Game Prepartion Theory

[brdmaverick]

To be fair, it's not my theory, but it's one that just might apply to the Pats. At least this past Sunday's game has me thinking about it.

Someone wrote an article about how Peyton Manning's post season success was mediocre because of preparation. In the regular season, it's Manning's game preparation that puts him over the edge of opponents. During the post season, however, teams put in just as much prepartation and level the playing field.

Perhaps the same could be said about Tom Brady and the Patriots. After all, we've now seen three post season losses in which the Patriots posted their lowest point total of the season (14 points vs. GIants in 2007, 17 points vs GIants in 2011, 13 points vs. Ravens in 2012). The 13 points marks the Patriots lowest offensive output since week 2 of the 2009 season.

Why is it that the playoffs have resulted in the offensive juggernaut losing it's mojo? Quality of opponent? I mean, that would make sense, but the Pats have played many quality teams during these season and put up much higher numbers. Maybe there really is something to be said for the other teams putting in game preparation that is at the same level of the Patriots.




addtion: The 2010 team had their second lowest output in the playoffs (21 pts against the Jets). Only their 14 points in the regular season was lower.

 

[Sciz]

I think it's just from facing the same teams. There are three main teams that Brady has struggled against: the Jets, the Ravens, and the Giants. He's had regular season stinkers against them, and he's had postseason stinkers against them. And that's the Pats' last five playoff losses right there. That doesn't explain the bad games where the Pats still won, but it explains the losses. Those teams just know how to throw Brady off his game.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I would say it's a combination of opposing playoff teams catching up to the Patriots when post-season arrives by doing extra scouting and work.

At the same time, the Pats probably don't do anything extra beyond their typical hard work in game planning. They do the same things that got them there, and don't account for what happens if their favorite plays don't work anymore.

Add that to zero half-time adjustments in big games, and it results in the low offensive outputs in big playoff games.