New England Patriots thread (MOD WARNING - #4503)

AbusesToilets

Tough, tight game. Thought the Chargers defence was very good for most of the night. Weddle (sp?) did a good job containing Gronk on a number of occasions.

It seemed like Brady didn't have much joy on those deep, side line throw. Wasn't his best night throwing by any stretch but he kept at it until they got the result. Great determination and ability to figure out how to win in the face of tough opposition.

Vandango

AbusesToilets wrote: »

It seemed like Brady didn't have much joy on those deep, side line throw. Wasn't his best night throwing by any stretch but he kept at it until they got the result.

Not his best night throwing? I think any QB would gladly settle for 317 Yards, 2 TD's and a 63.6% completion rate.

kryogen

Brady was poison most of the night ^^^^^^^^^

j8wk2feszrnpao

Excellent stuff from the D for the night. Dominated the game, Collins and Revis were outstanding.
Some nice sacks and plenty of pressure. Rivers was so unsettled that he was even blaming others for his mistakes.

All the issues were on the offence.
Solider, beaten too many times.
Not sure how we go away from the run after getting to the red zone.
Only two carries for Gray? Time to give the guy some further action.
Brady mixed the good with the bad, but delivered when it counted.
Credit to the Chargers D, they kept their team in the game.

Jewels again stepped up when needed. Gronk was Gronk. Another 10 TD season.

I saw the score this morning, and thought it must have been a very close game. In some ways it was. But once we took the lead, it was game over. The D was dominant and Rivers was too emotional to lead a recovery.

10:3
Will need to win out to get the No1 seed. If the offence can improve just a little, that should be achieved.

AbusesToilets

kryogen wrote: »

Brady was poison most of the night ^^^^^^^^^

Ah you know as well as I do that numbers don't tell the whole story. He had some poor throws. The redzone interception stands out as one that I was surprised at. Normally you'd bank on him making that. Whether it was due to good pocket pressure from the Chargers, or poor efforts on Brady's part, he wasn't as effective as he would usually be.

AbusesToilets

Nice piece here talking about BB

http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/everyones-got-a-bill-belichick-story/

Son Of A Vidic

Vandango wrote: »

Not his best night throwing? I think any QB would gladly settle for 317 Yards, 2 TD's and a 63.6% completion rate.

Looking at how shyte the O line was and the amount of pressure he was under all night, I thought Brady's CR rate would be around 53-54%. But 63.6% is very commendable stuff, especially when you consider he played large chunks of the game without a LT.

eagle eye

I'd love to know what is going on with Gray. Last night he got two snaps in a row early in the game and he hit the hole where he is supposed to and picked up 9 yards. He impressed me with both of thos I was just thinking to myself that its great to see him back in the team and then he disappears for the rest of the night.

I can't help but feel that its something more than just being late for practice. Maybe there is a character thing or maybe its a plan to just stash him for now and have him in great shape come the playoffs. There is definitely something going on for sure that we don't know about. He just looks very good when he gets some snaps and we seen what he can do when he gets a lot of snaps.

Son Of A Vidic

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Gronk was Gronk. Another 10 TD season.

Last night he became the first TE in history to have 10 or more TD's. Without the bad arm break and knee injury, he would be undoubtedly be on his 5th season with 10 or more TD's.

kryogen

Yet some people have still told me I am wrong to say he is the best TE in football

j8wk2feszrnpao

kryogen wrote: »

Yet some people have still told me I am wrong to say he is the best TE in football

I actually think that he is by far the best TE in the league.
We all saw how it took time at the start of the season for him to really get into gear (it was week 5 before he passed 50yards receiving in a game).
He's probably as good a blocking TE as any other, but then you just look production in the passing game.

Factor in his work in the running game, and he's slow recovery from injury, and yet he is:

• 11th in receiving yards (the next non WR is 22nd)
• 17th in yards per game
• Joint 3rd in TD's, just two behind JThomas (but Gronk dominates every other stat in comparison)
• Joint 10th in plays of 20+ yards
• 5th overall in 1st downs

All that production and not a single fumble.
You don't have to select 'TE' from a dropbox when checking the receiving stats in the NFL to search for Gronk. The guy is elite.

Vandango

kryogen wrote: »

Yet some people have still told me I am wrong to say he is the best TE in football

It's not even up for debate. When healthy, there's no TE in the league that has the all-round ability of Gronk. He an athletic freak in the passing game and an excellent blocker in the run game. unmatched physicality & toughness and the more guys that hit him, the better he seems to play.

eagle eye

kryogen wrote: »

Yet some people have still told me I am wrong to say he is the best TE in football

The reply to anybody that says that to me is 'You know nothing about football'.

munstermagic11 wrote: »

I actually think that he is by far the best TE in the league.
We all saw how it took time at the start of the season for him to really get into gear (it was week 5 before he passed 50yards receiving in a game).
He's probably as good a blocking TE as any other, but then you just look production in the passing game.

Factor in his work in the running game, and he's slow recovery from injury, and yet he is:

• 11th in receiving yards (the next non WR is 22nd)
• 17th in yards per game
• Joint 3rd in TD's, just two behind JThomas (but Gronk dominates every other stat in comparison)
• Joint 10th in plays of 20+ yards
• 5th overall in 1st downs

All that production and not a single fumble.
You don't have to select 'TE' from a dropbox when checking the receiving stats in the NFL to search for Gronk. The guy is elite.

And thats the receiving part of his game where he is elite, he is also elite in the run blocking side of his game too.

Vandango wrote: »

It's not even up for debate. When healthy, there's no TE in the league that has the all-round ability of Gronk. He an athletic freak in the passing game and an excellent blocker in the run game. unmatched physicality & toughness and the more guys that hit him, the better he seems to play.

You could not make a truer statement.

Hazys

The Gronk interview: http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/11981326/patriots-rob-gronkowski-interview

So when you're watching SpongeBob, you drop down and do your pushups?

Yep. Drop down and do some pushups. Just chillin', yeah.

Son Of A Vidic

eagle eye wrote: »

I'd love to know what is going on with Gray. Last night he got two snaps in a row early in the game and he hit the hole where he is supposed to and picked up 9 yards. He impressed me with both of thos I was just thinking to myself that its great to see him back in the team and then he disappears for the rest of the night.

I can't help but feel that its something more than just being late for practice. Maybe there is a character thing or maybe its a plan to just stash him for now and have him in great shape come the playoffs. There is definitely something going on for sure that we don't know about. He just looks very good when he gets some snaps and we seen what he can do when he gets a lot of snaps.

I don't think it's a character thing because he has been praised for his work ethic by Belichick. I think it's more a Belichick thing. I think the Sports Illustrated cover hype did him no favours. Gray broke/equaled several NFL records on his debut that predated the merger. Maybe Bill saw the media hype, the magazine cover and maybe thought he'd make him stew a bit or tone it down. Maybe the late thing also came into play and was the catalyst for it all. You'll notice I'm using a lot of maybe's there because it is hard to know I suppose. But we all know how old school & traditional Belchick can be a times and with Blount back, he knows he can afford to make Gray stew. But it pisses me off because I really like Gray and I think he should at the very least be sharing reps with Blount. The kid showed us what he could do when he got the lead back role and I think holding back a talent like his, does the team no favours in the long term.

eagle eye

Only thing Corvus is that if its a postseason plan then it might be just an ingenius plan because teams won't be able to prepare for Gray. They will be looking at Blount and Vereen and it could work to our advantage in a big game then.

Son Of A Vidic

eagle eye wrote: »

Only thing Corvus is that if its a postseason plan then it might be just an ingenius plan because teams won't be able to prepare for Gray. They will be looking at Blount and Vereen and it could work to our advantage in a big game then.

That's the thing with Bill, you never know. And that's certainly a plan I could live with.:)

bruschi

but again, I do believe BB over thinks things and makes things too complicated at times. Like last year, Blount runs for a tonne against the Colts, and barely gets a carry against Denver because thats what they would have expected. If something is working, go with it, even if the opposition knows its coming. Move away from it when it stops working, not before you even try it. Its just a little kink him and Josh have in over complicating what can be very simple plans. I'd like to see Gray get a lot more carries in the last 3 games, as we need to see if he is capable going into the post season.

BizzyC

I think we may have just gotten too keen on Gray as fans too soon.

He had a big game running behind 6 linemen and Gronk against a very poor run defence.

I think his absence has been more a case of the fact that this is a kid who wasn't in the squad until October.
He probably still has some learning to do before he becomes a back we can plug in to more game plans.

bruschi

BizzyC wrote: »

I think we may have just gotten too keen on Gray as fans too soon.

He had a big game running behind 6 linemen and Gronk against a very poor run defence.

I think his absence has been more a case of the fact that this is a kid who wasn't in the squad until October.
He probably still has some learning to do before he becomes a back we can plug in to more game plans.

Boldin or Gray?

I want to see Gray getting those carries.

Son Of A Vidic

bruschi wrote: »

but again, I do believe BB over thinks things and makes things too complicated at times. Like last year, Blount runs for a tonne against the Colts, and barely gets a carry against Denver because thats what they would have expected. If something is working, go with it, even if the opposition knows its coming. Move away from it when it stops working, not before you even try it. Its just a little kink him and Josh have in over complicating what can be very simple plans. I'd like to see Gray get a lot more carries in the last 3 games, as we need to see if he is capable going into the post season.

That's the one criticism I have, we are often too clever for our own good, especially McDaniels. We lost the Packers game because we had 58 offensive snaps and ran only 18 times. When we should have ran the ball at least 30 times. More frustratingly, the Packers had a balanced offensive, ran the ball a lot and prolonged drives to keep Brady off the field. But I put that more on McDaniels than Bill, because with Bill's defensive background there's no doubt he has a big influence on our defensive game plans. But offensively, I think McDaniel has complete autonomy. I think where Bill comes into play on the offensive side will be on personnel decisions & benching Gray for example. But I think it drives every Pats crazy to see how we all to often seem to over think things and move away from things that work, just because it's the obvious thing to do.

kryogen

I have strong Brady man love today, after coming across this which I hadn't seen before

“When Rodney Harrison played with Brady, the safety showed up at 6:40 a.m. to lift weights. ‘Good afternoon,” Brady said to him. So the next day Harrison showed up at 6:30. ‘Good afternoon.’ Then 6:20. Then 6:10. Then 6. “Good afternoon” each time, until Harrison finally said, ‘Screw you, Tom. I’m not coming in any earlier.'”



The man is a legend.

eagle eye

bruschi wrote: »

but again, I do believe BB over thinks things and makes things too complicated at times. Like last year, Blount runs for a tonne against the Colts, and barely gets a carry against Denver because thats what they would have expected. If something is working, go with it, even if the opposition knows its coming. Move away from it when it stops working, not before you even try it. Its just a little kink him and Josh have in over complicating what can be very simple plans. I'd like to see Gray get a lot more carries in the last 3 games, as we need to see if he is capable going into the post season.

I don't agree with the suggestion that he overthinks things. Last year in Denver I think we would have won that game but for the injury to Talib.

As far as the run game was concerned we had Ridley who averaged around three yards per carry in that game, Blount averaged just over a yard per carry on his limited carries. The only one that did anything in that game from a rushing standpoint was Vereen.

j8wk2feszrnpao

eagle eye wrote: »

I don't agree with the suggestion that he overthinks things.

We drive from our 7 yard line to the SD 10.
1st play, Blount makes nine yards.
Yet we don't try punch it in.
Two failed passing plays (1st play results in Tom targeting Develin) and we settle for 3pts.

Those are the type of decisions I don't understand.

bruschi

eagle eye wrote: »

I don't agree with the suggestion that he overthinks things. Last year in Denver I think we would have won that game but for the injury to Talib.

As far as the run game was concerned we had Ridley who averaged around three yards per carry in that game, Blount averaged just over a yard per carry on his limited carries. The only one that did anything in that game from a rushing standpoint was Vereen.

it would be a boring world if we all thought the same!

As much as I think he over thinks things, it also works to his benefit, in that he can come up with schemes and plans that are successful that others cant replicate. Its a matter of taking the good with the bad. It is just that sometimes I think sometimes the obvious solution is the best one, whereas I feel BB or Josh or whoever wants to do what the opposition wouldnt expect.

eagle eye

munstermagic11 wrote: »

We drive from our 7 yard line to the SD 10.
1st play, Blount makes nine yards.
Yet we don't try punch it in.
Two failed passing plays (1st play results in Tom targeting Develin) and we settle for 3pts.

Those are the type of decisions I don't understand.

What is wrong with that? The Chargers have been good against the run this season and you know they are going to overload on blocking it so why not go to the air when you have one of the best QBs of all time? I makes sense to me.

I haven't had a chance to review the game, was Develin his first look?

I remember back a few years ago, maybe it was the unbeaten regular season, where we went to the air on first and second down to set up the run on third down.

TO.

eagle eye wrote: »

What is wrong with that? The Chargers have been good against the run this season and you know they are going to overload on blocking it so why not go to the air when you have one of the best QBs of all time? I makes sense to me.

Momentum. The Chargers defense were still trying to pick themselves up from Blount pounding it. They couldn't figure it out and it took them a few more drives to close up the gaps. I would have tried at least once to punch it in. You still end up with 3pts use the plays that were getting you the best results on that drive. Sometimes we over complicate plays. JMCD is good like that getting to smart for his own good.

I haven't had a chance to review the game, was Develin his first look?

Yup. Quick play fake and try hit the FB. Our Oline crumbled before Brady could set his feet.

I remember back a few years ago, maybe it was the unbeaten regular season, where we went to the air on first and second down to set up the run on third down.

Gone are those days kind of refreshing to see us do a 1,2 punch and then pass.

j8wk2feszrnpao

eagle eye wrote: »

What is wrong with that?

TO covered it well.
It was just a case of trying to be too smart. Passing to Devlin, from 1 yard.
Devlin has been really good at his job, why not pound it in when you have Devlin leading the way for Blount?
I don't care how good they are against the run, Blount got 9 yards from their 10. On 2nd and 1 from their goal line, you leave with 7pts.

eagle eye wrote: »

why not go to the air when you have one of the best QBs of all time?

As I said, 2nd and 1 from their goal line, you just pound it in.
And if you are using Tom, great as he is, do we need to target our FB? It just over complicated it.

paulie21

Patriots players have clippings of what the Dolphins said after the first game on the bulletin board at Gillette. No doubt they are inspired and pumped to extract revenge

paulie21

Jones and Hightower both active