Idle thoughts - The WOW edition.
I didn’t have high expectations for this game, much like the feeling I had before the Atlanta game. All I wanted to see in this game was that they keep it close and see some improvement over what we saw in Cincinnati on the offense (not that that would he hard to do ) . I thought it would be an entertaining game so I decided to watch at a local watering hole which also has great Pizza. As I watched the game my expectations rose…..exponentially.
By the end of the game I fully expected a win, DESPITE the injury to Talib. Despite the injury to Mayo. Despite the injury to Amendola. DESPITE, the virtual hail Mary pass to Stills that somehow eluded the perfectly positioned Alphonso Dennard (who played just as good a game as Talib) Despite the fact that the refs allowed the Saints OL to hold with impunity. Despite the inexplicable 3 runs inside the 7 after the Arrington pick, and Despite the bad pass pick by Brady on the next to last Drive, and despite the 4th down drop by Dobson.
Ok Ok, I admit to asking for the check after the Brady pick and was getting ready to leave when roar from Edelman’s catch brought me back to the bar. WHAT A FINISH!….and I almost missed it. It reminded me of the time I shut the TV off after Brady "seemed" to fumble in the Snowbowl game vs Oakland...after which we all were forced to become experts on the "tuck rule"
Here are some thoughts
1. BB will get all the credit, but Matt Patricia put together a fantastic game plan. And the players executed it almost to perfection....or as much "perfection" as you can get vs a offense as good as the Saint's
2. That being said I have to admit to some frustration with the Pats refusal to mount any significant blitzes or stunts to create some pressure, especially after watching how successful it was when carried out by the Saints. They seemed to always have someone running in free on their blitzes even when they didn’t ultimately get to the QB
I'm not saying that we should do it as often as the Saints did, but HEY, would 4-5 times a game be a stretch? The only time we got pressure was on individual effort. Sometimes you have to “create” pressure through a scheme, if not to get to the QB but to hurry him or at least make him feel uncomfortable. The Pats never seem to do that, and I don’t understand it.
3. I can’t say enough about the play of Chris Jones and Joe Valano. Now I don’t have any illusions about these 2 kids. Neither is likely to have a long NFL career. In fact my lasting impression of Valano was a WTF moment when I saw him lined up next to the 6’5 Tommy Kelly at the start of the Bengal game and he looked like a child next to a grown up. The 6’2 300lb they ascribe to him is generous to a fault.
But while the DT play wasn’t exactly great, it didn’t suck either. They provided some middle push on the pass rush, and didn’t embarrass themselves against the run. So for 2 undrafted rookies, they played beyond expectations, and what more can you ask.
3. Its horrifying to think that we have now lost our 3 best defensive players (Wilfolk, Talib, and Mayo) along with Tommy Kelly. How long before we see Mayo and Talib again is yet to be seen, but our defensive depth is going to be severely tested. Its Dane Fletcher time.
4. Aqib Talib is getting all the attention, and deservedly so, but Alphonzo Dennard is very quietly having a very good season.
5. I would like to start seeing Hightower make more of an impression. Did he even play?
6. There is nothing special about Hooman, but FINALLY Brady decided to throw to him and look at the results, 4 catches almost 60 yds. Nothing that would jump out at you, but a solid day. He should have had numbers like this all year. Its been there, but for some reason Tom refused to take it.
7. It seems like we’ve had a couple of receivers open deep in every game (a distinct difference from recent years) and Tom has missed most of them. The one to Amendola was the obvious one, but he also slightly under threw on to Thompkins which allowed the DB to make a play. A foot longer and it would have been a TD. So while the receivers all have to keep on improving in their route running and hands, Brady also has to improve on his long ball. We can’t afford to miss opportunities like the Amendola throw all season.
8. You all know that I’m generally against what I call the ****ification of the game. However I have long been a proponent of taking the “spear” out of the game. In other words using the top of your helmet as a battering ram, especial on shots to the head. And that’s exactly what happened to Amendola. So I found it very frustrating to see the Pats GET a call when Thomkins was inadvertently hit in in the head by a guy doing his best not to hit him there, and NOT get a call on a call on the Amendola hit, when the defender used the top of his head to directly hit Amendola in the head. Clearly I don’t understand the rule…..OR the intent, nor do I think the official do.
9. I clearly didn’t understand the 3 runs inside the 10 after the pick. Very curious and I usually don’t 2nd guess play calls. I hope sometime this week we get an explanation
10. The Ghost’s kick would have been good from 65, so can we end the negative talk about him? Good kickers are going to miss slightly less than 2 FG kicks out of ten. And Goskowski is better than most, but he’s not immune to the occasional miss Get used to it and stop acting all shocked and outraged when it happens.
11. All in all this was a fantastic win. Our flawed, developing and battered team is now 5-1 and the best is certainly yet to come for the offense While the defense has shown enough to get us excited for the playoffs…assuming we get there with enough people to play it.
On to Jets week.
