Sunday’s 27-26 win by the Patriots in the Meadowlands was one of the best games I have seen in a while.
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LaFell was speaking about the deep pass that Tom Brady threw to him in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, and his choice of words sounded similar to how Charlie Brown must feel.
Because it was a close game that ended as time expired, everyone will tend to focus on the plays that happened from 2:01 on down, i.e., after Odell Beckham Jr.’s touchdown catch was overturned.
Dismissing the absence of Edelman and Lewis however, seems like an oversight. Because usually it allows his team to have back-to-back possessions bridging halftime. His wedges were working just fine, he said; it was the driver that needed to come around.
Here’s why: James White and Brandon Bolden don’t require a convoy of tacklers rallying to the ball to get them to the ground.
“That” kick is a do-or-die field goal, with the clock striking 00:00, and you make the kick you win, you miss the kick you lose.
Bills head coach Rex Ryan believes his defense has improved considerably since giving up a team record 466 passing yards to Brady and the Patriots offense a little over two months ago. As good as the Pats are, Edelman would be a significant loss.
That first-down call is the one that could be second-guessed-even if the Patriots were playing the run, there’s value in getting stuffed, getting to the two-minute warning, and forcing New England to burn its last timeout on second down. Early reports indicate he might be back in time for the rematch between these two teams. While there is still hope that he returns for the beginning of the NFL playoffs, this is a moot point for season-long Fantasy Football players, and he can be safely dropped. Amendola has 40 catches this season and he has already doubled his numbers from previous year and now has the chance to step up for the final stretch of the season for the Patriots. Maybe, given the circumstances and the stakes, this would’ve been the biggest win for them since all the way back to Super Bowl XLVI.
If there is a fault that Eli Manning still has not overcome, it is his constant check-offs at the line of scrimmage. The Giants then drove from their own 3 yard line all the way within the Patriots 10. New middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley played a big part in that. As he was coming down, Malcolm Butler, the super bowl hero, punches it out of his hands to force an incomplete pass. This play eventually led to a Giants field goal, putting them up 26-24 with under two minutes to go.
October 18, 2015: New England Patriots Wide Receiver Julian Edelman (11) [11715] runs with the football in action during a NFL game between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.
It is also important to keep in mind how clutch Brady was on that final drive.
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Manning’s slide forced New England to use its last time out, but the time remaining was just enough for the Patriots to set up Stephen Gostkowski for a 54-yard game-winning field goal. But if you’ve seen a team in the NFC East considerably better than the one that could have – probably should have – beaten the Patriots on Sunday, you’re watching from a different planet. Brady completed five passes on that drive, and only one went towards the sideline, despite not having any timeouts.
