Just some thoughts from tonights game...

[thecore762]

I thought in the first QT we should have gone for the FG, missed points there.

Losing Hightower in the game hurt our run D, people could not make tackles and the defense looked lost without him in the game, just couldn't get the guys lined up properly.
Our interior DT position seems weak.

I thought the offense just looked dull after the first half, they just didn't do much and Brady started going deep a lot, it could be because Amendola was injured and nobody was playing the slot much. Eric Berry did a pretty good job on Gronk for most part of the night.

Moments like this you miss a guy like Edelman because he is that guy who will put their body on the line and make plays. I think we are putting too much workload on Amendola, we really need a dedicated PR/KR, the guy kept getting banged up during the return game, otherwise I don't see him lasted much for the season.

I would have loved to see more of Dion Lewis, we didn't get enough of him.

In the first half our O-Line was getting the job done, but in the 2nd half Brady was more vulnerable to the pass rush, it felt like we stopped blocking and double teaming their edge rushers.

There are some positives too, Allen needs few more weeks, but he will be interesting to watch.
Cooks is the real deal, he is scary fast, just wish we would have used him more in the slot this night.

Brady looked good for the most part when he had protection, when the protection broke he got hit and sacked couple times.

The O-Line looks promising, they just need to stay consistent.

I'm sure BB will address everything this week and get us ready for next week, plus we have a long lay off since we played Thursday night.

 

[Joey007]

I think I'm most surprised at our DT's poor performance. I thought we were pretty deep at the position. Guess not. Maybe Valentine will help it out once he gets back, who knows at this point.

 

[thecore762]

Yeah our D line is a concern, maybe the lack of leadership on that line could be an issue with Ninkovich retiring, a lot of missed tackles and Gillmore didn't have a good game either.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I think I'm most surprised at our DT's poor performance. I thought we were pretty deep at the position. Guess not. Maybe Valentine will help it out once he gets back, who knows at this point.

Malcolm Brown got abused all night. Branch is good not great. Guy is nothing more than a JAG. Definitely need some help at DT

 

[PatsGuy]

I was at last night game n hence very tired.
Observations..
KC generally just rushed three n had 8 in pass coverage.
KC forced the Pats to throw to the outside as they took away the middle of the field
There was no pass rush by the Pats. Many times, Smith could've had a cup of coffee back there
After the 1st series misconnection. I didn't hear from Dwayne Allen the rest of the night.
Josh McDaniel was weak last night. He continuously went to Gilleslie up the middle and jet sweeps to Hogan. This might have been in response to KC's 8 men in the back. The bottom line though was he couldn't counter what KC was throwing at him

 

[everlong]

I'll tag onto your thread.

1. At least all the undefeated talk will go away.

2. I really don't get the play calling on those 4th and short calls. Yes I understand you have a new toy at running back but KC was stuffing the line to take that and the QB sneak away. They should have either spread them out to get some of the traffic out of the middle or run a play action to a TE. If they spread them out and they still stuff the middle Brady should be able to hit on a quick slant or out. If not then run it.

3. Gilmore played a good game but for the life of me by that formation I don't know what he was thinking releasing the receiver thinking McCourty would pick him up.

4. I'm not bashing Butler here but I get why there not paying him. He has given up a big play or two or three in every game for the last half season including the playoffs and SB. He's a fighter and great tackler but he's not elite and worth 14M.

5. Was that Chad Brown in Malcolm Brown's uniform. That was a pretty bad effort. I'm not giving the rest of the DL a pass as they all played so subpar.

6. It's been awhile since the Pats gave up that many big plays. I haven't counted but there were at least a half dozen of over 20 yards and two over 75 yards.

7. People making the point that if Alex Smith did this imagine what Brees will do are missing the boat on this being a matchup league. Let's give Reid his due for knowing Bill likes to take away the strengths and finding great matcups nonetheless.

8. As groups the DL, LB and receivers need a lot of work. I will say KC had 15 something penalties and the refs could have called another 15. That was the Ravens game plan of they can't throw a flag every play and it's better to take a 5 yard holding call than a PI. The receivers being down JE, MM and DA have gone from criminally wealthy to next man up in a big hurry.

9. As a group the safeties were the best unit. I might have given it to special teams until those two running into the kicker penalties.

10. I know it was Eric Berry, and that sucks he got hurt, but Gronk didn't seem to have his old explosion. I wonder if he's not 100% yet or just rust from not being in a real game for so long or if the injuries are finally catching up with him. Unlike Brady when Gronk starts to decline it's going to be sudden. Still early but worth monitoring.

11. I just wanted Collinsworth to STFU about Hightower being out. Of course the defense isn't going to be the same without him but other than that they were playing a full strength and simply got their asses handed to them. If another team was down say a Cameron Wake and he kept going on like that I'd want to kill him. Ditto about Dorsette not knowing the offense. You still had Cooks, Gronk, Hogan, Allen and the RBs. That's not exactly the Jets offensive skill players. They simply lost to the better team on this night.

12. We're on to New Orleans. You know they'll adjust and this should increase their focus. They should be mad and they have ten days. I expect to see a different team. If they get by NO the schedule favors them to figure stuff out for the second half of the season.

 

[thecore762]

I am not too worried about our offense, they can get 25+ PPG I'm okay, just the defense needs some real work to do, I only saw Flowers consistently going after the QB, one person is not enough, it takes at least two good rushers to get to the QB and generate pressure, our defense made Alex Smith look like an All star, the fact is some of those throws took several seconds to develop because the lack of pass rush.

We should have ran the ball more with Rex, the few touches he got he did well, I was hoping to see more of him.

It's an issue with all these injuries, I think Gronk might have hurt his chest or shoulder after that TD that was called back. For the most part he looked frustrated and Eric Berry did a fine job on Gronk, sucks for KC if that is a season ending injury because he is the heart and soul of that defense.

BB will need to get some depth on that linebacker core, now we see that without Hightower in there that there is a huge drop off. Our safeties didn't do a good job, Chung should have had that interception but he let the ball go between his hands, I think that was a pivotal moment in the game.

NO still had deep threats and Brees can carve us unless we generate some serious pass rush.

The thing is it's the first game of the season and we can recover from this and hopefully fire up the guys on defense for next week.

 

[raduray]

Fifth game of pre-season.
D sucked - that's been talked about. Last minute additions didn't help.
Concerned about inability to gain short yardage. We got stuffed several times.

 

[Ring 6]

I think I'm most surprised at our DT's poor performance. I thought we were pretty deep at the position. Guess not. Maybe Valentine will help it out once he gets back, who knows at this point.

Most of the successful runs were outside. Not sure how the DTs were the issue.

 

[Joey007]

Most of the successful runs were outside. Not sure how the DTs were the issue.

I felt like they exposed a lot of gaps inside as well. Before you could blink, Hunt seemed to have several 8-9 yard gains right up the middle.

 

[Ring 6]

I felt like they exposed a lot of gaps inside as well. Before you could blink, Hunt seemed to have several 8-9 yard gains right up the middle.

I didn't notice much going up the middle but it's always interesting to see what you think and what you confirm when you watch it again.
Too much happening live to really analyze.

 

[PonyExpress]

Couple thoughts
- Deatrich Wise looked great. He put consistent pressure and was abusing Fisher
- Hightower played soft before the injury. He's supposed to set the physical tone and didn't bring it. Maybe he wasn't ready to play
- Brady was off. Maybe the receivers weren't where they were supposed to be. But he looked inaccurate and timing was off even with limited pass rush.
- coordinators did not distinguish themselves.
- Gronk looked like shadow of himself.

 

[363839]

Very dismaying to watch this game. Thinking that maybe the pundits are right, Brady has gotten too old..Gronk not the same after injuries..coaching is overrated...defense is overrated or maybe.... THE PATS ARE LURING THE LEAGUE INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY!!!

 

[n6249c]

Brady has got to suck it up and deal with the fact that all his binkies get taken away sometimes. Sometimes he is going to have to make a throw where he just sticks it in there to a guy he hasn't yet built chemistry with, and trust him to do his job and catch it.

Number 12 never went to one of the new guys when he really needed the completion, far as I can remember he tried to hit Dola or Hogan or Gronk every time. Even when Gronk was tied up by Berry, or Hogan was blanketed by the CB. It seemed most of Brady's throws were rainbows, no ropes, thrown too long so only his wr had a chance at them. But the WRs were disrupted just enough to be a half step short.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Where was the psycho Gronk of 2011-2014 who was uncoverable? I want him back. Gronk played soft last night

 

[mgteich]

- Gronk looked like shadow of himself.

I disagree. One of the best players in the NFL was covering ground most of the game. Reid paid a heavy price for taking Gronk out of the game.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I disagree. One of the best players in the NFL was covering ground most of the game. Reid paid a heavy price for taking Gronk out of the game.

I'm telling you right now, eric berry wouldnt have a chance in hell at covering the 2011-2014 Gronk 1 on 1... not a chance. Gronk needs to re establish his identity out there. He's an animal, uncoverable when he's at his best.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I disagree. One of the best players in the NFL was covering ground most of the game. Reid paid a heavy price for taking Gronk out of the game.

Defender played well, but Gronk clearly was not 100% last night. Hope it's just a bug and not knee/back problems.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Defender played well, but Gronk clearly was not 100% last night. Hope it's just a bug and not knee/back problems.

In our best seasons, we started out slow. It takes time and work to get everybody on the same page. That said, I'd be really happy if we can get out of town next week 1-1.

Game thoughts...



This could be the greatest national anthem in Pats history.

Best jacket, anyway.

Play calling was bad. Handing off underneath to JW is good; for the millionth time, going for it and taking three points off the scoreboard is often fatal.

Long term, getting a first round bye is always great. But, it would be impressive for us to win one even if we have to play that first playoff weekend. I think burn-out is very real; and the Pats have played almost a season's worth more games than most teams over the last decade or so...granted there's always lots of turnover, but mentally it's just a drain...BB meant it when he talked about the shortened offseason.

My evaluation of Goodell has not changed in the last ten years. Deciding that BB broke any significant rule and punishing the team like they committed bloody murder in '07 is the nadir for this commissioner, establishing to the world that for him, it's all about himself and how important he is (to himself), and blathering on about "integrity" even as he himself makes a mockery of it. Goodell does not just damage the league, he's managed to damage the game itself.

The deflated ball thing later had zero effect on my opinion. It's not possible to sink lower when you're at rock bottom.