Wandering Athol
Blood in the streets it's up to my ankle
Here's what I know: 
1) The outcome and the fallout from the outcome of the Saints game is overrated. What happens this upcoming weekend against Miami looms far larger as far as how the Pats playoff run will be decided. They can all but secure the division this Sunday, and with the Fins without their best offensive player and having all-but-given-up-the-ghost to the Bills two days ago, the Pats have their foot on the neck of the AFC East....it's choke out time.
With only 3 AFC losses, the Pats also aren't in all that bad shape as far as securing the coveted Wild Card weekend BYE either: there are 5 weeks remaining with 5 very beatable opponents. They just need to take care of business, and we all know the Pats recent record in December. Give me five straight convincing victories going into the postseason and I couldn't give a rat's patoot about what happened last night.
2) The Pats are immature on defense. Seau may not see another snap of action this season, and he was still worth signing. We've heard it from the younger players recently as to his importance in the locker room; and now we've heard it from the vets (TBC, Bodden, Wilfork) and even the coach himself today. The bickering on the sidelines last night amongst the D was embarrassing....
3) which leads me to the Vrabel decision. Couldn't Vrabel have given the Pats more than Burgess or Thomas? Couldn't he have taken Seau's roster spot? That he was a "throw in" to the Cassel trade never sat well with me, and even more so now. Unless proven wrong, I'll go to my grave thinking this wasn't a "football only" decision. Was he worth the money? :shrug: Sometimes you gotta pay for continuity and leadership.
4) Wilfork is the defensive MVP, but I'm not sure any player has had as much impact when he's been on the field as TBC. (You could've knocked me over with a feather 6 months ago if I could ever had considered typing that.) I hope he doesn't get tested for PEDs (half joking) because I'm not sure I've ever seen a player whom I've completely written off turn things around 180 degrees. He's a man on a mission, and he's making big plays, and you notice when he's not in the game. He's playing at a Pro Bowl level. There, I said it: Tully Banta Cain is playing at a freakin' Pro Bowl level. Go figure.
5) Meriweather and McGowan take too many chances. They are not complementary and simply do not have the experience like a Harrison to gamble the way they do without it coming back to haunt the Pats in big games. I assume they'll both get better about understanding their limits with time, but for the playoff stretch I'd like to see a little more of my man, James Sanders' steadying hand, particularly on passing downs (maybe all 3 on the field at once even).
6) My other thoughts on the D? Wilhite, given time, will turn out to be a very good nickel corner if not better. Butler has all the goods to eventually be a very good starting corner. Bodden is the #1 improvement on the D since last year, and is the primary reason the Pats even try to blitz versus last season. Mayo and Guyton are wearing down from too much PT and probably, practice time. A Thomas is simply not the player he was a year ago, and I haven't the foggiest notion why. Burgess leads the team in QB pressures but has simply lost a step from when he was a premier pass rusher. Woods is a run-stopping OLB only, and that's simply not good enough. Warren and Green cannot get any pressure on the QB and Wright and Pryor can't stop the run - perfect. Richard Seymour, FWIW, could do both, but I'd still trade him to Oakland in a heartbeat for a pirate's treasure.
What I see is a defense in transition: some parts 3-4, some 4-3. I assume BB's got a plan, but I haven't a semblance of a clue as to what it is. Madden used to say that when you've got a lot of something, then you've got nothing, and that's kind of how I view this year's D to-date. Hopefully, that'll change and we'll see what the Master Chef Hoodie has cooked up to serve us that'll be at least palatable come playoff time (more Wolfgang Puck and less hockey puck for the taste buds). If anyone can get this D to mesh in the next 5 weeks, we've got him on our sidelines.
7) BB has made a career out of taking away an offense's top 2 weapons. Well, guess what? The Saints drew the blueplan for doing the same to the Pats with Earthwind Moreland personnel. Man coverage with FS over the top on Moss and man coverage shaded outside with SS help inside on Welker; play "get the QB" (similar to what the Giants did in TGTSNBM) with your 3 or 4 d-lineman, with an occasional blitz or overload inside. Be prepared to see this, A LOT, until Brady shows confidence in his other receivers, or BB commits to operating under center and making defenses honor the run.
8) The Pats MUST run an out and up with Moss from 4th and short from midfield before the season is over. They've become much too predictable with the quick outs on must-have conversions longer than 2 yards. This is a 50-yard TD waiting to happen.
9) Brady on the sidelines with 5 minutes remaining reminded me of a Roberto Duran "No mas" moment. I understand the decision, but I didn't like it. It would've taken a minor miracle for the Pats to pull off the upset at that point, but I don't understand the reasoning behind pulling him there, but leaving him in games up 4 TDs in 2nd half. WTF?
10) Maroney read his blocks against the Saints better than I think I've ever seen him do before. That's promising. I still question his vision though, but he has made huge improvements on his pad level this season. He's really finishing his runs and is obviously confident his shoulder's healthy. He also made Vilma look like a pee wee baller last night on one play where LM was dead-to-rights. Unless he completely falls apart, the Pats need to ride him in December and forget this running-back-by-committee strategy as they approach the playoffs.
10) Thoughts on the rest of the O? Watson and Baker are who we thought they were: one is slightly better than average in the passing game, but a below average blocker, and vice versa - give them Wonder Twin powers and you'd have one pretty good TE. For the Edelman lovers: the Pats need an outside guy, not another slot receiver (but still, what a great find). Aiken reminds me a lot of a young Givens. Neal was having the best year of any of the offensive linemen: they need him back healthy badly. Light has lost his job: Vollmer looks extremely promising. Mankins is playing better of late, which is a major reason why Maroney looks better. Koppen still gets beaten badly once a game in pass protection, but is overall ok. Kaczur is serviceable until he faces a good pash rusher. Morris takes BJGE's spot on the gameday roster and is an instant upgrade. How Taylor fits in when he eventually gets back is anyone's guess.
11) Special teams are ho-hum. Hanson's an enigma, although punting better as of late. Ghost is pretty darn good despite missing a few kicks. Coverage has been decent, but I wish they could find a better kick returner (Slater just isn't "doing it" for me.) Butler? Wheatley? Hobbs? j/k
12) Now for the prickliest of subjects: coaching. It's 2006 redux. BB's doing too much. The effects of losing coordinator after coordinator, and more and more talent at the junior levels every year, is simply taking it's toll. It's showing up on the field on Sundays and there's simple no deflecting it anymore: the Pats are getting outcoached more than ever before. Weis? Crennel? I don't know, but I sure wouldn't be against it if BB brought them in...in the offseason. Too late for official coaching changes in 2009 - the Pats will have to dance with the dates that brung'em.
All that, and I didn't even mention Giselle's husband once. He's the least of my worries. The Pats need to establish some momentum, keep their starters healthy, and show what they've been working towards on defense this whole season. They've got 5 weeks to do it. If they can pull it off, they'll be a tough out. If not, I hope there's no new CBA, because the '10 team might have some serious turnover if the two sides reach an agreement ... and our boy wonder isn't getting any younger.
B e l i c h e a t
1) The outcome and the fallout from the outcome of the Saints game is overrated. What happens this upcoming weekend against Miami looms far larger as far as how the Pats playoff run will be decided. They can all but secure the division this Sunday, and with the Fins without their best offensive player and having all-but-given-up-the-ghost to the Bills two days ago, the Pats have their foot on the neck of the AFC East....it's choke out time.
With only 3 AFC losses, the Pats also aren't in all that bad shape as far as securing the coveted Wild Card weekend BYE either: there are 5 weeks remaining with 5 very beatable opponents. They just need to take care of business, and we all know the Pats recent record in December. Give me five straight convincing victories going into the postseason and I couldn't give a rat's patoot about what happened last night.
2) The Pats are immature on defense. Seau may not see another snap of action this season, and he was still worth signing. We've heard it from the younger players recently as to his importance in the locker room; and now we've heard it from the vets (TBC, Bodden, Wilfork) and even the coach himself today. The bickering on the sidelines last night amongst the D was embarrassing....
3) which leads me to the Vrabel decision. Couldn't Vrabel have given the Pats more than Burgess or Thomas? Couldn't he have taken Seau's roster spot? That he was a "throw in" to the Cassel trade never sat well with me, and even more so now. Unless proven wrong, I'll go to my grave thinking this wasn't a "football only" decision. Was he worth the money? :shrug: Sometimes you gotta pay for continuity and leadership.
4) Wilfork is the defensive MVP, but I'm not sure any player has had as much impact when he's been on the field as TBC. (You could've knocked me over with a feather 6 months ago if I could ever had considered typing that.) I hope he doesn't get tested for PEDs (half joking) because I'm not sure I've ever seen a player whom I've completely written off turn things around 180 degrees. He's a man on a mission, and he's making big plays, and you notice when he's not in the game. He's playing at a Pro Bowl level. There, I said it: Tully Banta Cain is playing at a freakin' Pro Bowl level. Go figure.
5) Meriweather and McGowan take too many chances. They are not complementary and simply do not have the experience like a Harrison to gamble the way they do without it coming back to haunt the Pats in big games. I assume they'll both get better about understanding their limits with time, but for the playoff stretch I'd like to see a little more of my man, James Sanders' steadying hand, particularly on passing downs (maybe all 3 on the field at once even).
6) My other thoughts on the D? Wilhite, given time, will turn out to be a very good nickel corner if not better. Butler has all the goods to eventually be a very good starting corner. Bodden is the #1 improvement on the D since last year, and is the primary reason the Pats even try to blitz versus last season. Mayo and Guyton are wearing down from too much PT and probably, practice time. A Thomas is simply not the player he was a year ago, and I haven't the foggiest notion why. Burgess leads the team in QB pressures but has simply lost a step from when he was a premier pass rusher. Woods is a run-stopping OLB only, and that's simply not good enough. Warren and Green cannot get any pressure on the QB and Wright and Pryor can't stop the run - perfect. Richard Seymour, FWIW, could do both, but I'd still trade him to Oakland in a heartbeat for a pirate's treasure.
What I see is a defense in transition: some parts 3-4, some 4-3. I assume BB's got a plan, but I haven't a semblance of a clue as to what it is. Madden used to say that when you've got a lot of something, then you've got nothing, and that's kind of how I view this year's D to-date. Hopefully, that'll change and we'll see what the Master Chef Hoodie has cooked up to serve us that'll be at least palatable come playoff time (more Wolfgang Puck and less hockey puck for the taste buds). If anyone can get this D to mesh in the next 5 weeks, we've got him on our sidelines.
7) BB has made a career out of taking away an offense's top 2 weapons. Well, guess what? The Saints drew the blueplan for doing the same to the Pats with Earthwind Moreland personnel. Man coverage with FS over the top on Moss and man coverage shaded outside with SS help inside on Welker; play "get the QB" (similar to what the Giants did in TGTSNBM) with your 3 or 4 d-lineman, with an occasional blitz or overload inside. Be prepared to see this, A LOT, until Brady shows confidence in his other receivers, or BB commits to operating under center and making defenses honor the run.
8) The Pats MUST run an out and up with Moss from 4th and short from midfield before the season is over. They've become much too predictable with the quick outs on must-have conversions longer than 2 yards. This is a 50-yard TD waiting to happen.
9) Brady on the sidelines with 5 minutes remaining reminded me of a Roberto Duran "No mas" moment. I understand the decision, but I didn't like it. It would've taken a minor miracle for the Pats to pull off the upset at that point, but I don't understand the reasoning behind pulling him there, but leaving him in games up 4 TDs in 2nd half. WTF?
10) Maroney read his blocks against the Saints better than I think I've ever seen him do before. That's promising. I still question his vision though, but he has made huge improvements on his pad level this season. He's really finishing his runs and is obviously confident his shoulder's healthy. He also made Vilma look like a pee wee baller last night on one play where LM was dead-to-rights. Unless he completely falls apart, the Pats need to ride him in December and forget this running-back-by-committee strategy as they approach the playoffs.
10) Thoughts on the rest of the O? Watson and Baker are who we thought they were: one is slightly better than average in the passing game, but a below average blocker, and vice versa - give them Wonder Twin powers and you'd have one pretty good TE. For the Edelman lovers: the Pats need an outside guy, not another slot receiver (but still, what a great find). Aiken reminds me a lot of a young Givens. Neal was having the best year of any of the offensive linemen: they need him back healthy badly. Light has lost his job: Vollmer looks extremely promising. Mankins is playing better of late, which is a major reason why Maroney looks better. Koppen still gets beaten badly once a game in pass protection, but is overall ok. Kaczur is serviceable until he faces a good pash rusher. Morris takes BJGE's spot on the gameday roster and is an instant upgrade. How Taylor fits in when he eventually gets back is anyone's guess.
11) Special teams are ho-hum. Hanson's an enigma, although punting better as of late. Ghost is pretty darn good despite missing a few kicks. Coverage has been decent, but I wish they could find a better kick returner (Slater just isn't "doing it" for me.) Butler? Wheatley? Hobbs? j/k
12) Now for the prickliest of subjects: coaching. It's 2006 redux. BB's doing too much. The effects of losing coordinator after coordinator, and more and more talent at the junior levels every year, is simply taking it's toll. It's showing up on the field on Sundays and there's simple no deflecting it anymore: the Pats are getting outcoached more than ever before. Weis? Crennel? I don't know, but I sure wouldn't be against it if BB brought them in...in the offseason. Too late for official coaching changes in 2009 - the Pats will have to dance with the dates that brung'em.
All that, and I didn't even mention Giselle's husband once. He's the least of my worries. The Pats need to establish some momentum, keep their starters healthy, and show what they've been working towards on defense this whole season. They've got 5 weeks to do it. If they can pull it off, they'll be a tough out. If not, I hope there's no new CBA, because the '10 team might have some serious turnover if the two sides reach an agreement ... and our boy wonder isn't getting any younger.
B e l i c h e a t
that Edelman was out and there were not more Sammy Morris carries)
