The problem with those 2 play-calls is less about why they were used than it is about WHEN they were used. Skippy should never, Ever, EVER have called EITHER of those plays on 3RD FECKIN DOWN.
3rd down inside Philly's 10, 1-1/2 ytg, and Skippy calls for...a jet sweep to Cooks? WHY?!? Why not just give the ball to Bolden after Cooks draws another weak-side defender to the strong side, leaving no DB available to shoot a gap, and have him run off LT where Solder & Thuney had one defender blocked and Andrews the other? Momentum alone would've given him a first down. And even if either plays - both the actual and the imagined - doesn't work, then why, when the ball is barely one yard away from the line to gain, does Bill & Skippy not go for the damn 1st down? Feckin gutless...and I don't even want to begin to discuss Cookie's "effort" during his attempt at the conversion.
And just before the 3rd/5 Amendola pass, Dion Lewis had just gained 5 yards on 2/10 from Philly's 40. Bill & Skippy must have decided that they were now in 4-down territory. Why not give it again to Lewis, behind Develin and off-Tackle, perhaps on a quick count, attack their lighter DEs, then see where you are on 4th down, if you haven't already made 1st down? The worst-case option is that a FG attempt has likely just been made easier.
Pats should've attacked Philly's DEs on BOTH 3rd-down plays with Dion Lewis (who was NOT on the field for EITHER play), establish a tougher attitude, move the chains, and THEN Bill & Skippy could've called the 2 trick plays on 1st down, when Philly's defense might've been caught napping even deeper. Not having the Cat available on either 3rd-down situation was just plain ******ed.
