They beat us but didn't whip us - penalties hurt our momentum in 2nd half

[LarryCanadian]

Kudos to the Patriots who deserved to win the game. We had a few calls go against us and some dumb and bad timing penalties. The penalties in the 2nd cost us a few key big plays and first downs. Those gave the momentum back to Patriots.

Couple of things. Brady was very hot. His passes were perfect, leading guys beautifully. We played aggressive and their oline picked us up enough to let Brady get the ball away most times. We got pressure no doubt but Brady is awesomely accurate and smart, and was getting balls away, and still leading his receivers, putting it in safe spots.

Our team needs a bit more speed. I hope Glenn comes back healthy and with his burst. I'd like to see Steinback get some plays. We need some offensive speed.

Wasn't our day. We were not whipped. We are only team to lead Patriots in 2nd half this season. We just weren't consistent enough. Patriots are deep and tough and don't make the mistakes. We made the mistakes, enough to cost us shot at win.

Not down on the team. We can play anyone in this league. I actually feel good about that. Still have a ways to go, but many on our team are young and have upside.

LarryCanadian

 

[MichaelWinicki]

They did whip us in the second half. We folded like a cheap suit towards the end of the game. I wasn't happy with that.

 

[LarryCanadian]

D got tired. Brady kept converting those 3rd downs with accurate, quick passes. That killed us later with a tired D.

I think the Romo pick isn't likely to happen if we aren't desperate at that point. He's gotta stop those blind throws though.

The game ended when we made the 4th down run and it got called back on the penalty. Weren't we down just 7 at that point? Can't remember.

Larry

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Good post, Larry.

Absolutely agree that we need more team speed. IMO that goes for defense, too.

 

[LarryCanadian]

I spelled Stanback wrong didn't I? I mean Stanback.

It's tough to defend perfectly led passes in the NFL. Brady throws accurate, We don't play great D against quick throwing accurate QB's.

LarryCanadian

 

[NextGenBoys]

Just my opinion, but penalties, and penalties alone cost us the game.

Had we not had so many mental mistakes, we are able to sustain longer drives, which in turn could lead into points, and also could keep the defense off the field longer and possibly they dont get torched late in the game.

You're not going to beat many teams playing sloppy ball like we did, and there's NO way you're going to beat an elite team playing like we did. Correct the penalty problem and we win that game. The Pats are not as good as everyone thinks. They were clicking on all cylinders and we still could have won.

 

[jimmy40]

Kudos to the Patriots who deserved to win the game. We had a few calls go against us and some dumb and bad timing penalties. The penalties in the 2nd cost us a few key big plays and first downs. Those gave the momentum back to Patriots.

Couple of things. Brady was very hot. His passes were perfect, leading guys beautifully. We played aggressive and their oline picked us up enough to let Brady get the ball away most times. We got pressure no doubt but Brady is awesomely accurate and smart, and was getting balls away, and still leading his receivers, putting it in safe spots.

Our team needs a bit more speed. I hope Glenn comes back healthy and with his burst. I'd like to see Steinback get some plays. We need some offensive speed.

Wasn't our day. We were not whipped. We are only team to lead Patriots in 2nd half this season. We just weren't consistent enough. Patriots are deep and tough and don't make the mistakes. We made the mistakes, enough to cost us shot at win.

Not down on the team. We can play anyone in this league. I actually feel good about that. Still have a ways to go, but many on our team are young and have upside.

LarryCanadian

Brady can play better, that's the scary thing.

 

[jimmy40]

Just my opinion, but penalties, and penalties alone cost us the game.

Had we not had so many mental mistakes, we are able to sustain longer drives, which in turn could lead into points, and also could keep the defense off the field longer and possibly they dont get torched late in the game.

You're not going to beat many teams playing sloppy ball like we did, and there's NO way you're going to beat an elite team playing like we did. Correct the penalty problem and we win that game. The Pats are not as good as everyone thinks. They were clicking on all cylinders and we still could have won.

A couple better passes by Brady and they score 60, penalties didn't beat us the Patriots did.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Brady can play better, that's the scary thing.

I would disagree with that. Unless you're talking in a hypothetical, "nobody's ever played a perfect game" sense.

 

[scottsp]

Brady can play better, that's the scary thing.

Yes. He missed a couple of wide open throws downfield he would usually hit. Brady also hit "only" 67 percent of his passes. He was near 80 percent earlier in the year. That has come down the last two games.

Shucks! Struggling at around 65 percent will really kill those numbers.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

D got tired. Brady kept converting those 3rd downs with accurate, quick passes. That killed us later with a tired D.

I think the Romo pick isn't likely to happen if we aren't desperate at that point. He's gotta stop those blind throws though.

The game ended when we made the 4th down run and it got called back on the penalty. Weren't we down just 7 at that point? Can't remember.

Larry

Yep. We were on our way to tying it. The Barbarian was stoked. I could feel it coming. But, alas, stupid Kozier. Oh well. You can't blame the whole game on one play, but THAT PLAY was crucial.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

They did whip us in the second half. We folded like a cheap suit towards the end of the game. I wasn't happy with that.

Our defence was probably exhausted. The problem with the defence is that because it played so well on first and second down, there were always 3rd downs and then we didn't stop them. As a result, we were on the field for too many plays.

Oh if only Austin had blocked the steroid guy or if Tyson had cut inside...

 

[LarryCanadian]

Playing away and late Monday night and then addomg to the aforementioned NE control 40 mins of the clock with all those 3rd down conversions probably didn't help the D tonight.

Not trying to make excuses, I just feel that we were in this game a bit more than we all feel we were after we look at the end score. I thought it was gonna be much closer even towards the end of 3rd quarter, and at no time to that point did I believe we were getting embarrassed. Slow starts hurt us too, we need to solve those against good teams.

Larry

 

[Future]

Just my opinion, but penalties, and penalties alone cost us the game

Penalties didn't lose us the game, they were just better.

But had we not commited so many penalties...especially dumb ones, it would have been much closer.

 

[Tobal]

I'll say that if we play clean, we are in the game at the end. We made too many mistakes.... They are a very good team, but I think they'd have had just as many problems stopping us if we didn't have 1st and 20 on our 2nd posession of the 2nd half, multiple times we put oueselves in trouble.

 

[LarryCanadian]

Yep, I double checked. If Kosier doesn't get the holding call on the 4th down Barber run, we have a 1st down and 10, past midfield into Patriot territory, down 7 right at the start of the 4th quarter. Nother 20 yards and we are down 4 feeling confident again (with the way Folk is kicking). Little luck we tie it. We still had a bit of pep and momentum. Instead we end up with our tired defense back on the field and are never really back in the game from that moment onward. That was the start of the 4th quarter.

That is no whipping to that point. Patriots did take our jugular after that, but even then we got down to the 5 yard line down 14.

My main point remains, we didn't look like a team that should skulk about with their tails between their legs. We just need to stop self-destructing and putting ourselves in holes.

I take some positives from this game still. It would be good for overall confidence to get a complete game from both sides of ball against Mini before the bye. I hope they don't go soft during bye week though, this team needs polishing still.

LarryCanadian

 

[RomoFan4ever]

I'll say that if we play clean, we are in the game at the end. We made too many mistakes.... They are a very good team, but I think they'd have had just as many problems stopping us if we didn't have 1st and 20 on our 2nd posession of the 2nd half, multiple times we put oueselves in trouble.

Beating the Pats is easier said than done-they play such a mistake-free game, that it forces their opponents to do so(and responding by such is easier said than done).

Yeah-coulda, woulda, shoulda, but you see why the Pats have won 3 Super Bowls this decade. They're not the razzle-dazzle teams like the 85 Bears, the 80's Niners, or even the '00 Ravens, but they GET the job done by doing all of the little things.