Patriots Dynasty Podcast - 2005 Week 3: Patriots at Steelers

Episode Date: June 20, 2023

Andy and Tim the Intern revisit the day the 2005 Super Bowl hopes were dashed - even in a victory over the mighty Steelers in Pittsburgh. Listen as the boys mourn the loss of Rodney Harrison, while celebrating beating Heinz Ward, Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the terrible towels.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/patriots-dynasty-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Christine Brown and while I have to listen to this podcast as my motherly duty, you have the choice not to. My sons sometimes say some naughty things when they're trying to be funny, but really, they're just being stupid. You still want to listen? Go right ahead. I am not your mother. I welcome back to the Pages. It's time to see podcasts.

We are back in 2005 for no longer interviewing famous people. We are on week, and I don't know, Jesus, I don't even know anymore. It's been so long. Week three. Patriots, oh, that's right. Heading to Pittsburgh, the site of the last place that they lost last season. And also the place that they won in the AFC Championship game last season. To the point where Bella check was saying that playing the Pittsburgh Steelers feels like playing a divisional team at this point because they play so often.

With me, as always, is none of the brothers because they are losers. But luckily we have Tim the intern as always. So Tim, thanks for joining us again bud. Anytime. It's a good job here because I don't think people listen to this if it was just me. I've tried it. Yeah, they are some of the more, you know, skippable episodes, but they are the most thoroughly gone through episodes. That's probably true. Yeah, it was just the one. So I learned my lesson. Yeah, so yeah, thanks for joining us.

And you actually watched the game too, which is nice. So we can both talk about it. So let's start at the beginning. Coming into this game, the Steelers undefeated 2-0 on this early season. And looking pretty good. They're a hot team. And this is actually the Steelers team that would win the Super Bowl over the Seahawks, which was one of my least favorite Super Bowls from this era. Hot team and this is actually the Steelers team that would win the Super Bowl over the Seahawks, which was one of my least favorite Super Bowls from this era. Like even if the pages weren't in it, I'd still like enjoy watching them except for this one for some reason. I don't know what it was. Do you

remember this one? Yeah, I just remember being the big Sean Alexander fan and Matt Hagleback because you went to BC and you know that they have to talk about that hundred times. Of course. Yeah. But I didn't, I was a very like I was obviously against Ross, Ross Friger. So I was pulling for the two hops and that one. But to say I definitely don't remember anything from it. Yeah. I don't think it was very exciting. It didn't feel like it. But in terms of not that exciting, this dealer team actually started off a little rocky. Obviously they started off undefeated, but spoiler alert, they're going to lose this game to a very underman Patriots team, which we'll get into. But the seal that she started seven and five on the season, and were in danger missing the

playoffs, but they managed to beat the Bears in December, early December, which started a four game winning streak where they finished the season 11 and five. They were the six seed wild card team. And I believe we're the first team to go win the suval winning all three games on the road. Yeah, because they beat the number three you see bangles in the wild card, and then the top seated cults, and then the number two C Broncos in three back, back to back weeks. Yeah, I believe that cults game wasn't

not the one where Vanderc jack missed the the field goal and they brought out the whole like a paid manning throwing them into the bus. I think that was that game against the bills against the Steelers here in the playoffs. I don't remember. I vaguely remember that. I remember like Jerome Betis fumbles on the one-yard line in the culture cover and we're trying to return it for a touchdown, but like Roth's burger chased him down. And then it's set of a field goal attempt and set a new touchdown and then Venergek missed it. They lost by two or three.

It was 2018. They lost. Okay. Yeah. I do remember that. And then, uh, um, bait manning, I called him a drunk basically. I do remember that.

Yeah. Yeah. Good times. Uh, uh, so we really get that out of the season. Um, but yeah, this, this steel team would win the Super Bowl. I don't believe in that. And they had, um,

pretty, I think we've talked about it in the past, but it's kind of the same still, the pretty stacked, like, coaching staff in here. Yeah. Obviously Bill Cower is still running this team. But the only time Cower would beat the Patriots was that last season's blowout in Pittsburgh to end the win streak and his other four attempts were losses, including this one. The defensive coordinator was Dick LeBau, who was a not great head coach of the Bengals for three years before this, actually, in 2000-200 2002, where he went. It's well on 33, which is not good. But he was that guy who was just like the defensive coordinator for the Steelers forever. So from 2004 all the way through 2012 and their defensive ranks during those years were just like

mind-blowing. Let's see. 2004. So in yards, they were never less, they were always in the top 10 in defensive yards. And they were in the top 10 every year, except for two in the top 10 for points against 2006 or 11th and 2009, they were 12. Otherwise, they're one, three, two, one, one, one, six. So this is like, it's insane to look at that graphic and see their 1 and 1, like 1, first in yards

and first in points, three different times. I think that it is. And they only miss that two more times by one place. That's the first in the second and the second in the second. Yeah, absolutely dominant defense. Yeah. For those eight Like, absolutely dominant defense. Yeah. Like, for those eight years, which is crazy. Bill's had the offensive coordinator Ken Wiesenhunt,

who was the Cardinals in Titan's head coach. Between like, 07 and 2015. Wasn't good at either of those, but, you know, decent offensive coordinator. And then the other notable assistant is their wide receivers coach. You may know the name Bruce Ariens, who Brady Drake was super buffed recently. He's also a coach, Indermag coach and the car knows that coach and all that. We all know about him.

Yeah, he looks great and it's how he can. He'll see, but he thinks he does. I don't think anybody does except I wish people from South. Yeah, only people in our works. Yeah, the steel is pretty like loaded team. And they have been like this early 2000s. I'm seeing especially with Ben Rothisberger at the helm. This year he wasn't as great.

I feel like he may have gotten hurt because there was some other quarterbacks that had stats in this season. Probably bad, but yeah. But you only threw for like 2300 yards and 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions, which is okay But yeah, I thought that was low when I was looking at that look weird Yeah, but even like the wider series didn't have a ton of like yards Like the top or sea was high as a war with 975, which is okay

But they scored a bunch of points Fast-wield park I believe this is his first season on the Steelers. Here we have 1200 yards and had four touchdowns, but they slid Jerome Betis going 368 yards, nine touchdowns. Let me just put your press a bolter right there. You're right, Jesus. And Heinz Ward had 11 touchdowns and Heath Miller also had six touchdowns as well.

Yeah. They weren't putting up yards, but they were putting up points and bunches. Probably because of this fantastic defense, and I think about it. Right. And also they had Antoine Randall L. Young, Antoine Randall L returning, Punts, average like 10 yards a punt, and he had two touchdowns on the season. So like they they kind of well rounded all the way through. You know, this is their defense is obviously the star.

Troy Paul Mallow, Mike Taylor, DeShaytons and Joey Porter, Clark Hagen's. Like all these guys who just like fucking put them in Hagen goes napping the game. Yeah, I mean, had nine sacks and four for swimmels on the season. Yeah. Joey Porter, I think, led the team with 10 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 and set up. Yeah.

Yeah. And the names that you heard too, like they were all like, oh, what was the two thing? Oh, Ola, Ola, Ola Lofu or something like that. I remember his name. Yeah. And then you remember who was in the middle? Hampton, Chris Hampton.

Yep. Yep. And then something to miss. Like they were all just like those dominant, you are team names. Exactly. Typical steel alarm. Oh, Pete the Hampton.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, they're,. Oh, he's the hampton career. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. One. Yeah. So I mean, they're, they sent, yeah, Casey Hampton, Joey Porter and Troy Paul Mala, like the middle of their defense to the pro ball. And a couple of offensive linemen as well. So this is a stack team.

And they came into this game like red hot too. Like they had blown out the Titans week one, 34-7. They blew out the text in the 27-7 week two, and they'd already put up 300 yards on their ground without turning the ball over on offense yet in two games. So they're just like running down heevils' frots. The defensive created five turns. So the plus five then turn over category in two games

and have run for, I think one game was like over 100 and the second game was over 200 units. Like just stupid numbers. And they have the buy and early buy after this past game. So like, like this is the last game for the buy. So I mean, they should end their playing at home and it's the path to just beat them. Like this is their ASC championship revenge game.

You think they would be coming out firing and didn't happen. It was, I don't know, it was one of those games. And we were almost started talking about it before we started recording because you asked me like, how do you think Brady did? And this felt like one of those games where the Patriots shouldn't have won it and didn't look very good but still like at the end of the game like wait they won this game.

Because I think you were saying that too, it was like you were rewashing and like expecting them to lose and then at the end they're like wait, but wait they won. I thought this is a different game. All right. Yeah. And I was saying, I was one of those ones where I went back and checked the like profitable reference to see like what the final score was. I'm like, I thought they won this. No, they did. How did they win this? Like, how did it, because the big news of this game that we're kind of dancing on, just because neither of us want to talk about it, I think, is this is also, I think, one of those games where

it was the death knell of the season in terms of like, super bowl aspirations because this is the game that Rodney Harrison goes down is out for the rest of the season. On just like a real awful looking like guy comes rolling into the side of his knee as he's going in the opposite direction and just like, you can just tell, like he's on the ground writhing and pain holding his knee, he gets carted off. And then of course the Patriots said that he's questionable to return. Yeah, of course. There is no question about that.

And then he was eventually like at the half, because this happened, I think, in the first quarter. And then at the half, he was downgraded to out. He had to be quiet. So, I mean, the guy's crying at getting carted off. Like, he knows the reason. Yeah, Rodney Harrison of all people who two super-wholes ago made a game-saving tackle

with a broken shoulder. And it was like in a sling after the game, it's out there like crying as he's getting carded off. And then a few drives later, Matt Light, he goes down, gets carded off even worse. And now he got working to capture. And also, Matt Light was, can you guess what his status was? From the page of sideline? Questionable, correct. And then, do you have a B&M help for the C-Pamak? I don't remember.

I think we're going to have to look that up, because... We'll find out that week. Exactly. I feel like he might have. But also, the man that we talked to last week, I think we talked to him before this game because he doesn't come back, I don't believe, right? The season. So the last time we saw him was the last time we saw him, or we will see him because

he wasn't even in the last game. Oh, that's right, yeah. Yeah. So I think he's out for a season, even though he's kind of like question all the way through. Yeah. But Wayne starts his inform and he goes down on the first play, like crumbles down the first play. Chad Scott of all people comes in. Chad Scott former Pittsburgh stealer, which they could not some mentioning is now in. And then Star Skot comes back and then who's the other Scott? Scott got Gus Scott. Yeah, fucking Michael Scott. Who the hell cares? Like they're just like throwing

people in there. So Gus Scott is in there at safety because Ronnie Harrison is out. And then Gus Scott goes down. And so now they have Chad Scott, a cornerback playing safety. He was like third string. And you would think that this would result in Ben Rothisberger. I'm prime Ben Rothisberger. Prime annoying Ben Rothisberger in my way. In my eyes. You think he would go off, but he finished with...

All right. Over under 300 yards. I think. in my eyes, you think he would go off, but he finished with... All right, over under... 300 yards. I think. Under. Over under 250. Under. Over under 200.

Under. He's so close. 216. 12 for 28. 216, two touchdowns, four sacks. Okay, because I remember late in the... I have a vivid picture of a graphic that said he was like nine for 21 for a hundred and seventy six yards and I thought he never passed that after that. That made him write before his last. I think that was on their touchdown drive.

So I think it probably was a little more. Yeah. What's so, my God, every time behind the word scores, he's very readable face. I am not a fan of high-end word, and this is not a great game, because he scored two touchdowns. And one was an ADR bomb. So the Patriots scored first, open the scoring in the first quarter with,

like a quality drive down the field, start running it and then work in the play action, Dylan scores a touchdown, which is nice because he's had trouble getting going early in the season. And then the next play, like Pittsburgh's first play from Scramid on the next drive is an 85 year touchdown pass, where he was bad. Beats our favorite boy, San Jose Samuel, who tried to die for the reception and missed it, and he was in single coverage with no help.

And I think you kind of almost tackled the safety too, a little bit. Yeah, and I think Scott was the pursuit. Yeah, and Heinz Ward just like was able to just run for the touchdown unimpeded So it was just like That kind of game and when I say I'm talking about like big Ben being like obnoxious It's one of those games where he was just like so big and so strong that they were, the pages had so many free rushers, like directly in his face and you just step around him,

they'd still grab him with both hands and he would just kind of just like toss him to the side as if like you or me were playing with like six year olds, you know, he's kind of like, yeah, you got that. I'm just gonna just like have the same thing really. Yeah, and then like the scrambling throw, the most ugly duck and somehow we get completed.

It's like, how I hate you. Well, I felt the opposite of that because I felt like classic him is where he, you know, he is able to get a 300 pound man off of him and then he makes the play. I didn't feel like I feel like in a lot of the situations, there were a lot of broken plays and he was throwing terrible balls that were getting incomplete it because he almost threw an interception to see more at the end of it. Yeah, actually, yeah, it's it's funny you say that because I grabbed a clip of of the commentators talking about that on like I think it was directly after that play. Let me. Okay.

Okay. That good coverage on Senator Wilson. Rapplesburg is going to need a vacation after this. Like playing golf, you can relate to this once you hit six or seven bad shots in a roll. It's just hard to make a good swing after that. You know I can relate to that. Yeah, but that's what happens on offense. You just you lose your confidence.

And the coaches, they lose confidence too. They're over there going, well, what's your call? It's going to work. So it just doubles. Wait, you can see your misery. What was your misery? He's a boy. But yeah, I mean, I think you had gone like, oh for the last six or something like that,

which is why I brought it under six. But yeah, I know that you're a golf guy, so I brought that in just three. But yeah, I mean, it was just like, it was, you're right, it was bad, but he was just like, he was getting hounded on every single pass play. Yeah. With two pro ball, offensive lineman on this team, which is like this. I think this game was won by the defensive front seven.

Either one because I mean, I don't think I could name who finished playing in the backfield on defense. Like at corners and safety, I don't know who actually finished the game playing that, but it didn't matter because Seymour and Ravel and Willie McGinnis were just all over the entire game. All over, I mean, they tried some trick plays, they tried the reverse, got blown up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Was it was trying to run the reverse, ran for like 25 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it was central Wilson and got back to the lead.

And he danced around a few guys too, and he still ended up losing yard. Yeah, exactly. And it was a, we just one of those, it's what I remember from those great pages, defenses, just like that absolutely smothering pressure that they could get. Yeah. Without even like bringing any extra guys too, it wasn't like they were blitzing a lot or anything, or just like they're lie out three, four guys,

hand in the ground, there's like coming after you. And Richard Seymour was just bawling people. Because he was the one that I think was probably the most frustrated by Ben Ross Berger. Because he had his hands on him all day. When he came through, I think it was the end of the third quarter and got that sack. He was like, he was flexing.

He was very fired up. Yeah. So, and that gets me fired up because I know he was frustrated at that time because they kept putting them in the middle. Mm-hmm. Oh, right, right. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So he was getting the numbers. And he also had a second to beginning earlier in the game, like in the first quarter. But I got nullified because he got a handful of face masks too. Right. Yeah. So, uh, yeah, it was, uh, it was definitely won by the defensive front seven. And then, uh, going back to you talking about Tom Brady. Uh, I thought, again, it was one of those games where he didn't like stand out particularly. He struggled for a long game. He had a bunch of, I think you can get it. It's sacked a bunch of times. I guess that's three times.

But he was under pressure. There was a lot of pressure all day, just the same thing on the opposite of that. But I feel like it was against the Panthers last week. Like I felt like they were trying to get the buzz quickly as possible because they knew that pressure was coming. But in this game, it felt like there was nothing Brady deal with it. You're going to get pressure, just see what you can do. And that was a complete different approach, which this

approach usually works. And it was one of those things where I feel like the seals did a pretty good job, but it was one of those things where like I feel like the seals did a pretty good job, but it was one of those things where eventually Brady is going to Brady and then he did in the fourth quarter. Yeah, because did you have that that line that he had in the fourth? I don't think I do. It wasn't. Give it to me.

I think he went like 12 for 12 In the fourth quarter with like 156 yards or something like that. That sounds about right Yeah, and he ended up finishing the game over 300 yards What's I was very like surprised by yeah when I was watching it, but David Gibbon So yeah, what is numbers 31 of 41 for 372? No touchdowns one in a section was one of those like kind of up and down games that they had. The page had two turnovers in the red zone on the first half. Yeah. Was it Kevin Falk fumbled a like a long screenplay?

Yeah, it was like 20, 30 yard screenplay that got him inside the five. They funneled it there. Yeah sucked. And then Brady had a ball tip the line like going into the half and that got intercepted. So it's just like one of those awkward games. But you're right, David Givens. Nine catches on 13 targets, 130 yards. Just like man. Yeah, that was awesome. And I feel like we haven't heard a lot from David Givens lately. It's been mostly the Dion branch show. I feel like he was a little bit of a short brown in there too. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah, there was definitely still that like security blanket aspect of Troy Brown here. Yeah, like when Brady needed third down, he's like, my wife is Troy.

Where is 88? Exactly. Yeah. And Troy, he had four catches on five targets for 43 yards. Like that's that's Troy Brown. You're going to catch it. Yeah, but probably brown that one for sure. Yeah, exactly.

And how many of those with third down conversions probably all for them. But yeah, it was just like one of those things where the Patriots scored the touch on the first drive and then didn't score again on any drive until 51 seconds left in the third quarter or just kicked the field goal, military. Missed one from over 50, which is what you do at Heinzfield as a tradition. I believe I can remember who the kicker is for the Steelers. I think it's a free. Reade? Yeah.

He missed a 52 yarder as well or something. Yeah, I think at that time, they were saying that they both had the longest and it was like 48 yards. Yeah, yeah. It was still the time when nobody had kicked a 50 yarder in Heinzfield, yeah. Which I don't quite understand, but whatever. I guess it's just shitty field.

It's for you. Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, but even after all that, like so the pageants, they're drives touchdown, punt, fumble, punt, pun, interception, misfeel, goal, fumble, punt, and they're down 13 to 7. Because they're defense. It was insane. It was insane.

How the defense just kept them in it. And it was just like the Patriots often just kept stumbling or any like the special teams. Like I feel like with this team so far, there's always one facet of the game that they're struggling with. And it's usually the special teams that's failing at them in that aspect. The punk cover just just been not good the first couple we not good. And and and they put them in bad positions for the defense. The defense has been so so good, but they've been putting so many bad situations that sometimes they end up giving up points. Right.

You know what I mean? Just because they've started and feel good. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because I have a stat that I was looking up because I was getting aggravated. So through the first three weeks, the opponent started in New England territory five times,

resulting in three touchdowns, two field goals. And two were because of return pun, and then one was because of that block pun against Oakland, and then two fumbles. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, it was one of those things, but again, it's kind of similar to, you know, Brady's going to Brady when he needs it. I felt like the defense kind of the same sort of thing, where, you know, the Patriots filing the fourth quarter, they actually scored on every single fourth quarter drive they had. They scored the last four drives of the game. They won right at the end of the third quarter and then touched down if you'll go feel good to end it. But the Patriots, Brady finally breaks out

and they go on like a, start on their own 14 year deadline. And so they go on a huge drive. You know, Brady just like finally finally starts connecting everybody. My score touched down the corridor, Dylan. And then the page of Stephen comes out and just gets three basic consecutive sacks on Ben and Oliver. And he just like gets harassing entire game. So I felt like there was, it was just like, when the team needed, they would all like, all kind of do it at the same time, you know, like they'd all kind of step it up right at the end there in that fourth quarter.

Um, which timely page for like, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That's exactly what it is. Yeah. It's just this idea of, you know, like, well, we're going to win back against the wall. Yeah. So now's the time to do it. And there's never any like real discussion of, you know, or even like thought that we're not going to win this. Like, of course, we're going to win this. It's just like, we got to make some play in this. So let's just go and do it. Yeah. And it's, and it's like almost business like, you know, right. And I'm sure if Greg would listen to this, he would be complaining or calling me something

about Phuppy pajamas. But, you know, it's what we got used to. So, like, just washing the games now, like even this past season, and that wasn't there, and it felt really strange, you know, to be like, well, you know, maybe won't win this. In fact, that's maybe more with this. And so I'm still in this anymore. Yeah, because I think that that mindset has now creeped into my mind. So like a game like this, I'm like, they're not going to pull

this out. But he's actually going to do that. It's like, I think God, we have Tom Brady to rely on number four sort of. Exactly. Yeah, it's, it's absolutely crazy. But I will say the one bright spot, just go back to your special team's comment,

is the kick returning of Ellis Hobbs especially. He looks like he's going to break it pretty much every time touches the ball. And is this his rookie season? Yeah, but this rookie season. Yeah, 2005. Enjoyed as well. I'm a punt return. Oh my god. Yeah, all dude. I get so fired up. So that my MVP throws the season so far. The electric. Yes. Yeah. He is. He has absolutely no awareness of danger whatsoever. He just will put his body in any situation. Does not matter.

Yeah, they were saying that in the commentary. I was getting very annoyed. I did have a note somewhere that I think it was after a coup de pont. I don't know where it was, but I just still feel sense is so annoying and I hope that Andy is hating too. I can promise you I was. I mean, I don't even remember, but I can promise you I was. Yeah, he just, I don't know, he just crawls up the wrong pipe for me and I just don't like it. But they were saying that when he returned one of those punks like back into, I think it was

into Pittsburgh territory. Like, he just gets the ball, he puts his tie down and he just goes downhill. Like he just goes for it. Yeah, he's not trying to like necessarily avoid anybody. Yeah. He's just more like pinballing off them. Which I feel like Ellis Hobbs kind of similar.

He would just like run full tilt, try to find a hole and if it's there great, if it's not, he'll just kind of like, try sneak through anyway. And just like, he's getting dragged down from behind just about every time, just like getting ragged all at the end of every return. Like, oh, I don't know how he survived

as long as he did. Right. But, I mean, good for him. But you did touch on something there that I think we probably should talk about. And that is big Ben and his moonlining as a punter because this was the first pun to his career. But it was not the last. So yeah, in the second quarter, the Steelers are, where they were kind of like The second quarter, the Steelers are kind of like in Pages territory, like in that kind of like it's forth down in medium right around the 40s. You're not going to kick a field goal because

it's you know, Hines field, but like a punts not really going to do much so they actually send him out to Poochit and he can't drop said it like he drops it inside the five but it takes a bit of the rules in the end. So So almost a great play by whoever the special teams like Touchman was, but doesn't quite get it. But he does it how many more times? A handful. I'll pull it off the table at least. Did you do it in a playoff game?

He does it Monday night against the Ravenss where he pins it on the one. And then he does it against the bills. We're going in zone against Cincinnati where he like gets it down inside the five. And then who's just against this against the Browns. He does all his division. I'll post. None of them are in. Uh, do they say the dates of those games? Uh, this is just a video. So it's not showing the dates. Oh, I will post a video.

Um, but he is, believe it or not, a lefty punter. Oh, so, uh, I do think, uh, he has a not like one of these, another punts. I believe though the second one is in this season again, it's 2005. So you punts it twice this season. Yeah, I think I remember thinking that was illegal like that kid like you can't do that. I don't know. He is a quarterback. You can't do that. Yeah, you have to tell people you're punting. This is illegal. I was Jim Harbour. Or maybe Jim Harbour was just you. He's channeling inner is inner Tim is inner child Tim.

Yeah, having there we go. I feel like that better online. Yeah, me too. Yeah. Well, I'll post that video because it's, you know, a little surprising that Bella check did not draft Ben Ross burger when he had the chance knowing that he was a left-footed punter. So, right. Yeah, if we ever have Ben Ross check on, we'll add that question to the list of, you know, was Ben Ross burger the one that got away being a football player? Did you hear what they were saying, what he was going to do on the by-week? Did you catch that? I don't think so. I don't know. I think with Jim Nant, he says, yeah, in Ropolisberger, he's going to go back to Youngstown, Ohio, and he's going to be the show

for her for his sister's prom. Well, Ropolisberger, just such a, you know, that guy's a standout guy. He's in his bioweed. Dude, you have the money. Just get a chauffeur for her. But he wants to be the guy that provides his sister's friends with booze, because you know, that's right. Yeah, it's the end of the day. Robert Bicker would be that guy. Wouldn't he? He probably still is.

Definitely. Oh, God. All right. So where are we? What else? So yeah, this Patriots defense absolutely stoned this at the time, Red Hot Steelers offense, like we're talking about. Willie Parker, fast, Willie Parker.

Back to back, 100 yard performance startsing, averaging 5.8 yards per carry over two games. This game, he doesn't. I don't know if the Patriots, they probably made it their, you know, point of emphasis, if you will. But he ended up with 17 carries, and he guesses on the yards, over under 50. Over just barely 55 yards on 17 carries. Longest of 11. I mean, at the beginning he's starting to look okay. He looked like he was averaging that five, whatever, 5.3 yards of carry. But they went away from him real fast. It felt like they didn't have many other like Ben Rossberger was the second leading Russia three carry 17 yards And those are usually broken plays like and all those designed like you just

Took off when he needed to But they finished with 23 carries 79 totally yards pages had 30 carries for 80 yards So not exactly a ground game Yeah, this was kind of one of those like, it was one of those like, patient games, because I remember on the first drive, like Dylan, he like initially get stopped and then he just waits a second and then cuts and he just haven't so fired up on that first drive. Like he really got me fired up because it looked like

they were really committing to the run and making improvements like this is one of those games where when they preach that like you know that the first four weeks are like their second preseason kind of thing. You can see they're starting to figure it out a little bit you know and as we can know it's that I can preseason exactly. Right and yeah and then of course when light goes down That's where everything everything starts all over again So they they just get staggered in their own way because of their injuries You but like when you look at it and analyze it like Every part of their game is pretty good except for the special teams. So probably the shaky part

I would say of the team so far Um, and then did, did you ever hear uh Corey Dylan's nickname? After the first touchdown they said there you go C-town. I was like I never knew that you had a nickname but I never heard. I, somebody majored me that Somebody made just made that up. I don't think that's anything. I wonder if I'm gonna, I'm gonna that check that the if it's on his profile. It's not bad though.

I don't mind that C-town like you see. I mean, he was like a big guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I don't take that. It's not bad. But yeah, I don't. I don't know. Nope. Clocking killing Cory Dylan. That's the only thing. Yeah, when I know, yeah, that's about it. Don't know about the seat. Oh, maybe we could

submit a change request to Provel Barrett. And he also he was called C-town once one time, put it in there. No, we have it on YouTube. That's right. Yeah, I just speaking of the defense of the running game and everything, they quoted Rodney Harris and also the sideline reporter, I was talking about how they were planning to set the edge. They don't want Willy Parker getting outside. Rodney's quote was, you want to make him go inside so we can hit him. Fucking, of course you do. That's so wrong.

That is not just classic. Ron the air. And you know, you know, he's not going to want to do. You get it. So we want to get him to be inside. We can hit him. And he was like on that first drive too, like their first defensive drive, him and Brable just looked like they were so fired up on that first drive to just like dominate this game.

It's just so unfortunate. Yeah, I mean, they did. They did the row even without Harrison. Yeah. I thought they did a pretty good job. Yeah, the fact that they were able to hold this Pittsburgh team who had just been blowing the doors off of people to under 100 rushing yards and 20 points. In Pittsburgh, the place where they had gotten blown out last season was kind of amazing.

They got blown out because of someone in the secondary. Going down. Exactly. And also not being able to run the ball. Right. Yeah. Because that was that I was when they had like what four Russian yard or something like that. Cause yeah, Corrine Dylan didn't play that game. Yeah. And they rush it like I think five times for. Yeah. It's like four or five times for five yards. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Something like. Yeah. Something like stupid. They just like stop running. Um, yeah. And they kind of did that in the fourth quarter here.

To, to, like, but I mean, they kind of stuck with it through the first half, you know. But then yeah, yeah, Brady, just like, all right, it's time to stop fucking around. Goes five or five on an 86 year drive. Great. But again, those are kind of almost as don't short because they was finished by

a quarry deal and seven-year touch-up. So, Brady, I feel like I saw a stat somewhere because there's all these people trying to convince themselves that some other quarterback is better than Tom Brady in some way. Which obviously didn't. But there was some stat. I think I thought in Twitter or something where the amount of short touchdown runs to finish drives, Tom Brady's team has two or three times more than any other top quarterback does.

It was like 40. Which is, I'm glad that there's a stat out there like that because there are so many times where like he throws a ball Yeah, if Taco Bell like the great Yeah, and then they just run it in they run it down to that team guy about the team to win. Yeah, I mean what was that season? 2014 or something when the Garrett Blunt set the Patriots Record for rushing touchdowns and most of them were like four or two yards

it's record for rushing touchdowns and most of them are like four or two yards. Right. Yeah. They just had like, you know, that was how it was like, Brady would drive you on the field and then they were just going to not to run it. Whereas in like peak paid manning time, you see him throwing it three times from the four yard line to like make sure it gets the the passing touchdown, you know? Yeah. That's why he's the fat pattern. Right. Exactly. Yeah. Especially in a dome. All right. So let's see what else happened in this game? Anything exciting? Oh, there was a Bethel Johnson saying you were term on the kickoff. So he, yeah, out of doghouse. Yep. That'll last, but that's a good time. That's a good time.

Let's see. I'm going to give you they interviewed Bill Bellicuk coming out of the locker room as they do pretty much every time at the half And they want to know what he thought about the injuries in the first half Well, I tried to get a sense from him as to how the team loses without a left tackle in that light and without a safety in Rodney Harrison. And you know what Bella checks that he said, look, guys get hurt all the time. We put other guys in. It's not like we have time to make a roster move, but disappointed general, the turnovers and offense, not playing fierce enough on defense. Bill, Bella check. Not a having man right

now, Jim. Also, they're down 10-7, they have. Having lost. They're starting left tackle and they're hard of their defense and having turned the ball over twice in the red zone. They're down 10-7. But that's just such a bell jack around. It's not like we can make a high-star move right now. You know shit, no shit.

Like, just such a condescending. Yeah. You need to. I mean, those two guys are questionable, right? Well, yeah, according to you, exactly. So it's just like just what he does all the time. He hasn't changed. Like all these people like, oh, you know, he's going to be an asshole now. They're not winning. Like no. No, this is just who he's always. I think he has, he's pushed the line though. He's become more of an asshole.

He has always been that root. Yeah. I don't know. I think yeah. I think he's just the same guy. Then people, I think the media around him is getting more, I feel like they almost like smell blood in the water because he's been this asshole for so long, but they're starting to like take more shots at him. And so it is just like he has more opportunity to answer like that. But he's gonna

ask like that. Regardless, like he just is who he is, I think. All right, what else we got? Who else? Yeah. Oh, oh, this is a fun little stat. I don't know if you picked up on this. I'm talking about when Cory Dilling came to New England from like when the pages trader form from oh, yeah, bangles. If you remember, the bangles head coach at the time was the Steelers defensive coordinator, Dick Leboe. And Dick Leboe was the one that actually vouched for Dylan when the page asked about him. And so, you know, Dick Leboe actually put his prize sign like, no, this guy actually is awesome dude. Just had a shitty situation. He'll do great if he goes play for you and lo and behold, he did. And so that was kind of like a cruel little like inside baseball sort of

thing, you know? Yeah, yeah. When I heard that, I was like that's actually pretty cool. Yeah, I never knew that. I bet that happens like I'm actually all the time too, especially between coaches. Like if Belcheck calls up fucking, if any of those coaches out there, I'm like, hey, listen, I want to trade for this guy, but like give me the, it's like, is it worth it? I mean, you're probably gonna get straight answer. And I bet it works, you know, you're not too, you know?

Like if somebody's like, hey, let me trade for her. Well, let me trade for Grogg even though they're tired. What do you think? I don't really, I'm sure he still got something in the tank. Yeah, I'm also put it on by any means, let's play somewhere warm. So yeah, I think he probably should. And that worked out too.

Oh, on the other side line, you have Bill Kauer, who literally said, he was quoted by the commentator, saying that the Steelers didn't have a good week of practice But it's okay because They could see that that made the coward mad so they're gonna play fun. Yeah Yeah, what if he's mad then they play good The one thing I did notice that I thought was a bit of a surprise. I don't know if there's a surprise you two When they're talking about Ben Ross Spurger in his record He had never lost in the regular season before this game. This was his first ever regular season loss

Wow, I forgot about that right because when I heard it the first time I was like Oh, well, that doesn't end today because they win. I was talking about the page. Good for. Yeah. So the page is ended both of his NFL winning streaks. Because in the playoffs last year. Yeah. Again here. So I can't imagine he's a big fan, General Sparger of the Newing Pagets. No, I'm a workhead. pages. No, I'm not. We're okay. Also, he was grabbed a screenshot. I think it was on the fourth quarter where he's been sacked three times, heard 13 times, and knocked down six. And that felt generous. I thought I felt like those numbers weren't quite high enough. But yeah, so I think that is But yeah, so I think that is that's what I have for this game. You have anything else you want to add?

Um, I have. So um, to kind of like go back more into Cory Dylan, because coming into this game, he was just like things were really going well for him. And um and I found an interesting article from a globe where he says it was kind of just explaining that that game in Oakland where you know he was kind of frustrated on the pipeline after that first drive and like Brady was trying to calm down, right? Yeah, so it said the quarterback later explained he was merely telling Dylan not to get down on himself. So this is a quote from Dylan. A quote, people read into that, I guess, the Dylan said, but I don't really care, it was nothing. It was Brady offering support. I don't know how it looks on television because I haven't seen it, but it wasn't anything negative

It didn't get close to that point I Die on the field for that guy and I know he'd do the same for me Oh, damn yeah, I was like oh all right. You guys are really tight. I didn't Realize that after one season. You're gonna die on the field for the man. All right. I love that Corey tell him let's go Yeah, I will say Corey Dylan in this game had some blitz pickups you're gonna die on the field for the man. All right. I love that, Corey Dillon. Let's go. Yeah. I will say Corey Dillon in this game had some blitz pickups where he was like tossing whoever that mill. I think it was at one point Joey Porter.

There was just up there. It was Larry, Larry foot. It was up there. Yeah, I made a note of that because it was a great, I don't know what down it was. I think it was like maybe a second or a third down. Yeah. And God had to David Giventy up and did that, dude. That was sick. And that was on that great head to show off. Yeah. It was. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Because the camera angle too, like from behind, right? Like you saw this, like the the feet go up and then braiding through this, like a perfect ball to give in on the sideline where you drag this feet. It was just like the perfect play. Like everybody did exactly their job, exactly the way he should have. Oh yeah, it was just, yeah, it was so good. Yeah, and yeah, yeah, a couple of those on that, on that drive alone. Yeah, it's like, it wasn't even just like Blitz pick up, like you normally see where a running back will just like take the hit and kind of like try to fall over and bring the guy with them.

Like, Chloe Jillin was like lay in the wood. He's like, you want to hit somebody? Come hit me. I'll hit you back. It was awesome. It's like, I get to hit you this time. Like, oh, sorry. That's what you want.

That's what you want and let's pick up. This is how he was like, wants to go hit somebody. And also, Corey Gillen, about the same size was linebackers too. It's like a Kevin Faulkers. He's been weighing 50 pounds on these guys. He's just like, let's do this. Oh yeah.

It was awesome. Yeah, I did love that. Oh, you got any best and worst for this? Yeah, I have a few. Let's go. What should we start with the worst of the best? That's up to you, my friend. It depends on how you're feeling.

You feeling positive or negative? I feel positive because I was so negative. So I think I'd rather get the negative side of the way first. And then I don't know. So my worst was obviously the injuries. Yeah. It this was the game that really said to me that like your heroes are human. And you know, it was bad enough with Bruce key and then everything. I'm just emotional. I'll also say, I just to tie onto that. My worst one of them was the fact that when Ron and Harris went down, the TV crews kept replaying the injury. Oh, yeah. They're like, hey, take another, come back from break, like, look, look, look, zoom in on his knee so you can see the knee cams shatters.

We'll use the same exact angle every single time. No new angle. Just watch this crater. same exact angle every single time. No new angle. Just watch this crater. Yeah. Oh, it's awful. Watch this man's career and look. Yeah. Yeah, I wasn't saying.

Yeah, that was bad. Yeah, I agree. My other worst was Bill Thames. That's kind of nice. He's still thin. Yeah, I don't need a reason. I feel really good, but that's enough for me. If you don't like it, sue me.

And then my other worst was just Daniel Graham's hand. Yeah. Say, I mean, one of the, he just bobbled one that just like went into the feeling of his hands, but I don't know if they have to catch it. I don't know if it's going to be when they're in the reception, but I was just like, oh, like a dip. Come on, man. Yeah.

On to it. Yeah. It's just, I mean, he was targeted twice in head, no catches. Yeah. Just. And this is, it is. It's like that. Like, what?

Ballot check always seems to be looking for in that dual tight end and he had like all of the tools except for the hands. Like he was just, he was, you know, I mean, this time it was pretty wrong. So he was like the next coming of bank codes basically. Right. That was, you know, ground before ground.

Right. That big guy you could run and can get open and can catch. And can also block. Right. And Dan Cramer just could not catch, but he was always open and Brady always seemed so frustrated at him not catching. But because I mean, there's even been some plays where Brady either over throws him or throws it to the wrong spot and I'm thinking to myself, he doesn't throw it to the wrong spot to anybody else.

So, I'm like, guess that'sam not being where he needs to be. Right. Where he's supposed or where he's expecting him to go. You know, right. You're talking about, sorry, just to go on a tangent on that of, I can't remember which wider see where it was. It was guys like the journey men who would like play for a bunch of other teams

and came to the Patriots late. Um, Joey Galatoy. No, no, someone just stuck around. Who's the guy that has a picture of him like smiling as he's diving into the end zone score touchdown? Remember that picture? So I'll be out with names. What year? Later on, probably 2014-ish-ish 2016 that sort of timeframe.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. It'll come to me as soon as we end this podcast. That's how names work with me. But he was talking, he was on some other podcast, I think, and he was talking about how basically the difficulty of being a wider seeer in the Patriots' offense was not necessarily knowing what to do, but being able to read the fields the exact same way that Tom Brady did at the speed that he does it, which is really difficult. So basically, your main decisions as the play is happening, not just before the ball is snapped, but as a wider seeer, if the guy starts and he's like playing up on you, then he sits back, or like the way that you break out of your route, depending on like where he is, like,

if you're sharing the inside of you, then all of a sudden the route changes to be like an out instead of like, whatever it was originally, and like, it's just like all these like Decisions you have to make like during the course of a play Is just like ask like things that you just wouldn't even expect like how detailed it is And of course you've seen Tom Brady L. White or severs. So like if you don't get it right He's gonna fucking tell you about it, too Right, but I think trying to pick up I Wonder if part of Graham struggle was not being able to pick that part of it up to pick up, I wonder if part of Graham's struggle was not being able to pick

that part of it up to, you know? Right. He's kind of like trying to overthink that part and now all of a sudden like, you're thinking so much, you can't catch anymore. Yeah. Because he does make it. He just makes it one's and why, like, oh, fuck, that was like a legit catch. Yeah, if only he could do that on the basis.

Exactly, yeah. So it's not that he can't catch it, You just, I don't know, I feel like there was maybe a mental piece in there. But you know, I'm playing fucking armchair psychologists. That was a good thing. Yeah. There's no way I could back for it. I mean, no, not at all. But yeah, now you do make a good point because it was like guys like Deon, they just had to look at each other. I mean, they knew right away that what they wanted to do, they knew what they were seeing and they could make adjustments on the fly, just like that. Yeah, and that was also part of it too, is like if Brady looked at you, that meant something. Right. And he looked at you and then,

like looked at you again, that meant something. Right. But he looked at you and then like looked at you again that man something but I looked at you and then something changed and like it just it didn't count anymore. It's like right now. I can't I can't. It's complicated. Yeah. And of course it's because fucking Tom Brady. But it may sense why like it took him a while to get up and running in Tampa too right? Yeah. Because he's like trying to bring that with him and like nobody knows any of that stuff because he doesn't have that like built in like Rappore. Yeah, I guess or just like the history with anybody there, you know, right except wrong when he finally came over and A.B. A little bit right. Yeah, yeah, I suppose

Although A.B. he's got some issues If I was you got for Best and Wars? Well, did you have any of your worst? I do, I have one more worst and it was a Randall L. In his usage or making. Because speaking of turn over the bread zone, Randall L gets this. Absolutely, he gets wide open because

Roth is burger scrambling and I'm faking it. He's just like, you know, back-yard football sort of bullshit that really annoys me and doesn't annoy you. But he actually makes a play and finds Randall L wide the fuck open. And Randall takes it because he's good in open fields He takes it down inside the Patriots 10 and as he's about to get tackled

He decides he's gonna lateral it to I think it was Heinz Ward who was expecting it. Yeah, he had no Heinz Ward Between the eight and the six I get them directly in the chest and just like fall to the ground the page to recover And I think I did. I have the audio of the arm type because it's so glad you did. Here we go. I'm. goes back again over the top. Randall at the 40. Three at the 20. Puts back middle and Lanners. Why?

Why would you do that? Try to hit Heinz Ward and the ball's loose, and it belongs to New England. Randall L saw Heinz Ward coming down the middle of the field. Where's Randall L, A former option quarterback at Indiana. Not what they were looking for from the Pittsburgh sideline. Well, he just missed judge the Jim. I know the thought was pretty good, but they were moving so fast. That what a play by Ben Rossless burger. Shut the fuck up.

It was a good decision. That was he was not also not quite sure. I'm not just going why? Why would you do that? So because because time's word is that receiver that how many crackback blocks that he have he's looking to smash somebody down the hill. He doesn't want to fall. No, no. And then just like the video of Ren Lell, like getting up from the pile and just not wanting to walk back to the sideline. It was fantastic. And they keep like, up from that to build cowards just like with his jaw just chewing that chewing gum. The cloud is a carrot there.

I love it. I love it. Oh boy. So that was, I think that was both my best and worst. Worst of the reign of the decision making, the best was the, the commentation of it. I mean, you bet. Yeah. Yeah, so let's hear your best then. All right, I have a couple of those two. One was just being surprised that they won. I was really good to get that surprise. I would tell them how they won was a

vinteri like last May field goal. Oh, yeah, so to win it is 43 yards, so not exactly a game either especially in see it is 50 some yarder, but you already hit from 48 so Yeah, you knew it was going in Yeah, there was just a lot. Yeah Especially he never met this Yes, and he's never met from all one to other six, one he laughed the, yeah, other than the one that you missed on this game

from 50, but yeah. Yeah, all the way to the end. Yeah, because, and that was the other weird part of it too, is just like, how much scoring just happened in a lot of way for them? Yeah, yeah, back to back then. Because it just, it hadn't up until like, and again, and we look at the play charts. Yeah.

It was a term that they had. Yeah. But it was like, um, see the Patriots kicked a field goal, then scored touchdown. And then the seal score touched on the page, kicked a field goal. And then page, oh, no, you have pages touched down and pages field goal, seals is touched down, pages feel goal. And then that was it. So just like back and forth, back and forth, touched down the field goals, everybody scoring. Yeah, just from... Yes, 342. Oh no,, no, no. Ignore me.

That was the length of the drive. That wasn't how it's time to look. All right, so my other best. Wasn't that. Other best was Tim Dwight, just always just Stella whenever he gets the ball. I was just returning on generally. The other day, she's returned us. Yeah, yeah, they have a battle Johnson back. and always just Stella whenever he gets the ball. I was just returning on generally, the page is returners. I don't know how it sounds like a good day.

So Bethel Johnson back, Ellis Hobbs, running like a madman and definitely Tim Goy for sure. Yeah, and then my other best was that what we had already kind of touched on, that Corey Dillon where you just flip the Larry foot, I just thought that was such a good play. It was just such a good visual to see that and then the ball going to David Gibbons like yeah, because it was like it was a time thing too where I'd given it hadn't even made

the cut. Yeah, and very like fruit at the sideline and Gibbons like turn around. He was there, hit him right in the hand, the trailer, the fan in complete and complete. Yeah, wraps comes out that's catch just like catch just like I've just hit every Point that I needed. Yeah, yeah, that highlight will be on the we'll be on the website after this So definitely to that tail. It was it was it was the part It was like whoever had that camera angles like the perfect angle for the entire play. It was so good 100% agree Fantastic. All right, so the Patriots now Back in it two and one well as the Pittsburgh Steelers now. And next week they are headed to, wait, you

didn't have your bath. I did. My best was, oh, my best. Fucker. I remember. Good Lord. good lord. Uh, uh, oh my best idea. The commentating on the, uh, Randall L. I'm a Randall L. Okay, so that was a,

okay. And also Brady just going, like whatever was 12 for 12 in the fourth quarter. Hmm. They just needed him to. So he's like, I don't fuck, let's do this. Like enough fucking around.

We're just like a typical Tom Brady bullshit thing. Um, or bullshit thing, I should say, well, I did, I did have only, I have a couple football and not football. Oh, all right. We, not a logless, uh, but that's right. I got a couple. Well, there was a dear door. So that makes it harder. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so just the, the first one I had was when they came back from a second half, they were talking about high definition and then Phil Simms just comes over and he says, I don't want to see every flaw in my body. That's good. Magnify it.

Yeah, I think that's actually legitimately not football. And then There are a lot there is probably some Skin tags. Oh, there's plenty of also. I mean, it's somebody who I like I'm allowed to body shame because I also have a lot of flaws on my body. But yeah, it's the, I turn on the, whatever, the blur filter. More to it. There you go for the same reason. Yeah. Nobody needs to get out of there.

Anybody. Yeah. And then the other one was, they were talking about Willie Parker and how in the last family played, he was being Cory Dylan, like he had to be Cory Dylan. So the quote is, he was Cory Dylan for a week and now he's matched up with him. So I was curious, the football used cosplay or... I mean, they do wear their names on the back of the shirts. That's kind of cosplay.

But is it count if you're wearing your own name? Because I mean, we wear other people's names on the back of our... Well, I mean, he may have been wearing still in theme during those practices. Yeah, because... Interesting. No, we're doing that in practice.

So that does feel like cosplay to me. That's the fucking nerdy. Yeah, somebody who is nerdy before is cool, like that's not cool. Like, that's like, you are at the judge, Jerry, and executioner. That's that's still a valor, almost like in the nerd, nerddom.

But you can't be doing that, man. You have an earn that. That's all I'm gonna say. You're man. You have an earn that's on me. Right. Really Parker has not earned that nerd critten to be able to do that. So he's dead to me. Really Parker? Dead to me. Yeah, that's that's all I had for uh for those. I like it. Never as good when you don't have the yard or it's just not the same is it? Or was it really cross? I think it was the one that was full of them. Yeah, it's just not the same is it? Or was it rainy cross? I think it was the one that was full of them. Or any crazy, he would get dirty with it.

Like legitimately dirty sometimes. Like I think that's where it started with rainy cross was just like, like it was noticeable. I kept on going from there. So all right, well, I appreciate you finding those fours. Yeah, I brought a research for our team at the end of the year. Somebody's got to do it because it's a lot of research for our team at the end. Somebody's got to do it,

because it's not going to be my brothers. Right. So, if there's one piece of advice I can give to our listeners, it's don't have brothers. They will always let you do. Right, Mom? What are they, Mom? Sometimes a naughty boy.

That's right, exactly. Both of them. Very naughty. Yeah, thanks, Mom. It's right exactly both of them very naughty. Yeah, thanks Always in my back All right next week pages back in Gillette stadium taking on Marty shot in Hymer San Diego Chargers I remember nothing of this game and just briefly looking at the the box for here Cool

Do you remember any of it? I remember nothing of 2005, like 2005 is that season I feel like just got away. I don't remember any of it. Like I remember some of the 2006 stuff, like especially the end of it. Yeah. 2005 have no memory of this season. So this is kind of cool. We're like watching these these games fresh light. It's like, yeah, I don't know if they're gonna win. Yeah, so I guess we all find out together next week. All right, cool. Well until then we will seal it. Yeah.