Why did the Patriots lose?

[VectorPrime]

It’s hard to put together a talented defense when you bench one of your top players for mysteriously inexplicable reasons.

 

[ashley]

We lost because we lacked cat like quickness on defense Hi Sammy!!!!

That is true however just as it was back in September, they only had to "do their job" and be "average".

 

[pheenix11]

Always Ray Lewis

 

[ashley]

Is Brady really a choice? lol

 

[mosi]

Because the other team scored more points.

 

[Nunchucks]

Patriots had cobbled a defensive front seven together with cast off spare parts from across the league. The Patriots finally played a team that was able to take advantage of the lack of talent and the Patriots were unable to scheme their way out of it.

Not playing Butler could have contributed, I certainly would like to believe the Patriots would have won with Butler. However, it is not something that we could bank on.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

That is true however just as it was back in September, they only had to "do their job" and be "average".

To the poster that "disagrees" - did you find the tackling was a little bit below average during the game? Collectively they played their worst game of the season.

 

[Xerostomia]

As others have mentioned, it was our Dline and their Oline. Their Oline was outstanding. The Viking have/had an outstanding defense and excellent secondary, and even they were not able to stop the Eagles. Foles had all day to throw, and the RB's did enough to keep the defense guessing.

The defensive weakness of this team has always been the front 7 this year especially since Hightower was lost, and Alan Branch went AWOL. Losing Sheard, Long, Ninkovich, etc, really weakened the quality and depth of talent and we faced the one team that was built to exploit that talent. If the front 7 were able to put pressure and hit Foles, and at the same time stop the run well enough, the secondary would have been just fine.

 

[PATSNUTme]

The Patriots still almost matched them in points.

Because the Patriots have TFB- the GOAT. The Patriots OL had a good game but not like the Eagles OL.

 

[The Brandon Five]

I think it might have something to do with allowing 41 points.

 

[363839]

They couldn't get to Foles ...

They could not solve the Eagles jam routes ...

The Eagles O-Line had a great game.
Football has changed a lot but the game is still won and lost in the trenches.

In other words, Defense. But that choice was not available on poll.
I suppose I could have said Patricia but he didn't play one down.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Its on bb, regardless of the issue on is benching butler justified- which we dont know the full details about yet.

Bb is the hc and defensive mastermind, he is in charge of personnel. He had 2 weeks to prepare for nick foles. In the best case scenario for the argument that benching butler was absolutely necessary, its very hard to justify doing it last minute. If it was for the team psyche to leave it for then- he was WAY off. I highly doubt butler tried smuggling weed onto the field during pregame warmups, whatever he did or has been doing was well beforehand.

Brady has bailed the team out enough times the last 4 seasons, get him a better d. 300 yards and 2-3 tds with an efficient rating and turnover rate should be more than enough out of your 40 year old qb in these games. Brady threw for 500 yards and still lost- inexcusable.

 

[slam]

My vote goes to "The Eagles were the slightly better team".

 

[mosslost]

Philly scored more I think near the top..

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Player's win em and coaches lose em. Never seen a defense look so unprepared. This one's on BB

 

[maust]

I suggest you erase this thread, and start over with multiple choices type of a poll.

A lot of the choices overlap - Butler/Belichick, Patricia/Belichick

Have to agree. In the absence of 'The D or lack thereof' or 'The Eagles scored more points' as choices I had to go with the next closest thing. The nearest I can figure to the truth is Ray Lewis killed a guy

 

[primetime]

They lost because the weird random bounces that went their way the last two Super Bowls didn't this time.

If Bademosi doesn't miss a tackle on 3rd down...
If Elliot misses the last field goal...
If Gostkowski doesn't miss an easy field goal because of a botched snap...
If the borderline Clement catch isn't called a touchdown...
If Brady isn't strip sacked...
If they stop the Eagles on 4th and 1...
If Cooks cuts back or beelines for the stick instead of hurdling the guy...
If they go for it on 4th and 1 after Cooks fails his hurdle...
If Amendola connects with Brady on that pass...
If the Foles touchdown is called an illegal formation...
If the Eagles fumble the ball just once, or a ball gets tipped...
If Gronk times the jump right on the hail mary and tips the ball to Amendola...

But those went the Eagles' way. And certainly some things went the Patriots' way, but enough went the Eagles' way. **** happens, we wouldn't watch the game otherwise. That's why this loss didn't bother me so much; they shouldn't have won the last two, but they did because of weird random bounces. This time they lost because of that. Great game, though.

 

[JJC]

Eagles Possession #1: Field Goal
Eagles Possession #2: Touchdown
Eagles Possession #3: Punt
Eagles Possession #4: Touchdown
Eagles Possession #5: Interception
Eagles Possession #6: Touchdown
Eagles Possession #7: Touchdown
Eagles Possession #8: Field Goal
Eagles Possession #9: Touchdown
Eagles Possession #10: Field Goal

Ten possessions. Scored on 8 of 10. 62.5% were TDs.

The defense had no answers for the PHI offense.

 

[maineman209]

The Eagles were better Sunday night.

 

[upstater1]

I blame the personnel on defense. That is on the GM.

We came into the season with Hightower at LB. That's it. I like Van Noy but he is a borderline starter in this league.

I call that personnel malpractice. And don't believe that the Patriots think otherwise. I clearly remember Scarnecchia saying 18 months ago that the Patriots are woefully thin at LB.