Upcoming Game Thoughts:

[RelocatedPatFan]

This game is going to be such a beat down we won't even take sadistic joy in it, like we might if we broke their little hearts in the final seconds of regulation. It'll be more like scraping gum off the bottom of our boots.

I have to disagree.

If the game was 63 to 10 (Patriots win), I would be smiling the entire time.

 

[SVN]

I do agree that the fact they only had 4 sacks in 8 games is a bit overrated, but typically if you pressure a QB a lot he does get sacked. So it is a decent measure.

I agree he was pressured a lot in Green Bay, but he wasn't pressured nearly as much in San Diego. Funny the storyline in San Diego was they didn't get enough pressure on Brady. They got pressure at times, but not enough.



http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/12/08/team-grades-chargers-blow-opportunity-fall-to-pats-23-14/

I dont agree with the SD story line. I guess they must be viewing pressure=sacks. Ingram owned the oline in that game singlehandedly. The one time they did have best protection, brady hit edelman for the TD.

 

[SVN]

Jeff Howe ?@jeffphowe 30m30 minutes ago
Will the Ravens cut block? 'Is the Pope Catholic?' http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/the_blitz/2015/01/will_the_ravens_cut_block_is_the_pope_catholic…

Jeff Howe ?@jeffphowe 29m29 minutes ago
Kubiak has faced Belichick's Pats 10 times: Kubiak's teams had 280 carries, 1,154 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and 16 TDs.

 

[SVN]

Stopping their running game is a big task. They have a very good oline and the zone blocking scheme at least during the shanahan days has given BB defenses trouble. If we stop the run and Chung doesnt bite on PA like he did vs the jets we should be okay.
Our safety play of chung and wilson who morph to LB could be a big key

 

[SVN]

And even on the game changing pick, it was an odd protection scheme that looked shakey from the outset, looking even worse when the Ravens lined up heavy over the weak area and looked even worse after the ball was snapped. And even then, Ben had a wide open receiver for a 20+ yard gain, possible even a TD, in less than 2 seconds.

Pitt had more to do with the turnover than the Ravens did. A lot more.

I didnt watch the game and havent seen any videos but here is tomase's (yes him!) break down of the play, just for debate

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/f.../05/here-comes-man-tom-brady-really-hates-see

Take, for instance, Suggs’ game-clinching interception. The Ravens put defensive lineman D’Angelo Tyson over center and every other defender outside the tackles, with three rushers on each side.

At the snap, Tyson dropped into coverage. Suggs, part of a three-man rush on the left side, did the same. Blitzing safety Darian Stewart forced a hurried throw off the fingertips of running back Ben Tate and into the arms (and legs) of a diving Suggs.

The moment left Roethlisberger staring in disbelief, a common sight on a night that saw him pressured throughout.

 

[dales804]

I didnt watch the game and havent seen any videos but here is tomase's (yes him!) break down of the play, just for debate

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/f.../05/here-comes-man-tom-brady-really-hates-see

If their LG, Ramon Foster (73), blocked anyone, it would have helped. He let the safety right through, untouched. And Tate should have caught the pass, regardless. Ugly night for PIT's offensive line.

 

[Ross12]

Pittsburgh's O-line was terrible in this game, they were down to freakin' Ben Tate at RB with all of 5 days experience in the offense, and outside of Antonio Brown their offensive weapons are extremely inconsistent...

Even on its worst day, the Pats' O-line will play better than that, especially after adjustments are made in-game. Blount is 200% the player Tate is, Edelman is at least 70% of Brown, LaFell is 125% of Bryant and of course Gronk is 300% what Miller is.

And remember that despite the lack of weapons, the poor line play, frequent turnovers and sacks, and the confused playcalling with extended dropbacks, Pitt was still moving the ball all night. They just bogged down in the red zone a lot.

Edit: I'm rewatching the 2013 Ravens-Pats regular season game now, whatever happened to Ron Winter?? I feel like I haven't seen him ref a game in a while. He isn't so bad...

 

[woolster22]

We have seen Solder and Vollmer have trouble with the top pass rushers. Suggs and Dumerville are going to give those guys all they can handle. Especially Suggs. I hate that guy, wish he was a Patriot

No. That miscreant will never be welcome in NE. I hope Gronk lights him up all day Saturday. I doubt it happens, but I would love to see Suggs get tossed around the way he throws his wife around while we run the ball down their throats.

Somebody going to the game needs to dump bleach on that ******* after the Pats give them a curb stomping of epic proportions.

 

[woolster22]

Pittsburgh's O-line was terrible in this game, they were down to freakin' Ben Tate at RB with all of 5 days experience in the offense, and outside of Antonio Brown their offensive weapons are extremely inconsistent...

Even on its worst day, the Pats' O-line will play better than that, especially after adjustments are made in-game. Blount is 200% the player Tate is, Edelman is at least 70% of Brown, LaFell is 125% of Bryant and of course Gronk is 300% what Miller is.

And remember that despite the lack of weapons, the poor line play, frequent turnovers and sacks, and the confused playcalling with extended dropbacks, Pitt was still moving the ball all night. They just bogged down in the red zone a lot.

Edit: I'm rewatching the 2013 Ravens-Pats regular season game now, whatever happened to Ron Winter?? I feel like I haven't seen him ref a game in a while. He isn't so bad...

That's why he is gone.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Sacks are overrated. Roethlisberger threw that INT because he was pressured with nowhere to go.

I will agree that the pressure that the Ravens got on Big Ben was overrated because he was Bledsoe-like taking 5-7 step drops all game.

Beat me to it.
Ben as is his style too often took WAY to long to throw. Brady, assuming he does not have a "head up his ass" game usually throws the ball safely away after his internal too much time alarm goes off.

 

[Rob0729]

Beat me to it.
Ben as is his style too often took WAY to long to throw. Brady, assuming he does not have a "head up his ass" game usually throws the ball safely away after his internal too much time alarm goes off.

That's the funny thing. Roethlisberger would stand in the pocket for 2-3 second just starring down field and then get sacked and then Gruden would talk about how the pressure is undaunting on Roethlisberger even though QBs with quick releases like Brady and Manning would have gotten the ball out long before the pressure got to them in the same situation.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

We can count the jets game and bills game out wrt to sacks but Brady has been under pressure since the GB game. The SD game solder was manhandled by ingram and that defense constantly got to brady. So while the sack #s are down , brady's hits have been high.

BTW, great chat with bruschi today

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/boston/chat/_/id/51496

Thanks for the link to Brushi's chat.

Though I thought his response to the second question was weird, I loved the rest of it.

There is one when he goes over what the coaches have taught about tempo and mentions about Dan Pees. Excellent insight! Dan Pees' guidance is obviously going to be tremendous to the Ravens' D against us in particular, and I am surprised that not many are concerned about it. And Bru also talks about how we have to establish a running game right away, whereas their run D is quite stout I thought.

His insights tempered my optimism a bit, but I feel that we will have a solid W. Let's see.

GO PATS!!

 

[supafly]

This game is going to be such a beat down we won't even take sadistic joy in it, like we might if we broke their little hearts in the final seconds of regulation. It'll be more like scraping gum off the bottom of our boots.

Of course, we all hope that you're right--but with all due respect, didn't you say the exact same thing about the NYJ game a month or so ago, when most people were viewing it as a tough matchup (and for good reason)?

Like others have said, we'll all be smiling from ear to ear if you're right. It's not about being right or wrong, but more about the fact that I think you may overlook some of the more obvious traits. Let's hope you're right. Saturday can't get here fast enough. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but yes--I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't somewhat concerned.

 

[supafly]

That's why he is gone.

Why is Ron Winter gone? The game was fairly close until we started to pull away in the 3rd quarter, wasn't it?

 

[DaBronxPats14]

We can counter against blitzes, 4 man rushes by identifing it and puttin players in right formations. Josh needs to Step Up not be too cute. THIS time we have a healthy Gronk that can block, get open cause havoc on their LBs. Edelman's quick screensn able to hit slot so Brady can release 3 sec/step. Blount is key here, gettin him goin just opens up even more for Brady. There will be open long balls downfield for Edelman, LaFell & Gronk hittin seams. Get Brady time is key.

 

[SteelersCanada]

Just win.

For the love of god, please win.

 

[PATS16N0]

Of course, we all hope that you're right--but with all due respect, didn't you say the exact same thing about the NYJ game a month or so ago, when most people were viewing it as a tough matchup (and for good reason)?

Like others have said, we'll all be smiling from ear to ear if you're right. It's not about being right or wrong, but more about the fact that I think you may overlook some of the more obvious traits. Let's hope you're right. Saturday can't get here fast enough. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but yes--I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't somewhat concerned.

True, but that was just an intuitive feeling we were due for another blow out against them.

The Ravens are so depleted in their secondary, I really see no possible way for them to come into Gillette stadium and stay in the football game. Have they even ever faced a 100% healthy Gronkowski before? I'd have to go back and check, but it seems like every time we see them, Gronk is out. Maybe for part of the 2011 game, before Pollard wrenched his ankle.

The biggest difference in this game is the difference in the secondary, theirs as well as ours. The Ravens are so banged up here that I'd be impressed with anyone who can name everyone back there without first looking it up. There will be zero excuses for Tom & Company not to be able to score points against this Ravens team. If (when) the Ravens fall behind, it'll be over. There is no way the Ravens get forced into a one dimensional football game against our DB's and win. At that point it'll just snowball for them.

That's a huge change from previous years when Flacco could just start throwing bombs to insta-win Baltimore back into the ballgame.

After the score hits 17-3 or 21-7 or 24-10 in favor of the Patriots, with second half defensive adjustments incoming, the game is just going to spiral out of control for Baltimore.

That's what I see going down!

 

[mosi]

I am actually watching the 2011 AFCGC and it is crazy to see who was on this team on Defense. Edleman on defense, Sterling Moore, Andre Carter, Kyle Love, etc..

 

[PATS16N0]

I am actually watching the 2011 AFCGC and it is crazy to see who was on this team on Defense. Edleman on defense, Sterling Moore, Andre Carter, Kyle Love, etc..

Yup.

Not this time

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

my thought? I am glad i am sitting in the 300s..that way i don't have to see sloth down there on the field up close