Everyone is 'up'

Haha, getting lazy Mike.

Hobbs somehow still managed to blow coverage and let up a long TD catch.

That's the only down I can think of.

Ok, I'll do it then!

Down
* Ellis Hobbs for giving up the TD reception and failing to tackle the receiver.
* Deltha O'Neal for watching a key first down made in front of him while he stood there waiting for the ball to hit him in the chest.

I won't mention Randy's drops because he redeemed himself with the TD run..

Geez. there's no pleasing the Hobbs haters. Yeah, he got burned on one long play. That's Larry Freakin Fitzgerald, guys, who burns cornerbacks around the league on a weekly basis. One long TD given up to him does not a bad day make.

Mike - We enjoy reading your analysis. Don't deprive the reading masses.

Ben Watson a down every week - another ball bounces off his hands and almost ends up as an INT. When is this guy going to make a catch?

L-train. It's difficult for me to put anyone down in such a decisive victory. J.P. That was a tough play on the Watson throw over the middle. Watson also had a good day in the run-blocking game.
--Mike

Its hard to tell who is at fault on the Hobbs long TD play. At that point a bunch of backups were in the game and who knows if one of the safetys was supposed to have help over the top. With a lead that large the other team needed some big plays and quick scores. Typically when the Pats are up by that much the DB's play a cover 2 or a prevent type of defense to limit any big play attempts. My guess is Hobbs and Slater share the responsibility for that TD but like someone else said "Its larry freakin fitzgerald"

Hobbs, DOWN as always. He has to be one of the worst CBs in the league.

Mike,

Great job on the reporting. My first time at Gillette Stadium. What a great day to watch real football. Got to see Moss score, which was what I came to see. Got to see the Pats win decisively. I wish I had a team to watch that could win. Moss is the man!

Hobbs down? Watch the replay, BM is clearly trying to get back once the ball is snapped, realizing he's blown his read of the play and being 100% out of position to give help over the top.

Hobbs had an INT and several other nice pass-break ups. All you haters quiet down, and spend your energy rooting for the Jets/Jag's on Sunday.

Hobbs had some nice pass breakups while they were building that 47-0 lead. The guy was solid when it mattered. Sorry, you just can't get a down for something that occurred AFTER they built that lead. The game was over.

Hobbs is not great but he's not that bad. He is not even the worst CB on the team.

That's a good point, Larry. I don't understand why the coaching staff was playing with one or sometimes two safeties on the LOS with such a big lead. Hobbs not only didn't have any safety help (you could actually see Meriweather trailing behind Hobbs after the pass...), but he was also playing tight on Fitzgerald up on the line. I think the coaching staff got cocky and dared them to beat them deep.

Slater almost caught Fitzgerald too...from the other side of the field. That guy can fly.

Hobbs does get a "down" because it's just not this game, but every game in which he's consistently beaten deep. It doesn't matter if it's Larry Fitzgerald, Laverneous Coles, or that Avery guy on St. Louis. In a big spot, it'll matter.

Ellis Hobbs played his usual weak game at the corner. Why this guy is still playing the corner position is a mystery to me. He is, without a doubt, as I have said for three years now, the weakest link in that defense and when opposing teams need a deep gainer, or td, they go to his cover.

But, fortunately we had a 47 point cushion this time.

I just can't understand what took so many other Pats fans to see just how weak a corner Hobbs is. ANd, to think, for years I have taken a lot of heat about it. Seems I was right. Hobbs is a weak link that needs to be removed.

One on one coverage--a CB cannot always stop a perfect throw unless they're faster than the receiver. If the receiver can continue to run full speed and the ball falls right into their hands, that's a perfect throw. "Blown coverage?" No. It was very good coverage, and a perfect throw. Not to mention, Hobbs made other plays in the game.

Didn't Hobbs get an INT?

Ben Watson is having a terrible year. He is in some kind of funk. He's a good, hard working kid. I hope he snaps out of it. But he was definitely a down today. He has really been focusing on his blocking and may be that's hurting his pass-catching. Who knows?

Mike,

Fair comment about Watson. Its just hard for me to be objective anymore on him as it seems that every other pass bounces off his hands --the hard ones and the east ones. When is the last time you can remember him making a tough catch -- not a routine catch but a tough catch. I mean, shouldn't an NFL tight end make a few tough catches ?

Actually i was expecting mike's up and down column, and as mention earlier in the games live blog there can be a chance that everyone is up..can't wait till next week..

J.P. No disagreement from me on Watson. I just think after a 47-7 game in which it was basically over after 15 minutes, it's hard to objectively put anyone down. But if we were searching hard for some downs, he'd be one of them.
--Mike

Hobbs only down is that INT dance. While Wes gets a up and extra credit for the snow angel! Laugh everyone and merry Christmas. P.S. A BIG shout out to SEAHAWKS mangenius what a boob

Mike
You for got one major UP for the Patriots -
THE ENTIRE 45 MAN CARDINAL ROSTER for basically NOT SHOWING UP.....
Should have stayed in Phoenix and saved the carbon-credits

Just a thought...

I remember Champ Bailey getting torched by Fitzgerald too and that was when Fitzgerald was a rookie, is he one of the worst corners in the league? Who was the safety on that TD play anyways? Did anyone yell out how bad Hobbs sucks when he got an INT? Did anyone say how badly he sucks when he returned the kickoff for a touchdown last week, right after it felt like Oakland was back in it? You people need to get a life, clearly you have never played football. He has started the for how long as CB for the Pats? I guess Coach B sucks too...for playing him this long right? Boy, coach sucks, he knows NOTHING about defense too. Are you people the same ones who said they needed to cut Cassel and promote Gutierez during pre-season? hmmmm how did that decision turn out? Friggin beer swilling arm chair quarterbacks...."back in 85 I was starting JV QB at my high school, so I KNOW how to play the game" LMAO....hacks

Steven, I happen to like Hobbs, but it's hard to defend him on that play. It would be hard to defend Champ Bailey or whoever else for getting beat too. Although, it was probably more the defensive scheme that was at fault. No deep safeties and everybody up on the LOS. Why?? Everybody criticizes the corners for playing off the receivers so far, but that's exactly what they should have been doing on that play.

Only in the northeast. Fans complaining after winning 47-7. Just ridiculous.

Mike how about an up to Gaffney, he was actually catching the ball for a change, what was it 6 for 95?
Whats the deal with Seymore's injury?

Hobbs was torched on that Fitzy TD pass. He just can't stick with WRs. That's why the coaching staff usually plays him 8-10 yards off his WR. Yet on that play the coaching staff had Hobbs close to the line of scrimmage. They probably thought with the team up 47-0 why not see what Hobbs can do. Well, we all did. Hobbs is so bad, teams are still targeting him over Wilhite, a 4th round rookie! To say it wasn't Hobbs fault on the play b/c he didn't get help is lame. Hobbs needs help b/c he's not a good CB. As for his INT, that was off a tipped pass, which should have been caught. Get well soon for 2009 Wheatley.
Defending Hobbs by saying he's better than O'Neal isn't much of a defense.

Let's face it, Hobbs is the worst player in NFL history. Maybe even in the entire history of professional football. His presence on the field creates a swirling vortex of incompetence that drags down the Patriots, the New England region, all of America, the planet Earth, and the entire Milky Way galaxy. He alone is the reason for everything wrong throughout all of history going back to when humans were merely one-celled creatures swimming around in primordial goo.

I thought Bush was the cause of all that's wrong in the galaxy. Now I know.

A big DOWN to all the "Hobbs Haters."
You guys are pathetic!
Hobbs has a solid game against one of the better passing teams, and gets beat ONCE by Larry Fitzgerald (one of the best WRs in the NFL, which, in and of itself, warrants an "up") on a perfectly executed play by the Cards, and when Meriweather was out of position to help, and you think he should get a down? Give me a break!
You "Hobbs Haters" have no clue.

Ritchie, I personally take offense to you calling us "pathetic" because we, as fans, voice our opinion on a particular player. We don't call you "pathetic" because you think Hobbs is doing a good job.

It's amazing that peoiple use as an excuse for him the fact that he had an interception today. Fact is, the receiver should have had the ball as he was OPEN, but it bounced off of his hands to Hobbs who was somewhat distanced from him.

It looks good npaper but those who saw it realize it was not an interceptions Hobbs had to work for. And, it happened on his last int took, and for the record, the one that he got in the SB was also a badly thrown pass that was badly overthrown to his cover man who was wide open.

Trluth be told, Hobbs is a very weak one on one cover man. Sure ALL corners get beaten occasionally, even the best, but with Hobbs it is constant, at least several times in EVERY game, and on most of those occasions, at key times of games that give the team a problem, and in many cases, a defeat. Super Bowl XLII is a Prime example. I respect your opinion,which I believe is wrong, but to call those that disagree with you "pathetic" is out of line. We are all fans, and fans have oipinions, some right some wrong. Yours is no different.

Hobbs would serve the team far better as an inside nickle back, and I fully expect the coaches to move him there next season. In fact, he has played there quite often this season as they have removed him from the corner in many instances..

Mike Allen, I'm glad you were offended. You should be, but not at me: at yourself.
You refuse to look at the facts, which have been pointed out to you multiple times (by me and others).
You refuse to look at the situation--the specifics--which has also been pointed out to you (by me and others).
You look at one thing: you don't like Hobbs. And with that you call him the worst corner on the team (and other "Hobbs Haters" even stating he's the worst corner in the NFL).
That IS pathetic, and there is no excuss for that from a so-called "fan."
Look, you can go around constantly saying he is a bad corner. Good for you! But you are wrong and you've lost your credibility among those who really understand these things.
I mean--come on!--do you really think you know more about this than Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli? As someone else said, ask his teammates. They don't hold your opinion. Do you know more than them? Even Mike Reiss (who said he was a solid #2 corner last year) after saying he thought Hobbs might be a better #3 corner said he could be convinced otherwise. Do you know more than him?
Why can't you give Hobbs some credit? He had a solid game against a good passing team and one of the best WRs in the NFL. Many of the best corners did not have the success Hobbs had. Yet you go and say he should be "down"?
All I'm saying is give the guy a break. The NFL has a way of sperating the wheat from the chaff--if Hobbs is really as bad as you and other "Hobbs Haters" think he is, he'll be out of the NFL shortly. Time will tell.
Meanwhile, when the guy has a good game, don't puke all this negativity towards him just because you've got some wierd problem. Because that's not whan true fans do.
Oh, and I'm not sorry if this post offends you.

I do wish the Hobbs haters would lighten up. Anybody remember Hank Poteat?

I don't mind Hobbs getting beat by Fitzgerald on the play. Fitzgerald beats a lot of people, and the safety was out of position. I *do* mind Hobbs not diving at Fitzgerald's ankles to try to make the tackle. Even if his shoulder hurts. Even if the team is up by 47 points. Troy Brown would have dived for the tackle. Hell, Ventrone or Slater probably would have, too.