so...safe to say Welker dropped the superbowl championship?

[StartOrien]

I can tell you exactly what Gronk was doing, since there was a closeup on him during the game.

Gronk does a stutter step and beats his man deep, then kind of gives up on the play when it looks like Brady's getting sacked. But when Brady scrambles, he just keeps running deep. So if the throw was deep enough.

So yes, if the throw is deep enough, he's scoring a TD untouched. However, as it is pretty clear from what happened during the game, if the ball is underthrown, Gronk is in no physical shape to cut back. I think it was an unnecessary risk.

As for Branch, the corner is playing deep. If you look  at ~0:10, you can see the safety coming, but he's late -- so if Brady isn't so focused on Gronk, he can easily make the throw (he'll have enough time, since he doesn't have to wind up for a 50-yard hurl). But he never even looks into Branch's direction. Very un-Brady-like.

I don't think that's accurate. Gronk threw up his hand when he realized Brady wasn't sacked to motion that he was behind the safety and then took off the other way.

[kozlodoev]

I can tell you exactly what Gronk was doing, since there was a closeup on him during the game.

Gronk does a stutter step and beats his man deep, then kind of gives up on the play when it looks like Brady's getting sacked. But when Brady scrambles, he just keeps running deep. So if the throw was deep enough.

So yes, if the throw is deep enough, he's scoring a TD untouched. However, as it is pretty clear from what happened during the game, if the ball is underthrown, Gronk is in no physical shape to cut back. I think it was an unnecessary risk.

As for Branch, the corner is playing deep. If you look  at ~0:10, you can see the safety coming, but he's late -- so if Brady isn't so focused on Gronk, he can easily make the throw (he'll have enough time, since he doesn't have to wind up for a 50-yard hurl). But he never even looks into Branch's direction. Very un-Brady-like.

I don't think that's accurate. Gronk threw up his hand when he realized Brady wasn't sacked to motion that he was behind the safety and then took off the other way.

When you say inaccurate, which part do you mean?

Sure, Gronk has his man beat deep, but that doesn't mean it's possible to throw him the ball without a great degree of risk.

[jambr380]

I get that losing is a collective effort and that Tom didn't have his best game (althuogh he did break a record), but after watching that play 100 times at many different angles and speeds, I am of the opinion Welker is responsible for that play and that Tom put it in a pretty good (not great) spot.

People who talk about Welker contorting himself and having to jump off balance have a point, but that is what Welker does. He is consistently the NFL leader in receptions and is amazing in the middle of the field. He had that ball in his hands and he dropped it. Had he made that catch, it is extremely likely NE would be celebrating right now.

If you want to blame Tom, go to the very next throw to Branch where he clearly threw it behind him. That was also catchable, but was much more contested.

[BballTim]

All you have to do is stand and look over your right shoulder, then move your hands up and to the right a little and there you go. No contortion needed. Just to turn around. Very simple turn around play. Hit him in the hands. Any receiver that thinks he's always going to be hit in stride or something should probably play DB.

  Obviously you don't see the difference between standing still in your backyard playing catch with someone and grabbing a pass that's slightly off target and trying to catch a pass that's thrown behind you when you're running full speed. Of course receivers don't expect to be hit in stride every time, but some types of passes need to be more on target than others.

[StartOrien]

I can tell you exactly what Gronk was doing, since there was a closeup on him during the game.

Gronk does a stutter step and beats his man deep, then kind of gives up on the play when it looks like Brady's getting sacked. But when Brady scrambles, he just keeps running deep. So if the throw was deep enough.

So yes, if the throw is deep enough, he's scoring a TD untouched. However, as it is pretty clear from what happened during the game, if the ball is underthrown, Gronk is in no physical shape to cut back. I think it was an unnecessary risk.

As for Branch, the corner is playing deep. If you look  at ~0:10, you can see the safety coming, but he's late -- so if Brady isn't so focused on Gronk, he can easily make the throw (he'll have enough time, since he doesn't have to wind up for a 50-yard hurl). But he never even looks into Branch's direction. Very un-Brady-like.

I don't think that's accurate. Gronk threw up his hand when he realized Brady wasn't sacked to motion that he was behind the safety and then took off the other way.

When you say inaccurate, which part do you mean?

Sure, Gronk has his man beat deep, but that doesn't mean it's possible to throw him the ball without a great degree of risk.

I actually misread what you wrote, I thought you meant he couldn't cut back to the right when he was making his break. Not cut back in order to make a better play on the ball, which I believe was your intention.

[Eja117]

All you have to do is stand and look over your right shoulder, then move your hands up and to the right a little and there you go. No contortion needed. Just to turn around. Very simple turn around play. Hit him in the hands. Any receiver that thinks he's always going to be hit in stride or something should probably play DB.

  Obviously you don't see the difference between standing still in your backyard playing catch with someone and grabbing a pass that's slightly off target and trying to catch a pass that's thrown behind you when you're running full speed. Of course receivers don't expect to be hit in stride every time, but some types of passes need to be more on target than others.

Just me but I think when Chris Collinsworth said Welker makes that 100 times out of 100 he didn't mean because Welker is just such a phenomenal receiver that he makes impossible catches 100 times out of 100 and this is just the time he happened to drop it. I think he meant it was a very catchable ball in space that Welker saw coming, got both hands on, and dropped

[StartOrien]

All you have to do is stand and look over your right shoulder, then move your hands up and to the right a little and there you go. No contortion needed. Just to turn around. Very simple turn around play. Hit him in the hands. Any receiver that thinks he's always going to be hit in stride or something should probably play DB.

  Obviously you don't see the difference between standing still in your backyard playing catch with someone and grabbing a pass that's slightly off target and trying to catch a pass that's thrown behind you when you're running full speed. Of course receivers don't expect to be hit in stride every time, but some types of passes need to be more on target than others.

Just me but I think when Chris Collinsworth said Welker makes that 100 times out of 100 he didn't mean because Welker is just such a phenomenal receiver that he makes impossible catches 100 times out of 100 and this is just the time he happened to drop it. I think he meant it was a very catchable ball in space that Welker saw coming, got both hands on, and dropped

That's how I read it as well.

[Moranis]

TMZ all over Mrs. Tom Brady.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/06/new-england-patriots-gisele-bundchen/#.TzBEh8i4KSo

Gisele Bundchen should have kept her perfectly-shaped mouth shut last night -- this according to multiple sources inside the Patriots organization, who claim the supermodel violated a "code of brotherhood" by bashing Tom Brady's receivers.

Sources tell TMZ, the teammates are "disappointed" Gisele decided to air her grievances after the game last night -- when she said, "My husband cannot f***ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."

According to sources, Tom's teammates feel betrayed by Gisele's behavior -- the Pats organization is a brotherhood and Gisele's pot shot violated the code -- which is basically ... win as a team, lose as a team.

As one source put it, "It's like knocking someone when they are down."

Plus another article where they call Gisele the Yoko Ono of the Patriots.

[j804]

^but but it's because Giants fans heckling her

[kinslerisgod5]

It was a bad pass to Welker...Brady cannot make those soft, touch passes.

And Welker saw it, got ready for it, got his hands on it, dropped it, and didn't want to look at the world afterwards. 

Contributory negligence report

Welker ..90%

Brady...10%

Giants defense...0%

the elements ...0%

Welker contorted his body to get his hands on it which was a great play by him. The throw was bad. He was wide open. Brady missed him.

There are many many many high school players that can and have made that catch, let alone Walker. Like Collinsworth said (former NFL WR) Welker makes that catch 100 times out of 100.

  I couldn't believe that comment. I don't think that there have been too many (if any) receivers that I've seen that make that catch a majority of the time. At least not since they outlawed stick-em. It was a bad pass, plain and simple.

Alright all these comments are really annoying and irritating to read...I am not a fan of the patriots,  just a celtics fan...in fact my favorite team used to be the jets, but I just can't root for them anymore bcuz of sanchez...Hell, I used to hate Tom Brady. But for those of u trying to say those two big plays to welker and gronk are all brady's fault are insane!!!  
First, gronk committed one of the cardinal sins of receivers which is to call for the ball and let it get picked off. I dont care if the ball is under-thrown or what, if you ask for the ball and it is thrown in ur vicinity(which the pass was)there is no way in the world u can let the pass get picked off. There is no excuse for that, PERIOD.
 Second, brady's pass to welker was not bad at all. Brady saw the safety to welker's right so he did what any elite qb would do and he threw a back shoulder pass that welker catches in his sleep.I know people on here are saying that welker had to contort his body and what not but they practice back shoulder throws all day in practice and it is a routine play to make.
 People on this forum take brady sooo much for granted. There is only 2 other qbs in the nfl that could have POSSIBLY led this group of players to a Super Bowl,(Brees and Rodgers) so DO NOT put this loss on Tom Brady.

[Rondo2287]

I really couldnt care less about what Gisele says.  I think when you know your significant other is going to be going through hell the next few days, not just because he is hard on himself but through what the rest of the media/fans will be saying, you have a right to be a little emotional.  

And I can't say that if I were here I wouldnt have done the exact same thing, or just gone over the heckler and chewed him out.  

[Eja117]

TMZ all over Mrs. Tom Brady.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/06/new-england-patriots-gisele-bundchen/#.TzBEh8i4KSo

Gisele Bundchen should have kept her perfectly-shaped mouth shut last night -- this according to multiple sources inside the Patriots organization, who claim the supermodel violated a "code of brotherhood" by bashing Tom Brady's receivers.

Sources tell TMZ, the teammates are "disappointed" Gisele decided to air her grievances after the game last night -- when she said, "My husband cannot f***ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."

According to sources, Tom's teammates feel betrayed by Gisele's behavior -- the Pats organization is a brotherhood and Gisele's pot shot violated the code -- which is basically ... win as a team, lose as a team.

As one source put it, "It's like knocking someone when they are down."

Plus another article where they call Gisele the Yoko Ono of the Patriots.

Yeah, but Ringo has no right to say anything about Yoko when she contributed more to song writing than he did.  RIght now they're Ringo. Of course they don't want to be criticized, but when she's being heckled 50-1 she might say something.

Here's the plan next time. You actually catch the ball, win the game, and then she'll say good things about you.  

I can just imagine the Pats receivers crying in a bar right now saying "AAANnnnnddd Gisele said she couldn't believe we dropped it so many times. I caaannn'''ttt beliiieevvvee it. I feel so betrayed."  Cry, but cry cause you dropped the ball and let down your teammates and fans, not because Gisele responded what everyone was thinking to 50 hecklers.  Where were they when she needed them? Oh they were crying in the locker room.  Too bad she had to handle the hecklers for them.

[Eja117]

I really couldnt care less about what Gisele says.  I think when you know your significant other is going to be going through hell the next few days, not just because he is hard on himself but through what the rest of the media/fans will be saying, you have a right to be a little emotional.  

And I can't say that if I were here I wouldnt have done the exact same thing, or just gone over the heckler and chewed him out.  

If I was Welker and I heard Gisele got chewed out by 50 strangers because of my game losing catchable drop I'd bake her a cake, not cry about what she responded.

[Moranis]

I get heckled all the time (Ravens fan living in Cincinnati and I go to the game virtually every year), you just have to know better than respond, especially when you know your response is going to go viral. 

Eja, it seems you don't understand the lockerroom mentality at all.  It is a brotherhood and if that brotherhood is betrayed it is hard to get back.  I realize Tom didn't say anything, but he is going to take a ton of crap for the things his wife said.  And that is really the bottomline.  Gisele should have just ignored the hecklers.  Period.

[BballTim]

All you have to do is stand and look over your right shoulder, then move your hands up and to the right a little and there you go. No contortion needed. Just to turn around. Very simple turn around play. Hit him in the hands. Any receiver that thinks he's always going to be hit in stride or something should probably play DB.

  Obviously you don't see the difference between standing still in your backyard playing catch with someone and grabbing a pass that's slightly off target and trying to catch a pass that's thrown behind you when you're running full speed. Of course receivers don't expect to be hit in stride every time, but some types of passes need to be more on target than others.

Just me but I think when Chris Collinsworth said Welker makes that 100 times out of 100 he didn't mean because Welker is just such a phenomenal receiver that he makes impossible catches 100 times out of 100 and this is just the time he happened to drop it. I think he meant it was a very catchable ball in space that Welker saw coming, got both hands on, and dropped

  I generally base my opinions on what I see. Announcers say stupid things on a regular basis. You put more stock in their comments than many of the people I seem to know.