Ummmm….It doesn’t feel like a win. Yes, we went up to Foxboro and beat the Patriots. Yes, we’re in first place in the AFC East all by ourselves. However, we should have blown this team out. On the flip side, we did get the W. That’s what really counts. On to the grades:
QB’s — C + : We still don’t really know what we have in Tua yet. That’s unfortunate. I was hoping for a WAY better performance today. What we got was a pedestrian Tua. While it was good enough today…Will it be good enough down the road? I tend to think not. As for excuses..There were drops. The OL was awful. The Defense couldn’t get off the field. All valid. I’ll say this though…The excuse making doesn’t have long before someone has to say that maybe Tua isn’t the answer. I don’t know when that will be….But unless he starts showing me more than he did today… It’s going to be rather soon. As for inserting Brissett into the short yardage situations…It worked….Until we got a little too cute.
WR’s — B - : I thought Parker was very good today. He did have one drop that hurt…But the defender also got his hands on that ball. Waddle is a definite keeper. Damn is he quick. I liked the way he played today. Overall, the receivers were OK. I was a little concerned with the lack of separation at times…But not a bad game.
RB’s — B - : Gaskin had a very good game. Especially as a receiving back. Ahmad is Gaskin’s clone and also had a good receiving game. They both had some good runs and got some yards when it counted. Brown got some tough yards at the end as well. Overall a decent performance by this unit.
TE’s — C - : Gesicki was OK. As a whole though, this unit was kinda invisible today. They get a C- and I’m hoping for more next week.
OL — D - : Absolutely putrid. To be honest it was embarrassing. If it wasn’t that they helped get the running yards at the end that got us that last first down, this is an F. Eichenberg got run over and looked out of his league for extended periods today. The only lineman that didn’t embarrass himself today was Hunt. Chris Grier has failed miserably at finding competent linemen. Look at Deiter for instance…..He is NOT the answer at center….He’s a liability. Another failed Chris Grier experiment. This unit better step it up quickly, or this is gonna be a long season.
DL — D + : Wow. The Davis injury was crushing. I’m hoping it’s not serious. As for rest of the lot… We couldn’t stop the run. We got almost no pressure. We couldn’t get off the field on 3rd down. I mean…. You didn’t have to be Nostradamus to know the Patriots game plan. We still couldn’t stop it. Where was Wilkins all day? I’m sorry….But that wasn’t good enough.
LB’s — C - : AVG was invisible. Jaelan Phillips was invisible. Baker was decent but got beat on the loft throw by Jones to the RB for a long gainer. This probably should be a D.
DB’s — B + : Well…Howard earned his pay today. He is easily the best player on this team. Holland had a nice hit. Rowe was OK. Jones was actually good today. Not a bad game at all by this group. HOWEVER, I hate that the coaches had them playing off coverage a lot of the game. I blame the coaches.
ST’s — C + : Sanders was good as usual. The coverage units were on. Palardy was not what I expected today. He needs to pick it up.
Coaching and Front Office — D : Again….I don’t like the off coverage late in the game. But…Flo had the team ready. His defense was tired as hell and still got the turnover late. I give Flo and the coaches full marks for that. As for Chris Grier….He brings this grade
