PostGame Thread OFFICIAL POSTGAME THREAD: Patriots Beat Titans 31-13

[Jim Beankie]

A tip of the cap from one regular guy to another my man. Between the new offense to be learned and the Campbell, Henderson and Wilson picks along with the FA signings I was thinking this was shaping up to be a run first offense for at least the first half of the season while they brought Maye along and Diggs got up to speed. Instead it's Drake's world, we're just living in it and that's just fine by me. I too root for the laundry not my opinions.

I'm hoping he really is the real deal. I mean 4 years ago, people were in awe of "in the bucket" 52.2 air yard throws by Mac:

 

[maust]

half the teams the play, lose... at least you have a system... i look at my picks and say "wtf was I thinking"

Funny I looked at your picks and thought the same thing

 

[Pape]

Funny I looked at your picks and thought the same thing

 

[Patjew]

He definitely didn't. I know we want to give Maye the benefit of the doubt, but that was a straight up missthrow imho looking at the replay. Pop wasn't gonna be running straight at the LB, 50, or sitting in for the catch between/close to 2 defenders.

I blame the non-concussion concussion for the off throw.

 

[DaBruinz]

Tampa game is week 10. Beware of week 11 as a big time trap game possibility. It’s playing the hapless Jets on TNF so a short week after Tampa Bay. With the Jets perfectly positioned to pull a huge upset.

Two games will be very influential for MVP voting:

Week 10 (11/9) NE @ TB
Week 15 (12/14) BUF @ NE

Both are presently 1pm games. Both seem likely candidate to be flexed into primetime.

Week 10 the possible flex slots for NE @ TB are currently filled by:
TNF *** can’t be flexed for week 10 ***
4:05 AZ @ SEA on CBS (12 days notice required) <- !!! Likely flex *
SNF PIT @ LAC (12 days notice required)
MNF PHL @ GB *** can’t be flexed for week 10 ***

* Fox has LAR @ SF and DET @ WAS at 4:25. Pats 1pm games are on CBS and I assume the 4pm flex would stay on same network.

Week 15 the possible flex slots for BUF @ NE are filled by:
TNF ATL @ TB (21 days notice required)
4:25 GB @ DEN on CBS (6 days notice required)
4:25 IND @ SEA on CBS (6 days notice required)
SNF MIN @ DAL (6 days notice required)
MNF MIA @ PIT (12 days notice required) <- !!! Likely flex *

* Fox has CAR @ NO and TN @ SF at 4:25. Both might be candidates to be flexed to move Pats into primetime but Pats 1pm games are on CBS and I am not sure about rules on cross-network flexes. Don’t think it’s possible but if it is 6 days notice would be required. Games can be flexed to MNF so that looks most likely. If Pats are still rolling the Bills game will be headline matchup much more than MIA.

If I'm the Pats, I'm asking the league to Flex off of Thursday Night Football. They don't want a potential blow-out that would lose viewers on that day..

 

[maust]

I blame the non-concussion concussion for the off throw.

 

[BobDigital]

Things from this game I think are worth mentioning. And the last few weeks.

2 games in a row now for Pop Douglas making himself known a bit. He isn't as big a part of this offense as some thought he'd be going in, but he is off the milk carton. And frankly the way Diggs and Boutte are playing... You don't need him to give you more than a few catches a game.

Carlton Davis is what he is. He is a guy who will at times be very frustrating and give up easy plays and at times will be lock down. We can complain all we want... but we are locked in for the rest of this year and next year. And frankly (I know people may hate this) I don't think it is a such a bad thing. The NFL doesn't really have shut down CBs anymore. The Pats at times have made the opposing top CB look silly with the likes of Boutte, Hollins and Douglas who are not elite WRs. As much as fans may hate to swallow it. Davis is what good CB play looks like in the league these days. (Good, not great). And he is doing fine as a #2 overall. There are a few really bad plays that have been made this year that are unacceptable and you can't just take those out... Like tripping over his own feet in the opening drive in this one. But those really bad plays are such a small sample size and it is probably unfair to assume they will be par for the course. I don't think we will see them at that rate going forward in the next 1.5 years. Yes he will still get beat, they all do. But overall he has been as advertised. However, they should look to have a solution in place that is not him after next year. They didn't over pay exactly, but they were in a rush to fix this problem going into this year and got stuck having to pay a premium price for this level of play. Hopefully by the time they part ways with him they will have managed things properly so they won't need to play a premium price for solid #2 CB play.

Depth at DT has been good. Williams and Barmore are playing a lot of snaps. But they are being rotated... And while we have rightly praise Tonga.... Farmer and Durden have done well in their roles. We are seeing less pass rush when they are in there, but the run D isn't really any worse. Durden has quietly given you about 10 decent snaps a game that you don't really notice.

The #2 LB spot has been improved. Some weeks ago we were screaming out of our minds about the absolutely black holes in the LB spot besides Spillane and the Safety spot next to Woodson. At least in respect to the LB #2 spot... we've seen improvement recently the past few games. And surprisingly it isn't just 1 guy. The entire group has improved. Be it Mapu, Elliss, Gibbens or Tavai. I think they all have been there are times and have all stepped up... It still isn't great. But it isn't as bad as it was. I guess part of this is guys learning where they should be and the Pats putting the right player in the right situation. While i have not investigated this intently... from a birds eye view it feels like they are kind of cobbling it together and making it work. Will it continue? IDK. And certainly the second they face a truly elite TE or RB in space they will get burned like just about everyone does. But this situation has been one of the underrated stories in the last 3 weeks.

The Pats need to figure out how to pass to RBs effectively behind the line. Time and again I've seen them get balls to backs in the flat behind the line, and it is a loss or goes no where. Defenders are already there swarming. Either it is too telegraphed or the OL have issues blocking in space or whatever. But it has been one of the things this offense has been REALLY bad at. And every other team seems to have little problem with it. These plays are easy money for the other 31 teams in the league. This is one of the most effective plays in the league. Yet for the Pats it has routinely been a negative play or a wasted down. This is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. What is every other teams 'get right' play, should not be your worst offensive play.

 

[mayoclinic]

I have no idea what Shane Steichen did to the man. But he did something because somehow Daniel Jones is playing at a legit MVP candidate level.

The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for lesser achievements.

 

[patfanken]

Unlike a lot of your I am not at all unhappy with the "seemingly" slow development from Henderson and Williams. Both have the athletic ability to be special, but right now neither have developed the "eyes" to excel. The game is still a bit too fast for them and neither have seemed to be able to match their athletic skills to what they are seeing on the field. Likely that will come with time and practice reps. I am not that worried simply because, while it would be NICE to have them all ramped up and producing big time, it is not necessary. Our WR production is excellent, top 10 from what hear. A more active and successful Williams would likely be just taking snaps and yds from Hollis and Boutte. Now I recognize that he has skills currently not among our WR's, but it will only enhance our capabilities when the lights finally come on for him.

Henderson's maturation is more urgent and now that the schedule is elevating we DO need to see more from him, but you can rush what is a natural process and we are filled with rookie RB experiences not get overly anxious. Or at least we should be.

 

[patchick]

Turns out we were hiding the tourch in the broom closet. Maye hauled it out of storage a few weeks ago.

Hey everybody…I’ve been away for a while. Can one of you explain WTF IS WITH THIS “TOURCH”??!!!

Yours in humble gratitude,
patchick

 

[Real fan 02]

Not Buffalo. Not with that offense. Jones and Company would destroy the Bills defense. They've got the best OL in the league and a quarterback who's making good decisions behind it. The Bills D would be outmatched and then some. Allen would have to outshoot the best offense in the AFC, and I don't think he has the horses for that.

Also if he's healthy come playoff time, Jonathan Taylor is going to be hard for anyone to stop.

KC is another matter, they have a high powered offense of their own, but the Chiefs are making more mistakes than the Colts right now, so from here, I give the Colts a 55-45 advantage in a playoff matchup.

The Colts are literally the only team in the AFC that I look at and say I'm not sure that one goes our way. If only because a lot of our best players are still developing and theirs are in their prime.

We're also the only team in the AFC that I can say with no self-consciousness can go into a game with the Colts and win. They have a better offense, but that's countered by our superior D. It'd be a spicy matchup but we're one of the few teams with the tools to face them head on and expect to win.

Frankly I'm looking forward to the matchup. Looks like it would be some amazing football.

I think we have to understand who is playing QB should they meet Buffalo or KC in the playoffs. The real Daniel Jones will show up. It will come down to the QB play as it always does in the postseason. I give Buffalo a strong edge as KC as well.

Indy was just as bad as we were last season while they have some pieces on offense and defense I'd say they essentially are a rebuilding team like us that is able to win behind Taylor and Jones not screwing it up.

The postseason is a totally different animal and I would give KC or Buffalo the edge. If we did see Indy it would be strength against strength. Thier running game against our rush defense. Both are elite.

 

[Ring 6]

If I'm the Pats, I'm asking the league to Flex off of Thursday Night Football. They don't want a potential blow-out that would lose viewers on that day..

Can Thursday games be flexed? I thought the rule was every team plays 1 Thursday game so it’s not an unfair advantage.

 

[maust]

If I'm the Pats, I'm asking the league to Flex off of Thursday Night Football. They don't want a potential blow-out that would lose viewers on that day..

Thursday games can't be flexed, in or out, until week 14. Per NFL.com;

NFL 2025 post-4 Schedule | Official Site of the National Football League

Get the NFL 2025 post-4 Schedule. Find Schedule History, Schedule Release &Tickets to NFL Games.

www.nfl.com

 

[Simpelton]

The real Daniel Jones will show up.

maybe it already has. Remember, he was a first round pick for a reason.

I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't "the real Daniel Jones" at this point, and the only reason we never got to see it eariler is because of how bad the Giants suck at turning talent into success..

Remember, for most of his time on the Giants he was trying to carry teams that not even Eli could move the needle for. Dave Gettelman had an eye for talent, even if he couldn't build rosters around it. that's evidenced by the number of guys he drafted who went on to thrive in other markets.

While Jones' value probably isn't quite as high as it looks right now, it's pretty clear at this point that he's nowhere near as BAD as we thought based on his time on the dysfunctional Giants either. The truth is in the middle.

One thing is clear, Jones has 3 picks all year and 1 of them was in a desperation situation where you want your QB making high risk attempts. That's nothing. He's not making anywhere near the level of mistakes he made in the past, and he has the protection he never had in NYG. The causal link between these two facts is pretty obvious.

People can hold onto "the real Daniel Jones" if they want to, but it's clear that he's in a situation now where he can do a lot less surviving and a lot more thriving, and I don't think it's useful to hold the past against the guy.

Also the "indy were just as bad" line is patently untrue. Indy missed the playoffs by 1 game. We missed the #1 overall pick by one game. We are not the same.

 

[TommyD4207]

Hey everybody…I’ve been away for a while. Can one of you explain WTF IS WITH THIS “TOURCH”??!!!

Yours in humble gratitude,
patchick

If you do not know the history of the tourch, you are not worthy of knowing when the tourch is passed.

Seriously though I don't think it was @SHOWTIME15 that said it initially, but he was one of the instigators. Talking about how the torch (presumably, because he said 'tourch' multiple times in multiple posts) has been passed from Brady to Mahomes.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Colts are legit. They will be in Denver for the AFCCG

 

[TommyD4207]

Colts are legit. They will be in Denver for the AFCCG

No one will be in Denver for the AFCCG unless it's in front of a television.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Hey everybody…I’ve been away for a while. Can one of you explain WTF IS WITH THIS “TOURCH”??!!!

Yours in humble gratitude,
patchick

Patriots won the epic AFC CG in Kansas City with an incredible performance by Brady, and Mahomes had just as good of a 2nd half after being nearly shut out in the first half.

A KC fan immediately posts this thread. With a typo. Hilarity ensues.
Passing of the tourch.

 

[maust]

Hey everybody…I’ve been away for a while. Can one of you explain WTF IS WITH THIS “TOURCH”??!!!

Yours in humble gratitude,
patchick

If you do not know the history of the tourch, you are not worthy of knowing when the tourch is passed.

Seriously though I don't think it was @SHOWTIME15 that said it initially, but he was one of the instigators. Talking about how the torch (presumably, because he said 'tourch' multiple times in multiple posts) has been passed from Brady to Mahomes.

It was a KC fan that was posting here prematurely claiming the "tourch" had been passed from Brady to Kermit before Brady's last SB with New England. We patted him on the head and explained there is no torch that gets passed from one team to another. There's a crown, it has to be taken and when you come at the king you best not miss. We also told him in no uncertain terms we didn't believe Kermie was ever getting his at Brady's expense.



IIRC after Brady sent Kermit packing we never heard from him again.
blowtime15, smack10, tommyboohoo12 or whatever handle he's hiding behind these days got exposed for the front running fraud he was after pretending to be a college kid here for 16 years, also never heard from again but for a different reason lol

 

[TommyD4207]

It was a KC fan that was posting here prematurely claiming the "tourch" had been passed from Brady to Kermit before Brady's last SB with MNew England. We patted him on the head and explained there is no torch that gets passed from one team to another. There's a crown, it has to be taken and when you come at the king you best not miss. We also told him in no uncertain terms we didn't believe Kermie was ever getting his at Brady's expense.



IIRC after Brady sent Kermit packing we never heard from him again.
blowtime15, smack10, tommyboohoo12 or whatever handle he's hiding behind these days got exposed for the front running fraud he was after pretending to be a college kid here for 16 years, also never heard from again but for a different reason lol