ManningOverratedHick

I miss the old, physical, "no one respects us" Patriots. I miss Ty Law picking off Kurt Warner in his prime. I miss David Patten, David Givens, and even Daniel Graham. I liked when people feared the Patriots and knew that when they came to Foxboro, they were going to get a wall-balanced, physical game and teams were afraid to catch the ball against our defenders. Now teams look forward to shredding our secondary and running over Bruschi and Vrabel.

It's not just that they were winning SBs, it was the way they were winning. I've never had a more fun time in my life watching a team than watching the 2001-2004 Pats. Sure, Brady turning into an all-time great to possibly the greatest ever not named Montana has been great to watch, but I miss his 3,700 28 TD, 14 INT seasons with Corey Dillon running physically for 1,600 yards.

This new Patriots team, Brady, Cassel, whoever at quarterback, is just "another good team." A team that other teams feel they can beat any week, especially now that Brady is out. Even with a 100% healthy Brady, teams feel like the defense is a soft, swiss cheese defense with a lot of holes. We have possibly the two most overrated players in the game in Matt "Turnstile" Light and Richard Seymour, two guys that get by more on their name than their playing ability and an offensive coordinator who makes Mike Martz look like Einstein.

I miss the efficient, non-flashy Brady, rough, physical defense, original playcalling days. Does that mean I don't watch the games anymore? No. But this team has basically become what we hated for all these years...the Colts. And like the Colts, we have no championships to show for it.

fair catch fryar

Great. Another sweet thread.

Jackson 2

Who's next?

Disco Volante

This team won 18 games last year and is currently one game behind the division lead despite having one of the worst years of injuries in NFL history.

How the hell has this team become the Colts? By having the best offensive season in NFL history and a 4th ranked defense last year? This season has absolutely no comparison to the Colts, especially considering we have a #2 QB starting.

Whoever is at QB? Tom Brady was our QB last year and this team was 35 seconds away from winning every single game along with being the most feared team in NFL history. Matt Cassel is at QB and we're 6-4 playoff contender team that looks mortal again.

This "team" you're talking about has only had one full season together (2007) and is currently without perhaps the greatest QB's in NFL history. Making them 0/1 for SB wins, despite winning 18 games last year and being the AFC representative, not too shabby. Also the last time I checked the Colts do indeed have a championship.

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MrTibbs

The rules changed the game. No team has a physical secondary anymore. No more mauling guys down the field. The only thing the Patriots need is a big hitting safety.

You need guys who are quick and can react to the plays at hand. Good tacklers also doesn't hurt.

SeymourTrophies

Wes Welker is the essence of what you described. I'll never forget the Bucs preseason game. When cassel threw a pick, Wes Welker flew across the field to lay Ruud out.

Our defense used to be good, not because we had the best players, but because we were fundamentally sound. We can't make a damned tackle anymore. I miss that a lot.

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Forza Roma, Go Pats, Go Sox

Gwedd

Now see, I don't get the comparison to the Colts.

If we were the Colts, we wouldn't be a team. We'd be a collection of me-firsters sharing a common uniform, but not much else. We'd have a QB who throws everyone else under the bus when he has a bad day. We'd have a hollow shell of a coach masquerading as a saint, and living the title role of "The Emperor's New Clothes". We'd have a psycho WR who keeps a gun in a bucket at his chop shop, and prefers to sit alone and brood on the end of a bench rather than support the rest of his team.

No thanks. The Patriots are a blue-collar team, not a blue-blood team, and that's fine with me.

Patslifer

I agree......

maverick4

This is truth. We are like the Colts and many sound like Colts fans now.

We lose the close and big games, and then blame them on execution, or a few players, or some other lame excuse. Our D is soft, our offense is explosive but predictable and stoppable in key moments.

Been happening for years now.

TommyBrady12

THis is pretty much what I said on this board over the summer. However, a lot of people jumped all over me. It was, TommyBrady12, you're stupid because we were 2:39 from winning the super bowl. it's painfully obvious that the team needs to be more physical. I knew that making one or two tweaks on D was not going to help the team. I think this team went a step in the right direction with getting Mayo and all the other young guys on D, but they are just that - young.

And our oline is getting beaten routinely these days. Not enough physical guys protecting the quarterback.

also, we need tight end help. thomas and watson both suck. neither of them are a threat. if could get a good TE, then moss and welker could get more open.

the truth is the Giants are what the pats used to be. they are not getting anything flashy from Eli, he is just playing the way Tommy used to. Also, their D is unbelievable. The only difference between the old pats and the current giants is brandon jacobs, who can't be stopped. the guy is getting like 5-6 yards on every carry. I hate to say it but getting Moss on the team has made us too much like the colts. We have to have a strong run game first and foremost. that is new england patriots football. we are not the colts nor the dallas cowboys. we are an east coast team that plays east coast football. i never liked the makeup of last year's team - not enough grit and too flashy.

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"He’s the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. He goes from being a rookie that nobody is expecting anything from, to taking over with people saying he can’t do it, to winning three Super Bowls....It should already be obvious he’s the greatest quarterback to ever have played. "

- Steelers S Troy Polamalu on Tom Brady