Pats - Colts Divisional Round Discussion Thread

[dales804]

We'll have to see what the important guy thinks though, as Belichick hasn't been calling many of us for advice lately

He just never returns my messages. Guess he thinks he knows better. If only he would come to this forum he'd know who to draft, sign and play.

 

[obgod3]

This game won't be in a dome, Luck is awesome but I like the Pats defensive backfield against Indy, we all know BB will take away Hilton and then take away Luck's ability to run and I think that's it. If Brady gets protection he will pick apart that Indy secondary plus I like the run game of the pats over indy's defense. No reason Pats shouldn't win this. Now the week after is a different story, root for the chargers. As a fan I'm allowed to look ahead lol

 

[pherein]

This might be a good team for NE to play. With proper time management and not taking the foot off the pedal, I think KC would have won the game, even with the injuries.

 

[upstater1]

My friend is the backup Center for the Pats so he can get me tickets. So you might see me there next week cheering for the Colts!

Does your friend exist?

The Patriots backup center is Dan Connolly, the starting right guard. Josh Kline takes his position if Wendell gets injured, but Kline is not a center.

 

[JMC00]

I understand and Gordon did have a big game. Was Talib still nursing his hip injury that game or am I wrong in thinking that? With Talib at full health I think he can go 1-on-1 against almost anyone and be successful.

Gordon's game vs Talib.

6 rec 71 yards
1 rec 80 yards 1 TD (On a slant play that I think Talib thought he had help over the middle)

Outside of the long play Talib held him to 12 yards a catch. I think it was respectable given that Talib was still not 100 percent.

 

[goheels22002]

Not comparable, we lose playoff games because of opposing defenses, BAL is always a tough matchup save that last game. IND has zero defense, this would be our worst playoff loss in this era.

2013 Indianapolis Colts Statistics & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Colts defense is 26th in yards allowed on the ground, and 13th against the pass.

Get ready for a steady diet of Blount and Ridley.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Time for an Indianapolis emotional let down in Foxboro after an amazing come back win in Lucas Oil.

Coach Belichick is miles ahead of Coach Reid. He won't let the Indy receivers stroll around open in the Secondary.

Are you serious? When I watch our defense, receivers are always open. When did BB change this?
This game is scary. I am hoping for conditions to affect Luck. I want it to be coooooooolllld.

 

[supafly]

Yes, the Pats usually have a tough game against Baltimore, but people were trying to convince everyone on this board that the Ravens were clearly the better team (which clearly isn't the case) and the Pats had no shot. The whole not showing up was hyperbole for effect.
[/LIST]

I understand the hyperbole and obviously didn't take it literally, I'm just stating that even the biggest homer had some concerns about a team who had recently lost 3 of their last 4 on the road going down to Baltimore and coming home with a win. There was nothing wrong with having some concerns under the circumstances, having just lost Gronk, and coming off a bunch of poorer showings against bad teams etc.

 

[Rob0729]

I understand the hyperbole and obviously didn't take it literally, I'm just stating that even the biggest homer had some concerns about a team who had recently lost 3 of their last 4 on the road going down to Baltimore and coming home with a win. There was nothing wrong with having some concerns under the circumstances, having just lost Gronk, and coming off a bunch of poorer showings against bad teams etc.

Yes, there was some concern going into this game, but people built the Ravens up to a team like they were last year who got hot in the playoffs and won a Super Bowl. It was more perception than reality.

I had concerns going into that game, but I would have had similar concerns going into any average team the Pats were visiting that the Pats had historically struggled against.

I won't point out names, but I was basically accused of being a huge homer for even suggesting that the Pats were in the same class as the Ravens, never mind suggest the Pats were better. Ok, you could accuse me for being a huge homer anyway, but not for speaking the truth that the Pats are the better team.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Gordon's game vs Talib.

6 rec 71 yards
1 rec 80 yards 1 TD (On a slant play that I think Talib thought he had help over the middle)

Outside of the long play Talib held him to 12 yards a catch. I think it was respectable given that Talib was still not 100 percent.

Considering the prior two games he had 24 catches for almost 500 yards and 3 TDs he did a great job

 

[Rob0729]

Are you serious? When I watch our defense, receivers are always open. When did BB change this?
This game is scary. I am hoping for conditions to affect Luck. I want it to be coooooooolllld.

The Pats defense has been playing well recently. We will see if it is because the players were starting to get healthy and the Pats figured out how to hide deficiencies or that they faced bad offenses.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Are you serious? When I watch our defense, receivers are always open. When did BB change this?
This game is scary. I am hoping for conditions to affect Luck. I want it to be coooooooolllld.

Won't happen with dennard, mccourty an talib healthy.

 

[edboc]

Hopefully it won't come down to a clutch kick from Vinatieri.

 

[PATRlOT]

I hope Ryan gets a good load of playing time at CB (assuming it's not due to injuries)

 

[Big-T]

I'd like to see the secondary match up something like this:

Dennard w/ McCourty over the top on Hilton
Ryan on Brazill
Talib on Fleener

Key for the ends is to set the edge, DO NOT let Luck escape the pocket. Siliga if he holds up in the same way he finished the season will shut down the Colts "power" run game.

 

[coolguy]

Are you serious? When I watch our defense, receivers are always open. When did BB change this?
This game is scary. I am hoping for conditions to affect Luck. I want it to be coooooooolllld.

It changed once wolverine started getting more snaps. Denard-talib-wolverine-dmc is the secondary in the afc.

 

[Elijah T.]

I'm really looking forward to this game. The Colts are a good football team and definitely deserve to be at this point.

But I come away feeling like we are the better "team", from the coaching staff down to the last man on the 53 (Kanorris Davis, Austin Collie)-- not to belittle the Colts in any way, as they've shown to be very fundamental and well coached (least in total penalties). But playing at home with two weeks of preparation, the Patriots should win this game.

This isn't by any means Belichick and Brady's first rodeo, I don't think that the Colts present any challenge this season that we haven't been able to properly gameplan and execute for, nor do I believe this Colts team is better than the Houston Texans that came into this game last year.

Luck is definitely the truth. He'll have his time. But if New England plays fundamental football on offense (proper technique in pass protection/run blocking and execution of basic plays), protects the football, mixes up coverages on defense with the goal of limiting TY Hilton to intermediate completions the Patriots really should win this game something like, 34-24.

Personally, I would like to see more of Ridley in this particular game... I like all our backs but Ridley getting 18-22 touches would be favorable against the Colts defense imo.

 

[Dingleberry]

2007 NYG
2009 Ravens
2010 NYJ
2011 NYG
2012 Ravens

I apologize for the painful history lesson, but shouldn't it be obvious to us that the Defense with a dominant front line has been the Achilles heel of the Patriots? It is NOT the scary opposing offense.

The Bengals were the only Defense in the AFC that could be argued to fit into the above list.

Good riddance to the Bengals.

There is not a Defense left in the AFC that should stifle Brady's offense. THAT is a good thing.

The NFC teams, on the other hand....

 

[coolguy]

2007 NYG
2009 Ravens
2010 NYJ
2011 NYG
2012 Ravens

I apologize for the painful history lesson, but shouldn't it be obvious to us that the Defense with a dominant front line has been the Achilles heel of the Patriots? It is NOT the scary opposing offense.

The Bengals were the only Defense in the AFC that could be argued to fit into the above list.

Good riddance to the Bengals.

There is not a Defense left in the AFC that should stifle Brady's offense. THAT is a good thing.

The NFC teams, on the other hand....

I don't know about that. Mathis is the non d-bag version of suggs when it comes to pressure on brady.

 

[newenglandsports11]

Another item of note: Greg Toler and Vontae Davis were both wounded ducks on the field yesterday. Couple that with LaRon "Cheap Shot" Landry's concussion like symptoms and we are playing a deflated defense (much like ourselves) except, they are much younger with virtually no experience. Containing Mathis could go a long way, especially if Tommy has all day to throw.

Also, back to the Jeremy Kerley reference, I see a lot of similarities with Hilton down to their heights (5'9!) but I think Patricia and BB game plan the hell of out him.