Analysis of game by Boston Herald...

[yolli71]

To read the article, go to: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ottom_line_is_passing_grade#join-conversation

[FONT=&amp]Some areas I found interesting...


[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan took advantage of Miami playing soft coverage that allowed them free releases. In a quick-throwing passing game, that is unwise, but the Dolphins insisted and were repeatedly beaten.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Edelman was his usual pest, drawing a penalty on corner Bobby McCain by pushing his head into the ground as they fell. When McCain reacted, he was flagged. He’s the Brad Marchand of the Patriots.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Bill Belichick again had his team more ready to play than his opponent and thus dominated the first half, but neither he nor his staff could come up with any defensive adjustments to slow the Dolphins offense once it got rolling. Miami even drove to the Pats 29-yard line on the final series with a chance to tie the game. Offensively, Josh McDaniels let Jimmy Garoppolo loose at the start of the game then wisely went conservative when Jacoby Brissett had to take snaps. He got the screen game going late and made the right call by putting the ball in LeGarrette Blount’s hands, especially since Miami’s defense seemed uninterested in tackling him. Overall, it was a good coaching day on offense and a subpar one on defense. When an opponent turns the ball over four times and snaps it over the quarterback’s head for a 19-yard loss and you are still life-and-death at the end, you didn’t do enough right when it counted most.[/FONT]

 

[Jay131866]

I saw Pat Surtain tweeted out something during the game about the dolphins using a terrible coverage scheme against the pats. I was hoping Vance Joseph would be better at adjusting, and hopefully he learns from his mistakes quickly.

 

[raving]

What a squandered opportunity -

Kiko threw the doors wide open by punishing that arrogant punk garropolo.

We had them dead to rights even after giving up 24 points.

We showed so little pride.

Man I miss the days Shula would roll into town and roll the opposing teams head off!

 

[Bob512]

That's a pretty fair article. Think about it, we are down 24 points and have a chance to make a play at the end to tie it. Four of our drives ended with....

Landry Fumble
Snap over RT's head
RT interception
Ajayi fumble

That Ajayi fumble was a killer as it happened as we were driving and then the Pats ran the ball down our throats for a score of their own.

Oh what could have been....

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Our field goal defense continues to be superb. That's an angle that has been overlooked since Sunday. The topic came up here before the season opener. I wasn't conceding that late kick no matter who was authoring it, due to Miami's strange ability to influence inexplicable misses. It has been going on for years, roughly as long as our first quarter lull.

It was also a rare failure by New England to understand and take advantage of a situational variable. Gostkowski's kicks in that direction had a pronounced fade to the right all day. I assume it was wind, not slice. On an earlier field goal in the same direction during the second quarter Gostkowski was kicking from the right hashmark. That worked in his favor to combat the wind. He aimed slightly left of center and the ball responded perfectly to split the uprights.

Late fourth quarter I was shocked when the Patriots were content to allow that clinching kick to happen from the left hashmark. That meant the wind is pushing right and Gostkowski needs to aim and start the ball outside the left upright. That's not mentally comfortable, as any golfer would understand. There's an instinctive tendency not to aim out of bounds in case you hit a straight ball. Sure enough, Gostkowski was lined up well but he pushed the ball considerably further right than his aim. I've seen this so often as someone who has made man to man bets on field goal results for so long. We bet left of center or right of center, not good or miss. In that scenario the guy making the choice almost always bets on right of center.

The Patriots seemingly assumed that 39 yards was short enough and it didn't matter where Gostkowski was lined up.

 

[johngarryvo]

some act like we had a chance in that game.. we didn't! and we won't until someone comes along (Gase?) who knows the real opponent is the 'angry troll in the dingy sweatshirt', on Sundays.. figure out how to outmove his moves