Undertaker #59
11-24-2004, 10:44 AM
Mannix's report card:
Have you got it yet? That deep-down feeling that this is another very special Patriots team? That they CAN sustain themselves for two straight years?
Remember that warm and fuzzy and optimistic feeling from a year ago when that championship group managed to overcome a series of serious injuries to key players and still keep winning. Well, the Pats are doing it again.
Only this time it's behind the solid play of backups Brandon Gorin, Randall Gay and Earthw . . . well, at least Gorin and Gay have stepped in for injured starters and done the job with no major problems.
This year they're also getting lucky in that their opponents have also been hit with injuries to key players and haven't been as resilient as the Foxboros.
The most recent example was the Chiefs, who dropped a 27-19 game to the Pats Monday night. When Derrick Blaylock churned out 186 rushing yards against New Orleans as a sub for Priest Holmes, Kansas City felt they had the NEW Priest Holmes, a big-time runner who just needed a chance. Not quite.
The Saints aren't the Patriots and Blaylock showed on Monday night that he's no Priest Holmes. The quickness and elusiveness that make Holmes one of the NFL's best running backs isn't there with Blaylock, even running behind the NFL's best offensive line.
That's another point. The Patriots defensive line rotation not only contained the Chiefs' big line, it controlled them. Even with safeties Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson staying back in coverage to guard against big plays against Gay and Earthwind Moreland, the Pats were able to shut down the KC running game that had been leading the NFL in production.
And if that wasn't fortuitous enough, it looks like the Baltimore Ravens will be without All-Pro running back Jamal Lewis when they come to Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
COACHING - B
Offensively, the Pats did what they needed to against the Chiefs' lackluster defense. They ran Corey Dillon enough to keep KC from teeing off on Tom Brady ALL the time. They spread the ball around in the passing game. They were at their best in third down situations.
Once again the Pats came out with a well-designed game plan, scoring on their first possession for the 15th straight regular-season game, tying yet another NFL record.
Defensively, there was an inordinate amount of confusion, particularly in the secondary. For much of the third quarter, you constantly saw defensive players waving frantically to one another because people were out of position. That's happened occasionally in the past but never as often as it did Monday night.
It's easy to blame the injuries to Ty Law and Tyrone Poole for the mixups, but they've been out for a month and you would think the communication problems should have been resolved by now.
QUARTERBACK - A
Brady compiled his best quarterback rating of the season, 119.9, by completing 17-of-26 passes for a hefty 315 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also completed seven passes for 20 yards or more, including a 48-yarder to Daniel Graham and a 46-yarder to David Patten.
As usual, Brady was at his best under pressure, repeatedly converting third-down plays, including third-and-9 and third-and-15 on the first possession of the game.
Eight receivers hauled in passes, with Deion Branch celebrating his return to the lineup with six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Brady was sacked only once (on the first play of the game) but had to be creative in avoiding three or four other heavy rushes. A couple of his incompletions were deliberate throw-aways in the face of pressure.
RECEIVERS - A
Deion Branch made a five-star return after missing the last 7 1/2 games because of a leg injury suffered at the end of the first half at Arizona in Week 2. There was no sign of any loss of quickness and shiftiness. He made catches in traffic and looked like the ``other'' Deion on his 26-yard touchdown catch and run on what was a short pass. Several Chiefs had position on him but he either outran them or juked them out of position to finish off the play.
Tight end Daniel Graham hasn't been used much in the passing game in recent weeks as the team utilized him as a blocker. He got his chance to make some plays Monday night, catching three passes for 83 yards as well as providing his usual solid blocking on running plays.
It was a quiet night for David Patten and David Givens, who had one reception each.
OFFENSIVE LINE - C+
Matt Light had a tough time in pass protection, starting with the first play of the game when he was spun by Jared Allen for a sack. The biggest disappointment here was the failure to push around the Chiefs a little more. Kansas City went into the game allowing an average of 4.8 yards a carry, 29th in the league but did a good job of containing Dillon.
RUNNING BACK - C
Dillon was held to a season-low 3.8 yards per carry (98 yards on 26 attempts), only the second time this year he was held under 4.5. He also lost what could have been a critical fumble in the fourth quarter. The Pats had a first down at the Chiefs 5-yard line and were in position to extend their 24-13 lead but Dillon lost the ball on a less-than-thunderous hit from Fred Jones.
KC used that momentum to drive 97 yards to a touchdown that cut the margin to 24-19 and added some suspense to a game that should have been well in hand.
Kevin Faulk was the only other running back to get an attempt, gaining 1 yard on his one carry. Patrick Pass continued to get playing time in passing situations, and had two catches for 17 yards as well as a couple of solid blocks in pass protection.
DEFENSIVE LINE - A
Second-year pro Ty Warren raced past future Hall of Famer Will Shields for a sack on the first series to set a high standard for his play the rest of the game. He was the undisputed defensive star, registering seven tackles (second to Harrison's eight), with two sacks, a deflection and a forced fumble. Regardless of whether the Chiefs tried to run or pass, Warren was there.
They also gave him plenty of work, opting to go to that side of the field rather than challenge Richard Seymour, who has shaken off his early lethargy. He's been playing Pro Bowl football for the last month.
Keith Traylor (three tackles) and Vince Wilfork (two) did a commendable job of controlling the middle of the line.
LINEBACKERS - B+
Willie McGinest extinguished the Chiefs' final hope with a 10-yard sack on Trent Green but that wasn't the extent of his productivity. He and Mike Vrabel did a nice job of sealing the outside as well as jamming the off-tackle holes that the Chiefs exploited repeatedly against the Saints. Vrabel had six tackles, McGinest had three.
Tully Banta-Cain continues to make the most of his growing role as a pass-rusher. Although Rosevelt Colvin hasn't yet regained the speed/power combination that made him a $25 million free agent prior to his hip injury, he did have a cleanup sack (when Vrabel chased Green out of the pocket).
Tedy Bruschi (seven solo tackles) and Ted Johnson (two) had the difficult assignment of holding their position against the Chiefs' Pro Bowl guards and they handled it well.
DEFENSIVE BACKS - D
If Moreland were on special teams and played like he did on the corner, he'd be on the street today. When you fail to make plays when the other team scores touchdowns on special teams, you're generally a goner (as Shaun Mayer and Rabih Abdullah learned).
Moreland was forced into action because of injuries to Law and Asante Samuel three weeks ago and has had trouble on occasion. Nothing like Monday night's disaster, however. He misjudged one ball that resulted in a 65-yard touchdown and bit on a pump fake late in the game when Eddie Kennison beat him for a second touchdown.
The kid with the great name has been a great story but the final chapter could be at hand. The only thing saving him now is the fact that he's the only healthy cornerback on the roster. Law and Poole are out. Both Samuel and Gay missed portions of Monday night's game with assorted injuries.
Harrison made the play of the game, picking off Green in the end zone just before halftime, preserving the Pats' 17-10 lead.
SPECIAL TEAMS - C+
You know things aren't going as well as they should when Banta-Cain comes up with the best return, gaining 21 yards with a short kickoff. Bethel Johnson continues to struggle on kickoff returns, averaging 18 yards on four runbacks while Faulk gained only 4 yards on one punt return.
Dante Hall is still dangerous enough to make you worry but the Pats did a good job of keeping his numbers manageable (26-yard average on six kickoff returns and zero yards on punt returns). Punter Josh Miller booted one out of bounds inside the 20 and pinned Hall along the sideline inside the 20 on another.
Dexter Reid actually made more big plays in coverage than Hall made on returns.
Have you got it yet? That deep-down feeling that this is another very special Patriots team? That they CAN sustain themselves for two straight years?
Remember that warm and fuzzy and optimistic feeling from a year ago when that championship group managed to overcome a series of serious injuries to key players and still keep winning. Well, the Pats are doing it again.
Only this time it's behind the solid play of backups Brandon Gorin, Randall Gay and Earthw . . . well, at least Gorin and Gay have stepped in for injured starters and done the job with no major problems.
This year they're also getting lucky in that their opponents have also been hit with injuries to key players and haven't been as resilient as the Foxboros.
The most recent example was the Chiefs, who dropped a 27-19 game to the Pats Monday night. When Derrick Blaylock churned out 186 rushing yards against New Orleans as a sub for Priest Holmes, Kansas City felt they had the NEW Priest Holmes, a big-time runner who just needed a chance. Not quite.
The Saints aren't the Patriots and Blaylock showed on Monday night that he's no Priest Holmes. The quickness and elusiveness that make Holmes one of the NFL's best running backs isn't there with Blaylock, even running behind the NFL's best offensive line.
That's another point. The Patriots defensive line rotation not only contained the Chiefs' big line, it controlled them. Even with safeties Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson staying back in coverage to guard against big plays against Gay and Earthwind Moreland, the Pats were able to shut down the KC running game that had been leading the NFL in production.
And if that wasn't fortuitous enough, it looks like the Baltimore Ravens will be without All-Pro running back Jamal Lewis when they come to Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
COACHING - B
Offensively, the Pats did what they needed to against the Chiefs' lackluster defense. They ran Corey Dillon enough to keep KC from teeing off on Tom Brady ALL the time. They spread the ball around in the passing game. They were at their best in third down situations.
Once again the Pats came out with a well-designed game plan, scoring on their first possession for the 15th straight regular-season game, tying yet another NFL record.
Defensively, there was an inordinate amount of confusion, particularly in the secondary. For much of the third quarter, you constantly saw defensive players waving frantically to one another because people were out of position. That's happened occasionally in the past but never as often as it did Monday night.
It's easy to blame the injuries to Ty Law and Tyrone Poole for the mixups, but they've been out for a month and you would think the communication problems should have been resolved by now.
QUARTERBACK - A
Brady compiled his best quarterback rating of the season, 119.9, by completing 17-of-26 passes for a hefty 315 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also completed seven passes for 20 yards or more, including a 48-yarder to Daniel Graham and a 46-yarder to David Patten.
As usual, Brady was at his best under pressure, repeatedly converting third-down plays, including third-and-9 and third-and-15 on the first possession of the game.
Eight receivers hauled in passes, with Deion Branch celebrating his return to the lineup with six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Brady was sacked only once (on the first play of the game) but had to be creative in avoiding three or four other heavy rushes. A couple of his incompletions were deliberate throw-aways in the face of pressure.
RECEIVERS - A
Deion Branch made a five-star return after missing the last 7 1/2 games because of a leg injury suffered at the end of the first half at Arizona in Week 2. There was no sign of any loss of quickness and shiftiness. He made catches in traffic and looked like the ``other'' Deion on his 26-yard touchdown catch and run on what was a short pass. Several Chiefs had position on him but he either outran them or juked them out of position to finish off the play.
Tight end Daniel Graham hasn't been used much in the passing game in recent weeks as the team utilized him as a blocker. He got his chance to make some plays Monday night, catching three passes for 83 yards as well as providing his usual solid blocking on running plays.
It was a quiet night for David Patten and David Givens, who had one reception each.
OFFENSIVE LINE - C+
Matt Light had a tough time in pass protection, starting with the first play of the game when he was spun by Jared Allen for a sack. The biggest disappointment here was the failure to push around the Chiefs a little more. Kansas City went into the game allowing an average of 4.8 yards a carry, 29th in the league but did a good job of containing Dillon.
RUNNING BACK - C
Dillon was held to a season-low 3.8 yards per carry (98 yards on 26 attempts), only the second time this year he was held under 4.5. He also lost what could have been a critical fumble in the fourth quarter. The Pats had a first down at the Chiefs 5-yard line and were in position to extend their 24-13 lead but Dillon lost the ball on a less-than-thunderous hit from Fred Jones.
KC used that momentum to drive 97 yards to a touchdown that cut the margin to 24-19 and added some suspense to a game that should have been well in hand.
Kevin Faulk was the only other running back to get an attempt, gaining 1 yard on his one carry. Patrick Pass continued to get playing time in passing situations, and had two catches for 17 yards as well as a couple of solid blocks in pass protection.
DEFENSIVE LINE - A
Second-year pro Ty Warren raced past future Hall of Famer Will Shields for a sack on the first series to set a high standard for his play the rest of the game. He was the undisputed defensive star, registering seven tackles (second to Harrison's eight), with two sacks, a deflection and a forced fumble. Regardless of whether the Chiefs tried to run or pass, Warren was there.
They also gave him plenty of work, opting to go to that side of the field rather than challenge Richard Seymour, who has shaken off his early lethargy. He's been playing Pro Bowl football for the last month.
Keith Traylor (three tackles) and Vince Wilfork (two) did a commendable job of controlling the middle of the line.
LINEBACKERS - B+
Willie McGinest extinguished the Chiefs' final hope with a 10-yard sack on Trent Green but that wasn't the extent of his productivity. He and Mike Vrabel did a nice job of sealing the outside as well as jamming the off-tackle holes that the Chiefs exploited repeatedly against the Saints. Vrabel had six tackles, McGinest had three.
Tully Banta-Cain continues to make the most of his growing role as a pass-rusher. Although Rosevelt Colvin hasn't yet regained the speed/power combination that made him a $25 million free agent prior to his hip injury, he did have a cleanup sack (when Vrabel chased Green out of the pocket).
Tedy Bruschi (seven solo tackles) and Ted Johnson (two) had the difficult assignment of holding their position against the Chiefs' Pro Bowl guards and they handled it well.
DEFENSIVE BACKS - D
If Moreland were on special teams and played like he did on the corner, he'd be on the street today. When you fail to make plays when the other team scores touchdowns on special teams, you're generally a goner (as Shaun Mayer and Rabih Abdullah learned).
Moreland was forced into action because of injuries to Law and Asante Samuel three weeks ago and has had trouble on occasion. Nothing like Monday night's disaster, however. He misjudged one ball that resulted in a 65-yard touchdown and bit on a pump fake late in the game when Eddie Kennison beat him for a second touchdown.
The kid with the great name has been a great story but the final chapter could be at hand. The only thing saving him now is the fact that he's the only healthy cornerback on the roster. Law and Poole are out. Both Samuel and Gay missed portions of Monday night's game with assorted injuries.
Harrison made the play of the game, picking off Green in the end zone just before halftime, preserving the Pats' 17-10 lead.
SPECIAL TEAMS - C+
You know things aren't going as well as they should when Banta-Cain comes up with the best return, gaining 21 yards with a short kickoff. Bethel Johnson continues to struggle on kickoff returns, averaging 18 yards on four runbacks while Faulk gained only 4 yards on one punt return.
Dante Hall is still dangerous enough to make you worry but the Pats did a good job of keeping his numbers manageable (26-yard average on six kickoff returns and zero yards on punt returns). Punter Josh Miller booted one out of bounds inside the 20 and pinned Hall along the sideline inside the 20 on another.
Dexter Reid actually made more big plays in coverage than Hall made on returns.