Wilbon to Redskins: SOFT

I see your point, but when you're up 38-0 late in the game and still going for it on 4th down and throwing bombs, pretty safe assumption your primary objective is no longer just to win the game but instead to see how badly you can humiliate your opponent.

By comparison, the Colts have also had games this year where they probably could've poured it on by a worse score, but Dungy's modus operandi when he gets a comfortable 4th quarter lead is to switch into the ball-control running game and try to grind out the clock. It's a stark contrast to the way Belichek's been handling insurmountable late leads.

I agree its not in the same category as logo-stomping type antics. In fact, as I said, I think it's probably a good thing for the league. But it ain't exactly classy.

 

and if i recall, wes welker had quite a celebratory spike after his 2-yard td catch to make it 45-0. he should've just handed the ball to an official.

there's been nothing classy about the way the pats have conducted themselves. although i agree that i enjoy seeing danny boy snyder's team take a whuppin'.

 

Good take by Wilbon. And if any team leaves its QB in at 45-0, his possible injury is their fault, not the other team's.

 

The Patriots gave the Redskins the opportunity to end drives. they could have kicked field goals - automatically putting up points - but instead, gave their opponents a chance to stop them. The Redskins - an no one else - couldn't stop them, and that's somehow New England's fault?
When Manning was going after his record, no one bitched about the Colts running up the score. Jim Sorgi found the field enough to throw 29 passes all season, most coming in the final weeks when playoff spots had already been clinched, as well as Manning's record.

If teams don't like all the points New England is scoring, stop them. It's simple. But everyone would rather bitch about how bad it is - especially former NFL players now working as commentators. It's only going to get worse as the season wears on.

 

All the Redskins could muster was Randall Godfrey mouthing off at Belichick? Wilbon's absolutely right. At some point, as a professional football player, you get mad and you hit somebody. The next player the Redskins hit might very well be the first.

 

Actually, the way to handle this is the way Belichick handled the Rams in the Super Bowl. Forget the QB, go for the wideouts. Their sense of self-preservation tends to wander. Flatten Moss with a shiver on the first freakin' play with your 7th defensive back and take the penalty. Do it again with number six on play two. Eventually, it stops getting called.

 

Here's the difference between the Rams and the Pats.
The Rams receivers were drilled in that Super Bowl on every catch, especially coming over the middle.
Moss doesn't go up the middle and neither does Stallworth, unless they're going for six. Welker run the middle and manages to avoid getting killed and I don't think there are many linebackers who want to try to hit Watson when's he's screaming over the middle of a defense.
The Rams receviers from that season - and the Colts now - were soft. I don't think these Pats are.

 

Belichick's job is to win games and get the Pats to the Super Bowl... Ahead 38-0 or 45-0, the first goal is accomplished. How is keeping Brady and co. in the game at that point accomplishing goal no. 2? I think most agree that keeping them in the game can only HURT their efforts toward accomplishing a Super Bowl run due to the risk of injury.

And if the Pats are doing the right thing, why don't they just come out and own it? Instead of Belichick's lame answers at his press conference, why doesn't he just come out and say 'we're going to put our foot on your throat until you stop us...' ?? Instead, he skirts around the issue, saying 'we were just out there playing.'

For the record, I thought it was risky, although not necessarily classless, when Brady remained in the game throwing the ball around with the score 38-0. What got me was going for it on fourth down, with Brady carrying the ball on a sneak.

 

Quarterbacks are pretty safe on sneaks. They don't fall far, just on top of their own linemen, who smother the collision.
Rhody, it ain't a matter of manliness. Hit people when they don't expect it, they lose concentration. It's just a natural reaction of the nervous system. Moss is great, but he has been known to take the occasional play, game, month off when things don't go his way.

 

That was one thing I expected that didn't happen. Gregg Williams tells Sean Taylor to let the pick go and put a shoulder into Moss's ribs. If they're playing Cover-2 - and Taylor doesn't blow a coverage - he should be in some sort of a position to deliver a blow.

But the gamebook says Brady attempted one deep pass in the entire first half - intended for Jabar Gaffney. Probably for exactly that reason - why expose Moss and Stallworth to someone like Taylor?

And by then it didn't matter, the short passing game had done its job.

Shockey, agree with you re: Brady getting smacked. But this is under the assumption that the Redskins have someone who can rush the passer. I think Andre Carter is having a fine season (obviously much better than last year) but I'm certain he has two sacks (one definitely) because he didn't get blocked.

You have to go pretty far back in the media guide to find when the Redskins had a dominant pass rusher. Certainly not since I've been around them.

 

I'm trying to think of something more pathetic than a professional athlete crying about running up the score, but really I can't.

Go play intramurals, brother. :

 

Fenian, I never saw the '84 Bears do anything like the Pats the last couple of weeks, but I saw the '85 Bears do plenty of it.