Post Game Thread - Pats beat Vikings

[PF_SU]

Was wondering where we were in pa now. 9 is pretty good especially when you consider how many short fields the other teams have had. Not sure if its recency bias on my end but it seems this year is way above the norm in handing opponent with great field position.

It's not bias on your part. In 2016 and 2017 the Patriots ranked #1 in average defensive starting field position (at the opponents' 24.8 and 25.0 yard line). This year they are ranked 27th with opponents on average starting at the 30.1 yard line. Partly due to bad kick-off coverage and partly due to uncharacteristic turnovers.

In fact, this year the opponents had 12 drives start inside the Patriots' half of the field. That is 2 more than during the previous two seasons combined at 10. And whenever the defense faced a short field they have been atrocious in terms of stopping opponents. Because they haven't stopped them at all. 8 TDs and 4 FGs for a 100% score rate. On drives starting inside the opponents' half of the field they have been fairly decent, allowing scores on 29.8% of all drives, which ranks 5th in the league.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's not bias on your part. In 2016 and 2017 the Patriots ranked #1 in average defensive starting field position (at the opponents' 24.8 and 25.0 yard line). This year they are ranked 27th with opponents on average starting at the 30.1 yard line. Partly due to bad kick-off coverage and partly due to uncharacteristic turnovers.

Thank you for doing the leg work on that, that is a major difference

 

[PF_SU]

Thank you for doing the leg work on that, that is a major difference

Just FYI, edited the post above with some additional info.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Was wondering where we were in pa now. 9 is pretty good especially when you consider how many short fields the other teams have had. Not sure if its recency bias on my end but it seems this year is way above the norm in handing opponent with great field position.

Its like any stat. It really helps to understand the context and relative, supporting stats/metrics to validate it.

I'm not ready to say this is a really good defense but I no longer thing they are bad.

If you look at what other teams average for offense per game and what their output is vs the NEP D, its hit and miss but not totally out of wack.

KC- score 37. Allowed 40 +3
CHI- score 28. Allowed 31 +3
Colts- score 27. Allowed 24 -3
Texans- Score 25. Allowed 20 -5
GB- score 23. Allowed 17 -6
MN- score 23. Allowed 10 -13
JAX- score 17. Allowed 31 +14
DET- score 21. Allowed 26 +5
BUF- score 15. Allowed 6 -9
MIA- score 20. Allowed 7 -14
TN- score 18. Allowed 34 +16

Total -9

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Pats are now...

9th in points allowed
4th in comp % against
6th in QB Rating against.

If you throw out all the bad ones they’d be #1

 

[Mack Herron]

Edelman, 2018:

IND ... 7/9 (78%), 57 yds
KCY ... 4/7 (57%), 54 yds, TD
CHI ... 5/8 (63%), 36 yds, TD
BUF ... 9/10 (90%), 104 yds
GBY ... 6/10 (60%), 71 yds
TEN ... 9/12 (75%), 104 yds
NYJ ... 4/5 (80%), 84 yds, TD

That's no more and no less "reliable" than he's been in the past from gam-to-game. It mostly depends on how the Pats want to use him against a particular opponent and/or how that opponent is covering him.

Gronk DID look awful against the Vikes, but he was similarly reliable/"unreliable" this season until he hurt his back.

OBJ has now been under a 60% catch rate for 5 of his 12 games this season. Yesterday, he went 3/9 for 35 yards, against a very good pass defense, and other guys stepped up.

You are right that Edelman has been basically the same as in the past. He had a couple of bad drops the past two games, but he has had drops in the past as well. Yesterday was different--Gronk was bad (looked hampered) and Edelman was as well: had 3 receptions on 8 targets for 25 yards (drop, int). I think what puzzled me was the first half ignoring Gordon and Hogan (this has been a recurring theme) as the other stuff was becoming ineffective.

 

[PatsFan2]

You are right that Edelman has been basically the same as in the past. He had a couple of bad drops the past two games, but he has had drops in the past as well. Yesterday was different--Gronk was bad (looked hampered) and Edelman was as well: had 3 receptions on 8 targets for 25 yards (drop, int). I think what puzzled me was the first half ignoring Gordon and Hogan (this has been a recurring theme) as the other stuff was becoming ineffective.

Need to start building O around Gordon find ways to get him the ball at least we don't have to wince every time he catches the football and gets Tackled. Now we can see why BB wanted to Trade Gronk he ain't the same player his better days are well behind him. Wouldn't be surprised if he's scratched this week.

 

[Brewskies]

Thielen " that's bull crap"
BB " shut the f*ck up"

Thielen was upset that a challenge flag was thrown. He felt Pats player faked injury to give BB time to review tape before throwing the flag.

 

[TBR]

TBR: Sad life

TBR: [proceeds to do exact same thing]

Have I done the "exact same thing" for the last 3 months? No. For 3 seconds? Yea.

Try again.

 

[qbno12]

Good team win. I hate to see INTs by Brady but we got the win. That's all that matters. I hope we can get more defensive turnovers and limit them on offense.

I think I am concerned is D is playing well at home (Vikes, Chiefs, Texans, packers) but hasn't been able to do well against teams like titans on the road. If we can fix that, we'll have trouble in playoffs. Even if we get #1 seed, this concerns me about how deep we can go in playoffs.

 

[1960Pats]

I like @QuantumMechanic. Big fan. One of my favs on here.

I like him too but @TBR has a point.

 

[SVN]

 

[DaBruinz]

Two holding penalties for the best blocking tight end in football. Plus a false start if I recall correctly.
He's pretty clearly injured and hasn't yet quite adapted his playing style to his new physical limitations.

The 1st holding penalty was legit. Gronk got a handful of jersey and just yanked the guy out of the way.. The 2nd holding penalty was laughable because I've seen O-linemen and TEs get their hands on the shoulder pads of the guy their blocking 1000s of times with no call. Hell, there was one yesterday where the Vikings O-line did it a few plays after the Gronk call and nothing happened.

 

[DaBruinz]

I noticed that Hollister got some calls in the 2nd half on the goal line. He actually did a half-decent job blocking.. He didn't end up pushed back 5 yards like has happened in the past.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yeah, 89% of the D-snaps. I'm trying like hell to avoid going away to Vermont for a family event next weekend.

I think you're coming down with the Foxboro Flu.. Should be in full swing Friday..

 

[DaBruinz]

Credit to the Pats defense. They shut down the Vikings game. Each Vikings star was shut down. Best Pats defensive game this season.

Go Pats

I wouldn't say that Dalvin Cook was shut down. The Patriots definitely forced Defilippo into his tendency of ignoring the run game on offence, though.. 9 runs for 84 yards is ridiculously good.

 

[1960Pats]

Never ceases to amaze me the willingness to go beserk over other team's players, no matter what they've accomplshed, and yet the constant ,obstinate "all our players suck" mantra rolls out every single day, like early morning in a Tibetan monastery....Patriots bad...everything bad...secondary bad..linebackers bad...D line bad...O line bad...Brady looks wrong...running backs bad...Gronk is bad...Edelman bad...Belichick bad drafter...game plans bad...it's all bad bad bad ...ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

This reminds me of one of my favorite jokes. Let me alter it for football.

A group of monks are members of a monastery that doesn't allow anyone to speak but allows one member to speak once each year at breakfast.

Year 1, monk 1: Brady is losing it.
Year 2, monk 2: Gronk is cooked.
Year 3, monk 3: The play calling is terrible.
Year 4, monk 4: The defense is no good.
Year 5, monk 5: The offense is sputtering.
Year 6, monk 6: They should be better than 9-3.
Year 7, monk 7: They won't win like this.
Year 8, monk 8: That's it, I'm quitting the monastery.
Head monk: What do you mean you're quitting? Why?
Monk 8: I can't stand all this *****ing about the team.

 

[1960Pats]

Yesterday's win was classic "Do Your Job" Patriots football...it works. I know, giant newsflash but...it's been working for EIGHTEEN STRAIGHT YEARS. Name the team right now that is even within a light year of this stupendous feat....go ahead. Tell me the team you lust after and the organization YOU consider a better one than the NEP.

I noticed that Troy Aikman mentioned something during the game that we've been seeing for all these years. He mentioned how good their record is in December and that the Patriots are a team that gets better as the season wears on.

It's too bad that some of our fans don't have the patience to wait for that to happen. Maybe if they lived through the lean years like we did they'd have more of an appreciation of the current Pats team.

Starting each season slow and finishing strong is surely better than starting each season slow and ending it slower, like it used to be with the Pats.

 

[1960Pats]

I do think there is some truth to that article. It’s the same rhetoric that was being reported during the off-season.

IMO I think he retires this off-season.

One person reports something (the Mort Distort during defamegate is a great eaxample) and others follow along with reports on that report and soon there are multiple reports saying the same thing. That's how fake news works, and sadly it isn't limited to sports.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

If Deflippo kept running they might of won