The Official Patriots vs Jag's Post game thread

[MTM558]

Re: Question about today's roster at the Jags

Probably all of the above.

The obvious injuries are Gronkowski, Spikes, Dennard, and Talib. But Welker, Hernandez, the O-Line, Mayo, Hightower... the team has so many players on the injury report that at this time of year Bill likes to give them a break when he can. This also allows the team a chance to see how depth players will respond when pushed into action. Overall, the approach to this game seemed to be that of a preseason game - playing safe to avoid injury and get ready for the season that follows. Unfortunately for the Pats, they also played bad.

 

[Mack Herron]

Re: Question about today's roster at the Jags

We played all starters with a few exceptions due to injury. Spikes and Dennard were inactive injured. (Spikes backup, Rivera, was also injured.) Talib is also injured; he tried to play but could not. BB played the best available guys.

 

[JMarr]

OL had problems for the third week in a row with our regulars. Brady taking way too many hits. But you gotta help them with a running game. The play calling was right out of last year today. They will not wil in the playoffs without a solid running game. Even more imp if Talib is finished.

:agree:

Good God, how many times does this have to be said? Everyone who takes the "but we are a passing team, our passing attack set all kinds of records the last few years, you don't take the ball out of TFB's hands, blah blah blah.." tack are kidding themselves. They're ike old dogs that refuse to learn new tricks.

My hope is that McD is holding different looks (including a balanced offense ) back in games such as today's. Question is, will the Pats be able to establish running game to keep Brady clean in the playoffs merely by flipping a switch when they haven't been able to do it consistently all year?

Bottom line: if the Pats can't make the opponent respect the run, playoff teams will be able beat up Brady and make him play like *****. Losing recipe.

 

[Joker]

you mean that because the Pats have already sewn up a playoff spot that BB went with different backfield combo packges, blitzed rarely, got good looks at individual matchups and O line issues with Z blocking without giving up much film for playoff coaches to use soon...you mean this is what they did???

can't be...they just sauck...just like the hundreds of posts I read here today at 4...they sauck...SF is great...everybody is great...the POats lose in the first round and Spikes is a JAG

I'm hoping YOU are right...but I don't know...all these "experts" and their "I Know More Than Any Real NFL Coach Because I Won My Terre Haute Invitational Fantasy League" screeds have me real worried that it's all gonna be real real bad.

 

[Finnishfan]

I see a lot of doom and gloom mentality here. I cannot relate to that, knowing that so many clutch players did not play yesterday.

On our defense:

Henne has torn us apart (yardagewise) even before last night. In 2011, I remember the week 1 game where we either hurried, hit, knocked him down or sacked him in almost 50 percent of the snaps, and he still torched us for like 300 yards and 3 TDs. That is what Henne is like, hot one week and cold the next. He likes playing against us, and usually has one of his better weeks against us, no matter what we throw at him.

Our defense played without Talib and Dennard most of the night. I don't know if Dennard was even active, I cannot remember seeing a single snap from him. I know Talib played few snaps, but propably like 10-20 at max.

McCourty and Arrington were both outside, and our defense got torched. I don't find that surprising at all. We will be better again when Dennard and Talib are out theren and McCourty goes to safety again.

On the offense:

Well the slow starts are an issue. But again, we made the right adjustments and came out on top. I always felt like if the Jags score again, TB will finish the game for us.

The only reason this game was ever close, was Henne and his first quarter play, and the fact that Jaguars were able to rattle Brady early and often. Jacksonville defense is not a bad unit, especially not since they picked Babin from the waivers.

 

[nekromantique]

seeing as connolly/mankins/vollmer still dont seem 100%...why are we not seeing more of thomas/cannon?

i dont particularly care about this game that much... im just a little puzzled as to why the pats have been playing these guys when theyre clearly not 100%, and the alternatives have actually played well in the past.

pretty much my only qualm. also, activating aiken and not playing him at all (maybe he was on special teams?), when cunningham is coming back is odd seeing as they didnt for the 49ers game.