NE running up the score

[FlyingDutchman]

Anyone flip over to the NE game at all and notice the Pats with a 38-0 lead in the 4th with Brady still running out of the shotgun? They even had the nerve to go for a 4th and 2 on the Wash 12 with like 7 mins left. Then when they scored their last TD, they spiked the ball and celebrated like it was the first one all game. Although ive always hated the Pats, I always respected them as a team and what theyve been able to do. With all the crap going on with them early in the season, and a few occasions of running up the score, Ive lost all respect and its just turned into a pure hatred!

[gr8slayer]

Oh get the **** over it. You want a nice guy sport go watch basketball or soccer or some fruit cake sport like that.

[FlyingDutchman]

Its called class, nice to see where you stack up on that

[TacklingDummy]

Would be nice to see the Bills run up the score. And im not talking 13 points.

[Cntrygal]

4th & 2 on the 12.....

Offense:
Option 1: go for it.
Option 2: attempt FG
Option 3: Just give the opposing team the ball because you're kicking their ass.

Defense:
Option 1: Stop the conversion
Option 2: Block the kick
Option 3: Whine or hope that everyone whines on your behalf because despite the millions of dollars you are getting paid - you can't complete option 1 or 2.

[gr8slayer]

Its called class, nice to see where you stack up on that
It's a business and class doesn't win Super Bowls, good player win Super Bowls.

Attack the post, not the poster. ~CG

[Mr. Pink]

Maybe they shoulda punted on 4th and 2 from the 12!

If they kick the FG, they're running up the score....if they go for it and score a TD, they're running up the score.

Damned if you, damned if you don't.

[FlyingDutchman]

It's a business and class doesn't win Super Bowls, good player win Super Bowls.

Wow dude...whats with the hostility?

Attack the post, not the poster and don't attempt to avoid the filters. ~CG

[STAMPY]

**** class.

Did you see the Texans-Titan game last week

Tenn was up 20 something and texans scored 29 in 4th. Stop somebody. If you can't deal with the score

[gr8slayer]

Wow dude...whats with the hostility? any reason youre a complete a$$hole?
Because I'm tired of hearing about "classy organizations." Players are paid to play football not be model citizens, same goes for coaches.

Most of the people *****ing about running up the score and non-classy players have never played a down in their life and have no clue what their talking about.

[FlyingDutchman]

Maybe they shoulda punted on 4th and 2 from the 12!

If they kick the FG, they're running up the score....if they go for it and score a TD, they're running up the score.

Damned if you, damned if you don't.

4th and 2 with a 38 point lead with 7 mins left. whats wrong with a field goal? is there really any necessity in going for it?

[Cntrygal]

Its called class, nice to see where you stack up on that


:scratch:

What was the score in the 3rd quarter of "THE Comeback" game?

[FlyingDutchman]

Because I'm tired of hearing about "classy organizations." Players are paid to play football not be model citizens, same goes for coaches.

Most of the people *****ing about running up the score and non-classy players have never played a down in their life and have no clue what their talking about.

can you explain your thoughts in a positive constructive manner?


Attack the post, not the poster. ~CG

[STAMPY]

still no explaination for why youre an a$$hole. can you explain your thoughts in a positive constructive mannor?

learn how to use PMs...
Learn how to use spell check too

Attack the post, not the poster. ~CG

[EricStratton]

:scratch:

What was the score in the 3rd quarter of "THE Comeback" game?


It wasn't 38-0 with 7 minutes left.


If there is such thing as NFL karma a New England player will get dinged up at the end of a rout but I don't think there actually is.

[FlyingDutchman]

:scratch:

What was the score in the 3rd quarter of "THE Comeback" game?

35 points at the start of the 3rd, and 38 points with 7 mins to go, are slightly different....

[TacklingDummy]

Maybe they shoulda punted on 4th and 2 from the 12!



That would be funny.

[SABuffalo786]

You want a nice guy sport go watch basketball or soccer or some fruit cake sport like that.


You wouldn't last 5 minutes at a big English soccer grudge match. Makes the NFL look like Under 5 Girls Softball.

[staveoffzombies]

New England is set to break all sorts of scoring records this year. I can't really blame them for running up the score...I mean, they're on pace to not just break records, but to demolish them and immortalize themselves.

If the Bills were playing that well I'd expect them to do the same.

[FlyingDutchman]

learn how to use PMs... Learn how to use spell check too

whatever man, im going to respond to him wherever he comes at me. Not my fault he needs a hug or something....

[Cntrygal]

Attack the posts... not the posters. :tap:

[FlyingDutchman]

**** class.

Did you see the Texans-Titan game last week

Tenn was up 20 something and texans scored 29 in 4th. Stop somebody. If you can't deal with the score

yeah the Texans, and the Patriots...great comparison....

[STAMPY]

yeah the Texans, and the Patriots...great comparison....

the comparison. Is the score piling. They were up 20 plus. Why should it be different if you are NE

[FlyingDutchman]

the comparison. Is the score piling. They were up 20 plus. Why should it be different if you are NE

Dude, what dont you get? UP 38 POINTS, 7 MINS LEFT, AND YOURE ON THE 12. My POS old high school team could have held them off with that lead for 7 mins...

[Akhippo]

That was all bush league. You want to run the ball with your starters still, pass for first downs, and throw long bombs with the game completed decided, Fine. But to go for it on fourth down is a joke. Thats classless.

[PECKERWOOD]

Its called class, nice to see where you stack up on that

That's exactly it.

[Cntrygal]

Didn't one of the teams put up 28 points in under 11 minutes today? I think it was San Diego???

[FlyingDutchman]

Didn't one of the teams put up 28 points in under 11 minutes today? I think it was San Diego???

ok, so now we are talking about THE TEXANS, in ELEVEN minutes, and 28 points. Another great comparison, for the PATRIOTS, and SEVEN minutes, and 38 points, AND THE BALL. Washington would have to score 6 straight TDs and get the onside kick everytime and do it all under 7 minutes....give me a break....

[Cntrygal]

Oh, so it's okay for a non patriot team to score as many points as possible in as little time as possible - and win. Got it.

[Cntrygal]

oh... and SAN DIEGO is the Chargers - not Texans. ;)

[Mr. Cynical]

Hardly surprising coming from Belicheat and the Cheatriots.

[ajsdx]

I agree it's kind of a damned whatever you do situation, but passing from the shotgun in the fourth quarter did seem a little unnecessary.

[Michael82]

The truth is, Belichick is proving that's he's a classless ******* and is trying to get back at the whole league for catching him cheating. I hope karma gets him, but i doubt it. :ill:

[Mr. Pink]

The Pats are obviously playing with a huge chip on their shoulder this year due to the tapes and accusations of cheating. When you completely destroy any team you play, outisde of the Browns-had to plug them here, you're basically proving that you have no peer. If the Pats come out next weekend and beat the Colts to the tune of 2 scores or more, people are either gonna realize they're a great team or they're getting away with their cheating.

This is the NFL. Every team is supposed to be talented. You don't like that you're getting trounced by 38 points, maybe you should decide to show some heart and spine and stop them. Just a thought.

And the last TD drive was executed by Cassel. I see nothing wrong with him throwing it around and gaining some experience. He has to develop somehow in case Brady ever did get hurt. Experience helps.

[cocamide]

I hate the Patriots, but this is professional sports, not little league. You play for 60 minutes, 16 times during the regular season. Why shouldn't a team put forth 100% for all of those minutes? Twice now, we've seen what happens when you beat a team for 99% of the time. That said, I do think the Patriots are a bunch of smug *****s, and I hope they get their ass handed to them, but unfortunately, I don't see it happening. I think they'll "run up the score" on Indy this week. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[FlyingDutchman]

oh... and SAN DIEGO is the Chargers - not Texans. ;)

The Texans were the team that was scored on, and it would have had to been the Patriots getting scored on like the Texans....

[FlyingDutchman]

Most of the people *****ing about running up the score and non-classy players have never played a down in their life and have no clue what their talking about.

Yeah im sure your 2 years of JV football in HS made you so qualified, and me a dumbass for saying this. I played football. I also played a D1 sport in college. I know a thing or two about competetive nature. I also know it doesnt take an athlete to see a team running up the score. Going for it on 4th and 2 with a 38 point lead and 7 mins? Thats like playing a full court press with 5 mins to go and a 20 point lead in basketball. Its just purely uncalled for...

[TigerJ]

The truth is, Belichick is proving that's he's a classless ******* and is trying to get back at the whole league for catching him cheating. I hope karma gets him, but i doubt it. :ill: Bingo! I don't lilke Belichick, but I'm not going to waste a whole lot of emotion on him. Like you, I hope he gets embarrassed and discredited at some point, but I'm not going to wring my hands waiting for it to happen.

[Mitchy moo]

Anyone flip over to the NE game at all and notice the Pats with a 38-0 lead in the 4th with Brady still running out of the shotgun? They even had the nerve to go for a 4th and 2 on the Wash 12 with like 7 mins left. Then when they scored their last TD, they spiked the ball and celebrated like it was the first one all game. Although ive always hated the Pats, I always respected them as a team and what theyve been able to do. With all the crap going on with them early in the season, and a few occasions of running up the score, Ive lost all respect and its just turned into a pure hatred!

I turned and watched on a TV behind me and thought, WTF is Brady still in there up 38-0?? It will end up biting the pats in the ass if a team that has nothing to lose takes out Brady, the coach will look like a A-hole. Oh wait he already does, move on.

[Ickybaluky]

The 49ers beat Denver in the SB 55-10.

The Bears beat the Pats in the SB 46-10.

The Cowboys beat the Bills in the SB 52-17.

The Giants beat the 49ers in the playoffs 49-3.

Gibbs and his Redskins beat the Rams in the playoffs 51-7.

The Bears won the title 73-0.

It is true the Pats are not calling off the dogs this year. They are playing to dominate teams. I'm not sure of the reason, although the whole spygate controversy is probably a big part of it, but it is what they are doing and teams will have to deal with it.

Someday the tables will turn and the Pats will get theirs back. It is the way it works, but keep the crying and *****ing out of it. It's just a game, played by professionals. Nobody needs to feel sorry for anyone.

[alohabillsfan]

Mark my words, this will happen, Brady will drop back and heave a bomb down the field attempting to score a TD that will put them up by say 42 points in the 4th and some d-lineman will level him with a vicious late hit that will seperate his shoulder! Yes the flag will fly and the player will be fined and every player on that team will donate! Brady will be out 4-6 weeks!

[Mike13]

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/10/28/randall-godfrey-to-bill-belichick-you-gotta-show-some-class-s/

It sounds like something that he would do, but I don't think he's been running up the score.

[Ickybaluky]

The Texans were the team that was scored on, and it would have had to been the Patriots getting scored on like the Texans....

How about the Colts? Are they classless?

- In 2003, they beat a dreadful New Orleans Saints team 55-21.

- In the 2003 playoffs, they crushed Denver 41-10.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Titans team 51-24.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Lions team 41-9.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Bears team (with Craig Krenzel starting at QB) 41-10.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Texans team 49-10.

- In the 2004 playoffs, they crushed Denver again 49-24.

However, Tony Dungy is too classy to run up the score against an obviously over-matched opponent, right? Maybe he thought there was a homosexual on the other team.

[Ickybaluky]

Mark my words, this will happen, Brady will drop back and heave a bomb down the field attempting to score a TD that will put them up by say 42 points in the 4th and some d-lineman will level him with a vicious late hit that will seperate his shoulder! Yes the flag will fly and the player will be fined and every player on that team will donate! Brady will be out 4-6 weeks!

I doubt it. How often have you seen this happen in NFL history?

[FlyingDutchman]

How about the Colts? Are they classless?

- In 2003, they beat a dreadful New Orleans Saints team 55-21.

- In the 2003 playoffs, they crushed Denver 41-10.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Titans team 51-24.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Lions team 41-9.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Bears team (with Craig Krenzel starting at QB) 41-10.

- In 2004, They beat a dreadful Texans team 49-10.

- In the 2004 playoffs, they crushed Denver again 49-24.

However, Tony Dungy is too classy to run up the score against an obviously over-matched opponent, right? Maybe he thought there was a homosexual on the other team.

To continue to play, and have high scoring is one thing. But to GO FOR A 4 AND 2 up 38 points with 7 minutes left like youre desperate for points is just plain disrespectful. Youre missing the whole point.

[Michael82]

Mark my words, this will happen, Brady will drop back and heave a bomb down the field attempting to score a TD that will put them up by say 42 points in the 4th and some d-lineman will level him with a vicious late hit that will seperate his shoulder! Yes the flag will fly and the player will be fined and every player on that team will donate! Brady will be out 4-6 weeks!
All they need is another Vince Wilfork.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Bellichick has no class. Everyone already knows that.

Brady and the rest just do what their coach tells them. They have no spine.

**** New England. :monkeyp:NE

[DraftBoy]

Kudos to BB, Brady, and the Patriots for being able to dominate teams in such a way that they are. The rest of the league should be ashamed of the way they are giving up point to the Patriots. And what the hell is this running up the score crap? Did the NFL all the sudden institute a Mercy Rule I was not made aware of? Last time I checked if you dont want to get your ass kicked from one end of th field to the other, then sac up and stop somebody. I swear to god there is more whining on this board about what the Patriots do then by some about what the Bills do. Patriots are 8-0, never had a close game, and are by far the best team in the league. You want to shut them up? Beat them, if you cant do that then your going to get run over and Id want my team to do the exact same thing. Crying about them not having any class, give me a break. One of the classiest organizations in the league and people are going to second guess that because they got busted for cheating. So naive and ignorant. Atleast FTY and NE get it.

[Michael82]

One of the classiest organizations in the league
:lmao: :roflmao:

[FlyingDutchman]

Kudos to BB, Brady, and the Patriots for being able to dominate teams in such a way that they are. The rest of the league should be ashamed of the way they are giving up point to the Patriots. And what the hell is this running up the score crap? Did the NFL all the sudden institute a Mercy Rule I was not made aware of? Last time I checked if you dont want to get your ass kicked from one end of th field to the other, then sac up and stop somebody. I swear to god there is more whining on this board about what the Patriots do then by some about what the Bills do. Patriots are 8-0, never had a close game, and are by far the best team in the league. You want to shut them up? Beat them, if you cant do that then your going to get run over and Id want my team to do the exact same thing. Crying about them not having any class, give me a break. One of the classiest organizations in the league and people are going to second guess that because they got busted for cheating. So naive and ignorant. Atleast FTY and NE get it.

first of all, nobody is crying and whining. This is a discussion board. It wasnt against the Bills so why would I care. Its stating a fact that there is no need for it. And there wasnt. This is a moronic post. I guess the 4th and 2 thing flew right over your head as well. They had a chance to just kick a field goal that would have put them up 41-0 at about 6 minutes left in the game. 31 other teams would have kicked the field goal. If this WAS against the Bills, you would be singing a different tune.

[Gunzlingr]

If there is such thing as NFL karma a New England player will get dinged up at the end of a rout but I don't think there actually is.

I would laugh my ass off if Brady would get injured for the year because we was still throwing the ball when they are up by 30 points in the 4th. I actually hope that happens.

As for running the score, Easterbrook hit the nail on the head last week.

[FlyingDutchman]

One of the classiest organizations in the league and people are going to second guess that because they got busted for cheating. So naive and ignorant.

wow, read this statement again, and then ask again who's ignorant....

[DraftBoy]

first of all, nobody is crying and whining. This is a discussion board. It wasnt against the Bills so why would I care. Its stating a fact that there is no need for it. And there wasnt. This is a moronic post. I guess the 4th and 2 thing flew right over your head as well. They had a chance to just kick a field goal that would have put them up 41-0 at about 6 minutes left in the game. 31 other teams would have kicked the field goal. If this WAS against the Bills, you would be singing a different tune.


Yes it is crying and whining, if you cant see that there is nothing I can show you to prove it. You say its a fact that there is no need for it, I think thats merely an opinion. No it didnt fly over my head, but you've also been dodging the damned if you do, damned if you dont counter point this whole thread, so until you answer that, you dont have a point. So scoring 3 more isnt running up the score but going for it on a 4th down, so the clock would keep running I remind you is? Great logic there. No it this was the Bills I would not. I defended Wilfork for his fall on Losman, I dont turn on blinders just because Im a Bills fan. Something alot of people do.

[SABuffalo786]

Mark my words, this will happen, Brady will drop back and heave a bomb down the field attempting to score a TD that will put them up by say 42 points in the 4th and some d-lineman will level him with a vicious late hit that will seperate his shoulder! Yes the flag will fly and the player will be fined and every player on that team will donate! Brady will be out 4-6 weeks!


We can only hope...

[DraftBoy]

wow, read this statement again, and then ask again who's ignorant....

Not even worth the time, go back and read my thoughts from the incident and then get back to me

[gr8slayer]

Bellichick has no class. Everyone already knows that.

Brady and the rest just do what their coach tells them. They have no spine.

**** New England. :monkeyp:NE
Everyone hates number one. It's human nature to dislike that which is better than you.

[HHURRICANE]

Sorry guys but this is ridiculous.

Bellichek is supposed to figure out when he supposed to pull players because he's beating the other team too badly?

Give me a break.

This is such a loser argument. I've seen Bellichek show mercy on the BIlls on more than one occassion.

[gr8slayer]

Sorry guys but this is ridiculous.

Bellichek is supposed to figure out when he supposed to pull players because he's beating the other team too badly?

Give me a break.

This is such a loser argument. I've seen Bellichek show mercy on the BIlls on more than one occassion.
And it's the loser mentality our team is run by. We try to be "classy" when we should be stepping on people's necks when we get even the slightest lead.

[Ickybaluky]

I think the retribution argument is silly as well. How often does this happen?

I could see if it is a guy in the trenches, but to show me another case where a team took a cheap shot at a QB because the team was running up the score. Brady will be no more exposed to injury than he would be if the Pats were winning each week by a FG.

If Brady gets hurt, it will be part of the game. It is the NFL, guys are going to get hurt, there are no exceptions. It has nothing to do with Karma.

[SABuffalo786]

Again, if you don't like it go watch some fruit cake sport like soccer or basketball.


I love how football fans call soccer a "fruitcake" sport when their manly man sport consists of a bunch of mostly fat men in tights running around playing grabass. :D

Whatever. Go Bills.

[FlyingDutchman]

Not even worth the time, go back and read my thoughts from the incident and then get back to me

why? did you realize what a moronic and contradictory statement you made?

[DraftBoy]

why? did you realize what a moronic and contradictory statement you made?
No you obviously dont know the context by which I was speaking when I used the words naive and ignorant. So I told you to go look at my comments about the Patriots video taping scandal so you can understand what I mean.

[User Manuel]

Anyone flip over to the NE game at all and notice the Pats with a 38-0 lead in the 4th with Brady still running out of the shotgun? They even had the nerve to go for a 4th and 2 on the Wash 12 with like 7 mins left. Then when they scored their last TD, they spiked the ball and celebrated like it was the first one all game. Although ive always hated the Pats, I always respected them as a team and what theyve been able to do. With all the crap going on with them early in the season, and a few occasions of running up the score, Ive lost all respect and its just turned into a pure hatred!

Frankly, I hate the Skins too. It was kind of nice seeing it happen to Dan Snyder...

instead of crying maybe the Skins should have tried actually stopping them.

I will admit the spike thing and going on 4-2 was a little rough though.

[gr8slayer]

Frankly, I hate the Skins too. It was kind of nice seeing it happen to Dan Snyder...

instead of crying maybe the Skins should have tried actually stopping them.

I will admit the spike thing and going on 4-2 was a little rough though.
What's funny is the fact that if it were us against the Patriots and we were up by 52 no one would have a problem with us stepping on their throats.

[Michael82]

yes, he really is that much of an *******. :ill:

[gr8slayer]

No, he's one of the best coaches in NFL history and I would gladly take him any day over any coach we've ever had.

[Ickybaluky]

Getting back on topic, Belichick expressed pretty clearly (http://www.nbcsports.com/portal/site/nbcsports/menuitem.6f806e473b4cb158fb00ec22493c2d04/?vgnextoid=03f04e2dff8e5110VgnVCM10000075c1d240RCRD&vgnextchannel=6f33d5e59df02110VgnVCM100000dc032c03RCRD&vgnextfmt=default) how he feels:


I've been coaching too long," Belichick said. "I remember being on that side. When I was coaching defense it was my job to keep the score down, not theirs. When you're playing defense it's your job to stop them. It's not (the offense's) job to not score. It's like I tell the offense, what the (bleep) do you think I send you guys out there for? To punt? We have a punt team for that. That's not your job. Your job is to go out there and score points. If you come off the field and you haven't scored points you haven't done your job.

[DraftBoy]

Perfectly said

[chernobylwraiths]

The 49ers beat Denver in the SB 55-10.

The Bears beat the Pats in the SB 46-10.

The Cowboys beat the Bills in the SB 52-17.

The Giants beat the 49ers in the playoffs 49-3.

Gibbs and his Redskins beat the Rams in the playoffs 51-7.

The Bears won the title 73-0.

It is true the Pats are not calling off the dogs this year. They are playing to dominate teams. I'm not sure of the reason, although the whole spygate controversy is probably a big part of it, but it is what they are doing and teams will have to deal with it.

Someday the tables will turn and the Pats will get theirs back. It is the way it works, but keep the crying and *****ing out of it. It's just a game, played by professionals. Nobody needs to feel sorry for anyone.

Every example is of a playoff game. I'm pretty sure Kosar played in the Dallas game. I guess they can do what they want, but playing your starters that deep into blowouts WILL come back to bite you and I think sooner than later. Someone WILL take a cheapshot at one of your top players and then we will see who is crying. I know if I have a great player fall to an injury very late in a beatdown, I would be pissed.

[madness]

No, he's one of the dirtiest coaches in NFL history and I would gladly take him any day over any coach we've ever had.

Good for you. :up:

[BAM]

Yeah they probably don't need to score at the end of some of these games

BUT

I'd be lying if I said I'd be mad at the Bills for doing the same.

[Ickybaluky]

Every example is of a playoff game. I'm pretty sure Kosar played in the Dallas game. I guess they can do what they want, but playing your starters that deep into blowouts WILL come back to bite you and I think sooner than later. Someone WILL take a cheapshot at one of your top players and then we will see who is crying. I know if I have a great player fall to an injury very late in a beatdown, I would be pissed.

Injuries are part of the game. However, I can't think of one example where a team took a cheapshot late in a game because they were getting blown out. All this Karma talk is crap.

Besides, Belichick has consistently shown he doesn't worry about injury at all. His attitude is players play, no matter the situation. It is interesting to note that Richard Seymour's first play back this season thus far due to a slow recovery from offseason knee surgery was on punt return. Fans look at that an are horrified that one of the team's best players is being used on ST right after returning from injury. Belichick looks at it as playing, he doesn't care about the situation. He uses his starters extensively on ST, and if they get hurt they get hurt.

Given the results over the years, it is hard to argue with him. Players are going to get hurt, it is a violent game. You can't worry about it and Karma is not going to play a role.

[!Papacrunk!]

I say put the foot on the other teams' throats. If you can't stop them then it's your fault IMO. One last bit--if our teams were doing it, I'd doubt that we'd be issuing the same complaints about our team running up the score. Believe me, I was sore after the Pats did it to my team, but afterwards I was feeling the above mentioned things after I thought about it.

[chernobylwraiths]

Injuries are part of the game. However, I can't think of one example where a team took a cheapshot late in a game because they were getting blown out. All this Karma talk is crap.

Besides, Belichick has consistently shown he doesn't worry about injury at all. His attitude is players play, no matter the situation. It is interesting to note that Richard Seymour's first play back this season thus far due to a slow recovery from offseason knee surgery was on punt return. Fans look at that an are horrified that one of the team's best players is being used on ST right after returning from injury. Belichick looks at it as playing, he doesn't care about the situation. He uses his starters extensively on ST, and if they get hurt they get hurt.

Given the results over the years, it is hard to argue with him. Players are going to get hurt, it is a violent game. You can't worry about it and Karma is not going to play a role.

I don't necessarily believe in "Karma". I just think there are dirty players out there (you should know about that Rodney Harrison) and some will take umbridge with that.

I don't have a problem with starters playing on special teams either. My problem, and yes I would have a problem with it if it were my team, is having my best players playing late into a blowout with a chance for injury. That is why you have backups. If the backups are scoring from a standard pro set, then I have no problem with it. Once you get so far ahead, the object is to end the game quickly then, run the clock and celebrate.

[Ickybaluky]

I don't necessarily believe in "Karma". I just think there are dirty players out there (you should know about that Rodney Harrison) and some will take umbridge with that.

I don't have a problem with starters playing on special teams either. My problem, and yes I would have a problem with it if it were my team, is having my best players playing late into a blowout with a chance for injury. That is why you have backups. If the backups are scoring from a standard pro set, then I have no problem with it. Once you get so far ahead, the object is to end the game quickly then, run the clock and celebrate.

First of all, Rodney is not a dirty player. He is physical and takes his shots, but so didn't Dick Butkus and Ronnie Lott. Intense players piss off the opposition because they take every shot they can. The fact people think he is dirty says more at how the game has gone soft than it does anything about Rodney.

Secondly, spare me your mercy rule.

[Ickybaluky]

I say put the foot on the other teams' throats. If you can't stop them then it's your fault IMO. One last bit--if our teams were doing it, I'd doubt that we'd be issuing the same complaints about our team running up the score. Believe me, I was sore after the Pats did it to my team, but afterwards I was feeling the above mentioned things after I thought about it.

I don't know if your old enough, but I remember as a wee lad watching the Dolphins stomp the Pats back in the day. I looked it up, and the 1972 Miami Dolphins (who finished as undefeated World Champs) stomped a sad excuse for a New England team (who would go on to finish with 3 wins) by the tidy score of 52-0 in a November game. They threw 2 4th quarter TD passes when the score was 38-0 and 45-0.

I wonder if Don Shula faced the same kind of criticism the Patriots are now getting.

[chernobylwraiths]

First of all, Rodney is not a dirty player. He is physical and takes his shots, but so didn't Dick Butkus and Ronnie Lott. Intense players piss off the opposition because they take every shot they can. The fact people think he is dirty says more at how the game has gone soft than it does anything about Rodney.

Secondly, spare me your mercy rule.

Rodney has been fined numerous times. Butkus was also a dirty player. Different times, they allowed a bunch of crap though, but he was dirty. What's the matter, can't admit to having a dirty player on YOUR team?

Again, the tears flowing out of Massachusetts will cause the Atlantic to rise a foot if Brady gets hurt late in a blowout.

[mybills]

I don't think the score matters. But Skooby touched on something when he mentioned leaving Brady in the game so long. Why would you do that? There was no possible way for them to come back and win, so why not put your back up in for as much practice as possible, and protect your starter just in case something happened for him to get injured?

[chernobylwraiths]

I don't know if your old enough, but I remember as a wee lad watching the Dolphins stomp the Pats back in the day. I looked it up, and the 1972 Miami Dolphins (who finished as undefeated World Champs) stomped a sad excuse for a New England team (who would go on to finish with 3 wins) by the tidy score of 52-0 in a November game. They threw 2 4th quarter TD passes when the score was 38-0 and 45-0.

I wonder if Don Shula faced the same kind of criticism the Patriots are now getting.

Both passes were at least by the backup QB. You only had one TD at the end by the backup.

[Ickybaluky]

Rodney has been fined numerous times. Butkus was also a dirty player. Different times, they allowed a bunch of crap though, but he was dirty. What's the matter, can't admit to having a dirty player on YOUR team?

Again, the tears flowing out of Massachusetts will cause the Atlantic to rise a foot if Brady gets hurt late in a blowout.

If he gets hurt he gets hurt. It is part of the game and you can't control it, so why worry about it?

As for Rodney, you couldn't be further from the truth. He plays the game the way it was meant to be played, with great emotional intensity, and he doesn't apologize for it. Unfortunately, the game keeps getting more pussified every year, and people get all up an arms.

Most of the dirty players in the NFL are OL. I can't think of too many dirty guys in the Bucko Kilroy mold. It is a pretty tame league these days. Each player is basically a corporate entity, and they are just doing business.

[Ickybaluky]

Both passes were at least by the backup QB. You only had one TD at the end by the backup.

I never said I had a problem with it. I merely pointed out that they were throwing the ball in the 4th quarter of a game that they had completely in hand against a far inferior opponent.

There is no difference. People making a big deal out of this are just drama queens. They should watch a soap opera or listen to sports radio, but don't bring all that overly-dramatic crap into the game.

[madness]

Interesting stuff on ESPN Page 2...



In other football news, man, the Patriots play well -- and, man, are they bad sports. With 13 minutes remaining, New England led Washington 38-0 -- 13 points more than the margin of the greatest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history -- yet Tom Brady was still on the field, still in the shotgun and still throwing deep. When it was 52-0, most New England defensive starters were still on the field, desperately trying to prevent a Redskins consolation touchdown. In a nationally televised game, Bill Belichick went out of his way to display bad sportsmanship; it was especially coarse that Belichick sought to humiliate Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, a mild-mannered, dignified man who always treats others respectfully. See more on the Patriots' good play plus bad sportsmanship below. For now, it's enough to say that other teams could have run up the score Sunday but instead showed dignity. When Indianapolis took a 31-7 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter at Carolina, Peyton Manning and most of the Colts' starters sat down. Tony Dungy made no attempt to run up the score. When New Orleans went ahead 31-3 early in the fourth quarter against San Francisco, Drew Brees and most of the Saints' starters sat down.

Stat of the Week No. 9: Undefeated New England is allowing only one point per game less than second-place Buffalo but is scoring 29 points per game more.

Sweet Play of the Week No. 3: New England may have punched Washington in the nose, but on a deep post to Randy Moss, the pass was defensed by middle linebacker London Fletcher, who stayed with Moss deep stride for stride.

Sweet 'N' Sour Play: With the game scoreless, New England had second-and-goal at the Washington 2. Linebackers Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau reported eligible. To this moment, Vrabel has nine goal-line touchdown receptions in his career; he has scored a goal-line touchdown from a blocking package in a Super Bowl; and twice already this year, TMQ has run items cautioning that linebackers and extra blockers are the targets for New England plays at the goal line. Nevertheless, Vrabel goes in motion from left to right, simulating a "slide" blocker. He fakes a block on the right, then runs into the right flat of the end zone, 10th career reception for 10 touchdowns. That was sweet. No one from Washington covered Vrabel; that was sour. A player has nine career touchdown catches at the goal line and no one at all covers him at the goal line. That was sour.

Indianapolis Wins Quietly: New England ran up the score, and on Monday was lavishly praised by sports pundits; Indianapolis pulled its starters early in the fourth quarter, and on Monday, sports pundits were complaining that the Colts' victory lacked style points. Please don't let BCS thinking come to the NFL! Judging teams by how much they win by -- rather than by records, quality of play and sportsmanship -- is the worst thing about college football and, 'til this year, has not been a factor at the professional level. As New England frantically ran up the score in the fourth quarter, Fox announcers Kenny Albert and Troy Aikman heaped praise on Bill Belichick for keeping Tom Brady on the field and throwing deep, a reaction that was puzzling, even given that many television announcers spend most of their time gushing. Wouldn't it be nice, with kids watching, if network announcers at least gave lip service to sportsmanship? Fun fact from Indianapolis at Carolina: With three minutes remaining in the first half, Peyton Manning had thrown for only 16 yards. Through the final three minutes of the half and the beginning of the fourth quarter, he threw for 239 yards.

Scouts Notes: Both the Patriots and the Colts make good use of the center flare to the tailback Sunday -- Indianapolis throwing it for a touchdown, the Patriots for an important first-half first down. Both clubs can use this action because their offensive lines are so good. Kevin Faulk or Joseph Addai looks around, sees no lineman who needs help, then circles directly in front of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning for an easy medium-range gain. When Indianapolis and New England meet Sunday, each will be facing another team that features the tailback center flare and a defense that sees the play in practice. Another scouts' point: Belichick game plans, going back to the Giants' Super Bowl wins when he was defensive coordinator, often involve jamming receivers at the line and hitting them on crossing routes, designed to disrupt the timing of passing offenses. Will he try this against the Colts'? And why does no one throw this tactic back at Belichick by jamming his receivers? On Sunday, Redskins' cornerbacks were soft, soft, soft.


This Week's Anti-Belichick Item: First, praise where due: No one draws up a better game plan than Belichick. This season, he usually has started with the shotgun spread and lots of quick slants. Belichick correctly guessed Washington would spend the week practicing to defend the shotgun spread and quick slants, so the New England coach opened with Tom Brady under center and the Patriots running up the middle. Sure enough, the Redskins were in a defense tailored to stop slant passing, with their linebackers backed off nearly 10 yards. After several consecutive runs worked, Washington brought its linebackers up, and Brady immediately started throwing slants. Belichick varies his game plan more from week to week than any other NFL coach, and the variations are almost always intelligent and sophisticated. If you wanted to win a game and had to choose a coach, all other things being equal, you'd be nuts not to choose Belichick.


But all other things aren't equal. Last week's TMQ called the Colts the good team and the Patriots the bad team in a "Good vs. Evil" setup for next week's clash. After the column posted, I felt badly that I had not made clear I was being satirical -- that was my failing as a writer -- because, after all, none of us has the slightest idea what is in the hearts of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. There was Internet chatter calling me biased, ignorant, lower than pond scum; although in 2004 when I wrote a column for NFL.com saying Belichick was not only the best coach of the moment but perhaps the best coach ever, I don't recall anyone calling me biased or uninformed. Anyway, I apologize to Brady for complaining that he smirks -- saying this is an insult, and although it's fine to criticize public figures, insults are childish. (Remember, my argument is not with the New England players, it is with bad sportsmanship and cheating.) I even toyed with apologizing to Belichick, since comparing him to Beelzebub was a tad overloaded. But then I watched Sunday's game and thought, Belichick is exactly what I said!


With 13 minutes remaining, the Patriots led 38-0, yet Brady not only was still on the field but was in the shotgun and still throwing deep. With 12 minutes to play, New England jumped offsides on third-and-2; Brady visibly yelled "*******!" in angry disgust. With his team ahead 38-0! At 11 minutes remaining, Belichick went for it on fourth-and-1, frantically trying to humiliate genteel Joe Gibbs by running up the score. When Brady threw to Wes Welker for yet another touchdown, he celebrated wildly afterward. OK, it's unfair to say Brady smirks. But a true sportsman, or anyone with dignity, would have felt embarrassed about celebrating wildly at 45-0 in the fourth quarter. Matt Cassel came in at quarterback, and immediately began throwing from the shotgun. Belichick went for it on fourth-and-2 with a 45-point lead, and soon the Patriots were celebrating wildly when Cassel ran for a TD himself.


Now it's 52-0 late in the fourth quarter, but Belichick wasn't satisfied. Most defensive starters remained in the game. With four minutes to go, Mike Vrabel was still on the field and Patriots coaches were still calling blitzes. With three minutes to go, Rosevelt Colvin was still on the field and Patriots coaches were still calling blitzes. With 30 seconds remaining, Asante Samuel and many other starters were still on the field, frantically trying to prevent Washington from recording a second consolation touchdown.

You certainly can ask why the Redskins, especially tastefully named Gregg Williams, took their humiliation at New England so passively. If it were 38-0 in the fourth quarter and the other side still had its starting quarterback on the field throwing deep, I would have called a double safety blitz and slammed Brady to the ground; Belichick immediately would have taken the starters out, and the mockery of sportsmanship would have ended. After the game, Colvin and other Patriots players said that in the pros, you should play full-tilt no matter how lopsided the score. If that's true, no one from New England could have complained if Williams had called an all-out blitz to hammer Brady. Why Williams kept calling vanilla defenses in the fourth quarter, passively submitting to being mocked, is something only he knows. But the fact that Washington took its humiliation lying down is no excuse for New England's classless victory. The bad sportsmanship doesn't even make coaching sense -- what if Brady or some other valuable player gets injured during a meaningless fourth quarter running-up-the-score exercise?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071030

[dolphan117]

I'm not one to ***** about teams running up the score but this is getting ridiculous, and dangerous IMO. If they keep doing this its only a matter of time until they really piss someone off and some player looses his temper and decided to start taking cheap shots. Probably at Brady.

Not rooting for it, just pointing it out. And trust me, when a team looses all respect for another team/player there are definitely ways to wear that guy out..... The other week when the Texans player stood over Green and gloated after he got the concussion our offensive line made it a point to abuse him the rest of the game. Not saying they played him dirty necessarily but at one point he had to leave the game with a limp. Satele and Rex had it out for him the rest of that game.

[dolphan117]

I mean I understand wanting to instill an aggressive personality in your offense that whenever they are on the field their job is to put up 7, I agree with it wholeheartedly actually.... So if you don't want your first team out there just trying to run out the clock by running none aggressive plays for fear of it dulling their edge I can understand that.

But there is a pretty easy solution to that problem. Just pull the first team guys and play backups. You can still coach the hell out of them and be as aggressive as you want and it gives them valuable experience while not running up the score as badly. And even if they do score a lot at least your starters weren't out there doing.

Plus like I said your putting your key guys at injury risk by leaving them out there once the game is all but over. I mean how dumb are the pats going to look if Brady or Moss go down on a cheap shot taken late in the 4th when the Pats were up by 35?

[Ickybaluky]

I'm not one to ***** about teams running up the score but this is getting ridiculous, and dangerous IMO. If they keep doing this its only a matter of time until they really piss someone off and some player looses his temper and decided to start taking cheap shots. Probably at Brady.

Again, I understand people are going to have some righteous indignation because the Pats beat someone by more than you think is the proper amount. I even understand you feel the need for some sort of payback, that somehow justice will be served by someone taking a cheap shot at Brady late in a blowout, and "they'll get theirs".

However, reality says otherwise. When was the last time you remember a team taking out the opposing team's QB late in a blowout? It never happens. Name one time.

In today's NFL, the players are professionals that make a lot of money. They are individual corporations that are maximizing their opportunities. That isn't to say they don't have passion for the game, or care. They do. However, they aren't as emotional about it as fans are, it is a job.

All this talk about "they better watch out or someone is going to take out Brady" is silly. It'll never happen.

Brady may get hurt, but it won't be because someone is paying him back for anything. It will be because NFL football is a voilent game and guys get hurt.

[mybills]

I'm not one to ***** about teams running up the score but this is getting ridiculous, and dangerous IMO. If they keep doing this its only a matter of time until they really piss someone off and some player looses his temper and decided to start taking cheap shots. Probably at Brady.

Forget the players. I get a strange feeling that a fan of an opposing team could take out any number of them away from the field. I'd bet on BB being the prime target though. He's the one who cheats on everything, including his wife. I don't think someone would hurt TB, since he's got babies now. That might be the only reason Bruschi has survived this long. :chuckle:

I actually predicted something like this earlier this year. Glad it hasn't come true...










yet. :ill:

[Ickybaluky]

This reminds me of the controversy years ago when Buddy Ryan ran up the score against the Cowboys.

Earlier in the year the two teams played and Ryan got mad because he felt Dallas had piled on in a 40-22 win. When they met the next time, Philly was winning 30-20 in the last minute with the ball. Instead of running out the clock, Philly ran play-action and threw a bomb to WR Mike Quick. Dallas was called for interference on the play, and Keith Byars scored on a 1-Yard run on the final play of the game.

Tom Landry wasn't real happy about it, and Dallas fans were up-in-arms. Ryan was unapologetic, feeling he was paying Dallas back for an earlier injustice.

Ironically, Philly's DC in that game was current Cowboy's head coach Wade Phillips.

Ryan was a character, no stranger to controversy.

[FinFaninBuffalo]

I say put the foot on the other teams' throats. If you can't stop them then it's your fault IMO. One last bit--if our teams were doing it, I'd doubt that we'd be issuing the same complaints about our team running up the score. Believe me, I was sore after the Pats did it to my team, but afterwards I was feeling the above mentioned things after I thought about it.

I agree, but every Pats fan in the world will be crying and calling for Bellichick's head if Brady gets hurt throwing a pass when up by 40 points in the 4th quarter. There is a fine line between the two.

[TigerJ]

With the Patriots, it's not so much what they did on 4th and 2 deep in the other teams territory. It's about what they are doing in general late in games. Generally when teams get a comfortable lead, they move to more of a running game to run clock. New England is continuing to run an agressive offensive strategy. That is usually regarded as poor sportsmanship, disrespecting both the other teams hopes of scoring and ability to stop NE from scoring. In this case it's about saying to the league, "Screw you!" I have no doubt that Belichick is using that same message in team talks.

[Ickybaluky]

"Screw you!" I have no doubt that Belichick is using that same message in team talks.

I would think his team would get mad if Belichick said that to them.

[dolphan117]

Again, I understand people are going to have some righteous indignation because the Pats beat someone by more than you think is the proper amount. I even understand you feel the need for some sort of payback, that somehow justice will be served by someone taking a cheap shot at Brady late in a blowout, and "they'll get theirs".

However, reality says otherwise. When was the last time you remember a team taking out the opposing team's QB late in a blowout? It never happens. Name one time.

In today's NFL, the players are professionals that make a lot of money. They are individual corporations that are maximizing their opportunities. That isn't to say they don't have passion for the game, or care. They do. However, they aren't as emotional about it as fans are, it is a job.

All this talk about "they better watch out or someone is going to take out Brady" is silly. It'll never happen.

Brady may get hurt, but it won't be because someone is paying him back for anything. It will be because NFL football is a voilent game and guys get hurt.Bill Cowher agrees with me


Patriots fans undoubtedly are thinking it, and yesterday former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher said it: If the Patriots (http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg) keep running up the score, will someone like Tom Brady (http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&keyword=Tom+Brady&mode=score&sorting=pubdate) pay the price?
The subject of the Pats’ late-game tactics is causing a lot of buzz around the NFL, particularly after Sunday’s 52-7 victory over the Washington Redskins, when the Patriots converted a pair of fourth downs in the fourth quarter and threw for a touchdown on the goal line that made it 45-0.
On a CBS conference call with reporters yesterday, Cowher noted the Patriots could be playing a dangerous game.



“It’s risk and reward,” he said. “How long do you want your starters to play? You want to be careful. At some point if this continues, someone’s going to take a cheap shot. Is that worth subjecting your players to if it comes to that?
“You can say it’s playing football, but those are the decisions you have to make.”http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1041584

[dolphan117]

If every player in the NFL was a class act then there is now way this would happen..... But if there is a big enough douche out there to stand over an unconscious Trent Green and gloat is it such a stretch to think there is someone out there who would lay a mean hit on Brady?

And it wouldn't even have to be Brady, it would be pretty easy for some D line guys to start taking cheap shots at offensive lineman. Or for a DB to go headhunting on Moss.

[TigerJ]

I would think his team would get mad if Belichick said that to them.

I don't mean that Belichick is dissing the existence of the league. He and the players know they derive great advantage from the existence of the league, but I can very easily envision him saying to the team that the league changed the rules simply because the Patriots had the ingenuity and ambition to take advantage of technology to help the team, ie. "they're picking on us," and instilling the attitude of "we'll show them."

[Ickybaluky]

I don't mean that Belichick is dissing the existence of the league. He and the players know they derive great advantage from the existence of the league, but I can very easily envision him saying to the team that the league changed the rules simply because the Patriots had the ingenuity and ambition to take advantage of technology to help the team, ie. "they're picking on us," and instilling the attitude of "we'll show them."

It sounded like you had Belichick telling his own players to screw themselves.

[Mike13]

“It’s risk and reward,” he said. “How long do you want your starters to play? You want to be careful. At some point if this continues, someone’s going to take a cheap shot. Is that worth subjecting your players to if it comes to that?
“You can say it’s playing football, but those are the decisions you have to make.”

Right Eventually someone is gonna get pissed, and they'll take a cheap shot.

[HotRod]

Has there been a public outcry about Detroit "running" up the score on the Bronco's yet?