Content Post Idle thoughts - the WTF edition

[ivanvamp]

One reason you play a lot of zone against a QB like Watson is that it's much easier for your secondary to help when Watson takes off running, than it is if you are in man coverage.

Not sure if that was part of Patricia's thinking here but it wouldn't surprise me. Watson had a few good scrambles but didn't go crazy on the ground, something he's definitely capable of.

 

[scout]

As always, thanks for posting. I too began to look at other scores. Houston plays KC in week 5 (Interesting). Looks like Houston found their QB. It was frustrating to see Watson find his receiver while being chased down way in the backfield. Looking forward to next week.

 

[PatsDeb]

My observations from the game:

It was hot as HELL out there in the stands. I have never sweated so much at a Pats game. I can only imagine what it was like for the players in full gear and no shade. The D looked gassed in the 2nd half. Hopefully the heat had something to do with their inability to shut down the Texans. That and Desean Watson was way better than advertised (as was his safety valve, they guy from NH, whom the Pats routinely forgot to cover).

Dwayne Allen can't catch a cold. Too bad Hollister got rocked on his one catch. He made a good one.

The PI call on Gillmore was BS. The late hit out of bounds was not. He hit the guy really hard when he was already out (and was obviously headed out). If he just tapped him out there probably wouldn't have been a flag.

Brady was holding onto the ball too long on a few of those hits/sacks/fumbles when he should have just thrown it away considering who he was playing.

Play calling on those two three and outs before the final successful drive. WTF Josh? A run from the gun on 3rd & 1? A pass on 3rd & inches? C'mon man! As some have said, get the run game going, get a running play and/or the QB sneak going, anything but what you called there. Cripes I'm still mad about it - it almost cost us the game. Gillislee has to be able to get one yard in that situation. He was having success (somewhat) following Devlin earlier in the game.

That's all I've got. Great win by the GOAT. I imagined him sitting there sweating his *** off as the clock ran down to just over two minutes, thinking, "here we go again. It's all on me." They were saying on the radio that that was the 50th 4th Q comeback of his career. 50 times he's done that! It's more than 3 seasons worth of wins. Amazing! And everyone knows it. Despite the fact that it was hot as Hades and Gillette ran out of bottled water in the 2nd quarter (& turned off the beer taps 1/2 way through the 3rd) almost everyone stayed until the end of the game.

 

[Vatahala]

"b. I guess this is why we got Brandin Cooks. I still don't think he's an "elite" WR like Jones and Green, but within the Pats offensive system he can create serious match up issues that will affect the rest of the receivers in a way second only to Gronk. And it's not just about his speed. This kid seems like a well rounded receiver who can run all the routes and has dependable hands. And the good thing is it will only get better as he becomes more familiar with the offense and Brady."



















Patsfranken,

Kind of an understatement eh? So he's not a Julio Jones level Wr but who else is? Clearly cooks is an elite WR, I'd say top 10 in the NFL

Another thing Cooks does that won't show up on the stat sheet is by drawing overly concerned double coverage he has opened up the field for Hogan and White.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I'm going to wait one more game for 1st qtr season grades before agreeing with folks that Dwayne Allen is "Colts soft" and was a blunder.
Marty Bennett is having a tough time adjusting in GB but is still better than Dwayne so far. Miss the guy.

 

[SEA_Pat]

I always enjoy your posts on the game. And I always enjoy cutting up your misspellings of players' names. I think you didn't even do that once this post.

But if you had somehow managed to spell "soliloquy" correctly, I'd have started buying canned goods and building a bunker.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I always enjoy your posts on the game. And I always enjoy cutting up your misspellings of players' names. I think you didn't even do that once this post.

But if you had somehow managed to spell "soliloquy" correctly, I'd have started buying canned goods and building a bunker.

"Medfid High" college on the hill needs to have its accreditation revoked.

 

[Froob]

I had Buffalo beating Denver . Broncs seemed prime for a let down game and the Bills have played well this year and they have a great new coach.

 

[Bill Lee]

David Harris 3 snaps, not sure what is going on here...

He's now in the "aging vet getting a few snaps a game to keep him fresh in case someone better gets injured" category.

Dwayne Allen another no show..

TEs that can't catch quickly lose Brady's favor. Too bad Hollister got his clock cleaned early.

 

[Rob0729]

I haven't had a chance to read your entire post Ken, but thanks for keeping on posting them. Unlike you, I kinda have lost the passion for writing these post game write ups.

The way I see Goodell destroying the game I once loved with a passion has kinda taken it out of me. I look at the shoddy product on the field and see how they are just looking for ways to continue to go for cash grabs that will just cheapen the product is sad. The way that Goodell arrogantly has turned into the Don King of the NFL disgusts me. Still watch the games, but not with the same passion.

Sorry, off my soapbox now and thanks again.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Here is my guess on this:

1. BB wants to be able to mix in effective zone coverages.While this can be practiced to some extent, it also needs to be done in game. The Patriots reducing zone calls might create short term benefits. Yet it would prevent the growth of the defense.

Furthermore, the man coverage plays might work so well because the offense is not sure if they are in man or not. A pitcher needs to have an extremely good fastball to not rely on other pitches at all. You need to throw the more hittable slider once in a while otherwise the fastball starts becoming more hittable.

I think it has more to do with not wanting the defense to have it's back turned on Watson all the time, given his ability to run the ball. If the defense can reliably be predicted to be in man-to-man, the offense can run vertical routes or crossing routes away from one side of the field and let the QB take-off in that direction.

 

[NE-VT]

I think it has more to do with not wanting the defense to have it's back turned on Watson all the time, given his ability to run the ball. If the defense can reliably be predicted to be in man-to-man, the offense can run vertical routes or crossing routes away from one side of the field and let the QB take-off in that direction.

I agree that a traditional M2M play is very vulnerable to QB runs.

However, they could have used primarily M2M plays with something like Cover 1 Spy Man (4 pass rushers, 1 in short zone spying the QB if he takes off, 5 in M2M, 1 deep safety).

They also could have only rushed 3 and done a Cover 2 Spy Man (2 deep safeties).

 

[Sicilian]

Someone with better football (college and NFL) can say better, but what do most college defenses run? Primarily man or primarily zone? I'm wondering if, on top of the running QB aspect, BB and Patricia figured Watson would have a harder time consistently reading zone defenses due to lack of experience?

Again, this is just a spitball, so if I'm way off please be gentle.

 

[mgteich]

Keeping Brady upright is clearly the biggest priority, and they've already given up 10 sacks on the year through 3 games. In comparison, Brady only went down 15 times throughout the entire 2016 season. There was at least one play where it looked like he may have been injured, so I was relieved to see him back out there when we returned from commercial break.

And folks want Brady to sneak the ball when we have one yard to go.

Moving to more of a downfield game means that Brady needs more time. Unless he is given that, he will definitely get sacked more.

I agree that Solder is playing poorly. We usually solve this kind of poor play by having a 6th OL or TE helping out on his side.

I suspect that the OL is giving Brady approximately the same time that they have always given him.

With regard to the defense, didn't we used to play M2M against mobile quarterbacks, with someone responsible for the QB wherever he goes?

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Excellent, Ken!

IMO: Watson was very impressive! The Texans may FINALLY have a QB.

BOB was not so impressive. He actually looked asleep at the switch in the final 23 seconds.

I always wonder (mostly after failed attempts ) why teams don't try to run around the pile instead of through it, especially when they only need a few inches. I would think that sending Cooks, Dorsett, or Hogan in a sweep would have a higher success rate at getting a few inches.

What a great game! Brady really is on another planet!

Go Pats!

 

[Patstopia]

Clearly if the season continues along like this, I will need to get one of those "Home Alert" systems with a button I can push when they finally give me a heart attack!

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Clearly if the season continues along like this, I will need to get one of those "Home Alert" systems with a button I can push when they finally give me a heart attack!

Speaking as a senior citizen, a glorious way to go out!

 

[scott99]

GREAT recap as usual Patfanken. I always enjoy these. You really should think about being a journalist, your in depth recaps are better than most I read in the papers.

 

[mosi]

This game had me go back and watch the 2013 NO game. Similar feeling to this game. Only other wacky game like that was the Bears game back in 2002. They had no business winning but Brady brought them back.

Also, Watson is the real deal. I moved to South Carolina and have seen many of his games (Clemson is the closet thing to a pro team). The kid is mature, humble, confident and most importantly, a winner. He will get better and better.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Agreed. Really like Watson all over.