Mac on Monday Night

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Hey all. First off let me say obviously I'm happy we won. The game plan that Bill and the staff came up with worked and we got the W. So when I ask this don't come back at me with a BS "Well, it worked!" take. I know it worked, that's not the point. The point is I feel this game was in doubt way too close too its end.

That said, what do you think of the way Mac was (or rather, wasn't) used on Monday night in Buffalo? I'm not a fan of it. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying he should have been slinging it all over the place, and I understand the strategy of not taking risk when we have the lead, but the Bills were one play away from winning this game and I don't think it needed to be that close. The biggest issue for me with him not throwing at all is that it allowed Buffalo to T up on our runners and make moving the ball on the ground much more difficult than it needed to be. It's a credit to our O-Line, Harry's blocking (We won't mention that other thing he did) and our backs that we were able to move the ball, but it would have been nice to see it mixed up just a little bit to keep the defense honest and stop us from being one dimensional.

The risk vs. reward thing can be mitigated. You could have had Mac throw all his passes low, toward the receiver's feet so that only they could have made the catch. You could have done short passes, passes behind the LOS and only when we had the wind at our backs. We also could have done other things to mix it up like use some wildcat formation It just really irks me that Bill didn't trust Mac enough to let him do those things. And if it's an experience thing why not put Hoyer in there? I thought that Mac was making progress this season and that Bill trusted him and this just seemed to bring it to a screeching halt. Do we all think if we had Brady still he would have been used the same way?

Anyway, we've got the bye week so we need something to argue about. So I thought I'd give us this.

 

[nowayback]

Passer rating Mac 84, Josh 75 , nuff said

 

[signbabybrady]

I think it's partially just how it worked out. The idea being don't risk it with the lead. There was never a risk of being down more than 3 (2 pointer not considered). So why make the critical error with the lead. I think it almost backfired when the strategy almost resulted in Mac needing his 4th pass on a 2 minute drill.

 

[RIpats88]

You know the narrative all week from the media is going to be that the Patriots don't trust Mac Jones to throw. And he has a problem in strong winds.

Which may have some truth to it. I mean Tom Curran said while Mac has amazing touch, accuracy and throws a catchable ball. He doesn't have the arm zip of a josh Allen.

But I think once pats got up a score with the wind and how we were running bill just said "we are going to best them running the ball" not to mention we know Bill has no respect for Josh Allen

 

[sb1]

I get that and I think this game plan doesn’t look as genius if the Bills get another TD or if they started to stop the run game sooner than the 4th quarter.

Some play action would have been good and I think we get 6 on at least one of them.

 

[PaulThePat]

When I checked the box score this morning I assumed 2 of 3 passing was a mistake. However, it wasn't but we won so I'll take it. I'm sure Mac understood what was required and hopefully doesn't take it as a knock on his ability.

 

[mosi]

You play to win the game but I have always felt BB protect his players. It is why Ghost was not allowed to attempt a long FG in the SB as a rookie. If he did not have to put Mac in that situation he was not going to do it. I also feel he trusts who he trusts. In 2009, he did not trusts the defense to stop Indy. In 2021, his faith is in the D.

 

[Wozzy]

When the wind was at their backs they should have attempted a pass or two. They also shouldn’t have put N’Keal out there to return a punt in the swirling wind for the first time of his professional career… huge mistake. Not a perfect game, but a win is a win.

 

[Le Numéro Douze]

We were in the lead all game long and we were getting production on the ground. There was no need to throw it. BB always plays the percentages and that's just what he did there. If the situation had called for it, they would have thrown it 50 times.

 

[PP2]

Hey all. First off let me say obviously I'm happy we won. The game plan that Bill and the staff came up with worked and we got the W. So when I ask this don't come back at me with a BS "Well, it worked!" take. I know it worked, that's not the point. The point is I feel this game was in doubt way too close too its end.

That said, what do you think of the way Mac was (or rather, wasn't) used on Monday night in Buffalo? I'm not a fan of it. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying he should have been slinging it all over the place, and I understand the strategy of not taking risk when we have the lead, but the Bills were one play away from winning this game and I don't think it needed to be that close. The biggest issue for me with him not throwing at all is that it allowed Buffalo to T up on our runners and make moving the ball on the ground much more difficult than it needed to be. It's a credit to our O-Line, Harry's blocking (We won't mention that other thing he did) and our backs that we were able to move the ball, but it would have been nice to see it mixed up just a little bit to keep the defense honest and stop us from being one dimensional.

The risk vs. reward thing can be mitigated. You could have had Mac throw all his passes low, toward the receiver's feet so that only they could have made the catch. You could have done short passes, passes behind the LOS and only when we had the wind at our backs. We also could have done other things to mix it up like use some wildcat formation It just really irks me that Bill didn't trust Mac enough to let him do those things. And if it's an experience thing why not put Hoyer in there? I thought that Mac was making progress this season and that Bill trusted him and this just seemed to bring it to a screeching halt. Do we all think if we had Brady still he would have been used the same way?

Anyway, we've got the bye week so we need something to argue about. So I thought I'd give us this.

It was absolutely the right move.

Yes, Josh does have a cannon of an arm, but it was blustery out there, and that's actually worse than outright windy because that affects accuracy. The long bomb to Diggs that bounced off his forearms was right on target but it got pushed off course at the last minute so Diggs looks like he misjudged it, but he didn't.

The Bills chose to fight the elements, BB chose to work with it. He knew it would be a game of attrition, and he chose to be very patient.

And we did mix it up a lot on the run game. The blocking schemes last night was just outstanding- there was literally a different blocking scheme on every run play.

 

[scout]

We were in the lead all game long and we were getting production on the ground. There was no need to throw it. BB always plays the percentages and that's just what he did there. If the situation had called for it, they would have thrown it 50 times.

Exactly. When in Rome...(Buffalo). Why wouldn't you use your greatest assets.

 

[farn]

Stats are for losers.

NE 14 - BUF 10

 

[masterbouncer]

When the wind was at their backs they should have attempted a pass or two. They also shouldn’t have put N’Keal out there to return a punt in the swirling wind for the first time of his professional career… huge mistake. Not a perfect game, but a win is a win.

I first thought as well especially in the 4th QTR drive when they were in the RZ, but it was smart not to throw because you would have risked to stop the clock with an incompletion next to a risk of being intercepted. Take time of the clock and hope your kicker will hit the short FG on the "easier side" of the field, which Folk thankfully did. No need to give the Bills more time to come back.

Great execution and game plan, beside the Harry-Punt story they held the Bills to 3 points more or less which is great.

I don't care how the win looked like, in 3-4 weeks no one will ask anymore about it (maybe the Bills coach and fans will still whine about it) but thats it, a win is a win.

I am bit pissed on the fact that I figured out the NFL gave the Colts the bye week as well in WK13, ****ing assholes, the 3rd team this year the Pats play after their bye-week.

And what a crap call on Bryant for unnecessary roughness for the "hit" on Allen when he was diving in bounds for the first down, he was still in the air when Bryant pushed him out of bounds.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

Dec 26 looks to be pass heavy

 

[ausbacker]

Hey all. First off let me say obviously I'm happy we won. The game plan that Bill and the staff came up with worked and we got the W. So when I ask this don't come back at me with a BS "Well, it worked!" take. I know it worked, that's not the point. The point is I feel this game was in doubt way too close too its end.

That said, what do you think of the way Mac was (or rather, wasn't) used on Monday night in Buffalo? I'm not a fan of it. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying he should have been slinging it all over the place, and I understand the strategy of not taking risk when we have the lead, but the Bills were one play away from winning this game and I don't think it needed to be that close. The biggest issue for me with him not throwing at all is that it allowed Buffalo to T up on our runners and make moving the ball on the ground much more difficult than it needed to be. It's a credit to our O-Line, Harry's blocking (We won't mention that other thing he did) and our backs that we were able to move the ball, but it would have been nice to see it mixed up just a little bit to keep the defense honest and stop us from being one dimensional.

The risk vs. reward thing can be mitigated. You could have had Mac throw all his passes low, toward the receiver's feet so that only they could have made the catch. You could have done short passes, passes behind the LOS and only when we had the wind at our backs. We also could have done other things to mix it up like use some wildcat formation It just really irks me that Bill didn't trust Mac enough to let him do those things. And if it's an experience thing why not put Hoyer in there? I thought that Mac was making progress this season and that Bill trusted him and this just seemed to bring it to a screeching halt. Do we all think if we had Brady still he would have been used the same way?

Anyway, we've got the bye week so we need something to argue about. So I thought I'd give us this.

The only passing criticism I have is I would have liked to see Mac have a RZ attempt or two but I understand running the clock and limiting Buffalo's possessions was of the utmost importance.

 

[nabwong]

This game shows how selfless Mac is. A QB with a bigger ego would have checked out of running plays when they see 11 in the box. But not Mac. Today’s game plan would only have worked with Mac probably.

 

[Simpelton]

A fair point that they could have thrown more but the gameplan worked. The Bills had very few opportunities to score and the D held each time. I was as frustrated as anyone else making WWI jokes in chat, but from a ball possession and field position standpoint, it was a successful gameplan

 

[PaulThePat]

Not an expert (or remotely close) on Xs and Os, so perhaps someone could answer this. How much would Mac (or any QB) be involved in a run focussed game? Is the QB making adjustments based on the defence etc to give his runner the best chance of making yards?

 

[Bonzo]

What a stud, completing a full *two-thirds* of his passes in those conditions

 

[PP2]

Not an expert (or remotely close) on Xs and Os, so perhaps someone could answer this. How much would Mac (or any QB) be involved in a run focussed game? Is the QB making adjustments based on the defence etc to give his runner the best chance of making yards?

He audibled a handful of times last night (tapping his helmet) but just to the backup play. At this point he's going to be given two plays on every snap, and one is the alternate that he can check to if he doesn't like what he sees.

In another year or two, he'll be running his own offense at times and probably be able to audible to any play in the game script.