Expect a slow start.

[Redman443]

What i've seen over the last few playoff games is

Atlanta in the first half caught us off guard, they were being very physical and overwhelming but we figured them out in the second half as the game slowed down.
Vs JAX, i saw some of the same. their linebackers and safeties were flying to the ball and being physical but as it slowed down, mcdaniels was able to figure them out.

i'm expecting some of the same against philly. if we win no doubt its going to be a close game. I see alot of people saying blowout but its not going to happen. They have the feeling of being the underdog and they're using it for motivation to win, every opponent weve faced in the super bowl has showed up to play.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

I think we will start fast this time with all the talk about not scoring in the first quarter.

 

[mosslost]

What i've seen over the last few playoff games is

Atlanta in the first half caught us off guard, they were being very physical and overwhelming but we figured them out in the second half as the game slowed down.
Vs JAX, i saw some of the same. their linebackers and safeties were flying to the ball and being physical but as it slowed down, mcdaniels was able to figure them out.

i'm expecting some of the same against philly. if we win no doubt its going to be a close game. I see alot of people saying blowout but its not going to happen. They have the feeling of being the underdog and they're using it for motivation to win, every opponent weve faced in the super bowl has showed up to play.

Pats up 14-0 in Q1

 

[Soliel]

What i've seen over the last few playoff games is

Atlanta in the first half caught us off guard, they were being very physical and overwhelming but we figured them out in the second half as the game slowed down.
Vs JAX, i saw some of the same. their linebackers and safeties were flying to the ball and being physical but as it slowed down, mcdaniels was able to figure them out.

i'm expecting some of the same against philly. if we win no doubt its going to be a close game. I see alot of people saying blowout but its not going to happen. They have the feeling of being the underdog and they're using it for motivation to win, every opponent weve faced in the super bowl has showed up to play.

I’ll be relieved if they can score anything in the first quarter. Even a field goal.

All the teams did show up to play, all the pretenders are gone now so I expect both teams to play hard and well

 

[luuked]

So expect the same as in most games in the last 2-3 years where apart from the scripted offense we slowly figure out what the opponent is doing and then start to adjust to it throughout the first half.

Nothing new.

 

[Redman443]

So expect the same as in most games in the last 2-3 years where apart from the scripted offense we slowly figure out what the opponent is doing and then start to adjust to it throughout the first half.

Nothing new.

it feels like that's almost the game plan lol.

 

[luuked]

it feels like that's almost the game plan lol.

Because it is.

You go into the prep week with an idea of what the opponent will show based on film and prepare for that. However your opponent doesn't sleep during their prep week and adds a few wrinkles and adjustments into their gameplan. So the first quarter usually is about figuring out what kind of game it will be and then try to find adjustments that work. Sometimes you find something almost immediately, other times it takes a quarter to find the right balance.

You start out more vanilla and then have a more custom-fit offense and defense as the game progresses.

 

[Mr.Bandwagon]

What i've seen over the last few playoff games is

Atlanta in the first half caught us off guard, they were being very physical and overwhelming but we figured them out in the second half as the game slowed down.
Vs JAX, i saw some of the same. their linebackers and safeties were flying to the ball and being physical but as it slowed down, mcdaniels was able to figure them out.

i'm expecting some of the same against philly. if we win no doubt its going to be a close game. I see alot of people saying blowout but its not going to happen. They have the feeling of being the underdog and they're using it for motivation to win, every opponent weve faced in the super bowl has showed up to play.

My friend said not to believe you.
He said it's a BLOW OUT game.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Sometimes you just can't keep going back to the same well. It would be nice to have a lead after the 3rd quarter. That eagles OL has played well. Can we get pressure on Foles?

 

[Uptown]

Screw scoring in the first quarter. I want a TD on the first drive!!!





Please

 

[FCB02062]

OK, so it's hard to argue with the Patriots conservative approach to early game situations, BUT wouldn't it be just as effective to get up early and take the opponent out of their game plan and/or make them 1 dimensional?
Plus it'd make it easier on us fans...

 

[billdog3484]

I think we will start fast this time with all the talk about not scoring in the first quarter.

we talked about slow starts last time too. didnt matter

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Related question - if NE wins the toss does Bill defer or take the ball? In SB 49 he took the ball and that set the tone for the Pats offense, which was counter to what he normally does.

 

[mosi]

I think we will start fast this time with all the talk about not scoring in the first quarter.

Well, you know what they say, "The eight time is always the charm..."

 

[Dingleberry]

Let's not forget that they were driving toward the red zone last year in the 1st quarter when Blount decided to fumble. Could have easily gone up 7-0 and totally changed how that game played out. Not that I'd want to change that now.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

I’ll be relieved if they can score anything in the first quarter. Even a field goal.

All the teams did show up to play, all the pretenders are gone now so I expect both teams to play hard and well

No to the FG. I believe it's 1 maybe 2, SBs in my lifetime, where the team that scores first with a FG, LOSES.

I was doing cartwheels when Viantieri missed his first FG in SB 38. No joke.

I think what it means is, you aren't good enough to score TDs, so settling for FGs, means you're actually inferior, offensively. And that trend seems to find itself throughout the game, especially considering you've scripted your first drive, so that MIGHT be the best drive of the game.

It's amazing how that stat actually holds up, by the way.

We need a TD for once. 7 points and a nice 3 and out, would be beautiful.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Related question - if NE wins the toss does Bill defer or take the ball? In SB 49 he took the ball and that set the tone for the Pats offense, which was counter to what he normally does.

Well, there is no wind, so who knows what he wants to do. Probably takes the ball since it's a dome and to try to go up 7-0 and immediately put pressure on Foles. Are there enough Pats/Vikes fans to make it feel like a road game for Foles? Hopefully, but unlikely. He doesn't like being on the road.

 

[luuked]

No to the FG. I believe it's 1 maybe 2, SBs in my lifetime, where the team that scores first with a FG, LOSES.

I was doing cartwheels when Viantieri missed his first FG in SB 38. No joke.

I think what it means is, you aren't good enough to score TDs, so settling for FGs, means you're actually inferior offensively.

It's amazing how that stat actually holds up, by the way.

We need a TD for once. 7 points and a nice 3 and out, would beautiful.

Yeah, no I rather take the points than hope for a miss just because of a meaningless, random stat. How any reasonable person can believe in garbage like that is beyond me.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Yeah, no I rather take the points than hope for a miss just because of a meaningless, random stat. How any reasonable person can believe in garbage like that is beyond me.

I don't think making sense of what analytics may mean, is "garbage".

It may just be a coincidence, but it's certainly happened a crapload of times in SB history.

I don't want the theory to hold, thanks very much.

Like I said, there is a reason why a team is settling for a FG in the first place.

 

[Snooky97]

35-0 by halftime.