Week 15

Syferus

It's just as powerful a message that the Patriots' gave up 41 points at home to a true Superbowl rival. The defence still continues to underwhelm and while Tom Brady is predictably excellent I wouldn't be getting too giddy just yet, that was the sort of team you have to be beating to win the only game that matters to the Patriots these days and they played too inconsistently to do it, comeback or no comeback.

They'll likely get another shot at a team of that level next month and I'm sure everyone will be tuning in to see that one.

yorlum11

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Just got around to watching the Pats game and fúck that was the worst first half performance I have ever seen from them. Turnover central and not one receiver seemed able to hold onto a pass. And then we have the second half comeback, awesome stuff with them coming so close to an NFL comeback record. A loss yes, but a powerful message was also sent out.

That message is that they are beatable!

Lothaar v2

spiralism wrote: »

Its a big jump from the playbook consisting of various run plays and an "all go" play to Mannings notoriously complex offence in one offseason. I'd argue that's a huge change.

Off-topic, but Manning's offense is notorious for its simplicity, if anything. It relies on great execution, though, so even a slight lack of QB-WR chemistry can cause problems (IMO that's the reason for the early season issues).

I do think the Broncos are very, very good this year. I'd put them at the exact same level as the Pats and couldn't call a winner if they played... and I really hope they meet in the playoffs!

Son Of A Vidic

yorlum11 wrote: »

That message is that they are beatable!

With a 5 TD score lead? Ya, maybe. But aside from missing my point, no team is unbeatable in the NFL and anyone who is a long time NFL fan should clearly know that.

Son Of A Vidic

Syferus wrote: »

It's just as powerful a message that the Patriots' gave up 41 points at home to a true Superbowl rival.

The 49'ers also had 34 points scored against them, which is the most they've conceded all season. Just as well for them that the Pats had a first half full of unforced errors, unnecessary turnovers and an inability to hold onto the catch.

kmart6

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

With a 5 TD score lead? Ya, maybe. But aside from missing my point, no team is unbeatable in the NFL and anyone who is a long time NFL fan should clearly know that.

Tell that to the '72 Dolphins

adrian522

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

With a 5 TD score lead? Ya, maybe. But aside from missing my point, no team is unbeatable in the NFL and anyone who is a long time NFL fan should clearly know that.

5 td lead? I think you either need to re watch the game or work on your maths.

From a 49ers point of view the second half was pretty worrying.. Once Justin Smith went out of the game the patriots were able to have their way with the defence. The play calling was conservative but the pats passed all over us.

What was pleasing was that the defence was able to step up at the end of the game with some huge play to ice the game.

Very pleased with how the offense played obviously, put up a lot of points without manningham, crabtree was very good too.

The game also gave a lie to some of the nonsense posted on here last week. Think it's fair to say there are a few teams capable of competing with the patriots.

Son Of A Vidic

adrian522 wrote: »

5 td lead? I think you either need to re watch the game or work on your maths.

I think you need to heed your own advice there. The Pats were 4 TD's behind, scored 4 but lost out by a single TD = 5 TD. My Point being the 49'ers had an unassailable 4 TD lead, but still needed another TD to get the win. The reality is the Pats offense really only played for one quarter and still nearly won the game despite that fact. Silly unnecessary errors in the first half cost them the game. Watch the first half again and just see how many Pats receivers dropped the ball. It was the worst half of error strewn football I've have ever seen a Pats team play and I've been watching them for nearly 30 years.

adrian522 wrote: »

The game also gave a lie to some of the nonsense posted on here last week. Think it's fair to say there are a few teams capable of competing with the patriots.

I don't even want to know what nonsense you are referring to there, because I haven't been online much recently but I can only imagine. There's no secret formula for beating the Pats, you just don't give Brady the ball, manage the clock and you win. I've seen too much inconsistency this season from the Pats to be certain of anything. 2007 was a memory no Pats fan should forget. Nothing is certain in football and that's the reason it's the best game on the planet.

SantryRed

Personally, watching the game, the reason the Pats got back into the game was as much the 49ers faults as it was the Pats good play. The 49ers went into, well tried to go into prevent D and make the Pats run a lot of plays before making the end zone. It would have worked has their offense not shut down at the same time.

eagle eye

adrian522 wrote: »

5 td lead?

The game also gave a lie to some of the nonsense posted on here last week. Think it's fair to say there are a few teams capable of competing with the patriots.

What nonsense are you talking about?

I'm a Pats fan and I was always wary of the 49ers game. We had a short week and we were facing one of the best teams in football this season. I don't think anybody got carried away. We were just delighted that the team made a big statement against the Texans.

adrian522

eagle eye wrote: »

What nonsense are you talking about?

I'm a Pats fan and I was always wary of the 49ers game. We had a short week and we were facing one of the best teams in football this season. I don't think anybody got carried away. We were just delighted that the team made a big statement against the Texans.

Taking about people's (not Pats fans actually) complete overreaction to the game against the Texans, "Pats will walk to the superbowl, "no NFC team will get close", "Sorry but if the Patriots walk to the superbowl they will be overwhelming favorites" "They are playing on a completely different level to everyone else" etc.

SantryRed wrote: »

Personally, watching the game, the reason the Pats got back into the game was as much the 49ers faults as it was the Pats good play. The 49ers went into, well tried to go into prevent D and make the Pats run a lot of plays before making the end zone. It would have worked has their offense not shut down at the same time.

Agree with this. This and the fact that Justin Smith went out of the game and there seemed to be no pressure on Brady at this time.

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I think you need to heed your own advice there. The Pats were 4 TD's behind, scored 4 but lost out by a single TD = 5 TD. My Point being the 49'ers had an unassailable 4 TD lead, but still needed another TD to get the win. The reality is the Pats offense really only played for one quarter and still nearly won the game despite that fact. Silly unnecessary errors in the first half cost them the game. Watch the first half again and just see how many Pats receivers dropped the ball. It was the worst half of error strewn football I've have ever seen a Pats team play and I've been watching them for nearly 30 years.

You can say it was bad from the Patriots but I'd like to give the niners defense a lot of credit for shutting them down in the first half. The Pats "only playing for 1 quarter" might have something to do with the 49ers believing the game was won at that point.

eagle eye

adrian522 wrote: »

You can say it was bad from the Patriots but I'd like to give the niners defense a lot of credit for shutting them down in the first half. The Pats "only playing for 1 quarter" might have something to do with the 49ers believing the game was won at that point.

Thing is and Corvus said it, there were a lot of unforced errors from the Patriots in the first half. Brady threw a horrible pass that was intercepted and led to a touchdown a couple of plays later, then Ridley's fumble gave the ball to the 49ers offense at our 3 yard line. Hernandez then pulled out of a catch which ended up being intercepted and close to the red zone for the niners who scored a touchdown from it.

Thats 21 points right there all through bad play by the Patriots, not from real good 49ers defense.

adrian522

Perhaps not but the 49ers defense was definitely playing much better in the first half, they were getting pressure on the QB and a lot of the catches, the receivers were attempting just as they were getting hit.

In the second half the 49ers front 7 weren't getting the same level of pressure, the secondary was playing more zone and the receivers looked a bit more wide open.

This is just from memory but that was my opinion at the time.

The coaches film should be up on gamepass by now so I might take another look at some of that but Brady certainly wasn't under the same level of pressure in the 2nd half.

I just think it's a little too simplistic to write off the first half as the Pats offense not showing up and only showing up in the third quarter and playing brilliantly to come back into the game. You have to look at the game as a whole.

Another factor was the amount of no huddle the Patriots went with in the second half which had the 49ers defense out on their feet. Brady threw an insane number of passes in that game.

eagle eye

I'm not putting it all down to the Patriots unforced errors, I'm putting 21 points of the 41 they scored down to the Patriots offense.

adrian522

Yeah, 49ers got a lot of short fields for sure and also managed to come away with zero points on 3 of those possessions.(In the first quarter, the 49ers reached the New England 5, 21, and 25-yard lines and ended up with zero points on each of those drives).

I certainly wouldn't get carried away by the 49ers points total on Sunday.

PokeHerKing

eagle eye wrote: »

Thing is and Corvus said it, there were a lot of unforced errors from the Patriots in the first half. Brady threw a horrible pass that was intercepted and led to a touchdown a couple of plays later, then Ridley's fumble gave the ball to the 49ers offense at our 3 yard line. Hernandez then pulled out of a catch which ended up being intercepted and close to the red zone for the niners who scored a touchdown from it.

Thats 21 points right there all through bad play by the Patriots, not from real good 49ers defense.

I could say all the same things as the reason the broncos lost to the falcons/texans/patriots and in each game the broncos came back towards the end of the game to make it close.

I don't really have a point, I just think you contradict yourself a lot depending on what team your debating.

Son Of A Vidic

adrian522 wrote: »

The Pats "only playing for 1 quarter" might have something to do with the 49ers believing the game was won at that point.

The Niners team I was looking at certainly weren't taking the Pats for granted. That's just wishful thinking on your part.

eagle eye

PokeHerKing wrote: »

I could say all the same things as the reason the broncos lost to the falcons/texans/patriots and in each game the broncos came back towards the end of the game to make it close.

I don't really have a point, I just think you contradict yourself a lot depending on what team your debating.

If you'd like to go through each one of those games and tell me about a multitude of errors by the offense then go ahead. As has been pointed out here already I only mentioned the ones that ended up with the niners scoring. There were a lot more but our defense did a good job to prevent scores.

adrian522

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

The Niners team I was looking at certainly weren't taking the Pats for granted. That's just wishful thinking on your part.

That's wishful thinking? Yet you throw around phrases like "The reality is the Pats offense really only played for one quarter and still nearly won the game despite that fact." and completely dismiss the rest of the game. The reality is they weren't allowed play the rest of the game . What happened the PAts offense after they fell behind again?

I agree the niners didn't take the pats for granted, they got worn down by the high tempo and the amount of time they were on the field, they lost one of their best players and the play calling got too conservative with the big lead.

spiralism

eagle eye wrote: »

If you'd like to go through each one of those games and tell me about a multitude of errors by the offense then go ahead. As has been pointed out here already I only mentioned the ones that ended up with the niners scoring. There were a lot more but our defense did a good job to prevent scores.

I will if you like:

Atlanta: 3 Manning picks, based off misreads, obvious route miscommunications and bad throws as he was yet to reach 100%. Moreno fumbles well into Atlanta territory and Beadles recovers yet after nearly a half an hour yet clueless replacement refs award Atlanta possession, which they score off. Several bad calls by replacements in Atlanta's favour throughout.

Houston: About a million missed reads and route miscommunications leading to mannings career high incompletions, missed blocks, several blown coverages by the defence, two of which resulted in long TDs. I dont think they've blown a coverage since, save for garbage time.

Pats: Two fumbles inside the New England 20 yard line in a ten point game.

Son Of A Vidic

adrian522 wrote: »

That's wishful thinking? Yet you throw around phrases like "The reality is the Pats offense really only played for one quarter and still nearly won the game despite that fact." and completely dismiss the rest of the game.

But that's exactly what happened, the offense only started to click in hurry up mode. I would give the 49'ers some credit for limiting the offense, but I can't ignore what the Pats did to themselves. Their initial play was so poor with unforced errors and drops littering the first half. The Pats receivers were dropping more balls than knickers in a whore house.

Arawn

It's not NE's offence job to stop the 49rs scoring.

Son Of A Vidic

Arawn wrote: »

It's not NE's offence job to stop the 49rs scoring.

Any other enlightening revelations you'd like to share with us?

kmart6

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Any other enlightening revelations you'd like to share with us?

The world should end in the next 23hours and 29minutes!

Jolly Red Giant

spiralism wrote: »

I will if you like:

Atlanta: 3 Manning picks, based off misreads, obvious route miscommunications and bad throws as he was yet to reach 100%. Moreno fumbles well into Atlanta territory and Beadles recovers yet after nearly a half an hour yet clueless replacement refs award Atlanta possession, which they score off. Several bad calls by replacements in Atlanta's favour throughout.

Houston: About a million missed reads and route miscommunications leading to mannings career high incompletions, missed blocks, several blown coverages by the defence, two of which resulted in long TDs. I dont think they've blown a coverage since, save for garbage time.

Pats: Two fumbles inside the New England 20 yard line in a ten point game.

And the three losses occurred in the first five games when Manning was still out of sync with the offense. The offense has got better but still has a need to improve to be dominant.

These losses also occurred while Del Rio was still installing his defense - that defense is now dominant. The Broncos haven't won nine in a row because of Manning - they have won nine in a row because the defense is stopping the run and chasing the opposing QB all over the pitch.

Few Denver fans expected the Broncos to be challanging for the Superbowl this year - everyone expected them to be a full season away - yet they are now capable of winning five more games on the trot.

The mistakes that happened in the three losses have not happened since and will not happen in the play-offs - the defense is significantly better and if the offense improves even slightly then the Broncos will be very hard to beat for the rest of the season.