PostGame Thread 2023 Week 2: Patriots Lose to Dolphins 24-17

[Kdo5]

I feel like if Marcus Jones didn’t get hurt (or even if Jonathan Jones was active in the first place) this game would’ve been way different. The injuries at CB really hurt them badly. It was a good defensive performance overall considering that…

The OL just continues to be the pain point. It could’ve been worse, but they are still needing to scheme around it. Hopefully when Strange and Onwenu knock the rust off and Brown is back they’ll be in better shape but I don’t know. Anderson was just ok. I have to feel like trying Wheatley might be worthwhile. At least Lowe was serviceable backing up Brown.

Not having Jon Jones hurt, even though they did well on Tyreke Hill. The lack of pressure by our defense hurt too. Tua had a pretty easy day back there.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

If they lose next week, it’s going to be a long year.

Did anyone really expect the year to be a 10 win year?,i think most of us expected an 8 or 9 win team at best and just excited because football is back - I don't know if 8 wins is a stretch at this point though - its rebuilding phase

 

[upstater1]

There was a lot wrong with the offense today, like allowing the Phins a running start to attack the OL. And it was a home game.

I mean, how do you not change your cadence, your timing? You don't have to snap it as soon as you're set in the hurry-up. You can take an extra beat. Force the defense off the toes.

 

[A.C Vegas]

Two reasons for the pressure:

1. OLine was not good. That’s pretty obvious. Not a lot you can do about it right now.

2. Teams will blitz more and be more aggressive with pass rush when your longest passing play for most of the game is 12 yards. That’s due to a quarterback who can’t make dagger throws and no elite playmaker.

You know that reason one is the cause for reason 2. If you do not have time you can not get long plays because they need to develop.

 

[Jangles]

Yeah. BB got that talent, not Brady.

It was 16 years ago

Not sure you can still pull that out to justify his current moves

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Did anyone really expect the year to be a 10 win year?,i think most of us expected an 8 or 9 win team at best and just excited because football is back - I don't know if 8 wins is a stretch at this point though

Yes. They were bottom shelf talents. And they've played like it. I haven't seen any evidence as of late that Belichick knows how to draft OL. Who is the last reach at OL he's gotten right?

Vollmer probably lol

 

[Grogan14]

No. You're comparing him to Brady, which is a benchmark no one - with this level of talent - is ever going to live up to.

comparing him to current day top tier QBs; Hurts, Dan, Purdy, Mahomes, Goff, Lamar,Herbert, Richardson

They all have unique skills that Mac does not have

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Not without bringing in a game-changer on offense. I mean, even Brady went a decade in between championships due to a lack of talent. It wasn't until Gronkowski and Edelman (Gronk obviously being the key component) that they finally broke through again. And they certainly don't have an equivalent, or at least not that we can tell at this point.

Might not have won it during those ten years but had league’s best record by a wide margin and highest scoring offense.

Anyway I’m not going to compare Mac to Brady but I compare Mac to his contemporaries playing against him. Very rarely do the Patriots have an advantage - or even a break even - at QB. Next week will be a nice exception.

 

[thecore762]

Not without bringing in a game-changer on offense. I mean, even Brady went a decade in between championships due to a lack of talent. It wasn't until Gronkowski and Edelman (Gronk obviously being the key component) that they finally broke through again. And they certainly don't have an equivalent, or at least not that we can tell at this point.

Gronk was built different, guy could literally block all the defensive linemen. The ones we have just don’t have it in them.

Heck, I still think Gronk can still comeback and put some of the TE in this league to shame when it comes to blocking.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

0-2 is a massive hole. the goal is win the division, you're down 2 games to the leader. it's going to take 10 wins minimum to take the AFC east. So for the Pats to have a legit shot they need to go 8-5...I don't think they have it in them, especially after scoring 17 and 20 points on their home field

Buffalo will destroy this team both times this year - only multiple turnovers in those games would change that

 

[Grogan14]

Bingo.

They need a GM and a new coach.
Also need a new o-line coach.

They need an infusion of young innovative thinkers in terms of roster management, team building, cap management and offensive vision......its time

 

[Ian]

The question is will december be too late for this team,even when this team got better as the winter approached they were always at or near the .500 mark - down 0-2 there is a beginning to wonder if they can ever reach .500 before snow begins to fall

Who knows. But as @Ross12 also pointed out, this is a weak enough Conference right now where 0-2 isn't insurmountable because of how things have unfolded so far. It's not ideal, but also not impossible.

But again, to your point, it all depends on what happens between now and the end of December.

 

[Schmo]

Bingo.

They need a GM and a new coach.
Also need a new o-line coach.

With respect....

Ooof, just an awful, awful takeaway.

 

[Kdo5]

Douglas made a stupid rookie mistake....that cost the team points at a critical point in the game. He had to be benched to school him up for the rest of the season

He had to be benched all game? The luxury of “schooling them up” for mistakes ended when Brady left. It was a mistake but it was clear he is our most agile, shifty player. We needed that today. I can’t believe you think that was the right decision.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Then they need to get rid of Bill, because even if they move on from Mac.... the next guy isn't going to be Tom Brady either.

I don't think Kraft will risk Bill going somewhere else and winning, imagine how much of a hit he would take if he picks Bill over Tom and watches Tom win then picks Mac over Bill and Bill wins somewhere else.

 

[Bruins29]

He had to be benched all game? The luxury of “schooling them up” for mistakes ended when Brady left. It was a mistake but it was clear he is our most agile, shifty player. We needed that today. I can’t believe you think that was the right decision.

It was not. D made a great play

Whatever

 

[Ian]

The need an infusion of young innovative thinkers in terms of roster management, team building, cap management......its time

They've sort of done that in terms of the draft, with Groh starting to have more say there. I think most people would say they've done a reasonably good job there the last few years, and it's because he's had more trust in those guys.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I don't know about that. I put Scar in the Tom Brady category. He's a once in a generation coach. Klemm is only going to be as good with whoever he has to work with. And there's still time for that to get better, but no one will ever be Scar.

Scar may be the mist underrated coach in NFL history. I don’t think that is hyperbole

 

[Grogan14]

He had to be benched all game? The luxury of “schooling them up” for mistakes ended when Brady left. It was a mistake but it was clear he is our most agile, shifty player. We needed that today. I can’t believe you think that was the right decision.

He will not make that mistake again.

 

[Bruins29]

Did anyone really expect the year to be a 10 win year?,i think most of us expected an 8 or 9 win team at best and just excited because football is back - I don't know if 8 wins is a stretch at this point though - its rebuilding phase

Notwithstanding 2 pretty entertaining games so far