I am sure this will end up turning to into the usual Brady fans vs BB fans thread. I fully admit that Brady did not play well enough to win today (in fact, literally, zero Patriots played well enough to win today).

However, there was a time when the Patriots came out in the second half and made adjustments and shut down teams on defense while moving the ball on offense. This is the third year in a row where the Patriots were simply out coached in their final playoff game. The Ravens came out in the second half, starting running more shotgun and three wide receiver sets and the Patriots had no answer for it. 

On the other side of the ball, the Patriots did nothing in the second half. In fact, the stopped giving the ball to Ridley (he had 13 carries on 37 plays in the first half and 1 carry on 11 plays in the third quarter). In fact, once the Ravens took the lead the offense came apart. After it was 14-13, the Patriots remaining drives were 3-and-out, fumble, turnover on downs, interception, interception. A team that averaged 35.3 points per game put up 0 in the second half. A team that average 4.2 TDs per game, found the end zone once.

People will point to injuries, but I wonder how a reclamation project picked up at the trade deadline became the single most important player on the defense. I read all week how the offense put up just as good number without Gronk in the line up and since they had gone 5-1 without him they could win without him.

I posted something on another thread about during BB's halftime interview, he told the sideline reporter he was worried about the game because the Ravens were a deep ball away from taking the momentum.

During Harbaugh's sideline interview he said he wasn't concerned about anything at all.

The Pats were winning at that time 13-7.

While BB is great with X's and O's, I really don't see him as the type of coach that can rally this team when things go bad.

If the Pats finished the regular season the way the Ravens did, I'm not sure the Pats would have made it past the first round.

He needs to better prepare this team emotionally and mentally. We've coined this term a lot, but the Patriots truly have become a machine, and not in a good way. There's no fire in this team, it's just a bunch of guys who line up and seem to take this stage for granted.

The new improved running game didn't show up. Receivers dropping balls left and right.

Ended up being all on Brady as everybody else on O withered (line did okay on pass blocking). Throw in the same old porous D as soon as Talib went down and you go home with your tail between your legs.

This team is just not that good. And they certainly cannot boast the numerous clutch guys the dynasty teams had. Without Brady they would struggle to go 8-8.

 

And let's not forget the mickey mouse club coordinators BB surrounds himself with.

 

In response to dapats1281's comment:

I feel like the X's and O's are not there in the playoffs. At one point the Ravens had three consecutive TD drive (87 yards, 63 yards, and 47 yards). The Patriots defense looked completely outmatched. Ten years ago, BB had Troy Brown playing defensive back against Peyton Manning the AFC Championship game and a team that had averaged nearly 33 points per game scored 3.

The other part I simply cannot figure out. There is an idea that the are this team with some Championship pedigree that they just know how to win, but with the exception of Brady only Branch (who is barely on this team at all) has more than one ring. Wilfork is the only guy on the defense who has even one ring and he was not even a full-time starter back in 2004 (although he was in the playoffs). I feel like this team gets regular season accolades poured on them for piling up points and yards, but guys like Gronk, Hernandez, Welker, Woodhead, Ridley and Lloyd forget that collectively they have accomplished nothing other than regular season success, and really would you rather be the Patriots with 12 wins, the number offense in the NFL and stats galore, or the 10-6 regular season Ravens who are playing in New Orleans in two weeks.

1. Get a new GM/HC.

2. Trade Brady.

3. Rebuild.

In response to FrnkBnhm's comment:

Lack of execution can be attributed to a lot of those short comings. You can make the perfect defense call and still give up a big play because Arrington or Cole can't cover.

 

This team just flat out plays like they don't want it. They play with the mentality that they'll just try again next season. I put some blame on the coaches for not getting these players ready to match the Ravens' intensity, but ultimately, it comes down to the players.

Remember during the 2010 regular season game after a Woodhead run failed to get a first down? Brady started screaming and shouting and then gathered the offense and gave them a talk. Maybe the camera just didn't point anything else, but I didn't see that fire from Brady. Just seemed like he would just walk to the sideline and sit down on the bench.

 

I also don't know if this team has that kind of guy on defense. As annoying as Ray Lewis can be, he knows how to pump up his guys. And I think that makes a huge difference. You can beat the man across from you, even if he's more talented, as long as you want it more. Ravens just wanted it more than us.

bad all the way around, bad coaching , brady played poorly, welker drops passes, defense cant get any pressure. ect...  who played well this game? maybe the o-line since they didn't give up any sacks.. 

this was another team loss, can't blame one guy or one unit.. the whole team stunk.

reiss see's it the same way, team loss, 

coaching and qb very bad, running game average, defense below ave.. o line and special teams good.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/

In response to sporter81's comment:

 

reiss see's it the same way, team loss, 

coaching and qb very bad, running game average, defense below ave.. o line and special teams good.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/

 

RBs average at under 4 ypc with a turnover to boot? Reiss is a stooge.

 

In response to sporter81's comment:

Hard to exonerate the O-line when you run this poorly.

I just thought they got out played. It was a poor team effort, players failed to execute and that's partly the coaches fault for no layers not being ready to play.

The Team was out coached on the offensive side of the ball.

1. Stupid throws on 1st down that looked...well..stupid

2. Too many 3rd downs were we had to make plays that should have been made on first down.

3. ABSOLUTLY NO ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A RUNNING GAME IN THE FIRST HALF

4. Vereen had such a break out game last week he was rewarded with being benched in the 1st half.

5. Bolden PROVED he was a tough inside runner during the season, benched as well.

6. 3rd and 2 yds many times and no attempt to run it, ya once to Woodhead and he made it

7. Brady could have walked for the 1st down early in the fourth quarter and just had no interest in doing so.

8. Suggs and Lewis are wearing arm slings and the Ravens D did nothing really great yet we get 13 lousy points.

McDaniels, Brady and the Offense FAILED last night

Outcoached and out played.  This team has a lot of weaknesses.  Not good enough to get over the top.  Lloyd isn't a deep threat, in reality he is a solid 2 or 3 receiver.  Need that deep threat, Lloyd, Welker and another for depth.  Good on the TE position with Gronk AH81, Ballard and Hooman.  Need feature back, this rb merry go round isn't working.  None of these RB's would be starting on any other team and can't be depended on to carry a run game game in and game out.

On D need to get rid of all DB's except Denard and DMC possibly Talib if he can stay healthy. Talib has never played a full season due to getting hurt.  Need some size to play against the big receivers. 

LB's are just plain slow.  Need a good one for depth and speed.  D line??

In response to BabeParilli's comment:

Idiot. Get off these boards already. Moron. 

6 times inside the 25 yard line, 1 touchdown. Do the math ,  pathetic offensive performance!!

Last night I thought was one of the worst coached games I have seen in a long time, Please Please Please attempt to bring back Romeo Crennel.  Our defense has some young talent just needs to be coached up to a higher level.  The other thing that screamed at me was the lack of pure speed. The ravens defense is a step or two slower yet we had no one to strecth the field.  The use of vereen puzzles me what did he do wrong this year. Stop! he needed to be used last night to stretch the fieldand open things up. Looking back the placement of demps on IR and the tight end on the return list was a bad decision. We need speed.

Lack of a depth threat and pass rush is what's costing the Pats another Superbowl.