borg

Has BB decided to ease into the season, preserving vital personnel for the stretch run?
No question, I am grasping for reasons as to why this team looks so bad this preseason. So here are some excuses and implausible reasonings.
-Since 2001, the Patriots have played 17 playoff games...an extra season of games. Brady, Bruschi, Seymour, Light, Vrabel...all key players the last 8 years...have played alot of football.
-The Patriots peaked too early last year. With a chip on their shoulders, the Patriots launched an aerial assault on opponents that devastated and demoralized teams for 2 months. When the scheduled toughened up and winter approached, blowouts were few and far between, the Brady -Moss tandem was less successful, running the ball was an issue as was redzone defense. Although the wins were still piling up, the better teams were figuring out the Patriots...Indy, Philly, Baltimore, Giants.
-The Pressure of Perfection took its toll. Tough to argue this point, considering the Pats were seconds from a perfect season....but BB may not see a reason to supercharge this team for 16 games.
-Though many outside New England would disagree, the 2007 season validated the Patriots' championships of this decade. With Spygate in the rearview mirror, the 2008 Patriots will take a different approach to this season...building weekly and hopefully peaking in December.
-With all the injuries, the 3 west coast trips, an aging corp of key players, and rookies that will be counted on, I am convinced that BB will ease into the season.

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Sicilian

I'm not one to be worried about these preseason games, but I wouldn't be surprised if we got off to a slow start this year. Injuries, rookies, and new players trying to find their role take time to sort out.

That being said, I'd almost feel better that way. Remember our super bowl years:

2001: 0-2, Bledsoe goes down, we rally and go on to one of the top 3 upsets in Super Bowl history.

2003: 31-0 loss to Buffalo, they hate their coach, yadda yadda yadda

2004: Lost to the Steelers badly early on, then went on to return the favor in the playoffs.

I'm more comfortable being the underdog. I hope we get dissed a lot early on

BelizePats

Finally a rational football post!!!!
This is entirely possible as the Pats core has played alot of football the last 8 years. The West coast trips cannot be overlooked in all of this too. It is a veteran team and I think that BB has a good read on the overall team feel. Last year was mentally exhausting and no one knows this more than BB.
The team has looked bad this month, for sure. But it has never been the team that we are hoping to field against KC in two weeks.
Our inactive list this preseason has been rediculous.
This D will be fine. If the injured O line can get healthy, there really is no concern.
BB has not been doing his usual thing in this years camp for many of the reasons you've outlined in the thought provolking thread.

p8ryts

I agree. If Light plays and someone can be healthy enough to play right guard we will be all right. BB has taken an odd approach to the preseason, holding out key pieces from practice and games but they are experienced enough so that they should be able to put it together for the regular season when the team is intact. I'm a little worried about turning on the intensity meter overnight because there has seemed to be a lack of it.

RayClay

We have no choice. New players at Oline, entire defense except for DL and actually demonstrating an effective consistent running game dictate that we will gel late, if at all (injuries, new guys stinking. who knows?

Better than peaking at the 3/4 pole like last year.

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TheGodInAGreyHoodie

It is absolutely vital that a team start off really hot.

For example last year two team met in the SB.

One, had started off the season by blowing away there oppenants, with scores like 38-14, 38-7, 52-7...they went on to win 18 games in a row. Going into the SB, they viewed as the most dominant football team in history.

The other had started off the season 0-2, with the second game being a 35-13 thrashing by the eventual NFC North Champion Greenbay Packers. That team barely made it into the playoffs at all, in fact they were a wild card team.

Of course the dominant team was able to parley the early seasons success into....hold it, what? your kidding? they didn't win? nah you're kidding. you're serious.

Never mind scratch that.

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dhamz

What has BB done this preseason that makes you think he is easing into the season?

Did he cut out training camp double sessions? Nope.
Did he not work in pads as much in camp? Nope.
Rested his healthy veterans in the preseason? Nope - even has them returning kicks and punts.

The offense has looked horrible in the preseason due to the OL and the MVP of the league not playing. Those are the facts - not some plan. The defense and now special teams have just looked horrible. It is absurd to even suggest that BB plans for the first team D to get rolled like they have the last 2 weeks.

Is the sky falling? No - this is still a Super Bowl caliber roster if 12 is at QB.
Should there be some concern about the performance of the defense and ST? Some concern is justified based on the way the defense and coverage teams have executed when on the field.

Rob0729

I agree that Belichick seems to not want to peak too early. Every year is different. Earlier in this decade with a lot more younger starters, Belichick felt like he needed to set the tone of the season early. Last year, it worked the opposite way because the team was sputtering in November (although still better than everyone else until the Super Bowl).

From a travel and when the games are actually played standpoint, the schedule is brutal. Four West Coast games, 5 night games, two short weeks. The schedule from a timing and travel stand point have at least three spots where it is brutal. You have the two back to back west coast trips and then in Novemeber you have a late Sunday game vs. Buffalo followed by a Thursday night game vs. the Jets. And the Pats will probably get another Sunday night game with the flex schedule. I think those night games all close together for the Pats last year hurt them.

I have never seen Belichick rest veterans like he has this year. I think he is purposely "tanking" the preseason to make sure this team doesn't get burnt out with the travel schedule and night games.

Brarrell

This is one of the best posts on this board in a long time. I usually don't post much, but a month or so after the SB I came to the same conclusion you have just stated above. The funny thing is I haven't seen or heard any of the so called experts come to this conclusion probably because they got what they wanted a Patriots loss in the SB. I also agree with the so called Patriots Insider who posts ocassionally on the ESPN board, I think when that story leaked the day before the SB I do believe the Pats were thrown for a loop mentally they were already on fumes any way. By the way after Bruschi and maybe Vrable what players are over 30 past there prime?

Metaphors

A natural reaction based on what you can from the 1st team during preseason games. My question is how much of this is lack of intensity vs. regulating the energy expended by vets. By all accounts, practices have been "spirited" with a lot of sessions in full pads. Seems fishy to me that games would be different unless that was intentional. Have also seen lots of vets happy and joking on the sidelines and the coaches (ST last night excluded) haven't seem overly distressed.

So while I understand your worry, I'm not sharing your anxiety at this point. However, that could change pretty quickly during the KC game.