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OK, I watched the game closely. I’ve read most of the game threads, and here’s where I come down on the current situation. Am I concerned about the OL, of course I am. Do I wish the offense was more productive, absolutely! However, am I ready to panic on any of these issues…..not even close.
I didn’t post right away because I assumed the self-entitled hand wringers deserved their moment in the sun, and I certainly didn’t want to rain on their parade. It’s not that they don’t have a leg to stand on. 2 sacks aren’t an issue to me, but the SIX QB hits are. So while there ARE things to be concerned about, the LEVEL of anxiety seems way overblown.
Let’s not forget that this is the post 2010 NFL. This is the league of more limited practices, almost non-existent pre-season contact, and team turnover rates of around 20% that coaches are trying to deal with. Is it any wonder why we are seeing such inconsistent football league-wide.
The timing of these complex offenses are such that, I don’t doubt that we will be well into October before we see the kind of consistency we’d all like to see from Brady and company. I am confident that this team is good enough overall to win enough games over the next month or so, that we will be in good position to claim another division crown
One of the keys to the Pats success over the past 13 seasons is the fact that there Pats do a better job coaching up their players than most teams. So while the problems DO exist, why would anyone think they will be issues that won’t improve over time. What in the past 13 seasons would make you feel otherwise.
All that being said, here is what I was thinking about while I was watching the game:
1. It seems to me that the Pats RB’s do better when they attack the LOS quickly. I think too many of their running plays take too long to develop.
2. Brady continues to ignore his check down receivers. I’d like the Pats to do this more. It was very effective for Cutler and the Bears tonight. There were more than a few time I thought I saw Devlin open in this game
3. I think we need to stretch the field more in the passing game. More 15-20 yds intermediate throws. I’m not looking for bombs here. But I get the feeling too many teams are sitting on the short routes. At TC it seemed the Pats were throwing the ball down field more, but for some reason, once the season started, those throws seemed to have disappeared from the play book.
4. My biggest concern about the D was the lack of substitution for Jones and Ninko. Once again they seem to be on the field more than 90% of the time.
5. My other concern is that 2 of my binkies, Collins and Easley, have yet to stand out and have big games and plays. I think they’ve played OK, but I’m expecting more.
6. Revis has been fantastic. It’s been the extremely rare completion where hasn’t been in very tight coverage. I don’t know what anyone else is seeing, but he’s playing up to my high expectations so far
7. Nate Solder is another story. I expect much more than I’m getting from him. No OT is going to win every battle. In the limited time I watched the Jets game, Fergeson was stoning Allen most of the night, but there were 3 or 4 times where they showed Allen beating him for a few hurries and hits. It’s the nature of the game.
8. I thought on one of the sacks, Brady held the ball too long.
9. I’m glad some people are starting to recognize the contributions of Patrick Chung. By the end of the season, he was our best DB in that 2011 superbowl run. There were high expectations for him the next years. Expectations he never reached. Hopefully in this incarnation, and playing with a lot better players, he can elevate his game back to what it was at the end of 2011.
10. I’m a bit surprised I haven’t seen more complaints about the PI call on Logan Ryan, that could have cost the Pats that game (or at least sent it into overtime). I didn’t question the call too much when it first happened. However when they showed the replay, my take was that Ryan had great inside position and it was the receiver who initiated the contact, knocking Ryan down, and not the reverse. Am I nuts, or was it a bad call. I can think of about 3 non-calls made (2 for the Pats and one for the Raiders) that I thought were more worthy of a PI call than THAT one.
11. Speaking of Ryan, he’s taken the next step and has done an excellent job, for the most part. He’s been a very adequate #2 CB thus far. I wish I could say the same for his Rutgers counterpart, Harmon.
12. Nice to see Brady start to spread the ball around in the second half.
13. Danny Amendola can’t catch a break. Open for a TD and Brady misses the throw, then makes a nice gain only to have it called back for the 3rd time this season.
14. Edelman continues to shine on the outside
15. I’m a big Josh McDaniels fan, but I can see how some fans aren’t happy with him and he needs to step it up, like most of the offensive personnel
Tough week coming up in KC. Its not easy to start the season with 3 road games in the first 4 weeks KC is a tough and noisy crowd With KC’s pass rush, it will be a big test for this OL.
I didn’t post right away because I assumed the self-entitled hand wringers deserved their moment in the sun, and I certainly didn’t want to rain on their parade. It’s not that they don’t have a leg to stand on. 2 sacks aren’t an issue to me, but the SIX QB hits are. So while there ARE things to be concerned about, the LEVEL of anxiety seems way overblown.
Let’s not forget that this is the post 2010 NFL. This is the league of more limited practices, almost non-existent pre-season contact, and team turnover rates of around 20% that coaches are trying to deal with. Is it any wonder why we are seeing such inconsistent football league-wide.
The timing of these complex offenses are such that, I don’t doubt that we will be well into October before we see the kind of consistency we’d all like to see from Brady and company. I am confident that this team is good enough overall to win enough games over the next month or so, that we will be in good position to claim another division crown
One of the keys to the Pats success over the past 13 seasons is the fact that there Pats do a better job coaching up their players than most teams. So while the problems DO exist, why would anyone think they will be issues that won’t improve over time. What in the past 13 seasons would make you feel otherwise.
All that being said, here is what I was thinking about while I was watching the game:
1. It seems to me that the Pats RB’s do better when they attack the LOS quickly. I think too many of their running plays take too long to develop.
2. Brady continues to ignore his check down receivers. I’d like the Pats to do this more. It was very effective for Cutler and the Bears tonight. There were more than a few time I thought I saw Devlin open in this game
3. I think we need to stretch the field more in the passing game. More 15-20 yds intermediate throws. I’m not looking for bombs here. But I get the feeling too many teams are sitting on the short routes. At TC it seemed the Pats were throwing the ball down field more, but for some reason, once the season started, those throws seemed to have disappeared from the play book.
4. My biggest concern about the D was the lack of substitution for Jones and Ninko. Once again they seem to be on the field more than 90% of the time.
5. My other concern is that 2 of my binkies, Collins and Easley, have yet to stand out and have big games and plays. I think they’ve played OK, but I’m expecting more.
6. Revis has been fantastic. It’s been the extremely rare completion where hasn’t been in very tight coverage. I don’t know what anyone else is seeing, but he’s playing up to my high expectations so far
7. Nate Solder is another story. I expect much more than I’m getting from him. No OT is going to win every battle. In the limited time I watched the Jets game, Fergeson was stoning Allen most of the night, but there were 3 or 4 times where they showed Allen beating him for a few hurries and hits. It’s the nature of the game.
8. I thought on one of the sacks, Brady held the ball too long.
9. I’m glad some people are starting to recognize the contributions of Patrick Chung. By the end of the season, he was our best DB in that 2011 superbowl run. There were high expectations for him the next years. Expectations he never reached. Hopefully in this incarnation, and playing with a lot better players, he can elevate his game back to what it was at the end of 2011.
10. I’m a bit surprised I haven’t seen more complaints about the PI call on Logan Ryan, that could have cost the Pats that game (or at least sent it into overtime). I didn’t question the call too much when it first happened. However when they showed the replay, my take was that Ryan had great inside position and it was the receiver who initiated the contact, knocking Ryan down, and not the reverse. Am I nuts, or was it a bad call. I can think of about 3 non-calls made (2 for the Pats and one for the Raiders) that I thought were more worthy of a PI call than THAT one.
11. Speaking of Ryan, he’s taken the next step and has done an excellent job, for the most part. He’s been a very adequate #2 CB thus far. I wish I could say the same for his Rutgers counterpart, Harmon.
12. Nice to see Brady start to spread the ball around in the second half.
13. Danny Amendola can’t catch a break. Open for a TD and Brady misses the throw, then makes a nice gain only to have it called back for the 3rd time this season.
14. Edelman continues to shine on the outside
15. I’m a big Josh McDaniels fan, but I can see how some fans aren’t happy with him and he needs to step it up, like most of the offensive personnel
Tough week coming up in KC. Its not easy to start the season with 3 road games in the first 4 weeks KC is a tough and noisy crowd With KC’s pass rush, it will be a big test for this OL.