idle thoughts- stepping back from the edge

[SpiderFox53]

If you are saying the pats poor performance's are due in part to poor officiating please don't go there, everyone else has to deal with it too. Blaming the officiating is the last bastion of hope, the jests posters blame the refs for their failures.

If you had read his post, you would know that is far from what he was saying.

 

[Bella*chick]

I responded in kind to someone who used "you and your ilk", and who's initial post was a slap at people who have issues with the team, and I'm supposedly the one who was arrogant?

Good comedy.

Give me a break, Deus, you ARE arrogant. Please just own it. You are, it's your thing.

You don't need to be rude to patfanken to make your point. I happen to agree that the D stinks, it's not just chicken littles or whatever you want to call them. A record of 10-3 means little if we don't show up in playoffs again, and with this crew playing this way, we are screwed. Screwed, screwed, screwed. I am with you.

 

[patfanken]

Ken, a small tidbit and inevitably considered inconsequential I know but could you spell player's names correctly if it's not too much trouble? I've always found it disrespectful to incorrectly name people for some reason.

mea cuilpa Aus. Until they get spell check for players I'm going to be in trouble. McGinest retired before I got that one right. BTW whose name did I butcher this time. I'll try to do better the next time

 

[shmessy]

mea cuilpa Aus. Until they get spell check for players I'm going to be in trouble. McGinest retired before I got that one right. BTW whose name did I butcher this time. I'll try to do better the next time

Ihedigbo. You've been doing it for weeks.

It IS a toughie, though.

 

[ATippett56]

Another game, another win, another rash of complaints. God it is hard to be a Pats fan these days.

Just out of curiosity, what are YOUR expectations for the New England Patriots this season?

 

[ausbacker]

mea cuilpa Aus. Until they get spell check for players I'm going to be in trouble. McGinest retired before I got that one right. BTW whose name did I butcher this time. I'll try to do better the next time

It's alright ken, just found it strange for a poster who writes so eloquently that little issues like that creep in there.

Oh and for the record, it's not you it's me.

 

[ATippett56]

mea cuilpa Aus. Until they get spell check for players I'm going to be in trouble. McGinest retired before I got that one right. BTW whose name did I butcher this time. I'll try to do better the next time

Here's a link that would assist in the accurate spelling of the New England Patriots players:

Official Website of the New England Patriots | Team - Players

 

[Deus Irae]

Patsfanken's initial post when referring to negative comments:
----------------------------------------------------------

"Another game, another win, another rash of complaints. God it is hard to be a Pats fan these days.

I said it before the game, and I imagine I will say it for the next 3 weeks; NOTHING this team can do will satisfy the media/general fan base/and the denizens of Patsfans.com. That being said here are a few observations and opinions on the game and the weekend in general....."





Deus Irae's initial post:
-------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by patfanken
Another game, another win, another rash of complaints, another week for the ostriches to pretend that all is well and this is the land of unicorns and pixie dust.

Fixed your post.


__________________________________________

It is what it is.

Indeed it is. Perhaps your omission of the thread title, which is a part of the O.P., was just an error on your part.

 

[Deus Irae]

Give me a break, Deus, you ARE arrogant. Please just own it. You are, it's your thing.

I've got no problem owning it when it applies. It just doesn't apply here. I'm more than happy to admit to my shortcomings when it comes to this stuff, and I'm more than happy to admit that someone like Jays, or Unoriginal, have a much greater depth of knowledge than I do. That doesn't mean I won't question a conclusion of theirs, but it does mean that I'll give it great deference. I used to be the very same way with Ken, as a matter of fact, until he decided to chuck pretty much all his objectivity into the trash. The ridiculousness of his essentially retracting his post-draft analysis just because fellow homers got their feathers ruffled was the final straw, showing that he was too far in the tank to take seriously anymore.

 

[Gwedd]

I saw it a little bit differently Shmess, though I had the advantage or numerous replays. I always felt he knew where the ball was because he was RIGHT on Stallworth's hands the moment the ball hit them. He was a microsecond off knocking it out. At it was Stallwroth bobbled it.

My criticism of the play would be his horrible jam technique of the receiver coming off the LOS. Stallworth was by him much too quickly and presented too much of an open target for the QB to miss. What I liked was his closing speed. By the time the well thrown ball reached the WR, McCourty had closed the game and was in very good posiiton to make a play.

Of course the margin of success and failure is razor thin sometimes. However as a coach I would have attributed the results of THIS particular play more on what the QB and WR did RIGHT, than what the CB did WRONG. Though there were some coaching points worthy of mention, like the man technique off the LOS, I couldn't say much about what happened when the ball got there

Ken,

What I would add to this is that a player like Stallworth has another advantage inthat he played for New England. True, he didn't play against McCourty, but he played against the NE defense at practice and so has a pretty good idea of what they are generally trying to do, and, as such, can maybe key off that as well.

I give the Redskins props for playing a good game. Every seems to want to complain about how bad we are at this or that, but the other team always gets a vote in how each play turns out. they have some pretty doggone good athletes too.

 

[ausbacker]

Ken,

What I would add to this is that a player like Stallworth has another advantage inthat he played for New England. True, he didn't play against McCourty, but he played against the NE defense at practice and so has a pretty good idea of what they are generally trying to do, and, as such, can maybe key off that as well.

I give the Redskins props for playing a good game. Every seems to want to complain about how bad we are at this or that, but the other team always gets a vote in how each play turns out. they have some pretty doggone good athletes too.

I'm not sure if it was just me Gwedd but I was disappointed in that we know Rex Interception loves to throw deep. Given that, he was able to successfully complete some long passes on the Patriots, where the Safeties were caught horribly out of position. I would have thought we'd defend Helu a little better than we did, but the Skin's zone blocking line was able to control the line of scrimmage and he made some nice cuts.

That what drew my ire yesterday given the Patriots are generally a decent run defense.

 

[Metaphors]

1.Lost in the "sturm and drang" of all the yards that the Redskins gained this week, is the "small" fact that the Pats D only gave up 7 points the entire 2nd half. It makes one wonder what it could do if we had the talent that they do on the Cowboys and Giants. You know those teams that gave up 22 and 17 points respectively in their game last night.

The Pats couldn't have played a more vanilla defense yesterday if they tried. Outside of an early Mayo blitz, the Skins ran the same handful of plays the whole game and the results didn't change significantly. Since Belichick isn't stupid, that obviously wasn't a playoff-quality gameplan on display.

I guess I can assume that injuries aren't an excuse for the Pats, just the rest of the league. (a perception btw, which probably makes BB very happy)

The Pats have played entire games without the top 5 DBs on the depth chart from week #1. Even now they only have McCourty back. Name me another team that could absorb that and still compete for a playoff bye.

5. One to the things that impressed me the most about Nick McDonald was when the coaches had to replace him early in the game after Brady was sacked on pressure up the middle. The took him out, talked to him, put him back, and it never happened again. Good coaching, better response.

I'm wondering if Wendell/Connolly have gotten Wally Pipp'ed. Too small a sample size but Belichick does seem to be fond of McDonald.

7. 60% Completion rate - 357 yds 3 TDs and one pick - This the line on one of Brady's worst days in a few years. Amazing when you consider, at one point, he was 8 for 19. I have to say its been a long time since I saw him just flat out miss guys or be on a different page than his receivers so often Clearly it was just "one of those days". GOD, are we spoiled or WHAT!?

It was a strange game for Brady. Not a clunker like Buffalo but it just seemed harder for him than it needed to be.

8. Brady has 3 very good receiving RBs, and one who is merely capable (BJGE) I have to think that he'd relieve a lot of pressure on himself and the rest of the receiving corps, if he threw the ball to these guys on a more regular basis than he has thus far this season. Last season Woodhead had 34 receptions in 14 games. This season he has 15 in 12. Time to get the RBs involved in passing game, while at the same time get the run game going better.

I'm still convinced that Vereen can be an X-factor in the playoffs if used correctly. Probably the only Pats player that can really threaten outside the numbers...and he can do it in the passing and running game.

11. James Iheadabu is one tough SOB. And SHAME on those nitwits hiding in their basements to complain about him. He's doing a yeoman's job under very difficult circumstances, and yet you have these armchair QBs who'd be felled with a paper cut, complaining about a guy who is gutting it out to make sure that Sergio Brown doesn't have to see the field. Now THAT is what I call "taking one for the team"

He is one of those players that could use a couple of weeks off heading into the playoffs. Need to have the bye locked up before the Buffalo game to get the team fully healthy.

I just can't figure it out anymore. Every play is literally held hostage by the possibility that some ARBITRARY flag is going to erase a play from existence. There doesn't seem to be a single in complete pass that doesn't end with a flag or a player calling for a flag. And if its affecting a football lifer like me, imagine what its doing to the casual fan.

Penalties should be reviewable. Not to inject missed penalties but to remove incorrect ones. So it wouldn't have helped the Brady pick but the Fletcher foul on Brady (for example) would likely have been eliminated.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I'm not sure if it was just me Gwedd but I was disappointed in that we know Rex Interception loves to throw deep. Given that, he was able to successfully complete some long passes on the Patriots, where the Safeties were caught horribly out of position. I would have thought we'd defend Helu a little better than we did, but the Skin's zone blocking line was able to control the line of scrimmage and he made some nice cuts.

That what drew my ire yesterday given the Patriots are generally a decent run defense.

It was one day though, the 03 or 04 team had a couple bad days on defense towards the end of the year too, didnt they have a couple guys rush for over 200 yards on them. Not comparing this team to those just saying that the rush defense can have a bad day but lock it down in the remaining games.

 

[ausbacker]

It was one day though, the 03 or 04 team had a couple bad days on defense towards the end of the year too, didnt they have a couple guys rush for over 200 yards on them. Not comparing this team to those just saying that the rush defense can have a bad day but lock it down in the remaining games.

No disagreement from me with that. I'd rather the team won on a bad day than lose on a good day. My comment was it was more strange seeing the Patriots give up 170 yards at 5 points a clip to the Redskins given the run D has been a OK for the Pats in 2011.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

Anybody happy with this secondary, while heading into the playoffs has gotta step away from the pipe. The Pats are in for a dangerous chance of 1 and done in the playoffs. I seriously hope a miracle happens with the CB's. I dont complain about the Pats much, but this is a slippery slope. No rose colored glasses here.

 

[NHPATSFAN11]

The problem is, we have a million other "professionals" telling us that the D sucks and the Offense lacks a deep threat. What I dont understand is why you think we're interested in hearing it from another person

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Anybody happy with this secondary, while heading into the playoffs has gotta step away from the pipe. The Pats are in for a dangerous chance of 1 and done in the playoffs. I seriously hope a miracle happens with the CB's. I dont complain about the Pats much, but this is a slippery slope. No rose colored glasses here.

There is no chance this secondary can hold up and keep opposing teams from putting up 35 or 40 points without getting turnovers when the GOOD teams come to play in January.

Turnovers and mistakes from the opposite offense can help a very bad defense look very good

For those who remember watching the playoffs in 1986 can attest to the fact of how important turnovers play a role in the playoffs when your team is not strong on both sides of the ball....in 1986 if the team didnt get all those T.O.s they were not going to beat Oakland or Miami that year.

 

[E Belichick Unum]

Completely disagree. This is the worst 10-3 team this league has ever seen. Don't kid yourself.

I disagree, it is the worst defense the league has ever seen on a 10-3 team. It is the worst secondary I have ever seen put on the field in the NFL. GM Bill has done this team a great disservice.

 

[wyomingpatsfan]

Quite frankly, I'm am sick and tired of PatsFans message board posters utilizing the injury excuse for the New England Patriots defense.

To put things in perspective, the Houston Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals on the road with a third string rookie quarterback without Andre Johnson at wide receiver and without Mario Williams at defensive end. To add insult to injury, Andre Johnson is a far better wide receiver than Devin McCourty is at cornerback.

Agreed...seems that using injuries is a poor excuse for bad play...

McCourty and many others on the secondary were lousy at the beginning of the season...oh wait...I forgot, that was because of the lockout....hhhmmmm wonder if D. Revis and C. Bailey were part of the lockout or ever injured?

 

[supafly]

60% Completion rate - 357 yds 3 TDs and one pick - This the line on one of Brady's worst days in a few years.

Huh?

One of "Brady's worst days in a few years?"

Interesting observation when your QB completes 60% throws for almost 400 yards and 3 TD's with a pick and a 107 QB rating.

Here are at least 10 other worst games in the past few years (and many by landslides), and I won't even count the obvious playoff losses:

2011

--BUF 4 INT's 86 rating

--NYG 3 turnovers and a 75 rating

--DAL 3 turnovers and a 82 rating

2010

--SD 159 yds passing

--BAL 3 turnovers and a 69 rating

--NYJ 55% completion rate with 2 INT's in a 28-14 loss, with a 72 rating

--CLE 52.8 % pass completions in a 34-14 loss

2009

--NEW ORL 55 QB rating with 0 TD's and 2 INT's

--BUF 115 yards passing, with a 47 % completion rate

--NYJ 53 QB rating with a 48% completion rate, putting up 9 total pts