mgteich

IMHO, we would be a favorite for a bye if
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Brady were healthy and near 100% to start the season.
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Many mediots made the patriots the SB favorites because they thought that Brady would start the season near 110%. Many posters were aghast that anyone should suggest that Brady wouldn't be at 100%
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There are many reasons for us not being 12-1 or 11-2 at this point. I suspect that if Brady were 100% to start the season and near that thereafter, we would be talking about winning out to get the #2 seed and perhaps even the #1 if Indy faltered. So, in the end, all the rest are important, but Brady's health is a huge factor.
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BradyManny

Maybe, but all we gotta do is win one game and we're on the same playing field as those with the byes. It's overstated. Cardinals (08), Giants (07), Colts (06), Steelers (05), OTOH, none of those teams had the bye, and thats just of recent. All those teams made it to the SB, 3/4 of them won it.

And people forget that we were pretty damn close to a SB matchup with a terrible Bears team if it weren't for a freakshow of events in the 2nd half against the Colts back in 06.

PatsFanSince74

I take your points and they are fair enough. But I think this all boils down to idle speculation.

I could just as well make the case that without a Leodis McKelvin brain-fart and Clayton's drop of a Flacco pass on his numbers, we could be 6--7.

So, I don't know where 12--1 vs 6--7 leaves us, other than at 8--5, which is a reasonably accurate representation of how we've played.

Agree though, that the Playoffs are another story completely. Even at 10--6, assuming a little help from the Jests and Fins, we'll be making noise in January, maybe all the way to Miami, IMHO.

(Edit.)

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

everlong

Moose Johnston was on EEI this morning and he echoed something we all have thought for a while on why this team is struggling. In the past they always made those half dozen critical plays and this year they don't. It hasn't been one play. In every loss they've had a half dozen shots to either pick up a first down or not allow the other team to get one and they come up just short. I'm not sure if they can learn in the middle of a season how to close but if they can they are still a dangerous team. If they can't we're probably looking at a home win followed by a road loss in the playoffs. Most likely it'll be a loss like Denver, Miami or Indy where they really should have won the game.

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"When Peyton Manning was a kid he used to go to bed at night and dream about throwing the winning touchdown for the Saints in the Superbowl. And on Sunday he did."

There's only two conclusions for Patriots fans on rookies. They are either a bust or being fitted for their bust in Canton.


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BionicPatriot

I just don't wanna hear it anymore. It seems to me like every season we have some kind of reson for the Pats not getting it done.

Re-building the D, getting younger. Going for it in 07, 09, etc. I remember in 05 we were talking about how loaded that 06 team was going to be, than Branch and Givens left and that whole though went right out the window.

I just think this team is what it is, hard to dance around it. Everlong nailed it. The signs of a good team is what we see, capable of winning, scoring, some defense, etc. But the signs of a great team, which we have not seen, is making big stops. Playing defense consistently against the big boys, etc.

The Patriots will be a good team for years, but if they want to get back to the promised land they have to get better it's that simple.

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Defense, defense, defense

BillBelichickFan79

..And if the Queen had balls, she'd be King.