Lots of Questions Following Loss to Jets
Monday, January 17, 2011
All week long the New York Jets talked the talk. Yesterday, they walked the walk.
The cocky Jets won every phase of the game against New England. Their offense, defense and special teams were better than the Patriots. Their players outplayed the Patriots players and Rex Ryan and his staff outcoached Bill Belichick and his staff. Final score: Jets 28 Patriots 21.
And, please, spare me the “this loss hurts just as much as losing Super Bowl XVII.” It’s not even close.
It looked as if the game might play out according to plan early on when the Patriots defense forced a punt on the Jets first possession of the game. Then the Pats offense marched into Jets territory on what looked to be a scoring drive. That’s when an ominous occurance took place. Tom Brady threw an interception for the first time since Moby Dick was a minnow.
David Harris returned it to the Patriots 12 where, surprisingly, the Jets failed to score. Still, it was an uneasy feeling for the Patriots and their fans. One that never seemed to go away for the rest of the afternoon.
When you enter a game as such a big favorite and lose, there are usually many questions. Here are just a few following Sunday’s loss:
-Why did the emotionless Tom Brady decide to show up for such an important game? The fiery QB lacked that fire yesterday and the team seemed to follow his lead.
-Did the Patriots take the Jets lightly following the 45-3 beatdown in early December?
-Why did Alge Crumpler drop a touchdown pass?
-Why did Belichick call for a fake punt late in the 2nd quarter on his own 38 yard line down 4 when you’re getting the ball to start the second half?
-Why did Bill O’Brien and company stick with the running game so long?
-And why didn’t the Patriots try to pick up the pace by using the hurry-up offense to get themselves into a rhythm and to prevent the Jets from substituting defensively?
-Why couldn’t Patriots receivers get open in the Jets secondary?
-Why was Brady so indecisive at times?
-Why is Darius Butler on the field?
-Down 10 in the 4th, why was there such a lack of urgency on the part of the Patriots offense?
-How didn’t the Patriots recover their first attempt at an on-side kick?
-What did Belichick say to Rex Ryan and the two embraced at midfield after the game?
-All things considered, was this Patriots season a success?
-Where do the Patriots go from here?
-Will there be NFL football in 2011?
It’s hard to be upset with the 2010 New England Patriots. They treated us to an incredible (14-2) regular season that few thought they were capable of. However, like the perfect season of 2007, this one ended short of a 4th Super Bowl title which is hard to swallow when you’re considered the prohibitive favorite.
Let the questions begin.
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