Running up the score...NOT from a sportsmanship perspective....?

Question

Ok. I think everyone will acknowledge that the Pats run up the score beyond what they need to in an effort to embarrass their opponents (Cowboys game was the perfect example). There are tons of people asking "Why do they do it" etc. or trying to justify it and the such. Me? I really don't care that they do it. But my question is, do people REALLY think this is a good idea on their part? It seems that Bellichek does things that really aren't all that wise in order to do that sometimes. For example, Brady came out in the 4th quarter last night, but did he and Moss REALLY even need to play in the 2nd half? Imagine if one of them got hurt! Up 42-7 he puts Moss in to defend a hail mary on the last play of the 1st half. Any Pats fans out there cringing at the thought of him getting tangled up going for a jump ball & blowing out a knee for something he didn't need to be on the field for? Just curious. Different spin on it. Does an otherwise smart coach risk hurting himself this way?

Just looking at the Patriots, it seems like the only thing that could derail them this year is major injuries.....it seems he takes more risks of that happening than he REALLY needs to.

P.S. Any Pats fan who thinks it doesn't matter if Brady, Moss, etc. gets hurt because the backups will go undefeated is really, REALLY kidding himself...........

Of course it seems that many don't actually READ the question.....despite the fact that that's not what this question is about, still tons of "If you don't like it, stop us" and "running up the score is wrong" kind of answers. Again folks, the question IS basically, does he risk getting players hurt and damaging his team's chances this way? Not is it right or wrong. The intimidation point is an interesting angle to it, whoever said that.

Answer 1

While pulling them at the start of the second half may be a bit extreme, it certainly is a smarter move in the season scheme of things to either pull your starters or run the clock once the game is in hand. While injuries certainly can happen on any play, all it takes is one guy to miss a block or one guy to get pi**ed and take a cheap shot and Brady or Moss or someone else is out for the season. I've been saying this from the beginning, the risk of injury is too great to keep them in when the game is in hand. It's basic risk verses reward. If the game is close, the prospect of winning (especially at this point in the season) justifies the risk of injury. But if the game is well in hand the reward of one more score doesn't justify the risk of injury. In the big picture it doesn't make a lot of sense. Plus, the stars a team has now will retire (or leave) sometime, it's just a fact of football. Wouldn't it be best to have guys groomed and ready to go? Ditka made a comment yesterday in reference to Jamarcus Russell but his point is valid in a lot of places "When a guy sits the bench and holds a clipboard all he's learning is how to sit the bench and hold a clipboard." Meaning there comes a point where game experience is more beneficial than watching. A great time to get those backups real game experience is when a game is either out of reach or well in hand.

As a side note, somewhat unrelated to your actual question, I agree with your comments about anyone who thinks the backups would produce an undefeated season. Considering the Patriots are a notoriously - to put it nicely - frugal organization, I highly, highly doubt their second stringers would be starters elsewhere in the league. If a guy is good enough to start somewhere else, I doubt the Pats are offering enough to keep him from doing so. What a ridiculous and delusional comment.

Answer 2

You're right, if Brady goes down the Patriots are all done. I don't agree that if Moss goes down they will be slowed down that much. Brady likes to throw to Moss because he rarely drops the ball (he's always been like that) and because he can go up and take the high ones away from most defenders - which makes throwing the ball easier. They would have bigger problems if the defense has some injuries. Not only is the offense firing on all cylinders, but so is the defense.

For Jeff - the reason the Pats go for it on fourth down in the other teams red zone is because kicking a field goal IS running up the score. They are okay turning it over on downs if the opposition could stop them, but they can't. Notice they aren't taking the easier running play to move the ball 2 yards, they are throwing on a shorter field which in theory is easier to defend.

Brady wasn't even in the game in the 4th quarter. That was the second string QB throwing the ball.

Regarding the comments of TO and the Dallas game yesterday, Dallas by no means had that game clinched in the 4th quarter. If Dallas took any risk with TO at all it was putting him to defend the hail mary at the end of the game.

Answer 3

I think it is all a degree of risk.....Given Brady remain nearly untouched behind that often over looked offensive line, Moss is a incredibly smart player and never seems to put himself in a position to REALLY get hit (I know you can't always help it, but watch, he will go down before he will take a shot that he doesn't need to)....

So I think Belichick weighs the fact that them getting hurt is unlikely with the fact that completely dominating teams send a pretty clear message to the rest of the potential opponents..."This is what we can do, and we can do it at will"....7 Possessions, 7 TD's...When is the last time you saw that?

He may get burnt, he must feel the message is worth the risk....Nothing has happened yet, and the message is certainly getting out there....There is not a team in the league that's not intimidated by this kinda of performance (never admit it, & correctly so).......

Time will tell.......

Good question!!!

Answer 4

Once everybody stops calling them cheaters than the blowing teams out strategy will end. They are making a statement to the league that filming sidelines does not win games. The Pats just want to prove to the world that they can win without cheating, now if they have been losing since "spygate" than everything would be into question and the feds would have came in to make sure there are asterisks on everything they ever accomplished. The fact is, everytime the Pats run up the score on your favorite team, there is nothing else to do but take it like a man, whine to mommy, or call them cheaters because there is no way they could have won by so many by playing fair.

Answer 5

I don't think its posisble to run up the score in the 2nd and 3rd quarters - and sadly, it appears NE did take it easy on the Bills in the 4th Quarter. If 3rd string fullbacks are getting 14 yards on 4th down, that's the D's fault.

Also, maybe they don't need to throw as much as they do - but as the Colts game showed - you can't go out and play 30 minutes every week - because when you do need to play hard in the 4th quarter, you'll be out of gas.

You can't worry too much about injuries, but he does need to worry about a cheap shot from a frustrated opponent. It only takes one.

Bottom line, these guys need to play at least into the 4th quarter to stay in game shape for when they need it. Bill has shown they'll play full tilt for 3 quarters, and then call off the dogs (BUF) unless you were one of the loudmouth teams/coaches/owners who piled on during spy-gate. Then all bets are off.

Look out Man-gina, Dolphins, and Tomlin (though I still think the Steelers are too good to get embarrassed).

Answer 6

I dont think they are trying to embarrass anyone. I think they are just going on the field and playing football the best they can. Sitting Brady and Moss for a whole half would be stupid. Scoring lots of points and making it impossible for the other team to make a comeback is smart in my opinion. Teams have come back from 28 points or more in the past so why take any chances? People complaining about Patriots being good at football and scoring lots of points (which is the object of the game) are just being whiny babies.

Answer 7

I don't think Bill's doing it just to do it... I give him more credit than that. I think he's trying to intimidate the rest of the league by showing how dominant his team is. I think if he can get a small mental edge in future games from this then it's worth the risk. Besides, it's not like these teams are getting to Brady anyway.

And I am far from being a Pats apologist.

Answer 8

I could see pulling starters to prevent possible injury when playing them may not be necessary. From a coaching point, I believe you do not chance loosing a game because you did not score enough points. Patriots have the idea that this is the NFL and if you do not want the score run up then you stop us. Belicheck is sending a message to his team that they are something special and more importantly to any and all opponents that they are a force to reckon with. He is playing a mind game with future opponents. It appears to be working.

Answer 9

I agree and disagree....putting moss in on defense was somewhat questionable....I do however, feel that brady is not under much risk of getting injured as it seems that no one can ever even touch him. The colts are the only team thus far that have actually put an ounce of pressure on brady. it is a given that teams are going to be upset at the powerhouse that new england has become, but for belichek to back down to that would be cowardly.

Answer 10

How is gambling your bench trash (Lakers bench trash is gold for such a lot groups) walking up the ranking? Do you believe it is deficient sportsmanship to be so jealous of a group's luck that you're making a remark as dull as this?