The Post game venting thread.(merged a lot)

[upstater1]

Re: Gronk!

Gronk was totally hobbled, couldn't turn around quick enough.

Honestly, I tricked myself into believing Gronk was healthier than he showed. My heart sank when they showed his ankle pregame. I would have been a little more prepared for a loss.

 

[PatsFan2]

Re: Gronk!

Why so many snaps if he was going to be useless in the passing game. Our Coaches have to take some of the reponsibilities for what happened. They knew he was going to be ineffective...why so many snaps for a player who can barely move? Why not go more three WR's instead? They couldn't do any worse.

 

[blackglass3]

Re: Gronk!

Yeah, can't fault Gronk. That one was a mental mistake by Brady.

Want someone to blame, look at Bernard Pollard. God I wish someone would give him one good crackback block and rid the league of that POS.

 

[PatsFan2]

Re: Gronk!

Yeah, can't fault Gronk. That one was a mental mistake by Brady.

Want someone to blame, look at Bernard Pollard. God I wish someone would give him one good crackback block and rid the league of that POS.

I know what you mean that Bernard Pollard has been nothing but bad luck for our Patriots.

 

[patsfan13]

Re: Gronk!

Gronk played hurt played better than I thought he would with that injury.

 

[BigHoss28]

Re: Gronk!

Yeah, can't fault Gronk. That one was a mental mistake by Brady.

Want someone to blame, look at Bernard Pollard. God I wish someone would give him one good crackback block and rid the league of that POS.

It's debateable whether it was a mistake by Brady or not. The decision was a good one outside of Gronk being hurt, but when you see a receiver in single coverage downfield when you've already left the pocket, you go for it. Especially when it's your 6'6" all-world tight end against a mediocre 6'2" unathletic linebacker like Blackburn. Gronk absolutely made a poor effort on the jump ball. Also, why isn't he coming back to his QB on that play? What does running by your man 60 yards downfield accomplish? You know you're gonna have to come back for the ball anyway.

I'm not blaming Gronk, he was injured, but the effort was poor either way.

 

[blackglass3]

Re: Gronk!

I really hope someone goes after him next year, but I don't think it will be happening. We have a good shot of opening against the Ravens next year (SNF maybe?)...if Pollard knocks Brady out in the season opener again I might just lose my mind.

 

[reflexblue]

Re: Gronk!

Despite GRONK's protestations to the contrary, he was NOT 100% yesterday.

A healthy GRONK would have jumped as hard as he could to come up with that ball, and probably would have had it.

Unfortunately, as GRONK noted, given the way the ball landed and their positions, Blackburn had boxed him out, and he would have had a hard time replicating Moore's feat. He still tried, but the ball was just too far away.

I don't think he jumped at all because he Couldn't.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Gronk!

I really hope someone goes after him next year, but I don't think it will be happening. We have a good shot of opening against the Ravens next year (SNF maybe?)...if Pollard knocks Brady out in the season opener again I might just lose my mind.

FWIW, teams can make requests in terms of scheduling (e.g., in 2008 the Pats asked to have their four West Coast games scheduled the way they did).

I can't imagine the Pats requesting Baltimore in Week 1.

 

[PatsFan2]

Re: Gronk!

It's debateable whether it was a mistake by Brady or not. The decision was a good one outside of Gronk being hurt, but when you see a receiver in single coverage downfield when you've already left the pocket, you go for it. Especially when it's your 6'6" all-world tight end against a mediocre 6'2" unathletic linebacker like Blackburn. Gronk absolutely made a poor effort on the jump ball. Also, why isn't he coming back to his QB on that play? What does running by your man 60 yards downfield accomplish? You know you're gonna have to come back for the ball anyway.

I'm not blaming Gronk, he was injured, but the effort was poor either way.

That all i was saying.

 

[FalconHeavy]

Exactly. You have that kind of weapon and don't use him. Any? Even after your best weapon is reduced to being a part-time decoy? Just wow.

History repeated its-self in terms of play calling and sure enough the results were the same.

I'm still mad at ridley not getting a single snap while woodhead was getting folded like a pretzel trying to run between the tackles

 

[jnug]

Some of this is just ridiculous. I guess we will always be stuck with this "cheating" stupidity after a game like this.

Tom did not play poorly. I have not been criticizing Tom for playing poorly. However Tom was outplayed by Eli. That was the biggest difference in this game. This is a quarterback league now and a league where big plays make all of the difference. Tom made to many big mistakes, and in opposition, Eli made the big plays he needed to make.

The pass to Welker was a very poor pass and Welker did not make what would have been a very good catch but that does not change the fact that Tom made a very poor pass. I have heard Brady apologists claim that Brady always puts the ball there and that is bull. Brady will tell you that was a bad throw and more importantly you must appose that throw to the throw Eli made just minutes later.

The pass to Gronk never should have been thrown. The more angles they show on the play, the more obvious that the only way Gronk catches that is if the ex school teacher falls down. Gronk was to hurt to move and by that time in the game it was obvious. Lets not revise history and say that was not a significant play. It was the only turnover of this game other than the Safety which really was another turnover which was also a Tom mistake.

On balance I would say Tom played a B or B- game against Eli playing his A game based on the most critical factors in a game like this, big plays made or missed and mistakes.

Even Tom's injured shoulder is a play you have to put on Tom. He was going nowhere with that spin move and looked his usual uncoordinated self on that play. He is just not that kind of athlete. He set himself for the Tuck hit and whether it effected him further in the game, it is still on him. Then we have the safety.

in opposition, in the biggest positive play of the game for him, Eli makes a throw into a spot 1' square. That was a big time, big game throw. Eli made the plays...Tom didn't.

If you want to go deeper into the game than that, the Gronk injury was the next most critical element in this game as it tipped the balance in the two receiver corps to the Giants. Again this is now a quarterback league and beyond the quarterback the profile of the receiver corp is pretty important.

 

[oldskool138]

- That idiotic challenge to waste a second half timeout.

That challenge wasn't idiotic. The Pats had the lead and it was almost at the two minute warning when you can't challenge anything.

If you want to look at a horrible use of timeouts, look at the Giants.

 

[oldskool138]

I'm still mad at ridley not getting a single snap while woodhead was getting folded like a pretzel trying to run between the tackles

Tell Stevan not to fumble and he'll get plenty of snaps next time round.

Ye gods, Stevan Ridley was never going to with this game single-handedly. You're latching on to it because it's something you can easily put your finger on.

 

[KoolAid]

Re: Gronk!

Not having a third TE, in hindsight seems to be a mistake. Another case for improving depth at the skill positions.

 

[guardplay320]

Exactly what I was thinking. The penalty for that needs to be changed. Otherwise there's no reason for a defense _not_ to commit it several times in a row in the closing minutes of the game.

Something like give the offensive coach the choice of 5 yards or adding 10 or 15 seconds to the clock. At least in the last 2 minutes of the game or the half.

I didn't read through the entire thread, but just for the record, the 12 men on the field gave the Giants no competitive advantage. The 12th guy was running off the field, so there was no defensive advantage. Essentially it was just a free play for the Pats (not that it mattered with the amount of time left).

That said, this rule could clearly abused, although it was not in this situation. The rules needs to be changed to avoid any abuse.

 

[Deus Irae]

I didn't read through the entire thread, but just for the record, the 12 men on the field gave the Giants no competitive advantage. The 12th guy was running off the field, so there was no defensive advantage. Essentially it was just a free play for the Pats (not that it mattered with the amount of time left).

That said, this rule could clearly abused, although it was not in this situation. The rules needs to be changed to avoid any abuse.

It cost time, which is the real problem. The offensive team should probably have to option to have the time put back on the clock.

 

[juny]

Defnitely felt like a road game in Indy. Probably something like 8-1 Giants jerseys vs Pats jerseys.

 

[jnug]

Since the time lost is the real penalty with regard to the 12 men on the field call I do think the league should consider putting the time back on the clock especially in the last two minutes of the game or the half.

In fact it might make sense to treat 12 men like procedure calls. Make them no plays and put the time back on the clock.

 

[Bostonian1962]

The worst part of the whole deal for me is the knowledge that with a healthy Gronk, the game likely is not even close. I should just get over that fact, but will never be able to. He was our best player this year (along with Brady), and to see him hardly even to play out there, was hard to watch. I felt bad for him, but good about his guts. I felt bad for the team as a whole. You don't get too many chances in this life.

Remember in the last SB against the Giants, it was Brady in the boot with a high ankle sprain leading up to the game, and Brady with the wrapped wheel. It just doesn't seem fair that this happened to us twice, against the same team.

More over THEN, if Samuel catches the ball that hit his hands/chest for the int, the game is over. NOW, if Welker catches the ball that hits his hand the game is over. THEN we have the helment catch, NOW with have the Manningham two toes in catch. I hate this.