Patriots at Panthers 11/18 is going to be one very tough game

[makoute]

Kaepernick didn't complete a pass on any of the 10 times he was pressured yesterday. 2 incompletions, 1 INT, 1 scramble, and 6 sacks. Brady won't crumble like that.

You sure about that?

 

[HSanders]

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-.../id/4752950/tom-brady-nothing-better-than-mnf

Tom Brady: Nothing better than MNF
November, 12, 2013
NOV 12
7:20
AM ET
By Mike Reiss | ESPNBoston.com
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After six days off over the bye week, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was already looking ahead as he prepared to return to work Tuesday morning. In his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI on the “Dennis and Callahan” show, Brady said the team will need its best performance of the season to defeat the Carolina Panthers on Monday night in Charlotte.


Brady
“There's nothing better than playing on ‘Monday Night Football' and playing against one of the best teams in the NFC,” he said. “That's what it's all about for me. It's time to get back to work. It's football season and it's time for us to go out and see what we're made of in the second half of the year.”

Brady, who conducted the early-morning interview while driving to Gillette Stadium, said the Panthers have one of the best defenses in the NFL because they can pressure the quarterback with the standard four rushers. He came away impressed with their 10-9 victory at San Francisco on Sunday.

“They went into San Francisco and beat San Fran and we know what kind of team they're all about,” Brady said of the 6-3 Panthers, who have won five straight. “It's a tough team, they're physical, their front seven is as good as anybody -- their pass-rushers, their run-stoppers. They have playmakers in the secondary. So it has to be our best game, there is no doubt about it, on ‘Monday Night Football.' We'll see what we're made of.”

While the bye week was nice to rest, Brady explained how it also reminded him what he appreciates about the game.

“I was talking to my wife two days ago and said ‘I just love football.' When it's Sunday and everyone else is playing and you're not, you're a fish out of water,” he explained. “You're watching [and] if I'm not around a TV I'm updating my phone every five minutes to see what's going on with every score. It's probably more anxious when you're not playing because you're watching games and thinking about the outcomes and watching how teams are doing. That's just the life of a football player. There wasn't many moments when I wasn't thinking about the game. ...

“It was a good week. We got a lot of football stuff done and had a few days of a little mental break, but we're back at it today,” he continued. “It's actually great to be back driving into work. ... The best part for me is driving back in, this time of year, to go back to work.”

Brady's wife, Gisele Bundchen, had posted a picture of the family on the beach over the bye weekend. That drew a laugh from Brady.

“She loves that Instagram and keeping everyone updated. Sometimes she doesn't even tell me and I'm like, ‘Why am I in that picture?'” he cracked.

 

[dchester]

That was the Ravens game, our DB's were probably the only thing that played well. Now the saints game on the other hand...

Wasn't Meriweather a DB? He absolutely sucked in that game.

 

[Jaric]

I think your plan should be to throw to Gronkowski early and often. In fact I think Brady should throw to Gronkowski exclusively.

 

[Captainkirk]

That's why I think Vereen will key on 3rd downs. He a huge upgrade over bolden. Hes a matchup nightmare out of the backfield.

I'm interested to see if Vereen is a big part of the game plan. He's not in "game shape" and I think it will take 1 or 2 games to get him acclimated. I dont expect to see him on more than 30% of the snaps.....

 

[anderson]

I think your plan should be to throw to Gronkowski early and often. In fact I think Brady should throw to Gronkowski exclusively.

No need to change a winning formula, amirite?

 

[midgar8784]

Wasn't Meriweather a DB? He absolutely sucked in that game.

I was thinking from a standpoint that I think they had about 20 yards passing that day, I can think of worse things than the DB's.

 

[EasyBigFella]

I'm not confident at all in this game to be honest. I think the defense will be ok vs. Carolina's "college level" offense, but this will be the best front 4 they've seen since the last Super Bowl. I can see Brady taking about 6 sacks in this game.

 

[midgar8784]

I'm not confident at all in this game to be honest. I think the defense will be ok vs. Carolina's "college level" offense, but this will be the best front 4 they've seen since the last Super Bowl. I can see Brady taking about 6 sacks in this game.

I am not sure it is that much better than the Bengals when we played them, I mean technically Carolina has the same number of sacks that the patriots do, and I am not sure anyone see's the patriots like that.

 

[chevss454]

I'm interested to see if Vereen is a big part of the game plan. He's not in "game shape" and I think it will take 1 or 2 games to get him acclimated. I dont expect to see him on more than 30% of the snaps.....

He will most likely be worked in slowly over a couple of games the same way Gronk was. No, I take that back, TB won't force the ball to Vereen the way he did to Gronk.

 

[midgar8784]

He will most likely be worked in slowly over a couple of games the same way Gronk was. No, I take that back, TB won't force the ball to Vereen the way he did to Gronk.

After the drop rate, I do not blame Brady for forcing the ball to someone that could actually catch it.

 

[dchester]

After the drop rate, I do not blame Brady for forcing the ball to someone that could actually catch it.

That's fine, but some people (Like Me) do blame the QB when he tries to force it into triple coverage.

 

[chevss454]

Defensive Passer Rating - Even
Panthers: 74.6
Patriots: 74.2


Record vs Teams with Winning Records
Bengals 4-1
Colts 3-0
Seahawks 3-1
Patriots 2-2
Jets 2-2
Dolphins 2-2
Broncos 0-1
Chiefs 0-0

Panthers 1-2

 

[midgar8784]

That's fine, but some people (Like Me) do blame the QB when he tries to force it into triple coverage.

Gronk in his limited time here has the best catch percentage of anyone on the team.....so not sure its being forced into that many triple coverages. There for awhile I would take gronk in double coverage over some of these guys in single coverage. In other words, we saw some of that in the first game Gronk was back, in the second game, he was not thrown to near as much and well the last game, I did not see an issue with anything that went to gronk, so maybe....its not at the level that is being said.

 

[RonBrace]

Kerry Byrne really liketh that thtat, defenthive pather rating. It showth that the Patrioth have vathtly improved in that area.

 

[HSanders]

I don't think either team has faced a murderer's row of QBs, but they haven't faced Brees yet either and I don't think they have the injuries on D that the Pats do.

 

[chevss454]

Running Game
Panthers: 128.0 yards/game, 4.0 yards/carry
Patriots: 129.1 yards/game, 4.4 yards/carry

Turnover diff
Patriots +9
Panthers +8

 

[midgar8784]

Running Game
Panthers: 128.0 yards/game, 4.0 yards/carry
Patriots: 129.1 yards/game, 4.4 yards/carry

Turnover diff
Patriots +9
Panthers +8

Its like we are playing ourselves.

 

[chevss454]

NFL QB Rank/Rating - Comp.%/Int

Cam Newton 9/88.3 - 62.7%/8
Tom Brady 17/82.7 - 57.1%/6

Both have thrown for 13 TDs.

 

[ParanoidPatriot]

Finally a Monday night game that has teeth, this game is going to show us where the Patriots stand. IMO The Panthers scare me

They scare me. Well, every team scares me.