I think you're absolutely right in terms of the plan. I was not as dissapointed about our running attack as a lot of other apparently. Barlow has only been here a couple of weeks and Blaylock was going to get the carries yesterday because he was less likely to make a killer error. Blaylock simply can't hit a hole or a seam with any authority. Good running backs have to sometimes hit a crease with authority to make big runs, that's just not Blaylocks make up. On the other hand even though we didn't run the ball for many positive yards we committed to the run and forced TN to play it. I think you're correct that NE will not feel the pressure to stop the run with more than 7. What we have to hope for is Barlow is much more decisive in hitting into small creases than Blaylock was and NE pays for it with a few big hitting running plays.
Wow, some reference - I wonder how many people went to Wikipedia to look up the Battle of Agincourt? Just remember, WB, while the English won at Agincourt, ultimately a young rookie QB named Joan of Arc turned the tide and ultimately allowed France to take back all that they had lost at Agincourt!
Did she not turn out to be mentally unstable? She heard voices or something. Mind you, brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "light a fire under him"...
Agree with a lot of what you said. Differing on Jets this year vs. last. We are definitely better this year than last. I think we have a decent shot at an 8 win season and maybe better, but there is much football to be played. I would never write off the Patriots. I don't like them, but you must give respect for their accomplishments over the past 5 years and Brady is still Brady. If we win on Sunday, it will be because we earned it; any mistakes we make during the game will cost us dearly - always does against a BB team.
You make good points so let me revise, the Pats may be better than last year, but they are far less dangerous. The Pats passing game has been, imo, the staple of their offense in the last few seasons, and being that is has been SO good, it has dramatically opened the running game for whatever RB was in there, whether it was Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk, or Antowain Smith. Doug Gabriel and Reche Caldwell are garbage. Plain and simple. Neither comes CLOSE to Deion Branch or David Givens from a talent standpoint. Now I definitely think Belichek will find a way for them to succeed, but I also think the Pats passing offense will see a considerable dropoff. This will allow teams to focus on the running attack more. If the Pats run game gets shut down in conjunction with a weak passing offense, then the Pats have no offense. With no offense, the defense stays on the field longer. This is something that the Pats have not been tested with during their entire Super Bowl era.
I do see Ben Watson emerging for the Patriots though. He may become Brady's main target. And I wonder how Sutton will try to defend him.
I don't see David Givens as being better than Doug Gabriel. I just don't. The guy was a 7th round draft pick out of ND and was nearly cut several times early in his career. Tom Brady made David Givens... Branch however is better than Gabriel... and Caldwell is garbage. I think the Patriots can stop the run, run the ball and they have a QB who can make plays with what he has to work with. I don't see a team in the AFC other than maybe Pittsburgh who can say the same. Denver might be close and Indy couldn't stop me from running for 25 yards before blowing out my hamstring ang groin at the end of my carry. This is the best Patriots defense that they've had under Belichick. Their current d-line will end up being tops in the league by season's end.
Here is what will happen next week, Vilma will put a career ending shot on Dillon and Maroney will go on to win the rushing title.
This does bring back memories. I think their kicker has a more proven history than ours. That really could be the difference right there.
Maroney will prove to be a real handfull. Big tackle breaking RB. The pats got a good one there. If we can force the Pats into a passing game I fancy our chances with Ballhawks all ower the park.
Very fair analysis. Jets should be dogs in the game, and the chance of a win are small. That being said, there are two things that make me feel better about this game than any game vs. the Pats since Dec. 2002: 1) we will make adjustments in the game. We never did under Herm, and we couldn't match up the X's and O's; 2) Mangini knows what the Pats think about Chad as a football player and what they like to do to beat him. With that knowledge, the Jets can try to implement a gameplan that reduces our exposure to Chad's weaknesses. Unless we can improve our run game, however, we can't beat the Pats with one arm.
I guess you did not see the NE game cause until the Bills were stopped on 4 n 1 the Bills were in total control of that game especially on the O side of the ball so until that play occurred Bellys D was being pushed all over the place like a rag doll.
Should be a good game and fun to watch, I look forward to it. I think we have a shot, but we need to be smart with the football and create a couple of turnovers. Brady will not throw the ball to our DB's like Kerry did.
Yeah, there is absolutely no way we beat a Belichik defense with a totally flat running game. Mangini and company should be spending most of this week figuring out how to run the ball 35 times against the Pats for close to 4 yards a pop. If we can do that then we have a chance to win this game, if we can't we have little or no chance.
For the first time since his rookie year, I think Brady is back on his heels alittle bit. His dependable targets in the passing game are elsewhere, and the line in front of him, which for years has been overhyped, has shown alot of holes in pass protection. What that leaves him w/ is an up and coming running game, and some quality short yardage targets(Watson, Graham, and Faulk). Our defensive game-plan will not be rocket science. In fact, it will be quite similar to what the Pats gameplan will be for us. We're gonna crowd the line for the run/short passing game, attack the line of scrimmage w/ blitzes/stunts, and make Brady and the WR's beat us deep. The difference in this game will be the lines. Which line can open running lanes, and pick-up blitzes for their WR's to get open downfield. The Pats O-line has alot more experience and despite what many think that team still has a "swagger" to them. The logical answer is the Pats win a close one... But if the Jets can force acouple turnovers, and their young yet talented O-line can rise to the occassion...the Jets certainly have a chance in this game.
I agree I think now that he's missing Branch and Givins Watson will have a much bigger role in that offense.I would let Vilma cover him most of the time.
