Game 3, Jets, Dark Clouds

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

We can certainly add alternative universe outcomes to our discussions here but if we are doing "it-almost-happened" for the Pats, I can think of a lot of examples of fluky plays determining far more important games than a mid September contest between the two presumptive cellar dwellers of the AFC East.

And again, if Stevenson doesn't butter fingers that throw or the officials don't throw a few flags and maybe things are way, way different. Maybe they aren't.

Almost isn't an outcome.

 

[Over Guapo Grande]

And Cobb almost caught the pass. But didn’t, does that almost count more ?

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

We can certainly add alternative universe outcomes to our discussions here but if we are doing "it-almost-happened" for the Pats, I can think of a lot of examples of fluky plays determining far more important games than a mid September contest between the two presumptive cellar dwellers of the AFC East.

And again, if Stevenson doesn't butter fingers that throw or the officials don't throw a few flags and maybe things are way, way different. Maybe they aren't.

Almost isn't an outcome.

There's always an unspoken tension in these threads because people are talking about different things. Some are talking about what happened. Others are talking about what it means. They are different things and neither is wrong, though the latter is obviously predictive.

I think most people making "almost" like points are not confused about who won. I think they are, consistent with the thread title, engaging in a "dark clouds" discussion. There were reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be concerned yesterday, and I think that's all that "almost" really means.

I feel like the Patriots were really close in the Miami game. Maybe "almost" is an overstatement. But in that ballpark. And I really like talking and thinking about that, especially given how the Dolphins played this week. So I can really hardly begrudge anyone that wants to use a concept like "almost" to talk concerns they have about yesterday's game.

 

[lexrageorge]

I'd put the first miss more on Cardona for a bad snap. He also had a bad snap on the 57-yarder but given the conditions and Ryland's experience I don't think that was a very high percentage kick in the first place. If it wasn't the end of the half they probably never attempt it. Willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on it. I was impressed by Ryland's leg, looked like those 48-yaders would've been good from 60.

I thought Barringer was fine. 4 of 8 punts inside the Jets 20, don't think there was any touchbacks. Late in the game he had a few punts from deep in our territory maybe you'd like a little more distance on but I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as last year with Palardy and the dregs.

First, it's Baringer.

His punts:
- Downed at Jets 6
- 42 yarder, no return to Jets 33
- 48 yarder, returned 9 to midfield. Unclear if that was due to the kick or the return coverage.
- 49 yarder, returned 12 to the Jets 31.
- Fair catch at Jets 13
- FC at Jets 10
- 50 yarder, but returned 18 to Jets 45
- Deliberate kick out of bounds to avoid crazy return

 

[Over Guapo Grande]

All - I am wishing I had made it more obvious. I am not knocking down Special Teams -- the conditions were horrible. Yes, you need to execute, and yes, I would have been cringing at a tying/go ahead/winning FG chance But a snap that goes high by 8 inches is also a pass that misses by that much.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

There's always an unspoken tension in these threads because people are talking about different things. Some are talking about what happened. Others are talking about what it means. They are different things and neither is wrong, though the latter is obviously predictive.

I think most people making "almost" like points are not confused about who won. I think they are, consistent with the thread title, engaging in a "dark clouds" discussion. There were reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be concerned yesterday, and I think that's all that "almost" really means.

I feel like the Patriots were really close in the Miami game. Maybe "almost" is an overstatement. But in that ballpark. And I really like talking and thinking about that, especially given how the Dolphins played this week. So I can really hardly begrudge anyone that wants to use a concept like "almost" to talk concerns they have about yesterday's game.

Your points are fair though I think some people do try to spin wins like this negatively - but I get what you are saying overall.

That said - and several posters have made this point over the past few weeks - if Google's Bard is correct, the majority (~55%) of NFL games are one score affairs. In short, by definition most NFL games are close and the loser could probably point to a lot of almosts. Furthermore, an NFL regular season win counts for one unit regardless of style.

If people want to argue that the Patriots should have blown out a great defensive team like the Jets, go ahead but it wasn't likely given the teams involved, playing NFL football which involves close games more often than not. And beyond the one score final, the Patriots dominated the game in just about every facet. People can assign asterisks (on trend with this years asterisk happy NFL) all they want but that win yesterday was a win. That is an immutable fact and nothing almost turns it into a loss.

 

[Bowhemian]

Agree completely. I hate the "you had one job" memes, but he literally has one job. And he has to be able to do it well in all weather and field conditions. He had two crummy FG snaps out of 4, that's not at all acceptable.

How were his punt snaps though?

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I thought Stevenson had a terrible game. The early drop that may have led to points. Felt like there were a few runs where he missed the hole and ran into the back of an OL and got stopped for no game or a loss. Maybe I'm wrong on that but I haven't loved his performance through 3 games. Never thought I would be happy to see Zeke getting more carries.

I think Stevenson is kind of a weird RB. Despite his size, he's more of a read and react kind of runner than a guy who just hits the hole. Then he excels in the second level (if he gets there) once he has built up a head of steam. Maybe his game suffers more than a more typical RB's would when the run blocking is poor. Elliott has been better because he is just going to hit the hole, more like Damien Harris.

 

[BaseballJones]

Agree completely. I hate the "you had one job" memes, but he literally has one job. And he has to be able to do it well in all weather and field conditions. He had two crummy FG snaps out of 4, that's not at all acceptable.

He has multiple jobs.

1. Snap accurately on FGs and PATs.
2. Snap accurately on punts.
3. Be in coverage on punts. (often times it's the snapper that makes the tackle)

I presume he did well in jobs 2 and 3, though I really don't know about 3 because I haven't really seen the all-22 and focused on him doing that job.

But he has three jobs, all of which are very important.