10-27-08 D&H Talk Patriots-Rams

So imagine now you lose here. All Proehl all world Hall of Fame bound quarterback. Five minutes into the first game it seems more like ten -- you know Adams and right. You lose Rodney Harrison one of your hardest hitters team leaders spiritual leaders for the season. The news you lose your number one running back for the season and number two and -- for the C yeah I got a bunch of guys who were or an hour three -- all of that. You know your you'd drop. Defensive backs practically by the minute where this one's going down Allen's going down that's when Edmund left and right back and forth. And still. After eight weeks of the season seven games into the season you're sitting here tied for first place in the AFC east with a record of five and two.

Well there are few things going on here dale number one. We've said this before but it's it's never been more true than in 2008. You don't know what kind of team you have until week nine week ten. Are -- in earlier -- the Giants Steelers it was a Super Bowl preview we don't know that now I don't know what the giant to going to be out of the Giants a great. And we don't know what the Steelers are going to do when the Patriots. Lost Tom Brady and and they came back the play a couple more games after that Miami. San Diego it's like a bad team. With a bad team a couple of weeks ago after that San Diego Los. And a couple of things have happened one we see that their depth this pretty good but to and you mention it off the top. The quarterback is the most improved player on this team from week 12 weeks have. There's not a question Bill Belichick always says you get him better get worse this guy's getting better he played a great game yesterday and the numbers. Don't even tell the story.

No I am I as I said John few minutes ago he could add another 125 yards with a receiving yardage yesterday. You know I I'm just not used to seeing Randy Moss drop anything this isn't -- here. You know Perillo and drops about one out of every three passes that seems anyway Randy Moss doesn't drop any thing. I don't know if that was the new leather repellent red gloves to what otherwise but I'm just not used to see -- Wes Welker yeah -- why don't.

I don't went wide open drop from Welker you don't see that too often either. Drop from mosques not just drop the drop a touchdown pass. Easy touchdown pass at such an interception he should have thought well look at both interceptions on on one as you pointed out during the cross over. It hits Randy in the hands goes off his shoulder pads pops in the air is picked off on the other one Wes Welker spelled out that's it was the greatest pass in the world. But it wasn't. It was a one of those interceptions to go back and look at the tape or you or you -- you know rewind your DVR and say. What the hell's he thinking there you can see Woody was thinking of trying to get the Wes Welker west record Wes Welker --

Now much you can do to Brian castle for either of those. And even though was three sacks and I know that's down from the week before and it's probably still three to Manning this opportunity don't feel it didn't feel like last week --

I mean there was one on one of those sacks. Matt Light has got abused. By the rookie Chris law -- going to be a player I ever Vickers longest he he. He outsmarted light and he'd used a nice quick move. Light -- is going outside long went inside. Direct line to the quarterback brings in -- So it wasn't one of those cases where you saw. Cassel holding the ball holding the ball holding the ball and then taking -- A few times. And and I'll give the coaches credit words were being creative on this even though I didn't like what they were don't. Few times to keep castle from taking so many sacks they were role amount of the right -- wrong -- didn't like the rollout plays from -- cast. Lastly back to college football.

Yet there were several offensive play -- that I needed I I hate on fourth and inches where you -- to a running back two yards behind once spring break I hate. I I mean to meet at the quarterback sneak play every single time well I -- but I think it was one of those.

I think you're if if you as a quarterback if you're reading the tackles. And you think there's a space there or you think they're not looking for the -- then you take the snake. And then if you feel like they're playing it then you have to call it a different player I think he would of golf for the sneak. If the defense had been looking for.

Billy -- he got blown a -- positive for yet Billy Yates got blown out. -- He just destroyed not competitive field on that on that play. The other was a couple of of luck you have to you have back to back placed third and one and fourth and less than one. Where you couldn't get a yard I mean that's not good football. And and I I don't want to go crazy here they're five and two you can only play the teams that are on your schedule Tennessee hasn't beaten a team with a record better than four and three this year either. But that team is getting better. And and and I and I I give apple a lot of credit I'm not a huge all of the --

I am an agreement that teams get better I'm a big fan of what he's able to do and -- first walk amen I'm a fan of his football knowledge of -- Him as a defensive coordinator noted that the coordinator right now but you've got Orosco for three defenses -- 34 defenses. And has been successful coaching both styles and although his team's. Generally are pretty and discipline he does get guys to play form guys guys believe in them he knows how to communicate with the letter discipline part but yeah I hate but button but he he can't get a team to play and and that's -- at the Peter King. Right when he took over the job has -- over the opposite Peter I'm telling you this team's going to go five and six down the stretch does not great. It's a lot better than what they were under.

Sales and there are a lot better and -- and I give them credit man I mean they're going for fourth down and thrown into the field in the first quarter and succeeding. The onside kick which is good. Hard nosed film study and yeah and find -- something that you can use stick to kick off the second half I mean good for him he's going for at least try and stuff. Bulger is not terrible he's not great but he's not terrible. -- really don't have -- for receivers and yet they still managed three long pass play.

It can be pretty good though I like the rookie like Donnie Avery. Good idea on the robot poor execution but I -- yeah I'm touched down there. Torry Holt is not the same but still. He's a man -- you guys count for Torry -- but he can't say he's done. Would have to pay attention to him you do you said you'd want to go crazy and Patriots.

I that I I want to I don't want to go crazy on on beating St. Louis I sort of feel like I did. You know some of these wins have been against teams you feel like generally speaking you should be. And the Rams are one of those teams by the way I do want to brokers -- you know they did some very nice want to go crazy I can't say why.

This league is all about -- As -- about the starters because. No matter who you are in no matter how great your training staff is -- how well condition your players are. You gotta have 34 or five guys get hurt every year -- the of the charges and LaDainian Tomlinson can't play at the Patriots Tom Brady's out. The colts' Joseph Addai has gotten got to go to Dominic Rhodes on the on the line every team. Will be missing some significant starters the the Cardinals just got Anquan Boldin back there a lot of teams like that and I think the Patriots. Big might be the deepest team in football just in terms of quality guys who were common in -- and and that if that sounds outrageous think about the starting lineup yesterday. A you're starting quarterback. As a seventh round pick from USC. Who watched Heisman trophy winners helped the Heisman trophy but held held held it for them not for himself they want to call and his name. At at the New York I'm Matt I use the restaurant and you won't get referrals are there heightened drove. Starting running back -- Jarvis Green Ellis undrafted kid -- old miss. You mentioned Billy Yates. Squad guy from before and he has worked and worked his way onto the roster I didn't know who mark global are what a couple of.

Well he's played a couple of weeks. And we haven't called his name is at on -- down play Billy Yates got blown. To him yesterday mark of sport no one has talked about it and he's starting in this game. I look at defensively at the end of the game yesterday what everybody falling. Rodney Harrison out already. O'Neal was out he came back. Jonathan Wilhite. Terrence Wheatley. You've got at times Meriweather was playing corner yesterday. You'll you'll have to do have some type of depth to get to a game with that scary guy another guy. And doing this in the middle of the season.

So it Jerry guy he's got one on one coverage with Michael Pittman on one play can remember. Pass play element and right. I mean it's what you left with Gary Titans got a coach is Michael Pittman around out of the backfield.

And you know what that those guys are better we haven't heard those names before so I don't want to say these guys -- colonel you're Scruggs -- but would you get there. If you gonna have. -- epitome of a situation I just have to -- they have to be. If those kids can play. We'd be talking loss. To the St. Louis register. So these guys are unheralded. And in some cases they're pretty good now these defensive backs are going to have to grow up fast like overnight. Not literally overnight but in the in terms of the NFL overnight because -- got the Colts next week. What's the Colts lose. -- that -- that microphone but it did in realize that was there let's say the Colts lose tonight to the undefeated Tennessee Titans. They'll already be out of the division moments. They -- this they have no chance whatsoever winning the division of the AFC south. Next week they'll be playing for their playoff lives. Against the Patriots. And you've got. Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley back there and -- banged up Ellis Hobbs and still learning Brandon Meriweather. This is.

As -- O'Neal who give them credit man. Probably shouldn't have been on the field to make the final interception but today the team needs some help on ball back out maybe that's what it takes to get him. To get him to make plays a little banged up but. The these kids are going to have to grow up overnight and they. You know they -- out there to give credit yesterday for a for going out there competing but there were some plays -- really. Really made you cringe LME's Jonathan -- not turning around a look at the football. He's in he's in good position needs to look at the football and that's an experience let's just say that the quarterback he faces next Sunday it's going to be a little better when he faced yesterday right. Now that teammate has some issues but that quarterback on the other side next Sunday is pretty damn it. And and doesn't make many mistakes and knows what he's -- with a football. And you know I I John was saying something about you know will -- some -- these guys work that pop song we're pretty bad but.

Yeah yeah what really -- edited out at times we'll I was bad yesterday Ellis Hobbs on one he's got burned. A straight play you can't blame anybody else on the other play by the way -- can't -- like. Yeah -- you you you cannot be caught by -- looked like he was faster than that Ellis walked right. Little little difficult to turn the corner and hand picked off by -- kicker -- doubt but on one play Hobbs gave up the play all by himself long pass. On the other one. Share the blame between Hobbs. And James Sanders Sanders is look in the wrong way. And by the time he recovers. There's no safety in place he runs into Ellis Hobbs to make it even worse not right position album I gotta run into Dallas and then we -- Donnie -- going to the end -- in the --