Idle Thoughts - OMG - edition

[Gwedd]

I'm usually an "even keel" non-reactionary type of fan ... However, at what point is BB held accountable for this "Defense" .. Yes, I am aware of key injuries .. We were a few yards from letting this one slip away .. a few yards! I'm not saying fire the entire coaching staff, but this has to be looked at .. I would say for the past 4 seasons its the same old stuff ... Can't stop a friggin nosebleed ..Yes, we are 10-3, but does it really feel like a "10-3" team?

Yes, it DOES feel like a 10-3 team, because it IS a 10-3 team. You are what your record says you are. Coach was once asked by one of the sports mediots what type of statistics he keeps. He wryly responded that the only stat he's interested in is the score at the end of the game.

As someone who remembered the 70's, 80' & 90's I can assure you that this team is legit. Many of those older teams would never have been able to make the sort of comebacks this team has.

In the old days, the Patriot's games went pretty much like this: Get ahead early, fall behind, rally late, fall short. The game would always have some memorable way of losing. A dropped pass, a shanked kick, a sack, etc. No matter how well things were going, we knew that somehow they'd manage to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

So yeah. I'll take these guys, these rookies, street pick ups and whoever else they throw in there because these guys are footballers. They WANT to play, and they play for the full 60 minutes.

There's an old saying about hound dogs. "It isn't the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."

New England might look like a Greyhound, but it fights like a Rottweiler.

I'm down with that.

 

[patfanken]

That hit was not clean IMO Ken. If it was clean it would of been higher. Not to wussify football anymore than it needs to be, but if they have a few more of these types of hits to star caliber players they are going to need to implement a strike zone. Shoulders to thighs.

Geez, I've never been more bummed after a win.

I feel your pain PM. Its a natural reaction. How do I know? Because it was my reaction, to lash out and want to put blame on it. However when I watch the replay, all I see is a guy going low. He didn't hit with his helmet. He didn't even hit him with the top of his shoulder. It looks to me like he rolled into him and hit with his side. Gronk's injury is simply the misfortune of him having his foot planted at exactly the wrong point when contact was made.

Like I said in my post, Josh Gordon was the recipient of a very similar hit just a few plays later. And for whatever the reason, he just bounced right up none the worse for where.

BTW- if he had led with the top of his helmet, I'd be singing a different story. IMO, Phil Taylor should have been called for a spear coming in late on Blount leading with the top of his helmet. It caused Blount to get pissed and rightfully so. But on Gronk's hit, this didn't happen.

 

[Gwedd]

BTW- if he had led with the top of his helmet, I'd be singing a different story. IMO, Phil Taylor should have been called for a spear coming in late on Blount leading with the top of his helmet. It caused Blount to get pissed and rightfully so. But on Gronk's hit, this didn't happen.

I was livid when I saw that hit. Blount was already down, and had a Browns player on him when Taylor came flying in, leading with his helmet. That should have absolutely been a 15-yard penalty for striking a defenseless player, at the very least.

 

[jsull87]

I'm usually an "even keel" non-reactionary type of fan ... However, at what point is BB held accountable for this "Defense" .. Yes, I am aware of key injuries .. We were a few yards from letting this one slip away .. a few yards! I'm not saying fire the entire coaching staff, but this has to be looked at .. I would say for the past 4 seasons its the same old stuff ... Can't stop a friggin nosebleed ..Yes, we are 10-3, but does it really feel like a "10-3" team?

We are 10-3 and the reason it doesn't "feel like a 10-3 team" is because we have been playing banged up and gutting out wins all year.

We'd probably feel like a 10-3 team to you if Vollmer, Kelly, Mayo, Wilfork, Gronk, Talib, Amendola et al were all on the field and at 100% at the same time.

 

[supafly]

We'd probably feel like a 10-3 team to you if Vollmer, Kelly, Mayo, Wilfork, Gronk, Talib, Amendola et al were all on the field and at 100% at the same time.

The truth of the matter though, is that we've had to come behind in the past 3 games to win miracle finishes against the likes of some of the worst teams in the league (aside from spotting DEN 24 pts). That is certainly very, very concerning. What's even more concerning is the amount of points that they are giving up since the loss of Wilfork and Mayo, which now averages over 27 per game. How much longer can we continue to win giving up 27 points per game? Or not scoring at all in the first half? Or coming back at the last possible moment, especially considering this low level of competition?

Do we have a shot? Of course we do--especially if they secure the bye. We certainly have the capacity to win a home playoff game, even if it's against the likes of Cincinnati or KC in a rematch; but there's also reason to temper the expectations too, and that's just a damn shame considering that this year's team has done some pretty special things.

If the defense could just get back to playing like the shoddy defense of just the past few yrs, we may have a chance. The odds of our defense suddenly looking good or at least capable again however, probably aren't too good.

I think these next upcoming 2 away games vs (once again) tougher defensive teams who have been playing better of late is going to be a very, very big challenge. Unfortunately, it seems as though we really need that #2 seed to have much of a chance, and should we lose one of those next 3 games CIN would then move into the #2 slot with their head to head win vs NE. I think they have to run the table in the next 3 games to have much of a shot in the post-season, and that is going to be a pretty tall order with our best offensive skill position player gone for the 3rd yr in a row. I never thought I'd see the day where I actually thought we'd need the likes of Dobson, Thompkins, etc to return, but we're there now, and they damn well need to produce like veterans on top of everything to boot.

Collie, Edelman, and Amendola are 3 good players at times, but we have absolutely zero threat of stretching the defense anymore. I think it's unfortunate that we went from thinking that at least the offense may carry us due to the horrible defense, and now that's even a big question mark too. Hopefully they can win out the last 3 weeks, but my concern is that the odds may not be as good as some would think. In the meantime, let's hope this magical season continues.

 

[patriot lifer]

speaking of patricia, he sucks.......regardless of the injuries and who's out there, I think what he's got some of these players looking at prevents them from being as good as they can be. I just think he's an ineffective DC

as for the RB's, it's nice they have the guys who they have, but in the name of offensive consistency, they need to consolidate carries. with the way blount was playing, he should have had double the touches. you just have to go with the hot hand, and at this point of the season, I can see blount being more effective.

With Blount, I would balance what you said with some moderation. RB's like all other positions get worn out too over the course of the season. I remember when Shonne Green came in for the Jets back in his first real playing action in a post season. He wasn't a great player, but had fresh legs. In the playoff run, the Jets had a lot of success with him, because he was fresh.

Of course the next seasons they always thought he would re-produce what he did in that playoff run, which he could never duplicate because he was on the same playing level as everyone else entering future seasons.

 

[supafly]

I think the concern with Blount is that he's somewhat limited, speed-wise. He can burst through a hole with the best of them, as long as he's running downhill, but I think that Ridley can make more plays out of nothing as a whole.

I also think that Ridley is the RB who can actually break one or take it to the house, should he be able to hit that 2nd/3rd level. My concern is that Blount isn't really able to do this.

 

[patriot lifer]

Perspective: We should all have the perspective that this team is a patchwork of quick-fixes and that the ride is not going to last forever. 31 teams do not win the superbowl every year, whether or not they appear primed for a SB run or not. All we can do is enjoy the effort they're making and hope for the best.

Fans will boo at the stadium. More players will get hurt. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the season.

And let's be clear, this is not the '09 Patriots. This is the fun 2010-201x era Pats. No need to get depressed. And the trolls will come and go as they do. It's all entertainment after all.

 

[hwc]

This team actually reminds me of the 2001 Patriots. That team also had an offense where a 3 and out was a good series. That team needed breaks like a player landing unconscious on a fumble with a foot out of bounds to prevent a turnover and set up a miracle come from behind win.

I don't know how that team won games. I don't know how this team is winning games.

It took a miracle for that team to go deep in the playoffs. It would take a miracle for this team to go deep in the playoffs. Actually, it's a miracle they are even in the hunt. The Hernandez thing alone would have blown up most teams.

 

[livinginthe past]

Great post Ken.

We've been spoiled in recent seasons - this team was so predictably good nearly every game - the offense so consistently hot that we didn't have to worry too much on Sundays (apart from the usual cry-fest regarding the D or McDaniels).

This year has been tough - a real rollercoaster - the thing I have learned - the hard way in 2007 and 2011 - is that it really does become something of a crap shoot in the post-season.

Recent SB winners Ravens, Steelers, Colts and Giants spent large parts of the season sucking it up - giving their fanbase very little faith they would even make the playoffs let alone win the SB.

These teams got hot, made some plays, got some breaks and they won it all.

Lets make the playoffs and see how the chips fall.

 

[DarrylS]

When I read Matt Patricia sucks, people often discount that BB has a lot of impact on the D, have never noticed any other HC in the NFL coming to a defensive personnel group and coaching them up...

Talib looks like he is playing at about 75%, Dennard also looks injured as well.. interior linemen are not a strong point... Gregory playing with a cast on, it goes on and on.

There are no excuses just context, BB is not listening to the sweet sounds of Bon Jovi on those headphones... there is and only will be so much you can do with the current personnel on this team.

 

[1960Pats]

Yes, we are 10-3, but does it really feel like a "10-3" team?

No. It feels better than 10-3.

 

[UK_Pat37]

I disagree with number 10. That was an obvious helmet to the knee. I've said this dozens of times when this subject came up about them coming down hard on high hits. Why are the defensive players aiming high anyway ? Because they wanted to get on ESPN for a vicious hit. Tackling fundamentals are a lost art in football in football since the 90's. What get's you on TV ? A perfect form tackle where your wrap your arms around the legs or waist, or a knockout hit ? Instead of wrapping up and tackling Gronk, he dove in head first into his knees, which could do one of three things, breaks the tacklers neck, Gronk hurdles the defender, or Gronk gets his knee wrecked. In no way shape or form was that a good clean hit, it was a dumb dangerous hit. I'm 51 years old, and I guarantee you I still know how to tackle CORRECTLY, why, because we practiced the FUNDAMENTALS of tackling all the time.

Tackling for dummies, or for NFL defenders.

How to Make a Tackle in Football : Where to Hit When Tackling in Football - YouTube

Here's another

How to Perform a Tackle in Football - YouTube

Here's a little kid making a perfect tackle

The perfect football tackle by Michael Cardinali,monroe wolverines - YouTube

The moron who hurt Gronk did not perform a perfect OR clean hit.

Quit your whining.

Clear helmet to the knee? You're talking like it's actually a written rule. Find me a rule where that's a penalty. It was a legal hit.

Gronkowski has 65lbs and 8" over TJ Ward. The SMART thing to do is tackle him low. I'd have tackled him low.

Coaches TEACH players to go low on guys like Gronk. Not because they're hoping to hurt the guy but because it is the quickest and most efficient way to bring him down. We have seen guys tackle Gronk around the waist and be dragged for a good five yards!!! It isn't the smartest thing to do...I'd have gone low and I would have taught my player to go low.

The reaction to this hit is ridiculous and over sensitive.

 

[reflexblue]

Ive seen this replayed over and over this morning, ward hit gronk with his shoulder. It was the angle that was more of a factor, if ward hit gronk head on instead of from the side i don't think the injury happens.

 

[reflexblue]

When I read Matt Patricia sucks, people often discount that BB has a lot of impact on the D, have never noticed any other HC in the NFL coming to a defensive personnel group and coaching them up...

Talib looks like he is playing at about 75%, Dennard also looks injured as well.. interior linemen are not a strong point... Gregory playing with a cast on, it goes on and on.

There are no excuses just context, BB is not listening to the sweet sounds of Bon Jovi on those headphones... there is and only will be so much you can do with the current personnel on this team.

there are a number of posters on here that seem to think you can replace a pro bowl player with a Jag and the results will be the same. These same posters seem to feel that if a player is on the field even injured there is no excuse for not being able at the same level as they did pre injury. Talib has been nursing that hip flexor for at least a month sometimes it gets so bad he has to come out of the game. So theres a physical reason he couldn't keep up yesterday, same goes for the rest of the injured. People don't seem to appreciate that fact.

 

[DefenseRules]

I'm not that worried about the offense. They have to do things differently now and I believe that they have enough players to do it.

HOWEVER,

The defense is just flat out frustrating. They have to do something about it. I know Wilfork and Mayo are gone, but come on man. At least stop the run.

 

[juny]

The defense is just flat out frustrating. They have to do something about it. I know Wilfork and Mayo are gone, but come on man. At least stop the run.

OR a 3rd and 17

 

[livinginthe past]

I'm not that worried about the offense. They have to do things differently now and I believe that they have enough players to do it.

HOWEVER,

The defense is just flat out frustrating. They have to do something about it. I know Wilfork and Mayo are gone, but come on man. At least stop the run.

Outside of QB scrambles and a WR reverse the Browns rushed for 81 yds on 22 atts = 3.7 ypc.

With 2 UDFA DT's and missingf your best LB and defensive leader i'd say thats an okay return.

 

[Ring 6]

We are 10-3 and the reason it doesn't "feel like a 10-3 team" is because we have been playing banged up and gutting out wins all year.

We'd probably feel like a 10-3 team to you if Vollmer, Kelly, Mayo, Wilfork, Gronk, Talib, Amendola et al were all on the field and at 100% at the same time.

Feels like 10-3 to me, last I checked winning by more or less doesn't make 10 more or less than 10.
In fact, I would argue it seems better than 10-3 because poor officiating directly led to 2 of the losses.

 

[Robdude]

I'm not that worried about the offense. They have to do things differently now and I believe that they have enough players to do it.

HOWEVER,

The defense is just flat out frustrating. They have to do something about it. I know Wilfork and Mayo are gone, but come on man. At least stop the run.

But they did stop the run. Who is saying that McGahee ran all over them? After first drive what did they do on the ground? One long QB scramble. That play was annoying but really that was it