The Game Ball Thread: Divisional Round vs Texas

SeoulSoxFan

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A Scud Away from Hell
Besides the loss against the Bills, perhaps the worst game NE has played all year.

It is to their credit that they still beat the Texans by 3 scores. Playoff Game Balls!
  • Lewis: despite the fumbles, he was the difference
  • 2nd H adjustments: especially the OL
ONTO THEIR 6TH STRAIGHT AFCCG!!!
 

axx

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The Lobster, a legit QB and perhaps the Texans might have won it
 

Ale Xander

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Lewis in spite of the 2nd effort fumbles
EdelMAN
Hogan
Entire secondary except Rowe
 
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DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Lewis for sure.

But we take Jules for granted. For much of the game he was effectively the only wide receiver option and he kept moving the sticks. Quietest 8 catch 137 yard game ever.

Honorable mention to Hogan who made some big plays early.

Get well Malcolm Mitchell. Floyd may not be ready for prime time.
 

Seels

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Honestly thought Lewis was the only reason the game was close in the first half. The return touchdown wasn't worth the fumble, and definitely wasn't worth the follow up play of taking a kick that is definitely going to be a touchback out to the 15.

Edelman was great, Hogan was damn good, I thought Brady for the most part was good despite lacking protection.

Defense played really well but hard to read how much that means v the Texans offense.
 

DJnVa

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No one on offense really 100% deserves one, but Lewis and Edelman I guess.

The defense played really well.
 

Koufax

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U feel like someone on defense has to get the game ball, so I'll say Ryan. Lewis made too many big mistakes.
 

Red Averages

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The entire game: For paving the way towards another Super Bowl run. I'd much prefer that game vs. a 40-0 blowout if they played flawlessly and were overconfident. Better to show they are vulnerable early vs. a horrible opponent so that they can focus for 2 more games.


(also Lewis, Ryan, Edelman, Hogan, D-Line).
 

Red Averages

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Honestly thought Lewis was the only reason the game was close in the first half. The return touchdown wasn't worth the fumble, and definitely wasn't worth the follow up play of taking a kick that is definitely going to be a touchback out to the 15.
Care to share the math on that one?
 

Brand Name

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Moving the Line
Edelman, Lewis, or (Logan) Ryan are the obvious answers, with Butler a lesser respect answer tonight (you heard Hopkins' name just how many times tonight?) but to be different, I'm going Ryan Allen. Looked like Ray Guy out there, often pinning Houston deep AND in the coffin corner to minimize returns, often with Slater back there doing his usual strong job. This helped out the defense tremendously against a suspect offense by giving them a longer field. This, in turn, led to better starting field position throughout the game. For a position that hasn't exactly been consistently all that great, have to love seeing that, as someone who thoroughly enjoys watching good special teams play. His role cannot be understated or overlooked tonight.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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The entire secondary bossed the entire game except for maybe two plays (Harmon in no man's land on the TD and misdiagnosing the Fuller bomb). Osweiler sucks but you still have to show up, and they did.

Bennett's bionic body. Seems like he has been dodging the reaper all season. I predict he makes a massive play in the Super Bowl that costs him a limb a la Lubchenko.
 

Hendu At The Wall

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The return touchdown... definitely wasn't worth the follow up play of taking a kick that is definitely going to be a touchback out to the 15.
Put me in the camp that would take a return TD in a game even if it means starting on the 15 on all the other touchback situations in the game.

GB: Lewis, Edelman, McCourty
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Edelman, Lewis, or (Logan) Ryan are the obvious answers, with Butler a lesser respect answer tonight (you heard Hopkins' name just how many times tonight?) but to be different, I'm going Ryan Allen. Looked like Ray Guy out there, often pinning Houston deep AND in the coffin corner to minimize returns, often with Slater back there doing his usual strong job. This helped out the defense tremendously against a suspect offense by giving them a longer field. This, in turn, led to better starting field position throughout the game. For a position that hasn't exactly been consistently all that great, have to love seeing that, as someone who thoroughly enjoys watching good special teams play. His role cannot be understated or overlooked tonight.
He and the coverage team will need to be GREAT if KC comes to town.
 

Ed Hillel

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Entire D and Edelman. Nice to win these kinds of games. There was a period of about 5 years where the D wouldn't have held them.
 

Ale Xander

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Honestly thought Lewis was the only reason the game was close in the first half. The return touchdown wasn't worth the fumble, and definitely wasn't worth the follow up play of taking a kick that is definitely going to be a touchback out to the 15.

Edelman was great, Hogan was damn good, I thought Brady for the most part was good despite lacking protection.

Defense played really well but hard to read how much that means v the Texans offense.
I am not sure you understand the value of a touchdown
 

8slim

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I'd like to give a game ball to the doctor that repaired Lewis's ACL. Hasn't lost a step, it's remarkable.

Lewis
Ryan
Edelman
Defensive Line
 
Apr 7, 2006
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Edelman despite the drop.
Dion despite the fumbles.
Logan Ryan - good timing for a great playoff performance. He's gone after this year, imo.
Devin McCourty - finally starting to make some plays for that $51 mill.
The kickers - Gost and Ryan both did solid work.
 

kelpapa

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Lewis had two fumbles and 64 yards from scrimmage. He had a great kick return, obviously, but I can't give it to him based on the two fumbles.

Hogan was huge in the first half. Edelman had one drop that I remember on a pass that was a little behind him (probably intentional) Logan played great and Slater, despite the penalty, pinned them deep on a few punts.
 

Brand Name

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Moving the Line
Anyone know if Hogan is okay?
Yep, looks good, according to Kyed, who is one of a very few select folks I trust with football info. I think his role with the deep ball is undervalued, and an integral core to this offense:


He and the coverage team will need to be GREAT if KC comes to town.
Absolutely. I think ST got a lot of extra reps this past week to probably prep for this, given either way (Brown/Hill) of who comes town next week, you've got a very good returner, at minimum. Blocks tonight were really solid from Lengel in that regard too, good stuff from Joe Judge all facets he coaches. Hopefully, it can continue into next week, because, as you say, it will be necessary to be at top form.
 

Seels

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I am not sure you understand the value of a touchdown
What are the chances the Pats score on the drive anyway? Fumbling it the next drive takes the ball out of Brady's hands. Look the touchdown was great, but at there was a point in the 2nd quarter the Pats only had 6-7 snaps on offense. Against an offense that is actually not one of the worst in the league, the D gets gassed and the O never finds the chance to recuperate.

Maybe I'm just sick of the seeming non stop fumbles on kickoffs, but I'd rather just have 100% chance of having the ball in Bradys hands then whatever chance of field position / fumble.
 

Blue Monkey

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What are the chances the Pats score on the drive anyway? Fumbling it the next drive takes the ball out of Brady's hands. Look the touchdown was great, but at there was a point in the 2nd quarter the Pats only had 6-7 snaps on offense. Against an offense that is actually not one of the worst in the league, the D gets gassed and the O never finds the chance to recuperate.

Maybe I'm just sick of the seeming non stop fumbles on kickoffs, but I'd rather just have 100% chance of having the ball in Bradys hands then whatever chance of field position / fumble.
Did you see the offense in the second quarter?? Yeah the fumble sucked but it's not like Brady was marching down the field.
 

RedOctober3829

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Hogan sounds like he had a thigh contusion and was trying to work out the knot to come back in. He'll be fine for Sunday.

My game ball goes to the obvious choices plus to Bennett's knee ligaments for not shredding.
 

jodyreeddudley78

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Julian Edelman.
Logan Ryan
Dion Lewis

Goat in a win: Dion Lewis
Lewis had a high/low game for sure, but I would actually give the goat in a win ball to Rowe. That penalty changed the flow of the game. If they go up 10 or 14 to 0 it forces a QB/offense to take risks. And if there's one thing Osweiler loves, it's turnovers. Hell, he had 3 INTs tonight, but easily could have had 5-6. There's a reason Belichick chewed off Rowe's ear after that penalty.

It's worth noting that virtually all the Texans points came off of Pats errors.

Final drunk edit: So my game ball goes to the rest of the D. Which kind of leads to my question: who has the best D left in the playoffs, including tomorrow? It's probably the Patriots, IMO.
 
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Ed Hillel

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Hogan sounds like he had a thigh contusion and was trying to work out the knot to come back in. He'll be fine for Sunday.

My game ball goes to the obvious choices plus to Bennett's knee ligaments for not shredding.
Let's wait and see. He wasn't the same guy after Cleveland for about 6 weeks.
 
Apr 7, 2006
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Lewis had a high/low game for sure, but I would actually give the goat in a win ball to Rowe. That penalty changed the flow of the game. If they go up 10 or 14 to 0 it forces a QB/offense to take risks. And if there's one thing Osweiler loves, it's turnovers. Hell, he had 3 INTs tonight, but easily could have had 5-6. There's a reason Belichick chewed off Rowe's ear after that penalty.

It's worth noting that virtually all the Texans points came off of Pats errors.
Agree re Rowe. That was an inexcusably awful penalty, made worse by the fact that the D wound up staying on the field there and then a bunch more. It really did change the momentum, changed the GAME, that D was gassed. And, God, it was so clearly avoidable. Just dumb dumb dumb.

Pretty sure I heard BB say, Dude, that is NOT the Patriot Way. Ya know...like he does.
 

RG33

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#1 Scoring Defense in Football
Logan Ryan
Julian Edelman
Dion Lewis*