How nervous are you about the Bills game?

[Rob0729]

I just posted this in the Mankins out thread, but relevant to this thread:

Matt Chatham brought up a point that might set some minds at ease. He said that the Pats have problems (even when Donald Thomas was starting for Connolly) not when four guys rushed, but when the opposing team sent the fifth guy because of lack of continuity and communication by the o-line. It was the extra guy that screwed them up. The Bills are a team that will send four most of the time.

He said he would be more scared if the Pats were facing a Cards or Ravens that tends to send the fifth guy more, but a Wansteadt defense is vanilla and they line up and go with not a lot of twists. There probably won't be a lot of missed blocking assignments. Maybe lost battles, but not like a lot of guys running in unblocked like we saw in the last two games.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I want Dennard to heal up. He could fly up the depth chart if healthy.

 

[goheels22002]

You severely overrate the Jets.

The Jets beat the Bills 48-28 and are in 1st place in the AFC East (on tiebreakers). How can we overrate the Jets?

The Jets absolutely dominated the Bills on both sides of the ball and have their destiny in their own hands.

The Patriots are in last place in the AFC East and sucking wind. Arguably, two of the top three players on the Pats' vaunted offense are injured. Panic has set in in Patriot Nation and the ledge is more crowded than a lifeboat on the Titanic.

Yikes!!!!!!!!

 

[Ring 6]

I just posted this in the Mankins out thread, but relevant to this thread:

Matt Chatham brought up a point that might set some minds at ease. He said that the Pats have problems (even when Donald Thomas was starting for Connolly) not when four guys rushed, but when the opposing team sent the fifth guy because of lack of continuity and communication by the o-line. It was the extra guy that screwed them up. The Bills are a team that will send four most of the time.

He said he would be more scared if the Pats were facing a Cards or Ravens that tends to send the fifth guy more, but a Wansteadt defense is vanilla and they line up and go with not a lot of twists. There probably won't be a lot of missed blocking assignments. Maybe lost battles, but not like a lot of guys running in unblocked like we saw in the last two games.

No one here had any problem with Thomas before that game. Thomas didn't play well, blowing more blocks that acceptable, but of course it gets blown out of proportion around here, and from reading posts you would think he is the worst OL ever and game up 20 sacks in that game. I'm not worried that he is competant.

 

[JMC00]

Queue the the sack machine that wil become Jake Bequette (Sic)

or heres hoping anyway

i am of the opinion that he might be an upgrade over ninkovich at LDE

 

[Rob0729]

No one here had any problem with Thomas before that game. Thomas didn't play well, blowing more blocks that acceptable, but of course it gets blown out of proportion around here, and from reading posts you would think he is the worst OL ever and game up 20 sacks in that game. I'm not worried that he is competant.

Never said that. It is more about putting new pieces in and out to screw up continuity. I am talking about picking up blocking assignments which has more to do with everyone on the line communicating and knowing what everyone is doing. That usually takes working with the rest of the group.

I don't think Thomas is nearly as bad as many people on this board say. He is a good back up. Maybe not a great back up, but able to do the job for a game or two when asked.

 

[Ring 6]

Never said that. It is more about putting new pieces in and out to screw up continuity. I am talking about picking up blocking assignments which has more to do with everyone on the line communicating and knowing what everyone is doing. That usually takes working with the rest of the group.

I don't think Thomas is nearly as bad as many people on this board say. He is a good back up. Maybe not a great back up, but able to do the job for a game or two when asked.

I didn't mean to imply you were saying that.
As far as Thomas, I think he is competant, any more than that, we will need to see more. We have had many backup OK that could have been described that way before getting their chance who turned into decent starters, including Neal and Connolly at G.

 

[italian pat patriot]

a little bit...

a very crucial game imho near a 'must win' ones...

let's hope the Pats will play a good football game without mistakes

we can win...Go Pats !!!

 

[Ring 6]

i am of the opinion that he might be an upgrade over ninkovich at LDE

While I'm not the worlds biggest Ninkovich fan, that is a hell of a stretch for a guy who can't even impress the coaching staff enough to be active. There are other players who are active and not starting at LDE who are also ahead of whatever Bequette is at this point, which appears to be a guy not ready for the NFL but with potential.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I'm not blaming anything on the refs but the 2 egregious game decided poor calls.
Are you disputing those calls were wrong, and the Pats would be 3-0 if the right ones were made?
Feel free though to use that discussion to rip the team and say it sucks, because you seem to be on a roll

C'mon, Andy. Enough with the refs.

I cede nothing to anyone on this Board in the Homer department and watched your Namesake play his first game at Foxboro in 1974

But if you're talking about the FG call, I've watched the tape on a big screen from the front (not the useless tape from the stands and the rear where you can't even see the ball until it's past the upright) a dozen times and half the time I think it's inside the right upright when it breaks the plane of the Uprights and half the time I think it's outside the interior arc of the upright. That was a questionable call, but not one you can say with confidence was "wrong."

The uncomfortable facts are that the Pats got the ball with the lead and 4:01 on the clock and Brady went one for four with a sack, turned it over on a mighty 30 year punt and Flacco then took his team 61 yards and got the chance to attempt that kick; we can cry all we want about the call on McCourty, but the fact is we gave them the chance to win the game. After the game, Brady said that the team has to start finishing and winning close games again. I think that pretty much describes it.

As for the Arizona game, the opponent didn't roll over like it was supposed to and the Pats didn't start playing until the fourth quarter, when they still missed a two point conversion and a Field Goal that would have been clutch but should have been made.

 

[Ring 6]

C'mon, Andy. Enough with the refs.

I cede nothing to anyone on this Board in the Homer department and watched your Namesake play his first game at Foxboro in 1974

But if you're talking about the FG call, I've watched the tape from the front (not the useless tape from the stands and the rear where you can't even see the ball until it's past the upright) a dozen times and half the time I think it's inside the right upright when it breaks the plane of the Uprights and half the time I think it's outside the interior arc of the upright. That was a questionable call, but not one you can say with confidence was "wrong."

The uncomfortable facts are that the Pats got the ball with the lead and 4:01 on the clock and Brady went one for four with a sack, turned it over on a mighty 30 year punt and Flacco then took his team 61 yards and got the chance to attempt that kick; we can cry all we want about the call on McCourty, but the fact is we gave them the chance to win the game. After the game, Brady said that the team has to start finishing and winning close games again. I think that pretty much describes it.

As for the Arizona game, the opponent didn't roll over like it was supposed to and the Pats didn't start playing until the fourth quarter, when they still missed a two point conversion and a Field Goal that would have been clutch but should have been made.

All of those things make the calls inconsequential, and of course a team is supposed to, in a perfect world, not leave the game up to the refs.
The calls were also bad, and the fact is they win if those calls are right.
It is not excusing the team from playing better to accept that they played well enough to win if those calls were made properly but not well enough to win despite one critical blown call.

 

[Deus Irae]

...The uncomfortable facts are that the Pats got the ball with the lead and 4:01 on the clock and Brady went one for four with a sack, turned it over on a mighty 30 year punt and Flacco then took his team 61 yards and got the chance to attempt that kick; we can cry all we want about the call on McCourty, but the fact is we gave them the chance to win the game. After the game, Brady said that the team has to start finishing and winning close games again. I think that pretty much describes it...

The uncomfortable fact is that the replacement officials are largely responsible for a Patriots loss against the Ravens which could determine home field and/or a bye.

 

[goheels22002]

The uncomfortable fact is that the replacement officials are largely responsible for a Patriots loss against the Ravens which could determine home field and/or a bye.

If we have to blame anyone, I blame the defensive front seven and Matt Patricia for not getting a mitt on Joe Flacco all day long.

The referees lost control early and threw more flags on the Ravens than on the Patriots (14 - 10 in penalties.) The field goal at the end was a by-product of a defense that didn't pressure the quarterback.

It was still a tremendous football game. The replay was as much fun to watch as real-time. There were things going on all over the place on almost every play.

Things will be much more orderly today which should help the Patriots.

 

[Ring 6]

If we have to blame anyone, I blame the defensive front seven and Matt Patricia for not getting a mitt on Joe Flacco all day long.

The referees lost control early and threw more flags on the Ravens than on the Patriots (14 - 10 in penalties.) The field goal at the end was a by-product of a defense that didn't pressure the quarterback.

It was still a tremendous football game. The replay was as much fun to watch as real-time. There were things going on all over the place on almost every play.

Things will be much more orderly today which should help the Patriots.

So if the ref made the right call and the FG was no good, we should still be credited with a loss because we didn't pressure the QB so they got a FG attempt?

 

[goheels22002]

So if the ref made the right call and the FG was no good, we should still be credited with a loss because we didn't pressure the QB so they got a FG attempt?

I think you meant that the FG was good.

Excellent Freudian slip. Hmmmm.

No, we should take the outcome no matter what. My point was, the Patriots need to hurry, hit, and sack the opposing quarterback and not leave the DBs out there having to cover all day. Especially with the speed and aggressiveness of these Patriot linebackers and DBs. Let's see a blitz.

Flacco had an excellent day because he had time and never got rattled. Fitzpatrick is the same sort of QB. Leave him alone and he's an excellent passer. Smack him around and he gets antsy and and makes mistakes.

 

[Deus Irae]

I think you meant that the FG was good.

Excellent Freudian slip. Hmmmm.

No, we should take the outcome no matter what. My point was, the Patriots need to hurry, hit, and sack the opposing quarterback and not leave the DBs out there having to cover all day. Especially with the speed and aggressiveness of these Patriot linebackers and DBs. Let's see a blitz.

Flacco had an excellent day because he had time and never got rattled. Fitzpatrick is the same sort of QB. Leave him alone and he's an excellent passer. Smack him around and he gets antsy and and makes mistakes.

Flacco had an "excellent day" because of several factors. One of the biggest was that the officials bailed his ass out with lousy calls on multiple occasions.

 

[Ring 6]

I think you meant that the FG was good.

Excellent Freudian slip. Hmmmm.

No I siad if he made the correct call and called it no good.

No, we should take the outcome no matter what.

Then why did you just say the pass rush is responsible for the loss because they allowed the wrong call to be made?

My point was, the Patriots need to hurry, hit, and sack the opposing quarterback and not leave the DBs out there having to cover all day. Especially with the speed and aggressiveness of these Patriot linebackers and DBs. Let's see a blitz.

And again, those are issues that led to the kick mattering. Nonetheless if the refs got 2 calls right, the Pats are 3-0. That is what I said that you objected to. Now you are moving the goalposts.

Flacco had an excellent day because he had time and never got rattled. Fitzpatrick is the same sort of QB.

No he isnt. They are very different. You only create that comparison to try to support an opinion.

Leave him alone and he's an excellent passer. Smack him around and he gets antsy and and makes mistakes.

We have been watching different QBs in Buffalo the last few years I guess.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

The uncomfortable fact is that the replacement officials are largely responsible for a Patriots loss against the Ravens which could determine home field and/or a bye.

we're just going to have to disagree. we watched the same calls and saw a big one differently. however, the most uncomfortable fact is that home field and a bye are the least of our concerns this afternoon.

 

[pork3]

Well, it seems likely we're losing this game and we're going to start the season with a 1-3 record.
I guess the following question should be whether the Patriots have any chance of going deep into the playoffs if actually even making the playoffs.
This is not a very good team gentlemen as of this moment in time, at least not good enough to compete with the likes of the Texans.

-Jamman

 

[jmt57]

Well, it seems likely we're losing this game and we're going to start the season with a 1-3 record.

-Jamman

While your prognostication may end up being true two hours from now, it should be noted that there are indeed times in NFL history where a team that was down by 7 points at half time actually made a miraculous comeback and won that game.