NFL GAME DAY DISCUSSION Week 15 pre-game thread: Patriots vs Colts

[Wax Frog]

Mrs. Rover has been stuck in NY with our in-laws for a month... plus exhausted after looking after our granddaughters... and we are driving back from NY to Jax that Saturday.

So I'm trying to figure out when exactly to say, "Hey, so I can catch the Patriots game... how about we leave a little earlier...

...like, say... 4am?"

...plus she's a ginger...

...I'n afwaid.

 

[Wax Frog]

It's basically playoff season right now. Every game is critical. Can't afford any losses down the stretch, and 3 of the next 4 games are going to be against tough opponents. I've already got stress pimples

Just the way Bill would like it, eh?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Taylor is nothing special. Just a typical running back with the ideal body frame and speed for the position. The offensive line is great.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I know the game time was TBD, when is it?

 

[Sicilian]

I know the game time was TBD, when is it?

8:20pm on Saturday, I believe.

 

[PScottman]

I don't know how good our run defense is or isn't. Bills don't have much of a run offense and we just gave up a whole bunch to the Titans. Colts are averaging 199 yards rushing a game in their last 5 games and their OL is great. So I think we'll find out more about our own run defense in this one.

Like us they've hung around against some of the better teams in the league (Rams, Titans, Ravens) even if they lost.

I am leery of the RPO aspect - only because of the Philly Super Bowl loss (which wasn't even Wentz). I'm of the mind you need tremendous sideline to sideline speed or a penetrating defense to counter - two things I'm not sold on the Pats having, especially with Phillips and Duggar still "unknowns" (I expect Duggar back, but not Phillips). They add tons of speed near the LOS.

Just another "prove it game" what's that like nine straight now this team has had to play?

 

[Ring 6]

They have 7 wins against teams that are a combined 28-57.
They are 0-5 against teams 8-4 or better.

 

[Rob0729]

I got a last minute holiday party on the 18th. It starts at 5PM and it is in a bar. Not sure if I will stay and watch the game or rush home so I can watch uninterrupted. I guess I am going to have to play it by ear. There are a lot of Giants fans in this group. Probably not the best crowd to watch a Pats' game.

 

[PScottman]

They have 7 wins against teams that are a combined 28-57.

That's a good stat detail to chew on. Will have to go see some of those team's run D numbers too - are they crushing good defenses and bad ones alike or just "running up the yards" in losses and against bad defenses?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I got a last minute holiday party on the 18th. It starts at 5PM and it is in a bar. Not sure if I will stay and watch the game or rush home so I can watch uninterrupted. I guess I am going to have to play it by ear. There are a lot of Giants fans in this group. Probably not the best crowd to watch a Pats' game.

Yea we have a holiday party/yankee swap at someones house. I'm gonna be cheery and happy and sociable up until 8:20PM. Then I'm gonna be cranky at everyone and stress-farting for 3 hours

 

[Ring 6]

I am leery of the RPO aspect - only because of the Philly Super Bowl loss (which wasn't even Wentz). I'm of the mind you need tremendous sideline to sideline speed or a penetrating defense to counter - two things I'm not sold on the Pats having, especially with Phillips and Duggar still "unknowns" (I expect Duggar back, but not Phillips). They add tons of speed near the LOS.

Just another "prove it game" what's that like nine straight now this team has had to play?

RPO is about corners. Run Pass Option is a run play where the QB has the option to pull the ball back and throw it. It is almost always a slant to an outside receiver because if you don’t do it immediately your run blockers are illegally down field.

 

[Ring 6]

That's a good stat detail to chew on. Will have to go see some of those team's run D numbers too - are they crushing good defenses and bad ones alike or just "running up the yards" in losses and against bad defenses?

They average 114 in games not against Houston (32 vs run) jete (30) and Buffalo and 234 against those teams.

 

[Patjew]

Taylor is nothing special. Just a typical running back with the ideal body frame and speed for the position. The offensive line is great.

Maybe it's because I've been single for quite a while, but that sounds awesome.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

All I can say there is a lot of Covid in the Boston metropolitan area right now, so just hold your breath about whether everyone comes back from the bye week untouched.

SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater:

MWRA - Wastewater COVID-19 Tracking

www.mwra.com

 

[jimnance]

Just another "prove it game" what's that like nine straight now this team has had to play?

And every game from here on- all 7 of em.

 

[Vatahala]

Carson Wentz is 0-1 lifetime as a starting QB against the Patriots going 20-40 214 1 TD with 5 sacks in a 17-10 loss in 2019. Hopefully BB will find ways to limit his effectiveness once again.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[BlueThunder]

Key being...Make Wentz win this game...Not Taylor

Run D HAS to come thru......

 

[DropKickFlutie]

They have 7 wins against teams that are a combined 28-57.
They are 0-5 against teams 8-4 or better.

Very very interesting. So they haven't beaten any good teams yet.

 

[HetfieldFogerty]

This is the kind of game that a coach earns his Coach-of-the-Year trophy. We’re at the #1 seed, running away with the division, and we’ve won seven in a row. If we let up at all, the Colts are going to kill us. I definitely see a chess match out there, with both teams thinking three moves ahead. Reich assumes BB will take away the run game, so Wentz comes out passing against an eight man box. But, maybe BB anticipates THAT, and actually plays a balance D…. Okay, I have no idea what to expect, but I like BB’s chances in a battle of wits.