Running back Stevan Ridley finished with 127 yards on 15 carries in Sunday’s 45-7 win over the Rams, for an impressive 8.5-yard average. He had runs of 20, 30 and 41 yards in the game, as the big play was delivered both by air and ground.
After a slow start, Stevan Ridley blitzed the Rams with three runs of 20 yards or more. Ridley’s big-play performance helped contribute to a balanced attack – the Patriots had 38 pass attempts for 321 yards, and 28 carries for 152 yards.
Trying to remain calm after an impressive Patriots victory
Now that’s more like it.
I am going to fully enjoy the next two weeks with the hope that the Patriots can use the bye to get healthy, and continue to implement some of the defensive pressure we saw Sunday against the Rams.
On the opening series the Pats Defense gave up a brutal recreation of the Seattle game winning touchdown but then suddenly went in lockdown mode for the rest of the game. Of course you have to temper your reaction to such impressive play, no matter how long it’s been since we saw our defense do that to ANYONE. So yeah, it was the Rams, but usually it doesn’t really matter who the offense is and they still shred us so we’ll take it.
This game was finally a glimpse to what this offense can do when it’s clicking on all cylinders. They finished drives with touchdowns, didn’t turn the ball over, and made all the tough plays. It isn’t often you see that kind of game, and it certainly sets the bar very high for the kind of performances that can be expected.
Oh, so this is the week the defense decides suddenly start blitzing? It’s about time and the results were apparent. The Rams offensive line isn’t exactly a wall, so let’s not think we suddenly have an unstoppable pass rush, but the blitz clearly needs to be sprinkled in more than seven or eight times per game they’ve been using it.
There’s no question this is a performance to build off of, and it shows that if the Patriots can just limit the long passes they can be very, very tough to beat. What they have to prove is that they can be consistent, and their ability to close out close games still remains very much a question mark.
I’d say our pass rush wasn’t as good as what I hoped it would be. Our coverage, therefore, always is going to be put in a little more stress when we didn’t rush quite as well. There were times we did rush well, but we have to do it more consistently.
Bill Belichick Postgame Press Conference Transcript
Rare moment of candor from BB?
Patriots Defensive Drive Summary
It doesn’t get much better than this.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-defensive-drive-summary-it-doesnt-get/
Brady went back to the old facemask and lit up the Rams.
The Year of 2012 Series: Week 8 Stats: 23/35, 304 passing yards, 4 TD
https://www.patspropaganda.com/brady-went-back-to-the-old-facemask-and-lit-up-the/
Justin Francis and Chandler Jones of the New England Patriots celebrate after sacking St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-destroia-justin-francis-and-chandler-jones/