Idle Thoughts - the West Coast edition

[jah]

As for Bennett, I think it's too small a sample size to judge. Gronk had a real quiet game against PIT this year until the last few minutes. I didn't watch that video posted above but it's concerning if true that Bennett wasn't too pumped about the TD.

 

[archstanton543]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but we definitely got away with a pretty long DPI. Either Rowe or Ryan, can't remember who, just prevented the receiver from lifting one arm even an inch.

He was looking back for the ball. If you're doing that most of the time they won't call PI.

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Madam Secretary?

Heh, seriously though, solid write up and one of my favorite weekly "columns" to read. That said, I echo the other sentiments that it's Brady's discipline is part of what makes him so valuable. I can't imagine tossing another 3-4 INTs into the turnover battle this season.

I thought White played with some extra toughness, bowling over that one defender to get into the end zone and lowering his pads on another run. Lewis' return might have lit a small fire with White, but you're right; Lewis is something else to watch.

Good write-up, Ken! I agree with Nikolai's points here.

I like Brady's discipline and trust that he does what's best for the team. I definitely think more of White than "yeoman". Lewis is electric when he's healthy, but White has been quite productive so far this year. I like them both!

Statistically if you fumble the ball you have a 50/50 shot at getting it.

I didn't know this was true. Would have thought that the guy that fumbled it might have an edge?

Oakland, Dallas, and Seattle appear to be the real deal. I sure hope we can improve our defense and stay healthy. We are going to need it!

 

[SEA_Pat]

How badly injured is Michael Slater? Perhaps give him some rest if needed as he is essential to the team in the play-offs.

I'd say Matthew Slater is more important. Good news is that Brandon Mitchell finally came through!

 

[Nunchucks]

Bennett was getting doubled for a lot of the game. They did not want him beating them. Too many throws to Edlemen. The offense went into the tank until Brady started to spread the ball around.

Lewis is electric. I had concerns that he wouldn't be the same player, but those have been allayed by his performance.

Defense started out like junk and improved as the game wore on. I don't know how much that is Colin finding his level of play after a stellar first half or the defense improving.

Brady did awesome work in the pocket, but he was harassed all game.

 

[Sicilian]

Defense started out like junk and improved as the game wore on. I don't know how much that is Colin finding his level of play after a stellar first half or the defense improving.

Brady did awesome work in the pocket, but he was harassed all game.

Probably a little of both. Patriots seemed to make some adjustments that helped, but the 9ers really only hit a consistent stride in the 2nd quarter. And their biggest play there (the TD pass to McDonald), was as tight a coverage as you can get from McCourty. I honestly thought he knocked it away at first, it felt like it passed through his arm. That gets knocked away and we're looking at no touchdowns on the day until garbage time.

 

[PatsDeb]

Obviously we don't get a great view every play for a particular player but I thought Bennet would have been one of the stars of the game and only targeted 3 times. Maybe if Brady took about 5 targets away from edelman and hit Bennet a couple times our offense might not have sputtered.

Way to many targets to Edelman and he isn't really the over the top type receiver. Not only that but during the sputtering portion of the game Brady was trying to squeeze the ball to Edelman over the middle and it just wasn't there.

Hopefully it was a fun game for them to just mess around with and get stats in their home town... I don't know it didn't make much sense.

That's what i thought. It was a homecoming for Jules too. Brady and/or the Pats often try to showcase a hometown player. I also thought maybe they were trying to get Jules back to SB form. Maybe Bennett's ankle is still bothering him. Who knows? We never will, anyway ;-)

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I'd say Matthew Slater is more important. Good news is that Brandon Mitchell finally came through!

Not bad since he was on the SB36 roster. Malcolm Mitchell????

 

[mihap]

The Offense:
1. "Brady looked uncomfortable for most of the game"
Marcus Cannon was excellent.....AGAIN.

Strange, I agree with Doug Keyd that Brady was uncomfortable, and Brady has some awesome broken plays who helped them. Marcus Cannon and ofcourse Thuney who is monster. I would praise Cannon more but Blount is always running on the left side. Hope that Cannon eliminates Von Miller and prove this forum that he is good as pass protector.
I would like to value pats Oline after Ravens game. Yesterday Ravens which is good defense didnt have a chance against Dallas oline, so we could compare a litlle bit. i still think that Das is overatted.

QB- Not Brady's best work of the year. He "only' completed 60% of his passes, and missed on a couple of long passes that were open and had about 50 yds taken away by mere inches on the sideline. Once again I was astounded by his footwork and escapablity in the pocket. I can't recall it EVER being better. Missing those few deep throws only made him seem human.

Was playing Edelman planned like reward for them both in San Francisco?
Brady scrambling like 25 year Wilson.
https://j.gifs.com/98OjRJ.gif

4. Defense
b. Elandon Roberts looked like a low round rookie today. He was lost in coverage and not much of a factor in the run game. LB's should have huge days against teams that run read option. He didn't.

He is slower than Brandon Spikes. Still image of him runing behind Prosise.

I ll comment this defense after playoffs.
In regular games i dont care if they dont allow single point.
I dont trust them

 

[long distance]

The key for Mitchell is to learn where he needs to be -- which is where Brady expects him.

Thats a huge .. and somewhat typical, sort of automatic .. Bradycentric statement.
All I saw of MM is that he is disciplined in his routs, capable of separation and patient in waiting for his turn (for TB to start reading his direction); and when nothing else works he is there to make a huge play.

 

[heavyde050]

Once again kudos for not only an informative piece, but well written as well.

What concerns me greatly are the mediots who will tear this apart and lament every decision BB has made in the past two years in their quest to make it more about them, and less about the Patriots. You touched on this in your second paragraph..

In the past I could not wait for sportstalk radio, now I cannot wait to turn it off.. unfortunately the guys who know the most about the game are drowned out by self absorbed low information commentators..

One thing you did not mention was the weather and its impact, particularly in the first half, from afar HD seems to make it disappear... but if you noticed the shots horizontally it was raining very hard, which may have impacted 1st half play..

I was lucky enough to be at the game. I have only lived in SF less than a year, but that was one of the rainiest days I can remember. I got drenched. The stadium sold out of rain gear by the 2nd quarter.
Thoughts from the game - overall a much better game from the defense. Something still needs to be said about some of those third and long conversions. I swear in person you can see it happen as soon as the ball is snapped.
Overall the defense was much better and they got some pressure - the next step will be actually getting a turnover.
Enough can't be said about the Solder penalty....the Pats probably would have scored 40+, as that Blount run would have made it 20-3 (if Ghost makes the XP). I do agree with the OP that the call was probably correct, but it really changed the tenor of the game.
Brady did miss some throws, but he also was the victim of a couple drops and a couple of near misses (as noted in post above).
For the conditions, Brady played really well; the stadium erupted when threw that TD to Mitchell on the run.

 

[aluminum seats]

Personally I'm glad that Brady remains disciplined. It's for this reason that he has one of the best TD to INT ratios in the history of the NFL. Brady has learned the importance of not killing the team with unnecessary mistakes.

Interesting topic. I mostly agree with you, but Brady certainly has the skills and experience to figure out when he may be better off taking shots into tight windows. I think what you don't want is to fall into the trap I've seen from Aaron Rodgers in the past (not so much this year, as Green Bay is just a mess overall), where he was so concerned about not throwing picks he just wouldn't throw it at all. Sometimes you have to have to be a bit more aggressive.

But it's a balance, and almost entirely subjective, and interceptions suck, so I see your point too.

 

[willard]

Much of what I wanted to say has been said-White, Turnovers.

Brown and Branch have played very well this year and Valentine has looked promising. When we let Hicks walk last Spring I was ok because of all of the upcoming contracts we need to sign. With Jones and Collins gone and the signing of McClellan I sure wish we could take a Mulligan on that. Had the Bears/Giants game on while I was doing some other stuff and I miss that guy. Don't think he is making much more than McClellan and from my eye brings a lot more to the table.

Brady showed better ability to throw on the move last year and he has really stepped it up this year. He is not aging in the same way Bledsoe did.

 

[long distance]

3. RB's. I know James White had done yoeman's work for us this season, but if today pointed out one thing, it was the talent gap between him and Dion Lewis is a big one. Everytime Lewis touched the ball he made at least one person miss, even on his one yard run. Everytime White got the ball, the first guy who touched him was the guy who got credit for the tackle.

White had a huge game. He's one of the most productive and consistent players on the team (6 catches and plays on 6 targets this time). I doubt BB is asking him to be Lewis. If anything this game was a perfect indicator of how they will use the RB committee and White will remain an important part of it.

Ironically the most criticised position in the preseason is suddenly appearing as one of the strongest and most versatile in the league (and by far the cheapest). And its getting stronger towards the end of the season unlike all others (or NE last year). I guess you live and learn till the end - SEA lost two top RB in one week with surprisingly hurried move (Michael) that I bet Carroll (65) would like to take back..

 

[VrabelJr]

Uhhhhh... James White had at least 2-3 great plays of picking up yards after contact so you can drop the James White hate, Ken.

 

[Patjew]

White played great yesterday. Some of you guys are too critical of him, IMO.

Tell me this is going down easily... Brady throws screen pass to White for 9-yard TD

 

[Ring 6]

Brady showed better ability to throw on the move last year and he has really stepped it up this year. He is not aging in the same way Bledsoe did.

he does very little the way Bledsoe did

 

[reflexblue]

Van Noy played much better than Mcclellan and hes only been here a couple of weeks. I'd like to see Mingo be given more of a chance to play on a regular basis, its hard to imagine he'd be worse than Shea M.
Half way through the third period i posted that the pats weren't playing patriot football starting with the seattle game. Within 30 seconds of hitting send they did, it was like someone flipped a switch. They started playing crisper, they seemed more focused and determined, the defense didn't look confused especially the backfield.

 

[luuked]

I think most people that want Bennett to have more targets are missing that he is being used a lot in the running game. Yes, LGB is having a good year but a lot of it is because of improved OL play and support from our two TEs.

This is one of those cases where the impact of players is not showing up at all in stats because there is no way to measure it properly. When Gronk is back it will make life also easier for Bennett because either of them (or both) can be the blocker at any point. It's all connected.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I could not agree more with your Brady critique. No neither of us wants him to go all Joe Flacco, but throwing to your go to guys when possibly covered should be a net plus. Tommy Boy is SO pick phobic that he too rarely does this, unless it's Edelman. BB is partly to blame as he excoriates players making turnovers.
Speaking of The Squirrel, he did not look like he has something wrong as many here have wrongly intimated. I agree that TFB is fixated on his bromance to the detriment of missed opportunities, q.v. a wide open Mitchell.
AND why not a few more attempts to The Black Gronk, my man Marty "NASA" Bennett? Even if covered by one, Bennett should be able to fight for the ball and win. A wasted asset. Josh, kick Tommy ass about this today in film review.
Nearly Every. Single. Time. Amendoler gets his hands on the ball good to great things happen.

I'm in a positive frame of mind so I won't discuss the D who played much better after a horrible 92 yard TD drive.

Who here is NOT surprised that Madam Secretary is Ken's "safe space"?