How to beat the Pats??

[grampi]

How to beat the Pats? Make them play Denver...

[tribeofjudah]

Bold prediction: we get in a shoot-out; Djax plays and helps us out; we beat the Pats.

[StorminMormon86]

Christ.

The Pats are not invincible. They lucked out against the Steelers, Colts, and Jets. Remember when the Skins (3-9) were going up against the Saints (13-0) in 2009? We were supposed to get blown out. We lost, but the score was 33-30. Same with the Pats in 2011. We lost by a touchdown thanks to a Grossman interception, but we were one play away from tying it up and going to OT.

Yes Brady and Gronk scare me. But it's not like the Pats are world beaters on defense. They are giving up plenty of points too. I don't expect to win this game, but I definitely do not expect to get destroyed like 2007. We'll keep it interesting, and will a little luck (turnover, trick play, etc.) we just might have a shot.

[Deadskins]

Christ.

The Pats are not invincible. They lucked out against the Steelers, Colts, and Jets. Remember when the Skins (3-9) were going up against the Saints (13-0) in 2009? We were supposed to get blown out. We lost, but the score was 33-30. Same with the Pats in 2011. We lost by a touchdown thanks to a Grossman interception, but we were one play away from tying it up and going to OT.

Yes Brady and Gronk scare me. But it's not like the Pats are world beaters on defense. They are giving up plenty of points too. I don't expect to win this game, but I definitely do not expect to get destroyed like 2007. We'll keep it interesting, and will a little luck (turnover, trick play, etc.) we just might have a shot.

I agree with this.

[SkinsJock]

The Pats are not invincible. They lucked out against the Steelers, Colts, and Jets.
Remember when the Skins (3-9) were going up against the Saints (13-0) in 2009? We were supposed to get blown out. We lost, but the score was 33-30. Same with the Pats in 2011. We lost by a touchdown thanks to a Grossman interception, but we were one play away from tying it up and going to OT. Brady and Gronk scare me. But it's not like the Pats are world beaters on defense. They are giving up plenty of points too. I don't expect to win this game, but I definitely do not expect to get destroyed like 2007. We'll keep it interesting, and will a little luck (turnover, trick play, etc.) we just might have a shot.

I agree with this.

I agree with this as well - this is a very good team but they are not as good as the 2007 squad

we just need to be able to run the ball

[SkinsJock]

.. this is the best QB to ever play in the NFL who is playing better than he ever has - this is the best TE to ever play in the NFL who is ....

Brady - arguable
Gronk - a long way to go before that can even become an argument.

well, maybe I did overstate a little

Brady is really, really good and the QB/TE combo is very effective, but they are not the sole reason that this team is so good


this team just does not beat themselves and they are very, very good at finding a way to win, especially at home

[SkinsJock]

this is from a friend of mine who works for the Patriots ...

Thanks so much for reaching out. It is great to hear from you. Today is the BIG 30 for me. Another decade in the books.

Jock - I remember 07' .. unfortunately. I remember everything about the entire season. I was a junior in college and I was able to make 6 of the home games including the Redskins game that season. It's odd, but people always ask me about 2007 and being that close to perfection and how it must have felt etc...As someone who was a die hard fan - and now has been working for the team for 6 years - I don't recall anything positive from 07. No matter who they blew out, and there were a lot of games where the Pats scored 50 points, it didn't matter because the last one got away. I know it's a pessimistic and unappreciative view on a historic team (arguably the best football team ever) but as a New England fan you just can't shake it.

I don't think Sunday will be 52-7. I am a HUGE Michigan State fan and I very much root for Kirk Cousins. He doesn't have a ton of talent around him, but between him and Jordan Reed I am excited to see what they can do. Cousins isn't the future of Redskins football, but he is a hard working, passionate, intelligent backup who can help build something in DC if they get the right coach. He's one of those quintessential locker room guys who knows how to win and makes the most of his God given ability.

I hope for a good competitive game on Sunday, but of course a victory is all that matters in the halls of this building. Enjoy the game my friend.

[mastdark81]

It is simple. You play good in the redzone on offense and defense. Beat up their WRs at the line for 4 quarters and force them to throw deep.

[SkinsJock]

It is simple. You play good in the redzone on offense and defense. Beat up their WRs at the line for 4 quarters and force them to throw deep.

I'm going to tape this game so I can enjoy it later ...

[riggofan]

It is simple. You play good in the redzone on offense and defense. Beat up their WRs at the line for 4 quarters and force them to throw deep.

I'm going to tape this game so I can enjoy it later ...

lol. I'm not sure how many Pats games some of these guys have watched this season. Simple...

[SkinsJock]

lol. I'm not sure how many Pats games some of these guys have watched this season. Simple...

really - they are just so sound and they rarely make mistakes

example - as a defensive player for the Pats, if you let an opposing player get to the edge, you are on the bench the next play

they are really disciplined on both sides of the ball on each and every play and they are very deep

[tribeofjudah]

.. this is the best QB to ever play in the NFL who is playing better than he ever has - this is the best TE to ever play in the NFL who is ....

Brady - arguable
Gronk - a long way to go before that can even become an argument.

well, maybe I did overstate a little

Brady is really, really good and the QB/TE combo is very effective, but they are not the sole reason that this team is so good


this team just does not beat themselves and they are very, very good at finding a way to win, especially at home

That ORG from the top-down is really, really good (lucky, cheaters...whatever).

But on the Field, they are a powerhouse and fun to watch. 5 Superbowls? That ain't a FLUKE folks.

But we have a shot ---------------ANY GIVEN SUNDAY...!!!

[furi0usbee]

But on the Field, they are a powerhouse and fun to watch. 5 Superbowls? That ain't a FLUKE folks.

6 Super Bowls during the Brady era. 4 wins and 2 you know what.... For the Redskins to win this game, they need to play the game of their lives, and the Patriots need to play the worse game of their season, and even then, who knows. This could be one of those "trap" games for Patriots that everyone likes to talk about, but with the way the Patriots want to destroy the NFL, I doubt they will have any trap games. I think they want to be 10-0 for that Denver game so they can go into Denver and show everyone else who is the best team. Now looking ahead can get you into trouble *this* week, but as I said, they are on a mission.

The only game on the Patriots schedule I even think about is that Denver game. The others are all Ws in my book. Manning had one great game, Brady has been doing it all season. If Manning continues to play like he did against GB, then that will be one hell of a game. If he reverts, the Denver D alone can't stop Brady.

[furi0usbee]

Also, Patriots have beaten 5 teams ahead of you guys in the power rankings this year, so all logical sense points to Patriots winning this game. Using every conceivable metric, Patriots win this game.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

Also, Patriots have beaten 5 teams ahead of you guys in the power rankings this year, so all logical sense points to Patriots winning this game. Using every conceivable metric, Patriots win this game.

Games are played on the field, not in the stat book. That's why they actually play rather than just looking at metrics.

[oj]

Most of my plays would be playaction, the run game only for short yardage.

The purpose of play action is to freeze the linebackers and safeties. In the universe where I watch football, play action without a respectable running game only works in one of four circumstances... Your offense is so good that it doesn't matter what plays you run... The coach of the opposing team is an idiot... the defensive players on the opposing team are incapable of covering a reasonably competent receiver... or a combination of the second two.

It's not happening.


So, you say Play Action is dependant on a running game and we have none? I agree, what I am saying is that effective play action will help create the run game, run off the play action passing game as opposed to pass off a play action running game.
Is that realistic? Is there a significant difference which comes first? Run then pass or pass then run? I'm trying to see a way to jumpstart the running game, you have a different way?

[SkinsJock]

In 2007 the Patriots lost to the Giants while the Patriots were clearly the better team, they lost - it does happen ...

we might win - we would still not be 'better' than the Patriots, but it does happen ... each and every season

[DarthMonk]

1 Double-team Gronkowski.

2 Challenge the smallish Edelman and Amendola so that Brady must look for them deep.

3 Rush 5.

4 Go with two tight ends two wides and Jones and either pass against base defense or run against nickel.

[SkinsJock]

we cannot 'lose' - nobody expects us to win and this Pats team is certainly not 'unbeatable'

[furi0usbee]

we cannot 'lose' - nobody expects us to win and this Pats team is certainly not 'unbeatable'

Nah, we are as close to unbeatable as you can get. And versus the Redskins, the odds of winning are even higher than say Denver.

[DarthMonk]

we cannot 'lose' - nobody expects us to win and this Pats team is certainly not 'unbeatable'

Nah, we are as close to unbeatable as you can get. And versus the Redskins, the odds of winning are even higher than say Denver.

I don't think anyone is predicting a Redskin victory ... well, maybe the Deadman.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

we cannot 'lose' - nobody expects us to win and this Pats team is certainly not 'unbeatable'

Nah, we are as close to unbeatable as you can get. And versus the Redskins, the odds of winning are even higher than say Denver.

I don't think anyone is predicting a Redskin victory ... well, maybe the Deadman.

Not every thought should become a post.

As an a side, why doesn't blocking a user also block the user when quoted?

[DarthMonk]

Not every thought should become a post.

Interesting thought/post.

As an a side, why doesn't blocking a user also block the user when quoted?

Je ne sais pas.

[SkinsJock]

I doubt that many of the Patriots future opponents will be looking to this game as any sort of help on what to do against the Patriots ...

[SkinsJock]

The Pats can be beaten but you have to play well to have a chance - we certainly did not make much of an effort today ...

it's going to be an interesting week hearing from the excuse mongers here ... that was an atrocious display, especially after a bye week