Lazar: Belichick’s in-game decision-making is holding the Pats back

[Deus Irae]

Go back and watch that first play if you have Gamepass. I was like, "crap...so that's why."

One play shouldn't have been the end of it, in the context of the way they'd called things prior to that. Had they been letting the clock run down prior, I might see that differently. As it was, McCarthy bailed them out.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yes, I do think this needs its own thread based on the graph below showing the Patriots as a huge outlier and therefore not a case of just fans whining in hindsight/damned if you do or don’t.

Also I don’t see how you can use an excuse that it’s about “protecting Mac” or not having faith in him or whatever. He’s their quarterback and is going to be in plenty of high pressure games and situations. He already has been. I think you need to do whatever gives him the best chance to win, which includes the correct risk:reward decisions.



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[amfootball]

Also, there was still plenty of time. I think they called a run and if Harris breaks off a decent gain, it opens things up where they could have run a few more plays and gotten into field goal range. But that first play was ugly, so it didn't surprise me after seeing that they just decided to kneel on it.

Sure but Mac was passing well on the deep seam routes earlier in the game. It was like they went into a shell. My fear is they are going to strip Mac of his confidence because any mistake is viewed as a mortal sin.

 

[Ian]

Sure but Mac was passing well on the deep seam routes earlier in the game. It was like they went into a shell. My fear is they are going to strip Mac of his confidence because any mistake is viewed as a mortal sin.

We already know that isn't the case. They went right back to him after the pick-six and he threw that 75yd TD.

 

[Ian]

One play shouldn't have been the end of it, in the context of the way they'd called things prior to that. Had they been letting the clock run down prior, I might see that differently. As it was, McCarthy bailed them out.

Leading up to that, the OL had also been bad, so I wonder if after that play (Johnson whiffed badly - like, really bad) he was just so pissed he figured he'd cut his losses since they had the ball to start the second half.

 

[Deus Irae]

Leading up to that, the OL had also been bad, so I wonder if after that play (Johnson whiffed badly - like, really bad) he was just so pissed he figured he'd cut his losses since they had the ball to start the second half.

It could be. His "We were getting the ball in the second half" answer/non-answer does nothing to help us with this, unfortunately.

 

[Ian]

It could be. His "We were getting the ball in the second half" answer/non-answer does nothing to help us with this, unfortunately.

Yeah...those non-answers and blank stares are a little frustrating. He completely stone-walled Reiss pretty bad on either Monday or Tuesday...it was fairly uncomfortable. It would be nice if he could at least be vague but give some sort of insight on stuff like that.

 

[Pats2000]

Sure but Mac was passing well on the deep seam routes earlier in the game. It was like they went into a shell. My fear is they are going to strip Mac of his confidence because any mistake is viewed as a mortal sin.

Dude, did you watch the game, Mac was trucked and it literally took him almost 2 quarters to recover from that. The dude was staring into space on the sideline after he popped up from that hit.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Leading up to that, the OL had also been bad, so I wonder if after that play (Johnson whiffed badly - like, really bad) he was just so pissed he figured he'd cut his losses since they had the ball to start the second half.

Let’s say the Patriots have the ball with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter in a tie game with the ball on their 20 yard line. On first down, that same play happens with Johnson whiffing. Do you run out the clock in that case, too? If not, how is this scenario any different from 1:30 remaining in the first half? Throwing a way a chance to score points is the same in both scenarios, no?

 

[Deus Irae]

Yeah...those non-answers and blank stares are a little frustrating. He completely stone-walled Reiss pretty bad on either Monday or Tuesday...it was fairly uncomfortable. It would be nice if he could at least be vague but give some sort of insight on stuff like that.

Indeed, especially when the question/issue is game specific, and that game has already ended. "We were playing like crap" might be harsh, but it gives nothing away for the future, and can be said in a more diplomatic way. It's not as if he hasn't been more forthright about passing up such chances in the past (though I forget the specifics of the game to which my mind immediately jumps).

 

[Pats2000]

Yeah...those non-answers and blank stares are a little frustrating. He completely stone-walled Reiss pretty bad on either Monday or Tuesday...it was fairly uncomfortable. It would be nice if he could at least be vague but give some sort of insight on stuff like that.

BB knows the media, that they are looking for soundbites. He doesn't give you soundbites. It's life. But if you want to know about the intricacies of the punt return game, he's happy to talk on that for 20 min, because he knows most fans don't care enough to listen to that.

 

[Ian]

Dude, did you watch the game, Mac was trucked and it literally took him almost 2 quarters to recover from that. The dude was staring into space on the sideline after he popped up from that hit.

The next series had the dreaded perimeter throw that every team seems to be ready for these days, Meyers got crushed. Not a fan of that play call these days, every team seems to be prepared for those.

 

[amfootball]

We already know that isn't the case. They went right back to him after the pick-six and he threw that 75yd TD.

They were forced there because of the score and time.

 

[Ian]

They were forced there because of the score and time.

They still made the call and it was pretty aggressive. They didn't just throw a quick out or a short route. You have to have a lot of confidence to take that shot.

 

[amfootball]

They still made the call and it was pretty aggressive. They didn't just throw a quick out or a short route. You have to have a lot of confidence to take that shot.

Yes. But I was talking about Mac's confidence overall. They need to loosen things up for him and not make a pick seem like a firestorm. We are 2-4, there is no reason IMO to open things up for him. They had it in the game plan for Dallas but then stopped after the first quarter. That really killed our D.

 

[Ian]

Yes. But I was talking about Mac's confidence overall. They need to loosen things up for him and not make a pick seem like a firestorm. We are 2-4, there is no reason IMO to open things up for him. They had it in the game plan for Dallas but then stopped after the first quarter. That really killed our D.

It's funny, he also looked a little annoyed with McDaniels after one of those timeouts (I forget the quarter/time) - so Jones doesn't strike me as lacking confidence. I think it comes down to the coaches' confidence in him more than his own. Given what we've heard, he's a little more (alternate confident word that's in the filter) than he looks.

 

[amfootball]

It's funny, he also looked a little annoyed with McDaniels after one of those timeouts (I forget the quarter/time) - so Jones doesn't strike me as lacking confidence. I think it comes down to the coaches' confidence in him more than his own. Given what we've heard, he's a little more (alternate confident word that's in the filter) than he looks.

I don't doubt Mac at all. It's the coaching. I hope he is in their ear saying let me rip it some.

 

[captain stone]

If you want to talk about momentum shifts, watching Meyers' TD was just so frustrating. Great play call, great throw, great execution. Only to be called back and then we all know what happened from there.

Thanksdad Ferentz with the hold; Yawndy Cachoo with the whiff... All that goodwill from the Houston game, completely gone in just two plays.

 

[captain stone]

This is not new though. Bill was always one to play the averages for the opposite team to eventually make a mistake. That tended to work because we had teams that made fewer mistakes and more plays than the opposition most of the time. This put pressure on the opposition which tended to eventually force their hand.

This is why you don't see a correlation between good teams being more aggressive. They do not need to. It's bad teams or teams at a disadvantage that need to be more aggressive.

He has not come to grasps with the fact we are not a good team right now and therefore we need to take more risks to even the odds a bit.

This is why I thought he should have gone for it in overtime. You always take the opposition into account. That is also why it was wrong for Bills to go for it. Getting the tie and going into overtime would have been advantageous against the Titans. It would have been the right decision against a team you would trust to go the distance against you.

Agree with the above; however...

This whole talk of firing Bill is pure delusion though. He has so much good will he would need to stink for a decade to be fired.

A decade?!? If we finish with double-digit losses, then have another mal-spent free agency period, followed by yet another garbage draft, and then a third straight below-.500 season, then Bill & his entire fam damily need to GTFO.

 

[captain stone]

Worst of all, none of it should have happened with that OBVIOUS PI in grabbing the facemask. Egregious screw-up there, ref.

Not as egregious as Agholor's drop on the first play of OT... The game might very well have ended right then & there...