Some Patriot thoughts Lucky! Don't think so! As in all sports, football luck is about putting yourself in a position to capitalize on an opportunity when it presents itself. And then, going the extra to make it happen. As in Troy Brown not being satisfied with just a tackle, but going for the strip - as, it seems that's the model many good defensive teams are using these days. (Think Bears and Ravens for a start.) As in the Chargers defensive player not having the presence to just lay down immediately after interception but trying to run a little - creating the opportunity. Or as in good old Marty and his staff blowing the review on clear TV evidence that the call was correct and wasting a time out in the process. Or the head butt because of lack of control (is that a coaching thing??) Don't you agree that a lot of what happens in these close games is driven by how well the Pats are prepared, not just with a game plan, but in total, so they rarely loose control and are better able to adjust when the original game plan goes south. They just regroup, pull together, try something else, try something else again, and go keep going forward. There might be a Harvard business model in there somewhere, you think? Interesting that when TV tried to interview Gostkowski, he said something like I just kept my head down and kicked it. Then he said "I have to be careful, I'm not allowed to talk to reporters." Perhaps another Belichick policy about keeping the focus and not running at the mouth about how good someone thinks they are and how bad the other guys were and having that come back at the Pats later. Are others listening? It will certainly be tough on Sunday. Boston TV reports today that the Colts have restricted sale of any available tickets to on-site in Indy only, no Ticketmaster or similar. Effectively shutting out Pats fans. I'm not sure the NFL should allow that to happen. I wonder why they don't have allocations for each game like they do for college bowl games? Manning doesn't want any Pats fans in the building at all, wants the place "all blue". He'll need it, he's a choker, just like his father, little brother, and coach. None of them have ever stepped up and won anything big. There's a lot of hype about the Colts re-invented defense. But, I think that needs to be put in perspective. The Chiefs were, after all, a not very good 8-8 with a lousy QB. Good runner in LJ, but I come back to my point (above) about when the game plan goes south. Same problem at KC as the Jets used to have - Herm! As to the Ravens, I think their miserable offense got exposed more than the Colts were so good. It became pretty evident, I think, why McNair was available to them. Unlike Brady, he's not able to pick up a team when it's not going good and carry them along while they get reorganized. Sidebar - I wasn't sure if I was going to see an NFL playoff game or the WWF when Ray Lewis came out of the smoke before the game. I'm not sure the NFL should allow that either. I think it's interesting (perhaps revolting is a better word) all the hype that QBs get these days, especially when they aren't really living up to it. I think, besides McNair, that McNabb, Vick, Eli Manning, Hasselbeck, Romo, and Farve at the end of his career, among others fit in that category. There are too many TV talking heads filling airtime by passing on unrealistic assessments and overrating QBs in an effort to make some excitement where there really is none, in my view. I have a hard time seeing McNabb (remember, he lost four in a row before getting hurt and Garcia saved the Eagles season), Vick or the others being good enough and raising their game enough to win the Super Bowl. For Peyton, the jury is out, he's on his last appeal!
posted by Cape Codder at 02:58 PM on January 17, 2007
Chargers flushed, Peyton vs. Brady again
Some Patriot thoughts Lucky! Don't think so! As in all sports, football luck is about putting yourself in a position to capitalize on an opportunity when it presents itself. And then, going the extra to make it happen. As in Troy Brown not being satisfied with just a tackle, but going for the strip - as, it seems that's the model many good defensive teams are using these days. (Think Bears and Ravens for a start.) As in the Chargers defensive player not having the presence to just lay down immediately after interception but trying to run a little - creating the opportunity. Or as in good old Marty and his staff blowing the review on clear TV evidence that the call was correct and wasting a time out in the process. Or the head butt because of lack of control (is that a coaching thing??) Don't you agree that a lot of what happens in these close games is driven by how well the Pats are prepared, not just with a game plan, but in total, so they rarely loose control and are better able to adjust when the original game plan goes south. They just regroup, pull together, try something else, try something else again, and go keep going forward. There might be a Harvard business model in there somewhere, you think? Interesting that when TV tried to interview Gostkowski, he said something like I just kept my head down and kicked it. Then he said "I have to be careful, I'm not allowed to talk to reporters." Perhaps another Belichick policy about keeping the focus and not running at the mouth about how good someone thinks they are and how bad the other guys were and having that come back at the Pats later. Are others listening? It will certainly be tough on Sunday. Boston TV reports today that the Colts have restricted sale of any available tickets to on-site in Indy only, no Ticketmaster or similar. Effectively shutting out Pats fans. I'm not sure the NFL should allow that to happen. I wonder why they don't have allocations for each game like they do for college bowl games? Manning doesn't want any Pats fans in the building at all, wants the place "all blue". He'll need it, he's a choker, just like his father, little brother, and coach. None of them have ever stepped up and won anything big. There's a lot of hype about the Colts re-invented defense. But, I think that needs to be put in perspective. The Chiefs were, after all, a not very good 8-8 with a lousy QB. Good runner in LJ, but I come back to my point (above) about when the game plan goes south. Same problem at KC as the Jets used to have - Herm! As to the Ravens, I think their miserable offense got exposed more than the Colts were so good. It became pretty evident, I think, why McNair was available to them. Unlike Brady, he's not able to pick up a team when it's not going good and carry them along while they get reorganized. Sidebar - I wasn't sure if I was going to see an NFL playoff game or the WWF when Ray Lewis came out of the smoke before the game. I'm not sure the NFL should allow that either. I think it's interesting (perhaps revolting is a better word) all the hype that QBs get these days, especially when they aren't really living up to it. I think, besides McNair, that McNabb, Vick, Eli Manning, Hasselbeck, Romo, and Farve at the end of his career, among others fit in that category. There are too many TV talking heads filling airtime by passing on unrealistic assessments and overrating QBs in an effort to make some excitement where there really is none, in my view. I have a hard time seeing McNabb (remember, he lost four in a row before getting hurt and Garcia saved the Eagles season), Vick or the others being good enough and raising their game enough to win the Super Bowl. For Peyton, the jury is out, he's on his last appeal!