By Comparison

[mgteich]

No one cares whether we won or lost the game. What people care about is that we don't know we can count on any of our ILB's, WR's and maybe we'll find about defensive backs next week. And have no clue when Jackson or Kaycur will be back, or when Branch will decide to join his teammates.

There are many, many pluses compared to last year's playoff team. We have listed them many times. We may end up keeping ALL of our draft choices; almost surely all but two will make the team or the Practice Squad.

 

[arrellbee]

That may be so, but he was playing with OUR 2nd and 3rd stringers, too..and that may have caused some problems in pass protection, etc.

That is why I have stated, in several different posts, that next Saturday, against the Cardinals, that Cassel be giventhe start and let him play , for one full quarter, at least, with the rest of the starting unit, particularly the offensive line.

If he has to come into a game during the regular season, those are the guys who he will be playing with,and the guys who will be protecting him.

I'd like to see how he does. I didnt think his performance against the Falcons was too bad, but he needs to play with the starters in order to get a true image of his abilities.

NEM, I like your thoughts. It would be great for us to see and it would certainly provide a level of info for Belichick.

It seems like, however, that Belichick just seems to always be the ultimate pragmatist and ultra methodical and almost pedantic about how he approaches the evolution of practice and even preseason and early season game play. Under that scenario, he wouldn't change his normal playing time plan just for Cassel. I will watch, along with you, with interest to see what he does this time - see if he breaks routine.

 

[Miguel]

Maybe you failed to mention the Colts D allowed the highest completion percentage of any NFL defense last year.

So what??

The Colts allowed 9.19 yards per completion, the 2nd lowest rate in the NFL.
The Colts were tied for 3rd in terms of fewest 40+ yard passing plays allowed with 5. The Colts were tied for 6th in terms of fewest 20+ yard passing plays allowed with 36.

Completion percentage is only one pass defense stat.
The Colts were 15th in fewest yards allowed.
The Colts were 14th in lowest yards per attempt.
The Colts were 6th in fewest passing TDs allowed.
The Colts were 19th in interceptions made.
The Colts were 2nd in sacks made.
The Colts were 1st in the highest number of yards lost by the opponents due to a sack.
The Colts were 19th in terms of opposing QB's rating.

It appears to me that the Colts were willing to give up the short passing play because the longer a drive took, the more chances that the Colts defense could create a sack.

I do not get this board' obsession with the passing completion stat. That stat is the only one that the Patriots defense was good at last year.

The Pats' D had the 4 lowest percentage of passes completed against them last year. On the other hand, the Pats allowed 12.51 yards per completion, the highest rate in the NFL. The Pats were tied for last with the 49ers in the number of 40+ yard passing plays allowed with 14. The Pats gave up the 2nd to most 20+ yard passing plays with 56.

The Pats were 31st in fewest yards allowed.
The Pats were 30th in lowest yards per attempt.
The Pats were 28th in fewest passing TDs allowed.
The Pats were 26th in interceptions made.
The Pats were 23rd in sacks made.
The Pats were 18th in the highest number of yards lost by the opponents due to a sack.
The Pats were 27th in terms of opposing QB's rating.

 

[Pats726]

Whoop de do!!!! ANd the Dolts will go as far as they did last year...maybe...no further..