1st half against (*)s - no pressure on Cassell ...

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Was anyone else worried at the time? That would be an understatement for me, I was filled with the kind of depressive rage usually found only in episodes of Cold Case, CSI, and the like.

I'm embarrassed, I shouldn't have lost faith But why couldn't we hurry Cassell until the 2nd half?

[Jooser]

Yeah, that was making me a bit 'itchy' last night too SanAntonio, but after thinking on it, maybe it was designed that way to keep the Pats* from adjusting at halftime. That's something that they've done well in the past. Since we were playing them so tight score-wise the first half, maybe Bad Word Lebeau was holding back a little.

[Iron Shiek]

I think I found your answer...it comes from the thread with the post game quotes:

James Harrison said:

(On reason for additional pressure in second half)
“They had to start passing the ball and we didn’t have to sit back and try and guess what they were doing. We just pinned our ears back and went at them.”

Makes sense...they must've just had the D off balance during the first half and like Deebo said, it was easier when we knew the answers...I mean what was coming...

[RuthlessBurgher]

Yeah, I read somewhere where we were dropping guys into zones when they went empty backfield in the first half instead of blitzing, since they noticed during their film study that NE was feasting off quick passes against empty backfield blitzes the past few weeks. In the second half, they unleashed the hounds once blood was in the water (gotta love mixed metaphors, eh?).

[MeetJoeGreene]

Me and my buddies definitely noticed. And were slightly worried. My comment at the time was that it had to be a strategic move. The purpose is to confuse them... make them not sure about what is coming next. And I believe it worked.