Good, Bad, & Ugly: 2015-1 – New England Patriots

I honestly thought I would write this article this morning with one of two emotions: enthusiasm or disappointment. Oddly enough, I’m more optimistic about what I saw last night rather than disappointed. Sure, a loss is disappointing, but it’s how the team played that has me seeing the glass half full, rather than half empty.

I think any team in the NFL would’ve been hard-pressed to come into Foxboro, in the post-Deflategate environment complete with Super Bowl celebrating, and challenge the emotionally charged New England Patriots. The Pittsburgh Steelers did just that: but they left some things on the table in doing so.

The finickiness of Steeler Nation, however, is pretty wild. As in the past, the catcalls to remove Todd Haley had been strong, up until last season’s record-breaking numbers put up by Haley’s offensive squad. Last night, I thought we saw it all. Perhaps the Steelers were concerned with outsmarting the Patriots and ended up outsmarting themselves at times. I can give fans that, but I also credit the coaching staff for not being predictable. An attempted gadget play with Antonio Brown, or the incredibly jumbo jumbo set that saw two fullbacks in the game, were both intriguing. The latter even forced Bill Belichick to call a timeout to properly adjust his defensive personnel. Kudos for trying, because you have to try something. (An equally mind-boggling hand-off to DeAngelo Williams on 3rd and long appeared to be either faulty communication or a miscue on a Big Ben audible.)

(Edit: information is being released about the faulty headsets – apparently Todd Haley claims the Antonio Brown gadget play was not supposed to be called.)

Overall I felt the Steelers offense was fantastic. Save for a few bad throws by Ben Roethlisberger, after the rain started pouring, and you have a near flawless night by the offensive unit. Yes, Ben threw an interception in the rain, after a 3-and-out with 2 passes that were way off the mark, compared to his precision during the rest of the game. DeAngelo Williams was absolutely phenomenal in place of suspended Le’Veon Bell, and we also saw what Heyward-Bey could do in Martavis Bryant‘s absence.

The game was not without it’s controversy either, something that seemingly surrounds the Patriots everywhere they go these days. You had questionable calls that took the Steelers away from the goal line: one at the 1 yard line, where Pittsburgh claims New England made a false snap count, but Pittsburgh received the penalty instead. Another was a 29-yard pass to Antonio Brown which would’ve placed the Steelers near the 10-yard line with over a minute remaining, but the referees felt Kelvin Beachum knocked Patriot Jabaal Sheard‘s helmet off (despite him falling, and consequently losing his helmet on the next play when he wasn’t touched… not that the play mattered too much, with the team down 14 points at the time.)

I don’t want to sound like the referees or a faulty communication system are to blame for a loss, as those are part of the eb and flow every NFL franchise likely faces on the gridiron. You play with the hand you’re dealt, and that’s all the more you can do. When Julian Edelman reaches backward to push off, and Cortez Allen, with a natural running motion, “catches” his hand, or when the zebras missed Darrius Heyward-Bey being grabbed on an entire 3rd down route, those are the breaks. Sometimes they go your way: sometimes they don’t.

Last night was a perfect example of when things don’t always go your way. Missed opportunities correctly sums up the effort put out by the black and gold. Missed chances to get off the field on 3rd down. Missed field goals by a new kicker (Josh Scobee.) A dropped deep pass by Markus Wheaton. Heyward-Bey’s tippy toes touching the chalk on a would-be touchdown. Players failing to recognize the ball stripped by Mike Mitchell, which would’ve nullified New England getting the ball on the goal line (and was originally ruled a touchdown on the field.)

Missed opportunities include those to put and take points off the board. In what was a closer game than the score reflected (even after Antonio Brown’s garbage time touchdown at the end) the collective effort was there. The defensive growing pains were there too, as I predicted.

Fans are going to reminisce about Dick LeBeau‘s legendary defenses, but are quick to forget what it was like when many of those legends were just getting their start in the league. Things weren’t always smooth: it takes time. That’s why I liken this to the aforementioned Todd Haley. Fans were unhappy with Haley’s system at first. There were rough patches. Some of the personnel wasn’t as-needed. Components will be added and removed, and over time, the team will grow.

However, I still like what I saw. We have to remember, the team on the other side of the field is stocked with professional football players as well. One of those players is a first ballot Hall of Famer in Tom Brady, who kept his release quick to protect himself from an inexperienced offensive line. Rob Gronkowski is a monster of a player, who I felt would be the game changer: he was.

That doesn’t take away from small things I saw from the young defense. Seeing Jarvis Jones and Bud Dupree get pressure, or watching Cortez Allen be in position to make plays (though he was last year too and just didn’t make them.) Ryan Shazier looked like a first round selection finally.

Yet, there are still the growing pains.

Tackling was an issue on both sides of the ball, which I still contribute to the CBA signed several years ago that limits contact in practice. (Part of the NFL tucking tail in the wake of concussion lawsuits.) Several Steelers, including their best defensive player, Lawrence Timmons, missed tackles. So did New England’s players. Remember: they are all professionals paid to make and break tackles. As such, this is something I dislike, but have grown accustomed to when the season begins.

Otherwise, the mental mistakes, such as only have 10 players on the field, or leaving Gronk uncovered, are signs of inexperience, and as such, should be a lesson going forward.

This is the first time where I felt a loss was only a loss in the record book. When a team competes the way they did, with the defending World Champion, on the road and in the national spotlight, and left it all on the field, I no longer feel disappointed: I am enthusiastic to see what the 2015 Steelers bring in the next 15 games.


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