2015 Week One Post-Game Thread - Patriots 28, Steelers 21

[50-yard-line]

The media predicted that the offensive would have little problem with the defenses. And, this was indeed the case. We won because PITT were awful in time management, missed field goals, and made mistakes in the red zone.

So, yes, our offense was better than theirs, but not by much.

Pittsburgh has been picked by many to be in the SB this year. Ben is a top-notch QB with a decade of experience; Brown might be the best receiver in the league. They are a top-5 AFC team.

At one point, it was 21-3. I don't care how it got there, it got there.

This is how New England wins games, with the exception of 2007 (which none of us will likely ever see again). Think back a couple of years - the Saints' game. How'd we win that???????

But we did.

The other good news is that no BB team doesn't improve over the season. No team in football gets better as much as the Patriots do - every year.

Important game, possible tie-breaker game (one of the two where we have to beat a #1 from last year where the rest of our division doesn't), and a W in the books.

Things like FGs and time management are part of winning in the NFL. You can't ever say, "Well, if the kicker had made those field goals..." If the kicker had made those field goals, he'd be Gost, and he'd be taking 4 million from the cap.

 

[1960Pats]

For what it's worth, you set me out on an interesting quest for information, and here's the wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_wins_by_a_National_Football_League_starting_quarterback

Looks like Favre #1 at 186-112 (62.4%), Manning #2 at 179-77 (69.9%), Brady #3 at 161-47 (77.4%). I'm hoping Brady can make up some ground on Manning after he retires.

The winning% is the best indicator;
Brady .774
Montana .713
Manning .699
Favre .624

 

[DaBruinz]

It hasn't been stressed enough that the Patriots were in a Nickel defense almost all night long except for goalline situations. And for almost the entire second half, they had Jones lining up at the other DT position..

What also hasn't been mentioned is the amount of holding the Pitt O-line was allowed to get away with.. Without fail there was a clear hold on each of Williams long runs.. And it was the hold that sprung him each time..

The Pats were rushing just 4 most of the night, so is it really a wonder that Roethlisberger had time on many of his passing attempts? The Pats DID however, get pressure on him when they rushed 5. Hence the 3 sacks and pushing him out of the pocket on several occasions.. People are ignoring that Roethlisberger made 38 attempts. They are also ignoring that the Pats primary goal with him has always been to keep him in the pocket since Roethlisberger does his best work on the move after getting out of the pocket.

The people complaining about Dobson and Amendola are ignoring the fact that, when thrown to, they made plays. Is it really their fault that Edelman and Gronkowski were getting open so Brady was hitting them since those were his primary reads? Think about that..

Brandon Bolden as the "short-yardage" back needs to be thrown in the trash. Bolden, again, showed why he's a mediocre player, imho. He can't do anything unless there is a gaping hole..

I liked how Dion Lewis did. He did have a couple of good runs between the tackles, but primarily over the LG. Not sure what people expect him to get when he's running behind 2 rookies and running into the heart of the opposing defense. To me, picking up more than 4 yards running it up the gut is a success..

 

[manxman2601]

Defesive snaps

1. So much for a DE rotation with Jones at 97% and Nink at 95%
2. Not a single defensive snap for Jordan Richards. That surprises me considering how good he looked in pre-season.
3. A little less worried about the run defence considering how few snaps Siliga (30%) and Branch (16%) had. There was a clear decision to have a 3rd pass interior pass rusher on the field (which didn't really work).

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Defesive snaps

1. So much for a DE rotation with Jones at 97% and Nink at 95%
2. Not a single defensive snap for Jordan Richards. That surprises me considering how good he looked in pre-season.
3. A little less worried about the run defence considering how few snaps Siliga (30%) and Branch (16%) had. There was a clear decision to have a 3rd pass interior pass rusher on the field (which didn't really work).

I'll be worried if Nink and Jones are still >95% by Week 4. Right now, it could just be situational (note the low DT counts).

 

[DaBruinz]

Defesive snaps

1. So much for a DE rotation with Jones at 97% and Nink at 95%
2. Not a single defensive snap for Jordan Richards. That surprises me considering how good he looked in pre-season.
3. A little less worried about the run defence considering how few snaps Siliga (30%) and Branch (16%) had. There was a clear decision to have a 3rd pass interior pass rusher on the field (which didn't really work).

In the 2nd half, Jones spent most of the time as a DT with Ninkovich or Sheard lined up as the RDE. And from the snap count, it looks like they had Grissom lining up as a DT as well.. I'll have to go back and watch to see if that was the case.

 

[manxman2601]

In the 2nd half, Jones spent most of the time as a DT with Ninkovich or Sheard lined up as the RDE. And from the snap count, it looks like they had Grissom lining up as a DT as well.. I'll have to go back and watch to see if that was the case.

No you're right. I'm sure those numbers would be much lower if Easley hadn't got injured.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Oh, I thought I'd leave this here (apologies if it's been posted already):

 

[manxman2601]

John Pollard ‏@JPSTATS 1m1 minute ago
Tarell Brown of the Patriots registered a Coverage % of 76.7% on 6 targets last night (best among all DBs). He was targeted 4x on 3rd down.

 

[ensoul]

Offense was good. Brady was almost perfect, Lewis was pretty good and Edelman and Gronk were amazing.

Defense was awful and were giving up huge chunks of yards in the air and on the ground. Steelers had audio problems, Scobee missed two very make able FGs and Heyward botched what should have been an easy TD by going on his knees and not paying attention to the out of bounds line and yet the pats only won by a TD.

I don't think the steelers are great team but truth is they should have won that game.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

@moejr

The Steelers left 14 points out there

1st drive settled for 3. Missed. Left 3 or 7 points there.

2nd drive settled for 3. Left 3 or 7 points there

3rd scoring drive. Left 4 points because receiver couldn't stay in bounds. Got three that time

5th scoring drive. 1st and goal at the one. Settle for three.

That is at least 14 points hanging out there

 

[SalemPats]

The defense didn't play good, but I thought Malcolm Brown was good, Hightower played an exceptional game and Sheard looked a bit better in the 2nd half.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Brandon Bolden as the "short-yardage" back needs to be thrown in the trash. Bolden, again, showed why he's a mediocre player, imho. He can't do anything unless there is a gaping hole..

..

Yeah the only times i want to see bolden carrying the ball:
Garbage time
Injuries to blount, lewis (havent seen enough of white to judge)

 

[BobDigital]

The offense looked pretty good but had a few stops and starts. Can be better but is pretty close to were it should be. A few less negative plays and better situational play calling could have provented 2-3 of those 4 punts.

The defense is what I want to talk about though.

I don't feel any unit played well (DL, LB or DB)

There was a little holding allowed but still need to do better than they did. It should be pointed out though that they were fairly vanilla in their schemes this game per usual early in the year. I don't feel 1 single player played up to their potential this game (except maybe Tarell Brown who might have had the best overall game of any defensive player). If it was a case of the team playing well and getting beat I would be more worried but it just seemed flat and sloppy a lot of the time.

Also as much as i think we need to be in nickle sometimes taking Mayo off to put in Fletcher is a clear down grade in talent. Be nice if he can be out there more.

 

[PatsBoy12]

The winning% is the best indicator;
Brady .774
Montana .713
Manning .699
Favre .624

And still 9 of 10 people you ask would take him over Brady because of stats and all the nonsense at the line that he does. All flash and less substance. And to those who want to talk about defense, think back to 2011.

 

[1960Pats]

And still 9 of 10 people you ask would take him over Brady because of stats and all the nonsense at the line that he does. All flash and less substance. And to those who want to talk about defense, think back to 2011.

And those numbers don't include his horrendous playoff numbers. Will there ever be another NFL QB who goes one and done in the playoffs 9 times? I don't see how, unless his replacement in Indy pulls it off.

I don't know if I agree that 9 of 10 would take P6 over Brady. They managed to whitewash his sexual assault at Tennessee from the consciousness of the average NFL fan, so I guess anything is possible.

But making him better than Brady is still a very tall task. Only Montana is even in the discussion now, and he's fading fast now that we found it his main target was cheating.

 

[1960Pats]

Anyway, back to the game.

I was surprised at how well they played all around.

And the stern look on Brady's face said it all. He's on a mission.

Look out losers.

 

[patsinthesnow]

@DougKyedNESN: Haven't rewatched them in the run game yet, but David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Tre' Jackson impressed in pass pro: http://t.co/BHoqP7ufyX

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I hope that other opponents adopt the Steelers experimental "cover zero" defense on Rob Gronkowski:

 

[1960Pats]

Offense was good. Brady was almost perfect, Lewis was pretty good and Edelman and Gronk were amazing.

Defense was awful and were giving up huge chunks of yards in the air and on the ground. Steelers had audio problems, Scobee missed two very make able FGs and Heyward botched what should have been an easy TD by going on his knees and not paying attention to the out of bounds line and yet the pats only won by a TD.

I don't think the steelers are great team but truth is they should have won that game.

Did we lose the yardage stats again? Damn!

I think the Steelers are ok but their HC is second rate.