The Game Ball Thread: Week 12 vs the Lions

[SeoulSoxFan]

I have just two game balls today, one for the offense and one for defense:

• LGBT: did he have the biggest impact? No -- but moving forward what he showed today is an awesome sign: 11 carries for 77 yards & a TD. 
• The Island: Gronk throws'em out of the club. Revis doesn't let them in the zipcode. He covered Tate, Johnson, Ebron and just was everywhere.

So, they've just beaten:

• "Best team" in football in the Broncos
• "Best offence" in football in the Colts
• "Best defense" in football in the Lions

All by double digits. 
 
BTW, these Lions are still the punks like they were under Jim Schwartz. So good to beat Suh, Mosley, and the other yapping knee-hunters (I'm talking to you too, #77). 
 
On to Green Bay to face the "Best QB" in football. 

 

[jsinger121]

Revis/Browner

 

[axx]

Gotta go with Revis

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

Game ball for Caldwell just because it's so fun to watch bad coaching.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Revis--he is the pre ACL revis. Dominant force.
Browner--he beat up CJ today. Not a small accomplishment.
Hightower--so good in rushing the passer.
Edelman--carved up the secondary.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

The transformation of Hightower into an anchor on that front-seven is pretty astounding to me. 

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

 

[H78]

The whole defense. Unreal.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

I said in the game thread to remember Ryan Allen come game ball time, so here it is: Ryan Allen made a phenomenal play to save a possible safety or worse, way back during the weird beginning of the game.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

I said in the game thread to remember Ryan Allen come game ball time, so here it is: Ryan Allen made a phenomenal play to save a possible safety or worse, way back during the weird beginning of the game.

 
I  you 

 

[twibnotes]

What about Chung...he was all over the field in the first half

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Pats have a whopping +130 in net pts & lead GB (2nd best team) by 22. Pats also lead Ravens (3rd best team) by 50, with Baltimore having a game in hand. 

 

[RoyHobbs]

So, they've just beaten:

• "Best team" in football in the Broncos
• "Best offence" in football in the Colts
• "Best defense" in football in the Lions

All by double digits.

 
The haterz are all like "yeah well they beat DEN and DET at home so those games don't count" blah blah blah.
 
But anyway, Revis/Browner/Chung were everywhere today. Game balls.

 

[Tony C]

Revis, Browner, Chung......really thought the DL had a great game, too. Dang, it doesn't get better than this.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Revis, Browner, Chung......really thought the DL had a great game, too. Dang, it doesn't get better than this.

Gotta do it in January and February, but yes I agree.

"The Gauntlet"

 

[Seels]

Entire team.
 
Think the score doesn't indicate how close the game was. This was one of the worst reffed games all season, in a season where seemingly every game is poorly officiated. The fact that it was only 34-9 at the end is a real testament to the incompetence of the crew.
 
It doesn't seem like many of these games this year have been evenly officiated. The product is better than the preseason version, but it really seems like every week the Pats are on the worse end of these calls.

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

Game ball to the whole defense.

Watching the pats has always been fun. Watch the pats win with a dominating defense takes the fun to another level. Sunday is so much better when your team can win with defense.

 

[Tony C]

Yeah, the paranoid side of me hates that they're doing so well right now...
 
By the way, I thought Stafford actually wasn't terrible. Best 18-46 game I've ever seen. The Pats D was just incredibly good.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

I said in the game thread to remember Ryan Allen come game ball time, so here it is: Ryan Allen made a phenomenal play to save a possible safety or worse, way back during the weird beginning of the game.

 
Not only did he save points but then delivered a punt that had the Lions return man backing up about 15 yards from where he was set up.  It was one of the best plays of the entire day.
 
The Patriots are the best team in the NFL.  Period.

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

The big guns have already been named, but I'd like to recognize Akeem Ayers and Rob Ninkovich.  When the game was still in doubt, they brought the pressure and made key sacks and managed to crunch Stafford multiple times.  Also, another shout-out to Ryan Allen and his magnificent balls of absolute steel.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

Revis.

Can we sign this guy to an extension before Christmas so I can buy my kids Revis jerseys?

 

[RoDaddy]

Dejesus is right, they're the best team in football RIGHT NOW, but all that matters is that they're the best come playoff time and the SB if they get that far.  I'm not saying they're peaking too early - I'm thrilled where they are after the slow start - but they have to pretty much keep if up the rest of the way

 

[Toe Nash]

Brady was very good. Overthrew a couple deep routes but basically no mistakes from him and some nice throws under pressure.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

Dejesus is right, they're the best team in football RIGHT NOW, but all that matters is that they're the best come playoff time and the SB if they get that far.  I'm not saying they're peaking too early - I'm thrilled where they are after the slow start - but they have to pretty much keep if up the rest of the way

I don't mean to single you out, but I am going to do it anyway. Enjoy the journey for fuck's sake.

 

[m0ckduck]

It doesn't seem like many of these games this year have been evenly officiated. 

 
I think this in an overstatement in terms of the season as a whole... but this game WAS replacement-ref-level bad. From the phantom 'illegal hands to the face' penalty that killed the first drive to the missed PI on Gronk that allowed the Lions to intercept Brady to the baffling OPI call on Gronk, this was terrible. 
 
It amazed me last week that we won on the road against a top conference rival with Brady having a bad first half, and it amazes me that we won this handily against another division leader while getting jobbed by the refs. Let's just hope both don't happen at once. 

 

[Jnai]

Edelman is a gamer.

 

[bosox188]

 
I think this in an overstatement in terms of the season as a whole... but this game WAS replacement-ref-level bad. From the phantom 'illegal hands to the face' penalty that killed the first drive to the missed PI on Gronk that allowed the Lions to intercept Brady to the baffling OPI call on Gronk, this was terrible. 
 
It amazed me last week that we won on the road against a top conference rival with Brady having a bad first half, and it amazes me that we won this handily against another division leader while getting jobbed by the refs. Let's just hope both don't happen at once. 

 
Then we might only win by two touchdowns.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

I'd say Ryan Allen's saving a safety and then dropping an incredible bomb to reverse field position deserves more than the scant mentions it's gotten in this thread. And yes, Chung and Edelman. 

 

[Eric Ampersand]

Game balls:
 
Edelman
LaFell
Brady
Passing defense (Stafford completed 39%)
STs
OL
 
Great victory. This offense must be a nightmare to gameplan against. 

 

[americantrotter]

Allen gets a game ball individually for what the situation was. After that aside from Aiken all 3 units. Great work in all 3 phases.

This looks nothing like previous 9-2 patriots teams since 04.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Revis.

Can we sign this guy to an extension before Christmas so I can buy my kids Revis jerseys?

 
How about they just win the SB, so we can wear it regardless of what happens? It could just be a late Xmas gift. President's Day gift?

 

[Ed Hillel]

Dejesus is right, they're the best team in football RIGHT NOW, but all that matters is that they're the best come playoff time and the SB if they get that far.  I'm not saying they're peaking too early - I'm thrilled where they are after the slow start - but they have to pretty much keep if up the rest of the way

 
They're kicking the shit out of teams right now. There's room for them to slow down and still win, and that's probably the first time we can say that in a while. This team can actually win games on the rare occasions that Brady is off.

 

[Darnell's Son]

 
How about they just win the SB, so we can wear it regardless of what happens? It could just be a late Xmas gift. President's Day gift?

Revis/Browner 2016!

 

[axx]

Allen gets a game ball individually for what the situation was. After that aside from Aiken all 3 units. Great work in all 3 phases.

 
Oddly I was looking at the box score and at least according to ESPN Aiken was credited with a fumble on the bad snap. There was another one that I remember where it was off to the left too that Allen handled cleanly.

 

[crystalline]

Browner definitely deserves a game ball. He's the reason you probably didn't see Megatron on TV much. I was at the game and watched Browner on Megatron a lot. Browner was one on one with him almost the whole game and shut down Johnson. It was physicality- he pounded Johnson off the line repeatedly.

After Browner got called for PI in the late 3rd (?) quarter the Pats started running some zone on Johnson's side. But it was mostly Browner in man that held him to 58 yards and 4 for 10 receptions. And a few of those catches came when the game was out of hand.

 

[crystalline]

2x

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Okay, I'll say it - DANNY AMENDOLA for that clutch, momentum changing (or at least continuing) 81-yard kickoff return. LaGarrette-on-kickoffs, SchmaGarette-on-kickoffs.

 

[McBride11]

Did Rodney Harrison steal Patrick Chung's identity and re-join the Pats? This is not the same player who was last scene muffing a fake punt in a playoff loss.

Donta Hightower. Weight Watchers has worked wonders and he needs to send a big Xmas gift to his speed coach. He looks like he is running that Bama defense in the SEC again.

 

[Dogman]

Okay, I'll say it - DANNY AMENDOLA for that clutch, momentum changing (or at least continuing) 81-yard kickoff return. LaGarrette-on-kickoffs, SchmaGarette-on-kickoffs.

 
Let's not go cray, his ass is still useless. 

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Let's not go cray, his ass is still useless.

Lol, I actually agree. I remember thinking AS HE RAN IT BACK, "I still kind of don't like you, but I'm glad you're doing this right now." But I don't think anyone had mentioned him, and even if someone has, he deserves a little more love, even from the haters like me.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

Yeah, the paranoid side of me hates that they're doing so well right now...
 
By the way, I thought Stafford actually wasn't terrible. Best 18-46 game I've ever seen. The Pats D was just incredibly good.

 
From the third deck, it was really clear how covered everyone was. Stafford threw a lot of balls that were basically throwing it away in the general direction of the receiver. He didn't expect a completion. 

 

[Stitch01]

 
They're kicking the shit out of teams right now. There's room for them to slow down and still win, and that's probably the first time we can say that in a while. This team can actually win games on the rare occasions that Brady is off.

2010 team was on a pretty similar run, although I think this team has faced tougher opponents.
 
Peaking too soon is sort of a myth.  Teams can have weaknesses exposed and fade as the season goes on (although the track record in NE says don't bet on it) and a lot can change in 10 weeks (how can this Pats team ever HOPE to be on the same field as the mighty Seahawks?), but its not inevitable.  
 
I do a fist pump every time the Pats get through a game fairly healthy though.  The first four weeks show just how fragile being good in the NFL is, couple of injuries to a single unit and things change quickly. I dont want to see Devey in the game the rest of the year.
 
Hard to feel better about where this team is through 11 games though, pretty close to as good as we could have hoped for.  This team is pretty good or better at basically every single facet of the game.

 

[Saints Rest]

And they should get Chandler Jones and Sealver Siliga back soon.

 

[Caspir]

I remember the "peaking too soon" talk back in 04-05, and Mazz in particular was beating the, "They need to lose a game before the playoffs," and other peaking too soon nonsense. It was bullshit then, and it's bullshit now. Would people be happier if they lost to Detroit or Indianapolis? Of course not. So why torture yourselves with nonsensical problems like having a team hitting on all cylinders and rolling over elite teams? If they lose in the playoffs it won't be because they kicked Denver's ass in November. I'm enjoying the hell out of this ride and love watching this team's attitude and play, especially after the first month of the season.

 

[Ed Hillel]

2010 team was on a pretty similar run, although I think this team has faced tougher opponents.

 
Right, but the major difference is with this defense. I think it's certainly top 5, and by the time we see more of a sample, returning players, and with some health luck, could be considered the best in the league by the end of the year. This is probably the first time since 2007 that I've thought the Pats can win a game where Brady isn't at his best. I think they can actually win a game in which Brady plays like complete shit. In 2010 (and every other year since 2007), the offense had to play well. No longer. Good chance the Pats win that Jets game with this D in 2010, for example.

 

[Valek123]

Gronk - Not his best "statistical" Day, but when the D is shifting 2 sometimes 3 defenders his way it opens up tons of other options.  Quite simply, if he/ & key members stay healthy they win the Superbowl.  Amazing to see what Defenses have to do to shut him down, and it opens up so many other seam routes, screens and runs.  I've never seen so much attention placed on one player by defenses, the fact he is as effective as he is just goes to show how unreal he truly is.  Here's hoping one day we can look back at the 10 year HoF career of the Gronk, not the 5 year extreme high career cut short by injuries.  His health for this season is all I want in my Christmas stocking.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Right, but the major difference is with this defense.

 
That 2010 team had Tully Banta-Cain, Mayo, Nink, and Spikes at LB & Arrington, Leigh Bodden, Butler, and rookie McCourty playing corner. This defense is day & night over that 2010 unit.

 

[pedroia'sboys]

What in gods name happened to Chung. Not one person expected him to be a large piece of the team, he stunk with the eagles. I think out of every player on the whole team, his performance has been the most surprising and its not close.

 

[Tony C]

Partly it's coaching, in that they're playing in precisely a role he can best fill. But he's also just better. In run support he was always okay, but now he's a stud. In coverage again I think it's a matter of putting him in a position to succeed -- he still doesn't seem great in zone or in classic "safety" type of skills -- reading a QB's eyes or unfolding receiver patterns and responding correctly. But in 1-on-1 coverage it's a never ending surprise to see him sticking with his guy very competently.

 

[Ed Hillel]

What in gods name happened to Chung. Not one person expected him to be a large piece of the team, he stunk with the eagles. I think out of every player on the whole team, his performance has been the most surprising and its not close.

 
He got moved to Strong Safety, where he should have been from day 1 in this league. He's a big plus in the run game and his coverage skills are more than ample against the big, slow oafs. It's the receivers he can't keep up with. I'm not sure if BB miscast him in his first run here, or if he was at FS out of necessity, but I really think it's that simple with him. I'd love if the Pats could get him back on the cheap, which I think is a real possibility.