Content Post Idle thoughts - the WTF edition

[DaBruinz]

Ken - Please stick to football. Your post was great. Adding the politics wasn't useful.

 

[patfanken]

I haven't had a chance to read your entire post Ken, but thanks for keeping on posting them. Unlike you, I kinda have lost the passion for writing these post game write ups.

The way I see Goodell destroying the game I once loved with a passion has kinda taken it out of me. I look at the shoddy product on the field and see how they are just looking for ways to continue to go for cash grabs that will just cheapen the product is sad. The way that Goodell arrogantly has turned into the Don King of the NFL disgusts me. Still watch the games, but not with the same passion.

Sorry, off my soapbox now and thanks again.

Don't apologize. I know EXACTLY how you feel. What was once a needed outlet after a game, has become almost an obligation. As you know it is hard to write something this long and not be overly redundant and restating the obvious. It used to be easy, now it takes a few hours....sometimes more.

The NYJFL has sucked the passion out of a LOT of fans over the last decade; and had this organization been run like 99% of the rest of the league's franchises, a lot of us would have given up on the NFL a while ago.

But this is what SHOULD be considered the model franchise, though behind closed doors perhaps it actually is, but still not in the broader public eye, and that is a shame. We have a game and a franchise that has made accountability a core principle, being attacked by a "president" who hasn't ever taken responsibility for ANY mistake he's ever made. His motto over the years has been, "never apologize, litigate". There is something terribly wrong with a guy who got SIX deferments when he was called to serve, waving the flage and claiming he's on the side of our fighting forces.

Damn it, now you got me ranting. I apologize to any and all for my personal opinions on a non-football topic

 

[mosslost]

Defense

I think the D took a knee

 

[patfanken]

Ken - Please stick to football. Your post was great. Adding the politics wasn't useful.

I don't disagree with that sentiment DB, but sometimes I can't help myself. I promise to try and do better.....tomorrow.

 

[NE-VT]

I don't disagree with that sentiment DB, but sometimes I can't help myself. I promise to try and do better.....tomorrow.

Personally, I am glad you said what you did. No true Patriots should stand silent while a those in government threatens the core ideals of our country. You gave a quick and powerful review of the situation while still primarily focusing on football.

 

[patfanken]

One reason you play a lot of zone against a QB like Watson is that it's much easier for your secondary to help when Watson takes off running, than it is if you are in man coverage.

Not sure if that was part of Patricia's thinking here but it wouldn't surprise me. Watson had a few good scrambles but didn't go crazy on the ground, something he's definitely capable of.

of course you never want to just one thing, but it just seemed like there was a lot more zone this week. BTW- I understand why that might be, give we were up against a running QB threat and being in zone offers more protection when the pocket breaks down.

In retrospect I might have been wrong to question Patricia's choices on this one.

 

[patfanken]

Just a note on Gilmore that I found interesting. I happened to hear Zolack mention this today. He mentioned that over the first month, the Revis we saw on the field didn't look much like the guy we had seen every the years. That the Pats were playing him more in zone coverages that you would have thought, and many were questioning the signing. Then around weeks 5 and 6 Revis became the guy we thought we were getting and the rest is history.

Like most things in our "I want it and I want NOW" culture, we need to show a little more patience, especially at this time of the year. Prior to yesterday people were wondering where Cooks has been. The same goes for Gilmore, Allen, and Harris. We need to have more patience with Bill as he figures out just what he has and how best to utilize those assets.

 

[supafly]

With regard to the defense, didn't we used to play M2M against mobile quarterbacks, with someone responsible for the QB wherever he goes?

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that man to man would leave the defense too vulnerable as it pertains to the QB and his running ability. I don't think there are too many "spies" who are going to keep up with Watson in a man scheme, but again, I'm certainly not claiming to be anything close to a defensive guru.

 

[NE-VT]

. I don't think there are too many "spies" who are going to keep up with Watson in a man scheme, but again, I'm certainly not claiming to be anything close to a defensive guru.

You make a good point. I wonder if Chung could do it.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

b. Alan Branch was still a no show as far as his impact plays go.

Branch played 21 snaps.

So this from Reiss talking about Branch/Guy/Flowers/Brown:

These four players were at the heart of the line of scrimmage on the third-and-1 stop that gave the ball back to Brady for the game-winning drive.
Perhaps the play is a catalyst for Branch, who hasn’t been playing as much early this season, to return to playing more snaps.​

 

[Uptown]

Idle thought: “Yes!!!”

 

[luuked]

This game had me go back and watch the 2013 NO game. Similar feeling to this game. Only other wacky game like that was the Bears game back in 2002. They had no business winning but Brady brought them back.

Also, Watson is the real deal. I moved to South Carolina and have seen many of his games (Clemson is the closet thing to a pro team). The kid is mature, humble, confident and most importantly, a winner. He will get better and better.

2013 was full of those late game heroics. The drive to get the FG @Bills with multiple third & longs, the screwed up onside kick recovery @Falcons that almost came back to bite us, the Saints game, the Broncos comeback, the Browns onside kick recovery game.. we were one endzone Dola drop away from a last second win @Miami.. which would have given us HFA..

What a year..

 

[mosi]

2013 was full of those late game heroics. The drive to get the FG @Bills with multiple third & longs, the screwed up onside kick recovery @Falcons that almost came back to bite us, the Saints game, the Broncos comeback, the Browns onside kick recovery game.. we were one endzone Dola drop away from a last second win @Miami.. which would have given us HFA..

What a year..

It was. You almost forget about it but again, it reminds you of what Brady does every year. Amazing. You could have a entire channel devoted to "great" Brady games.

 

[scott99]

I don't disagree with that sentiment DB, but sometimes I can't help myself. I promise to try and do better.....tomorrow.

I don't think you said anything wrong, in fact it was quite relevant to the goings on during this weekends games. There are 2 sides to that particular discussion.

 

[Rob0729]

Don't apologize. I know EXACTLY how you feel. What was once a needed outlet after a game, has become almost an obligation. As you know it is hard to write something this long and not be overly redundant and restating the obvious. It used to be easy, now it takes a few hours....sometimes more.

The NYJFL has sucked the passion out of a LOT of fans over the last decade; and had this organization been run like 99% of the rest of the league's franchises, a lot of us would have given up on the NFL a while ago.

But this is what SHOULD be considered the model franchise, though behind closed doors perhaps it actually is, but still not in the broader public eye, and that is a shame. We have a game and a franchise that has made accountability a core principle, being attacked by a "president" who hasn't ever taken responsibility for ANY mistake he's ever made. His motto over the years has been, "never apologize, litigate". There is something terribly wrong with a guy who got SIX deferments when he was called to serve, waving the flage and claiming he's on the side of our fighting forces.

Damn it, now you got me ranting. I apologize to any and all for my personal opinions on a non-football topic

Sorry, but being down on the current state of the league is contagious. And they wonder why ratings continue to decline.

 

[BradyFTW!]

At this time of year, I care about exactly 2 things: record and health. We're winning ugly, but it's September. If the defense still looks this bad in a month, then it'll be time to panic.

 

[patfanken]

At this time of year, I care about exactly 2 things: record and health. We're winning ugly, but it's September. If the defense still looks this bad in a month, then it'll be time to panic.

Diidn't we feel pretty much the same way about the defense, this time last season??? The more I think about it, one of the great simple truths that BB has come to realize is that every team is different. Usually at least 25% of the team is different. The chemistry is different. The skill sets are different, etc.

If you want to write the book about how BB keeps on being better than his opponents, this has to be right near the top. He has accepted that there is very little carry over from one year to the next. Every team is unique and it takes time for it to find it's identity and develop the mental toughness to win consistently in the NFL. He expects that will be the case and doesn't get hung up when things don't go in the PERCEIVED progression that most of us think is supposed to happen.

This "acceptance" of the uniqueness of every year, allows Bill to absorb the losses of players during the year, and the ups and downs week to week. Teams that have rigidly ascribed to certain "systems" and expectations don't fare as well when sh!t happens. This dynamic flows down from the top and gives the players the confidence to know that they WILL be well prepared and ulitmately success lies with them and how they perform. Over and over they have seen concrete evidence that by following the game plan week to week is the key to success. When they don't execute it can cause defeat.

So while BB has often said, "Players win game, coaches lose them". The continuity and credibility that he has built over the last 18 years allows him the flexibility to create these unique week to week game plans and have a team that in most years, will give their all to carry out those plans.

It's just that we should know (getting back to the orignial point ); it often takes time to find out who THIS particular team is, and what they have to do to win games.

 

[mgteich]

Diidn't we feel pretty much the same way about the defense, this time last season???

Was last year's defense really one of three worst in the league at this point last year?

I trust Patricia. The defense will be acceptable after the bye.

 

[unoriginal]

To extend what Ken has said, this year in particular the Pats turned over a lot of defensive EDGE personnel, which may have encouraged the coaching staff to explore a different 3-3/5-1 front using vets we already had in new positions on the field (Hightower, Richards) where they might be more effective. And/or they might just have wanted to be more multiple later in the year.

There is no guarantee the Patriots will eventually master both the odd and even front this year, clearly there is a lot of moving pieces and resulting communication/hesitation going on, but I strongly agree with Ken that "system" defenses should be expected to start fast and fade down the stretch as tape becomes available, because systems are vulnerable to blueprints, unless you happen to have overwhelming personnel superiority at the key positions in the system.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Idle thought: “Yes!!!”

Tied for 3rd in pressures I believe.