Pats
30, Stillers 14���. Sep. 9th, 2002 ����Game #1
Stillers-Pats
Postgame Analysis and Grades
The incompetence of Pitt
coach Wally Harris apparently rubbed off on Billy Cowher, whose team was given
a royal can of whipass on national TV in a 30-14 beating.� The score doesn't even begin to tell the
full story of the humiliating domination by the Pats over the Stillers.� To be fair, the bumbling Harris -- who
shares a stadium and practice facilities with Cowher -- shouldn't be blamed,
since the past 9 years of overt incompetence on opening day by Cowher has
been well documented on this site.� �This evening, Cowher made it 10
consecutive yeas of sloth, piss-poor preparation, and sheer embarrassment by
laying another opening day egg.��
Big Plays:
1. Stewart throws horrible
INTs on each of the 1st two drives.
2. The Stillers stop the
Pats on 3rd & goal, but Porter is flagged for a foolish offsides
penalty.�� NE scores 2 plays later, in
what was essentially a 4-point swing.�
3. Aided by a ticky-tack PI
flag on Law, the Stillers culminate a nice march with a TD pass to Hines Ward.
4. �The Stillers are given a 1st & goal at
the 1 from a horrible PI flag on Law, but then a sequence of mishaps turned a
sure 7 into an easy 3, and then into nothing:�
a penalty on Gandy, followed by lazy footwork by Burress on an easy TD
grab that was correctly ruled OOB, followed by a foolish 15-yard penalty on Fu after
the play was over. ��Peterson then badly hooked a fairly easy 39-yard
FG.
5. �On the 1st drive of the 2nd half, clinging to
a thin 3-point lead, the Pats competed a bomb to Patten on 3rd & 13, followed
the next play by a 40-yard catch-and-run TD by Hayes.�
6.� On a 3rd & 7, 2 missed tackles allow
Branch to score and essentially put the game out of reach, 24-7.�
Grades:
QB: Stewart, trying to prove that he is
more of the QB we saw in 2001 rather than '98 and '99, reverted to his '98 ways
with a fairly poor evening.�� He one-hopped
several passes, and threw some lollipop passes that were tipped or batted
away.�� The 2 early INTs were
abysmal.�� His overt refusal to throw while
on the run was never more evident than the late crushing hit by McGinnest, who
has for years seen Stewart clutch onto the football as tightly as a baby holds
onto a pacifier.� McGinnest never once
bought Stewart's little pump-fake and drilled Stewart. �The support he got was less than adequate,
but Stewart must play better than what we saw tonight.�� C-.�
RB:�
The Tubby Tailback got the start, and did very little, other than 2
plays in which he was provided gargantuan holes large enough to accommodate a
John Deere tractor.� But on the 1 nice
gainer, The Doughboy coughed up the ball, resulting in a killer turnover.� Zereoue got some work, but didn't do
much.� Fu played sparingly and touched
the ball only once off a short pass.� C.�
FB: Kreider threw a nice block that
sprung Bettis on the 16-yard scamper.�
He also caught a little slant in that gained 9 yards.� Kreider's work was limited due to the
catch-up football and turnovers.� B.
WR: �Ward led the way with 8 grabs for a modest 90 yards.� He had a nice RAC on the TD.�� �Randle
El had a solid night in his first NFL game, grabbing 6 for 87 yards, including
a sterling 1-handed catch near the end of the game.�� (Those of you who turned this game off, or left the bar before
game's end, missed this nice grab.) �Mathis caught one little pass for 4 yards.� The biggest disappointment was, of course,
Burress.�� In his defense, he was
ignored nearly the entire game, and wasn't used downfield.�� However, his sloppy, lazy footwork at the
back of the end zone in that fateful 2nd quarter ultimately cost the Stillers 7
points.�� This was an easy TD that was
negated due to overt carelessness�nothing more, nothing less.� Perhaps Burress should watch the focus and
dedication of a Troy Brown along the sideline, and then apply that mentality in
future games.� B.�
TE:�
Bruener had just about a career game, grabbing 4 passes, all of which
were little dumpoffs and a couple of which were essentially in garbage
time.� �After the AFC title game loss, there were cries of "if only
Bruener had played, we would have moved the ball better, blah blah
blah."�� Even with the God of
Blocking, the Stillers had fits with the Patriots.� �B+.�
OL: The O-line was once again as
ill-prepared for the Patriots as the Japanese were in defending Hiroshima from
the atomic bomb.�� NE slanted, sliced,
and slashed their way past lumbering, bootfooted Stiller linemen all
evening.�� Leading the way in this
stench-o-rama was none other than Fat Oliver Ross, who was routinely abused and
battered about with enough frequency that, if he were a married female (and he
played like one this evening) he would qualify for Battered Wife's
Syndrome.� Pro Bowler Alan Faneca had a
pretty sorry game for a player of his stature and prominence.�� He also was flagged for a hold.� Gandy was flagged for the false start on 1st
& goal on the 1, on a play that wasn't even up his "alley".�� Gandy did, in fact, flinch a microscopic
amount, which unfortunately drew the flag and began the sequence that killed
that drive.� Smith was a bit soft over
at RT, and was also flagged for a false start.�� In all, this was a chance for this group at redemption, and instead
they redeemed their sorry play last January with an effort equally as
sorry.�� D+.
DL: �The D-line played a solid overall game.�� Kimo was quite active and disruptive.� Hampton had some nice push and surge on occasion.�� Smith pounded away all evening and gave the
right side of the Pats' line all it could handle.�� Bailey saw a good bit of work in relief and played solidly.�� B+.�
LB:�
On paper, Big Jason Gildon led the team in tackles with 8 solos and 2
assists.� Of course, as we will see in
the weekly GilDong Report, Jason collected nearly all of these tackles off of untouched,
unblocked opportunities, or stack jumps and stack dives, or easy shoves OOB
of WRs, or an easy shove OOB on a RB 20 yards downfield.�� The play of the game for this defense was a
3rd & 3 midway thru the 3d qtr, with the Pats up 17-7.� Despite a total disinterest (24 consecutive
passing plays at one point of the game) in what had been an ineffective ground
game, the Pats decided to run the ball, with Smith taking a pitchout and running
to his right.� Jason GilDong -- solo
blocked by a WR (Troy Brown) got bullied and mauled backwards, and Smith
easily cruised for 5 yards and the 1st down.�
Three plays later, Branch scored the crushing TD that put the Pats up,
24-7, and the game was over.� Pass
rush?� Jason didn't come close to even
sniffing Tom Brady.� Jason was back in
coverage on occasion, but Brady threw 43 passes, and not a single time was
Brady harassed, rushed, flushed, or hit by Big Jason GilDong.� Not once.�
And, lest we forget, the early TD pass to Fauria came as the result of
Jason's feeble, softee jam on Fauria, followed by Jason literally taking
himself out of the play with a Wide Loop Rush in a situation where no one
was present to even loop around.� Last,
but not least, there was the embarrassment of Big Jason -- supposedly a team
captain and leader -- prancing, woofing, and gesturing like a complete jackass after
a simple, routine tackle, with his team getting thrashed 27-7 in the 4th
quarter.�� Joey Porter had the foolish offsides
penalty, but had an ok game.� He was
used extensively in coverage, and responded with outstanding coverage, most of which
came against WRs.� He also had a
good read and stuff of a TE screen late in the 1Q.� Farrior played ok in his 1st game as a Stiller.� He didn't make any thumping hits on ground
plays, although NE didn't run the ball much, either.� According to most, Farrior was supposed to be the Godsend and the
cure-all for covering the TE, but NE's TEs combined for 8 grabs and 1 TD.� (Farrior wasn't in coverage on all of those
catches, but was in coverage on most of them.)�
Bell's sprained ankle reared its ugly head, which forced rookie L. Foote
into a lot more work than the coaching staff would have preferred.� Bell did poke a ball from Smith's hands on a
running play, but Smitty was ruled down prior to the near-fumble.�� Clark Haggans, in his 3rd NFL season, was
finally allowed to play defense in a meaningful game, and did ok.�� Bottom line for the LB crew in the 3-4, is
that this crew is the primary group tasked to make big plays and create/force
turnovers.�� To their discredit, they
did neither.�� C.
DB:�
The secondary started the game in very good form, but then got soft,
sloppy, and slowfooted as the game progressed.�� Their press coverage was quite effective early on, but ordered
to back off when the Pats went to the 5-wide, the secondary got flaccid and
meek.�� Deshea Townsend, counted heavily
this season to be the "go to" guy in the nickel, had without question
his worst game as a pro.�� He coverage
was poor and so was his tackling.� On
his behalf, Townsend has always been better in press coverage than playing 10 yards
off the LOS.� Townsend was badly
schooled on the TD by Branch, both in coverage and in tackling (read:
whiffing).� Scott played ok, though he
gave up a couple passes (although that will, of course, happen in the NFL) and
was also flagged for holding. �Washington
was picked on some, and was also flagged for holding.� He also flailed poorly on the Hayes TD.� Brent made no plays on any balls, and meekly flailed at Branch on
NE's final TD.�� What started out
promising for this group turned into a nightmare, although they were, in fact,
left out to dry by few defensive adjustments and no pass rush whatsoever.� D.�
Spec teams:�
For the first time in recent memory, Cowher's special teams weren't
horrendous.� To be sure, there were some
boners.� Josh -- the supposedly great punter
that he is -- had a pitiful punt of 24 yards that gave NE golden field position
and an easy 3� points, and a poor pooch
attempt go into the EZ.� Randle El fair
caught one punt at his own 8 yard line.�
The KO returners did little, except on 1 return by Mayes that was decent.�� Peterson missed what was basically a
chip-shot 39-yard FG.� C-.
OC: Mularkey did absolutely nothing to
impress me this evening.� The first INT,
in fact, came on a 3rd & 8 play in which Hines Ward was ordered to remain
in the backfield and pass block.�
Yep, that's right -- Hines Ward, the team's leading receiver last season
and Stewart's favorite target, was used as a blocking back on this play, and
the intended pass to Mathis was INT'd.��
That's a real clever use of Hines Ward, Mr. Mularkey.�� Call me a revolutionary and a radical, but
given the choice, I believe I'd rather have Mathis pass block and Ward go out
for passes.� Or, maybe keep the God of
Blocking (Bruener)in the game as a "FB", and allow Hines Ward to go
out for passes.� Mularkey threw in a
couple much-anticipated trick plays, but these came after the Stillers were
well behind, and were inserted in more of a grab-bag approach than with any
set-up or forethought.� The gross
inability to counter the slashing style of defense -- the same defense that
stymied Mularkey last January -- shows that he learned nothing the past 8
months.� The refusal to get Burress
integrated early and often -- a key for a player like Burress -- shows Mularkey
has a poor grasp of handling the people he has at his disposal.�� In all, aside from that bag o' vomit we al
saw from Walt Harris at Heinz Field this past weekend. this was as barfy an
offensive �gameplan and preparation as
you can possible accomplish.�� D-.� �
DC: �Tim Lewis once again validates his mental capacity, which is
roughly equivalent to that of Fred Flintstone, Barney Fife, and Cliff Claven.� NE decides to go into a pure passing
offense, and what does Lewis do?�� Absolutely
nothing.� He stays with his base
defense, and worse, fails to put any pressure whatsoever on the QB by way of
blitzing.� Additionally, his defense
started out with good, effective use of press coverage, but the counter move by
NE to go with 4 & 5 wides was countered by Lewis with NOTHING.�� �Hopefully
the absurd fawning over Time Lewis as some sort of "genius" will come
to an abrupt -- and unceasing -- halt after this pile of excrement emitted by
Lewis this evening.�� D-.�
HC: �I was thoroughly wrong to go, as I stated in my pre-game analysis,
against my better judgment as far as Cowher's perennial ineptitude,
incompetence, and dereliction of duty.� I
had 9 years of concrete, hard data (see http://www.stillers.com/article_show.asp?ID=675
) but was badly duped by Cowher's claim that he was going to do things to �prepare differently for this season's opener.� I ignored the hard truth of my very own statement
of �"The factor that stands out
most to the astute observer is Cowher's 9 consecutive years of slop, vanilla,
timidity, and poor preparation for the season opener. �Cowher claims he's addressed that, but it's
hard to imagine that a mule-stubborn dullard like Bill Cowher can just wake up
one day and radically reverse 9 years of overt opening-day futility."� Cowher and his millions of blind, unswerving
minions will quickly jump on any number of handy excuses�. "Kendrell Bell
re-injured his ankle.� Stewart didn't
get much work in preseason.� The O-line
hasn't jelled yet.� The refs didn't cut
us any breaks."�� Blah blah blah,
sob sob sob.�� The penalties, most of
which were the result of purely mental breakdowns, show poor focus, poor
preparation, and poor attention to detail, all of which come under the purview
of Bill Cowher. ��The gross inability to
prepare for the SAME problems that gave us fits back in January must be the
fault of one man, and his name is Billy Cowher.�� The gross inability to counter the in-game moves by the NE staff
is the fault of the head coach, and his name is Billy Cowher.�� I had noted this in my pre-game: "On
opening day under Bill Cowher, the Stillers have had a penchant for softee
vanilla that is the envy of every Dairy Queen franchise across America, and
it's likely they'll limit their blitzes and play soft on the Pats receivers.� If so, Brady will be able to play
pitch-and-catch with Brown and Patten, as well as the intermittent flip to the
TE or back.�� The Stillers must abandon
any vanilla stupidity, and play with aggressiveness and initiative.�� This includes tactics like jamming
receivers near the LOS; disguising coverages to confuse Brady; and blitz
packages that bring more than 4 rushers at the QB."�� Unbelievably -- or perhaps believably --
Cowher did the exact stupidity that I feared the most, and as sure as the Pope
is Catholic, Cowher's defense was toyed with.�
Additionally, the excessive chewing on Deshea Townsend was a typically
moronic Cowher ploy that did absolutely nothing more than to feed Cowher's ego;
provide Cowher national TV exposure; and embarrass & humiliate Townsend, a
man that was responsible for about 5% of the mishaps and boners that occurred in
this game.� All in all, just another
opening day team stink from the NFL's most overpaid, most overrated coach,
Billy Cowher.� F. �
Synopsis:
�The good news is that this is just one game
in what is essentially a marathon.� And
the Stillers reside in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL.� (In fact, they are tied for 1st place right now.)� The bad news is that a very good, very tough
Raiders team is the next opponent.�� The
other bad news is that this team has lost its past two games, and hasn't won a
meaningful game since last January.� Bravado
and spirited talk aside, some players may get down and lose confidence in
themselves, and worse yet, their teammates and coaching staff.� It's too early for a "must win",
but losing to the Raiders -- the last good team on the schedule until December
-- could shatter fragile confidence and place the Stillers into a deep hole in
the AFC conference playoff hunt.� Clearly,
the preparation, planning, intensity, and execution must vastly improve in next
week's game, or this team will be looking to dig itself out of an ominous 0-2
hole.�
�