The Game Ball Thread: Wk. 14 @ Arizona

ShaneTrot

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I get Agholor is a good guy but if that game is any tighter last night, his 3 drops would have killed them. He mossed that guy against the Steelers but he fumbles and has too many drops.

Bedard is such a troll, keep him out of your life, and you will be much happier. His anti-Gronk tweet after the 2012 draft will live in infamy. That's always the first thing I think of when I see his shit online.
 

54thMA

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You just described a playoff team. No offense man but you’ve been sh*t posting them going back to last year when haha they made the playoffs. I’m sorry they may not win the SB every year.
That team at one point was the #1 seed in the AFC and they were quite the story, I don't recall shit posting them going back to last year; then the bye week, they lost to the Colts and the wheels came off.

I've been a Patriots fan since 1968, I'm the last fucking guy who is entitled and feels like they should win the Super Bowl every year.

Sorry, I'm not that guy.
 

Shelterdog

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Underlying metrics were much worse than the points ranking. We know how much offense and special teams and game situation can factor into points allowed. They were a slightly above average D for most of Patricia’s tenure.
Maybe? Offense and special teams and situations help factor into points allowed. I know their DVOA sucks. I also know that BB defensive rankings are better than BB DVOA stats which i attribute to the Pats being fairly willing to give up lots of short plays between the 20s especially with the lead. Borderline 10th best defense in the league--slightly below their points allowed rankings-seems about right to me.

Which again suggests not a clown.
 

FL4WL3SS

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That team at one point was the #1 seed in the AFC and they were quite the story, I don't recall shit posting them going back to last year; then the bye week, they lost to the Colts and the wheels came off.

I've been a Patriots fan since 1968, I'm the last fucking guy who is entitled and feels like they should win the Super Bowl every year.

Sorry, I'm not that guy.
There are a group of posters that think we're not allowed to criticize the team because of the recent success. Don't take it personally.

If you spend your hard earned money and invest your valuable time following the team, you have ever right to expect greatness every year and criticize. I don't buy that we need just accept mediocrity just because they've been successful. You can be grateful for the past 20 years while also continuing to demand greatness.
 

E5 Yaz

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Bedard is such a troll, keep him out of your life, and you will be much happier. His anti-Gronk tweet after the 2012 draft will live in infamy. That's always the first thing I think of when I see his shit online.
One of things I've never been able to fathom is this ... that we know the Bedards, Volins, Tomases, CHBs, Mazes, (talk show hosts) covering the Boston teams are just well-paid trolls -- and yet when they write/post/say something, it still ends up as fodder in these threads.
It's as though people purposely seek out things like that to boil their own blood. You're right ... ignore that shit and live longer.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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What are Bedard’s sources on the locker room stuff? He doesn’t have a press pass from what I understand.
No idea, could be full of shit!
The source thing is not worth spending time thinking about. It is an absolute red herring.

The problem with Bedard's statement is that it is so obvious ludicrous that debating whether or not he has a source is like debating what time Santa usually flies over your town.
 

cornwalls@6

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One of things I've never been able to fathom is this ... that we know the Bedards, Volins, Tomases, CHBs, Mazes, (talk show hosts) covering the Boston teams are just well-paid trolls -- and yet when they write/post/say something, it still ends up as fodder in these threads.
It's as though people purposely seek out things like that to boil their own blood. You're right ... ignore that shit and live longer.
Deflate gate caused an addiction in many Pats fans. A desire to react to, and debunk any and all trolling about the team. It’s visceral, and very hard for some to resist. I was guilty of it myself for a time. But you’re right, I mostly quit talk radio and virtually all peripheral, talking head sports info-tainment a couple of years ago, and don’t miss it at all. It really added nothing to my enjoyment of the games. Reading here, and a few other sources, is more than enough to provide extra context/insight for the games themselves.
 

Dogman

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Yep, couldn't agree more.

Getting to the QB is super important, but he was giving away the edge. Frankly, I'm not sure what Dogman is looking at there, saying that Judon "set the edge". There's no contain there. And it wasn't the only time last night.

I still think that Judon had a good game, but Uche was getting to the QB without selling. Uche displayed discipline, where Judon lost it multiple times.
I see Judon move a yard upfield and engage the blocker thus setting that edge while Conner ran straight ahead. I see the RB run straight into the middle of the line and then the DT miss a tackle and then see Connor run to his left around the line/Judon while Judon and the LT move toward where Connor initially ran. Both were looking at the center of the line thinking Connor was being tackled or in the grasp of a tackler.

I'm not sure you are being fair here. Are you critiquing the S and LB play when they ran towards the center of the line to make a tackle? I think Connor is pretty good and made a nice play.
 

Dogman

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There are a group of posters that think we're not allowed to criticize the team because of the recent success. Don't take it personally.

If you spend your hard earned money and invest your valuable time following the team, you have ever right to expect greatness every year and criticize. I don't buy that we need just accept mediocrity just because they've been successful. You can be grateful for the past 20 years while also continuing to demand greatness.

Come on, that is BS. Everyone is down on the Offense this season. Everyone. Mac, MP, receivers, the OL play are all things that are criticized each week. Let's not play this game.
 

tims4wins

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Maybe? Offense and special teams and situations help factor into points allowed. I know their DVOA sucks. I also know that BB defensive rankings are better than BB DVOA stats which i attribute to the Pats being fairly willing to give up lots of short plays between the 20s especially with the lead. Borderline 10th best defense in the league--slightly below their points allowed rankings-seems about right to me.

Which again suggests not a clown.
Agreed, not a clown. I think they underperformed relative to the talent they had on D. But on the flip side, AFCCG every year during that run, 3 SB appearances, and 2 titles.
 

ShaneTrot

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Wow, give a lot of credit to Marcus Jones. 8 plays on offense, 67 on defense, and 11 on special teams. 86 plays is a long night.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Wow, give a lot of credit to Marcus Jones. 8 plays on offense, 67 on defense, and 11 on special teams. 86 plays is a long night.
Punt return, kick return, 8 tackles, 2 passes defensed, 1 pick, and one catch is not a stat line you will see too often.
 

Jimbodandy

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I see Judon move a yard upfield and engage the blocker thus setting that edge while Conner ran straight ahead. I see the RB run straight into the middle of the line and then the DT miss a tackle and then see Connor run to his left around the line/Judon while Judon and the LT move toward where Connor initially ran. Both were looking at the center of the line thinking Connor was being tackled or in the grasp of a tackler.

I'm not sure you are being fair here. Are you critiquing the S and LB play when they ran towards the center of the line to make a tackle? I think Connor is pretty good and made a nice play.
Agreed--Connor is good and had a damn good game. Lots of second efforts, and that's one example.

But Judon's primary responsibility on that play is to keep Connor for getting outside of him. Unless I'm missing something here, that was his one job on that play.
 

BaseballJones

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Wow, give a lot of credit to Marcus Jones. 8 plays on offense, 67 on defense, and 11 on special teams. 86 plays is a long night.
I've been saying for weeks now that the Pats have three real elite talents that need to get the ball a ton more: Stevenson, Thornton, and Marcus Jones. I know he's not an offensive player, but clearly he's got special, special talent. Those three are the game breaking types. Who knows....maybe Pierre Strong will end up being that kind of guy too. But they need to devise ways to get this mostly blasé offense the ball to their playmakers. That's those three.
 

8slim

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Bedard is such a troll, keep him out of your life, and you will be much happier. His anti-Gronk tweet after the 2012 draft will live in infamy. That's always the first thing I think of when I see his shit online.
I've been a Boston Sports Journal subscriber since the launch, primarily because it's cheap and I really enjoy Sean McAdam's Sox coverage. I think Bedard does a great job breaking down game film in ways amateurs like me can understand. He certainly puts out his fair share of click-bait opinion, as well.
 

Bowhemian

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Agreed--Connor is good and had a damn good game. Lots of second efforts, and that's one example.

But Judon's primary responsibility on that play is to keep Connor for getting outside of him. Unless I'm missing something here, that was his one job on that play.
I bitched about that play in real time in the game thread. He really looked like he was just standing there putting in no effort. But thinking about it, first of all, Connor made a tremendous play and it was a great read by him. Secondly, Judon's job in that situation is to gain the LOS, and seal the edge. It doesn't really matter how he does it, as long as he occupies a blocker and stops the outside run. The goal of that is to funnel the play inside, where all the other guys are supposed to be. The problem was that Connor, as I stated above made an tremendous play. There really wasn't much Judon could have done.
I agree that Judon did NOT keep contain, therefore he did not do his job. But I don't think in this case that was the only reason that the play was successful.
 

BigJimEd

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There really wasn't much Judon could have done.
I agree that Judon did NOT keep contain, therefore he did not do his job. But I don't think in this case that was the only reason that the play was successful.
There was plenty Judon could have done. He was pushed back about 5 yards. That's why he lost contain. If he held his ground, Conner can't break it outside. If anything, Judon should be squeezing down the line at ball level.
Look at Jones on the other side. He's unblocked as Tavai is double teamed but he comes down the line. Maybe he could have been a little more aggressive but he's holding the edge.
It's only one play and not a big deal. Judon had a solid game but he got beat there. It happens
 

CoffeeNerdness

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I've been saying for weeks now that the Pats have three real elite talents that need to get the ball a ton more: Stevenson, Thornton, and Marcus Jones.
Thornton? I mean, I'm hopeful as the next guy, but calling him elite is really stretching the meaning of the word. I do agree that they should be doing more, much more, to get him involved.
 

BaseballJones

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Thornton? I mean, I'm hopeful as the next guy, but calling him elite is really stretching the meaning of the word. I do agree that they should be doing more, much more, to get him involved.
By elite with Thornton I mean he's got elite, elite speed. It showed up in his unbelievable combine time, and it showed up on tape. Can he catch the ball? Does he have the physical strength to withstand the punishment? Who knows. But the guy has the tools to make things happen on the field in a major way.
 

Koufax

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I was watching his usage and was surprised not to see him out the outside running go routes. It looked like they were using him on crossing patterns where he could get blown up. That does not look like the best strategy for his talents - or health.
 

PedrosRedGlove

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Not gonna harp on it, but I always thought it was frowned upon here to be calling a male by a females name.
I'm not sure this really fits that bill, as someone who agrees with the premise that sort of thing should be frowned upon.

I didn't pick up any tone of emasculating or misgendering Marcus, more just having fun with the etymology of his name. Also Marcy, while primarily a girl's name, can be short for Marcius or Marcel as well.