Knee Jerk Reactions to Week 6: Pats vs Saints
Things to consider while realizing that any day that begins with Tom “Crazylegs” Brady high-stepping his way to a 1st down is probably going to end pretty well too:
*You make a whole list of reasons why this wasn’t a huge win. It’s only October. Non-conference game. The Pats will probably walk away with the division. This won’t affect the playoff race. And you can take that list, print it off in triplicate, crumple it up into a ball a cram it up Rob Ryan’s sweaty bunghole because this one was huge. In a 16 game season you really only get to have so many statement games. And this one was as loud and clear as they come. That for all the changes and roster turnover and rookie growing pains and injury controversies and crucial guys going down, facing hands down the best, most well-coached team in the NFC, and the game being basically over on at least three occasions and the opposing defense celebrating on their sidelines, the Patriots proved that they just know how to win. Like it’s encoded in their DNA. As statement games go, this was President Whitmore with a bullhorn screaming “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive!” Today, we celebrate our Comeback Day…
*And just like last week with the offense struggling, while Brady isn’t solely responsible, for certain it begins with him. You could just see he came into this game, not just with an attitude, but seething. Like he’d had enough of Gronk injury stuff, worries about his body language, talk that he’s on the decline and concerns about the offense and just said “F-it. Let’s just do what we do.” They came right out in the no huddle. He changed plays at will, made his reads and delivered the ball to guys’ belt buckles. And if they dropped it (note: they did, early and often) then to hell with it; let’s just run the next play. You can debate whether his skills are diminishing. But if you want to argue his leadership has slipped any, then choose your weapon and let’s have at it.
*And make no mistake, that line Troy Aikman kept repeating, that Brady told him Gronkowski’s been the best player on the practice field? That was a warning shot across Gronk’s bow to say it’s time to suck it up and get in the game. But after watching him lead a comeback throwing to a bunch of nobodies, I don’t think there’s the same sense of urgency on that any more.
*Sean Payton should be glad this game wasn’t two years ago. The Pats lost like five guys, which would’ve cost him a small fortune in injury bounty money.
*The second best player on the field without question was Aqib Talib. I don’t know how you can play defensive back in today’s flag-happy NFL any better than he did yesterday. He was giving away 6 inches and 60 pounds to Jimmy Graham and just treated him like he did that Tampa cabbie. Talib jammed Graham at the line, extended his arms on him, kept him from getting into the slants that are his bread & butter, and on several throws managed to free a hand to knock the ball away without losing contact with him. And you could just physically see how frustrated Graham was by the Saints second possession.
*Not that you can blame him. There are domestic servants to Saudi princes who suffer less abuse than Graham did yesterday. The major difference is they don’t have the option of quitting the way he did.
*And credit goes to the other DB’s as well, especially for the way they stepped up when Talib went out. Devin McCourty did a nice job in deep coverage all day, but came down and took Graham in man for much of the 2nd half. Kyle Arrington had him as well, had the interception and made a (temporary) game-saving strip at the cone. And it’s hard fault Alfonzo Dennard, who was in the right position on the Kenny Stills TD. The ball just looked like it went through his hand. Like it was a hologram. Or he’s a Hogwarts ghost or something. I’ve watched the play 12 times and still can’t figure out how that ball got to Stills. But if I was the warden at the jail he’s going to in March, I’d make sure he can’t walk through walls first.
*It was comforting to see Dr. Thomas Gill personally escort Talib to the locker room so he could get right down to misdiagnosing his injury. I suspect by this afternoon they’ll have wrapped up his 4th botched surgery.
*As far as the offensive plays go, there are just so many gems in this game I can’t sift through them to find the real Arkenstone. But one early one that was critical was that 3rd & 18 in the 2nd quarter. The Pats kept Brandon Bolden and Michael Hoomanawanui in for extra protection. Brady kept holding the ball looking for someone to come open. The end on the strong side stunted around and Brady kept sliding away from the pressure (always though staying in that one shaft of light from God) until Hoomba, left with no one to block, had the presence of mind to release and find an open spot. A catch and run later and the Pats were haulin’ the mail. Hoomanawanui might have played his best game as a Patriot when they needed him most.
*But the real plays to print off and work on at your next scrapbooking party are the ones on the final drive. That first throw to Julian Edelman in particular. The Saints came with 4 but Marcus Cannon got beat on a swim move by Cameron Jordan and was in Brady’s face. But Edelman had a LB on him, got behind him with a double move and Brady delivered a perfect ball between the backer and the safety for 23 yards. The most underappreciated part of the whole game was the way Edelman hung onto the ball because Rafael Bush hit him like a rocket sled. After the droppiest day in a season filled with drops, the WRs picked the right time to get great hands.
*Until he made that huge 1st down catch and that game-saver 4th down grab, I wasn’t even aware Austin Collie was in the game. I was just glad that when Amendola got knocked out on the sidelines (Cha-ching, Coach Payton!) that Collie didn’t get a concussion on the play.
*My Rick Reilly line of the week: The last time I saw a Collie come up so big to save the day, Timmy was stuck in a well! Glad that’s out of my system.
*I want to like Marcus Cannon. I really do. His personal story is amazing. So it kills me to admit he’s the worst player on the Patriots. That whiff on Jordan could’ve cost them the game. On one of his first plays he got dumped on his ass (fortunately it ended up being a big gain to Aaron Dobson anyway). He got turnstyled for a sack. He got beaten by Akeem Nicks who caught Bolden from the backside for a loss. And he was involved in a call I’ve never heard of in my life, where a hold got waived off because the official said the defender ran through the hold. Um, what? Squeeze me? Baking powder? So the ref is saying he’s not even good at holding now? That needs to be the title of Cannon’s book, “A Defender Runs Through It.” Again, I hate myself for saying it. But the man stared down cancer and beat it. I’m sure he’s not worried about my monkeyshines.
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*Credit as well to Chris Jones and Joe Vellano, who aside from the occasional sub-out for the Pats NASCAR front, played virtually every snap. And Vellano drew a hold from De La Puente that negated a huge 1st down when the Saints were trying to put the game away. But you can make a case that the defensive play of the day was made by Marcus Fortson, who still had the Practice Squad stench all over him when he fired in and dropped the RB for a loss on a crucial 3rd down. For all I know it was his only snap and he made it count.
*Second would be Chandler Jones bringing down Brees on 3rd & 7 for a sack on what I think was a designed bootleg. They faked the run up the middle and Jones (in a 2-point stance on the weak side) didn’t take the cheese, held his ground and made the solo tackle in space. He is about to take over games on a regular basis. I feel it in my bones. But for now he’s stepping up big in crunch time and I’ll take it.
*To review: With the Patriots down a point with just under 3 minutes to go, Gillette started to empty out. With the Red Sox down four runs and five outs away, all of Fenway was on it’s feet going bananas. The Real Houswives of Foxboro showing their true colors to the nation once again.
*And for the record, there is only one reason to miss a postseason walkoff by a Red Sox catcher: And that’s if you have to see about a girl.
*I was geared up to see the elaborate schemes from Rob Ryan I’ve been hearing about. The X’s & O’s shows have been beating the drum about how he’s reinvented the wheel, smartened up from his random, haphazard, blitz-happy Cowboys days and bringing all sorts of discipline to the worst D in football. I’d heard he’s using some of the 46 looks that are part of his and Shrex’ genetic makeup. Mostly I’ve seen highlights of his 3-4 fronts where he’ll send combinations of any two of the ends and OLBs on any given play and it’s a nightmare for QBs to read. But what I saw was your garden variety 4-3. Sometimes he’d blitz a DB or linebacker, but nothing elaborate. If anything most of those five sacks were either missed blocks (holla, Cannon) or Brady holding the ball and just taking the sack to settle for the field goal.
*I’m not complaining mind you. Watching any Ryan get exposed as a fraud is it’s own reward. And the Rob Ryan Dispair Face is an instant classic.
*This week’s Applicable Movie Quote: “Comeback. Rematch. He punished that man. Retired him for life. No. He ain’t got no weaknesses.” – Noah, Gladiator
@JerryThornton1