This loss is mostly on the coaches

[1960Pats]

Running to ball 3 times is really the only play. Cannot afford for the clock to stop on an incomplete pass. It would not have been crazy to go for it on 4th and goal from the 2 but bleeding the clock down to 16 seconds up 5 was logical. A defensive lapse on the last play and Gronk slipping made the decision look worse than it was. Defensive play call works 99% of time. Just had to make a stupid tackle.

The 3rd down play would have ended the game if they threw a pass and scored. I'd trade that for 30 seconds of clock every time.

The reason Gronk slipped is because he's a TE, not a tackler. He sure looked like it too.

 

[1960Pats]

For me it all comes down to one play. You simplify everything until you come to that final play. Miami at their 31 yard line with 7 seconds to play. You stop them from scoring and you win, you don't and you lose. No matter what happened before has no relevance. It's that simple. 499 out of 500 times, teams will prevent the opposing team from scoring there, unfortunately questionable coaching decisions and terrible pursuit and effort by the players contributed to allowing miami to score therefore BOTH the players and coaches are to blame for this loss.

Yes, it did end up coming down to one play, but it didn't need to. And unfortunately, the coaches didn't put the players in position to win. That's coaching 101.

Also, the Pats looked like they weren't even trying to score on the third down play. They played the clock instead of for the win. It was horribly conservative at a time when they could have put the game out of reach.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The missed XP was all on Gostkowski.
The botched chance to score at the end of the first half was all on Brady.
The missed FG was all on Gostkowski.
Lots of missed tackles were all on the players missing the tackles.

And yes, a lot of the blame for that last play falls on the coaches. But it doesn't add up to the coaching being SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for this collapse.

 

[1960Pats]

Running the ball on third down and taking the FG was the smartest strategy. How often does a team score a 75 yard TD against a prevent defense with 7 seconds on the clock.

Almost never.

Yes, almost never.

How many times does a team come back from two scores down in 40 seconds? Even less often.

 

[XLIX]

The 3rd down play would have ended the game if they threw a pass and scored. I'd trade that for 30 seconds of clock every time.

First you said it was 20 seconds and now you're saying it is 30 seconds. Newsflash: It's 40 seconds, and you know it. The fact that you have to be deliberately misleading shows the weakness of your thesis.

Also, that's cool the way you assume they would have scored. It's pretty easy to come up with the right decision if you play make-believe-we-scored.

 

[XLIX]

Yes, almost never.

How many times does a team come back from two scores down in 40 seconds? Even less often.

Yes, we get it. If they scored the TD they win the game.

So what happens if it was an incomplete pass instead? Then you're stuck with the same 5 point lead only Miami has 56 seconds instead of 16.

 

[1960Pats]

One other thing I noticed, but I'll have to look at the re-watch thread to know for sure. I don't have the stomach to go back and watch the game on my DVR again.

It seemed like the Pats never tried to disguise the defense while Tannehill was in there but did for Osweiler. It seemed to be very effective again but not used enough. Am I mistaken?

 

[Bonzo]

Speaking of the Brady blunder, I heard that he said he thought they had a timeout left there. If so why didn't he signal for one?

Yeah, he did say that, and I was wondering the same thing. But this is what I think I saw when they did the recap in the pregame show leading up to SNF: Brady pops back up after the sack and looks bewildered that people are starting to walk off the field; he immediately looks up at the scoreboard (presumably), and that's when the realization hits.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

A good summation of the situation. Why was a gimpy Gronkowski in there instead
of a healthy McCourty. Most fans in this forum are loathe to direct the blame to BB.

Belichick is ultimately responsible. He could have called a timeout in the situation and gotten the right personnel in. However, the fact that Gronk was out there in the first place is on Flores.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Yeah, he did say that, and I was wondering the same thing. But this is what I think I saw when they did the recap in the pregame show leading up to SNF: Brady pops back up after the sack and looks bewildered that people are starting to walk off the field; he immediately looks up at the scoreboard (presumably), and that's when the realization hits.

He probably assumed Bill was going to take the timeout since he got decked...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I'm just glad this wasn't a playoff game or Super Bowl.

Can you imagine losing on the last play like that in a playoff game? I guess the Saints know how that feels...

 

[Doctor DDS]

The Pats last drive was brilliant and the clock management was perfect. Should have been enough to ice the game. Only play I hold against the coaching staff was having Gronk in when the Dolphins needed 69 yards. I expected them to go for a 15 yard gain to set up the Hail Mary.

 

[1960Pats]

First you said it was 20 seconds and now you're saying it is 30 seconds. Newsflash: It's 40 seconds, and you know it. The fact that you have to be deliberately misleading shows the weakness of your thesis.

Also, that's cool the way you assume they would have scored. It's pretty easy to come up with the right decision if you play make-believe-we-scored.

It was a weak move to not even attempt to put the game away. That's the point. Not how much time they ran off.

Newsflash: How did it work out for them?

 

[1960Pats]

Yeah, he did say that, and I was wondering the same thing. But this is what I think I saw when they did the recap in the pregame show leading up to SNF: Brady pops back up after the sack and looks bewildered that people are starting to walk off the field; he immediately looks up at the scoreboard (presumably), and that's when the realization hits.

That makes sense.

 

[1960Pats]

Yes, we get it. If they scored the TD they win the game.

So what happens if it was an incomplete pass instead? Then you're stuck with the same 5 point lead only Miami has 56 seconds instead of 16.

We get it? What do you have a mouse in your pocket?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

First you said it was 20 seconds and now you're saying it is 30 seconds. Newsflash: It's 40 seconds, and you know it. The fact that you have to be deliberately misleading shows the weakness of your thesis.

Also, that's cool the way you assume they would have scored. It's pretty easy to come up with the right decision if you play make-believe-we-scored.

What cracks me up are the people braying about McDaniels being a moron who needs to be fired and then simultaneously assuming NE was guaranteed to score the TD if they went for it. I guess a little logical consistency is too much to ask for.

 

[1960Pats]

What cracks me up are the people braying about McDaniels being a moron who needs to be fired and then simultaneously assuming NE was guaranteed to score the TD if they went for it. I guess a little logical consistency is too much to ask for.

I must have missed people calling for McDaniels to be fired or that the Pats were guaranteed a TD if they went for it.

What we do know is if the Pats went for it and got the TD the game was over. Correct?

 

[XLIX]

I must have missed people calling for McDaniels to be fired or that the Pats were guaranteed a TD if they went for it.

Well, you're sure acting like they were guaranteed a TD if they went for it.

Please note that I am assuming when you say "went for it" you mean "passed on 3rd down" because that is what you have been arguing and not "went for it on 4th down". Going for it on 4th down is a whole 'nother matter entirely where I can see both sides.

What we do know is if the Pats went for it and got the TD the game was over. Correct?

Correct.

We also know that if the Pats throw an incomplete pass on 3rd down then they still kick the FG on 4th down and the Dolphins have 56 seconds with which to work and not 16. Correct?

 

[XLIX]

We get it? What do you have a mouse in your pocket?

Is there a reason you didn't answer the question I asked you? I'll try again:

So what happens if it was an incomplete pass instead? Then you're stuck with the same 5 point lead only Miami has 56 seconds instead of 16.

 

[XLIX]

It was a weak move to not even attempt to put the game away. That's the point. Not how much time they ran off.

Newsflash: How did it work out for them?

Must be nice having 20/20 hindsight all the time.

If they threw an incomplete pass, you'd be the first one in here screaming "why didn't they just run the ball and kill the clock?!?!?"