That last NE drive was a thing of beauty. Despite Jones being off and frustrating play calling at the goal line, Patriots best the Chargers two years in a row.
It's game ball time again!
It's game ball time again!
The Game Ball Thread: Wk. 8 at LAC
- Thread starter SeoulSoxFan
- Start date
it got away from McDaniels in the 2nd quarter But overall was good in the 1st, 3rd and 4th.
McDaniels had 3 egregious play calls by my count - 3rd and 4th down on the goal line in the first half, and the Bolden play in the second. Otherwise I thought he called a reasonable game.
Game ball to the D- pretty much lights out after the Jackson 75yd run drive. Also maybe not a full game worthy game ball, but Agholor’s move to get an extra yard in bounds on that last drive was the most heads up play he’s made in New England.
Game ball to the D- pretty much lights out after the Jackson 75yd run drive. Also maybe not a full game worthy game ball, but Agholor’s move to get an extra yard in bounds on that last drive was the most heads up play he’s made in New England.
I can't believe you are saying it either. McD didn't really test the Chargers run defense until the second half, had some terrible goal line play calling, and called a shotgun run that the Chargers blew up on a key third and 1 - instead of going sneak or short pass which he did later in the game with success.
Credit on this one:
1. Adrian Phillips - the 2 interceptions
2. Matt Judon - defensive MVP so far. He had a sack and almost consecutive sacks to shut down a Charger drive. Later, Herbert got flushed out of the pucket in the endzone and Judon could have gone for a sack but wisely made sure to keep contain and Herbert threw it away.
3. Gunner, who ran back 4 punts for 80 yards which really made a diferent in the field position game.
Honorable mention to Mac, who, after enduring a horrific 4 for 21 stretch, settled down and made some needed plays - the key 2 point conversion to Meyers and then closed out the game 5-5 including 3 for 3 on the last drive.
I was all ready with goats before the second Phillips pick: Mac, in the middle of his 4 for 21 stretch at the time; Wynn and Herron for ruining big plays with holding calls - Herron taking a TD off the board; McDaniels for cluless Red Zone play calling; the referees for thinking it was OK to allow a free shot at Mac after the whistle blew.
Excellent, someone else on Team Gunner. I didn't have Folk/Barmore but they are also good choices. Don't know I'd have given it to Myers but he did make a couple of big plays.
Jones had 3 games: 1) He started out 6 for 9 including 44 yards to Agholor and 33 to Henry that were beautiful passes. 2) He went through a 4 for 21 stretch. 3) After the Phillips interception he came in and threw the 2-point conversion, then he closed out the game 5 for 5 including a couple of key completions on the time killing FG drive at the end.
Adrian Phillips with a huge day against his former team
Gunner with some big returns
Honorable mentions to Judon and Barmore.
Gunner with some big returns
Honorable mentions to Judon and Barmore.
Great win, now to complain/ask a question...why the hell does the clock stop on a declined holding call during a sack?
If they accepted the penalty it would be a 10 second runoff, but this way the clock is just stopped? Makes no sense...the NFL rule book is stupid.
If they accepted the penalty it would be a 10 second runoff, but this way the clock is just stopped? Makes no sense...the NFL rule book is stupid.
Holding can never create a runoff. The NFL stops the clock for all penalties under 5 minutes in the game.
Which is stupid... The chargers benefited from commiting a penalty in that situation.
Steve Bellichick. We can't criticize him whenever the D struggles then give Bill the credit when the defense is good.
Phillips
Judon
Barmore
O-Line
Phillips
Judon
Barmore
O-Line
That may be the rule but it's dumb.
The penalized team gets an advantage in this case for committing a hold and having it declined.
The clock would have run on the sack and instead it was stopped.
I noticed Harry was out there quite a bit in non jumbo packages, seems to be earning the trust of the staff. He’s been a staple of the jumbo packages since he’s been back, but nice to see him actually contribute in the passing game. PFF grades obviously aren’t the greatest indicator, but he was at a 72.8 coming into this game, above average starter grade.
I get on McDaniels quite a bit, but he had a great last couple of drives.
Barmore is improving so much week to week, he’s going to be a stud.
Folk is a machine, we’ve been so lucky as Patriots fans when it comes to kickers.
I get on McDaniels quite a bit, but he had a great last couple of drives.
Barmore is improving so much week to week, he’s going to be a stud.
Folk is a machine, we’ve been so lucky as Patriots fans when it comes to kickers.
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I love Adrian Phillips. He and Judon have the attitude and swagger this team needs. And they can ball out too.
cross-posting
Reiss, this morning: This marks the second straight week the Patriots face a team coming off its bye week. The Patriots are an NFL-best 9-2 against teams coming off byes over the previous 10 seasons entering 2021.
***
Now 11-2
The NCAA doesn’t do it this way. The NFL wants a hard and fast rule for all scenarios for starting or stopping the clock. The NCAA has scenarios where the referee decides whether to run the clock based on the game situation.
But it’s hard to write a rule to encompass all scenarios. There are plenty of times where a team could foul to get huge advantages if the clock ran. So the NFL just made a hard and fast rule instead of trying to come up with different cases
Not enough to forget to teach every WR/RB to stay in bounds running out the clock.
That one catch where he sat to get things going got him here for me.
As a side note, I love that Myers development. His failure to score aside, he really feels like a core Pats player like a Slater, Faulk, White ETC
Loved Phillips, Judon and Barmore. Respect Josh’s play calling and BB discipline. Mac wasn’t at his best, but didn’t lose his poise. Folk has been, is, and will continue to be money, with more range than we give him credit for.
But all those have been mentioned. I’ll throw some roses at the Pats fans for breaking SoFi in right,
But all those have been mentioned. I’ll throw some roses at the Pats fans for breaking SoFi in right,
It's been a while since I focused on a DT when it gets to crunch time. Barmore is the first since Wilfork.
When Perkins comes back from injury & if he becomes the contributor people expect him to be, this draft class of Mac, Barmore, Perkins, and Stevenson may be one of BB's best ever.
When Perkins comes back from injury & if he becomes the contributor people expect him to be, this draft class of Mac, Barmore, Perkins, and Stevenson may be one of BB's best ever.
I have to 100% agree on this. Just a great, time consuming drive to ice the game.
But will also agree the 1st and goal series was atrocious as was the bolden 3rd and 1 run out of shotgun.
When was the last time the Pats had a guy like Barmore who could disrupt and pressure the QB from the interior? Usually we are just happy with space eaters who are sound against the run. Nice to get a redo of the Easley pick and—so far—have it work out despite a bunch of cryptic offseason commentary about his intelligence.
Myers reminds me a lot of David Givens, but probably with a little surer hands.
It is pretty hard to take advantage of the rule about the clock stopping on penalties intentionally. Usually it just happens where it inadvertently favors someone like today. But here are two situations I have thought of.
1. Third and short. Offense has lead by 1 on their own 10 yard line. Defense is out of time outs. Needs a stop to force a punt. 2:30 to play. Runner pushes through the line and crosses the line to gain. Defender might as well grab his face mask. If he just tackles him, the game goes to the 2 minute warning, offense kneels three times, game over. With the penalty, clock stops and the offense has to run the first down play before the two minute warning, leaving it a chance to still force a punt with 30 seconds.
2. Offense is down by 2 in the red zone and out of time outs. Second down. QB is about to be sacked. Offense will never get to the line in time to spike it to stop the clock and kick. QB should just grab the sacking player’s face mask and pull it very obviously. Or lineman can just punch someone. Click stops. 15 yards. Kick.
Maybe the commissioner calls it a palpably unfair act and forfeits you. And the sports books go crazy. Not sure how much discretion the on field refs have though.
I would be pretty critical if my team did the second scenario and think it would be totally unsportsmanlike. But the defensive intentional foul to save a time out? If they don’t try to injure anyone it seems like good situational awareness like the obvious foul in basketball.
I will brook no David Givens slander in this thread. He had great hands.
(And I think it’s apt comparison)
I don't think it is really an advantage - at least not one that the offense can choose to deliberately exploit. If there is offensive holding, then any potential positive result of the play (other than stopping the clock) is nullified. So its only potential value is stopping the clock. But the QB if he wanted to stop the clock could just spike the ball or throw it away.
Was it though? A bunch of runs for under 2 yards and a couple of good throws from Mac. I agree the outcome was great but the play calls were meh
Does it not make a difference that the Pats declined the penalty? It makes sense for clock to stop if the penalty was enforced, but if not, isn't it like it never happened (sort of)?
Jarvis Green and Mike Wright were good. Wright was really becoming a beast before his head became very bad and he had to retire young.
Yes, it really was. The play to Meyers in particular was fantastic.
I understand that McDaniels has more autonomy than, say, the DC, but both coordinator positions make the calls over the comms, and I’d have to think Bill Belichick has veto power over any egregiously stupid play calls, particularly in key situations like, say, 3rd and 4th down, 1.5 yards from the end zone. I hated those calls, too - if you’re going to go for it on 4th down from so close to the goal line, just run it both times, duh - but I assume BB was cool with those plays calls, and I hope EVERYBODY involved learns a lesson from it. Awful.
GAME BALLS: Phillips obviously, Folk obviously, Barmore and Judon, JC Jackson for running down that horrendous 75-yard run. Even if LAC did wind up cashing in for 7, it’s still a great hustle moment and shows something about this team, and TO this team. Agholor, if for no other reason than he might not make this illustrious list too often - a couple big moments for him. Hope it continues.
Especially nice to get a win on the road against a quality opponent while Mac plays not so great. Good learning opportunity for him, and motivation, too. I’m guessing he looks way better, more consistent and accurate, next week when he burns Gilmore over and over and - just kidding. Just don’t throw to his side, Mac! LFG!!!
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GAME BALLS: Phillips obviously, Folk obviously, Barmore and Judon, JC Jackson for running down that horrendous 75-yard run. Even if LAC did wind up cashing in for 7, it’s still a great hustle moment and shows something about this team, and TO this team. Agholor, if for no other reason than he might not make this illustrious list too often - a couple big moments for him. Hope it continues.
Especially nice to get a win on the road against a quality opponent while Mac plays not so great. Good learning opportunity for him, and motivation, too. I’m guessing he looks way better, more consistent and accurate, next week when he burns Gilmore over and over and - just kidding. Just don’t throw to his side, Mac! LFG!!!
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And they still have that LB that was drafted injured and red shirted this year who could be a player, plus Sherman is on the practice squad and was activated for at least one game, but not sure if he played and how well he did.
Judon was everywhere.
Philips obviously.
Honestly, I’m kinda excited about this team again. They haven’t been getting their closers’ coffee so far, but they’ve played good teams tough and just knocked one off on the road with them coming off a bye.
Feel like maybe we can snag a wild card and win a playoff game, best case.
Philips obviously.
Honestly, I’m kinda excited about this team again. They haven’t been getting their closers’ coffee so far, but they’ve played good teams tough and just knocked one off on the road with them coming off a bye.
Feel like maybe we can snag a wild card and win a playoff game, best case.
That's a pretty unfair take. Credit can't all go to players when it goes well & blame can't all go to the coaches when it goes bad.