PatsBoy12
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2009
- Messages
- 16,502
- Reaction score
- 10,026
UPs:
OL: The offensive line was freaking incredible. They just beat up on the front seven, eight, and even nine at times of the Colts. They were opening big gaps for Jonas Gray to run through, almost resulting in a 200+ yard day for the young back (damn Bill). They were the aggressors all night and, though Brady did take some hits in the passing game, you live with it on a night when the running game was almost flawless. Can't commend the coaching staff enough for fixing things up front and saving the season.
Jonas Gray: A career night in the young man's early football life. Four touchdowns, his first four in the league. He was unstoppable all night long, NEVER going down on the first contact. In fact, most of his yards were likely after first contact. He showed decisiveness and is a one-cut, downhill runner. He fought for extra yards and showed great power in finishing runs. Collinsworth commented that he thought the DB's were tired of hitting the back. I agree.
Julian Edelman: The receiver had a very important game in that converted some key third downs early in the game to help NE gain momentum and separation from the Colts. He then shows up later in the game on that amazing Gronkowski touchdown rumble with that crushing block on the very DB that intercepted Brady twice.
Darelle Revis: Revis negated Reggie Wayne, which helped the rest of the NE defensive backs to limit the rest of the receivers, including TY Hilton. Hilton did catch a 46-yarder with Revis the closest in coverage at the time (so it gets attributed to him perhaps unfairly). Hilton finishes with two catches for 51 yards (only five more). He was outstanding in run support and helped McCourty catch his second INT of the season in back-to-back plays. Frankly, if NE doesn't find a way to pay this man, then I just don't know.
The Front Seven: Man, they just shut down the run. Look, Trent Richardson sucks anyway, but that was still a brilliant performance by a front seven that seems to be getting better at stopping the run with each passing week. Wilfork is winning less with just brute strength and more with savvy and craftiness along the line. He picks his time when to be a wrecking ball and when to let the play come to him. I wonder how they approach contract talks with him this offseason. He's not nearly done as some had feared coming off that injury.
Honorable mention: Jamie Collins, Rob Ninkovich, D. Hightower.
DOWNs:
Tom Brady: Look, you're nitpicking every time you have to pick downs after a win, but Brady's first half was forgettable. Two interceptions, both on passes he just kind of threw up for grabs. He was being pressured on both plays, most notably on the second one, but you expect a legendary QB having an MVP season to know better. He did bounce back beautifully in the second half, but I needed some downs. Sue me.
Brandon Browner: Tough night one game after being a hero. I think he allowed every pass thrown his way to be completed and threw in some penalties for good measure, though one or two were of the ticky-tack variety. He is what he is - feast or famine. He'll give you good plays and you'll have to learn to live with the bad ones. He doesn't have good lateral quickness and can't flip his hips as fluidly as smaller, quicker guys. So if he misses the game or the receiver makes a good move to get free, both of which are things we saw tonight, then he's toasted. He had a rough outing tonight.
Special Teams: It was just a shaky game overall for the ST's units. Amendola had several questionable decisions, fielding one put inside the five and doing something equally stupid on a kickoff, though I can't remember exactly what it was for some reason. There were penalties on two or three punt returns. It was an overall sloppy game on ST's.
Kyle Arrington: Terrible first half. He gave up some big plays early on but seemed to settle down later on in the game.
OL: The offensive line was freaking incredible. They just beat up on the front seven, eight, and even nine at times of the Colts. They were opening big gaps for Jonas Gray to run through, almost resulting in a 200+ yard day for the young back (damn Bill). They were the aggressors all night and, though Brady did take some hits in the passing game, you live with it on a night when the running game was almost flawless. Can't commend the coaching staff enough for fixing things up front and saving the season.
Jonas Gray: A career night in the young man's early football life. Four touchdowns, his first four in the league. He was unstoppable all night long, NEVER going down on the first contact. In fact, most of his yards were likely after first contact. He showed decisiveness and is a one-cut, downhill runner. He fought for extra yards and showed great power in finishing runs. Collinsworth commented that he thought the DB's were tired of hitting the back. I agree.
Julian Edelman: The receiver had a very important game in that converted some key third downs early in the game to help NE gain momentum and separation from the Colts. He then shows up later in the game on that amazing Gronkowski touchdown rumble with that crushing block on the very DB that intercepted Brady twice.
Darelle Revis: Revis negated Reggie Wayne, which helped the rest of the NE defensive backs to limit the rest of the receivers, including TY Hilton. Hilton did catch a 46-yarder with Revis the closest in coverage at the time (so it gets attributed to him perhaps unfairly). Hilton finishes with two catches for 51 yards (only five more). He was outstanding in run support and helped McCourty catch his second INT of the season in back-to-back plays. Frankly, if NE doesn't find a way to pay this man, then I just don't know.
The Front Seven: Man, they just shut down the run. Look, Trent Richardson sucks anyway, but that was still a brilliant performance by a front seven that seems to be getting better at stopping the run with each passing week. Wilfork is winning less with just brute strength and more with savvy and craftiness along the line. He picks his time when to be a wrecking ball and when to let the play come to him. I wonder how they approach contract talks with him this offseason. He's not nearly done as some had feared coming off that injury.
Honorable mention: Jamie Collins, Rob Ninkovich, D. Hightower.
DOWNs:
Tom Brady: Look, you're nitpicking every time you have to pick downs after a win, but Brady's first half was forgettable. Two interceptions, both on passes he just kind of threw up for grabs. He was being pressured on both plays, most notably on the second one, but you expect a legendary QB having an MVP season to know better. He did bounce back beautifully in the second half, but I needed some downs. Sue me.
Brandon Browner: Tough night one game after being a hero. I think he allowed every pass thrown his way to be completed and threw in some penalties for good measure, though one or two were of the ticky-tack variety. He is what he is - feast or famine. He'll give you good plays and you'll have to learn to live with the bad ones. He doesn't have good lateral quickness and can't flip his hips as fluidly as smaller, quicker guys. So if he misses the game or the receiver makes a good move to get free, both of which are things we saw tonight, then he's toasted. He had a rough outing tonight.
Special Teams: It was just a shaky game overall for the ST's units. Amendola had several questionable decisions, fielding one put inside the five and doing something equally stupid on a kickoff, though I can't remember exactly what it was for some reason. There were penalties on two or three punt returns. It was an overall sloppy game on ST's.
Kyle Arrington: Terrible first half. He gave up some big plays early on but seemed to settle down later on in the game.
