conversion. It at least still gave us a shot to tie or win the game by getting the ball back at the end. If it happens to work out and Dobson catches the ball then everything's gravy anyway, and we all know he should have caught the ball.

In that situation with 3 timeouts + the 2 min warning, I absolutely agreed with going for it. In the Colts game on 4th and 2 in 2009, I absolutely disagreed. In that case you make Manning drive the length of the field, you don't make it easier for him and put the game on one final play at that point (in my opinion).