NFL Wildcard Sunday

[BUTCH1]

I did not watch the games (I had a playoff game against my front rotors), but what happened? Brady threw 3 picks and fumbled once. Were they bad picks, or did the receivers just juggle the balls and hand them to the Ravens?

Lots of pressure, the Ravens "D" line was bringing it all day, Brady was trying to get rid of the ball like it was a hot potatoe. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can put Johhny -Fing Unitas back there but if he's planted on his ass he's not going to beat you..

 

[Capt Caveman]

I did not watch the games (I had a playoff game against my front rotors), but what happened? Brady threw 3 picks and fumbled once. Were they bad picks, or did the receivers just juggle the balls and hand them to the Ravens?

Brady probably had his worst game as a pro. His first play from scrimmage, he had the ball stripped from him but if he had just stepped up in the pocket, he could have avoided it.

One of his picks, he tried to throw it away but threw it directly at a Raven. The others were tips but he shouldn't have been forcing them. He also telegraphed all of his throws.

Not sure if part of it was due to injury or not but he didn't attempt a single long throw in the game which allowed the Ravens to pack the line of scrimmage.

 

[Linflas]

yea, they beat us every year.

Peyton Manning picks apart our secondary with his eyes closed.

It's the 3/28/84 curse.

 

[vi edit]

Brady probably had his worst game as a pro. His first play from scrimmage, he had the ball stripped from him but if he had just stepped up in the pocket, he could have avoided it.

One of his picks, he tried to throw it away but threw it directly at a Raven. The others were tips but he shouldn't have been forcing them. He also telegraphed all of his throws.

Not sure if part of it was due to injury or not but he didn't attempt a single long throw in the game which allowed the Ravens to pack the line of scrimmage.

I think there were two things really getting to him. First his throwing hand looked to really be bothering him. There wasn't a shot of him where he didn't have it burried in hand warmer. And I noticed that a number of his throws were lame ducks in the air. And it didn't look like they got tipped. they were just ugly throws that wobbled horribly.

Plus his knee is either still hurt, or he's really not confident in it. He's never been a runner, but there were several posessions where he could have either walked it for a first down or a TD but instead threw it away. He couldn't move at all.

 

[spidey07]

Brady probably had his worst game as a pro. His first play from scrimmage, he had the ball stripped from him but if he had just stepped up in the pocket, he could have avoided it.

One of his picks, he tried to throw it away but threw it directly at a Raven. The others were tips but he shouldn't have been forcing them. He also telegraphed all of his throws.

Not sure if part of it was due to injury or not but he didn't attempt a single long throw in the game which allowed the Ravens to pack the line of scrimmage.

That's what pressure will do. I've said it many times before the only way to beat a team with a great QB is you have to blitz him constantly. Get in his face, knock him down make him rush passes. Don't let him sit in the pocket and find an open guy. Look to how the Giants beat the pats in the superbowl? Get in his face from the 1st play to the last. It WILL make him make costly mistakes.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I think there were two things really getting to him. First his throwing hand looked to really be bothering him. There wasn't a shot of him where he didn't have it burried in hand warmer. And I noticed that a number of his throws were lame ducks in the air. And it didn't look like they got tipped. they were just ugly throws that wobbled horribly.

Plus his knee is either still hurt, or he's really not confident in it. He's never been a runner, but there were several posessions where he could have either walked it for a first down or a TD but instead threw it away. He couldn't move at all.

He nor anyone with the Pats will admit it or deny the rumors that he has a broken index finger on his throwing hand and 3 cracked ribs. He may have only been sacked 18 times this year but he took a lot of hits.

Hope next year he'll be completely healthy mentally and physically.

 

[vi edit]

That's what pressure will do. I've said it many times before the only way to beat a team with a great QB is you have to blitz him constantly. Get in his face, knock him down make him rush passes. Don't let him sit in the pocket and find an open guy. Look to how the Giants beat the pats in the superbowl? Get in his face from the 1st play to the last. It WILL make him make costly mistakes.

And to make matters worse for the Tom, he was without his saftey valve in the way of Welker.

 

[foghorn67]

As a NE hater, I still realize this isn't Brady this season. This is a very beat up guy trying to make something happen. He'll back in good health next time. He is young, and he will recover 100%.

 

[SunnyD]

Lots of pressure, the Ravens "D" line was bringing it all day, Brady was trying to get rid of the ball like it was a hot potatoe. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can put Johhny -Fing Unitas back there but if he's planted on his ass he's not going to beat you..

Yep. It was when the Ravens started to try to cover and only rushed 3 that Brady got to stand around and find a target. Even then, the coverage was enough that it either took forever to find a target or he'd throw it away. But at least when the Ravens were dropping 7 or 8 was when the Patriots scored.

 

[MotF Bane]

And to make matters worse for the Tom, he was without his saftey valve in the way of Welker.

Edelman tries, but he just isn't Welker. Maybe in several years, but not now.

 

[Regs]

I don't see the Cards making a run this year. Can't win a SB with 0 defense.

Though I agree the pass rush could of been better, you also can't discredit GB and their offense. Their O-line was awful in the beginning of the year and when they pulled together they had one scary 5 wide set with Rogers. Grant is also one fast RB as well. GB is going to be one heck of a contender next year if they can shape up their secondary.

 

[kranky]

That's what pressure will do. I've said it many times before the only way to beat a team with a great QB is you have to blitz him constantly. Get in his face, knock him down make him rush passes. Don't let him sit in the pocket and find an open guy. Look to how the Giants beat the pats in the superbowl? Get in his face from the 1st play to the last. It WILL make him make costly mistakes.

It's funny that Jimmy Johnson took just the opposite stand (I think it was on the pregame show). He said you play coverage if it's against a great passer, and you blitz the non-great ones.

My thought is that you just do what works. If dropping everyone back into coverage isn't working, then you have to do something different. Same for when blitzing isn't working.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Though I agree the pass rush could of been better, you also can't discredit GB and their offense. Their O-line was awful in the beginning of the year and when they pulled together they had one scary 5 wide set with Rogers. Grant is also one fast RB as well. GB is going to be one heck of a contender next year if they can shape up their secondary.

Green Bay managed to have a pretty good D (minus the Cardinal and Steeler games) without two of their biggest play makers. Al Harris and Aaron Kampman both had season ending injuries around the mid way point. Assuming their D can get healthy and GB can get some more talent where it's needed, I think they'll be a pretty strong team over the next couple of years.

 

[krunchykrome]

Yep. It was when the Ravens started to try to cover and only rushed 3 that Brady got to stand around and find a target. Even then, the coverage was enough that it either took forever to find a target or he'd throw it away. But at least when the Ravens were dropping 7 or 8 was when the Patriots scored.

I noticed that as well; when the Ravens blitzed, Brady didn't have any time to throw it. when they left it up to their line to pass rush, Brady had all the time in the world....the Pat's O-line is too talented to leave it up to the D-Line.

 

[shocksyde]

I noticed that as well; when the Ravens blitzed, Brady didn't have any time to throw it. when they left it up to their line to pass rush, Brady had all the time in the world....the Pat's O-line is too talented to leave it up to the D-Line.

There were a few occassions where we got pressure on Brady while rushing only 3 or 4. The problem with Manning is that he's a master at hot routes and knows exactly where to go when a blitz is coming. We're gonna have to really blitz the hell out of him to keep him guessing.

Rushing 3 or 4 and dropping 8 or 7 into coverage isn't gonna get it done against Manning.

 

[HopJokey]

That's what pressure will do. I've said it many times before the only way to beat a team with a great QB is you have to blitz him constantly. Get in his face, knock him down make him rush passes. Don't let him sit in the pocket and find an open guy. Look to how the Giants beat the pats in the superbowl? Get in his face from the 1st play to the last. It WILL make him make costly mistakes.

The Giants didn't really use or have to use the blitz against the Pats in the super bowl. Their D-line was killing the Pats and they still had 7 dropping back in coverage. Pressure with only their front 4 was a big reason why they won.

Typically a great QB will identify the blitz in his pre-snap read and make the correct play. Blitzing against the great ones is extremely risky.