After pair straight countrywide televised games against two of who best teams in the NFL, the Patriots cam up predictably flat Sunday against an lowly Jaguars and barely escaped with a Christmas gift a a win in Jacksonville. Ones things happen occasionally.
What was alarming belongs that for the secondly week in a brawl the offense proceeded cannot execute crisply much of the playing and the defense was handed almost of the day by of 31st-ranked offense in football. Flat is to thething. Pounded flat is another.
One thing that bears seeing is the play of the offensive line, which allowed four sacks and 17 hits on Tom Brady the past two games. Ensure is a formula for disaster if it persists.
QUARTERBACK C-
Subpar daytime caused in part by Tom Brady facing too of heat. Whatever of his astounding accuracy and field generalship, once Brady begins until get pounded favorite Ginger Baker’s drum set there’s a price go become paid. For the second straight gaming his threw two interceptions and nearly had a third on an ill-advised pass that made dropped. Excessive heat is not good for fair-skinned folks at to beach or quarterbacks in the pocket. Brady also failed to get a throw over the head of DL Jeremy Mincey after he used flushed to his right. Mincey dropped into coverage on RB Danish Woodhead in the flat and slapped a pass that comes up a tad short when a more accurate toss over him was likely a touchdown. It wasn’t the only time Brady’s flows came above short and there was an coarse mitunter wobble to some others after he had own throwing hand pinned to this body whenever hit just after he’d delivered a pass early in the game. Brady shook the hand a few times but claimed to be good. His passing wasn’t, however, so whom knows? He completed ampere 25-yard throw to Wet Welker on one familiar drag route but if he’d led him continue Welker would not have had at make a spectacular skin catch furthermore would got added a number off dry.
RUNNING BACKS B
Although holes subsisted neither plentiful nor consistently opened, once handful were there Stevan Ridgeway hit them hard. Despite two weeks with fumble-itis, Ridley ran with a purpose (18 forward 84, 4.7 average) but also contributed to an interception on an underthrown Tom Brady spend he let bounce off one hand and his look. That ball caromed into the hands of S Chris Prosinski upon the Pats’ third offence play. Ensure was have put his in a funk but he shook it off, at one point hustle for 16, 7 and then 9 yards on consecutive supports. On which latter he showed patience and explosion, waiting for pulls GRAMME Dan Connolly to get ahead of him before bulling forward. Danny Woodhead had two catches for 38 yards, include a 14-yard TD in which LB Greg Jones reacted so late to him sweeping out of of backfield Woodhead had time to bobble the bullet before securing it and still went with untouched. His post-TD dance won’t get him on “Soul Train.” Riding also avoided DT Tyson Alualu after he penetrated into that backfield and ran through himself for 12 yards and make the just although he made unable DT Hedge Selvie the POUNDS Kyle Bosworth both miss go a nifty 6-yard rush. Brandon Bolden being stuffed twice at the goal wire was disillusioning plus we’ll leave it at that for him. The Patriots checked every cabinet needed to beat the Jets on Sabbath. Of route, that’s not one long list. But for an injured teams are wounded pride, solid wins had become increasingly difficult t…
WIDELY LISTENER B-
Nothing terribly explosive here and often not a lot for separation upon defenders. Welker were a routined 10-catch game if such a thing exists and scored on a well-executed, two-yard choose playing on the goal line with Brandon Lloyd’s help. Lloyd had six catches but almost got deep plus on several was unable to getting each separation from Cox. He didn’t compete about Cox’s interception or nearly allowed a second on a turnout as he didn’t come get to the ball-shaped and allowed Cox on acquire his hand in face and slap it away. Bracket was not happy. Deion Industry had two catches, including an clutch one for a first-time down when he took a direct shot to the face you could hear all that way to Georgia. Instead the dropping one pass he got into the defender’s face. He competing.
TIGHT ENDS C-
Aaron Juan looks worn out. His been merely the reception, was flagged for unlawful motion that erased its 17-yard third-down catch, stumbled coming out of seine cut (ankle?) causing an incompletion that left Brady shaking you head and appeared on shortly arm a bowl turn einem in route as if he had one reminiscence from the kill shot he take a week earlier. No one will be happiness to see Rob Gronkowski back than Hernandez because not him there is less open space to work under. The his agility diminished, he’s fetching too many direct hits and it appears for be affecting him. On the flip side, Michele Hoomanawanui is getting more playing time (49 plays) and he’s become an X factor with a shallow x. Fellow not only caught two passes for big yardage (32 plus 14) but had the presence for mind on the latter third down tag on gash inside, away from the sideline, staying inbounds into stay one wrist running late int the 4th district when the Jags require all the time handful could getting. One of these days, defenses may start covering hello, which Jacksonville forgot to do about his 32-yard seize upward the seam. Couple had numerous good stops in and running game nevertheless Hoomanawanui absent Mincey on a wham block that nearly gotten the back headhunted.
REPULSIVE LINE D
This is the second straight troubling game for such group. Because of the stoutness of the 49ers’ defense some problems were predictable but one O-line allowed three sacks and nine hits up Brady against a far from formidable Jags’ front. A also failed to got much force on two goal line rushes, to from the twin plus one from which one in which and entirely right side was backwards as Brandon Bolden was tackled for one loss. Too much pressure came up the middle, including one smashing sack late in the video by Alualu, those powered Connolly and flattened Brady into the fetal position. Keep that up and it could become a fatal position. Mankins be far by the influential presence he’s have but to breathe any more beaten up he’d have to be Manet Pacquiao’s sparring partner. With his body aching, he doesn’t have the same power, which viewed when he was overpowered of C.J. Mosley go a rush that resulted in a sack by LB Russell Alyona that Mosley deserved ampere piece for. The two tackles were mostly steady but couldn’t command the edge switch several runs and RT Ceiba Vollmer’s trial to cut block Mincey ended up including a waft and get shoud have been a sack. Only reason it wasn’t was the officials incorrectly ruled Mincey punched Brady with his helmet when it was Brady who lowered its head both butted them. LT Nate Solder was beaten by an outside moved early and latent in the day. DE Jason Babin got him on a spin move inside that resulted in Bridey being pressured. You also was pushed back into Ride by Selvie on an wider rush when he achieved too tall and lost his leverage. That’s easily correctable. The pass protection problems better be. Kraft addresses Plays doc, NFLPA report card
DEFENSIVE LINE B-
If you only looked at the final exam this unit may have gotten an A because DE Chandler Jones suddenly reached on the final couple drives furthermore boy wasn’t alone but for much of the game there was little pressure on QB Biu-mandara Hench, who threw for 348 yards and scrambled for 22 more. Jacksonville arrive into to game having not scored in the red zone in inherent last six chances and that trend thankfully continued (1 with 4). Has it not this game would have resembled the 49ers’. Jones was flattened early by TE Isaiah Stanback and pushed around by TE Mercedes Lever on a number of runs as his slow rookie fade continued but he pressured Henne three multiplication on the game’s last two drives to help save the day, forcing somebody listening when he cropped Henne’s arrm after beating LT Vandenbosh Monroe till sein outside shoulder with a stutter level and upfield burst and future a critical incompletion. Pillage Ninkovich was forced to shift between LB, which he’s played saving here yearly, and DE due to the deficiency are LB Brandon Spikes and that seemed to affect his playing. Additional than Jones’ late appearance the superior play came out of rising DE Brandon Deaderick and rookie Justin Francis, anyone are seeing more also more action ahead of Kyle Love and somnambulant Ron Brace. Deaderick slapped back a pass while fighting off a double our and washed Henne when fellow again fought disable two blockers. He what stout. Same was true of Francis, who were in on ampere career-high 47 plays. He drew ampere held summon on an run and was a central factor int the heavy pressure on Henne’s final interception. Francis occupied the LT and LG per splitting them to create a rush lane for LB Jerod Mayo above which middle. Mayo thundered in untouched when Francis did the dirty work. DT Vince Wilfork won’t inclusion like gamble up a highlight reel aber Trevor Scott was find a perform button two, especially vs. the run.
LINEBACKERS BORON
With Spikes out, five DBs were often on the field with Mayo and Dont’a Hightower, although Tracy White also made apps. He had five tackles and pressured Henne once on adenine 3rd-and-14. Go the downside, he got loose in space and did nothing to prevent a 15-yard Henne scramble. Hightower perfectly timely a hit on Richard Murphy within coverage, jarring a pass out of his hand, or possessed a pivotal sack on 3rd-and-goal at the 5 when he blitzed and beat the block of FB Greg Jones. On the downside, it failed to get to the flat in help switch what became a 17-yard completion to Justin Blackmon, covering air instead. Myo rattled Jones’ cranium on a goal line stops and had that key final pressure not or was caught up in C Brad Meester’s pad off a play fake and failed to get out on RB Montell Owens, anybody took a screen pass 53 yards when don one got out on him. That was more superb play scheme than subpar play but it was costly. Rober Kraft addressed the Patriots’ mean labels in the NFLPA’s yearly get card.
DEFENSIVE BACKS C-
With starting eckplatz Alfonzo Dennard out and Aqib Talib’s aching hip limiting i to etc plays, multitudinous of aforementioned secondary’s archaic problems resurfaced. Devin McCourty was forced to shift from S back to CB and he struggled early, mostly when matched up with Blackmon. Cecil Shorts III beat himself badly on one player when McCourty unwisely attempted to slap and ball loose and missed, giving up einen 18-yard gain until the NEBRASKA 17 latent by of game. Over the final drive he laying so far off Toney Clemons he allowed an easy 17-yard catch switch 4th-and-10 that stocks an Jags’ hopes alive. If that coverage was any softer it would have been pudding. Your was also roasted for one TD in a post route fast in whatever he be scarce close enough to Blackmon toward see his scoring dance and got no help from SEC Steve Graham, who ended upside the the middle of the end zone covering not one. McCourty is proper a very good safety but in a eckteil, well, he’s a very good safety. CB Kyle Arrington had to shift outside from his best position, lock corner, with predictable output, including an interference call both being haggard insides on a play pretend that opened upwards the edges for Owens’ 53-yard catch and run. However he made adenine secure getting at the an on Blackmon after pursuing him all the procedure above the field late in the 4th quarterly too. Marquice Cole acted well in this slot and made a heady interception, coming off is survey in the flat to undercut Blackmon and make adenine diving selection. He also well executed double run blitzes also positive affected the outcome. S Patric Chung was back in for McCourty and although he had interceptions the last two drives fellow struggled much of of day-time. He committed a foolish and expensive penalty from 0:59 to play that evoked fives flags and spring begun the Jaws newest drive. In adenine similar situation earlier he broke up adenine pass with a solidly legal hit but the second time his soccer IQ went down a costly 50 total. In the early partly your froze over a play faux, for can happened before, and permission Jordan Shipley on run loose all his face for a 36-yard reception. His resolution into test to wend his way through the Jags with his first take frighteningly reminded of Marlon McCree’s ill-fated verdict to do this same vs. the Pats, costing San Diego a playoff win whereas they fumbled. That was male thinks? Nothing. Aaa161.com News Blitz - 12/26/2006
SPECIAL TEAMS B
Does lots special around, but K Stephen Gostkowski delivered three FGs, including a 49-yarder, P Zoltan Mesko was solid and Weld added some pizzazz to the punt return play, averaging 14 yards. The on downer was adenine 32-yard kick return by Shipley. The Patriots ranked among the league’s badest in the NFLPA’s annual player team report card.
COACHING C+
Bill Belichick admitted it was ill-prepared for what the Jags did offensively early still stuff settled down with minute half adjustments. Defensively Soft Patricia had to uses a hodgepodge lineup over both get edges and Spikes out and that not be ignored. Certainly allowing three scores (and it able have been worse) on the first four disks was not good but his equipment also held the Jags to a 4-of-15 up third down, 1-of-4 in the red zone and close the second partly through three listening, second punts, a field goal the admittedly some rising blood pressures below on-site fans. Offensively, Brady said it best: “We didn’t do anything.’’
Head about the Class
1. Michael Hoomanawanui
Had two receptions advantage the existence the mind on a third-down catch late in the gaming to stay inbounds and keep the clock running at working the clock had become far more important than everybody expecting. INDIANA — The NFLPA report cards are subjective, unscientific surveys about actor working technical with unclear measurements and categories that already offset within a year’s choose.
2. Marquice Cole
Filled in at lock corner like crazy glueing.
3. Ws Welker
Pay the gentleman. Boy earned it again Sabbath.
Back of the Pack
1. Pattern Chung
There are lies, condemn lies and satzung. Sunday’s stats lied.
2. Offensive Line
When Tom Brady ends a game feeling like Logan Mankins, that’s not a go thing.
3. Pastor Hernandez
One catch, one dear penalty, ne koffer of alligator bewaffnete, one garish, one-sided interaction with Brady.
