A look at who's up and who's down from the Patriots' win over the Steelers:
Up
Tom Brady -- Quarterback continues to play at a high level, from setting the pass protection at the line of scrimmage to going 32-of-46 for 399 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Jabar Gaffney -- Receiver totals a career-high 122 yards on seven catches, and shows solid concentration on his touchdown catch.
Rodney Harrison -- Safety finishes with a team-high 11 tackles, with two of the game's most impressive plays, on the goal-line.
Randy Moss -- Receiver finishes with seven catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns, and also was part of Jabar Gaffney's 56-yard catch on a lateral play.
Pass protection -- In 46 pass attempts, Tom Brady is not sacked once and is hit just four times.
Vince Wilfork -- Nose tackle was a force up front, finishing with seven tackles and adding one sack.
Down
Stephen Gostkowski -- Kicker misses a 48-yard field goal attempt wide to the right.
Run defense -- Steelers found the holes too often, totaling 181 yards on 32 carries (5.7 avg.).
Mike Wright -- Defensive lineman fails to wrap up Ben Roethlisberger on a would-be sack, as Rorthlisberger shakes free to throw a 32-yard touchdown.
MONDAY PLAN: We'll look at the snaps played by offensive skill position players tomorrow morning. Also, coach Bill Belichick has a press conference scheduled for 11:45 a.m. We'll plan on passing along some updates along the way.
Must we not forget Mr. Vrabel's performance AGAIN tonight. There is no question that the "Hitman", Rodney Harrison deserves much credit for being involved in what seems like EVERY Patriots defensive play but lets visually playback in our minds the image of that outside rush all night long. It is said by some that on every snap during a football game there is some type of holding that takes place. Well, Mr. Vrabel was on the receiving end of a minimum of 8 "bear hugs" that went uncalled. Pats fans, as you hit the rack tonight in anticipation of next week's event keep replaying #50 and the awesome efffort he displayed AGAIN tonight.
THE FINAL HURDLE?
New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.
12/09/07
7:30pm EST
If the Steelers were the NFL’s best remaining chance to stifle New England’s run at a perfect season, the feat now appears to be more realistically within reach for the Pats. How did the league’s best offensive match up to the league’s best defense? Here’s a drive-by-drive recap:
1st Quarter:
Steelers strike, driving the most successful first-possession of any team in the league this year versus the Patriots... 26-yard FG... 3-0, Steelers
Pats' transition game proves itself, again, as league best, countering with an opening-drive score of their own, Moss' 18th of the season... 7-3, Pats
Steelers 2nd possession: Sack (loss of 9); On the ground, sets up 3rd and 16... Davenport, the Steelers' 3rd-down back, back this week. End of First. 7-3, Pats
2nd Quarter:
Pittsburgh's offense falls victim to a New England defensive stop. Ensuing punt, and subsequent 5-yard penalty to the Steelers, lands Pats' offense at their own 36.
7-3, Pats
Immediate Pats touchdown pass, 63 yards, Brady to Moss, their 2nd in 2 minutes.. What's the secondary doing? 10-second scoring drive. 14-3, Pats
Pittsburgh returns punt to the 22. Wille Parker gains 30 yards on the ground, 4 more in the air. 32-yard lollipop touchdown pass to Davenport. 5-play, 77-yard drive. 14-10, Pats
Pats return to their own 26... Three-and-out. 14-10, Pats.
Pats’ special teams recover ensuing punt. Possession to New England with great field position on Pittsburgh's 34... Five of Pittsburgh's last 6 offensive possessions have resulted in a turnover. Pats' offense goes three-and-out. 48-yard field goal is wide to the right.
14-10, Pats.
Pittsburgh takeover possession at their own 38. Pittsburgh converts 4th-and-inches, Davenport delivering 2 yards (on the ground yet in the air) to get to midfield. Separate false-start and holding penalties by Pittsburgh. Rothleisberger scrambles to within 1 yard of a first down. Timeout Pittsburgh. 4th-and-inches attempt converted for the second time on drive...in the air, up the middle to the 36 yardline. Timeout Pittsburgh. 44-yard field goal attempt is converted by Jeff Reed. 14-13 Pats.
New England bobbles the kick, stranding themselves inside their own 20. Drive to the 37 by the 2-minute warning. Brady to Moss for substantial gain over midfield, followed by a 32-yard pass to Gaffney. Yardage gained is partially negated by a 10-yard penalty by the Pats' offense.
42-yard field goal attempt is converted by Gostkowski. 17-13, Pats. End of the first half.
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3rd Quarter:
Pittsburgh return to the 29 but go three-and-out. 44-yard punt.
Pats' ball on their own 11 yardline. Brady thows 21 yards to Moss, followed by a 9-yard pass to Stallworth. Jabbar Gaffney left wide open in the end zone, catching Brady's 56-yard touchdown pass. Extra point converted. 24-13, Pats.
Rossum runs ball back for a substantial Pittsburgh gain, only to be offset by a Pittsburgh penalty. Pittsburgh then goes three-and-out, marking the seventh consecutive Pittsburgh failure at a 3rd-down conversion. 24-13, Pats.
Pats recover with good field position. 15th-straight completion drives the Pats into field-goal range. Pats attempt fourth-and-one conversion; Pats convert, in the air, to Welker. Inside the Red Zone. Pittsburgh commits a holding penalty, half the distance to the goal, First-and-goal, Pats. Injury Timeout, Pittsburgh. Brady throws, complete, to Welker for a touchdown. The pass is Brady's 45th of the season for Brady, taking him over 4,000 passing yards. Extra point is converted. 31-13, Pats.
Short kick is recovered by the Steelers on their own 43. Parker drives the Pittsburgh offense to well within field-goal range, ending the 3rd quarter. 31-13, Pats.
4th Quarter:
Steelers attempt a Fourth-and-goal, Hines Ward stifled by the Pats' defense just short of the goal line. 31-13, Pats.
Pats obtain possession on their own one. Let's see if Pittsburgh's defense really is the best in the league. Brady completes 5 consecutive passes to Welker for 64 yards. Time out, Pats. In the red zone, Moss can't handle Brady's bullet into the end zone. Pats settle for a 28-yard field goal. 34-13, Pats.
Steelers return kickoff to their own 22. Hines Ward reception, 13 yards on third and 10 for a first down. Parker catches for a first down, and follows it up on the ground, running for another first down on next play. Time out, Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh fails to execute, losing their possession on downs. 34-13, Pats
Pats recover on downs at their own 20 as the crowd directs chants of "MVP!" to Tom Brady and "Guarantee" to the Steelers. Pats' go three-and-out, however. 34-13, Pats
Kick off and 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty sees the Steelers recover with good field position, but they run out of clock.
New England wins their 13th straight game, 34-13. It appears as if great offense beats great defense…Certainly when we’re talking about the 2007 Patriots.
I'm with billynoz - Vrabel was a monster. He really disrupted Rothlesburger's pass timing in spite of being held many times that didn't get called. Someone should package up the Vrabel plays from this game and use that film to show to whoever next trots out the lame "The Patriots get all the calls from the refs" line. Vrabel is definitely in the "Up" camp.
Why is the game recap posted as a comment here, Ashley? Are us commenters not sufficiently computer savvy as to find this information on our own?
Mike, I love your stuff but I think it is time to against the trend and place Richard Seymour on the "Down" list. I understand he is still not at 100% but what player is at this point of the season. And if he is still the force/player he used to be (before he cashed in), he should still be able to make some plays and have some sort of presence on the field even if he is still a bit dinged up.
Excellent work by Ashley Allinson! However, I must make one addtion:
The play of the game was the sack by Wilfork on Big Ben. It cannot be debated and is irrefutable. This particular collision register a 12.72 on the Richter scale. The center of the quake was registered directly below Gillette Stadium.
Mike, aren't you being harsh with Gostkowski? He missed a 48-yarder in inclement weather but made a 42-yarder at the end of the half. He was perfect in last year's playoffs. Yeesh!
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