The Game Ball Thread: Wk 1 @ Cards

[SeoulSoxFan]

Ummmm....

GAROPPOLO!!! Seriously, can't believe they pulled this out.

The defense in the first half was tremendous. So tough to win away, missing 3 starters, AND losing the turnover battle 0-2.

I tell you, nobody thought Pats will be 1-0 while the rest of the AFCE teams (who must be drawing their swords out for an early sepukku) are a combined 0-3. At least not this poster.

My game ball goes to:

1. Garoppolo: made throws, stayed calm, pre-season Garoppolo he's not
2. Secondary: gave up some plays, but stayed tough throughout
3. Ghost: made the long FG, the other dude did not

WIN!!!

 

[Manzivino]

Gho$t. Needed every kick and he was nails.

 

[RedOctober3829]

The whole team gets a game ball from me. Everyone contributed in every phase. I can't believe they won this game. I love this team.

 

[Fishercat]

Mind boggling that Jimmy G put up that performance against that defense without Gronkowski and his two starting tackles. Ghost had some major kicks. The secondary took the deep ball entirely out of Arizonas game too.

 

[axx]

BB

 

[ShaneTrot]

How about Butler, Sheard, Long, Coleman, Branch, McCourty etc? There wera a lot of studly defensive plays in this game.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Phins, Bills, and Jets are going "WHY CAN'T WE GET A QB LIKE THAT".

Also, reposting from the game thread:

 

[steveluck7]

Hogan and Mitchell - two WRs with positive first games for the team that has sometimes struggled with incorporating new WR.
Also, James White... looked like a steady 3rd down back

 

[Rook05]

Jimmy Goddamn G. Third and short to James White. Third and long scramble. Third and long broken play to Dola. Third and short to Edelman (albeit with a "hold" on the Black Unicorn).

Game managers execute a script. Top half QBs make it work when the script goes south.

Also, fuck yeah, defense.

Also, why does JG have a bald spot on his front skull? I find it...off putting.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

Bill fucking Belickick.

 

[RedOctober3829]

 

[Stitch01]

Pretty much a team effort hard to single many guys out.

Glad to be discussing this and not the missing minute on the clock.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Of course, now the "trade Jimmy for a 1st before the trade deadline" talk will not die.

 

[YTF]

Not sure if it's ball worthy, but Bennett did a nice job helping out on the O line tonight.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

Everyone gets one. Even if they had hit that fg, we couldn't have hoped for a better showing. Fuckin helium game.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Not sure if it's ball worthy, but Bennett did a nice job helping out on the O line tonight.

Yes, yes he did

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

Pretty much a team effort hard to single many guys out.

Glad to be discussing this and not the missing minute on the clock.

I was t in game thread and was watching at a bar....missing minute?

 

[Ale Xander]

James white , lgbt, Bennett and edelbigman for moving the sticks without Brady and Gronk




Hogan had 2 big plays and Mitchell had one too. Defense played well not anyone stood out. Secondary could have been better

Garoppolo made a couple mistakes but showed a ton of promise

BB had the inexplicable failure to take timeouts immediately on 3rd and 4th at 1:20 in case kick was made. 3rd may have been ok in case he was worried they'd convert the 3rd and 20whatever, but 4th?

 

[nothumb]

I was t in game thread and was watching at a bar....missing minute?

jimmy G only got to kneel down once instead of three times at the end of the game.

 

[jimbobim]

1) Jimmy G- What a 3rd down performance. A++++
2) Ghost- Nails
3) Scharnecchia

 

[Three10toLeft]

I was t in game thread and was watching at a bar....missing minute?

I think some people are perturbed that Belicheck didn't call his TO's sooner on Arizona's last drive.

 

[Dogman]

I was t in game thread and was watching at a bar....missing minute?

It wasn't a minute but BB not taking a TO twice (before actually using the TO both times). One play had personnel out of position and the other BB was actually waiting for AZ to get their FG unit on the field on 4th and 5 before calling it.

Like Stitch, I think I may have called the second one a bit faster.

 

[Stitch01]

Yeah if he calls TOs the kick is at like 1:40 instead of 41 seconds. I agree with DOTB, thought that could have been better but didn't matterZ

 

[leftfieldlegacy]

Dante!
Missing his two starting tackles and Gronk he put together a great scheme using Bennett. The O line struggled at times but played much better than I expected against a very good Arizona D.

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

I think people are making too big a deal about the clock at the end of the game. The holding penalty could not be foreseen and completely changed the strategy. The timeout Hightower took was not terrible if they didn't like the matchups. At that point in the game you are trying to stop two plays from getting them into FG range. The clock mattered a hell of a lot less then the matchups/getting the stop.

The 3rd timeout should have been called right away, but only 7 seconds ticked off. Maybe Bill wanted to see how organized the FG unit was running out there. E.g. If they are a mess then don't call it and let them rush the kick.

 

[PseuFighter]

"i'm really really concerned about the storyline. there's nothing higher on my list tomorrow than the storyline."

belichick is the best.

 

[Erik Hanson's Hook]

-Ghost
-Edelman for getting us going early
-David Ortiz

What a great sports day.

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Dante!
Missing his two starting tackles and Gronk he put together a great scheme using Bennett. The O line struggled at times but played much better than I expected against a very good Arizona D.

Echoing this, with an extra helping of love for Bennett. He was a horse on the O-Line and his effort was exceptional.

And we all know that you can't hold the late penalty against him as it was a horseshit call.

 

[Rook05]

And Vegas for talking me into a BB team at +9.

I also love the symmetry of the Cards missing a game winner at the end of their home opener....which is what the Pats did against AZ four years ago.

 

[Van Everyman]

The 3rd timeout should have been called right away, but only 7 seconds ticked off. Maybe Bill wanted to see how organized the FG unit was running out there. E.g. If they are a mess then don't call it and let them rush the kick.

Belichick said just that in his press conference. He said they wouldn't have called it if they lined up right away to kick it but the Cards were kind of lollygagging it to bleed time so then he called the TO.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Great effort for Gostkowski to come back from the missed extra point last year and hit a 47 and 53 yarder.

Also, it's clear that BB wants to kick off between the goal line and the five yard line every time, and Gostkowski has perfected it. It put Arizona behind to start the final drive -- a drive where every yard really mattered. Nobody exploits those situations like BB. I bet they eliminate kick offs next year.

Not a game ball, but I think Fitzgerald is now at the very top of my Ed Reed all time players I wish had been Patriots list. That's a good team they beat tonight.

 

[uncannymanny]

JG.

With everyone in the world conceding this game to Arizona, he put up a tough, not-"system qb" performance. He commanded the offense, executed in big spots, made some chicken salad (in big spots) and didn't make stupid, forced throws (maybe the biggest win for him).

Didn't see this coming, but sign me up for 3 more games and let's see what we've got. Huge, huge win.

Edit: for the rest of the team: I think if we lost the Goat thread would've had a difficult time.

 

[DJnVa]

Bennett looks absolutely huge on the field. Can't wait til he and Gronk get rolling.

 

[Obscure Name]

 

[uncannymanny]

"Will these guys let the understudy lead them??!?" talk is emphatically squashed.

 

[FredJones]

While everyone's gushing about Bennett... they left him alone on the edge against defensive ends at times. On that shitty holding call, he had manhandled Chandler Jones, who is probably heading for an 80+ million dollar contract. He also converted a few tough short yardage situations, and had a few catches where he made multiple defenders miss, at 270 lbs. There aren't many guys who can do all of these things, and somehow Belichick found two of them.

 

[Kliq]

Not only did Gostkowski nail his field goals, he did a great job pinning Arizona back on the kick offs, which is harder than it looks. They are basically asking him to kick the ball with 90 percent of his leg strength, which is tough to do.

Long not only had the sack, but he would have sacked Palmer on the final drive if it wasn't for the holding penalty that ultimately ended up being the difference in the game.

He whiffed on a Fitzgerald tackle, but Coleman made some nice breakups during the game. Butler was terrific.

 

[Tony C]

1) Jimmy G- What a 3rd down performance. A++++
2) Ghost- Nails
3) Scharnecchia

Great list -- real kudos to Fleming and Cannon, lots of quick throws and Jimmy is good moving in the pocket, but while far from perfect they held up pretty well.

 

[Valek123]

Coaches
Jimmy G
Tackling

Grest win on the road against the NFC#2, missing a ton.

Bennett is a beast and I can't wait to see him and Gronk on a line together with Lewis in the backfield. Insanity...

Felt like a house money game, and still can't believe what just went down. This organization is amazing.

 

[bankshot1]

I'm repeating others but the Ghost strategic kick-offs forcing returns and great ST coverage in what was a tight defensive game where field position is crucial aided the effort and is indicative of where BB finds edges.

 

[amarshal2]

Brady was great as usual. Weird he wore #10 tho.

Being serious, it was a very impressive first start and there were several times it looked like the regular offense out there.

Also, this seems like the right thread for posting something this stupid but nothing would spit in the eyes of Goodell and the owners like going 4-0 with Brady out and trading Jimmy G for all the picks.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

That said, Gostkowski, Julian, White, Blount, the patchwork line and the entire Pats defense did a very good job today.

Fitzgerald is a monster and its all the more amazing at his age. DDB is right. The Pats beat an elite team in this game.

 

[MuppetAsteriskTalk]

Brady was great as usual. Weird he wore #10 tho.

Being serious, it was a very impressive first start and there were several times it looked like the regular offense out there.

Also, this seems like the right thread for posting something this stupid but nothing would spit in the eyes of Goodell and the owners like going 4-0 with Brady out and trading Jimmy G for all the picks.

If Jimmy G looks this good every game, they would be crazy to trade him. Just hold him for this year and next and see if Brady slows down at all before making a decision.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

If Jimmy G looks this good every game, they would be crazy to trade him. Just hold him for this year and next and see if Brady slows down at all before making a decision.

So that they can lose him for nothing or pay him a mid level starter's salary to stay on the bench?

If he looks this good over all four he will get a contract commiserate to Osweiller this year. Sam Bradford just fetched a 1st and a 4th. If they can get that at the end of season they need to do it and I have no doubt they will. And if they do the picks would be more valuable because it likely won't be a playoff level team moving for him.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I'm repeating others but the Ghost strategic kick-offs forcing returns and great ST coverage in what was a tight defensive game where field position is crucial aided the effort and is indicative of where BB finds edges.

Ghost is just popping them up into the 5 with higher kicks that allows special teams to be all over them.

The NFL is actually making these kick offs more dangerous. Nice job NFL. GJGE.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Yeah if he calls TOs the kick is at like 1:40 instead of 41 seconds. I agree with DOTB, thought that could have been better but didn't matterZ

Or, Arizona benefits from the extra time and gets a first down.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

I don't watch the pre game shows because they suck but holy shit that was great.

 

[alydar]

I'm repeating others but the Ghost strategic kick-offs forcing returns and great ST coverage in what was a tight defensive game where field position is crucial aided the effort and is indicative of where BB finds edges.

It was already an important part of field position in this game, but you have to imagine continuing this strategy will not always result in a field position change of 5 - 15 yards, i.e. at some point it will be a much bigger swing, such as a return TD by the receiving team or a fumble setting us up in great position. I don't know the relative likelihoods of those things. But BB does.

 

[Byrdbrain]

Ghost is just popping them up into the 5 with higher kicks that allows special teams to be all over them.

The NFL is actually making these kick offs more dangerous. Nice job NFL. GJGE.

Yeah who could have seen this coming when the NFL made the change to that rule.
Oh wait absolutely everyone saw that coming and knew it was a dumb move by the NFL.