Each week we offer our take on the game handing out awards called Game
Balls (good things) and Goats (not good things).
Awards can be given for anything from players, coaches and officials to
the announcers or even the weather. Here are ours,
check the link below to voice yours or read what others are saying.
GAME BALLS
Tom Brady – Tom gets a game ball despite the
negative plays (more on that later), because he just set an NFL record
for most passing yards in the first three games of the
season. Brady is slowly creeping up on breaking every NFL
passing record out there. This time he passed Drew Brees’
record of 1,257 set in 2006.
Wes Welker – Welker had a huge game.
Overshadowed by the loss, Welker converted four crucial plays that made
the game closer than it could have been. #1) A 4th3rd and 6
from NE22, Welker caught a 23 yarder to get drive going. Pats only led
by 7 at that point heading into the 4th. #2) Welker
caught a tough 5-yard catch at BU 36 on 4th-4 with 8:18 left
in 4th with NE down 24-31. #3) on 3rd-7 same drive Brady looked to
walker for a 1st down when he had misfired to other wideouts, converted
for a 1st at the BUF13. #4) on same drive, Welker caught a TD
on 4th-goal from the 6. He finished with 16 catches
for 217 yards and 2 TDs. (Career day)
Special teams – Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski
kept the dangerous Bills returners at bay with5 touchbacks and a key
FG. Zoltan Mesko booted punts of 47, 57 and 36-yarder to the
Buf 6. Overcame injuries to play well. Julian Edelman returned 3 punts for 10.3 avg. No muffs, and manages 3 KO
returns for 21.0 avg.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Rob Gronkowski – big day for the big guy. 7 catches
for 109 yards and 2 TDs.
Kyle Arrington - 2 INT day, a solid outing for the
Patriots DB.
GOATS
Patriots Secondary – Horrible day. Gave up big
plays to allow Bills to tie, then solidify the win with huge plays in
the fourth quarter. Sergio Brown, Kyle arrington,
Leigh Bodden all had blown plays. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for
369 yards, making NE the worst pass defense in the NFL
(pending outcome of late games).
Sergio Brown – beaten on numerous coverage plays, his pass
interference penalty gave the Bills the ball on the Patriots 1 with
less than 2 mins to go.
Tom Brady – 4 interceptions. Tipped or
not, Brady still threw two key picks in the red zone, blowing scoring
opportunities that could have solidified the game. A career
low for TB12.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
Refs – No explanation for the charged timeout to the
Patriots with the game in it’s final minutes. The crowd had
no idea why the Patriots were charged with that time out. It changed
the way the game ended.
Pass rush – Non-existent. Despite some occasional impressive
moves, the Patriots let Ryan Fitzpatrick take his time to pick apart
the secondary. If the DBs get blamed, a good deal of the responsibility
belongs on the lack of pressure.
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