UNIT81 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 There have been some tough losses to get over in Pittsburgh, but for some reason this is one that I'm not letting go of very easily. Ironically, I didn't have high expectations going in, and being down 28-10, I had given up on them. But to come back and have the game in hand, and utterly mismanage it really sticks in my gut. I don't blame Roethlisberger for playing like shit in the first half - He redeemed himself. I don't blame special teams for giving up that kickoff return - ST sucks and was bound to give up something. I don't blame the defense for not making the stop on 4th and 2 - Their overall play exceeded my expectations. I don't even blame Tomlin's decision to go for the 2pt conversion from the 12 with 10:30 remaining - Fuck it, hindsite... I blame the decision to run the quarterback sweep on 3rd and 6. And not just that play, but that entire three play series. I said before the series started, "Please let Ben throw it". How many times during the season, and during this specific game, did they need a first down and get it by throwing to Ward or Miller? It's the way we moved the chains all year long. So at this point in the game the Steelers have about 37 yards rushing and over 300 passing, and you call 3 rushing plays? What the bloody christ motherfucking fuck fuck was that? I can't even think about it without getting apoplectic. Did I think they were going far in the playoffs? No. But they had that fucking game, and the coaching staff gave it away. wow...ditto. except for the play call on the 2-pt conversion. q-back draw?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I would not take the Giants game as any indication of how the Pats will play from now on. That the last game of the season, a game that outside of the 16-0 accomplishment, was pretty much meaningless for the Pats. They were playing a team that was still fighting for playoff position as well as the chance to say that they ended NE run. Except the Giants weren't playing for anything either...other than stopping the Pats (if they could). Their wildcard was secure and they knew they were going to get Tampa week 1. They could have mailed week 17 in if they wanted to, and as some media thought they should have to prepare for the playoffs. They certainly didn't have to play their starters the whole game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert's Last Bastard Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Except the Giants weren't playing for anything either...other than stopping the Pats (if they could). Their wildcard was secure and they knew they were going to get Tampa week 1. They could have mailed week 17 in if they wanted to, and as some media thought they should have to prepare for the playoffs. They certainly didn't have to play their starters the whole game. That was the big discussion yesterday. Who was right? Gruden or Coughlin. I lean towards the Gruden camp, but they're cleaning out their lockers today. Coughlin got 3 starters (Mitchell, O'Hara, Madison)injured in a meaningless game, yet it was obvious who came to play and who didn't. Watching the Titans play made me a little sick. What if ... my Browns would have been out there? They weren't, so I just took some Tums and it was all good. edit: added injured players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime L Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 That was the big discussion yesterday. Who was right? Gruden or Coughlin. I lean towards the Gruden camp, but they're cleaning out their lockers today. Coughlin got 3 starters injured in a meaningless game, yet it was obvious who came to play and who didn't. In my mind Coughlin made the right decision. There's a lot of intangible good that came out of that game, foremost among which goodwill and confidence surrounding Eli. Think everyone involved felt better about going into Tampa and getting a win based on how they played the Pats. Instead of focusing on how Jeff Garcia will somehow screw them like he had two times prior, it instead became easier for them to believe they were the more dangerous team. Yeah there were injuries although the only notable one I heard about was O'Hara the center but O-lineman generally play the whole game regardless of who's taking snaps. Don't remember what the other two were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the silent speaker Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 One of them was Kawika Mitchell. I don't remember the third. I would tend to rest people who were hurt, play starters who were healthy, and expect any subs I put in to bust their backsides. They're in it to showcase what they can do, after all; if I saw them take that opportunity and mail one in, that does not endorse them for the team next year. Besides, they're the guys I would be leaning on if my starters got more seriously hurt, which can happen at any time, next week say; I expect them to be able to win against anybody, and a valuable tune-up is not to be wasted. But that's if all else is equal, and if Coughlin felt the best way to beat Tampa was with the confidence shot of playing NE to win, that overrides the above in my opinion totally. You do what will win you that playoff game, full stop. Also, I would play lightly injured starters more (though maybe not the whole time) if I have a bye, since rested and rusty are different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strings Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 My hope is that jacksonville beats the pats next week because im a jags fan and that would be such an upset but i think the real ones to benefit from the matchup are the colts. The jags are going to go in and play a hard physical game and even if they get beat their going to tire them out a bit. The colts are going to go in and run over the chargers and still be in top shape when they face the pats in the finals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I fully expect the Pats and Colts to demolish their respective opponents. If the Jags can give the Pats a game, more power to them, I just don't expect it at all. The real contest will be Colts-Pats; the Patriots may have won their first matchup, but the Colts are probably the one team in the league that won't go into to Foxboro intimidated. They did outplay the Pats for three quarters during the regular season. I'm not saying the Colts will win; they'll be underdogs for a reason, but they are the only team I can see with a plausible chance. The NFC is more of a tossup. I give each road team about a 40% chance of winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Bandito Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Was I the only one bothered my the Tomlinson touchdown? What happened to forward progress? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockroi Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Thank you, Paul Spicer: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/n...tory?id=3184960 If the undefeated Patriots need bulletin board material for their playoff game Saturday night against the Jaguars, they have it now. If Jacksonville defensive lineman Paul Spicer had his way, the Patriots wouldn't have even qualified for the playoffs because of the Spygate scandal. "Do like the NCAA and kick them out of the playoffs or something," Spicer told The Associated Press after news of the scandal broke. "Put them on probation; they can't go to no playoff games. Roger Goodell has definitely enforced some new rules. He's been hard on players. Now let's see how hard he's going to be with a team." "This ain't news. I've heard it in the past. They finally got caught. The Patriots got caught. They're busted," he also told the AP at the time. Appearing on ESPN2's First Take on Monday morning, Spicer stood by his comments. "I don't regret saying what I said. I'm a man of my word. I always speak my mind and that's what I felt at that time," Spicer said. I don’t get it. How does this still happen? How do NFL players CONTINUALLY give the Pats motivational material? How does Jack del Rio allow it to happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Biggest non-story ever. The Pats should be motivated by the fact that anything short of a Superbowl will be the biggest choke-job in sports history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Paladin Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Thank you, Paul Spicer: It was 16 weeks ago. Who cares? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Bandito Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 I think they are motivated by something else that happened even longer ago - Loss to the Colts. If they are going to be motivated by anything from Jacksonville it would have been the spearing comment from Del Rio last year. Apparently I am the only person concerned that a player is stopped for forward progress and is still allowed several seconds (and attempts to struggle across the line) before the whistle blows. If the defense had grabbed the ball from Tomlinson the whistle would have blown. I realize this is strange for a Patriots fan to say, but there are too many rules that favor the offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteGabriel Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I saw that story somewhere today and was going to feel mildly annoyed at Paul Spicer, but then I realized that he made the original comments sixteen weeks ago. Sorry, just can't bring myself to care that much that he stood by what he'd said before. And no, as Spicer himself said, the Pats don't need this shit to get them up for games. At most, it'll warrant a chop-block or two directed at Spicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Klingbeil Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 On Jags v. Pats: IF the weather were to be bad, the Patriots would of course still be heavy favorites. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I also didn't mean to imply that NE was a finesse team-- as a lifelong Niners fan, I know that's basically a bullshit term people use when they can't handle the fact that a team is unstoppable through the air. What I do think, though, is that while the Pats are lightyears ahead of their competition through the air, they are merely miles ahead on the ground. The Jags are a very good team at running the ball and stopping the run-- the best such team NE could possibly play at this point. Bad weather games tend to favor such ground war slugfests, and as such, it stands to reason that the BEST chance for NE to lose from here on in is against the Jaguars. It doesn't mean that the spread should be less than 14, or 20, or whatever ungodly number it will be, just that it could be trouble. Long story short, congratulations, Pats fans, your team is unstoppable. But if it were to be stoppable by one opponent in one set of conditions of the possibilities that remain, it would be against the Jags in crappy weather. That's all. Pats fans don't want to hear that. Just say "You are the greatest fans of the greatest team of all time." and send them shuffling on their way to partake of Holy Brady Communion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfish Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 There have been some tough losses to get over in Pittsburgh, but for some reason this is one that I'm not letting go of very easily. Ironically, I didn't have high expectations going in, and being down 28-10, I had given up on them. But to come back and have the game in hand, and utterly mismanage it really sticks in my gut. I don't blame Roethlisberger for playing like shit in the first half - He redeemed himself. I don't blame special teams for giving up that kickoff return - ST sucks and was bound to give up something. I don't blame the defense for not making the stop on 4th and 2 - Their overall play exceeded my expectations. I don't even blame Tomlin's decision to go for the 2pt conversion from the 12 with 10:30 remaining - Fuck it, hindsite... I blame the decision to run the quarterback sweep on 3rd and 6. And not just that play, but that entire three play series. I said before the series started, "Please let Ben throw it". How many times during the season, and during this specific game, did they need a first down and get it by throwing to Ward or Miller? It's the way we moved the chains all year long. So at this point in the game the Steelers have about 37 yards rushing and over 300 passing, and you call 3 rushing plays? What the bloody christ motherfucking fuck fuck was that? I can't even think about it without getting apoplectic. Did I think they were going far in the playoffs? No. But they had that fucking game, and the coaching staff gave it away. Rothlisberger played terrible. To excuse him from blame is a little odd to me. that said, this team is not well coached, and therein lies the real problem. I'm willing to chalk it up to first year coach.coordinator growing pains, but if we don't see some improvement next year on the coaching front, then something needs to give. This team underachieved and got outcoached/gameplanned all year. I don’t get it. How does this still happen? How do NFL players CONTINUALLY give the Pats motivational material? How does Jack del Rio allow it to happen? nothing more over rated than how much something like this will affect the outcome of a game. in the big picture, it's pretty meaningless. Even moreso that it happened so long ago... Nothing to see here....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Klingbeil Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Thank you, Paul Spicer: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/n...tory?id=3184960 I don’t get it. How does this still happen? How do NFL players CONTINUALLY give the Pats motivational material? How does Jack del Rio allow it to happen? And I heard that a girl who dated Belichick when he was 17 once told him he had a modest sized package. That girls last name was Jaggers. Which sounds like Jaguars. The Pats win by 85 points. And a no-name Jacksonville special teams player will get caught in the parking lot after the game and receive a spectacular ass-whipping from a groin bulging, weeping Bill Belichick. " My PeePee is both adequate and attractive!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockroi Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I only skimmed the article- Jesus Christ- he made the comments literally 16 weeks ago... GOD DAMN IT! This is completely un-news worthy... They made it seem like he made the statements this week. Well, serves me right for believing ANYTHING ESPN.com writes. And I agree that the real motivation of the Pats will be the loss to the Colts in the AFC Championship game last season. And Rache Caldwell still sucks. Rothlisberger played terrible. To excuse him from blame is a little odd to me. I completely agree. I think to blame the whole loss on ONE play basically misses the whole point. He looked terrible out there; lacked all the qualities necessary in a QB to get his team to that next level. And best of luck to the Jags who, according to some, can only win if their is a typhoon in Foxboro. If that's not a shot of exnthusiasm, I don't know what is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Week Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 The Pats should be motivated by the fact that anything short of a Superbowl will be the biggest choke-job in sports history. right back at you. Biggest choke job ever? Wouldn't even be the biggest in the last 5 years...or did you miss the 2004 baseball playoffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord O' Bones Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Biggest choke job ever? It would certainly be top 5, all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfish Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 It would certainly be top 5, all time. For sure. how much would you pay on PPV for a live feed into the Pats locker room after the game if they lost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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