Game Day Thread Official Post-Game Thread: Week 1 - Pats lose to Dolphins 17-16

[venecol]

Are you referring to the play that begins at 8:15?



Because if you are, then you are being unfair to Meyers and too quick to absolve Mac of any blame... That throw needed to be much, Much, MUCH better than it was.

Bad pass on the run with receiver open, no need to throw it low there. That's on Mac.

 

[captain stone]

Holding Miami to 17 points should be enough to win. That’s not on the defense. Most of the mistakes were on offense.

If Miami needed 20 points to win, does anyone here honestly believe that our defense would've prevented them from kicking the game-winner?

 

[mike_usagisan]

Yes, exactly. Since when did horrible value because we need it now become a Patriots concept? Could have sworn I just saw 20 years of us laughing at teams doing that. This is why you fill holes with free agency but don’t build a team through free agency.


Getting closer to the mark anyway. They’re not worth that either.


What difference would 9M instead of 12.5M, for each of them, make? The answer is 7M.

I can’t believe the same fans brush this off and then cry that Stefon Diggs or Julio Jones are ripoffs because they cost too much. Thuney wanted too much…we offered him $15 but he wanted $18M. So many players have left the team over the Patriots not meeting their price, and fans always cheer it.

Now fans apparently brush off a few extra million, overpaying, etc.

Cult thinking.

Yes, but the cupboard was bare. You’d prefer the TEs we had last year rather than overpaying for the two best ones on the market this year when we had the money?

This feels like the same argument people made when Bill paid top dollar for Gilmore when he was a free agent. “Don’t pay him when Butler deserves it more.” We’ve seen how that worked out.

Sometimes you have to overpay. I think game 1 is a little early to say whether they’re worth it or not.

 

[Ring 6]

Are you referring to the play that begins at 8:15?



Because if you are, then you are being unfair to Meyers and too quick to absolve Mac of any blame... That throw needed to be much, Much, MUCH better than it was.

Yes it hit him in the hands. He has to catch that. It’s not at all unfair to say if you get 2 hands on the ball you have to catch it.

 

[Tapats]

Really sucks to lose that way, fumbling inside the 10 yard line only down a point with like 2 min left.... all they really needed to do at that point was burn more time, kick the chip shot field goal and pretty much seal the win... but can't totally blame Harris since he was clearly gassed after Stevenson was benched early for also fumbling. Just not a good situation.

Far, far too many mistakes and costly penalties. The refs were truly awful today but I don't have the willpower to even dig into that. We know Bill will put a lot of time into cleaning things up and hopefully there's a quick turnaround there.

The one thing to take away is that after 1 game it looks like our QB of the future is here. Mac Jones was a baller today and bailed the team out of multiple bad situations that were not his fault. He ended the day 29/39 (74% completion percentage) for 281 yards, a TD, no picks and a 102.6 passer rating. Despite no Trent Brown and an iffy performance by Herron, and a lot of pressure from Miami, he made some beautiful throws. Some misses on the quick passes but it's understandable - that rhythm will come with time. I'm very excited about Mac and the future of the team.

Discuss!

ESPN has the passer rat
ing as 74!

 

[TomPatriot]

If Miami needed 20 points to win, does anyone here honestly believe that our defense would've prevented them from kicking the game-winner?

Yeah, it was possible. The Pats stopped the Dolphins five times and gave up three scores.

 

[TomPatriot]

That's not even an argument. It's an aspiration with absolutely no meaning in week one of an NFL season.

It’s an NFL fact. Just look at the scores of the other games. How many teams won scoring 17 points or less? None.

 

[TomPatriot]

Overall were you impressed by the defense?
I wasn't. It's not like holding Tua to 17 is some big achievement. The guy stinks.

I wasn’t impressed but holding the Dolphins to 17 should have been good enough to win.

 

[captain stone]

That's what I said at the time, at a bar, without the ability to fast-forward & rewind... At least that turnover didn't cost us points... but dam Belichick for not re-inserting the Rham during the 4th quarter when we needed fresh legs.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I think he's reliable and pretty good. Is he a 1?, no but I think he is a good number 2 or 3 guy to have...dependable, good route runner, good hands.

a number 3, yes. And a good one. Although it seems like pats fans and the Patriots team (snap counts) are treating him like a number 1

 

[NG Pats Fan]

See…this is what frustrates me. No one seems to agree with me that these two TEs were terrible signings for $12.5M each. All offseason that’s been my biggest complaint about the team’s dealings.

Hunter Henry is a proven 600-750 yard guy, which breaks down to about 40 yards per game. He is a decent blocker but not a great one. Yesterday he had 30 yards, a couple of first downs, and was unspectacular but was solid. This is who he is. If he were some great, untapped talent then the Chargers would have thrown to him much more.

Jonnu Smith is a little different because there’s the sense the Titans buried him under some other solid options…but still, he’s never even had 450 yards in a season. He had 42 yards yesterday, which is actually a little above average for his career. It’s the same deal where I doubt the Titans saw an 800-yard guy and just decided to underuse him. He’s a good player who will get more production with more reps, but he isn’t special.

Both guys are getting Gronk/Kelce money. I think fans will be very disappointed because they believe the Patriots have some elite tight end combo. The only thing these guys are elite at is reaching free agency in a weak TE market with the Patriots having the most money to burn and being desperate to fix the position.

Right after Patriots used two very high draft picks on ASSiasi and Keen Bean

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Yes, but the cupboard was bare. You’d prefer the TEs we had last year rather than overpaying for the two best ones on the market this year when we had the money?

Such an obvious false choice fallacy. When I pissed in the punch bowl and said the odds are Keene and Asiasi will bust, and this isn’t a solution, the pushback I got was just like this, but a 180. Suddenly we can count on the draft because free agency is overpriced and overspending isn’t The Patriot Way. Bill always did the right thing; work backwards to prove the conclusion.

Gronk left after 2018/19. This was the 2021 offseason. At no time was there a competent tight end on the roster. Smith/Henry are not a coup; they’re the result of many bad decisions.

This feels like the same argument people made when Bill paid top dollar for Gilmore when he was a free agent. “Don’t pay him when Butler deserves it more.” We’ve seen how that worked out.

It’s nothing like that. Nothing. I immediately sang the team’s praises on that signing. When you look at the amount they paid/offered CBs in the past (Revis, Talib etc) and what Butler/L. Ryan were beimg offered, paying 20% more for a truly elite talent made tons of market sense. Admittedly, I didn’t know Gilmore would be the best CB in football, but it was obvious the team saw him as a very rare FA who slipped through franchise tag/extension, due partly to numerous scheme and coaching changes in Buffalo.

Sometimes you have to overpay. I think game 1 is a little early to say whether they’re worth it or not.

Whether they went for 200 yards or 0 yards, I’m looking at the whole season. I stated that before..nothing is set in stone. But I noted there’s disappointment with a 30/40 yard receiving game from them, when that is exactly what their careers have been on average.

 

[Pats1971]

Such an obvious false choice fallacy. When I pissed in the punch bowl and said the odds are Keene and Asiasi will bust, and this isn’t a solution, the pushback I got was just like this, but a 180. Suddenly we can count on the draft because free agency is overpriced and overspending isn’t The Patriot Way. Bill always did the right thing; work backwards to prove the conclusion.

Gronk left after 2018/19. This was the 2021 offseason. At no time was there a competent tight end on the roster. Smith/Henry are not a coup; they’re the result of many bad decisions.


It’s nothing like that. Nothing. I immediately sang the team’s praises on that signing. When you look at the amount they paid/offered CBs in the past (Revis, Talib etc) and what Butler/L. Ryan were beimg offered, paying 20% more for a truly elite talent made tons of market sense. Admittedly, I didn’t know Gilmore would be the best CB in football, but it was obvious the team saw him as a very rare FA who slipped through franchise tag/extension, due partly to numerous scheme and coaching changes in Buffalo.


Whether they went for 200 yards or 0 yards, I’m looking at the whole season. I stated that before..nothing is set in stone. But I noted there’s disappointment with a 30/40 yard receiving game from them, when that is exactly what their careers have been on average.

Yeah agree with all of this. The one bad part about blowing a ton of money in the offseason is, if it doesnt produce you end up looking pretty bad. The pats never did this. Now maybe they wanted to surround the rook with a lot of good players to ease him in, not sure, but every year the pats would go get players off the trash heap and throw them in at receiver and hope Brady could make it work. This year everything that was done for the last 20 years all changed. Spend money go overspend on 1st day free agent guys. Draft? Meh who cares about the draft. Just a lot different team building that it has ever been and yes, a lot of the money spent this year was in response to mistakes made in the draft. Whatever happened to that Kicker we took in the 5th round?

 

[Pats1971]

Yes it hit him in the hands. He has to catch that. It’s not at all unfair to say if you get 2 hands on the ball you have to catch it.

It could have been caught but it was not a good pass and frankly had he stretched out more to catch it, it was not going to be anymore than a 1 yard gain.

 

[venecol]

Yes it hit him in the hands. He has to catch that. It’s not at all unfair to say if you get 2 hands on the ball you have to catch it.

So if a QB overthrows a pass, the receiver jumps and touches the ball with fingers of both his hands, he's got to catch it?

Ball was underthrown. If Cam makes that same pass he would've been crucified for not leading the receiver.

 

[Ring 6]

It could have been caught but it was not a good pass and frankly had he stretched out more to catch it, it was not going to be anymore than a 1 yard gain.

Sure it could have been a better pass, but he didn’t have to stretch out more, it hit both his hands and he easily had the first down if he held on

 

[Ring 6]

So if a QB overthrows a pass, the receiver jumps and touches the ball with fingers of both his hands, he's got to catch it?

Ball was underthrown. If Cam makes that same pass he would've been crucified for not leading the receiver.

That’s not what happened.

What happened happened regardless of who the players are.

 

[Pats1971]

Sure it could have been a better pass, but he didn’t have to stretch out more, it hit both his hands and he easily had the first down if he held on

He was way out of position trying to catch the ball to get a first down, his momentum was leading him back and to the sideline. So no there would have been nothing easy about gathering after getting the off throw and then turning and getting the first down with a defender right there. That throw had to be leading him to a first down, it wasnt it was leading him to a loss or 1 yard at best. A better throw there he can catch it and turn up field in one motion. I know its nitpicking but sometimes thats what you have to do.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[venecol]

He was way out of position trying to catch the ball to get a first down, his momentum was leading him back and to the sideline. So no there would have been nothing easy about gathering after getting the off throw and then turning and getting the first down with a defender right there. That throw had to be leading him to a first down, it wasnt it was leading him to a loss or 1 yard at best. A better throw there he can catch it and turn up field in one motion. I know its nitpicking but sometimes thats what you have to do.

No sense in continuing further. This guy likes to argue for the sake of arguing. That's his thing.