PostGame Thread 2025 OFFICIAL POSTGAME THREAD: Patriots improve to 9-2 with win over NYJ

[40yrpatsfan]

Bro is SLOW

I think he plays slow as a kick returner, but would look a lot quicker as a slot receiver. Our kick return game kind of sucks right now.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I think he plays slow as a kick returner, but would look a lot quicker as a slot receiver. Our kick return game kind of sucks right now.

Agreed.
He has good short area measurables, changing direction quickly and flipping his hips.
He does not have good straight line North-South speed, and that really shows on his returns.

 

[Real fan 02]

My GF agrees. She always talks a lot about Pop stumbling and falling, and he keeps doing it.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I think he plays slow as a kick returner, but would look a lot quicker as a slot receiver. Our kick return game kind of sucks right now.

Agreed. We weren’t excited about Chism in the preseason due to kick returns; he never did any. It was his play as a slot receiver, where he showed burst, elusiveness and strength. Given the level he’s coming from, and how well Diggs and Douglass are playing ahead of him, I have no issues here. Hoping he’s learning behind the scenes and he’ll be ready if we need him there this year, but hoping we don’t….

 

[TheRainMaker]

Bart Scott, Stephen A, and Cam think the Patriots are fraudulent. Danien Woody and Rex Ryan are believers in the Patriots.

Edit: Nvm noted above

Bart Scott has a weird hatred for the Pats for absolutely no reason. Same for Rex Ryan prior to getting the Jets job. That 2007 game the Ravens were playing as if they were long time rivals of the Pats.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think the most underrated aspect of the game was that Maye was GREAT in the short game.

They were almost giving him that because his average throw is 10 yards plus and we really hadn't seem him in a dink and dunk offense

Well he took what they gave him and made them pay - which will be noted by other DCs moving forward and makes him that much more dangerous

Great job by Drake and Josh

 

[Real fan 02]

Agreed.
He has good short area measurables, changing direction quickly and flipping his hips.
He does not have good straight line North-South speed, and that really shows on his returns.

It's a chore for him to make it to the 30.. personally I feel he's doing returns for a few reasons.

To keep him involved and not inactive each week.

To give Marcus some breaks

Pop is probably a better option handling the duties IMO..

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

It's a chore for him to make it to the 30.. personally I feel he's doing returns for a few reasons.

To keep him involved and not inactive each week.

To give Marcus some breaks

Pop is probably a better option handling the duties IMO..

My guess:
Vrabs knows our offences is good enough to start on the 25-30 and drive down the field.
He doesn't want to risk injury to Jones/Pop/Williams.
He can trust Chism won't turn the ball over.
So really a bit of a sacrificial lamb.
If Chism fumbeled once on a return I would venture a guess we wouldn't see him back there again.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

It's a chore for him to make it to the 30.. personally I feel he's doing returns for a few reasons.

To keep him involved and not inactive each week.

To give Marcus some breaks

Pop is probably a better option handling the duties IMO..

Pop!!? Pop gets tackled by turf every game. Runs like a spaz…I’m bot dumping on him as he’s a very valuable WR but KR? No.

I don’t think we have a true KR on the roster right now now.

 

[Huckleberry1]

He is what he was in college where he wasn't a nuanced route runner but the best at beating press in the draft with elite explosiveness and excellent top end speed. Learning the nuances of route running takes time and reps.

What many simply don't get is that there is no minor league in football, you either make it or you don't. So if you draft players with high ceilings, but who aren't ready to contribute the fans call them busts and want them gone. However, if it's the right kid, with the right work ethic and attitude then you invest the time and effort into developing them into what you wanted them to become when you drafted them. Vrabel gets this, and he's willing to be patient with them, work with them, and turn them into long term contributors. That will make some fans nuts, but it will pay off for the team when they get there and turn into good contributors to the team.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Cam is a loser. Choked away a winable super bowl and many a game while playing for the Pats. Games where he could have risen to the occasion and won.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Pop!!? Pop gets tackled by turf every game. Runs like a spaz…I’m bot dumping on him as he’s a very valuable WR but KR? No.

I don’t think we have a true KR on the roster right now now.

He's got the Ellis Hobbs syndrome. I've never seen a DB have good position on a WR, but find a way to trip and fall when trying to make a play. Malcolm Butler developed that as well.

 

[TommyD4207]

Pop!!? Pop gets tackled by turf every game. Runs like a spaz…I’m bot dumping on him as he’s a very valuable WR but KR? No.

I don’t think we have a true KR on the roster right now now.

This. This is the description I've been searching for when it comes to Pop Douglas.

 

[TheButlerDidIt]

Happy to get the win.

Couple "light" concerns:

1. I am little concerned the game "felt" closer than it should have been, especially the repeated Fields runs (why not have a speedy spy on him?).

2. Why does Pop Douglas seem to routinely fall down after each catch?

3. Kyle Williams looked lost out there.

But overall, mostly good. Team looks united and scrappy, like 2001.

 

[PP2]

I wasn't "indicting" anyone. If you read the initial tweet, the gist of it was "wow look how badly Williams burned his man". And I was pointing out the situation and the defensive coverage he faced. It was 4th and 2 so the defender got overly aggressive in his face with the press because in that situation you play to take away the short pass and if the offense has the balls to throw a go route there then you just take the L. You play the Pats to do exactly what they did, which they did well as you noted.

I'm just saying that to post that as some shining example of Williams is disingenuous because it's ignoring the game situation that went into the coverage they faced and how vulnerable they left themselves for what he did to the CB there.

Well for some reason you used that clip of Williams (who was an obvious non-factor in that particular play) as a pretext to say "Williams just flat out hasn't been good this year." So....

 

[TheButlerDidIt]

He's got the Ellis Hobbs syndrome. I've never seen a DB have good position on a WR, but find a way to trip and fall when trying to make a play. Malcolm Butler developed that as well.

sorry didn't see this before I made my comment directly above

But YES -- I can't believe the amount of times he trips himself up!

 

[Ring 6]

Could be a new member to the boards hater club......

I don’t know. I mean discussing concerns is fine, but when your only conversation immediately after a win by a team with the best record in the league is all the terrible negatives you can think of, I just don’t know why you bother being a fan.

How any Patriot fan right now can not be happy as a pig in **** is beyond me and I wonder if those people can ever be happy about anything.

We are winning the 2025 fan lottery, and still miserable? Don’t get it.

 

[sb1]

Bart Scott is an idiot.
He wouldn't say a good thing about the Pats to save his life.
Stephen A is the biggest clown/ sports shock jock of our lifetime, and he really doesn't know football at all. I can't even listen to him, I loathe him.

Scott was respectful to Maye in the clip but the comment "MVP? That's disrespectful to "Daniel Jones and Matt Stafford" made me lol. And Daniel Jones isn't even the MVP on his own team.

 

[TheRainMaker]

2. Why does Pop Douglas seem to routinely fall down after each catch?

sorry didn't see this before I made my comment directly above

But YES -- I can't believe the amount of times he trips himself up!

Next, he's going to be diagnosed with the Brandon Lloyd disease. He was well known for his uncanny ability to make catches harder than they appear and find a way to fall to the ground.

 

[jdlboot14]

I need to note a few understated positives:
1. I commented to my son in the 3rd qtr - that looked like the closest thing to the Brady "dink & dunk" Pats I've seen since 2016. Maye was playing the short game, and just picking them apart. When we couldn't run at all, JMD went to his old quick game for the 3yd outs and 5yd curls to RB. It's actually a very big part of Maye growing up in this offense.
2. While even Fields was picking our secondary apart at times (with lack of pass rush) the DB's showed the ability to get physical and be fast and started tackling really well. (Vrabel noted Pettus in the post game - he should play more)
3. They weren't running well, but kept it relatively balanced - so much so that Trey actually ran 3x for a 1st down on the last possession to ice the game. That was HUGE! Getting Rham & Jennings back will help, but Hendo showed a lot of grit playing the bulk of the game.
4. Even though I was frustrated we left a lot of plays out there (drops by Diggs & Hollins), and gave up more than we should have to scramblin' Justin... I was never worried. And it's been a long time since I had trust in our O & D that we can close it out in the 4th qtr.