New England Patriots Links 12/01/09 - No Defense, Pats Beaten With A Stick
by Marima on Dec 1, 2009 9:29 AM EST
in New England Patriots News
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PrintBill Belichick's post game comments after the loss.
Well, they were better than us in every phase of the game. I don't know any other way to put it. They were better coached. They played better on offense, defense, in the kicking game they covered better than we did. They were better. They were obviously the better team. You guys had a seat, right? You were at the game? They were clearly the better team tonight.
I mean we've got to do a better job than we did. To be competitive against a team like this, we've got to do a better job. We've got to coach better, play better. We've got to be better at everything - players, assistant coaches, we've all got to do a better job than this.
Tom Brady asked how confident is he that this young defense can regroup both physically and mentally and get going again?
Yeah, I don't think it's a lack of confidence. I think we have confidence every time we take the field. We feel like we have a good plan. We had a good week of practice. We felt like we knew our opponent really well. It felt like we had some really good matchups. Then, you get out on the field and it didn't amount to much. We've done it well at times throughout the season. At times, we've looked great. We're just not doing it consistently enough. Believe me, we're all searching for the problems. It's not like we all come in and go, ‘Oh, this is the problem, it's one little thing that's going to change our season.' It's got to be everybody working harder, doing their job and finding ways to do things better than we've been doing.
Randy Moss asked about the offense being out of rhythm and how it felt to have the two big road losses against the Saints and the Colts.
To be honest with you, no. It didn't feel like we had any rhythm. We had little spurts where we tried to gain that rhythm, but we just couldn't put things together. I don't know what to say, they played good football. Something that we haven't really seen on film, we had some self-inflicted wounds we had out there on both sides of the ball. There some things that you can't let a good team like that take advantage of - missed opportunities. They took advantage of them, we didn't. But we got our butts beat by what, 21 or something like that? I don't even know the score, but I know it was a bad one. You really can't let a team like that take advantage of missed opportunities.
Well, we have expectations set high, like we do. We take things one game at a time, but we really see each week what teams are made of. I think we've shown that we're up for a sec, we're down for a sec. We're back up, we're down. So it's kind of wavy right now. I know toward the end of the season, November and December is really when you want to play good football. I got big, big hopes and dreams for this team and I don't think Bill [Belichick] is going to let us down. I know he's going to put it to us this week and further on. We've just got to take our lashes, and keep working hard and see if it pays off.
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino concludes the Saints were just too good, and the Patriots are not anymore.
- Game Notes: Patriots at Saints.
- Post Game Pressers: Bill Belichick (6.23 min.), Tom Brady (6.12 min.), Randy Moss (4.33 min.) Plus Transcripts.
- Patriots post-game quotes.
LOCAL LINKS
- Ian Rapoport recaps the rout of Tom Brady and the Patriots in the Superdome.
- Adam Kilgore points out the Patriots have yet to beat a team that would qualify for the playoffs if they began today, and yet to prove their defense is something more than papier-mache.
- Karen Guregian says the story wasn't the Patriots defense getting shredded, it was the offense's inability to take advantage of an undermanned Saints defense.
- Shalise Manza Young says last night's game was a Brees in Saints rout of Patriots 38-17.
- Bob Ryan waxes poetic about the Patriots getting thoroughly whipped last night. No other way to put it really.
- William Kalec notes Drew Brees was unmatched in his performance.
- Ted Lewis agrees that Drew Brees was simply perfect.
- Christopher Price offers his Ten Things We Learned from last night. One being they have no defense.
- Kirk Minihane says Patriots must wait until playoffs for answers.
- Mike Reiss offers his Three Up and Three Down.
NATIONAL NEWS
- NFL Game Center Recap, analysis, stats and
lowhighlight video. - Pat Yasinskas (ESPN) Saints acting like they've been here before. No fluke, Brees & co proved their legitimacy by destroying the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss (ESPNBoston) Saints make Patriots' defense face harsh reality.
- Chris Forsberg (ESPNBoston) Sour finish for Brady; He ends the game on the bench for all the wrong reasons.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots show they're not among elite. Tough to swallow, but there it was.
- Don Banks (SI) Saints look unbeatable while dismantling Patriots.
- Alex Marvez (Fox Sports) Saints, Pats play a bit of role reversal.
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They need to make stills of some of those plays
a highlight lowlight for every player that they mount on the wall for them to look at the rest of the season. Motivation for them to say, “Never again.”
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 11:25 AM EST reply actions
Not this year.
Brady isn’t back.
Moss is done. He can’t get open any more, and after WW there’s nobody.
The defense is still too young and our best pass rusher works for the Crypt-keeper now.
Look for an early playoff exit.
As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead
by JohnHannahRules on Dec 1, 2009 11:30 AM EST reply actions
You're probably right.
but the optimist in me says that people can elevate they’re play. They were playing like they were trying not to lose instead of trying to win. LoMo was the only one that brought anything close to an “A” game (at least for him, it was). Yes, they’re getting soft. But sometimes when you get humiliated you can decide to make them beat you instead of beating yourself.
Who on this team can hold their head up and say, “I gave all I had. I left it all on the field. There’s nothing left.” Not one man.
They should be playing like a team possessed from here on out, or else they stand no chance at all.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
I thought about him
but he and Sammy both dropped passes. Maroney fumbled. I think every receiver dropped something. Tom threw garbage and picks. The defense was nigh non-existent. Gostkowski missed. Hanson’s punts were short. Coverage teams rarely tackled at first contact. “Riled up” didn’t translate to “elevated game”.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
That's three games in a row for Maroney
That after one fumble in his career to that point?
Someone get a doctor to check his hands. And if he doesn’t have an injury of some sort, have him carry a football around with him all week, encourage his teammates to knock the ball away, and fine him $1000 every time he loses the ball.
He's the best thing going at the moment
so that’d be slightly premature.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
So did Brady
going to send him packing, too?
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
No, just pointing out that Maroney has turned the ball over less than Brady in the last few weeks
and these have been easily the worst of his career, fumble-wise. Prior three weeks ago, he’d only had one or two ever. Three in three weeks isn’t great, but it’s not quite enough to send him packing, either – if anything, Brady’s performance over the last three weeks just shows that bad streaks happen to everybody.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
I disagree with you about some points..
Brady certainly isn’t 100% but he can win games. This was the worst game he had this season, which mainly was due to good coverage and sketchy o-line.
And Moss hardly looks “done”. He was oepn a few times down field but Brady just either missed him or never had the time to go long to moss. On one of th efew plays where brady had time we saw a 40 yrd pass between 3 defenders, with moss beating out 2 of NO’s DB. plus how id moss done after one game? did u miss the games before the jets game where moss just pretty much torched the colts secondary and miami secondary. Sure he isn’t as fast as he used to be but in no way this year is he showing that he isn’t one of the best Receiver in the league.\
Also we need to get eldman healthy, him and welker are great slot options and compliment each other. The offense’s problems are fixable and when can stil keep up with good teams.
this is the only loss where the pats lost by more than a TD.
The defense on the other hand is a different story. Your completely right on thier part and am not sure how it can be fixed…Whilite is a joke, Manning picked on him, brees picked on him and even Sanchez picked on him…
Yeah, what's up with the Moss is done stuff??
I understand the mood is bleak here today but Randy’s not the problem. At a few different points last night, Jaws and Gruden commented on how Moss still has top flight speed and breakaway quickness.
Moss actually looked better in some ways
but it’s frustrating that they’re not using him like they were using him when Welker was out. He looked pretty good in those shorter slants and such. Only targeting him for long bombs that Brady looks incapable of throwing accurately (ugh, that pains me to type out) is a waste of a valuable resource. I’d use him for slants. At least he’s getting first downs occasionally when he was running those – something NE seems incapable of doing when it matters.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
My friend commented last night
on how it seems the Patriots have to go 25 yards for every first down when the Saints seemed to get there in 5.
Keep the faith!
Part of the game plan was clock control
but it made it seem like Brees was beat us with one arm tied behind his back and hopping on one foot.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 5:55 PM EST up reply actions
It especially pains me when Moss gets to 100 yards when he's injured...
catching short passes, and when they desperately need a 100 yard performance they try to get it with 30, 40, 50 yard passes that aren’t sticking. It’s painful to see Moss almost-catch long passes and waste a down when they could’ve just as easily had him run a 10 yard slant, get the first down, and try again. Add in the fact that he’s a big guy and can occasionally break tackles, he might pick up a 60 yarder anyway in YAC.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
repeating what I said elsewhere
but the Patriot’s offensive struggles were dictated by the particular defensive scheme that the Saints employed.
They mostly rushed with just 3 or 4 DLs spread wide and dropped 7 or even 8 back in coverage. This allowed them to double not just Moss but both Moss and Welker. And when they dropped 8 back, they often had an extra man to triple one or the other.
They mostly single-covered Aiken, the RB and the TE.
Because the Saints DLs spread their attack, the Patriots often had an OL or two stuck in no man’s land looking around for someone to block while at least one or two of the DLs were facing only single blocks. Because the Saint’s DLs were just plain physically more powerful, they eventually pushed through those blocks.
Brady often had SOME time, but he was forced by the coverage to go to his 3rd 4th or even 5th checkdowns and by then he much stronger DLs were pushing his protection out of the way and he would have to hurry his checkdown throw.
The main way you beat this sort of defense is by running it up the gut, especially with draw plays. The Patriots did this with some success, and we had some impressive drives early in the game. But once the Saints got up by a couple of scores, the Pats simply had to throw and throw and that played right into the Saint’s hands.
On the other side of the ball, I really truly don’t think it is any more complicated than saying that the Patriots were way too conservative on defense and played with no physicality in the secondary. They played too soft. Especially with this referee crew, they should have been pounding recievers at the line and tugging at them in the backfield until they forced the refs to throw a flag on somebody. The Saints were doing that and got away with it. We didn’t even try.
I had to wonder why Shawn Springs was again inactive. He is a very good close-cover guy and they really could have used him. Is he injured? Is there some other issue?
So my keys to fixing this in the superbowl rematch (Hey, I can dream)
1) playing more physical in the secondary to at least test to see how much the refs will allow and
2) Fix the OL. A healthy Sea Bass would have made a world of difference. But they need the rest of the crew to get healthy and they need to get Kazur out of there.
I don’t know if this secondary has the ability to do (1) without a Rodney Harrison out there leading the way. And (2) depends on time. They need to get those guys healthy.
Against the Colts, the problem was the depleted Defensive Line and Linebackers simply running out of gas. This game, it was the depleted OL. That’s not an excuse. Good teams are good because they have depth to play 60 minutes at a high level. If we don’t have the depth maybe we aren’t that good.
Lack of physicality has been a consistent problem
under Dean Pees. He needs to go, and BB needs to bring in someone with a more aggressive approach.
Especially when you factor in how big Springs is
He has the size to knock around a WR on the line. Frankly, Wilhite doesn’t. Even if Springs isn’t quick enough any more to keep up to a top-flight WR and Wilhite is, it doesn’t matter if Wilhite can’t bring the guy down or knock the pass out of his hands. I’d rather have Springs punch the WR in the face on the line than have Wilhite run beside the WR the whole distance of a 60 yard TD while patting the guy on the back.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
nice
punt whilite to oakland, punt maroney to oakland,punt burguess back to oakland and punt nick kazcur to oakland
hopefully al davis is senile enough to give us 1st day draft picks for all four of them
I doubt anyone will trade for Wilhite
so he’d just be a cut. I don’t see them unloading Maroney when he’s the most solid offensive piece the Pats have got, including the turnovers. Burgess isn’t going to get any better, so he’ll either be down the depth-chart or cut. Kazcur might be a problem – new contract and all, it could well depend how his bonus is structured as to whether it’s worth trading him or cutting losses or outright keeping him.
Ugh.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Strap a rocket to Wilhite's back and have him run the 40
When he runs it in 3 seconds flat, Al Davis will give us his next five first-rounders for him.
Make it a roman candle
that way he’ll really light up for the big play at the end.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions
As far as I know he can't throw with any accuracy,
has no knowledge of any offensive playbook and has no leadership abilities… trade him to the Raiders as a starting QB?
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
and don't underestimate the effect
of not having Edelman out there.
When facing cover 7, having a ‘Welker-Lite’ as a 4th WR instead of a RB or TE would have been very helpful.
What a sad game. Everyone knew the defense wasn't there this year - but this
bad? And the offense just couldn’t get it going. Just sad man, sad.
All of your comments are right on target!
The thing that really gets me is the way they quit with over 5 mins left. Talk about looking like a bunch of losers. This is not the Patriots I grew up rooting for. Even in the seventies with the poor Pats teams, I never saw them give up. I wish I could hear some comments from Russ, Babe, Capp, The Bam and others- A real disappointment!
Those of you who think you know everything just annoy those of us who do!!
I have mixed feelings about that.
On the one hand, I’d like to see them try. On the other, I knew we weren’t going to win. Letting Hoyer get some reps and resting starters was probably the way to go. They’re already dealing with quite a few injuries, who needs more in garbage time?
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
If the Colts felt the same way- they would be 7-4 instead of 11-0. 21 points is hard to score, but not impossible for Brady and company to do. Didn’t the Colts score 14 points in 2:10? against the Pats. In fact, the Colts have won their last 5 games, coming from behind. I may be way off, but a winner never quits. Sure, Hoyer could use some reps, but maybe after the division is clinched. For that matter, he could start the last 2 or 3 games. I don’t know, I’m just bummed.
Those of you who think you know everything just annoy those of us who do!!
The Colts were defending their streak,and were playing for the most part against divisional or conference rivals.
So they had both the urge to protect their aspirations for a perfect season, and they were playing for top seeding for playoffs.
The Pats weren’t doing either in this game, so had far less to play for. The Colts would have an eye to seeding and home-field advantage, whereas the Pats have more-or-less locked up their divisional slot and are already pretty much out of the race for a home playoff berth.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Exactly, the game meant nothing for the season.
We still have three of five that do.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 1, 2009 6:05 PM EST up reply actions
Junior Seau, RT.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Wasn't Belichick a college O-lineman?
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
I'll throw in an unheralded statistic...
…Pierre Thomas (their RB) rumbled for 5.8 yards/carry. Brees’ play sort of overshadowed PT by a little bit, but this is still alarming. Playing a good team, what DID our defense do?
Banked their cheques...
Gag.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
I wish
And it just dawned on me that his signature isn’t anywhere visible here. These cartoons are drawn by Larry Johnson and I’m on his email list from WEEI. Johnson just had a book released, Out Of My Mind, with his sports cartoons and commentary. I enjoy them so much, it’s only right to give him a plug for his efforts.
Keep the faith!
I FIGURED OUT THE REASON FOR OUR LOSSES.
Look at what Hoodie’s been wearing. NOT HOODIES. I just fixed the Patriots, no need to thank me.
Did McDaniels stop wearing his, too?
Fixed the Broncos, too.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
he still dresses like a bum
Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23
T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.
Hmm two pissed off teams are gonna be playing next sunday
Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23
T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.
and in Miami, Where the Bellichick era Pats have had issues.
It should be a good one
Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23
T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.
Good news, it happens early (not like waiting for a Monday night game)
Bad news, I don’t get to see it.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
I can only hope its hot as shit
Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23
T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.
That stuff cools down after awhile.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 11:53 PM EST up reply actions
Note to self:
Don’t move in next to Marima. LOL
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 3, 2009 9:50 AM EST up reply actions
On a side note,
Has it ever occured to you that’s why the grass is greener on the other side of the fence?
Puts things into perspective.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 3, 2009 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
explanation, lol
We don’t have a dog. The neighbors do.
Nice family, good citizens and law-abiding people with a blind spot as to where their beloved but unleashed Golden Retriever does her business every morning when they let her out. It’s an extra chore every day, but worth it to get along.
Keep the faith!
We have the same problem with our neighbor's dog.
Mixed breed, but we call it a shit-sue. Proof that fences make good neighbors.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 3, 2009 11:49 AM EST up reply actions
Good, they can beat the crap out of each other and feel better at the end of the day.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 10:30 AM EST up reply actions
In college, I used to play soccer for the AFROTC against the NROTC (all Marine option)
We used to tell the Refs to only call the out-of-bounds and then proceed to beat the crap out of each other. We would always slide tackle for distance, head the other player first, elbows, body blocks – kind of like playing the German team. After the game, you go have many beers together and it’s all good.
Here’s to a cold one after the game for the boys. Clink.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
Sounds like playing for the University of New Mexico's women's football team.
Oh maaaaan. Elizabeth Lambert could teach NFL linebackers a thing or two about big hits and cheap shots. Late tackles, elbows, outright punches, cheap shots at the ankles, and a good old fashioned hair-pulling (think of that time Larry Johnson (I think) took down Polamalu after an interception). Chyeah.
How the refs let her get away with it is beyond me.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
We didn't do hair pulling.
We had no hair.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
Five years
University of Illinois – in Shampoo-Banana
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Dec 2, 2009 7:57 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah it should be a good one
Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23
T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.
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