Running up the score!

[HEROHAMO]

Redskins Mixed On Patriots' Play-Calling[quote]
By Gary Fitzgerald
Redskins.com
October 28, 2007

It was the first question reporters asked Joe Gibbs after Sunday's 52-7 loss to the New England Patriots.

"Coach, did you feel like the Patriots were running up the score in the fourth quarter?"

Gibbs quickly put an end to any potential public controversy with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

"No," he said. "I have no problem with anything they did. Nothing. No problems from me."

To be sure, the Redskins were dominated from the outset of Sunday's game, and the Patriots were clearly the better team.

But the questions linger. They stem from two drives in the fourth quarter.

Ahead 38-0, quarterback Tom Brady threw a deep sideline pass to Randy Moss for a 35-yard pickup.

Later in the drive, the Patriots went for it on 4th-and-1 at the Redskins' 7-yard line and converted. They went on to score a touchdown to put them ahead 45-0.

On the Patriots' next odrive, on a 4th-and-2 at the Redskins' 35-yard line, they went for it again and converted. One player later, they scored another touchdown to make it 52-0.

Several Redskins players, including Phillip Daniels and Randall Godfrey, said they were disappointed in the Patriots' play-calling.

"I just hate them going for it on fourth down when the game was already out of hand," Daniels told Redskins Radio. "It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Godfrey told NBCSports.com that he felt the Patriots showed "blatant disrespect."

"Most teams, you get up like that you sit on the ball and try to run the time out," Godfrey told NBCSports.com. "They're up 30-some points and they're throwing deep."

In his post-game press conference, Belichick was asked about the team's philosophy of going for it on fourth downs while holding a big lead.

"What do you want us to do, kick a field goal?" Belichick replied. "It's 38-0. It's fourth down. We were just out there playing."

Back across Gillette Stadium, several other Redskins players said they took no offense at the Patriots' approach.

"It's our job to keep them off the board," Pierson Prioleau said. "This is football. It's a competitive sport. They are a good team. We just have to do what we need to do to keep them out of the end zone.

Ladell Betts: "I think they were playing football. How [else] would you want to call it? We're on the other end and we didn't stop them. So I don't think it's running it up. It's playing football."

James Thrash: "Just from watching the Patriots on film during the last few weeks, New England has always played from the first quarter through the fourth quarter. That's just their mentality. I don't think it's them trying to rub it in."

Jason Campbell said that when the Redskins have a big lead, the team's approach is to back off.

"That's just what we do," he said. "Their motto might be different. They might have a different approach in the way they do it."

Campbell added: "They were going for it on fourth downs, but that's an NFL team and we have to stop it. We're all here in the NFL and we're all here to make plays."
[quote]




I really really took this game personally man. The Pats were up 38 and they go for it on fourth down? I have to say they did show blatant disrespect. I really hope the Colts hand it to them next week. This loss stung more than most.

[CanesSkins26]

This running up the score stuff is nonsense. This is the NFL not Pee Wee football. If our players didn't like it maybe they should've done something to stop it. The Patriots play hard from start to finish and stay aggressive all throughout the game. Like Greg Williams said in post game, a good team keeps playing hard. The bottom line is that the offense is paid to score and the defense is paid to stop them. The Patriots earned their money today. The Redskins players didn't. If Gibbs had more of an aggressive approach we would probably be 6-1 right now instead of 4-3. Our players complaining about what the Pats did just sounds like sour grapes to me. Not only did we get blown out but now our players sound like sore losers.

[UK Skins Fan]

What goes around, comes around.

[skins2win]

"It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Yea, you'll see them in the superbowl alright, but if wont be from the other side of the ball.

[Britskin]

As a Brit/Aussie I don`t really get the concept of the running up the score complaint. If you step on to a sports field at any level to play competitive sport you better be ready for whatever the opposition throws at you from the first whistle to the last. If they want to go for it on 4th down late on and we`re unable to stop it I see that as our problem not theirs. I get that its considered to be disrespectful but personally I think its inappropriate. I`d rather the losing team was honest and said we were nowhere near good enough.

[capetide]

It would be alot more respectful to take a knee with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter?

I don;t get the concept that "letting up" and "taking it easy" on your opponent is somehow respectful. Seems to be that the opponent should be insulted to be treated as an incapable and incompetent inferior.

[hailskins666]

Several Redskins players, including Phillip Daniels and Randall Godfrey, said they were disappointed in the Patriots' play-calling.

"I just hate them going for it on fourth down when the game was already out of hand," Daniels told Redskins Radio. "It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Godfrey told NBCSports.com that he felt the Patriots showed "blatant disrespect."

"Most teams, you get up like that you sit on the ball and try to run the time out," Godfrey told NBCSports.com. "They're up 30-some points and they're throwing deep."

well, some players are obviously buying into gibbs' ways. total BS. you don't like it, don't let it happen.

i personally enjoyed watching the way BB called the game. and even more, i enjoyed joe gibbs standing there with a stupid look on his face, forced to watch it. talk about some reality on the chin. my only hope is that gibbs will take a page out of BB's book, and go for the throat...... always.

[BeeGee]

Running up the score with Tom Brady is one thing. Running up the score with Matt Cassel is a laughable accusation. Cassel came in the game with mud to wipe off of his face from getting yanked last week. As much as some of the Skins want to make this about running up the score, it wasn't. Jesus Christ, it was a 31-point blowout after the first drive of the 2nd half! Then it was 38-0, then 45-0.

Sorry, but they should've felt disrespected by halftime. The skins shouldve had absolutely ZERO COMMENTS after this game. Too late to get pissed at Belechick now. He stated his philosphy last week for Christ's sake.

[please_remain_calm]

As a Brit/Aussie I don`t really get the concept of the running up the score complaint. If you step on to a sports field at any level to play competitive sport you better be ready for whatever the opposition throws at you from the first whistle to the last. If they want to go for it on 4th down late on and we`re unable to stop it I see that as our problem not theirs. I get that its considered to be disrespectful but personally I think its inappropriate. I`d rather the losing team was honest and said we were nowhere near good enough.

It comes from the youth sports mentality where players are asked not to give the other side a drubbing when it presents itself. There are mercy rules, limited scores per inning etc. When I am coaching at the recreational level I will change things up to limit the score but when we are playing competitive anything goes.

Like I said in the match thread this is just sour grapes because we got out ass handed to us. If we were able to stop either of the 4th down plays then it would be a moot point.

[Fios]

Several Redskins players, including Phillip Daniels and Randall Godfrey, said they were disappointed in the Patriots' play-calling.

"I just hate them going for it on fourth down when the game was already out of hand," Daniels told Redskins Radio. "It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Godfrey told NBCSports.com that he felt the Patriots showed "blatant disrespect."

"Most teams, you get up like that you sit on the ball and try to run the time out," Godfrey told NBCSports.com. "They're up 30-some points and they're throwing deep."

well, some players are obviously buying into gibbs' ways. total BS. you don't like it, don't let it happen.

i personally enjoyed watching the way BB called the game. and even more, i enjoyed joe gibbs standing there with a stupid look on his face, forced to watch it. talk about some reality on the chin. my only hope is that gibbs will take a page out of BB's book, and go for the throat...... always.

Have to say I agree with this ... one of the things I was struck by, and it isn't a unique observation, is how methodical Brady is, he just doesn't waste time in the pocket, he doesn't make the "what game are you watching" throws, he doesn't put his receivers in bad spots, he hits guys exactly where he needs to and in stride. Really, really impressive. The only other guy in the league right now who does that is Peyton Manning.

[Fios]

As a Brit/Aussie I don`t really get the concept of the running up the score complaint. If you step on to a sports field at any level to play competitive sport you better be ready for whatever the opposition throws at you from the first whistle to the last. If they want to go for it on 4th down late on and we`re unable to stop it I see that as our problem not theirs. I get that its considered to be disrespectful but personally I think its inappropriate. I`d rather the losing team was honest and said we were nowhere near good enough.

It comes from the youth sports mentality where players are asked not to give the other side a drubbing when it presents itself. There are mercy rules, limited scores per inning etc. When I am coaching at the recreational level I will change things up to limit the score but when we are playing competitive anything goes.

Like I said in the match thread this is just sour grapes because we got out ass handed to us. If we were able to stop either of the 4th down plays then it would be a moot point.

please_remain_calm CHECK YOUR PMS, your sig is in violation of the site guidelines.

[please_remain_calm]

As a Brit/Aussie I don`t really get the concept of the running up the score complaint. If you step on to a sports field at any level to play competitive sport you better be ready for whatever the opposition throws at you from the first whistle to the last. If they want to go for it on 4th down late on and we`re unable to stop it I see that as our problem not theirs. I get that its considered to be disrespectful but personally I think its inappropriate. I`d rather the losing team was honest and said we were nowhere near good enough.

It comes from the youth sports mentality where players are asked not to give the other side a drubbing when it presents itself. There are mercy rules, limited scores per inning etc. When I am coaching at the recreational level I will change things up to limit the score but when we are playing competitive anything goes.

Like I said in the match thread this is just sour grapes because we got out ass handed to us. If we were able to stop either of the 4th down plays then it would be a moot point.

please_remain_calm CHECK YOUR PMS, your sig is in violation of the site guidelines.

Take care of mate.

[DEHog]

Jason Campbell said that when the Redskins have a big lead, the team's approach is to back off.

And that's a problem!

Are we kidding...running up the score??? So was Carlos supposed to drop the interception or run out of bounds when we were ripping the Lions. Come on it's football. As I said in the gameday theard, if you had come in and started watching this game in the third quarter and didn;t know the score, you'd have thought the Pats were the ones who were losing!! We played with no sense of urgency. We had a horrible game plan in O and D. Play cover three and drop our LB's 10-15 yards with no blitz??? You didn't have to be Tom Brady to beat us yesterday.

[langleyparkjoe]

Run up the score? Nonsense.. I'm glad the Pats did what they did to us (considering they were gonna win anyways). Maybe now our guys can wake up.

[Countertrey]

Belichick did exactly what he says he does. He plays for a full sixty minutes. Those 4th down plays... all that needed to happen was to stop them... and no score.

This board is full of threads demanding that Gibbs do exactly the same thing... guess when we do it, its just "ensuring victory".

[hailskins666]

Several Redskins players, including Phillip Daniels and Randall Godfrey, said they were disappointed in the Patriots' play-calling.

"I just hate them going for it on fourth down when the game was already out of hand," Daniels told Redskins Radio. "It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Godfrey told NBCSports.com that he felt the Patriots showed "blatant disrespect."

"Most teams, you get up like that you sit on the ball and try to run the time out," Godfrey told NBCSports.com. "They're up 30-some points and they're throwing deep."

well, some players are obviously buying into gibbs' ways. total BS. you don't like it, don't let it happen.

i personally enjoyed watching the way BB called the game. and even more, i enjoyed joe gibbs standing there with a stupid look on his face, forced to watch it. talk about some reality on the chin. my only hope is that gibbs will take a page out of BB's book, and go for the throat...... always.

Have to say I agree with this ... one of the things I was struck by, and it isn't a unique observation, is how methodical Brady is, he just doesn't waste time in the pocket, he doesn't make the "what game are you watching" throws, he doesn't put his receivers in bad spots, he hits guys exactly where he needs to and in stride. Really, really impressive. The only other guy in the league right now who does that is Peyton Manning.

the timing routes are what killed us. 1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps, ball is gone, and very rarely did the NE receivers drop anything. thats very hard to defend against. brady put the ball in a spot, the wr's were there to grab it. very, very well coached team. and none of the top 3 wr's were even in this system last season. props to BB, again.

thats why i just don't buy into the "our o-line is decimated" bs. hell, as fast as brady was getting rid of the ball, he didn't even need a line. why can't we try a few timing routes here and there to get a little running room?

the other thing that stood out to me was the way the blockers knew where they needed to be, and were in position before the wr even caught the ball. they were just on point. YAC was phenominal.

[Fios]

Several Redskins players, including Phillip Daniels and Randall Godfrey, said they were disappointed in the Patriots' play-calling.

"I just hate them going for it on fourth down when the game was already out of hand," Daniels told Redskins Radio. "It just put a damper on feelings a little bit. We'll remember it. Hopefully we'll see them in the Super Bowl."

Godfrey told NBCSports.com that he felt the Patriots showed "blatant disrespect."

"Most teams, you get up like that you sit on the ball and try to run the time out," Godfrey told NBCSports.com. "They're up 30-some points and they're throwing deep."

well, some players are obviously buying into gibbs' ways. total BS. you don't like it, don't let it happen.

i personally enjoyed watching the way BB called the game. and even more, i enjoyed joe gibbs standing there with a stupid look on his face, forced to watch it. talk about some reality on the chin. my only hope is that gibbs will take a page out of BB's book, and go for the throat...... always.

Have to say I agree with this ... one of the things I was struck by, and it isn't a unique observation, is how methodical Brady is, he just doesn't waste time in the pocket, he doesn't make the "what game are you watching" throws, he doesn't put his receivers in bad spots, he hits guys exactly where he needs to and in stride. Really, really impressive. The only other guy in the league right now who does that is Peyton Manning.

the timing routes are what killed us. 1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps, ball is gone, and very rarely did the NE receivers drop anything. thats very hard to defend against. brady put the ball in a spot, the wr's were there to grab it. very, very well coached team. and none of the top 3 wr's were even in this system last season. props to BB, again.

thats why i just don't buy into the "our o-line is decimated" bs. hell, as fast as brady was getting rid of the ball, he didn't even need a line. why can't we try a few timing routes here and there to get a little running room?

the other thing that stood out to me was the way the blockers knew where they needed to be, and were in position before the wr even caught the ball. they were just on point. YAC was phenominal.

That Pats offense is surgical and deadly precise. I know nobody likes the guy who knows its over early but when the Pats ripped off those running plays, I knew it was going to be a long day. I told a friend who is a Pats fan, prior to the game, that what worried me most was New England's offensive line verse the 'Skins D line and vice-versa.

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

"They are who we thought they were."


Seriously, no one talked about us running up the score against the Niners in '05. It just really stinks when you're on the receiving end of a thrashing like that.

BTW - 2 seasons ago, this team had the firepower to score 52 points in a game...what happened since then? The offense was "revamped".

[riggofan]

I was really concerned we'd hear a bunch of whining from the Skins about this. But I like the quotes from Gibbs and Fletcher in the Post today:

The Redskins did not openly complain about the fourth-down play. When asked what he thought of it Gibbs said, "I have no problem with anything that they did. Nothing. No problems from me."

The general reaction from the players could be summed up by Fletcher, who said: "It's their football, that's what they chose to do with the ball. It's our job to stop them."

Suck it up. Take care of the Jets next weekend. And hopefully we'll get a chance to pay Belichick back at some point.

[Redskin in Canada]

I told a friend who is a Pats fan, prior to the game, that what worried me most was New England's offensive line verse the 'Skins D line and vice-versa.

Funny, I said -EXACTLY- the same thing about our DL since the end of the past disastrous season and throughout the offseason in several threads. More often than not the response I got was:

"if the coaches are doing what they are doing, they know better than us".

Yes, they do now FAR MORE than any of us ever can dream about. But it was CLEAR that our DL is not a match against a dominant OL. Sure, the Pats and the Colts OLs are GREAT. But if you add it altogether, timing routes, a smart passer, a quick release, and a better OL with good protection, ANY TEAM in the NFL is going to be shredded apart. Both teams have done it, Pats easier than the Colts.

Let us face it: the only two good guys in our OL are Carter and Griff. And Griff is almost at the end of his career. The other two are good players and they could play in many other teams or even be reasonable backups for us but they do not scare the living daylights out of anybody.

Our OL, well, that will be the subject of another Post.

And yes, the Pats ran up the score. That makes me very ANGRY. But that is what we are supposed to stop and do to the other team. I hope this lights up a fire under the seat of Joe, his staff and each and every player.

[riggofan]

As far as the running up the score thing, it seems pretty clear that they want Brady to catch Manning's TD record. I guess that's ok. But I don't think Manning got that record in the same way.

[Chris Luva Luva]

I have more tissues left over from yesterday.


The Patriots are professionals and aren't trained not to get 1st downs. It's not their fault that they scored 20+ points before the half. If the Redskins defense wants to be cry babies about it, thats their problem. I don't remeber one Redskin fan crying about the 35-7 blow out against Dallas. And I'm sure if we put up 50 on them none of you would have minded.


Wah wah wah, we got blown out. Wah wah wah. We lost. Oh shut up.

-Maybe the defense needs to start getting on the case of the offense that KEPT them on the field all day instead of whining about the Patriots.

-Maybe Andre Carter and Daniels need to learn how to consistently pass rush before they start whining about the patriots.

[cleg]

Even Eagle fans think the Pats were cheap to run up the score on Gibbs and the Skins.

[JansenFan]

I don't have a problem with the Pats scoring 52 points, but I didn't appreciate the way they did it. 38-0 and throwing bombs isn't going for the jugular. The jugular is already gone at that point. That's blatent disrespect for your opponent and the game. I lost a lot of respect for the Patriots, Belichek and Brady. There's winning and then there's winning with class. The later is something the Patriots apparently know nothing about.

[Mursilis]

I don't have a problem with the Pats scoring 52 points, but I didn't appreciate the way they did it. 38-0 and throwing bombs isn't going for the jugular. The jugular is already gone at that point. That's blatent disrespect for your opponent and the game. I lost a lot of respect for the Patriots, Belichek and Brady. There's winning and then there's winning with class. The later is something the Patriots apparently know nothing about.

If the Pats had any class at all, they won't have felt the need to cheat. When your team is already an elite team, why feel the need to blatantly break the rules like they did? It just smacks of arrogance and disrespect for the game.