PostGame Thread 2025 OFFICIAL Patriots Wild Card PostGame Thread: Patriots win 16-3

[DaBruinz]

After watching the all-22 some thoughts:
-Woodson had his best game of the year. First game I've watched him on film (notably only a handful of games) where I thought he was better than just a solid player. He wasn't perfect, Allen's drop when Chargers were also flagged for illegal shift was his man but he was late to cover so Allen was wide open. A couple other times he got beat late but the pressure didn't give Herbert time to find his guy. Overall good run support, good coverage and overall very good game.

-Barmore started a bit slow but got better as game went on, still has trouble finishing at the QB. He is incredibly good holding off double teams on run plays. He just doesn't get moved. Had a couple explosive rushes, would like to see it more consistently but after not doing much early was disruptive.

-Durden is stout against the run and has an occasional good pass rush. Very good at holding the lineman up and getting off the block on runs. For a bigger, slower guy has a quick first step and can split lineman on occasion. Not someone you want pass rushing regularly but a great find this year and a solid to good player.

-I posted on Campbell and Wilson in the Campbell thread: Quick overview is they played well outside of 2 plays each. I was surprised they played better than I thought from watching live.

-Chism had 4 routes and thought he was open on all 4. Terrible pass he threw. Willing run blocker and blocks well on the DB's. not so well on the LB's which was only asked to do once or twice.

I think Chism was "hearing footsteps" even though there were none. I think this led him to throw off-balance instead of setting himself properly.

-Kyle Williams: He runs deep a lot and Chargers were keeping a safety deep. He took the safety deep with him on the Maye TD pass so clearing out the safety was helpful. Good route on his 1 catch. Unlike Polk who looked terrible on tape with little production Williams looks OK on tape. Hoping for a year 2 jump.

-Ponder: Not best game, had a couple half decent rushes but stoned quite a bit. Just MEH all around.

-Henderson: Nice game. I thought he followed blocks and took what he had for yards available. Had couple good blitz pickups including the TD where he just got enough of the blitzer to get him off balance. I thought his vision running has gotten much better from earlier in the year.
-

I mentioned earlier that I wish that Henderson would take a split second to survey the field because there were a couple times where he just plunged into the assigned gap and got stood up. That if he'd bounced it out one gap or even outside completely, he had yards and yards of daylight with only 1 to beat.

I also wish that McDaniels had throw some screens. I'd love to see a screen where they line up Trips on one side with the Trips being Munford and Stevenson in front of Williams or Henderson.

 

[Triumph]

Can I casually remind everyone these losers rested week 18, purposefully losing against Denver KNOWING they would draw us in the wildcard? How perfectly sweet was it to absolutely throttle them the way we did defensively

The exact reason why I was opposed to having the # 1 seed.

Watch the Broncos 5hit the bed vs the Bills.

 

[GreenCow]

You should spend less time asking why the pats wasted that defense last night and more time asking why McDermott has wasted years of Allen’s career.

Who you kidding? My time posting here is just a temporary break from my non-stop questioning of why McDermott has wasted Allen’s career.

 

[GreenCow]

Of course, there can only be one female Patriots fan.

There’s two!?

 

[mgteich]

.

I’m genuinely shocked that such an overall smart fanbase is being so… homerish.

I don't see why you are surprised.

 

[GreenCow]

The exact reason why I was opposed to having the # 1 seed.

Watch the Broncos 5hit the bed vs the Bills.

This is one of the rare years where having the #1 or #2 seed is a detriment.

#1 seed gets to face Josh Allen and #2 seed gets to face that ridiculous Houston defense.

It’s rare to prefer a wild card, but this is one of those years.

 

[Triumph]

I like what he said and encouraging to hear, but he walked himself right into that.

Vrabel is quite the Defensive Guru.

No doubt about it. Also, he has done a great job building depth and especially on the defense.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Triumph]

This is one of the rare years where having the #1 or #2 seed is a detriment.

#1 seed gets to face Josh Allen and #2 seed gets to face that ridiculous Houston defense.

It’s rare to prefer a wild card, but this is one of those years.

Facing Josh Allen isnt the issue. He isnt Brady or Mahomes.

Its sitting around on your axx too long.

 

[DaBruinz]

This game needed Hollins badly.

I'm going to be honest. Hollins would not have made a difference last night. There were two issues, mainly. Campbell, Wilson, and Bradbury not being able to handle the pass rush and Drake not taken what was given to him. One several of the throw-aways and at least 1 of the sacks, Drake missed that receivers were open or ignored them like he did on 2 plays with Stevenson.

Drake needs to be told not to be greedy. Taking the small stuff will eventually open up the bigger stuff. Hit Rham for a 2-3 yard gain. Then when they shift to stop it, it opens up things for others.

Drake missed that Henry was open on Seam routes a few times. He finally connected with one later in the game and that helped set up the route that Henry scored on.

 

[n1997y]

This is one of the rare years where having the #1 or #2 seed is a detriment.

#1 seed gets to face Josh Allen and #2 seed gets to face that ridiculous Houston defense.

It’s rare to prefer a wild card, but this is one of those years.

Being a wild card would be worse.

They have to face either Denver or the Patriots.

 

[DaBruinz]

We've been having a lot of success in jumbo with six olinemen on the field.

Was it just me, or did they not go Jumbo for most of the 1st half? Even on running plays?

 

[pats99]

Does anyone know who was calling the defensive plays. Zac Kuhr our DC ? I would have thought there would be more flowers thrown his way after that dominant performance (if it was him). Have barely heard his name mentioned by anyone...

 

[n1997y]

Wasn’t Taylor on his last elevation for the Chargers game?

So they need to sign him to the 53 if they want to play him again.

Or maybe making room for a possible waiver claim?

 

[Rob0729]

No, sorry, I meant like whatever Campbell’s score is would be used to compare him to other LTs, not that they judge them with who did best and then 2nd best, etc. I think it’s just designed to tell you how well the LTs did and which did well and which didn’t. And how Campbell’s score compares to his previous games.

I’m just not sure the grades are intended to be used to say Campbell is a 75 and Andy is an 83. Those numbers help in Madden, but I’m not sure they help in real life. But maybe they are designed to be comparable across other positions.

Yes, it is used to measure against other players. But that doesn't change that a 74 for a LT is equivalent as a 74 for a WR. It is just different criteria. Now LTs in the league might have outplayed WRs as a whole that week and 74 could be 12th out of all LT while 74 could be 5th out of all WRs. But the scores themselves doesn't change.

 

[SVN]

Not wasted.

Tested.

Expect to see it again. And likely again after that. Until somebody solves it.

Those blitzes wont work vs rodgers/allen etc so it might be a bit different.

 

[SVN]

I'm going to be honest. Hollins would not have made a difference last night. There were two issues, mainly. Campbell, Wilson, and Bradbury not being able to handle the pass rush and Drake not taken what was given to him. One several of the throw-aways and at least 1 of the sacks, Drake missed that receivers were open or ignored them like he did on 2 plays with Stevenson.

Drake needs to be told not to be greedy. Taking the small stuff will eventually open up the bigger stuff. Hit Rham for a 2-3 yard gain. Then when they shift to stop it, it opens up things for others.

Drake missed that Henry was open on Seam routes a few times. He finally connected with one later in the game and that helped set up the route that Henry scored on.

I have not paid attention to the chargers D closely but could we have run a lot more especially on the edges where we were having trouble blocking ? I really think rhamondre is playing his best football in a while and he really needs his share of touches to help maye

 

[DaBruinz]

Agreed, Texans have a similarly good defense and coverage.

The Texans have better corners than the Chargers. The Safeties are above average and as good as the Chargers.. The LBers might be the "weak" link though they are also above average. Their DEs are EXCELLENT with good depth behind them and their DTs are good.

The Texans defense would be a true test of this offense.

 

[TommyD4207]

Some of the comments here. Wow.

Did I bump my head last night? They won, right?

Not only did they win, they really kicked the Chargers' ass.

Top 5 offense got 200 yards total, most of it in garbage time.

 

[SVN]