***Raiders/Pats Game Thread***

[Tobal]

Listening to the game, it sounded like Seymour was abusing the OL all day along, constantly after Collins.

He was in the backfield more than Lamont Jordan.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The Pats got pressure rushing three - four guys alot of the night. Everytime Vrabel blitzed he was untouched.

Brady had a great game statistically, he didn't screw up. He drove the bus. If he played in San Francisco he'd be an above avg QB.

Brady had a great game period. Not just statistically. Brady is more then a bus driver. Take a listen to what the Oakland defense has to say about him. That should say something.

 

[Tobal]

Tonight he drove the bus, he was never under pressure.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't agree with that. Brady is under more pressure then any QB in the league. He lost his OC, he doesn't have great talent at WR. His running game was not there. There the defending champs. Tehre is more pressure on him then anybody. I think that at some point, you have to sit down and look at why he doesn't get blitzed like many QBs. Teams don't want to expose there defense because he will make you pay. The same things that are said about Brady were said about Staubach, years ago. He gets all the calls, he always has all day, etc.

He makes it look easy and for that, he seems to get penalized. I just think that after three championships, you gotta say it's more then just luck or as simple as driving a bus. All these other guys playing against him get paid to play too.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

I watched the majority of the game . While the usual cast of playmakers performed as expected (e.g., Brady, Branch, Jordan, Moss, and even Collins), I was simply not impressed by the defensive performance of either team.

In short, I saw an old fashioned offensive shoot-out; with signs of defensive resistence from time-to-time.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I LOVED IT!! But only because it was the first regular season game of the year. I hated the outcome (for obvious reasons); I really wanted the Raiders to win -- inspite of the fact that both teams have blocked the Eagles from Superbowl victories in their past respective franchise histories.

I can't wait to see the following teams play on Sunday:

Commanders
Cowboys
Giants

And Monday ...it can't get here soon enough (at least from a football point of view).

 

[dbair1967]

I don't agree with that. Brady is under more pressure then any QB in the league. He lost his OC, he doesn't have great talent at WR. His running game was not there. There the defending champs. Tehre is more pressure on him then anybody. I think that at some point, you have to sit down and look at why he doesn't get blitzed like many QBs. Teams don't want to expose there defense because he will make you pay. The same things that are said about Brady were said about Staubach, years ago. He gets all the calls, he always has all day, etc.

He makes it look easy and for that, he seems to get penalized. I just think that after three championships, you gotta say it's more then just luck or as simple as driving a bus. All these other guys playing against him get paid to play too.

I like Brady but to say he doesnt have talent at WR isnt correct either...Deion Branch is a tremendous player...David Givens is a good WR...he has two TE's that are both very good

David

 

[Nors]

I think the 1st and 20 4 times in the third quarter had more to do with that then anything. Collins also needs to improve his timing, on a few of the out routes he was at least one second late throwing the ball and it led to incomplete passes. He waited for the WR to turn and stop before he released the ball, unlike Brady who started throwing right as the WR started to come out of his break.

Penalties definately killed any chance the Raiders had in the second half.

Yes, they fell behind....

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Tom Brady is the most overated player in the NFL. He IS a good QB, but how many QBs would be "Great" if they had all day to throw and wide open, check that... WIDE OPEN WRs to throw to? When he was pressured, I think he completed ONE pass. The true measure of a great QB is how the do when pressured and having to throw to a reciever that is at least DECENTLY covered.

Again, good QB, but overated. He's no Troy Aikman that's for d*** sure.

Rack, I don't see how you figure that. I think Brady does get pressure in the backfield sometimes, but he's so good at shuffling a few feet one way or another that the guy doesn't even touch him. And as for wide open WRs... IMO a lot of that is accuracy. His WRs aren't great, but he's extremely accurate.

I just think his control of the game is tremendous, and he doesn't let the moment overtake him. Manning has the same cerebral approach, but I don't like the way he makes mistakes under pressure and especially the way he seems to point the finger at teammates in the playoffs.

But I agree with you on one thing... Brady isn't Aikman. Aikman had the things Brady has, but with a lot better arm.

 

[DipChit]

I still think the best attribute a QB can have is great decision making abilities. Brady posessses that. It's not just about size and arm strength.. alot of guys have that and still bust out. And some lesser physically talented guys excel.

You need to know what to do with the ball and when. Based on a given coverage for a particulay play as well as the strengths of your receivers. Thats why even most all the great QB's in history struggle for a year or 2 (Brady of course even an exception to that). It's not that they dont inherently possess the decision making capabilities already, it's just that the speed of the game is suddenly so accelerated that the skill needs further refinement.

Thats why teams dont blitz Brady much. Nor did they blitz Aikman much in his prime, either. You couldnt rattle them. They'd STILL make the right decision.. even if it was simply throwing it away. None of these foolish forced throws trying to "make a play".

As a wise man once said.. Interceptions dont just kill drives, they cost you ball games.

And whats the cause of most Int's? Not great plays by defenders, but poor decisions by the QB.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

Mic check...one, two