X's rant

[ServoBillieves]

Re: X's rant

Defense did it's job fellas, it kept the Patriots from scoring over 45+ point which it failed to do in their last two matchups.

Obviously I'm being sarcastic, but think about that for a minute. Keeping them from scoring over 40 points is progress for this team. ****ing pathetic.

The moron is STRONG in this one!

Please ****ing tell me that the referees had nothing to do with the bull**** calls and we lost by less than one score? PLEASE! Watch the tape, analyze the situations, and PLEASE tell me the defense didn't do it's job without the penalties!

PLEASE!

[kingJofNYC]

Re: X's rant

The moron is STRONG in this one!

Please ****ing tell me that the referees had nothing to do with the bull**** calls and we lost by less than one score? PLEASE! Watch the tape, analyze the situations, and PLEASE tell me the defense didn't do it's job without the penalties!

PLEASE!

Even if you take away the long bull**** PI on Gilmore, they gave up 30 points. Fitzpatrick fumble also put the D in bad field position. Bottom line, the Patriots punted twice yesterday. If that's a defense doing it's job then I want no part of it. Defense wasn't horrid, that's the bottom line, and mongoloids like yourself are fine with that.

Offense posted a franchise record in first downs and had a great game from a total yards perspective, so I guess the offense was amazing even though they turned it over 3 times.

Perspective, get some.

[cookie G]

Re: X's rant

So you seriously watched the entire game, saw the George Wilson Pass Interference, the Stephon Gilmore (within 5 yards) Pass Interference, the 2 uncatchable ball Pass Interferences and merit what you say? The WORLD knows that this game was scripted and sad and you want to pretend that the defense had control over an 82 yard TD drive where 69 yards came from penalties... that so happened to be on 3rd down and an unreal long? The team came to play, they were absolutely thrown under the bus.

The Wilson PI call was on 2nd down. It was a bad call. Unfortunately, Gilmore got flagged for an obvious PI penalty in the end zone 2 plays later. They may have stopped them, maybe not.

On the series with Gilmore's 2nd PI call, Byrd was flagged for PI away from the ball. It should have been illegal contact, but it would have still given NE a 1st down, on a 3rd and 10 play.

The next play, Gilmore was flagged for an obvious facemask call, adding 15 yards to an 11 yard run.

The play after that, Gilmore was flagged for the long PI call. It was a 1st down play, it isn't like they had stopped NE on the series.

They made enough bonehead plays, including Gilmore, to blame the score entirely on the refs.

[cookie G]

Re: X's rant

So, I can agree with your point. But, my comment was more of a snapshot on how the game ended. The defense prevented points late in the game which led to us getting in a position to win. We closed the gap to be in the position to win. That was my point.

If we had been in the lead and simply needed to coast to a win and then gave up points to lose, It would be the opposite of what happened.

But, the Pats scored all game long and the defense stepped up at the end to prevent them from putting it out of reach... Say it this way... in the 4th quarter, the defense had to prevent additional points, and the offense had to score to win... and the defense did their job in that quarter. But yes, overall they failed again.

I'll preface what I'm going to say by saying I pretty much agree with your conclusions in the OP. Pretty much.

But zoom out from the snapshot you are talking about, just a little bit.

-The offense is mounting a comeback, the 17 point deficit is down to 3.
-The D takes the field at the NE 32 with 8 minutes to go.
-The D subsequently allows NE to run off a 14 play, 6 minute drive, giving the O the ball back with 2 minutes to go.

They basically said, "here you go, you have 2 minutes to drive 80 yards and score yet another TD, on top of the 4 you previously scored. "

I just don't see that as "stepping up."

31 points by the O is more than enough cushion for even an average D to step up. You can't keep putting that type of pressure on the O and expect them to succeed every time. Not this O, at least.

I think I agree with your premise, I think they envisioned a great D that would allow an average O to succeed. That's the way they divided the talent at least.

In reality, they are asking an average QB, with average to below average receivers, to be a Manning or a Brees and score at will, overcoming a what is a below average D.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: X's rant

If this team had an average D, they beat the Titans and they beat NE yesterday.

SF, NE-first matchup and the Jets game were just blowouts.

We're a 5-4 team that's tied for first in the East with just an average defense.

[X-Era]

Re: X's rant

If this team had an average D, they beat the Titans and they beat NE yesterday.

SF, NE-first matchup and the Jets game were just blowouts.

We're a 5-4 team that's tied for first in the East with just an average defense.

Agreed.

Now what would our record be with a top 10 QB?

[cookie G]

Re: X's rant

If this team had an average D, they beat the Titans and they beat NE yesterday.

SF, NE-first matchup and the Jets game were just blowouts.

We're a 5-4 team that's tied for first in the East with just an average defense.

An average defense wouldn't have given up 40 points to NE in a quarter and a half.

6-3 with 2 wins over NE.

And I'd like to see what an average defense looks like some time...been so long.

[cookie G]

Re: X's rant

Agreed.

Now what would our record be with a top 10 QB?

4-5 or so.

Right around where NO is right now with Brees leading the league, or Washington with RGIII, or even the Raiders (Carson Palmer is actually 3rd in the league in passing yard).

But I'd like to find out what we look like with a top 10 QB.

[kishoph]

Re: X's rant

The defense by far did not shine, but the bottom line is they held when it mattered most and gave the offense an opportunity to win the game and they failed. That's without taking into account the bad calls, the missed calls (the Pats o-line gets away with murder in order to protect the NFL's Golden Boy), the Fitz fumble at the Bills 13 and the Jackson fumble at the Pats 1. Also this was the leagues top offense, that was averaging over 400 yards and 30 points a game, I can't fault the defense for this loss.

[X-Era]

Re: X's rant

Stevie made a comment on why were throwing to a rookie with the game on the line:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8628272/stevie-johnson-buffalo-bills-questions-play-call-loss-patriots

"I don't think it was the wrong play. But just the whole thing leading up to it," Johnson said, noting that he, receiver Donald Jones and tight end Scott Chandler were more familiar at running the route.
"We had people in positions where maybe they shouldn't have been. So who knows what would've happened if it was Donald, me or Scott there. So it's no blame on T.J. at all, because he's never run that route in practice or in a game."

"You've got to go to the players that give you the best chance at winning the game. And if we don't make it, then we don't make it."

I totally agree. And yes, this does fall on Gailey's shoulders as well.

[cookie G]

Re: X's rant

The defense by far did not shine, but the bottom line is they held when it mattered most and gave the offense an opportunity to win the game and they failed. That's without taking into account the bad calls, the missed calls (the Pats o-line gets away with murder in order to protect the NFL's Golden Boy), the Fitz fumble at the Bills 13 and the Jackson fumble at the Pats 1. Also this was the leagues top offense, that was averaging over 400 yards and 30 points a game, I can't fault the defense for this loss.

I have little doubt that some members of the D would agree with this.

Of course, that's one of the reasons they suck.