Official Patriots vs. Dolphins Post Game

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

Brady didn't choke. Brady to minitron was one of the few bright spots of the afternoon. I don't even think Amendola choked. I think it was a good defensive play on a perfect pass.

The out of bounds kick off was the real choke.

I really hate when the Patriots try to get a little too cute. Just kick the ball out of the freaking endzone.

And that 3rd and and 2 near the goal line after a big Blount run, not using Blount to finish it was a play call I didn't like at all. That was also trying to be cute.

Our offensive line is so overrated. Brady makes them 5 times better than they are.

The passing game was solid overall. Right now it's desparately thin on big targets though.

Ghost had a tough game, but he was definitely just trying to kick it out of the endzone. I think he was having problems with his plant foot, or at least that's what it looked like on the botched fieldgoal.

It would've been nice to see them try to run in either that or the 2nd and 4 goal line situations.

The offensive line is really bad right not. It was really the biggest issue/worry from this game IMO.

 

[Brady6]

It's not a drop when a defender knocks it out of your hands
This is a drop

That is actually the perfect illustration of a player choking. Welker would make that catch 95% of the time or more but when the pressure was on he did not make it. The play today was a 50/50 play at best no matter the situation so Amendola not making the catch does not constitute a choke. The best way to describe the Amendola play would be to say Danny Amendola did not make what would have been an excellent catch. If it was a perfectly thrown ball and he was wide open with no defender in sight yes that would be choking and the things being said would be valid but the fact is that was not even close to the case, if he had made that catch it would have been one of the top receptions of the season by any receiver on the team.

 

[ParisSun]

@Brady6, you must not watch many football games aside from the Patriots.
The catch that Amendola dropped or that was stripped is made by receivers in the NFL all the time.

The problem with the Pats, one of them, is that they have slot receivers having to play the 1 and 2 position. That type of throw and catch would have been better for Dobson, Julio Jones, Roddy White, Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Justin Hunter, etc,.

Amendola and Edelman are gamers but are playing out of position a lot of times. Gronk catches that ball, probably Dobson catches that ball because of their height and physical size. That's all. The injuries have just killed the Pats in the redzone. But I do agree with you in that it wasn't a dropped but a well defended play that a true outside receiver would have had a better chance at making.

Just a note, it would have been nice saving that one timeout for the end. That would have allowed us to throw short of the goal line to one of the running backs and given them the opportunity to make a move or truck a defender.

This current Pats team is an average team with a HOF QB that's playing way above their heads. That's even with a sub average D. You got to give them credit for grit. The Superbowl is a longshot for them but they will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs.

 

[condon84]

@Brady6, you must not watch many football games aside from the Patriots.
The catch that Amendola dropped or that was stripped is made by receivers in the NFL all the time.

The problem with the Pats, one of them, is that they have slot receivers having to play the 1 and 2 position. That type of throw and catch would have been better for Dobson, Julio Jones, Roddy White, Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Justin Hunter, etc,.

Amendola and Edelman are gamers but are playing out of position a lot of times. Gronk catches that ball, probably Dobson catches that ball because of their height and physical size. That's all. The injuries have just killed the Pats in the redzone. But I do agree with you in that it wasn't a dropped but a well defended play that a true outside receiver would have had a better chance at making.

Just a note, it would have been nice saving that one timeout for the end. That would have allowed us to throw short of the goal line to one of the running backs and given them the opportunity to make a move or truck a defender.

This current Pats team is an average team with a HOF QB that's playing way above their heads. That's even with a sub average D. You got to give them credit for grit. The Superbowl is a longshot for them but they will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs.

Thomkins would have made that catch too.

 

[condon84]

I just finished watching the game and here are my thoughts -

- We moved the ball well in between the 20s, mixing pass and run. But when we got in the red zone, the Dolphins defense dared the Pats to pass the ball, putting 8 men in the box regardless of what formation we were in. We countered by going shotgun almost exclusively down there, and with the 8 defenders in the box, it was really up to our receivers to beat their defender. Their DBs played tight, were physical, and just won most of the battles. We needed a little more creativity in the red zone since we don't have Gronk who can physically win his battles. I'm surprised we didn't go with a pick play, or go in a bunch formation and confused their coverage, I thought the Dolphins were riped for that. We didn't even go play-action down there which I thought would have changed things up. McD needs to be more creative down there. He failed us today.

- Our defense on 3rd and long is just plain awful. Way too conservative. Patricia only seems to call a blitz on 3rd and 5 yards or less. Too often Tannehill had too much time to find the open guy because he was simply not pressured. Patricia did throw some nice blitz in there when it was 3rd and short, but why not do it on 3rd and long as well? Or stunt your DLine? Just too vanilla on 3rd and long. Grow some balls, you're already getting beat playing conservative.

- Dennard got beat like a drum today. Most of the significant catches were by guys he covered.

- Not sure why there are complaints about Amendola. He was a beast today.

- Edelman was also beastly.

- Wendell is good for a blown assignment or two during games. This guy is gonna get Brady killed.

- Awful angle by Gregory on that TD pass. Cole and Gregory looked like the Bad News Bears out there on that play. When it's a pass situation, why don't they sub Harmon in for Gregory? Harmon is not as good defending the run, but he is better at playing the pass simply because Gregory is awful at it.

- McCourty had a nice game today.

- So did Hightower, aside from that pass TD he gave up. To me, that was just a brilliant call by the Dolphins. They called a play that isolated their fastest RB against Hightower. Total mismatch. Only a few LBs in the league could cover Thigpen in that situation. Hightower had no business to be put in that situation in the first place. Bad coaching there.

- Brady played well. And so did his receivers.

- McD let them down at the end of the game. The plays called lacked any creativity at all. Just go to the end zone, Brady make a perfect pass, and receiver make an incredible catch. SMH. Where is the pick play? How about have a guy run across to create traffic? Maybe a bunch formation?

- Lastly, what this game and countless other games keep reminding me is that our D and O coordinator don't have the same feel for calling the game like Crennel and Weiss. Yeah yeah, I shouldn't compare them, but I can't help it. Those old dogs knew what to call, and when to call it. They just had a great feel for the game. These two that we have now are probably great X's and O'x coaches, but having a feel for the game and calling the right play based on how the game is going is something that these guys don't have. On offense, it really is just up to Brady and his receivers to make a play. And our defense just can't stop anyone when it matters.

 

[Ring 6]

A win would have won them the division. This loss probably bothered him more than others. It bothered me too. A lot was on the line today. Made me wonder if they even have a chance to do much in the playoffs.

So they lost by about the closest margin possible on the road to what will be a playoff team, likely a 10-6 one and we must wonder whether they have much of a chance in the playoffs. Therefore:
The Broncos lost at home by 10 to a .500 team so I wonder if they even have a chance in the playoffs.
The Bengals are losing by 10 to a bad Steelers team and were almost blown out.
The Colts lost by 14 and 29 to the last 2 teams they played with winning records within the last month, and by 30 to the lowly Rams.
Miami lost to in Foxboro and we suck.
No one else can even win a division so the have no chance in the playoffs.

I guess either the AFC won't have a representative in the SB this year or we are overreacting to a close loss on the road to a good team.

 

[DocHoliday]

So they lost by about the closest margin possible on the road to what will be a playoff team, likely a 10-6 one and we must wonder whether they have much of a chance in the playoffs. Therefore:
The Broncos lost at home by 10 to a .500 team so I wonder if they even have a chance in the playoffs.
The Bengals are losing by 10 to a bad Steelers team and were almost blown out.
The Colts lost by 14 and 29 to the last 2 teams they played with winning records within the last month, and by 30 to the lowly Rams.
Miami lost to in Foxboro and we suck.
No one else can even win a division so the have no chance in the playoffs.

I guess either the AFC won't have a representative in the SB this year or we are overreacting to a close loss on the road to a good team.

Much needed post, Andy, thank you.

I think it's worth remembering that once we:

1.) More or less still have a great pass defense - just need a little more time to get healthy.
2.) Have really improved stopping the run in the past two games and will likely only get better.
3.) Will get back KT and Dobson. This is really the worst our offense SHOULD look for the rest of the season.
4.) Run game has been pretty underutilized.

What we SHOULD we worrying about:

1.) Nate Solder
2.) Nate Solder
3.) Nate Solder
4.) Nate Solder

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Much needed post, Andy, thank you.

I think it's worth remembering that once we:

1.) More or less still have a great pass defense - just need a little more time to get healthy.
2.) Have really improved stopping the run in the past two games and will likely only get better.
3.) Will get back KT and Dobson. This is really the worst our offense SHOULD look for the rest of the season.
4.) Run game has been pretty underutilized.

What we SHOULD we worrying about:

1.) Nate Solder
2.) Nate Solder
3.) Nate Solder
4.) Nate Solder

I am not that worried. It is shaping up for us to get hot IMO. We are still in good position to make NJ in February.

 

[Ring 6]

I am not that worried. It is shaping up for us to get hot IMO. We are still in good position to make NJ in February.

I think that we are in good shape to stay the 2 seed.
You can lose any playoff game, but I would be very confident at home in the divisional round after the bye.
That brings us to the AFCCG either in Denver or here if Manning chokes one week earlier.
The road is not difficult. BB and staff need to keep pushing the preparation and get in position to play well in those games.
Frankly part of me sees this as Brady winning us an AFCCG that we would not win with any other QB and then owning whoever the NFC sends in to the 12 degree windy day in NJ that Brady will far and away be the best QB you could have on the field in those conditions.
This is the year Brady carries this team, IMO, and cements his legacy.

 

[SVN]

So you guys think pats will beat baltimore next week ?

 

[doesntmatter1]

One thing that is starting to stand out to me is the lack of forced turnovers for us. For the amount of passes thrown against us, our dbs need to get their hands on them more often. Our dline should attempt to bat more balls or at least clog the passing lanes by putting their arms up.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

First Amamdola did not choke, the DB made a play by getting his hand in there before the ball was secured. Without his efforts this game would not have been close. I wish some of you guys would actually watch the game before you shoot from the hip.

Secondly, how many teams can even compete with the injuries this team has had? Kline had to see his first action and allowed pressure and a sack. Not really blaming him, it's just the reality of the situation.

Third, Dobson andThompkins are out and they still were able to move the ball. And, not to mention Gronk being out for the year.

These are not excuses, just reality. I love the way this team keep fighting in spite of all the injuries.

Agree with everything you said, but...

Why isn't there an animated dude taking a leak over your sig?

 

[doesntmatter1]

So you guys think pats will beat baltimore next week ?

Easily:rocker:

 

[Deus Irae]

yes lets sit here and blame the refs again..not the D or O :bricks::bricks::bricks::bricks:

We need cincy to lose tonight or we drop to #3. Pats controlled their own destiny and ruined it. Not often that happens

But lets blame the refs again

If you watch the game, you see the refs blow a huge PI call on a PI that was worse than they'd called on Fletcher. I know you like to ***** about all things Patriots, but that's only useful when you can also acknowledge positive things by the team and/or problems that were beyond their control.

 

[Deus Irae]

Because there is a contingent of people on this board who will bag on Amendola because he is not Wes Welker...

Kind of a ridiculous claim, given the crap Welker has gotten around here, and the relatively unanimous defense of Amendola due to his injury. Amendola should have had the catch. He blew it. It happens.


It's not as if he was the only receiver to drop passes he shouldn't have, and it's not as if only the receivers made mistakes. We can acknowledge Amendola's failure on that play without that meaning we all think he's Satan's son walking the Earth.

 

[BradyBranch39]

First with the non-call for holding on the 4th and 5 by the Miami receiver to allow Clay to get the 4th down

Oh, good. I thought I was the only one that noticed this insanely blatant hold.

 

[102 Pat]

Waking up to read that the Bengals lost makes this loss much for bearable for me now, dunno if anybody else feels this way.

 

[SVN]

http://www.csnne.com/blog/patriots-talk/curran-patriots-flat-out-got-beat-dolphins

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

Ugh, the worst thing about a loss is having to wait a WEEK to avenge it.

As opposed to a win, when you get to fully embrace the whole week in victory and joy.

 

[Banjo]

I looked at the Dolphins, Ravens, and Bills and thought we had a decent chance to go 3-0.

Now I think it's gonna be 1-2... so long bye week.