SB Nation - Jerod Mayo

Established media clearly did not like the outcome of Patriots v. Colts Sunday night

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:07:25 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

about 1 month ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning reacts after he threw a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. The Colts won 35-34.(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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This is one of the rare times I link to a Cold Hard Football Facts article. I find many of their writers there pen pieces that read more like a third grader's show-and-tell essay rather than informed sports media. One of their particular points of annoyingly ignorant emphasis is to state that the play of Peyton Manning in the playoffs has been consistently sub-par throughout his career. Despite a myriad of statistical evidence that simply does not back up their claim, some of them still hold onto the dated notion that Manning "folds" in crunch time. And I'm sure that some of those people are likely dismissing Manning's fourth quarter brilliance against the Patriots Sunday as just another Manning moment in the regular season.

They're just haters, and they don't like being wrong. Sad, if you think about it.

However, CHFF did make a great observation after the Patriots v. Colts Sunday night thriller, and it is something we here have noticed: The established media is clearly annoyed the Colts won the game.

Contrary to popular belief, corporate media houses like ESPN come into games with a set story, or narrative, that they plug from beginning to middle to end. They hit this narrative time, and time, and time again, and if the game shows even the slightest inkling of their narrative's "truth," they hit it even harder after the game.

For example, lots of people said the Patriots would attack the Colts injured secondary, which they did. By quarter three, the narrative was in place. The Patriots had attacked Indy's secondary, scored a bunch of points, and thus a "W" for New England was guaranteed.

Then, the fourth quarter happened, forcing all these lazy media jackals to change their pre-written stories, sit through a late night of football, and watch the Colts beat the Patriots despite the fact that New Engalnd did exactly what they wanted to do... and yet still lost.

When the game doesn't go as the established planned it to go, when their "analysis" is shown up for the massive, stinking pile of manure it usually is, that tends to kind of annoy the big media powers. This is why you are seeing so many columnists and media personalities essentially dismiss the Colts beating the Patriots (again), and blaming the Pats loss not on the team folding in the 4th quarter (which they did) but on Bill Belichick's terrible coaching decision on 4th and 2.

I mean, the loss cannot possibly be explained as the Colts simply being better than the Patriots. I mean, HA! That thought is ludicrous! I mean, forget that Indy has now only beaten New England five of the last six meeting, with three of those meetings being 4th quarter comeback wins. Peyton Manning and the Colts offense have absolutely torched the Patriots defense in literally every game since 2005. Defensive end Robert Mathis has given Tom Brady fits. And even without Brady Bane Bob Sanders playing, his replacement (Melvin Bullitt) played an outstanding game, especially on the now infamous 4th and 2 play.

Here's the truth about this game, whether big media or Patriots apologists want to admit it or not:

The Colts, right now, are better than the Patriots. No debate. No question. Indy outscored them 21-10 in the fourth quarter and smothered their offense for much of the second half.
Randy Moss disappeared in the 4th quarter while Reggie Wayne made big catch after big catch. If you are going to tell me Moss is better than Wayne, I will have no choice but to laugh in your face and insult your mother. Great players show up in the 4th quarter. Moss had one catch for 8 yards in quarter four following his very early 5 yard TD grab at the 14:18 mark.
The Patriots are flat out scared of Peyton Manning. The only thing that motivates the 4th and 2 call is not "guts" or "stones" or "unconventional coaching." It's fear. Belichick had no faith in his defense late in the game, and why should he. Brandon Meriweather had only one tackle for the whole game and Jerod Mayo's name was never called in the 4th. Manning had worked two TD drives, each taking roughly 2 minutes and going the length of the field. Whether giving Manning a 28 yard field or a 65 yard field, Belichick felt he would score a TD on his defense. Thus, 4th and 2. If you try to sell me or anyone else with at least two marbles in their head, you are barking up the wrong tree. If you didn't see that call as anything other than fear, you're blind.

The last point there is likely why so many schmucks are having trouble understanding this game. The narrative out there is that Belichick fears no one. He's a "genius" after all. For years, he "owned" Peyton Manning. He could just whip up any defense and it would be enough to stop the supposedly "great" QB.

Again, I don't think people who really think this nonsense have been paying attention.

Peyton Manning has dominated the Patriots and their defense for the better part of four years. Whether it is coming back to win in the 4th quarter, or dropping 41 40 points on them in their house, they simply have not found a way to stop him. Hell, they can't even slow him down!

So, please excuse me when I say that those who think Belichick isn't afraid of Manning need to STFU already! The guy is terrified of Manning! And he damn well should be. And despite the fact that the Colts are 9-0 and have beaten better quality opponents than the Saints (who nearly friggin lost to the Rams this weekend), we still have some idiots, like Yahoo's Charles Robinson, who do not consider the Colts the best team in football right now. Hell, Robinson thinks the Bengals are better!

When it is all said and done, power rankings and media opinions mean nothing. At least one of the teams playing in the Super Bowl will likely be a club people will go "Huh?" about. What frustrates me is that after winning in impressive fashion, beating a tough opponent at their own game, and standing (currently) at 9-0, no one is talking about the Colts as an dominant football team. They just won their 18th straight regular season game, which broke a record set by (guess who!) the New England Patriots. Yet, no one is talking about the Colts? AGAIN! Hell, in Vic Carucci's little mind, the 9-0 Colts are not good, just lucky (Tip to t thebossuzzi). I mean, WHAT! 18 straight wins via blind, stinking luck?

It's sad. It's head scratching. It's typical big media hate for the Colts.

If our team were the Cowboys, Ravens, or (hell!) even the Raiders right now sitting in the same position, you'd see a lot more coverage. The sad reality is that no one gives a turd about a great team from Indianapolis. Even with the best football player on the planet playing on our team, no one in big media gets excited about Indy.

And because of this bias, thus we have blogs like this one and sites like CHFF.

The end is nigh for Tony Ugoh and Mike Pollak

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:28:22 -0000

In possibly the biggest game yet for the 2009 season, Colts coach Jim Caldwell left 2007 second round pick Tony Ugoh and 2008 second round pick Mike Pollak inactive for the game. They were not hurt. They were not disciplined for an off-the-field incident. They seemed to be left inactive because... well, they just plain suck right now.

Their replacements on the line (Charlie Johnson and Kyle DeVan, respectively) allowed only one sack and blocked for a running game that averaged 5.1 yards a carry during the game.

While most of you know that Charlie Johnson is a 6th round pick from 2006 while Kyle DeVan was playing Arena Football in Boise last year, the fact that essentially two "nobodies" can beat out two highly drafted young players speaks volumes as to how well managed the Colts are as a team. Yes, Ugoh and Pollak are busts. They are stains on an otherwise Hall of Fame drafting resume for Bill Polian. Their lack of production has cost this football teams wins in the past, and with them both being healthy scratches for the biggest game of the year (so far), I'm pretty confident in saying their futures with the Colts stand at "Not For Long."

Sunday night, there was a noticeable difference with Kyle DeVan on the right side blocking on run plays. Chad Simpson had some hard runs, and (once again) Joseph Addai was masterful running the ball hard in the 4th quarter against a gased Patriots defense. Addai's 4 yard TD run and his 9 yard run to the goal line prior to Reggie Wayne's game-winning TD grab are the kinds of runs a team needs to beat a squad like the Pats.

By the way, the Addai TD run was to the right, with DeVan providing an excellent block on Vince Wolfork and Jerod Mayo.

In his weekly Monday press conference, Jim Caldwell confirmed that DeVan has won the starting job over Pollak, and then went on to praise DeVan's work ethic and ability to "fight" as a lineman. Clearly, Pollak did not play with the consistent toughness and tenacity DeVan has played with. This lack of toughness and fight is the same thing that cost promising tackle Tony Ugoh is starting job in Training Camp.

So, while I'm sure you all are upset like me that, essentially, two very high round draft picks were wasted on these two crappy players, the positive is we root for a team that (as Jim Caldwell states) will put ego aside to honestly evaluate their roster. As a result, the people who are playing the best actually play, as opposed to the people drafted the highest.

Recap Week Ten: Colts 35 - Patriots 34

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:48:21 -0000

More photos » by AJ Mast - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk (33) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Melvin Bullitt (33) on fourth down during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Indianapolis won 35-34. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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Few games live up to pre-game hype.

Patriots v. Colts buck the trend.

Billed as the best game of the regular season, the thrilling come-from-behind win by the Indianapolis Colts, who were down 31-14 at one point in the second half, lived up to its expectations. This game had the feel and intensity of a playoff game. Hell, it had the intensity of an AFC Championship Game. Hats off to the Patriots for playing a great game, and to the community at Pats Pulpit, for blogging and commenting during the game.

We in the blogging community labeled this game The War of 1812, and both #18 (Peyton Manning) and #12 (Tom Brady) certainly came to battle. 702 combined passing yards for 7 TDs and three turnovers (one for Brady, two for Manning) for the QBs, who completed 66% of their combined passes.

All the respect in the world to Drew Brees, but there is a reason 18 and 12 are the best in football. Last night showed you the reason.

In the end, the game came down to some clutch play by both Peyton Manning and the Colts defense. There was also a rather arrogant, silly coaching decision made by someone we all know and loath; a decision that likely cost the Patriots the game. I am, of course, referring to Bill Belichick's erroneous decision to pull his punt team on 4th and 2 from his own 28 yard line and go for it with nearly 2:00 minutes left in the game.

But bigger than Belichick's decision was the clutch play of the Colts. Big media (aka ESPN, or ESPNBoston, whichever label you prefer) will hem and haw about how the Patriots "dominated" the game, and that the reason they lost it was because of Belichick's near-moronic decision.

Um, no.

The Patriots were dominant in the first half of the game, scoring 24 points while using a game plan that attacked Indy's injury-riddled secondary. But, as we Colts fans know all to well, it is not how you start. It's how you finish. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots disintegrated like wet tissue paper right in front of our eyes. The Colts outscored them 21-10 in the fourth, striking with TDs on two very quick drives. Also in the fourth quarter, with a 31-14 lead, the Patriots ran the ball only 6 times for 16 yards (2.6 a carry). And on the offensive drive following Joseph Addai's TD to cut the Patriots lead to 6, the vaunted Pats offense stalled after Jerraud Powers nearly (and likely should have) picked off Tom Brady's sideline pass and returned it for a TD.

It was after that third down play that Belichick opted to go for it, and the Patriots did not convert.

So, while mindless drones debate Belichick's silly decision to go for it on 4th and 2, the real reason the Patriots lost the game is because they folded in the fourth quarter. It's as simple as that. Imagine if the tables were turned and the Colts had lost the game in the exact same fashion the Patriots did. The talking heads would not be yacking about 4th down coaching decisions. They'd be talking about how "clutch" the Patriots are. How their quarterback "finishes" ballgames. How they "rise to the occasion" when they face adversity.

Yet, when the Colts play clutch football, all we hear about is Belichick, Belichick, Belichick.

I'm not reading any of "OMG! The Colts are so amazing!" stories this morning, and that's unfortunate. If that story is good for the Patriots in victory, it should be for the Colts. Indy has proven for ten years they are the equal to the Patriots. Since 2005, the Colts have a 5-1 record over their rivals, and they have won those games mostly by coming back to beat the Patriots in the fourth quarter. Yet, despite yet another resilient performance by a Colts team that simply refuses to quit, even when some of their "fans" were leaving Lucas Oil Stadium 10:00 minutes into the fourth quarter (side note: If those were season tickets holders, their tickets should be revoked; no "fan" leaves a Colts game with 10 minutes left), I'm not seeing a national media scene lauding the "clutchness" of our beloved team. Hell, even Indy's local columnist thought they had no chance to win, and knowing him he probably had is story written up and spell checked by the end of the third quarter, sitting back in his press box chair with a smug told-you-so look on his face.

And that, my friends, is why blogs like this one exist. After the jump, we start breaking it down the best game of 2009 thus far.

Melvin Bullitt (33) stops the Patriots Kevin Faulk on fourth down

(AP Photo)

Before we begin, let's dispel any notion that the Patriots were "robbed" of this game by forces outside their control.

The 31 yard pass interference penalty called on the Patriots at the 3:03 mark was indeed a penalty. The defender is pulling on Austin Collie's arm before the ball is there. That's a penalty. It says so in the rule book. Pass interference is pass interference if it is in quarter one or quarter four, and a flag for the foul is warranted regardless of down, distance, or situation. Glad the refs called it. That's what they are paid good money to do.
Kevin Faulk did not convert the 4th and 2. Replay showed he bobbled the ball before he landed a good yard short. Forward progress means nothing if you are bobbling the football, and the reason Faulk did not have full control of the ball when it landed in his hands was because Melvin Bullitt crushed him right as it was delivered.

So, any nutbag (NFL Network's Deion Sanders) who is suggesting the Patriots were robbed of this game (NFL Network's Deion Sanders) needs a good kick in the testicles (please, NFL Network's Deion Sanders).

This game came down to clutch play by the defenses. For all the love and laurels the quarterbacks deserve for this stellar match-up, the real keys to the game were the defenses for the Patriots and Colts. MaPatsFan and I talked during our podcast last week, and one of the keys to the game we agreed upon was the play of the defenses. My worry was Indy's secondary. His worry was New England's pass rush.

Our podcast was prophetic.

For much of the first half, Tom Brady and Randy Moss took a ruler to the rear end of Indy's pass defense. Moss finished the night with 9 catches for 179 yards and 2 TDs. They were also running the ball effectively, with Colts killer Kevin Faulk leading the way with 79 yards rushing. Much of the Pats success had to do with moving Moss around in different formations, utilizing him in the slot, or using motion to have him drive right at Antoine Bethea, who Moss burned for a 63 yard TD in the second quarter.

Randy Moss (left) gives some props to Colts rookie corner Jacob Lacey

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Brady went through much of the first half untouched by the Colts pass rush, with rookie Sebastian Vollmer and his double-teaming friends focusing a lot of attention on Indy's Dwight Freeney. Despite a brilliant first half by Peyton Manning, who threw 2 TDs to keep the game close, the Pats looked like world beaters entering halftime up 24-14.

The second half told a much different story than the first.

The third quarter started with Indy stopping the Pats in the endzone on an Antoine Bethea INT. Brady was staring down Randy Moss in the endzone, and Bethea read his eyes all the way for an INT. The Colts did not capitalize on the Brady mistake because of a costly Manning INT on the following drive, which looked like a wounded duck when it left Peyton's hand bound for the eventual arms of the Patriots' Lee Bodden. But, despite the setback, the Colts were undeterred by the Patriots offense, which drove the field again only to turn the football back over to the Colts again on a goal line fumble by Laurence Maroney. However, even with another gift from the Pats, the Colts still couldn't score.

The fourth quarter began with the Patriots seemingly sealing the "win" with a 5 yard TD pass from Brady to Moss. At that point, the score was 31-14, and with the Colts offense stalling it's very likely Bob Kravitz already had his story for Monday morning emailed to his editors. However, the Colts responded to the Pats TD with one of their own, hooking up on a 29 yard TD strike from Manning to Pierre Garcon. The drive took less than 2 minutes. The Colts scored a TD on another two minute drive in the fourth; Joseph Addai capping the drive with a 4 yard TD run.

It was after this drive that the Colts defense shut down the Patriots offense, stopping them on fourth down with Bullitt's excellent tackle of Kevin Faulk. The Colts then burned out the clock as they marched 28 yards, winning the game on a one yar TD pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne.

So, for all the praise everyone is heaping on Brady and Moss for "dominating" the first half, the real dominant players were Manning and Reggie Wayne, who caught 10 balls for 126 yards and 2 TDs, including the game-winner. In the fourth quarter, and especially on the game-winning drive, Reggie Wayne was money. Absolute money. Contrast this with Moss, who caught only one pass for 8 yards in the fourth, and when the Patriots needed to convert 3rd and 4th down, Brady did not go to his "dominant" wide receiver. He threw it to Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk.

So, say whatever you want about Randy Moss, but Reggie Wayne is a better wide receiver than him. I will defiantly shout that from any mountain top, and unlike the Moss backers I have actual games to back up my claim. Maybe Wayne doesn't have Moss's skill, his speed, or his playmaking ability. What Reggie does have is guts, grit, and an ability to rise to the occasion when the chips are down. We have never seen that, EVER, from Randy Moss, who puts up gaudy numbers but often folds in the clutch?

Gee, where have we heard that line before?

Reggie Wayne. Clutch.

(AP Photo)

Also notably absent from the fourth quarter, and really from the entire game, were great young players Jerod Mayo (5 tackles, 1 sack) and Brandon Meriweather (1 tackle). Mayo's name was not called at all in quarter four, and on the Addai TD run he was blocked out of the play by the interior of Indy's o-line. Meriweather, on the other hand, might as well have not suited up. One tackle. ONE! Contrast this with Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt, who played amazing football in the second half after getting toasted in the first. I think Mayo is a stud and Meriweather has some great ability, but these two guys did not bring it during the money time.

Despite their fourth quarter meltdown, the Patriots do deserve a lot of props. They are a damn fine football team. These two teams were so evenly matched that the game literally came down to one yard. And while everyone is screaming that Belichick's decision cost New England the game, I beg to differ:

Indy's defense holding NE out of the endzone in the third quarter cost the Pats the game.
Randy Moss disappearing in the fourth quarter cost the Pats the game.
Indy stuffing the run in the second half cost the Pats the game.
Philip Wheeler forcing a Laurence Maroney fumble on the goal-line cost the Pats the game.
Robert Mathis harassing Brady in the second half to the tune of two sacks and a forced fumble cost the Pats the game. Mathis was able to get free in part because the Patriots had so much of their attention focused on Freeney.
The Pats offense stalling on third and fourth down with nearly two minutes left cost them the game.

Blasting Belichick is easy to do, but it is not accurate. It does not give justice to what was a a truly great fourth quarter comeback. The Colts won because they played better than the Patriots during the "money time." They did not quit. They did not fold. They battled and fought their way back into the game, and when the moment of truth occurred on fourth down, the Colts executed. The Patriots didn't.

Special thanks once again to Pats Pulpit. Their team is impressive and their QB is a future Hall of Famer. It is because they are so great that this rivalry might be the best one in sports. Forgot Red Sox v. Yankees. Forget Man U. v. Chelsea.

Patriots v. Colts. Nothing comes close.

Go Colts!

Pats Pulpit

Patriots vs Colts coverage

Poll

Week Ten game ball?

QB Peyton Manning: 63% for 326 yards and 4 TDs, including game-winner with 13 seconds left

273 votes

WR Reggie Wayne: 10 catches for 126 yards and 2 TD, including game-winner

346 votes

RB Joseph Addai: 10 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD, 1 catches 27 yards, 1 TD

36 votes

SS Melvin Bullitt: 8 tackles, one a key stop on fourth down

183 votes

FS Antoine Bethea: 6 tackles, 1 INT

3 votes

DE Robert Mathis: 2 sacks, 1 FF, 8 tackles

252 votes

1093 votes | Poll has closed

Silly untruths about the 2009 Patriots at the mid-season point

BigBlueShoe — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:12:04 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) celebrates a stop as Miami Dolphins center Jake Grove (64) and quarterback Chad Henne look on during the fourth quarter of New England's 27-17 win in an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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Yesterday, we had the unthruths about the 2009 Colts. Now, we close out with untruths about the 2009 Patriots.

False

Tom Brady will take three years to fully recover from his injury, which means that he won't be "great" for a while now.

True

This year, Brady is completing 65% of his passes for 2364 yards (third best in AFC) and has 16 TDs to 5 INTS (same TD to INT ratio as Peyton Manning). Early this season, Brady did look "out of sync" with his receivers, and the Patriots are lucky they did not lose their first game of the year to the Buffalo Bills. However, Brady has recovered his form and is playing very well. In fact, it is shaping up to be one of his best statistical seasons ever.

Much of the "it will take three years" talk comes from using Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer as an example. Palmer suffered a somewhat equally horrible knee injury to Brady's in 2006, and it is only now that Palmer looks to have returned to form. This example is very misleading and flawed though. Palmer was "ready" to play the next season after his injury, but the Bengals roster in 2007 was not the Patriots roster in 2009. Flaws in the Cincy roster, bad coaching, and poor ownership factored more into the Bengals struggling since their last playoff appearance; not Palmer's injury.

False

The Patriots have lost too many important players to be a contender anymore.

True

Gone are Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, and Richard Seymour. These players were the foundation of three championships. However, new players like Jerod Mayo and Brandon Meriweather have the Patriots allowing only 14.5 ppg (#2 behind the Colts). So, statistically, this is one of the better defense the Patriots have ever had. When you have Tom Brady, and you give him a defense that is only allowing roughly 2 TDs a game, you ARE a contender.

False

The Patriots basically have only two receiving weapons on offense: Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Double those two guys and you should be able to shut down this offense.

True

Um, if things were that easy, the Patriots would be 0-8 now. They aren't. When teams double those two WRs, tight end Benjamin Watson has stepped up and made some big plays. He is on his way to a career year, currently with 19 receptions for 271 yards and 4 TDs.

Like with all great teams, lots of silly, incorrect information gets thrown out there and just accepted as fact (like when people say Peyton Manning "struggles" against 3-4 defenses). When morons spew this kind of lazy garbage, it is up to us bloggers to kick them in the nuts, laugh in their face, and yell "WRONG!"

Keys to beating the Patriots on Sunday

MaPatsFan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:36:51 -0000

by Darron Cummings - AP

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I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm pretty sure Caldwell isn't scouring the internet, looking for a Patriots blogger with the keys to the kingdom. At any rate, blogs are a chance to turn ourselves into armchair quarterbacks and today, I'm opening up the family safe for all to see.

On last night's Stampede Blue Radio, we talked about 1 surprise player for each team. My pick was TE Benjamin Watson for the Patriots. Watson is not racking up insane numbers and, for all intents and purposes, is flying under the radar. Caldwell probably knows about him, but will Big Ben garner some respect?

Read on...

Another question I get asked consistently during cross blogging exchanges is, "How does my team beat the Patriots? I have my answer, but want to hear yours." I invariably launch into a dissection of our offense and defense, pick out some weak positions, and point to them. 9 out of 10 times, they come back with, "Keep Brady off the field." It's simplistic, but accurate. Like Peyton Manning and the Colts, the Patriots need Brady on the field to score points. But both have proven you can do a lot with very little time. So keeping them off the field, while somewhat accurate, is a bit of a 30,000 ft view.

Belichick has been sneaking Ben Watson into packages where we need some third down yardage or in red zone situations and the man has been delivering. I would argue he's our "third receiver". While defenses are busy with Randy Moss and Wes Welker, Tom Brady can find Watson. Respect Watson and you'll take away a potent weapon.
Takeaway the deep ball. In our '07 matchup, Tony Dungy decided to sacrifice the underneath routes to Wes Welker and blanket Randy Moss with coverage. The Patriots ultimately won that game, but it was very, very close. The Giants used a similar strategy in that season's Super Bowl and it worked.
Dwight Freeney needs to be in Tom Brady's face all...the...time. It is likely that Matt Light will be out and rookie Sebastian Vollmer will take his place at LT. Don't discount Vollmer; he's been playing very well, but has never stood across the "Spin Doctor". Matt Light has a lot of experience with Dwight, so I hope Vollmer is sitting next to Light on the plane ride.
Offensively, it's almost suicide to blitz Manning. He has the quickest release in the game and defenses burn themselves by sending guys in, only to find the ball sailing over their heads. However, the Patriots defense has been successful rushing the middle rather than the edges. Safeties Brandon Meriweather and rookie Patrick Chung have been lurking in the box a lot and looking for holes to shoot through. This may manifest itself when you see a 4-3. Watch out for those guys.
Look for a 4-3. NE has been using this formation quite a bit to overwhelm opposing OLs. As mentioned above, they use it to create gaps for safeties and linebackers (think Jerod Mayo) to slice through and get at quarterbacks or disrupt running plays.
Edge rushing has been weak despite having OLB Adalius Thomas and OLB/DE Derrick Burgess on the team. Right now, I see their responsibility as sealing the edges. I don't believe you'll see a significant pass rush from the sides.

That's that. I'll sit here and wait for Caldwell or Manning to call. I'm sure they're chomping at the bit for this info.

Preview Week Nine: Patriots at Colts

BigBlueShoe — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00:33 -0000

Now that I own this blog, and all the souls of the people currently reading it (which kind of makes me sound like the Freddy Krueger of sports bloggers), I'll dump on you what I dump on my own readers every Thursday during the NFL season: My game previews.

Welcome to primetime, b*tch!

If you don't get the Freddy Krueger reference, just keep your mouth shut or you will make MaPatsFan and I feel very old.

For this preview, I am required to (ugh!) do it from the POV of a Patriots fan, which basically means I cannot insert snide comments about Bill Belichick's sleep-inducing press conferences, or state that players "suck" just because I don't like them. For me, this takes all the fun out of writing a preview. I mean, what good is a preview if I can't make YET ANOTHER joke about Spygate, the Pats choking in the Super Bowl, and the laugh-rot-comedy-musical-review that is a Bill Belichick's post-game handshakes, which for Belichick seem less about sports congeniality and more akin to getting water boarded in a tank of gasoline.

Someone is NOT enjoying this handshake

Nevertheless, I will saunter forth with this preview, which (both on paper and seemingly in practice) might pit the two best teams in the NFL against each other this Sunday.

While the surprising Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints are getting much of the "WOW!" headlines, the bigger story is the play of the New England Patriots. Gone from last year's defense, which ranked #8 in scoring at 19 points per game, are Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Rodney Harrison. More so than Tom Brady, the foundation of three championships was built on defensive players, who always had a knack for coming up HUGE in big games (don't... think about... that damned Rhodes fumble...). This year, with all those players gone, with Adalius Thomas seemingly declining before our eyes, the Patriots sport the #2 scoring defense in the league, giving up 14 points per game.

They are second only to the Colts, who give up 13 points per game.

Again, Denver and New Orleans are getting the headlines for defense, but the real story (aka, the one more interesting to people who actually know football) is the play of the Pats and Colts defenses. No one expected these two teams to have such outstanding defenses in 2009. With Indy losing longtime head coach Tony Dungy to retirement and letting Ron Meeks go (rather unceremoniously, I might add), the feeling from many was Indy's defense would regress even further from the mess it was last season.

Not so.

The Colts and the Pats continue to prove that excellent pass defense, coupled with smart pressure packages that maximize the risk of the opponent making a mistake, are the best practices to stopping NFL offenses.

So, for me, this game is actually less about the legendary quarterbacks (Peyton Manning and Tom Brady... perhaps you've heard of them) and more about the defenses for the Pats and Colts.

Patriots Defense

For Peyton Manning, players like Vrabel, Brushi, and Harrison used to give him fits. No defense bothered Peyton like the Patriots defenses from 2001-2004. Now, with those players gone, can new faces like Jerod Mayo and Brandon Meriweather provide equal frustration to "Perfect Peyton"? Currently, Peyton is well on his way to winning his fourth NFL MVP, a feat no player has ever done. A "bad" day for Peyton now is "only" throwing for 350 yards, completing 65% of his passes, and no turnovers.

Again, that's "bad."

If the Patriots want to have any hope of winning this game, they must attack and frustrate Peyton. They must confuse, disguise, and rattle him. That is, by no means, an easy feat. In fact, no team has really been able to "rattle" Peyton since, maybe, the 2004 Patriots in the playoffs.

Colts Defense

For the Colts defense, they hired longtime Brady nemesis Larry Coyer as their defensive coordinator. Pats fans remember coyer as the "real" mastermind behind the Denver Broncos defense from 2002-2006. Coyer coached their defense during Denver's playoff win over the Pats in 2005, which saw Tom Brady throw an INT for a TD. From 2002-2004, Coyer was instrumental in keeping the "Holy Trinity" of the AFC intact (Patriots would beat the Colts, Broncos would beat the Patriots, Colts would beat the Broncos).

Now, Coyer is in Indy, and he has their defense playing as well as it has ever played. Dwight Freeney will own an NFL record if he sacks Brady this weekend, which would give him a sack in ten straight NFL games (going back to last year). Though Indy's secondary is beat up, losing longtime Patriots boogeymen Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson for the season, the Colts do sport some impressive safeties with Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt. Colts rookie corner Jerraud Powers is a legit Rookie of the Year candidate, and Jacob Lacey (another rookie) has looked impressive as well. Despite their youth, this group has indeed been tested against passing attack from the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. They have passed with flying colors.

Final Pontification from Resident Blogging A-hole

Like all great Patriots v. Colts games, this one will likely go down to the wire. And while the QBs will likely get all the jeers and glory, it will be the defenses of these two NFL giants that will decide the game. While neither team runs the ball well (numbers-wise), both defense want to opponents' QB to throw more than they want to. The pass defenses for both clubs are their strengths. Look for both to find ways to pressure the QBs and force them into short-field mistakes.

Likely, the team with the fewest mistakes will win.

A Patriots fan's favorite Colt: Dallas Clark

MaPatsFan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30:36 -0000

by J. Pat Carter - AP

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark shakes off a tackle attempt by Miami Dolphins safety Gibril Wilson on his way to a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 21, 2009, in Miami. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)

View full size photo »

I get asked this question a lot during blogging exchanges: if you were to pick one player on our team to wear a Patriots jersey, who would it be? Ugghh. Invariably, I usually miss totally on this question. If I pick my favorite player, I then get hammered because it isn't usually based on a need; it's simply because I like the guy. Conversely, if I pick based on need, I may miss an obvious talent.

If I were to pick based on need, it would be Dwight Freeney. Now, I know the thought of Dwight Freeney in a Patriots uniform will make many of you hurl, but just hear me out for a second. The Patriots have been struggling mightily with pass rushing duties. OLB Adalius Thomas is decent enough at sealing the edges, but he hasn't been the rusher we thought he'd become. In the off-season, you may have noticed a much rumored play for DE Julius Peppers that never came true, or a very aggressive play for Jason Taylor (who, IMO, made the right move by going back to Miami). We ultimately brought back ex Patriot Tully Banta-Caine and traded some picks for Oakland's Derrick Burgess. Both these rushers, like Thomas, are serviceable, but not game changers. Dwight Freeney is one of those rushers that can cause serious problems for an offense. He would be my vote, IF I was choosing based on need. I am not.

Dallas Clark is the man because I'm choosing solely based on who I like.

This is not a fickle opinion based on Clark's impressive 2009 numbers. I've always like him. I even said so in an interview with KingRichard during the offseason:

Can I have two, pretty please? ;-) Given the Patriots' need for a strong, young ILB, I'd have to choose Gary Brackett. Granted, he's an MLB in a Tampa-2 style D, but I don't think it'd be that much of a stretch to move to ILB in a 3-4. Besides, pairing him with Jerod Mayo would be a lesson in silliness.

My number two would be Anthony Gonzalez. He's young and already tremendously talented. Putting Moss, Welker, and Gonzalez on the field at the same time would scare defenses crapless.

Ok, three: Dallas Clark. I love the guy, when he's not playing against us, that is. Of late, NE has rarely utilized their TE's for reception duties, opting for blocking type ends. Clark would change all that. There's nothing I like more than a big tight end steam rolling a little defensive back.

Well, I put him at three but have since altered my opinion. As far as the Pats' ILB situation, it's very much improved since the off season; ILB Jerod Mayo was knocked out 7 plays into the MNF season opener against Buffalo and backup ILB Gary Guyton had to step in. He did an excellent job and is now a mainstay in 4-3 rotations with Mayo and stands next to Jerod in our 3-4 packages.

Anthony Gonzalez I still like, but I believe Dallas Clark would be the weapon I would choose right now. The Patriots' Benjamin Watson is very dangerous, but he's more of a secret weapon than one of Tom Brady's mainstays. Like Brady and Wes Welker, I believe Clark is a frequent look for Peyton Manning, especially when Manning is in trouble and needs to checkdown.

You guys know Clark better, but I think it's too simplistic to label him a TE exclusively. Sure, at 6-3 252 lbs he has the body type of an end, but his speed and elusiveness (clearly demonstrated by his YAC), puts him in more of a hybrid TE/WR category. Don't get me wrong - I love Benjamin Watson and how well he's doing this year, but Clark would eliminate that incessant "who's your third receiver" question. With Clark in a Pats uniform, it wouldn't matter.

Wes Welker, Randy Moss, and Dallas Clark. Wow...

Is Parity dead in the NFL? Patriots still in an elite club

MaPatsFan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:40:22 -0000

It's funny. Sometimes stories and ideas are abundant. During the season, there's no lack for things to write about. Game wrapups, upcoming matchups, Q&A's with other bloggers. It's a wealth of information right at the fingertips. The long drought that is the off-season is a pain in the butt from a writer's perspective. So isn't a bye week. I'm not complaining, mind you, it gives one a little bit of a break.

As I said above, sometimes ideas are abundant and flow easily. Other times, they're sitting in the back of my mind, waiting for something to push them forward. So is the case with my thoughts on the NFL's parity issues. I've been thinking about this for a few weeks, specifically after 2 Patriot blowouts in a row. Outside of the boys from Foxborough, we have 3 undefeated teams (Colts, Broncos, Saints) and 3 winless teams (Titans, Buccaneers, Rams). Weird.

This idea of parity was pushed forward, as it often is, by our very own Marima's daily links, specifically a story by SI.com's Kerry J. Byrne. I found this to be an excellent piece of writing that asked as many questions as it answered. At the very least, Kerry provided some interesting facts and a few alarming (but good for us) statements:

The fact of the matter in today's NFL is that four teams -- all in the AFC -- have held an iron grip over the NFL for more than a decade. Denver, Indy, New England and Pittsburgh can be counted on year after year -- with the occasional exception here and there -- to stand among the very best teams in the league.

Those four have won 11 of the past 14 AFC titles. They've won six of the past eight Super Bowls and eight of the past 12. Over the past 15 years, the AFC's Big Four have filled 19 of 30 spots in the AFC title game.

Byrne confirms what I think we've all known: these 4 teams consistently run at the top of the heap. While the Colts are having a banner year in 2009, NE owns history right now:

The Patriots, of course, are two years removed from the first 16-0 season in history, they won a record 34 games over two seasons earlier this decade (2003-04), they need one postseason victory to set a record for most in a decade (15) and they've set every win streak in history this decade, regular season (21), postseason (10) and combined (21). Brady, meanwhile, has won a record 78.5 percent of every game he's started (106-29) in his career. Again, all facts that should, on their face, prove that concepts such as "parity" are dead.

What does Byrne offer as reasoning for this disparity in parity? Something we've all known all along: great organizations beget great teams.

Here's one guess why: the NFL, with so many players and so many coaches and so much turnover and so many moving parts, is all about management. And, right now, management has never been more important.

Humans are not equal in talent, whether they're in the front office, on the sidelines or in the huddle, and the notion that a few rules will "level the playing field" is being mocked openly on the field right now.

The highlighted statement is something I've felt all along. If you have a great organization working to get the best talent on the gridiron, you'll be a winner. Lose Scott Pioli? No problem; Nick Cesario has been groomed for years to take on that position. Lose Josh McDaniels? Ok, it's been a little bumpy, but Bill O'Brien seems to be improving. The Patriots have also gone through an amazing amount of turnover on the field. 3 giants on defense retired or were traded (Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour). Tom Brady came back after a year's recovery from ACL/MCL surgery. Julian Edelman and Fred Taylor have sustained major injuries and could be out for a significant portion of the season. Jerod Mayo was knocked out 7 plays into the season and finally returned a few weeks back.

Teams don't sustain changes like that unless they have great ownership, a great front office, and great coaching. The Patriots, like the other 3 mentioned above, have all that and can weather the storm of changes without too much disruption. Hopefully, the league doesn't try to somehow handicap or punish teams who have built these great organizations, but who knows.

I guess the question is should they mess with it to create parity?

Titans vs. Patriots: Five Questions with Pats Pulpit

Jimmy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:57:25 -0000

1. Does Brady look timid in the pocket to you? I have only been able to watch one Pats game this season, the opener, and it looked to me like he wasn't stepping into his throws. Have you seen that to be the case? How would you assess his play so far?

I think Brady is suffering from a number of things. First, his mechanics appear to be off. He's simply not throwing the way he used to (overthrowing Moss a number of times). Second, timing with his receivers isn't all it's cracked up to be. Third, Brady and his receivers are simply not on the same page. Tom expects Welker to go one way and he's adjusting to coverage, heading off in another direction. Fourth, as you indicated, he's not stepping into his throws like we're used to. There's certainly a bit of timidness, a desire to protect his left leg, but I'm not really surprised at this. Many expected the return of the 2007 Brady and that's just unrealistic.

2. Do you think this team misses Josh McDaniels?

Yes. Josh, more than anything, was a very good quarterbacks coach (his role before taking over OC duties). He knows quarterbacks and he knows who to manage them. Case in point: I thought one of his best years was 2008 when Matt Cassel took over the QB reins. It wasn't a great year for the team (missed the playoffs), but without McDaniels the Patriots may have been much worse off.

3. What is the one match-up the Patriots have to win in order to win this game?

I think we have to stuff the Titans' run game. In particular, Chris Johnson can breakout at any moment and make a big play. I think the matchup to concentrate on is sealing up the edges and forcing Johnson inside where the Patriots' defensive line can bottle him up.

4. Talk about how good Jerod Mayo has been for this team.

Jerod Mayo has been huge for the Patriots. In his 2008 rookie season, he had to step up and become one of the main players in our front 7. He still struggles in pass coverage, but makes up for it by being all over the field. He's so well respected by the coaching staff that he wears the radio helmet.

I think the most important aspects of Jerod Mayo, however, are his insane work ethic (they had to kick him out of the weight and film rooms during off season) and the long term youth he adds to the defense. After losing so many veteran players, we were in dire straights for a leader and Mayo appears to be that guy.

5. Write the headline in Monday's Tennessean.

The Titans' Chris Johnson had a solid day in Foxborough, MA, but Kerry Collins was unable to find his receivers, barely cracking 200 yards passing. The Titans ultimately fell to a home field Patriots and a Tom Brady who decided to finally connect with his receivers for 300 yards and 4 TD passes. Patriots defeat Titans, 35-14.

Click here to his questions with my answers.

Horse Tracks 10/12/09 - The 2009 Denver Broncos are 5-0. Yesterday was not a dream.

Douglas A. Lee — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:08:00 -0000

That was a "Wow" win and an eye-opener, even for me. There were so many points during yesterday's game at which prior Broncos teams would have folded. After those ST penalties, after letting Brady get the ball back late in the 4th quarter of a tied game, after trailing by 10 points at halftime - those were all moments where I thought the Broncos were toast. But this team is different. They are the best-coached Broncos team I have ever seen. No, of course they don't have the talent of the '97 and '98 teams; but this team is so well-prepared and they get better after halftime, every week. Mike Nolan's defense has allowed 7 second-half points all year - the late TD to Cincy. That's it. Anyone want to tell me Kyle Orton doesn't have what it takes? Guy is 5-0 with a 97.4 QB rating. The glove came off yesterday, and how many throws did you see him miss yesterday? Folks, the Denver Broncos are 5-0 with a 2.5-game lead in the division. A win next Monday in San Diego would basically be a 4-game lead...

DB - Patriots Postgame: Report - Broncos TV
This guy BDawk - you think he's got enough energy and enthusiasm?

NFL - Broncos 20, Patriots 17 - Video Highlights
Highlights with radio calls. I'm going to watch this about 15 times today...

DB - Patriots Postgame: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Patriots Postgame: Orton - Broncos TV

DB - Patriots Postgame: Marshall - Broncos TV
Gotta watch this just to see Rod Smith come by and yell "How bout them Broncos!"

NFL - New England Patriots 17 at Denver Broncos 20 - Box Score

DPP - Broncos improve to 5-0 with overtime thriller - Mike Klis

DPP - Orton plays his best game as a Bronco - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Analysis: Broncos defense doing its job - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Wild-horse formation or not, Moreno shows he's a stallion - Mike Klis

DPP - Briefs: Prater's winner an icebreaker in young NFL career
Tony Scheffler injured his back or hip yesterday and did not play much in the second half; Brandon Stokley saw limited snaps.

DPP - Bests & Worsts: Broncos vs. Patriots - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Kiszla: Marshall learned scoring move from Rod Smith
"It's so crazy, and I'm going to make sure I remind him of this," Smith said. "That touchdown (Marshall) scored, the way he came off the ball at the snap, the way he stopped on the route, is the exact same thing me and him worked on while he was suspended, when nobody was looking."

DPP - Paige: Broncos fashion way to sock Pats
"In the postgame news conference, the first utterance by McDaniels was to address some idiot. "You picked us to win four, didn't you?" That idiot would be me. I was wrong."

CSG - Broncos' defense buckles down in second half - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos are sitting pretty at 5-0 - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos notes: Royal appearance - Frank Schwab

CSG - McDaniels giving himself, fans of Broncos a reason to smile - David Ramsey
"What nearly all of us missed was McDaniels expertise as a football architect. And I’m at the front of the line of the oblivious observers."

CBS - Broncos' surprising start defies expectations and then some - Lee Rasizer

DB - Hard-Fought 5-0 - Gray Caldwell

DB - Coming Through in the Clutch - Zach Eisendrath

NFL GameDay - Patriots vs. Broncos highlights - Video
Eisen, Mooch and Deion

NFLN - Sunday Sit Down: Brandon Marshall - Video, Part 1

NFLN - Sunday Sit Down: Brandon Marshall - Video, Part 2

NFL - Perfect protege: McDaniels' insight helps his new team beat old one - Vic Carucci

SI - Kyle Orton, Josh McDaniels making believers out of Broncos, NFL fans - Peter King
"Kyle Orton is good. Josh McDaniels is a genius. A pretty emotional one, as it turns out."

FOX - Denver's new winning ways start with McDaniels - Alex Marvez

ESPN - McDaniels, Broncos mile-high after win - Gene Wojciechowski
"Unlike the great Eric Mangini-Belichick cold-shoulder-fest, it seems the Patriots (and Belichick) still have a soft spot for McDaniels. If not, they deserve acting awards for the way they greeted him at the team buses."

ESPN - Orton emerges as calm, victorious leader - Bill Williamson

SN - McDaniels has Broncos playing with confidence - Clifton Brown

Y! - McDaniels offers refreshing show of enthusiasm - Charles Robinson
"And Kyle Orton? His numbers through five games, factored along with the undefeated start, have to put him in the league’s top 10 quarterback conversation. Unthinkable, but true."

SN - Week 5 Checkdown: Broncos, Bengals are no flukes - Vinnie Iyer

AP - Josh McDaniels Beats Mentor In OT Thriller - Eddie Pells

Patriots News

NEP - Bill Belichick Postgame Presser Audio

BG - Student uprising - Michael Vega

BG - Broncos coach McDaniels relishes special win - Theresa Smith

BG - Extra Points - New England Patriots News and Analysis

BG - Denver doldrums continue for the Patriots - Christopher Gasper

BG - Gostkowski kicking himself over field goal miss - Michael Whitmer

BG - Meriweather finds out that talk isn’t cheap - Michael Whitmer

BH - Patriots’ OT defeat proves to be chilling reminder - Ian Rapoport

BH - Matt Light injury hefty loss - Ian Rapoport

BH - Can’t spell ‘outplayed’ without ‘D’ - Ron Borges

BH - Broncos pen in Tom Brady - Lynn DeBruin

BH - Jerod Mayo makes impact in limited return - Lynn DeBruin

BH - Josh McDaniels masters Bill Belichick - Karen Guregian

BH - The best and the worst of yesterday’s game - Ron Borges

NFL Results

NFL - Dallas Cowboys 26 at Kansas City Chiefs 20

NFL - Oakland Raiders 7 at New York Giants 44

NFL - Cincinnati Bengals 17 at Baltimore Ravens 14

NFL - Cleveland Browns 6 at Buffalo Bills 3

NFL - Washington Redskins 17 at Carolina Panthers 20

NFL - Pittsburgh Steelers 28 at Detroit Lions 20

NFL - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14 at Philadelphia Eagles 33

NFL - Minnesota Vikings 38 at St. Louis Rams 10

NFL - Atlanta Falcons 45 at San Francisco 49ers 10

NFL - Houston Texans 21 at Arizona Cardinals 28

NFL - Jacksonville Jaguars 0 at Seattle Seahawks 41

NFL - Indianapolis Colts 31 at Tennessee Titans 9

AFC West News

KCS - Chiefs let one slip away in 26-20 OT loss to Cowboys - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs don’t have talent to pull off upset of Cowboys - Jason Whitlock

KCS - Cassel offers KC a glimpse of QB it traded for - Kent Babb

SFC - Defense simply overmatched - David White

OT - Peterson: For Raiders, it's never been so bleak

NFL Opinion

SI - The surprising Bengals, Ravens' problems, more - Don Banks
"All of us who smugly predicted gloom and doom in Denver this season owe the Broncos and rookie head coach Josh McDaniels a super-sized mea culpa. That was a belief-inducing win over the Patriots on Sunday, and if there are any Broncos doubters at this point, they're a rapidly dwindling group."

NFP - Sunday rewind: Week 5 - Matt Bowen
"If you didn’t believe in this Broncos team before, now is a good time to start."

CBS - Week 5 Judgements: Look no further because McNabb's the man - Clark Judge
"It's a one-game season, with the Chargers absolutely, positively having to win next Monday's showdown with Denver at the Q. If they don't, the AFC West race ... if you want to call it that ... is over."

ESPN - Last Call: Wrapping up Week 5 - John Clayton