PostGame Thread OFFICIAL POST GAME THREAD: Patriots beat Bengals 26-20

[40yrpatsfan]

As usual I stay clear of the GDT as I cant handle all the chicken littles. Its great to get a win but it doesnt feel good to see the team struggle against a depleted not so good opponent. Then we add in all the injuries. But we did have one stud, Hunter Henry was the shinning star on offense. I don't understand why the receivers didn't play a bigger role but I'm glad we have Hunter. It was also great to have Hooper back as well. We will need them both down the stretch.

I thought the only good play calling by Josh was the plays to Hunter across the middle, the bengals never did adjust to that. We simply cannot run the ball between the hashes with any sense of effectiveness. It seems like that is the call on every first down. Its just lame to me that we keep doing it over and over. I would prefer to see something other than the draw when we run the ball. I would have like to see Henderson getting to the outside on some runs, he has the speed, let him stretch the defense.

The play calling and inability to score from the goal line was about as trash as it could be. Bad plays, bad execution, wrong personnel and after how many failed attempts we still went for it when we should have taken the field goal in a close game. Vrabel almost cost them the game with that decision. But as I have said before this is what we are going to get from him, he is aggressive and so far they have been lucky flirting with disaster.

Milton Williams out is glaringly painful as he is the anchor on that line. We need him back ASAP. Flacco had forever in the pocket not only can we not get after a 40yo qb but with Williams out we cant even collapse the pocket with any regularity. Addressing this should be a focus in the off season.

Not sure what was up with Drake the first couple of series, he just looked down right bad. But it also looked like he wasnt trying to really throw the ball with some mustard. Once he got in the zone and started zipping the ball he looked fine, not sure what was going on early. With Campbell/Wilson out and possibly for the season Drake will need to be rolling out more and throwing on the move. Thankfully that's a strength with his game. Josh better be game planning to address the now deficient left side of the line.

Anyone else notice Diggs on the sideline late in the game after one of his catches. He did not look happy......something to keep an eye on. All and all they scrapped through an ugly game and came out with the win. Lets hope we get some good news on the injuries and every player needs to step up down the home stretch and the coaching needs to be honest about their performance and do better as well.

Not taking the FG in that situation was a mistake. Also the clock management at the end of the 1st half was bad, letting it run down from 1:20 to about :40, 40+ yards away, with 3 TO's left.

Losing Tonga hurt not only our run D but also the goal line offense, especially in combination with the LT and LG also out.

 

[Triumph]

Patriots helped them out

They took Campbell, Wilson out of the game and Moses temporarily.
Pats struggled to run. Stevenson had 5 yards on 6 carries.
Of the 26 points NE scored, Borregales had 14. Maye and Marcus Jones each had 6.
Pats got stonewalled at the goaline on 4th down.

 

[Vindicate]

When a defense is posting “worst in history” numbers, I think it’s more often a funk rather than the reality. The Bengals played like a bottom 5 defense yesterday (punching above their weight, still.) and our offense played low out the gates and struggled as the losses piled up. I wouldn’t go too far with the worry, the Bengals are definitely not a good defense, but they played like we should’ve expected - for their lives and season.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The defensive losses are the bigger ones for me. We're seeing cracks in the run defense and Gonzo hasn't been looking right in our pass defense. If I have a worry, it's that the defense is going to start falling apart even more.

Gonzo hasn't looked right? How is that?

 

[Guts]

 

[TommyD4207]

Gonzo hasn't looked right? How is that?

He deigned to give up a reception yesterday, on a perfectly thrown ball from Joe Flacco.

You should see the GDT, six people wanted to trade him.

 

[Guts]

He deigned to give up a reception yesterday, on a perfectly thrown ball from Joe Flacco.

You should see the GDT, six people wanted to trade him.

Lmao trade our best player not named Maye?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

He deigned to give up a reception yesterday, on a perfectly thrown ball from Joe Flacco.

You should see the GDT, six people wanted to trade him.

Understood, but @mike_usagisan is usually reasonable. It looks like he fell off the wagon? I will wait to see what Mike says, maybe he has a defense?

At the end of the game Carlton and Jones knocked passed away, but not Gonzo. Why? Because Flacco didn't throw any passes in Gonzo's direction.

 

[PatsFan2]

That's not new from Rham: short yardage RB is a Need in 26. Unbelievable as Big as he is he can't push to pile for a measly yard.

 

[Ring 6]

I want em all AJ just a little worried about the OL injuries a this key juncture.

I just don’t get how fans of a team that is 10-2 and has won 9 in a row have a mindset that any adversity means a loss. I just don’t get how the excitement and confidence in the team that should be there becomes fear and an inferiority complex.
9 wins in a row and you are essentially conceding a loss. Just hard to wrap my head around that kind of thinking.

 

[PatsFan2]

I just don’t get how fans of a team that is 10-2 and has won 9 in a row have a mindset that any adversity means a loss. I just don’t get how the excitement and confidence in the team that should be there becomes fear and an inferiority complex.
9 wins in a row and you are essentially conceding a loss. Just hard to wrap my head around that kind of thinking.

I haven't forgotten how Vederian Lowe played last year: it's stained in my memory.

 

[sb1]

6-0 on the road.

If the Pats slip from the top seed I don't worry about them going into other teams buildings in the playoffs. Yes even Denver.

 

[mike_usagisan]

The NE run game must improve, somehow.

Because a close game like yesterday can easily be lost when you cant run. Pass to get the lead and run to win.

Henderson had 3.5 yards per run and other than goalline, I felt like the runs were decent.

 

[mayoclinic]

I just don’t get how fans of a team that is 10-2 and has won 9 in a row have a mindset that any adversity means a loss. I just don’t get how the excitement and confidence in the team that should be there becomes fear and an inferiority complex.
9 wins in a row and you are essentially conceding a loss. Just hard to wrap my head around that kind of thinking.

If we face any adversity at any point, our entire season is doomed. You just have to accept the reality of the situation. We are a 2-10 team masquerading as a 10-2 team, and karma is going to ask for payment at some point. We might as well pack it in.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Understood, but @mike_usagisan is usually reasonable. It looks like he fell off the wagon? I will wait to see what Mike says, maybe he has a defense?

At the end of the game Carlton and Jones knocked passed away, but not Gonzo. Why? Because Flacco didn't throw any passes in Gonzo's direction.

Hey, calling me "usually reasonable" is fighting words!

It probably is because I'm so used to QBs not throwing balls in Gonzo's direction that when they start going that way, I think something must be off.

 

[Ring 6]

I haven't forgotten how Vederian Lowe played last year: it's stained in my memory.

So. We have a team that has won 9 games in a row. We have a qb playing at an mvp level. We had a top 10 defense.
No reason to curl up in a corner and cry because of an injury. Next man up.

 

[PatsFan2]

Henderson had 3.5 yards per run and other than goalline, I felt like the runs were decent.

They need to try Terrell Jennings in Short Yardage situations.

 

[Ring 6]

If we face any adversity at any point, our entire season is doomed. You just have to accept the reality of the situation. We are a 2-10 team masquerading as a 10-2 team, and karma is going to ask for payment at some point. We might as well pack it in.

Well we have people rationalizing it will be ok when we lose to the 2-10 Giants at home. Like it’s a given.

 

[mike_usagisan]

They need to try Terrell Jennings in Short Yardage situations.

They need to figure out how to get the interior line to get any kind of push.

 

[sb1]

If we face any adversity at any point, our entire season is doomed. You just have to accept the reality of the situation. We are a 2-10 team masquerading as a 10-2 team, and karma is going to ask for payment at some point. We might as well pack it in.

Fire Mayo!