Sivy

They had a high powered offense too...Just saying.

strongside

Ya, but if you remember that 2001 team actually showed up for the game. They played the Rams tough and did some things (rough up the WR's, jump the slants) that would end up being part of the blueprint for BB's gameplan in the SB. That Pats team cam out of that game with a lot of confidence based on how they played.

I'm not sure how much confidence was gained when they walked out of the dome Monday night?

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Sivy

I'm smelling what you're farting, I'm just trying to keep some hope. I have faith in the team as a whole. Also, i think the vickings are going to the superbowl and not the saints anyway. Although it would be sweet if the colts and saints are both undefeated and the pats beat them both on the way to a 4th superbowl trophy.

maverick4

If you're going to take a lesson from the 2001 Rams, think about how we stopped their offense.

Martz stubbornly tried to win the Superbowl with his predictable slants and in cuts to receivers and Faulk out of the backfield. Belichick figured him out, we stopped Martz's favorite things, he didn't adjust, and the Pats pulled off a huge upset.

Teams are now effectively stopping our explosive offense because of predictability and over-use of shot gun, and inability to win if Welker doesn't have a phenomenal game.

PatsGAgirl

Now, that would be Patriot football that we all know and love

PatsFanSince74

Yeah, I thought that too, but that was a reasonably competitive game even tho we did give up nearly 500 yards to the Turf Show. Monday wasn't competitive; we can argue about when it became uncompetitive, but it wasn't competitive.

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It is what it is. It wasn't what it wasn't.

dhamz

After that game Mike Martz told his team they had beat the best football team they would play all year and marveled at how physical the Pats D played.

Do you think Sean Payton did that after Monday?

Mack Herron

I would not give up hope, but 2001 is not a good comparison for the reasons stated. That was a much more physical team that never failed to show. I walked out of the first Rams game feeling we could beat them, much as I feelt after the Colts game this year. But the 2001 team progressed and played to their capabilities, while the 2009 team has underperformed IMO and took a big step backwards Mon. We have a number of softer teams now against which we can try to correct problems. If BB is the coach we think he is, they will correct many of them.

PatsFanSince74

I would prefer not to have to play either of them again.

Realistically, if we're going to go to Miami (a big ******* "if"), we're probably the only ones who can beat the Colts.

I do think that the Vikings with wily Lord Favregaard could knock off the Saints, as well as two hungry, veteran teams in Philadelphia and Dallas.

We're far more likely, IMHO, to be watching Indy in Miami than the Saints. Just a gut feeling.

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mayoclinic

Much more likely.

But right now I still think that we can correct our problems enough to make it to the SB. There's no one in the AFC who I think is hands down a much better team. The Colts have to be the favorites, and deservedly so, but that doesn't mean they will make it to the SB.

NO and Minnesota look like the best teams in the NFL right now, and I think it would take a major upgrade of our pass rush to beat either one. If we somehow do make it to Miami against the Saints, I think that the biggest lesson we will have gained from Monday's debacle is that we will be better prepared for New Orlean's speed. Like the 2001 Rams, they have a lot of it, and I think it caught us by surprise. We would be better prepared next time. Whether it would make a difference is another question altogether.

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