New England Patriots vs. St Louis Rams: 10 Observations for Pats Fans
The New England Patriots have gone 37-11 in the past three years, while the St. Louis Rams have gone 6-42 in that same span. But you wouldn't have believed it if you saw Sam Bradford effortlessly pick apart the Patriots defense.
The 36-35 outcome of the game has New England sports fans and analysts playing the usual "sky is falling" soundtrack of old, but lest we become entrenched in the insanity of losing to the Rams, we mustn't forget that this game has one very important word attached to it: "preseason".
The third preseason game is generally seen as the most important, but we also shouldn't forget that the Colts are 0-5 in their last five preseason games. They, too, lost their third preseason game last year, and rattled off 14 straight wins in the regular season on their way to a Super Bowl berth.
They, too, got beaten to a pulp in their third preseason game this year, albeit against the Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers.
But enough of my rambling about the importance, or lack thereof, of this "all-important" third preseason game. Here are my general observations:
Notable Players Missing
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Julian Edelman and Aaron Hernandez were both held out of the game on Thursday night. One has to wonder if Hernandez's injury is more significant than the Patriots are letting on, or if this is simply a precautionary measure in order to make sure he's at 100 percent for the season opener against Cincinnati.
The Patriots offense looked just fine without them, but they're certainly better off with them both on the field.
No Carries For Laurence Maroney
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BenJarvus Green-Ellis got the good looks in the first preseason game. Fred Taylor carried the load against the Falcons in week two of preseason action. With Belichick's mantra of featuring each back individually throughout the preseason, the Rams game appeared to be Maroney's chance to shine.
He suited up for last night's game, but rode the pine the entire time.
That may have had something to do with the 17-7 deficit the Patriots faced in the first half, or the fact that the carries simply weren't there for anyone, as New England only ran 11 rushing plays the entire time.
One has to wonder, though, if this shows a lack of confidence by the Patriots in their first-round pick of 2006.
Brandon Tate Looks Great on Kick Returns
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Tate has been taking reps with the first-team offense in training camp and in preseason games, but he reminded us that he set records as a kick returner in college. A 97-yard return followed by a 43-yard return both showed his quickness and acceleration.
And like any true Patriot, he attributed it all to his teammates.
This is big for the Patriots, who lacked a good threat at kick returner after shipping Ellis Hobbs off to Philadelphia during 2009's draft.
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Ron Brace Back In the Mix
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Brace became New England's very own version of Albert Haynesworth earlier in the preseason, as he missed the entire public portion of training camp due to failing his conditioning test. Brace heard the rumblings of doubt about his status as a second-round pick going into his second year, but has made his own rumblings in preseason action.
After forcing a fumble against the Atlanta Falcons last week, he followed up his act with a sack in last night's contest. He may not earn starting time, but the coaching staff has to be impressed with his quick progress.
Time Of Possession: Rams 43:46, Patriots 16:14
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The St. Louis Rams held onto the ball for an astounding 44 minutes of the game. The fact that the Patriots only lost by one point with that statistic in mind gives you confidence, but I'd rather not see the Patriots give up that kind of possession.
The Rams had 41 rushing plays against the Patriots defense, and although Steven Jackson didn't tear them apart, the Patriots defense needs to be more disciplined in gap control. The Patriots were able to hold the rushing attack to 3.3 yard average, and only gave up eight rushing first downs versus 18 passing chain-movers.
You simply can't give up 30 first downs while only getting 12 on offense and expect to win the game. The defense gets tired, and the offense never gets into rhythm.
Wheres the Pass Rush?
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It's not as though the Rams have a superior offensive line. In fact, it's been called one of their weak spots. But with the Rams' back-up offensive linemen playing in the third quarter, the Patriots still couldn't reach the quarterback.
It's hard to tell whether or not this is a microcosm of what to expect this season. The Patriots didn't have this problem against the New Orleans Saints or the Atlanta Falcons, both of whom have much more respected offensive lines than the lowly Rams.
With a young unit in the defensive front, inconsistency is to be expected. Still, that's a problem that the Patriots can hopefully hammer out before the regular season opener against the Bengals, because Carson Palmer is far more dangerous with time in the pocket than Sam Bradford.
Zoltan Mesko Has an Off Day
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Mesko had a great preseason before last night, averaging over 45 yards per punt and maxing out at 52. The Michigan product had an off night against the Rams, though, averaging only 27 yards per punt and only landing one of his five punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Belichick puts a high premium on field position, and Mesko failed to deliver for New England last night. He has to be consistent in this area, because the Patriots defense appears to still have holes to fix.
No Balance Between Rush and Pass
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The Patriots had done a very good job of balancing their attack between the run and pass all preseason. The play counts were almost even in the other two preseason games. They ran 35 rushing plays against 31 passing plays against New Orleans, and 25 rushing plays against 38 passing plays versus the Falcons.
Last night, the Patriots nearly doubled their 11 rushing plays with 25 passing plays.
Running the ball allows the defense to rest. Balance needs to be established with the Patriots, who were putting pressure on their young guys on defense each time they were forced to quickly get back on the field.
Tom Brady can do it alone, but he shouldn't have to, and it's not necessarily the best way to go about things, which leads me to my next slide...
Tom Brady Gearing Up For a Big Season
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After a couple of quick three-and-outs by New England's offense, Tom Brady looked like he was in midseason form, completing anything and everything the Rams defense gave him. He went 18-of-22 (81.8 percent completions) for 273 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
We even saw shades of 2007 when Brady had an incredible play-action pass, throwing a 65-yard bomb to Randy Moss that the speedster himself had to stretch his arms out to reel in.
With a struggling defense, Tom Brady may have no choice but to play up to that level if the Patriots want to win football games.
The Tight Ends Looked Good
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The Patriots defied a lot of logic when they went after two tight ends in the 2010 draft. The first tight end they picked was Rob Gronkowski, who they were lucky enough to land in the second round after he fell due to injury concerns with his back.
"Gronk" has been every bit as successful as anyone could have hoped. Although he had a silent night against the Saints, he had a touchdown late in the Atlanta game, and his three receptions went for 66 yards and two scores in last night's game. One was by far the play of the night, perhaps of the entire preseason, as Gronkowski refused to say no to a touchdown that was ten yards away, dragging a defender who was latched onto his foot as he valiantly reached the ball across the goal line.
His combination of size, speed, and athleticism makes him a matchup nightmare worth keeping an eye or two on in the regular season.
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