Post Game Thread- Dolphins beat the Pats

[RobertWeathers]

Though I agree mostly with what you say, another part of me keeps telling myself the fins had the 29th ranked run defense, a shotty QB, and was missing one the best DB’s in Howard. Taking that into account and the loss against the hapless Titans, the underperforming Lions, and the (wtf happened to them?) Jaguars, I cant help but feel like this years Patriots are some team that has been pulled through the bizarro reality. This Patriots team will go against a Chiefs team they’ve already beaten, find a way to shut down Mahomes and the high powered offense just to produce no points on offense, give up a TD on a strip sack, throw a pick six, and Reid will masterfully work the clock to send us home with our heads hung down.

That's depressing.

You might as well stop watching and spare yourself the agony

 

[DaBruinz]

I hope that yesterday's game puts an end to the talk of Flores being a HC candidate for the foreseeable future. As our defacto DC, it's his responsibility to make sure that the players are ready for games and ready for situations. Clearly the players weren't ready for that situation. If they had been, Jones wouldn't have gone for the Interception/PBU. Gronk wouldn't have been on the field. Gilmore, JMac, and Harmon would have been closing on Drake instead of just kinda watching things play out.

Yes, this also falls on Belichick. However, I've been of the belief that Belichick allows his Coordinators plenty of latitude. Belichick and Flores will sit down and work on this to improve things for Flores. But they will also sit down with the Defense to work on this. Vets like Gilmore, JMac, Harmon and Chung shouldn't have been so lax. Jones should have known that he should have gone for the tackle, not the interception in that situation.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I've read a lot of posts in this and other Falling Sky Threads...well, to be honest, I've read as many as I can stomach.

This is an experienced, professional team that still has its own destiny in its hands when it comes to a First Round Bye. That means that they might (or might not) have to win a tough Playoff Game on the Road...something that falls in the category of "we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it."

Yeah, yesterday sucked, but let's stop the finger-pointing. It "took a village" to lose that game: missed Kicks, Brady's monumental brain fart at the end of the first half, questionable coaching decisions (Gronk on the field for the last play when Miami was outside Hail Mary range and Gronkowski could possibly have to tackle a speedy back or WR in the open field...really?), missed tackles on the final play by guys who have been making those tackles since they were 10 years old plus a few more things that people have pointed out.

There's nothing we can do about any of that.

The Pats gave the Dolphins a Highlight Reel Play for the ages. Our grand-kids will be watching it, along with the Miracle in the Meadowlands, the Stanford Band and Butler's Pick.

Win out and they're 12--4 (my preseason prediction, BTW) with a Bye. Then it's up to them. Since the "them" includes the greatest player and HC of all time, I'm OK with that. Could it be better? Sure, but so could the weather.

For now, "We're on to Pitts-Falo-NY".

 

[dannydyn]

Eric Berry hasn't played in a year and 3/4 of a season but you suddenly think he'll come back right away to All-Pro form? Tom should throw right at him all day. I wouldn't count on him to help that 30th ranked defense.

Since Reid can't manage playoff games and Mahomes has never played in one and they don't have Hunt I really don't know why you are putting them on such a pedestal.

They may very well beat the Pats but if i'm a Chiefs fan im sure as hell not as confident as you are.

I don't have to put them on a pedestal. Their record speaks for it. They overcame the Ravens D. They will absolutely trash ours. Brady is good, he's the best ever. But when you defense keeps on burying you deeper and deeper in the hole, even Brady won't be able to save them.

For crying out loud, we couldn't hang with the Jags, Titans, Lions, and Dolphins - all on the road. What makes you think we can pull one off in Arrowhead, out of all places?!?!?

 

[TomPatriot]

I don't have to put them on a pedestal. Their record speaks for it. They overcame the Ravens D. They will absolutely trash ours. Brady is good, he's the best ever. But when you defense keeps on burying you deeper and deeper in the hole, even Brady won't be able to save them.

For crying out loud, we couldn't hang with the Jags, Titans, Lions, and Dolphins - all on the road. What makes you think we can pull one off in Arrowhead, out of all places?!?!?

The Patriots also won at Soldier Field against the Bears, a good team that stifled the Rams last night. The Chiefs may have the best offense in the NFL but their defense leaves a lot to be desired. They are 30th in team defense, ranked lower than the Patriots' defense.

 

[slash83]

The Patriots also won at Soldier Field against the Bears, a good team that stifled the Rams last night. The Chiefs may have the best offense in the NFL but their defense leaves a lot to be desired. They are 30th in team defense, ranked lower than the Patriots' defense.

They won against a bears defense where Mack was playing on one good ankle. They had no answer for Trubisky and literally came up one yard short from sending the game to ot. This team isn’t good on the road, they’ve proven that throughout the year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't have to put them on a pedestal. Their record speaks for it. They overcame the Ravens D. They will absolutely trash ours. Brady is good, he's the best ever. But when you defense keeps on burying you deeper and deeper in the hole, even Brady won't be able to save them.

For crying out loud, we couldn't hang with the Jags, Titans, Lions, and Dolphins - all on the road. What makes you think we can pull one off in Arrowhead, out of all places?!?!?

We hung 38 on Chicago and beat KC.

Arrowhead is overrated. It's all about matchups and personnel

 

[Doctor DDS]

The amount of "fans" giving up on the team is truly stunning. Almost as if they had not watched this team for the past 18 or so years or even the NFL. Everyone wrote off the Eagles after Wentz went down. No one expected the 2012 Ravens to do anything and they were a play away from elimination to the Broncos before holding the trophy 3 weeks later. 2011 Giants were 9-7. This team is flawed and missing talent in spots but to assert that there is no way they can beat the Steelers, Chiefs or whomever if it comes to that must make it hard to be a fan. The last game the Pats played where they were over matched due to injuries and unlikely to win was the 2013 AFCCG. Before that was probably 2009. There is no opponent that this team cannot beat if they play well regardless of venue. It will not be easy, it may not happen but there is certainly a reasonable chance of victory in every game they play the rest of the year up to and including the Super Bowl. Have a little faith.

 

[Kontradiction]

Harmon feeding the trolls.

 

[50-yard-line]

Yeah, yesterday was a gut punch - 7 points, at least, left on the field and the most ridiculously stupid last play ever.

So a whole bunch are thinking "This team ain't got it!"

Well, fans of what team are thinking differently right now? Pittsburgh has lost three in a row - would be four if the refs hadn't bailed them out repeatedly against the Jags. Think their fans are talking confidently about a SB? Especially with New England then in New Orleans coming up? Even if they beat NE, they go and lose to the Saints and they're back behind NE.

The Texans got beat by the Colts yesterday - they should have lost the first game against the Colts, too. Their great win streak was against mediocre competition and they're a game behind NE (tiebreaker" and so would likely have to come through NE to get to the SB. Think their fans are confident? They feel about the Patriots the way we do about Denver/Miami in their stadiums.

As for the chasers - the Dolphins, the Ravens, the Titans - their fans are just hoping they can make the damn playoffs.

So the obvious answer in the AFC would be the Chiefs, who almost lost to Oakland two weeks ago and should have lost to the Ravens, at home, yesterday - the two games since losing Hunt. There are cracks beginning to show, though they'd still be the favorites. An injury or bad game by either Kelcey or Hill and they'll be done. They know it.

Both of San Diego's fans are probably feeling good about their over-achieving team. Still, they'll probably have to win 3 on the road to get to the Show.

*****

NFC isn't much different. Bears shut down the Rams last night. Everyone's looking over their shoulders.

Any given Sunday.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The amount of "fans" giving up on the team is truly stunning. Almost as if they had not watched this team for the past 18 or so years or even the NFL. Everyone wrote off the Eagles after Wentz went down. No one expected the 2012 Ravens to do anything and they were a play away from elimination to the Broncos before holding the trophy 3 weeks later. 2011 Giants were 9-7. This team is flawed and missing talent in spots but to assert that there is no way they can beat the Steelers, Chiefs or whomever if it comes to that must make it hard to be a fan. The last game the Pats played where they were over matched due to injuries and unlikely to win was the 2013 AFCCG. Before that was probably 2009. There is no opponent that this team cannot beat if they play well regardless of venue. It will not be easy, it may not happen but there is certainly a reasonable chance of victory in every game they play the rest of the year up to and including the Super Bowl. Have a little faith.

If Drake had been forced out of bounds at the one yard line, the same people now saying that the season is over, there is no hope, that we will lose by 30 to the Steelers, and that the whole world sucks would instead be whooping it up about how "we're Super Bowl bound, baby!"

It's an unpredictable game. Players screw up. Coaches screw up. Fluky things happen. More often than not we are way better prepared than the opponent and we execute better than the opponent. This time we did neither, not just on the last play but for much of the game. Disappointing, for sure. Any given Sunday...

 

[IllegalContact]

4 points missed on ST and a minimum of 3 left on the field BY BRADY at the end of the first half...........sorry toall the dopes blaming the last play, but it should have never gotten to that........it was just the last f*cked up play in a game of countless f*cked up plays

 

[TomPatriot]

They won against a bears defense where Mack was playing on one good ankle. They had no answer for Trubisky and literally came up one yard short from sending the game to ot. This team isn’t good on the road, they’ve proven that throughout the year.

Yes, they have not played well on the rod. But past is not always prologue.

Mack is a great player but he's one player. The Pats didn't have Cannon or Gronk in that game either.

 

[JayNM]

One day later, im still kinda pissed

 

[long distance]

The amount of "fans" giving up on the team is truly stunning. Almost as if they had not watched this team for the past 18 or so years or even the NFL. Everyone wrote off the Eagles after Wentz went down. No one expected the 2012 Ravens to do anything and they were a play away from elimination to the Broncos before holding the trophy 3 weeks later. 2011 Giants were 9-7. This team is flawed and missing talent in spots but to assert that there is no way they can beat the Steelers, Chiefs or whomever if it comes to that must make it hard to be a fan. The last game the Pats played where they were over matched due to injuries and unlikely to win was the 2013 AFCCG. Before that was probably 2009. There is no opponent that this team cannot beat if they play well regardless of venue. It will not be easy, it may not happen but there is certainly a reasonable chance of victory in every game they play the rest of the year up to and including the Super Bowl. Have a little faith.

hear hear!

this was a pretty exhausting year for a pat fan w never ending media driven off-field dramas from Feb to Dec . followed by a tough roller coaster reg. season ride for Foxb. standards . so one could understand all the frustrations

while normally i cherish every late season game on a 16 game/5 months only league . this year i wish the playoffs were here already

this is a reasonably healthy, reasonably well built, experienced team ready to play late season complementary football (despite traditional Miami blackout). if anything - losing to below .500 teams and winning vs ALL contenders so far - should be a reason for some optimism looking at playoffs..

the story is yet to be written and this team still has every chance to make it a good one no matter how the last 3 reg games go (barring significant injuries) . or in the words of one former pat:

 

[Wordsmyth]

My take on everything:

I'm still miffed...not as bad as yesterday, but I will be for a while. Hopefully the players are infinitely more POd than myself.

This game had all the gut-punching schadenfreude of the wildcat-ass-kickery we received many moons ago by the same team. We could not avail ourselves of an opportunity to clinch the East...but there's still time to fix what ails us.

For all the little chicken chicken littles on the board--I'm very thankful for the Ignore feature. Your classic overreaction reveals an innate petulance belonging to junior members of Congress or a much more underachieving fan base. Success has spoiled us all rotten--but some more so than others.

If we can pull out the win vs. the Steelers next week, and take the Jills and Jests down, we can salvage this season.

Go Pats!

 

[holyredeemer]

That's depressing.

You might as well stop watching and spare yourself the agony

Funny you say this. A client walked in today wearing a fins hat. He was next to a guy that was a skins fan, and near them a woman wearing a Niners scarf. Skins guy makes a comment to fins guy about what an incredible play that was. How great it was for the fins playoff hopes. Fins guy tells him “it’s as if once a year, they are replaced by a completely different team. Name on the back of the Jersey is the same, but players are different and for that one game, they knock out the giant that is the Patriots.” He went on to explain “I don’t let these once a year victories get my hopes up. At the end of the day, the fins are the fins.” Skins guy says “well at least you have a quarterback. The back up qb to our back up qb just got benched for his backup, and our starting qb might lose his damn leg!” At this point the Niners gal decides to pipe in about the misfortune of JG. So yeah, it could be a whole lot worse.

I also think the overall point of my first post didn’t come across right. I was merely trying to point out that this years team has done a great job of making all the weaknesses I hear about these other teams a strength. Hence the bizarro/DC reference and the attempt at bringing some humor to the conversation.

I don’t know why that would warrant a (Raaawr. Save yourself some time and stop following the team you bandwagon turd!) type of response.

 

[SVN]

 

[SVN]

 

[SVN]