Game Day Thread Official Post Game Thread- Pats beat the Dolphins

[One-If-By-Sea]

The best part about next week is, if we beat buffalo to get inn, there’s reason to believe that we might actually have a chance at running the table.

I doubt that, but if we beat Buffalo there is a reason to look forward to 2023.

 

[1960Pats]

No

Thanks. I had KC with 4 losses and not 3.

 

[sb1]

so Playoffs start next week for the Pats

thats how we would imagine it should be, but the thing is this Bills team is not suiting the Pats well and the Pats have a really hard time to play consistently good on Offense (throughout the year), I still hope the Pats win next week but its really hard to imagine if the Bills give their all

Hopefully the Joneses are healthy. We’ll need them.

 

[Scotty]

Can't imagine the Bills resting players when they have the chance to put another win over the Pats or would they ?

 

[Triumph]

This defense is so good.

 

[Triumph]

The problem is that the Dolphins took possession of the ball with 2:32 left on the clock after the Patriots went backwards. Miami took all of 1:28 to score a touchdown to cut a two-score lead to two points. This game could have easily been a loss.

Look at that 51 second series for -4 yards again that started with 3:23 left in the 4th quarter.

• 1st down - OT run for no gain into where the Dolphins had seven in the box (which is tip off to a junior high offensive coordinator that you go somewhere else.)
• 2nd down - OT run for 4 yards into where the Dolphins had seven in the box again (The definition of insanity is...)
• 3rd down - Bourne Jet Sweep for 2 yards (Oh, something different that depends on going East-West. Wagons Ho!) Any play with Jet in it is not a good choice with the game on the line.
• 4th down - Mac Jones tries to run clock by going the wrong way and getting sacked for 10-yard loss. It made me think that Bailey Zappe is calling the plays.

Miami takes over with 2:32 remaining. Scores a touchdown and gets a crack at an on-side kick.

Patriots cover the onside kick. Yay! They didn't lose the game. Gutless.

I agree 100% with the exception that Patricia is making all the calls.

Belichick had say on that series. Just like he blessed the endings of the Raiders and Bengals games. The Pats continue to rely on the teams strength and best players in these clutch moments. The RBs and the Defense.

 

[Real fan 02]

It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. Great job by the defense!!!! We win next week and we're in the playoffs!!!!

That's all we can ask for. Offense needs to improve, punting needs to improve and we need to stop making special teams mistakes.

This team doesn't quit though!!!!

Hopefully we can get a little healthier this week. It's nice to start the New Year with a win.

Let's discuss!!!!!!

Seems like each week we are praising the D.. that's our Identity a defensive team. That's what we are. We had some awful stretches on offense during the game. Defense balled out in the second half.. again with no future hall of farmers, All-PROS, PRO BOWLERS. Just great players who play well together and believe in the defensive system that BB always employed. Stop the run, get after the passer . That's what's so impressive to me.. Somehow, someway if the moons and stars align for us, And we can win in Buffalo that could just be the confidence boost to make noise in the playoffs..

 

[Real fan 02]

I agree 100% with the exception that Patricia is making all the calls.

Belichick had say on that series. Just like he blessed the endings of the Raiders and Bengals games. The Pats continue to rely on the teams strength and best players in these clutch moments. The RBs and the Defense.

Play calling and execution have been the reasons for our issues on offense all season.. that's all it is.. play calling and execution....

 

[Real fan 02]

Good to see Jones finish strong:

View attachment 48717

I think that was the best finish in a 4th quarter he's had. I'll have to go back and look, but this was definitely one of his better stretches.

I read somewhere the Defense has almost as much TDs as the offense the last 7,8 games.. WOW.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Can't imagine the Bills resting players when they have the chance to put another win over the Pats or would they ?

J Allen's elbow must still be sore. 2 weeks off might help him tremendously. If KC loses Saturday to Stidham, the Bills would be silly not to rest guys.

 

[Rob0729]

Thornton had a good game yesterday, but he still is lacking in the fundamentals. I think yesterday was a damning indictment on Troy Brown. Thornton is still struggling with the basics that should have been coached to him.

In this play, Thornton is wide open running down the center of the field. Jones throws a ball to hit him in stride. But Thornton slowed up and turned around. He slowed down too much and had to make a circus catch which made him fall to the ground and not get any yards after the catch. If he just kept running, and even if he had to turn around to catch the ball, it would have been likely a TD rather than just a big gain.



In this play, he doesn't have awareness of the sidelines and gets lucky that the review could not definitively determine when he got possession. He is running parallel with the sidelines. Yes, the ball is slightly overthrown, but still catchable. But when he catches the ball, he turn his body towards the sidelines and has no awareness to even try to drag that back foot. He should have not turn his body at all and tried to recover and run down the sidelines. Or at the very least tried to drag the back foot.



Then there was the pass in the back of the end zone where he steps out of bounds. Yes, wasn't the best pass, but he needed to have awareness of where the back of the end zone was and looked to step out of bounds even before he struggled to catch the ball.

One other thing is he seems to make some easy catches look tough. Last week on the one he dropped, he dove for the ball while he could have easily tried to catch it in stride. Both the videos here he seems to lose control on each catch. Neither were easy catches (the second was because of his own doing), but good and great receivers are more in control of their bodies. That isn't coachable, but hopefully can be corrected with him doing offseason strength and conditioning.

Again, yesterday was a good day for Thornton, but it could have been a great day. All the talk about coaching letting Mac Jones down, I think Thornton has been let down by coaching just as much. Someone should be working with this guy to learn how to work the sidelines. Same with teaching him when he has a free release like that not to slow down and turn around.

I don't mean to trash the guy in arguably the best game of his young career, but I think the guy has far more potential if he is coached better and he gets stronger and has more control of his body.

 

[Tunescribe]

I agree 100% with the exception that Patricia is making all the calls.

Belichick had say on that series. Just like he blessed the endings of the Raiders and Bengals games.

Is this what you imagine happened or did you tap into their headsets?

 

[Triumph]

Play calling and execution have been the reasons for our issues on offense all season.. that's all it is.. play calling and execution....

Is Patricia over throwing open WRs and taking needless sacks?

 

[RIpats88]

For me it is not the stats. I care about how Mac looks. His temperament. His footwork. Mac is smart and accurate - we know that. Can he put it together? Today I think he looked like he could after a good second half against the Bengals. Fingers crossed.

Thornton looked much better too. They are getting it together in bits, can they do it more consistently?

Oh I agree with both. I think both took steps forward today.

 

[Real fan 02]

Thornton had a good game yesterday, but he still is lacking in the fundamentals. I think yesterday was a damning indictment on Troy Brown. Thornton is still struggling with the basics that should have been coached to him.

In this play, Thornton is wide open running down the center of the field. Jones throws a ball to hit him in stride. But Thornton slowed up and turned around. He slowed down too much and had to make a circus catch which made him fall to the ground and not get any yards after the catch. If he just kept running, and even if he had to turn around to catch the ball, it would have been likely a TD rather than just a big gain.



In this play, he doesn't have awareness of the sidelines and gets lucky that the review could not definitively determine when he got possession. He is running parallel with the sidelines. Yes, the ball is slightly overthrown, but still catchable. But when he catches the ball, he turn his body towards the sidelines and has no awareness to even try to drag that back foot. He should have not turn his body at all and tried to recover and run down the sidelines. Or at the very least tried to drag the back foot.



Then there was the pass in the back of the end zone where he steps out of bounds. Yes, wasn't the best pass, but he needed to have awareness of where the back of the end zone was and looked to step out of bounds even before he struggled to catch the ball.

One other thing is he seems to make some easy catches look tough. Last week on the one he dropped, he dove for the ball while he could have easily tried to catch it in stride. Both the videos here he seems to lose control on each catch. Neither were easy catches (the second was because of his own doing), but good and great receivers are more in control of their bodies. That isn't coachable, but hopefully can be corrected with him doing offseason strength and conditioning.

Again, yesterday was a good day for Thornton, but it could have been a great day. All the talk about coaching letting Mac Jones down, I think Thornton has been let down by coaching just as much. Someone should be working with this guy to learn how to work the sidelines. Same with teaching him when he has a free release like that not to slow down and turn around.

I don't mean to trash the guy in arguably the best game of his young career, but I think the guy has far more potential if he is coached better and he gets stronger and has more control of his body.

Thornton, missing all that time due to the shoulder injury took away his on field live game experiences. He's been Getting this of course the last several games largely in part due to need. He really showed his explosiveness even on those over throws.

This kid with another off season, adding some more beef to his frame, studying defenses and route concepts he will be fine. I'll say the " NEW" OC will find ways to better integrate him.

J Allen's elbow must still be sore. 2 weeks off might help him tremendously. If KC loses Saturday to Stidham, the Bills would be silly not to rest guys.

Let's pray he chooses to rest Sunday...

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Thanks. I had KC with 4 losses and not 3.

We did get a potential break with kc vs vegas flexed to saturday. So if buffalo wins tonight and vegas can upset kc, Buffalo then would have the one seed wrapped up heading into sunday

 

[Tunescribe]

Is Patricia over throwing open WRs and taking needless sacks?

No, he botched coaching the OL and coordinating the passing game.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Real fan 02]

Is Patricia over throwing open WRs and taking needless sacks?

I believe I mentioned execution along with play calling.. The players have to execute said play calls.. when you them both being bad then you get the patriots offense.. the entire offense shoulders the blame..

 

[Dingleberry]

We did get a potential break with kc vs vegas flexed to saturday. So if buffalo wins tonight and vegas can upset kc, Buffalo then would have the one seed wrapped up heading into sunday

There is an even more likely scenario, and a better one for us.

If the Bills lose tonight to the Bengals, and the Chiefs win Saturday.

The Chiefs lock up #1 seed before our game. The Bills are more likely to rest players now that the bye is gone.