Despite the nausea, I am compelled to make a few observations about the Patriots’s disastrous performance Sunday in Denver, a 20-18 defeat.
- As I feared in sending out a well-circulated e-mail an hour before kickoff, the stage was set for another terrible effort by the Pats’s offense after everyone, including the man in the moon, predicted a Patriots’ victory.
- The offense, just as in its two most recent Super Bowl losses, stunk the joint out.
- One legitimate touchdown drive the whole bleeping game.
- Tom Brady was a shell of his usual Hall of Fame-playing self.
- The offensive line needs to be blown up and rebuilt from scratch. Vollmer was the biggest disappointment.
- Brady had little breathing room from start to finish.
- At the same time, even though forced to throw away several passes because his receivers didn’t have time to receive his throws, he was off the mark more than on.
- Ron Gronkowski was the only Pat to legitimately earn his paycheck. He is one amazing gamer.
- Coach Bill Belichick will come under fire for passing up two field goals in the final 10 minutes, but he had confidence in his quarterback and took his chances, despite the atrocious play of his offensive line.
- Guess who threw two TD passes and who threw only one??
- The defense was superb, giving up only one TD on a long drive. The other Denver TD came after an idiotic Brady pass into heavy traffic that I could have intercepted.
- Outcome would have been different — I think — if played at The Razor. Imagine not being able to win either of their two regular season games to clinch home field. Next year Bill might look at the same situation differently. I thought pros played for the here and now, not what might be happening a month later.
- All-Pro Stephen Gostkowski?? Missing his first extra point this season cost the Pats a second straight 20-20 regulation deadlock in Denver and another chance to win in OT.
- This one will take a long long time to recover from.
- How could they play so poorly and still have a chance to win the game if they convert their two-point PAT bid with 12 second left? By being the Patriots.