Adrian's Dome said:
They don't need a deep threat. They need a big RELIABLE target for 3rd down and the red zone. Edelman's not that guy, and unfortunately, Gronk just can't be relied on at this point (although I'd love for him to prove me wrong.)
Let Dobson develop for the intermediate/long stuff. Get a pass catching TE or a big WR, rebuild the O-line, get a safety, and go back to work.
I thought the pass rush was a problem today. I know Manning gets rid of the ball quickly, so perhaps they don't need a Robert Mathis type, maybe they need a Julius Peppers type who can move the pocket forward. Is that Wilfork? He's a beast who can clog two gaps in the run game, but he usually doesn't get a lot of pass rush push.
I think Manning got hit 0 times today. That was a problem. Give the line credit for stopping the run, though; when the game was competitive they stopped a lot of runs for losses.
RoyHobbs said:
I am at peace with this loss, I am not being reactionary, I am not advocating a change, I love TB and will rage and rant in verbal bar brawls with opposing fans about his superiority over pretty much all his peers, and I know it is message board suicide to even bring the subject up, but: isn't the time coming where the team is going to have to enter "twilight of his career" phase -- I mean, look at some of the posts here, which implicitly acknowledge his limitations.
"Intangible Brady": there's never been a greater QB in my mind.
"Tangible Brady": he can't throw deep, he can't elude the pressure which has been his & the team's playoff bane for a decade, the points made by H78 and others....
Pocket passers like TB and Manning can't elude much more than you saw today. It's on their lines and their hot reads to keep them clean.
Brady's problems today, I thought: (1) missed two HUGE deep balls that he could have dropped in for big gains. Both missed long, one missed outside as well. (2) Slight inaccuracy on receptions, failing to hit guys in stride, the ball to Dobson in the first that was too high over the middle - very unusual for Brady.
The inaccuracy is the difference between a top 3 (usual "Tom Brady" level) and a top 10 QB (e.g. Drew Brees this year: great, but not the best) and I'm willing to write it off to a bad day. Next year could be big, though he is getting old and normal age-related stuff might come down on him.
And overall Brady had a remarkable season given his weapons. Who would you take over him for one year next year (i.e. ignoring age)? Rodgers, Manning, then maybe Wilson are the only ones you can make a case for.
soxhop411 said:
Ben Volin @BenVolin5m
Brady has a giant band-aid/pad on his right elbow. Not sure if I've seen that before
He scraped it up when he fell on the ball during a sack in the 3rd; he landed on his elbow. It was the play where DRC collided with a lineman and both hit Brady but did not fall on him. After that the elbow was scraped and bleeding.
edit: also polite request: can we not quote the trolls please?