Post Game Thread Dolphins @ Pats

[DaBruinz]

Ball that was ripped out for a strip fumble TD was definitely a quick whistle by ref and that would have made it 21-0 early.

No, actually, it wasn't a quick whistle. The whistle happened AFTER the strip. The Ref got the call wrong. They showed the replay of it and even Ian Eagle said they got it wrong... Which should tell you something.

 

[DaBruinz]

Miami had just gotten 2 personal fouls. I think an artery was going to have to be spurting for them to call another on that drive.

Shouldn't have mattered. That was a clear facemask. They're supposed to call what happens.. Not let a team off the hook because they suck and have already had two other calls go against them on that drive.

 

[bormio]

Shouldn't have mattered. That was a clear facemask. They're supposed to call what happens.. Not let a team off the hook because they suck and have already had two other calls go against them on that drive.

Did not say it was right, but occurred right in front of the referee who clearly ignored it.

 

[SEA_Pat]

He's not the best color man in the league for nuthin folks...

He's already miles ahead of Fouts.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Turf is not as forgiving as grass as we all know but some players are wearng agressive football cleats with high rotational resistance as opposed to a soft ground cleat which few if any players choose to wear ... thus the injuries. They are trying to improve the turf cleats wth laser technology. Problem is they can't give one player a defective model to compare to a superior model - to test them using the scientifc method s not feasible. Even most soccer players are choosing the firm ground cleat vs the soft ground cleat - everyone wants to turn on a dime.

vs

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

So . . . do we clinch the AFCE with a win over the Bills next Sunday?

 

[CISGS]

This is how Steelers fans think for the record

 

[BobDigital]

Thoughts on the game.

STs - Not a good game by the unit as a whole. The Pats didn't have many good chances to return any kicks or punt. The blocking wasn't there. That time they failed to pin the Dolphins back in the first half was uncharacteristically bad for Allen. Usually he does better than that. The fumble that was recovered (thankfully... honestly I was surprised it was called for the Pats) was not a good play. Should have clearly called for a fair catch then I think he would have gotten the penalty. It was iffy in any case but just not smart Patriots football.

I feel this unit didn't play all that well even though there were good things too. Of course the fake punt worked. That has to do as much with the coaches seeing something they can exploit as the players though. The main thing to like IMO was Gost was a VERY clean 5/5 on XPs. I don't think any had a chance to miss.

Offense - Good and bad here. The good was Gronk, Cooks and Lewis. They really did a lot to carry the day. Burkhead had 1 amazing run, His 2 TDs were good plays but fairly routine in execution. Beat a beatable match up on the pass and the hole on the run was good. I don't want to undersell either play but I felt they were not overly difficult. The OL was a mixed bag. The pass blocking was just not good much of the day but they had several good run blocks and the WRs and TEs had a good day of run blocking too.

Brady didn't have a great day but not really a bad one either. That pick was all on him. You need to throw it away or somewhere else. The dropped snap was unusual for him as well. On the whole though considering the pressure he was under he proformed pretty well. Besides those plays I think he only missed maybe 2 makable throws. A few were easy big plays due to break downs but you gets those every game. It was Brady having a "C" game for him which would be an A game for a general NFL starter. He is a victim of the bar he sets.

Defense - Very few things to not like about this unit today. I would sum it up in 2 plays really. The Butler PI and the TD pass that made the Patriots D look like it was week 1 all over again. While giving up 10 points on defense is great it is NEVER okay to leave a guy so wide open on his own side of the field. It will be cleaned up I'm sure. Gilmore, Van Noy, Flowers and Jones are the obvious guys to bring up. Roberts had 2 sacks but on one the center decide not to block him. His quickness and speed made escape impossible but I hate to give too much credit for a blown play. Still, a less speedy LB would not have been able to make that sack and instead it is thrown away probably.

These guys made a ton of flashy plays but I think unsung heroes are Chung (though he showed up plenty on the stat sheet too) and Brown. Brown had a really strong outing. The Run D just looks better with him out there. Butler got good pressure too a few times. A lot of the time the pocket was pushed up and it made the outside rush more effective. I like the Butler-Brown combo. Branch sadly has taken a step back this year and the effectiveness of the run defense and pass rush when you have 2 these on the field together partly shows that but also shows their athleticism.

Butler again will be picked on but he had the tough job of guarding Landry all day. Landry is a talented WR who played a great game. When Jones was on him Jones didn't fair much better. The fact Butler is getting thrown too so much really just goes to show the dominance Gilmore has played with recently. Jones has really turned into a good player for the Pats. He's not giving back that #3 CB spot I think. this year. Overall though a great Day from this unit I'd say. Most complete defensive effort of the year in all phases of defense.

 

[Ozymandias]

So . . . do we clinch the AFCE with a win over the Bills next Sunday?

No. The earliest the Patriots can clinch the AFC East now is week 14 because of Buffalo's win over the Chiefs. Had the Bills lost to Kansas City, then next week's game against them would have been a division clinching opportunity.

 

[Joker]

Thoughts on the game.


Brady didn't have a great day but not really a bad one either. That pick was all on him. You need to throw it away or somewhere else. The dropped snap was unusual for him as well. On the whole though considering the pressure he was under he proformed pretty well. Besides those plays I think he only missed maybe 2 makable throws. A few were easy big plays due to break downs but you gets those every game. It was Brady having a "C" game for him which would be an A game for a general NFL starter. He is a victim of the bar he sets.

Did you WATCH the game? Brady was looking out to the side, calling signals and never even saw the ball coming. That was 100% on Karras. C'mon man...

 

[Mountain_Commando]

Matt Moore’s so bad, he threw 1 interception to 2 players.

LMAO!!!

 

[BobDigital]

Did you WATCH the game? Brady was looking out to the side, calling signals and never even saw the ball coming. That was 100% on Karras. C'mon man...

No not the fumble. The dropped snap he took a sack on. I think it was in the middle of the 3rd. He was ready. It hit him in the hands... Just dropped it. Very odd for him.

He did seem to be shaking his hand at one point in the game so maybe the hand wasn't in perfect working order but I think it was just a screw up. Happens to the best of them. At least he got the ball back.

 

[bormio]

Did you WATCH the game? Brady was looking out to the side, calling signals and never even saw the ball coming. That was 100% on Karras. C'mon man...

The 2nd dropped snap that he recovered was all on Brady - not the Miami TD

 

[Joker]

My mistake...THAT was on Brady. I'll go eat some paste now....

 

[BobDigital]

My mistake...THAT was on Brady. I'll go eat some paste now....

No need to. It happens. I wouldn't ask you to remember every play from every game. Particularly one that wasn't truly a game changing play like that. I think anyone asking that of you is being unfair. I certainly won't do it.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

So . . . do we clinch the AFCE with a win over the Bills next Sunday?

No.
Assuming a win next weekend but the Patriots lose all other games while the Bills win all other games (vegas odds of 20,000 to 1 )
Tie records at 10-6, split head to head, Patriots 3-3 in division Bills 4-2 in division. Bills win Division based on division record ((the division race is over as a practical matter -- the Bills' O is tragically bad))

The BFD today was the Jags losing and its effect on the race for a bye and the top rpize, #1 HFA. (for this conversation assume the Jags win remaining games).
If the Patriots-Jags both end up with the same 12-4 then the Jags get the bye due to conf records. So Patriots can go 4-1 with who they lose to being irrelevant. That clinches a bye.
For #1 HFA, (A) Best: the Patriots with their next 4 (Bills, Phins, Steelers, Bills). #1 HFA is clinched and their final game against the Jets is a half for starters/rest for anyone nursing a harsh injury. (2) Good: if the Patriots are due to lay an egg and do so in one of the next two games, obviously just beat the Steelers then finish up with a win over the Jets.

Important points:
-at this point a loss to the Steelers is likely to eliminate our shot at #1 HFA. Steelers would have to go 2-2 in their other 4 for the Patriots to get the #1 HFA.
-while I'm optimistic on the chances against the Steelers, if that win doesn't happen Patriots just win the other 4 to guarantee the bye. I like our chances in the playoffs just with a bye.
-assuming the Titans win out and knock the Jags down to WC status, the Patriots can now lose 2 games but still clinch the bye. ((the Jags v Titans final game of the year could end up an important game. My hunch is both teams go into that game at 10-5 with division on the line but the byes/HFA out of their reaches).

 

[luuked]

Jeff Howe on Twitter

On the INT, Gilmore said the Dolphins ran the same play in the first quarter: “I knew it was coming. They came back to it. I pressed him the first time, and I played it off so I could see the ball the next time. I was able to beat him to the spot.”
5:23 PM · Nov 26, 2017

I guess he saw that during prep on that special game tape that coaches need to prepare for him.

 

[luuked]

More than the 7 points, I hated the snap-TD, because it gave a defeated Miami team the excuse to renew their try-to-injure-someone-on-every-snap game plan.

It is pretty remarkable that NE can beat another NFL team so convincingly despite a C effort. And a C that included a handful of D- stretches.

I presume most of the sloppiness will be cleaned, now it just comes down to health.

I know that Miami is garbage but at the end of the day they are also a professional team filled with pretty impressive athletes so on some level I feel like we are not giving enough credit to our coaching staff and team to so utterly dominate another AFCE team. With that said I dont get what stretch was supposed to be a D- to be honest.

I mean do you expect every drive and every decision to be 100% for it to be an A ?

 

[luuked]

Non-contact knee injuries can happen on any surface. What happened here to make it something that was directly attributable to the new turf?

The difference to other places is that the turf was replaced twice since last year and the NFLPA and players continued to complain about it even afterwards. Not saying that the turf is the cause for anything but there has been an extraordinary amount of criticism it received so far.

 

[luuked]

...Duron Harmon injure a teammate by wrestling his interception away from him?

I have seen now several references about an injury or concussion for Gilmore around this thread but there is literally nothing from beat writers, him and Harmon seemed to be in good spirits on the sideline and Gilmore even gave an interview in the locker room.

Am I missing something ?