2013 Patriots Football

[Donoghus]

Loved the smash mouth football last night. Very reminiscent of the clock-killing Corey Dillon days.  Pats wanted to run it down the Colts throats and they did.

Thought the D played alright for the most part although they got killed on the big play a few times.  Luck's deep ball was a thing of beauty, though.  I thought the Pats front 7 played a heckuva game especially Collins & Hightower.  Collins pretty much makes Spikes expendable this coming offseason. 

[Smokeeye123]

Loved the smash mouth football last night. Very reminiscent of the clock-killing Corey Dillon days.  Pats wanted to run it down the Colts throats and they did.

Thought the D played alright for the most part although they got killed on the big play a few times.  Luck's deep ball was a thing of beauty, though.  I thought the Pats front 7 played a heckuva game especially Collins & Hightower.  Collins pretty much makes Spikes expendable this coming offseason.

I feel like half those big plays were Luck being lucky lol, Half a second more and he would of been hit or sacked most of those plays

[Cman]

Loved the smash mouth football last night. Very reminiscent of the clock-killing Corey Dillon days.  Pats wanted to run it down the Colts throats and they did.

Thought the D played alright for the most part although they got killed on the big play a few times.  Luck's deep ball was a thing of beauty, though.  I thought the Pats front 7 played a heckuva game especially Collins & Hightower.  Collins pretty much makes Spikes expendable this coming offseason.

I feel like half those big plays were Luck being lucky lol, Half a second more and he would of been hit or sacked most of those plays

Yes that pocket was closing / collapsing awfully fast on a few of those. Kudos to Luck for standing strong in those situations.

There's no question that B Spikes is gone. It looks like Collins will replace him just fine. I'm hopeful he plays as well in the next game.

[Boris Badenov]

I don't think I've ever seen a team evolve its identity so many times in a single season - and maintain success. Amazing.

[tstorey_97]

Typical Belichick..."all of a sudden" he has one of the best running games in the NFL. Brady loses some ground this year and Blount/Ridley pick it up in batches.

The trend has been to the pass...obviously...and the rules are in place for it to dominate. Belichick drafts two backs and trades for another while adding a fullback. Can't say he wasn't loading the gun for the "New" New England Patriots.

Modern NFL team has blurred linebacker/corner. Smaller faster guys patrol behind 3 or 4 D lineman who rush/contain. Natural "lean" is to play pass...it is Tom Brady back there. This generation has forgotten what "play action" means. Josh McD has finally let got of shotgun after shotgun and the fourth quarter brings us back to Smith and then Dillon fourth quarter gashes. How demoralizing is it for a defense in the 4th quarter to see the tailback rip 30,40....70?

"This isn't your father's Patriots?" Correction, maestro. It most certainly is Dad's Pats. Since 2004 pass, pass, pass. Last night? Run, run, run. Hope it's snowing in New York in a couple of weeks.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I don't think I've ever seen a team evolve its identity so many times in a single season - and maintain success. Amazing.

The fact that this team lost its two star tight ends, its two defensive captains, and several other players and still made it to the AFC title game is nothing short of spectacular.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

BTW, did anyone else think that we lucked out giving up that safety as opposed to Allen covering up and giving the ball to Indy at the 2?
Announcers were saying you never give points away but after the bad snap i thought that was a stroke of luck that the ball got loose and knocked out the endzone.

Well, after the safety you still have to kick it back to the other team (in fact, free kick rather than kick off, which typically goes for less distance) -- you're giving up 2 points right away and good field position to the other team, so it's potentially 9 points before you see the ball again.

But yes, I also think that taking the safety and playing defense is the better outcome.

I too thought taking the safety was the right move. Sure you save 2 points by falling on the ball there, but it would've been at about the 3-yard line, which is pretty much an automatic touchdown. Instead, they surrender just the two, and on the following Colts possession, the Pats intercepted Luck. Eat that, Dierdorf.

[Cman]

I don't think I've ever seen a team evolve its identity so many times in a single season - and maintain success. Amazing.

Let's hope the success continues next weekend in Denver. Manning and co. will be heavy favorites and it would be so sweet to beat them.

[RebusRankin]

I think the Pats control the clock with the ground game and pull it out.

[lightspeed5]

Brady vs Manning

[Boris Badenov]

Brady vs Manning

The only downside is that the media hype is going to be unbearable.

[SparzWizard]

If Blount can continue playing like Blount, then the Pats win.

But stopping Manning and his weapons like Thomas x2, Welker, Decker, and Moreno won't be a cakewalk.

[RebusRankin]

If Blount can continue playing like Blount, then the Pats win.

But stopping Manning and his weapons like Thomas x2, Welker, Decker, and Moreno won't be a cakewalk.

Controlling the clock with the run game like San Diego did in December is a good blueprint.

[byennie]

I too thought taking the safety was the right move. Sure you save 2 points by falling on the ball there, but it would've been at about the 3-yard line, which is pretty much an automatic touchdown. Instead, they surrender just the two, and on the following Colts possession, the Pats intercepted Luck. Eat that, Dierdorf.

I agree. My math is something like this. If you give up the ball, the expected loss is about 6+ points (let's say 80% touchdowns and 20% field goals).

If you take the safety, you spot them 2 points.
If the expected points for 1 possession is more than 4 points, then you don't trust your defense.

The only time you *don't* take that safety is maybe if you are down by 4 late in the game. Then a safety + field goal makes it a two possession game PLUS minutes off the clock, whereas a goal line stand keeps it 1 possession and takes minimal time.

[Cman]

Brady vs Manning

The only downside is that the media hype is going to be unbearable.

Agreed.

There will also be a whole lot of stuff about each team overcoming all sorts of adversity to get where they are now. Yawn.

Oh, and the team that plays wire-to-wire the full 60 minutes will pull out the win. Yawn.