The Patriots looked bad last night against the Redskins, and none worse than Ryan Mallett who struggled his way to a 5-12, 55 yard performance.
I think that only in New England does the media use the backup quarterback as a way to make snide remarks about the coach. The last few days have been filled with snark about Mallett, ever since Belichick pal Mike Mayock made the remark that he was impressed with Mallett and sees an NFL starting QB right now in him, a comment that has provoked endless chuckles around the Patriots beat.
The remark also led to plenty of snark around the Patriots beat where writers started making comments that Mayock was essentially paid off to make the comment, doing so only in exchange for access to Belichick. Utter nonsense. Belichick coached Mayock with the Giants, and likes and respects him. Perhaps Mayock did make the comments as a favor to Belichick, though I find that fairly unlikely as well.
Chris Gasper this morning writes
There are lobbyists in Washington who wish they could spin as favorably as the Patriots and their national media supplicants are on Mallett’s ability.
and
But if Mallett were so good, don’t you think that Bill Belichick would be fighting to keep him as Brady’s successor, and not pumping Mallett’s trade value the way it was getting pumped up around May’s NFL Draft?
How about naming some names, Gasper? Beyond Mayock, who are the supplicants of whom your refer to? How exactly is Belichick “pumping Mallett’s trade value.”
Specifics, please.
I don’t doubt that the Patriots are putting Mallett out there for people to see, including themselves. Does he have a giant FOR SALE sign around his neck?
Maybe that’s why he struggled so much last night. Tough to throw and elude pressure with a giant sign around your neck.
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Meanwhile, after telling us over and over how bad rookie QB Jimmy Garoppolo has looked in practice, the first year signal caller came out and impressed in the second half last night, showing poise, accuracy – even on the deep ball – and ability to move around.
The swing towards Jimmy G should be fun to watch this weeek.
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The game broadcast last night on WBZ-TV was, well, uneven. Chad Finn enjoyed it:
Patriots TV broadcast had familiar feel
The broadcast location in the stadium was less than ideal for Dan Roche and Christian Fauria, and it definitely showed at times. Roche had difficulty identifying players, determining whether a field goal was good, and what call the officials were making.
During one particularly painful call, a Patriots backup made a tackle, Roche clearly wasn’t sure who it was, and said “making the tackle for the Patriots….(pause) by the Patriots…” then nothing. They went to commercial break and came back, at which point Roche finally identified the player who had made that tackle.
This isn’t as much a criticism of Roche as it is to highlight the poor location they had, and the difficulties in broadcasting from there. Fauria, as he is prone to do, ran off at the mouth on a number of occasions, including a comment on Roy Finch which referenced his struggles to hang onto the ball, but added “you can also see the explosithness in that guys feets…”
Sheesh.
Down on the field, Matt Chatham had a better view, and provided better analysis. His explanation of how linebackers read the route combinations at the goal line was informative and interesting.
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Finally:
Why you should stop watching football
At least the Globe is being honest about their bias now.
Boston Sports Media Watch 
I wish I knew who the “powers at be” are who decide to turn certain ex-players and personalities like Fauria into media stars. He’s absolutely awful, always has been and will be. Has no problem talking endlessly, droning on and on, while having nothing relevant to say and/or sounding like an idiot in the process. Of course, not only are we stuck with him on WBZ Patriots programming, but he’s on daily on WEEI too…and to think of all the hate DeOssie used to get here. He sounded like a Rhodes scholar compared to Fauria.
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Even Smerlas gave some kind of insight on the game.
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So Felger will obviously be ripping Mallett and Belichick today because he was “correct.”
But what will his angle be on Jimmy G? Hasn’t Felger already been labeling him a bust? My guess is that he’ll chalk the good play up to 3rd string competition.
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The Gasper / Felger / Flynn / Johnston line of attack on Jimmy G is based on the idea that they’re a SB contending team, so drafting a backup in the second round was a waste of a pick.
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Pre-draft (I think for the last couple of years even) Felger has been big on the Patriots drafting a new QB to be groomed to replace Brady, much like what happened with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. If he is now turning around and bashing the Patriots for using a second round pick on Garroppolo he is being a massive hypocrite. Especially given Felger’s stances on how the Patriots always blow their second round picks (not true) and his stance that their first round pick of Easley was a great pick despite the fact that there’s huge risk to it.
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Well to be fair, the leaders of this, from what I’ve heard, have been Gaspar, Flynn and Johnston specifically. Although they were totally silent on the idea after the game and throughout the weekend. I think Jimmy played too well.
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Oh look at the cute photo on Albert Breer’s Twitter feed. He’s pretending to be an NFL quarterback while wearing a shirt and tie. How limp-wristed of him.
As for Danny Roche, he’s a fossil of Boston TV media. A ‘Hanger-on’ we’ll call him.
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I think he got Jonathan Togo to do the shot for him.
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Chatham is best suited for an in studio tv role where you have time to dive deep into topics. I also thought they used the pfw guys poorly just throwing to them randomly and not setting them up with a topic
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I’m a card carrying member of the Chatham Fan Club, but I think that he’s better suited for a Sunday show where he can be long-winded. Ordway expressed similar sentiments when someone asked him about it on the show last week. Maybe attending one of the NFL bootcamps can help him with brevity, but I think he’s a longer-form guy; it is just too bad that this type of thing only occurs on a Sunday show.
So, in terms of “broadcast quality”, it wasn’t just “LOCAL16 CABLE ACCESS” only on WBZ. The NFL Network simulcasted the Ravens’ feed of their game with SF. If the audio/video wasn’t going out/freezing, NFLN was imprinting their own Chyron scorebox ontop of the one that the feed was being produced. In addition, they kept cutting to Kurt and some other guy in a remote studio, which was very incongruous. I get that these networks pay a ton for NFL, but they also make a ton. Maybe Cuban was right about the NFL getting too big..
If you have RedZone, or access to it, they’re doing a preview tonight (7:30-11), so you’ll get to most likely see similar things to what I saw above. If you don’t get it, I think they’re giving it away for free, so check if you’re able to get it if interested. (Personally, I’d pay $8/mo just for it, but that covers the sports package that Comcast requires me to get in order to get RZ.)
Clearly, NFLN was previewing upcoming ads that will come in games. Lets talk about “not ready for production” status:
http://deadspin.com/behold-the-horrifying-future-of-nfl-in-game-advertising-1618245971
I wouldn’t be surprised if the NFL doesn’t just go with it, as it appears they’re in “we’re too big to fail” mode.
If you were following on Twitter, similar comments were expressed about other feeds with quality of video/audio, announcers, etc.
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I notice that, in the past weeks, you’ve been listening to Ordway. I won’t ask if you like his ‘new’ show. As it seems that you do. I will ask if Shepard, DeOssie or Smerlas are still on the show. If so. Is there any time that I can listen when any of them are not on?
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Tried it out and I’m enjoying it. I do flip around, depending on the day, but it’s become my main afternoon show in the car or at the desk. I’m with LTD where competition is good, so listen to what you like, but more options is better for all of us.
Shepard, yes. He’s usually there daily. Was off much of the past few weeks due to something in the family. DeOssie or Smerlas – I haven’t heard since one show in the beginning. He usually does a rotating “3rd person”, like D&H have done, where it’s Graig Murphy or Alex Reimer. Less frequent are Thorton, Greg Dickerson and I’ve heard Steve Buckley on.
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I’ve never heard Lombardi hype Mallet. He did hype Hoyer, but apparently liked him enough to sign him to the Browns.
But, really, fans and the media have no idea how good or bad any backup QBs are until they play meaningful games. Cassell had a very good year in ’08 and at least was good enough to start and win some games for a couple (mostly bad) teams. Hoyer played well in limited duty last year and is allegedly in the mix to start for the Browns. And this was after leaving the Patriots and practicing with a college team when no one wanted him. Mallett? Who knows, but the Patriots have a pretty good record of drafting and developing NFL-ready QBs despite getting zero on-the-job training. But so far, there are many more people declaring him a bust than “hyping” his trade value.
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Bruce, he was too busy consulting a thesaurus for the article so his portfolio appeals more to the folks at the New Yorker. Damn deadlines.
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“Why you should stop watching football” ….I’m sure that movement is really gonna take off.
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I just don’t get the being “sick of it” stuff? The guy had late first early second round expectations when he was drafted. He had some off the field stuff that kept him from going higher, and it seems,after 3 pro seasons, he has grown-up and behaved himself. So you have a physically talented guy based on assessment from when he last played regularly (4 years ago) who has been in a system that has produced some serviceable QB’s a one amazing one along with a number of great football players. It’s not beyond reason to expect him to have some value and for the team to try and widen it’s options for them in dealing with him as they develop Jimmy G. Obnoxious? Really?
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I must be into self torture..channel surfing I stopped on ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters” this morning. They were talking about how Ray Rice was received by Ravens fans (I guess he was cheered) so the conversation is how fans view things. Bob Ryan uses this as an opportunity to say, “well Patriot fans have pushed “Spygate” to the back of their minds. They don’t understand why people hate “that team’ and “that man”…….good Lord, Ryan has become as insufferable as Shaugnessy
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I found myself watching the Lions versus the Browns in preseason football. I think it was the local Cleveland team calling the game–I didn’t recognize the voices. But I got off the train when the color man praised Johnny Manziel, after an apparent, then reversed, fumble by the Lions for “having the presence of mind to put his helmet on.”
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Going back on the ‘long term strategy’, this article in the NYDN today about the battle for Selig’s successor is quite interesting. Safe to say that you won’t find any of this in the Globe:
http://m.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/1.1898077
It’s another reason why I see a sale at some point in the future, especially if Manfred gets elected.
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Recall that in March and April, the local and national mediots and some fans were up in arms over both the new MLB instant replay rules and the new MLB collision rules.
All were in agreement that instant replay rules would slow down MLB games.
All were in agreement that attempting to eliminate home plate collisions would remove a major source of excitement, alter the future history of the game, is another example of do-gooders taking over society, etc. etc.
So how did that all work out?
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yep you nailed it… they just throw the word “spygate’ out there like it was high tech espionage or the watergate break in. Not coaches giving hand signals out in the WIDE OPEN in front of 60,000 + fans and a TV audience….anyway, watching these self important blowhards analyze “The Fans” was PAINFUL
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