Official NFL Week Thirteen Live Thread

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[mainepatsfan]

NFL WEEK THIRTEEN LIVE THREAD

November 29

8:00PM ET - NFL NETWORK

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December 2

1:00PM ET - FOX

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1:00PM ET - CBS

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4:05PM ET - CBS

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4:15PM ET - FOX

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8:15PM ET - NBC

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December 3

8:30PM ET - ESPN

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[mainepatsfan]

I thought that their best chance was yesterday at home against the Jets.

[scott says]

You gotta think they will show up next week with the A game. I still cannot believe they almost blew games to the Eagles and the Ravens. They were 24 point favorites to the Eagles and won by 3, 20 point favorites to Baltimore and won by 3...shesh,I hope they are 3 point favorites and win by 20.

[Brytani]

So did most people, instead it was a blowout...worst this season....

Sorry, I celebrated...

[NonValueAdded]

Rodney went over to say something to him, many words actually. The kisses were in response.

Also, it was the defensive coordinator that called the time out on the 4th and one play, not the Raven's coach.

[mainepatsfan]

Here’s the thing about the Giants game...the Giants may rest more players than the Pats that night. The reason is they’re pretty much locked into that #5 seed and unlike the Pats they’ll have a playoff game to play the following week.

[lepton]

There is something going on with Maroney and I can't put my finger on it. He's obviously been in Belichick's doghouse for some reason or other as he's just not getting the playing time you would expect. He is only a shadow of what he was last year when it looked like he was on his way to being a premier RB in the NFL.

Actually he;s gotten better at picking up at least *some* yards on short plays. He is a miserable short-yardage back, and quite often gets stopped for a yard or less unless the field is open - then he's excellent at making the one guy miss.

[mainepatsfan]

I expect them to.

[mainepatsfan]

I laughed.

[mainepatsfan]

We saw that tonight on that run after the catch he made.

[Brytani]

We went and saw Dallas when they came down here and kicked the crap out of the Fins.

I kid you not, by half-time there were more people in Dallas Jerseys then Fins...

Their own town has given up on them.

[mainepatsfan]

Heck during the Pats game in Miami there were so many New England fans there they started a “Let’s go Red Sox!” chant in the second half.

[misterrob]

If they would just commit to handing him the ball and letting the line block then you might see some things. He does put his head down and hit the pile and you can see what happens when he gets past the D-line. When he learns to catch the ball he will become very, very dangerous.

[FDNYRHEROES]

Also annoying was having Don Shula in the booth all that time, no doubt chortling on how he was hoping for the Ravens to win so he could get to that champagne. I bet he already had the wire cage off the bottle and was twisting the cork.

I noticed that Shula excused himself and left the booth when Brady got the ball back with the score 24-20...probably just in case Brady pulled it out...

[Brytani]

Before I head of to bed I have to my own condolences to my team and the loss of a great player....RIP #21

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!


Sean you will be missed

[Brytani]

I was SOOOOOOO pissed we had to miss that game!!!

[lepton]

Holding????????

Two examples on that play. They were holding Gaffney too.

[lepton]

Holding????????

Two examples on that play. They were holding Gaffney too.

[rlmorel]

Hi folks...just got home from a friend’s house.

My thoughts:

1.) No disrespect to Baltimore fans, but their team (their defense) played thuggy, mentally shoddy football, and it caught up to them. I saw multiple incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct in pile ups and after plays. I saw one incident where Lewis pushed the head of a Patriots back into the turf after a play was called dead, and another instance of a defensive back putting his knee into the head of another Patriot receiver after a play. There was a lot of clutching that didn’t get called. I am okay with that, because I think you do have to let them play sometimes, but if you do enough of it, you will pay the price.

2.) I give Baltimore credit for playing the full 60 minutes at top tempo. I respected the hell out of the Eagles last week, because they did that and didn’t do it dirty.

3.) That time-out by Baltimore on fourth down was a mental error on the part of the coach. Sure, it was a gamble to do that, but the Patriots were lucky. And that is all part of the game.

4.) There should have been three unsportsmanlike penalties called on Gaffney’s touchdown, not two. I give the ref points for not throwing the flag at the guy following him around and berating him.

5.) What was with the dropped balls? I know it was cold, but these guys have played in that weather (and worse) before. Watson? Faulk? Moss? Ugh. Those are their most reliable people (Except for Welker)

6.) McGahee is one of those players who ALWAYS give the Pats problems, no matter what team they play for. Tonight was no different, and he ran like a man on steroids. Lot of credit there, I am glad he doesn’t play for Buffalo anymore.

7.) As weak as the Pats were against the run, give them credit for stepping up to make key stops against the run on two consecutive series.

8.) The pass rush needs some sacks.

9.) Special Teams play on punts was poor for the most part against Baltimore.

10.) Pats did a good job of avoiding turnovers.

11.) The interception of the pass by Sanders was KEY. I think that might have been the key play of the game. Instead of being down by 14, the Patriots go downfield and get a field goal to bring them to within 4. That is a 10 point swing at a key juncture of the game.

12.) The Patriots did not play that well, and a good part of that was due to the things that Baltimore was doing. Dropped passes aside, their aggressive play was both an asset and a liability.

13.) Jaworski is a pussy. If I have to watch any more games where he is present in the booth, I am turning off the sound. What a dork. And Kornholeheiser is only marginally better. I thought the handling of the game was extremely unprofessional last night. The open rooting against one team was distasteful. At least someone must have sat Don Shula down and explained things to him after his last bout with the press, so when he opened his mouth, at least the right words were coming out even though it is apparent he didn’t subscribe to them.

14.) Good teams (and the Patriots are a good team) find a way to win even when all the odds are against them, as they were last night against the Patriots going for it on all those fourth downs. Say what you will about the Patriots, they do not stop playing until the final gun sounds. This was their biggest failing last year, and it cost them against Indianapolis in the championship game. Belichick has addressed that this year, and in games like this, it has paid off.

[scott says]

Another Excellent post :0
Your insight and observations are better than any of the ESPN clowns. Good job :)

[rlmorel]

Thanks. I was completely disgusted with the so called professionals tonight. I have never seen such a poorly executed broadcast.

All the people they had consistently talked over the action, usually about stupid things that had nothing to do with the game, and even more annoyingly, nothing to do with football.

And one more point: Maroney is a very talented guy, but...he has no talent for short yardage. He can catch, he can run, and I give him a HUGE amount of credit, he can PASS BLOCK LIKE THE DEVIL HIMSELF! I saw two cases tonight where he picked up blitzing linebackers, one of them he stood straight up and nearly took off the ground with his square to the body textbook block.

But on third and two, I want to see Faulk, Evans or Eckel. Those guys know how to hit a hole aggressively. Evans in particular, to me the guy runs like John Riggins used to run with the Redskins. I would like to see more of him.