New England Patriots Links 12/02/09 - Moving On To Miami Edition

Bill Belichick asked how much of what happened on defense looked correctable and how much of it was the Saints physically beating his team.

I would like to think most all of it is correctable. I mean the majority of the yardage that we gave up was on a handful of plays. I think they had eight players for over 300 yards or something like that, not saying all the rest of them were great, but anytime you give up that much yardage on a handful of plays it's bad. But if you can find a way to correct those plays and not give them up all at once, you would be a lot more competitive out there. So the big plays were clearly the biggest problem we had on defense. Like I said, I'm sure we'll see elements of those types of plays soon because of the trouble we had with them last night. That really hasn't been a major weak point for us last year, but it certainly was last night. Did they do a great job? Sure and I'm not taking anything away from them, but we've got to do better than that.

Dean Pees asked about what happened to the defense on that 75-yard touchdown pass.

We just had a blown call, and it is. It was disappointing yesterday because it wasn't exactly a call that was a new call. It's something that we have done numerous, numerous times and we just had a player just...the communication was even there. We even actually had the communication and for whatever reason, he froze and it happened. So it is rare and we've been doing a pretty good job in the past of not allowing big plays. And the biggest problem in this game was, I mean, that's all we gave up. We knew this was a team that thrived on that and you couldn't allow that. That's how they...I mean, they live for big plays. That's how they beat people and it was very disappointing. In eight plays we gave up over 300 yards of offense. You can't do that against anybody, but especially against a team like the Saints.

Dan Bickley (Arizona Republic) Had this to say about the Cardinals after the Patriots whipped them 47-7 last December in Foxboro.

Bah, humbug. Here we go again. Four losses in their past five games. Four losses by 21 or more points this season. The offensive line is getting worse. Members of the defense talk a lot better than they perform. Their image and credibility are shot. A disgusted starting quarterback is telling teammates to look in the mirror. This is how a team peaks for the playoffs?

This could've been a statement day

A chance to clear their name

Instead, the Cardinals are going down

As the worst team ever to stage a playoff game.

In a test of their inner mettle, the Cardinals actually were worse than skeptics had anticipated. In a strange twist of fate, Matt Leinart was inserted in the game to mop up after his college backup had shredded the Cardinals' secondary.

TEAM TALK

• New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins: Series history, broadcast info, team connections and more.  Patriots will be wearing their throwback uniforms (as opposed to the throw-up jerseys they wore Monday night.)
• WEEI Patriots Tuesday: Sammy Morris (6:50 min.), Chris Baker (7:40 min.), Bill Belichick (29:50)
• Tuesday Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (12:46 min.), Nick Caserio (7:01 min.), Dean Pees (8:32 min) Plus Transcripts.
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian says what the Saints exposed during Monday night’s mauling goes well beyond some clever scheming by the coach and blood and sweat by the players.
• Chris Gasper writes the Superdome was the birthplace of the Patriots' mystique and Monday night it may have served as its final resting place.
• Albert Breer reports that once again the defense wasn't up to the task.
• Robert Lee reports Dean Pees says it was the Saints' big offensive plays that doomed the Patriots, and here are The Big Eight Plays that did it.
• Monique Walker notes the Patriots are eager to leave that loss behind.Albert Breer points out that the last time the Patriots were in New Orleans wasn't for the Super Bowl, it was to mourn the death of 24-year-old defensive lineman Marquise Hill, who’d drowned in a Jet Ski accident on Lake Pontchartrain near his native New Orleans.
• Cole Wright reminds us at this point in the race, the Pats have suffered a minor cramp, a minor setback in their plans and exhorts Patriots fans to stand by your team and continue supporting the "Team of the Decade," because crazier things have happened before.
• Mike Reiss reports that in his regularly scheduled interview on sports radio WEEI, coach Bill Belichick explained why the Patriots rotated at left tackle in Monday's 38-17 loss to the Saints.
• Ian Rapoport reports that with just 19 sacks in 11 games, the Patriots rank 27th in the NFL and are headed for their worst season pressuring the quarterback since 1992.
• Michael Hurley notes that a short week is just what the Patriots need after that embarrassing loss.
• Mike Reiss looks at the positional groupings utilized by the Patriots in their 38-17 loss to the Saints and says the shift from multiple TEs was significant.
• Mike Reiss looks at and analyzes the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 38-17 loss to the Saints, and looks at where the Patriots rank in key statistical categories through 12 weeks of the NFL season.
• Mike Reiss notes his weekly reader mailbag was overflowing after the Pats' disappointing effort vs. the Saints.
• Christopher Price says Belichick backs Weis but won't discuss a potential return for the ex-OC.
• John Beattie notes Bill Belichick and the Patriots have yet to address a potential Charlie Weis return.
• Ron Borges grades the Patriots in his week 12 Report card.  They're all in detention.
• Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Dean Pees says the defense shouldn't be considered inexperienced anymore after 11 games; Belichick was disappointed for Charlie Weis and will address the subject later; No real answer on why Shawn Springs was inactive; Jerod Mayo says the defense has to play better in the second half.
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Patriots' porous defense doesn't bode well for playoffs; explains Belichick's 4th and 2 decision.
• Peter King (SI) MMQB Tuesday Edition: I think I can speak for all of America today by saying, "Wow.''
• Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Brady's bunch appears prepped for short stay in playoffs.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) There's no bigger week than this one in AFC East.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets brought in Yankee's Joe Girardi to teach Mark Sanchez how to slide.

VIEW FROM MIAMI

• David J. Neal (Miami Herald) Miami Dolphins' run defense must step up against New England Patriots.
• Omar Kelly (Sun-Sentinal) Here is a look at the key matchups in Sunday's Patriots at Dolphins game.
• Armando Salguero (Miami Herald) Dolphins defense needs new approach vs. Pats.
• David J. Neal (Miami Herald) Dolphins' coach: 'Our fans deserve better.'  Tony Sparano said the Dolphins were not prepared Sunday and are not yet out of the playoff race.
• Barry Jackson (Miami Herald) Development continues for Miami Dolphins' rookie corners.
• Armando Salguero (Miami Herald) Miami Dolphins personnel dept. good, not great.