The Official Patriots vs Steelers Post game thread

[DaBruinz]

With all the talk about Brady being too old and not elite anymore, boy was he sharp.

Just looked at every pass he threw and all of them were on target (minus two throw aways). There were 3 very bad drops but other than that, Brady was flawless. Hopefully this pattern continues with the brutal schedule coming up.

I saw two bad drops. The pass on the IN route to Dobson was off the mark..

 

[chasa]

another couple of injuries to the defense, right as the offense is stepping up.

a rough first part of the third, but nearly a complete game.

Was fun to watch, and i full expect the patriots to continue to peak.

 

[SVN]

The better team won. It's that simple.

Very happy for the pats but not sure how **** Lebeau gets a pass for this horrendous game plan .Letting gronk run free at the LOS was really bad bad football IMO.

 

[Anteros]

I fully expected the Patriots to win this game.

I fully did NOT expect them to go all "Battle of the Bulge" on the Steelers like they did. That was a very sweet plus. :rocker:

And Man City beat Norwich 7-0. What a weekend!

 

[SteelersCanada]

Very happy for the pats but not sure how **** Lebeau gets a pass for this horrendous game plan .Letting gronk run free at the LOS was really bad bad football IMO.

Brady showed the Steelers that changes have to be made on defense. So I guess in a very weird (and bitter, don't forget the bitter part) I thank you for shredding our secondary.

 

[PatsBoy12]

With all the talk about Brady being too old and not elite anymore, boy was he sharp.

Just looked at every pass he threw and all of them were on target (minus two throw aways). There were 3 very bad drops but other than that, Brady was flawless. Hopefully this pattern continues with the brutal schedule coming up.

Football, like no other sport to me, is absolutely the ultimate team game. If one cog is misfiring, the whole thing is in jeopardy. It takes a performance that is other-worldly to disprove that statement. And even that is sometimes not enough. I guess what I'm saying is that Brady, even as good as he is, can only do so much.

The receivers were atrocious the first few weeks of the season. He never knew when or if Amendola would be in the lineup. How much could he do? We've seen him be other-worldly for so many seasons, but there's a breaking point, no? How could we not expect to see a decline in production and efficiency? He's human, no doubt.

Then, insert Gronkowski. The middle of the field loosens up immediately because teams have to dedicate two people to him at all times. The outside guys start seeing more one-on-ones because the safet(ies) have to cheat to whatever side of the field Gronk is line up on. Amendola returns and plays VERY well. The play action is working because the run game is working. You see a different QB. You're relieved to see he's the same guy. He never left. The only difference is that the team around him is playing at a higher level. He's seeing different coverages as a result. He's now in his zone and feels he can dictate more now. That's football . . . the ultimate team game.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I was about to start a thread today (my first), but I pulled it back, figuring I'd jinx it. Anyway, here goes...

"No way I'm giving up on this team. Reading some of the rabble-rousing sportswriters, I have to just sigh and shake my head, like with Bedard and his "this offense stinks" knuckleheadism...

To state the obvious: the Pats are 6-2 (edit: 7-2) and 3-1 in the division. Two game lead, and the two teams chasing them have to play each other twice, while we only play Miami one more time.

They are a smart football team, with much better communication in the defensive secondary. You don't see nearly the blown coverages this year as in years past.

Even without Wilfork, Kelly, Mayo and Talib, they shut out the Dolphins in the second half. This defense is deep and NFL kids have stepped up big time. That says a lot about the character of the team.

Their offense is nowhere near elite right now, I agree (edit: wait...what?). But...Brady and Dobson are getting better each week, Vereen will be back, Ridley looks like a beast, Gronk is back, Amendola is back - and KT and JE are ready to come in when necessary.

With the return of Gronk, Amendola and Vereen, they will be very deep at the skill positions.

They'll make the playoffs barring a meltdown, and once in there, it's wide open. There are no super teams this year.


They need Talib back, though - they really do.

Yup

10char

 

[DaBruinz]

I know that several teams have had a lot of injuries. But this team, being 7-2 with all the turnover in personnel, and all the injuries, is amazing.:rocker:

This is reminding me of the year (2003 or 2004) when the Pats lost Ashworth, Law, Poole, Klemm, Watson, and Eric Alexander.

 

[Deus Irae]

Brady + the ability to threaten the middle = Good stuff


I'm worried about Amendola's injury, because it looks like it's still limiting his short space ability, but things look good beyond that.

 

[skspikex2]

I give Cannon some props for a solid performance and even Nate Solder. The rest however.....

Arrington shows us what we already know, great slot cb, horrendous outside cb. With Talib back, this won't be an issue after the bye.

Chandler Jones continue to leap from his rookie year, already with 8.5 sacks.

 

[juny]

Loved seeing the extra dose of Ridley today. Clearly the best rusher they have. Still confused why he wasn't used like a feature back like today earlier in the season. playing hurt? saving him for the 2nd half of the season?

Can't believe the D keeps losing people. I think they were without 6 opening day starters on D at one point. And then I read that Dennard was taken out at the end of the game, hopefully it isn't serious.

That 3rd and 30 near conversion allowed kills me. But that's nitpicking considering the end result.

Is Mankins playing hurt too? He's been beaten far more often this year than prior years.

 

[DaBruinz]

They're baaack....

With Gronk playing like an animal, Amendola playing, Ridley and Blount running well, and Brady hopefully connecting with Dobson more like he did today, and this O is going to return to dominance.

I thought the D held their own, especially the front seven. Dennard got a bit exposed today without Talib (although he did still make some plays). With Talib back you've got a top 10, maybe top 5 defense.

The future certainly looks bright. Great game.

could you explain how Dennard was exposed? It was Arrington who gave up the huge plays to Brown and Cotchery..

 

[Ozymandias]

Brady showed the Steelers that changes have to be made on defense. So I guess in a very weird (and bitter, don't forget the bitter part) I thank you for shredding our secondary.

=

Cut Ike Taylor.

 

[JackBauer]

Chandler Jones continue to leap from his rookie year, already with 8.5 sacks.

Even more impressive when you note it should be 9.5 sacks.

 

[Marqui]

Even more impressive when you note it should be 9.5 sacks.

Where is that extra sack coming from?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Just got home from game...so many steelers fans...but a great W :rocker:

 

[Kontradiction]

Brady showed the Steelers that changes have to be made on defense. So I guess in a very weird (and bitter, don't forget the bitter part) I thank you for shredding our secondary.

Changes have had to be made ever since Demaryius Thomas caught the game-winning TD in overtime a couple of years back. Pittsburgh prefers to do it through the draft. Be patient. They'll be back one day. Just hope that it's while Big Ben still has something in the tank. In the end, you guys are going through what the Pats were going through starting in '08, and that's a rebuilding period.

 

[skspikex2]

Where is that extra sack coming from?

That "sack" against Brees, but they issue TFL.

 

[JackBauer]

Where is that extra sack coming from?

If my memory serves, it was against Drew Brees. Jones basically hit him behind the line where 9 times out of 10 it would have been a sack, but whatever reason they counted it as a running play for negative yardage.

 

[DaBruinz]

I give Cannon some props for a solid performance and even Nate Solder. The rest however.....

Arrington shows us what we already know, great slot cb, horrendous outside cb. With Talib back, this won't be an issue after the bye.

Chandler Jones continue to leap from his rookie year, already with 8.5 sacks.

The Big sack of Brady was actually the fault of Solder, not the interior of the line. The interior actually picked up the stunt the way they should. The problem was that Solder didn't get his man far enough back before allowing him to get inside. And he was right next to Brady when that happened.

Chandler Jones should have more than just 8.5 sacks. He was literally tackled by Heath Miller twice tonight. Both times would have resulted in a Roethlingsberger sack. Instead, Jones is tackled and Ben made the play. I am still scratching my head at how the Ref didn't call that since it happened right in front of him


Also, how was it that the Steelers were able to hit Brady so late so often without drawing a flag. There were several that were identical to plays that the Pats made in previous years that drew flags. Including the one where Heyward drove Brady into the ground. Yet, no call.