11-3-08 Patriots Lose A Close One To The Colts

Normally we hear and so on Friday it's on the big show -- he will be back there on Friday in this week but we get the opportunity to break down. The game that we all saw last night and so was working after the game and have a late night for you it's it's a weird thing and I am. I've intentionally not asked you about this -- we've been sitting in here because I wanted to get it on the airing and your thoughts. I thought the the Patriots had a brilliant game plan. I mean they had they've done a great job pre scouting the Colts and seeing what the Colts. You know where we're not going to be good at stopping at that the big game plan was brilliant frustrating if you're -- but brilliant. And they were still too conservative and I I I mean I I -- I could say this twice in the time that he spent here. I think coaching helped lose that game.

Conserve his conservative and a sense you know I like the call to go for too. We've seen it before we give Kevin Faulk the ball in you you watch -- fault lastly I'm sure it. Talked him to a blown face talk about him for a the next four hours but Kevin Faulk. Make something happen every time he touches the football team like nothing's there and his ability to have that quick drop step on it draw it set up his blocks. I love the called go for two rate is you know bill said -- in his post game. You know it was one of those games we felt there's not going to be a lot of possessions which there one network via and the Patriots tournament time of possession of the ball ten minutes more I think. A little under ten minutes. But you know you you get that you know maybe he should pitch counts that are not but you know at that point you're down -- time out. Which are going to be risky there -- for the true but he. You know your late in late in the game. If a great fifteen play drive going Matt -- it's a big third down third down -- pass. Right over the middle Randy Moss. You're moving the football you're not on the plus 35 you've now you know you've you've crossed that point you're driving your now and it's it's and and you're gonna go for but then there's a hesitation. I don't know if you -- spot and I think that's part of what they'll say it was fourth and inches and somebody upstairs. I think there's a lot of misinformation upstairs last night you know you'd try to -- play where they thought they had twelve guys right field -- and.

That they cut by the way we think that's -- Adams and we've always spot that Ernie as the guy who says challenger not somebody you gotta think -- somebody's got to be assigned to watch them monitor all time and we think it turned -- He he he did it. Not only could -- was he wrong about the challenge on too many men on the field. But it wasn't worth the challenge at that point I thought. You know I I give the announcers credit I thought Michaels and and and Matt were both right it's not worth the five yards at that -- bill sees things differently five yards to -- that point. I think is huge that's part of that is what you get it right man right but if you don't get it right. -- And it they looked at. I thought they were too conservative in the first quarter I -- I'm with the play by play again and wrote down a couple of plays last -- just probably a little crazy. First quarter third and six. Faulk up the middle for right or. See you later get rid of the football second quarter third and twelve. Fall over left tackle for five give up the football -- later I mean. They they they almost seem too conservative now as the game -- and you could see they knew that they had that little delayed draw. And and it was Killen the Colts and and they probably thought early on even third and twelve we've got a chance of running for it -- you know that the not going for a on fourth down and of course then the frustration of the convert fourth down -- he called time out. For Bill Belichick to be out of timeouts with -- eleven minutes left in the game.

It's inexcusable inexcusable and and you can't and those on an expert quarterback you know like in. Matt Cassel for the last three weeks you know I thought he's playing his best football that last night. Maybe better than what he did last week against the -- obviously they won the Rams game he made the throws down the stretch. But. -- sit here mid season if you told me you know one quarter ended his 2008 year than you're going to lose Tom Brady. And you had a chance to be six and two obviously their five entering are still sitting pretty three big divisional games coming up. But the still have Matt Cassel take over and we know the story we know holly hasn't played the inexperience. But tell me he's going to be playing his best football those three games right now metal arm like -- what -- on the sixteenth and the odd I was one of the critics at the beginning. We go off what we saw in what we sought to the pre season was he inevitability has stepped forward to grab that position I mean I think still up in the air last week in the pre season. He's played. Above and beyond what I expected an amendment -- agree could if you can't hang the time -- on him normally cutesy you know quarterbacks not get.

Plays well he burned one. Where he'd like to set up an -- in the middle won the first woman less if that challenge second one with the play clock immediately set up that was he has. Third one of course I mean that that Bill Belichick running down the sideline scream and timeout right. You know I I thought Matt made a great point -- in this -- what you were talking about the decision making of Matt Cassel. Where you know if if Sanders. And the other safety -- back we're going to run of the late draw because by the time they get there to help out. Unit that you're going to have a game if there if they're up tight to the box -- they throw the -- his decision making most of the night I thought was impeccable. Now having said all that they're a very bad penalty by Dave Thomas. Add -- flat out drop by Jabar Gaffney from winning the football game even though I thought coaching hurt them last night. Even though I hated her clock management look at that Eric Mangini exact same situation no time -- eleven minutes left we're going to kill him for it. So you gotta do the same thing with Belichick and right. You know sometimes he says well we got to coach better we got to play better and you know that he's just trying to lump everybody together he needed coach better than last night.

Does that make decisions that were a little Kerry I think he understands that in in the risk that's -- remember last year when his team was undefeated in airplane wrote a Baltimore. They ran a sneak with Brady in Rex rankles the time they get grant and sometimes you win those sometimes you don't but I just think that was a killer Morse though. In the Gaffney drop guy's going to drop passes happens in there they're human. Not to drop out what that day especially you know it is as much as Cassel was doing and as for green in -- authors for aggressions Akita is closed his eyes checked that. He's read on the middle on when he looked great and and couldn't throw it back could could not far better dale. But that fifteen play drive where they called a time he saw the frustration from Logan Mankins newly added he slam in the ground. It almost takes the wind got yourself more so than a big drop like that it's just not it goes and I heard -- this earlier I couldn't agree with a more. It's not the Bill Belichick we've been watching here. All these years in the Bill Belichick we've seen go to four on fourth down more than any other coach in the NFL. You know it takes chances you know Burton won -- on the when he art. Asked plate Byrd of the but I don't it has asked to do with and not have -- Tom Brady. And I and I got to make a team that guy I think he trusts more so. Than any other sports making decisions at critical juncture in the game. The ball on his hands it it's like hoops get it give the basket yeah clocks run down won him take shot. He I think everybody -- and he still -- pack your mind we still love it technically inexperienced guy. Call the signals there and Brady was great run sneaks. I don't think it came down for the football or fourth and inches. It's not an argument Heath Evans document Q Falconer draw. Brady was -- easy ones -- he has realistically he's one of the best the current quarterbacks. That it's in the league. I think that that that part of it. -- have an inexperienced guys there I don't think he wants -- he capsules can't at this point what do you think was going through Dave thomas' mind at time he'd he'd made it. Because and we were talking about this earlier. Ari cutesy running back it behind him and Jarvis Green Ellis is behind him so he can't release the in the heat of the battle whether he took the places loud places maybe he hasn't here in the west. He still -- football is a timing game meeting. He can practice at plays much as he wants you know when plays over and I know -- whistle loud places it's no. That guy he was blocking reach your goal -- story and it. You know -- it was a gas law you're going guys the guys around tackle box he's within five yards of of that Jarvis Green else if he was that close he would have been -- to -- I think Dave Thomas should -- that now. There's probably about thirty place prior to that these two guys are going at it maybe some the most batters -- cheap shot. Like payback it from me that it seemed like somebody should be trying to -- made payback on Bob Sanders every play. While I mean I and I broadcast you'll listen to as far as you know Bob Sanders -- that's a player of the year last year. In that I've had this discussion with the -- you give me hammer Ed Reed ten out of ten times they -- Hendry absolutely it's they're they're not compare. You know at the flexing. Its. I understand its first game back he's excited to be there -- you know their backs were against the wall. But it coverage. Bob Sanders and -- great gets the run. I've seen that much out in the --

Now Michaels and Madden were both expressing some concern early on about about not even looking Randy Moss is way. And I give Madden credit has finally he picked up on that later on where he said the pre read is. He's got help over the top with the safety so the pre read as I'm not going over there. Because there's nothing over the right which is why he was he was not even looking Moss is way at the snap of the ball -- his pre regarding told me at double coverage. I thought they used Moss as effectively as they could yes it sometimes you need to use him as a decoy and that's that's when it opens up.

Thanks for Wes Welker and you know we think maybe this is the game where they're going to use the tight end. And the tees are having a guy like Ben Watson -- had a double tied at system here with Daniel Graham is the blocker and -- was the guy you go back 4 year you know they're playing Carolina. That's Super Bowl he's able to stretch the field he's making great catches down the middle. We're just not seen -- if if he still nectar there's injury problems will never know that because you never hear from inside. The bad history catches last -- fourteen yards I think the need to get more out of him. He has to watch athletic ability. To not to be able to use him and incorporated more in his young quarterback sometimes it's easier to rely on those guys on the inside if you know what I mean now. I don't know what the coverage was last night. Multiple times because when you watch it on TV. In -- not at the home game -- its cover to two -- safeties over -- Randy. Billick said when John Madden did refer to it they showed on TV he did at double coverage 33 guys at times with a backer would drop to the zone rating was. Understand one Matt Matt's been using him especially last two weeks they try to get rainy. In this game plan cut the touchdowns. Sort of think this is one where they said hey. They're going to take radio of the game we're going to cut straight up some miles Matt student good job with his progression.

I did think that Indianapolis would win a tight game 11 Michael and I -- there. The score on Friday at up to be more points than there was a thought -- when a tight game I've always been an advocate of the more desperate team usually wins and they are the more desperate team. Having watched again last night -- Ty -- You are going to be able to stop anybody who can run the football the other I mean Ben Jarvis Green Ellis and Kevin ball killed.

This is one where I think the Patriot this may have been the Patriots offense once basket not. Basically because the game plan you know in the eyes light up front right I know they're there they're quicker smaller guys that's what Tony Dungy amnesty -- guys can run in Tampa. -- Of the building the run football last night Matt -- making good decisions -- defensively hold this team. One tackle fifteen points yeah that's that's great kick by Adam is nothing you can do about that tickets at eighteen I never thought I'd putt I. Felt I had no chance. I thought about it I thought it was going to hit. I didn't know I mean I nobody adrenaline that I know the paper it lasts seven above fifty yen at once since. You know what every year while I I didn't think there was a prayer was -- it damn where have we seen that before at. I just felt so good about this game last night because it's definitely not -- team. You know Peyton Manning's not the same guys he's he's been the last couple years he's he's finally get back from knee injury. Gonzales is again kill them and they -- among matchups last night. -- Peyton Manning Marvin Harrison and yet it's also on the outside both guys in the slot. Now difficult some credit here and talk more for Kitna formation. To line up where you have Wilhite in Wheatley. The two guys have now two rookies. -- Gonzales Marvin Harrison Peyton Manning. That's on Gonzales it's two touchdowns take that to attend a great job matchup Marvin Harrison. Its former self as an. Right now he's not --