Browns:We knew we could run on them

[Kontradiction]

Before yesterday the run defense has been solid. I am not worried yet.

Also, whenever a team has success doing something, there is always a player who claims "we knew we could do this or that". We never hear about the times when a team goes into a game convinced that they could do something against the other team and they fail miserably. That is a sports cliche.

You should be. The NFL is a copycat league and, until we prove we can scheme around it, more and more teams will do that to us. This is why we might see Wilfork at NT a lot more often for the rest of the season. Should that happen, teams will just make their living running to the outside.

 

[WelshPat]

Don't worry about the blueprint theory. How many teams have have that good a line and a back like Hillis who can run anyone over? Maybe PIT, or the Jets but really, are the Colts going to line up and run Donald Brown right at us? The Packers with John Kuhn? The Bears with Matt Forte?

 

[mgcolby]

On a sidenote they have a very good left side of the line, maybe the best in the league. They are dinged up on the right side a bit. But Yates came in and played well and Porkchop showed his flexibility moving from Guard to RT and playing well.

The Steelers line is average. And Mendenhall is a tough runner, but I don't see him running over Spikes the way Hillis did. Hillis is unique, he is huge with nimble feet.

Outside of a victory, a beat down by the Browns was the next best thing that could happen to this team.

The young guys learned that they are not at Florida, Alabama etc... anymore and playing the 2-5 Browns is not the same as playing a 2-5 Vanderbilt squad. This is the NFL, sheer talent alone will not guarantee a victory. And just because the other team doesn't have names like Favre, Moss, Peterson and Harvin doesn't mean they are not capable of coming out and punching you in the mouth and knocking you on your ass.

Now we get to see how this young team responds to adversity. Coming off an ass kicking, going on the road to a stadium that hates them for reasons many of them probably don't even understand, against a veteran squad that knows why they hate the Pats, all on prime time.

We will learn alot about the character of this team come next week.

 

[Kontradiction]

Don't worry about the blueprint theory. How many teams have have that good a line and a back like Hillis who can run anyone over? Maybe PIT, or the Jets but really, are the Colts going to line up and run Donald Brown right at us? The Packers with John Kuhn? The Bears with Matt Forte?

In our remaining games? Pittsburgh, the Jets, and the Dolphins. It's the playoffs, and a potential repeat of what happened last year, that I'm worried about.

 

[ausbacker]

Yesterday's loss to the Browns was a necessary results in the continued evolution of the defense. Young players can only learn so much on film. Learning by fire in the cauldron cannot be emphasized enough.

BB will get into Spikes head and teach him the value of patience and letting the play evolve.

 

[RayClay]

Sounds like their offensive coordinator studied us and came up with a proactive plan to exploit us.

Just saying...

Why did Daboll leave us and eventually become a coordinator elsewhere? I suppose he might have felt stuck behind McDaniel.

Anyway, nice of their offensive lineman to tell us exactly what they did so we can correct for it. Doubt you'd see one of our players giving that type of information.

 

[IcyPatriot]

We were eventually going to see this. The Browns essentially sealed off Mayo (shame to see that he's still having some difficulty shedding blocks).

A big strong guy like him ... why do you think he has this problem at times?

I missed the game ... did we ever switch it up to a 4-3?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Let's hope this was a wake up call. After an admirable 2nd half vs one of the best RB's in the league the Cleveland Browns ran on us at will. I still have faith in our run D, Mendenhall will be a good test to see where we're headed after a poor outing.

 

[Jackson 2]

Improvements better be in works - The Boston Globe

some interesting info

Honestly, it's really easy to spout that sort of crap after you kick a team's ass. I don't doubt that they believed that. Most teams that win have to believe that sort of thing before the game. But, if they had lost, what would we have heard from them? Post-game talk is cheap.

 

[BradyBranch39]

Alex Mack

is a moron

 

[PatsBoy12]

BB is too clever to get taken twice by this. Instead of downhill Spikes at ILB he'll start McKenzie at ILB against running teams. Book it.

Did you know that McKenzie was released a day or two ago?

 

[Fencer]

Translation:

The offensive game plan was (in large part) to make sure they always had sufficient hats on Mayo and Wilfork, otherwise try to execute as best they could, and hope the Patriots' execution was inferior to theirs.

It worked. In particular, Spikes (and other Patriot LBs not named "Mayo") didn't consistently diagnose plays correctly.

 

[D-cleater]

Need more consistency from the other D linemen and OLB as well. Pats will rebound from this one

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Before yesterday the run defense has been solid. I am not worried yet.

Also, whenever a team has success doing something, there is always a player who claims "we knew we could do this or that". We never hear about the times when a team goes into a game convinced that they could do something against the other team and they fail miserably. That is a sports cliche.

Well said and absolutely spot on. Every team develops a game plan against their opponent based on "we feel we can do X against them". Congratulations to the browns, their X was very successful (in concert with the Patriot's lack of execution). They get to say "we knew we could do X". Minn's and Miami's X were not (in concert with their lack of execution) and they were left saying "we thought we could do X". It REALLY is nothing more than a sports cliche.
If our next few opponents are running with this much success? The issue is probably systemic....

 

[IllegalContact]

Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up again.

lousy adage........that's not why you fall. don't make it sound like it is a choice

 

[IllegalContact]

bah......the running became easy because mccoy was able to do pretty much whatever he wanted.

the pats defense is incapable of confusing a rookie 3rd string QB

 

[emoney_33]

lousy adage........that's not why you fall. don't make it sound like it is a choice

If you think that quote makes it sound like a choice then you already missed the point so move on.

 

[pats_premi]

I think the run defense missed Chung's presence in the box. This guy knows how to locate the balll carrier and tackle him low. In the game, Hillis appeared to bounce of guys when they attempt to tackle him high.

 

[Kontradiction]

A big strong guy like him ... why do you think he has this problem at times?

I missed the game ... did we ever switch it up to a 4-3?

The ability to shed blocks usually comes down to failures in technique. That's what I would guess.

 

[asfpnepRefugee]

BB is too clever to get taken twice by this. Instead of downhill Spikes at ILB he'll start McKenzie at ILB against running teams. Book it.

The McKenzie that they just waived the other day? Interesting.