Lifer

I am thoroughly enjoying this season. There is no pressure. There is no expectation. The Patriots are 5-2. Brady has been out the entire year and they are 5-2. Could we have honestly hoped for that when Brady went down?

Think about this. They will going into Indy with a better record than them. Can you imagine if we beat the Colts without Brady and go to 6-2? Can you imagine how crazy that would make their fans?

The Steelers are 5-2. Steeler fans have been saying the Patriots are old news for 4 years now. Without Brady we have the same record. Do you know how this is driving them nuts?

Belichick long ago proved he was up in the top 2 or 3 of all time and there are so many terrific coaching jobs he has done. So far this is right there with the best of them. And I think, ironically, he is enjoying this challenge and the results he is getting more than he would have gotten from a Brady led 5-2 or 6-1 season with all the must win the Super Bowl or else hype.

I am so looking forward to Sunday night. And what Michaels and Madden will be saying if its the 4th qtr and the Brady-less Patriots are about to go 6-2.
Even at 5-3 they would be on pace for a 10-6 season which in my view would automatically get Belichick coach of the year.

TruthSeeker

Yes, it's looking good to be 5-2. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; the competition we've played has been less than stellar. It's not like the Steelers who lost to 2 legitimately good teams...

Leave No Doubt

It's a fun year in many ways and definitely an interesting one I'm enjoying watching this team adapt and develop plus nothing's predictable.

No matter the final outcome, they've given us yet another unbelievable ride.

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edit...2012 BABY!

mgteich

I am also enjoying this season, but I don't believe that Belichick would be named coach of the year if we are 10-6.

Along with the rest of AFC East, we get to play all the west, none of which belong in the playoffs; that's eight games folks.

Do we play in a tough division? That's six of our games.

And we play Indy and PITT.

How well should we EXPECT to be against this opposition with an average quarterback? Does it take the coach of the year to 6-2 against the scrubs in the west, 3-3 in the division, and 1-1 with Indy and PITT?
==========================

Personally, I believe that with Brady, we would have been one of the best teams of all time as we were in 2004 and as we were last year. IMHO, losing Brady should not make one of the best team's in NFL history an also ran, needing a coach of the year to be 10-6 against our opposition.

Many of us thought that Cassel was aweful and not capable of being an average QB for half a season, if ever.

Belichick apparently evaluated Cassel correctly. With four preseasons of training and three season of backup, he is indeed an average QB, or perhaps a bit below average QB. an average QB should be plenty for the patriots to go 10-6. Were we really expecting better than an average QB from the veteran we wanted to bring in? NO!!! We were hoping to bring in an average QB to go with our great team!

D-Money

I am enjoying it somewhat but this team should make the playoffs even with Matty Cassel.We should win the AFC east once again even with Matty Cassel.

Lifer

The thing is, I havent seen a "one of the best teams of all time" defense out there this year or a "one of the best teams of all time" special teams" out there and the OL, beyond Cassels lack of nimbleness, has not played that well.

But they are 5-2. thats the bottom line. Schedule or no, those teams get paid too.

PATSYLICIOUS

Who have the Steelers beaten though? The Ravens?

Interesting fact: Nobody in the AFC has more wins against teams with winning records than we do (2).

This is going to be a fun year, if we get into the playoffs anything can happen. Think about how the offense with Cassel has looked in recent weeks, 41 points against Denver and 23 points against St Louis (which is alot considering the drops, fluke INT's, onside kick). I'm confident we can put up 20+ PPG against any defense in the league, including Tennessee and NYG. BB's championship defenses have given up 17 PPG in the playoffs and though there's wrinkles now, I'm confident this defense can have similar success when the time comes. In a wide open league, we are a definate threat and I agree with the OP, the pressure is finally off our shoulders this year.

ALP

depends on the ending

__________________
Last time I lived in New England the Pats became a Dynasty

Then I moved away and they haven't won since

...now I'm moving back, and a Lombardi I predict

fgssand

You got that right.

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Season ticket holder since 1971, first in section 209 and now in 134.

LOVE New England sports....10 years SEVEN championships!!!

TheGodInAGreyHoodie

dunno, this year has already has been more fun. This year every win has been fun. Last year was a lot of holding our breaths and worrying about losing.