Yup. That's why I added the OL/running game to my goat list. The defense gets the lions share but the running game was a massive fail all game long.
There were plenty of positives.
Honestly, I think it's this. I think they come out next week and kick Pittsburgh's ass, and then win handily in their last two games to finish 12-4. That will be enough for the 2 seed, and it might be, if things break right, get the 1 seed. Probably 2.
Someone (McCourty? Slater?) after the game mentioned "airing of grievances" as work to do this week. That's an ominous sign.
Yeah yeah and Gilmore sucks and is the worst signing in Patriot history. Let it all out.
Argue my points. Because they're fair ones. The 1 seed was still in play and you know it. Covering your ears because you don't want to hear the ramifications of that game doesn't help anyone.
He did qualify that with "if there are any" While there is plenty of blame to go around, losses like this don't tend to be killers long term the way getting beaten by 30 would.
You didn’t present any data, but I guess if KC and Reid have a history of choking, maybe they’ll lose in January to the Chargers anyway. Or maybe they’ll win out. And there was certainly no guarantee the Pats would win out moving forward anyway.
I did present data, you chose to ignore it. The 1 seed situation was in play. Being 1 game behind KC for that seed would have been a good thing to have. KC nearly lost at home to Baltimore.
I’m not saying it can’t happen, just the odds were against it, and it might end up having no impact at all. The Lions and Titans games were far worse than yesterday, if you’re picking spots. The Pats are still in pretty decent shape, probably where they should be. This is not the 2014-2016 teams. The talent isn’t there.
All great points, however, with the way KC played yesterday I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose in their first play off game after the bye to the Chargers assuming the playoff picture remains the same.
It was a hallmark of the Pats D for years that they didn't give up big plays, but that era is over. A bunch yesterday. Two long TDs by KC, once when they were hanging on to a lead late. A bunch in the Super Bowl against Philly. Almost blowing the Chicago game with the Hail Mary. The ridiculous catch-and-run by Smith-Schuster that should have lost them the Steelers game last year.
No. KC can now still "choke" and the Pats now cannot do a damn thing about it because they're too far out to take advantage. Had they won yesterday that wouldn't be the case.
That was great. How I laughed.
Yeah but this franchise has a history of getting punched in the mouth and deciding to take its ball and go home.
Different stadium for Marino, right? Or is it the same one with different branding? I can't keep this stuff straight any more.
Gronk plays Pitt next week, which means 2-3 more Touchdowns and 120+ yards, at least one of which the defense will leave him uncovered (road defense will still put the game at serious risk, probably). He’ll also be the first one laughing at this play a year or two from now when he’s a retired with 100 million in the bank. He’s about the last guy I’m worried about with something like this. He doesn’t strike me as the guy who stews over stuff, especially making a tackle on defense.
It does?
I think the idea is to play lanes: let those assigned to the lane focus on the tackle, and stay in the lane to guard against the lateral. Problem is they missed about 5 tackles and let it come down to a one vs one of Drake against Gronk.
Quick search and it looks like Marino played 3 seasons in the OB, then they moved to Joe Robbie after 1986. So the majority of his career was on this field (and the names have been changed to protect the innocent).
Borrowed from Post 60:
While I would like to believe that Gordon has bingo, I tend to think it will be neither a team killer or a rallying point. The players will know that it was a totally fucked up, one of a kind, fluke ending, and they will put their minds to the Steelers. They're next up and even after three losses in a row, not a team to be taken lightly. The players are professionals and my sense is that the gut punch we fans feel is something they can put aside faster.
I read somewhere that the Pats have faced three Hail Marys this year and McCourty has been on the field for only one of them. Bizarre if true.
It made absolutely no sense. It can be argued that White has been the best offensive player on the team this season and he barely saw the ball. Every time I saw Burkhead in the game, I expected him to get the ball and not deliver anything really positive. Unfortunately, I was right most the time yesterday.
I thought about this at the time, but I don't see any reason to think that this is better than the FG. The big risk here is with a defensive penalty, e.g., Miami completes a pass to the 50 yard line and then gets 15 yards from a facemask penalty or something. Then Miami gets to kick a FG to win.
Yeah, I mean, there is no explanation. It is an obvious, awful mistake by someone, maybe BB or maybe someone on the defensive coaching staff. Ultimately BB as the head coach is accountable, but he's not going to admit an obvious mistake like that other than the standard "we have to coach better", so that's the explanation
