Patriots Game 16: Patriots 13 - Bills 0
As a Patriots fan, it was awful to have to pin your play-off hopes on the Jets winning. I just could not cheer for the Jets…it just seemed so wrong! I decided I would just cheer against the Dolphins! In the end, the Jets let us Patriot fans down (you just knew they would!), and there will be no post season for the Patriots. I do tip my hat to the Dolphins though…what a difference a season makes. Represent the AFC East Proud!
The Good:
New England's special teams made the difference in a game played amid wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski connected on 2-of-3 field goals, while Punter Chris Hanson averaged 48 yards on four punts.
The Patriots won with a rushing attack that produced 168 yards and ate up 32 minutes of the clock.
In going 6-of-8 for 78 yards, Quarterback Matt Cassel's 12-yard completion into the wind to Wide Receiver Wes Welker on fourth down set up Running back Lamont Jordan's score. He also hit Welker for a 14-yard pass on third down in helping set up Gostkowski's 23-yard field goal that put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter.
Cassel also rushed three times for 19 yards and chipped in with a 57-yard punt late in the game. Note: It will be interesting to see what the Patriots do about Matt Cassel in 2009.
The Bad:
The conditions were so bad that the goal posts had to be centered three times before game time, and again in the second quarter before Gostkowski missed a 26-yard attempt. Another stoppage came in the third quarter, when referee Gene Steratore had his hat blown off and was forced to chase it 20 yards downfield in front of a cheering crowd.
The Ugly:
The Patriots were knocked out of the playoff picture Sunday afternoon when both the Dolphins and Ravens won their games (Guess not every team can be as lucky as the Philadelphia Eagles, who made it to the play-offs with a win over the Cowboys, and losses by the Bucs and the Bears). The Patriots have the same or better record than seven of the twelve-playoff teams.
Final Thoughts:
"I'm really proud of our team today. Going 11-5, winning the last four, coming here today, I thought we played well as a football team." -- New England Coach Bill Belichick
"As disappointed as we are that the season is over, I remain very proud of this team." -- New England Coach Bill Belichick
With one catch for 13 yards, Patriots WR Randy Moss upped his career total to 13,201 yards, moving to ninth in the NFL, 3 yards ahead of former Buffalo star Andre Reed.
The Patriots became the first 11-5 team to miss the playoffs since Denver fell short in 1985.
No comments:
Post a Comment