Week 16: 1 PM NFL Sunday Games - Second Half

I usually stay up every sunday night to follow the New England Patriots games. I usually log on Football Outsiders' game day discussion forum and record my minute-to-minute musings. Summarizing them below:

• Man, the IND Run defense has to be bad when you realize that RON DAYNE has 20 carries for 113 yds and 2 TDs.
• Did the Pats find out something against the Jags? They seem to be in shotgun on most of the passing situations.
• Wow! i complain about Pats lack of 20yd+ plays and they give us 2 in one drive. Both with rookie TE - D. Thomas. Is this the end of the road to Graham?
• The pats with a good field position (courtsey the missed FG!). Can we have some points that would take us one step closer to another post-season? (Note: They advanced to 26 yds, got a false start and missed the ensuing 49 yd FG attempt)
• looks like a shoot-out in St. Loius. I guess not a lot of people saw that coming? BTW, a question to the WAS mgmt? What will you do with Druckett at the end of the season?
• If there is anyone following the cover-your-eyes Tampa-CLE game, Derrick Brooks with a INT returned for TD. Guess he realized that it was the only way to score a TD in this game. A question. Will Brooks get any consideration for HoF? (Note: I was wrong on the offensive TD part. They had one a few plays before!)
• Did someone see D Thomas coming? I thought i saw his reference in a couple of games, but today looks like his break-out party
• Bush for a punt return TD. Boy, we are gonna see Peter King raving about RB in MMQB tomorrow (Note: TD called back)
• Texans still have 3mins to go down 30+ yds for atleast a FG and burn the COLTS. Go TEXANS. Go
• Request to FO staff: Can we have an analysis on Pats Defense on 3rd down situations. My perception is that on 3rd & short and/or when the opposition tries a run - they are succesful. I feel they have been burned on 3rd & long/opposition passing on 3rd down situation. Any quick responses
• TEXANS WIN. That will mean that the Colts will have to play the wildcard round as well. Doesn't bode well for their defense.
• Seems that this week is Bush's coming out party as a running back.
• As things stands as of now, i think TB is going to have a good DPAR for the week. Lots of run DPAR points on third downs.
• Can someone remember a deeper RB class than the class of 2006? Reggie Bush, LM, Addai, Drew, Deangelo (to a lesser extent), Norwood, Washington(?-Jets), Lundy (?-Texans). All seem to have made a mark in atleast one game.
• Pats leaving it a little too close for comfort. With LM & CD, i am hoping that the Pats can run out the clock.
• The Jags need 25 - 30 yds to take to FG range. Pats defense need one good play
• NE WINS. They have none to blame for leaving it close. In the end, the defense has to make one close play and they made it, with their first sack & turnover of the day.
• I think you should attribute the Bills loss to the coach or bad decision by QB. They were on the 25 yd line & within FG range. They should have tried to get as many risk-free yards and kicked a FG. Instead a christmas present to the red hot Titans, who have a realistic chance of post-season.

Week 16: 1 PM Games - First Half

I usually stay up every sunday night to follow the New England Patriots games. I usually log onto to Football Outsiders' game day discussion forum and record my minute-to-minute musings. Summarizing them below:

• Texans score first ... i guess not a lot of us saw that coming!
• I know that not a lot of you would be in India, but they are playing some christmas carols with a 10 year kid singing great ... 15 mins to Dec 25 ... merry x'mas to FO, staff and readers
• Wow! Texans are up 14 against the colts. I wonder if there is a upset in the works
• 3 Scrambles/runs for Brady in the first quarter itself. Calm down, big fella - we want you to win the game with your hand not your legs.
• Three 20+yd TDs at the same time - IND, BAL and DET
• Will the Pats go for it on 4th down and 1?(Note: They draw a false start and that was good because Brady was not going anywhere. They need a 48 yd FG!)
• Gostkowski with a 48 yd FG. I think he has come a long way from the beginning of the season when the team was avoiding putting him out for 35+ yd FG attempt.
• I was checking the score on the 2 current hot teams - TEN v/ BUF. Scores tied at 10. Seems that these teams have joined MIA as second half beauties. During my school days (academic years are btw june to apr in india), we had a score of kids who flunked quarterly, half yearly exams but buckled up for the annual exams and these kids were termed MARCH BEAUTIES. Guess, the same applies to TEN, BUF, MIA now!
• The empire strikes back! Colts have wiped off the 14 point deficit. Wish Manning was in control of the US national deficit control rather than fight deficit against the texans!
• 3-4-JAC 45 (8:50) (Shotgun) D.Garrard pass incomplete short middle to R.Williams. Pass hit the umpire. That read very funny!
• A theory on why the NE Offense is ranked #8 as per DVOA. Disclaimer: I consider that the Pats defense has been pretty ordinary over the season and wrote to Aaron last week on the same. I think DVOA rewards 'success' and most of Brady's pass are for 6-8 yds, thus having a high success rate. the same can be said about their running as well (as i type, Faulk gets 4 yds on a 2-2 situation). Pats might have had the lowest 20+ yd plays in the game, both passing and rushing and that is why the perception that the offense is anaemic! RANT OVER!
• TMQ Pleased! Texans ran 11 times in a 14 play, 75 yard TD drive. The drive ate 8 mins in the second half and kept the colts offense a.k.a THE EMPIRE on the sidelines
• Raise your hands if you predicted Tom Brady will have the longest rush for the Pats Offense in the first half ..McDaniel, your vote doesn't count!
• I even read on some article earlier in the season that all things need to go perfect for Pats to score on any drive. With them, you cannot have a slam dunk 4 plays, 80 yd drive that has happened to some other teams. When you want to clash with teams like san diego in post-season, that is as much a factor as a good defense. (Note: This post was in response to RichConley's comment on my earlier posting on NE offense)