Absurdly Metro

I was reading a thread on the CBS Sportsline messageboard where some loser Steeler fan was advocating intentionally injuring Brady or Moss as some sort of retaliation for the Pats alleged "classless" behavior in absolutely rolling the competition every week. While the guy is clearly a moron he does touch on a point that I've heard many Pat's fans make about the rules changes favoring increased offense and scoring contributing to the supposed "sissification" of the NFL.

I hope not to have much in common with this loser beyond the fact that I have shared his last sentiment--at least until this season. I admit it. I've been right there with him the last couple years. You know, shocked and unable to make sense of why what had ALWAYS worked in the past wasn't working any longer. How was it that Peyton Manning could no longer be stopped? How could the Colts lay 32 points on a BB defense in one half of football in a frickin' T-shirt game? We always win those... don't we Teddy? BB always had the answers for stopping the supposedly unstoppable offenses (see Superbowls XXV & XXXVI as well as the 2003 AFCCG & 2004 AFCDG vs. Indy). Plus we could always count on that age old maxim, "defense wins championships", to confirm what we already believed. Like this misguided Steeler fan I started whining when it wasn't working anymore, looking for excuses to deny the more recent proof that a changing of the guard was taking place right before my eyes. I clung to the Pat's past glories as a guarantee of future success based on evidence that was clearly dated if I had been willing to be objective in looking at it. Good thing I don't run the NEP!

Watching the Pat's morph into a scoring machine of historic proportions this season I can't help but be amazed at the true genius of Belioli. Where would we be without leadership that recognizes and responds to the "re-emphasizing" of rules etc. by adapting both it's personnel and it's philosophy to continue to win in such an ultra competitive climate? Can you say "left behind."

Call me a homer but after 7 weeks the genius of Belioli has once again restored my confidence that the Pat's will, once again, beat the Colts. And this time it will be just a little bit sweeter because this time we will beat them at their own game!

Absurdly Metro

Sorry guys--I'm a new poster and must have posted this already by accident. This is the edited version. Thanks for your patience. Mods could you please delete the previous post?

Thanks,
AM

Urgent

Great point.

Belichick's gameplans are consistent not in their approach, but in the fact that they adapt to their context and environment.

Darwin said:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

And that is the Patriots. They are not the biggest, the fastest, the most athletic. They are the most adaptable.

They adapted very well to the new salary cap. They went out and spent some money this offseason early, grabbing guys they wanted, like Thomas and Welker.

Then they obviously adapted to some of the new rules, Belichick revising his defense-first approach to an offensive approach, building a high-scoring offense in an environment that favors offense and prevents defenses from doing the things that were effective five years ago.

carolinatony

The Squeelers talking about classless...that's funny.

maverick4

Agreed, Belichick continues to re-tool this team based on the rules of the league.
When it's smashmouth football, we win 3 out of 4. When the rules become all about putting it in the air, we re-tool and are prime for the next few years.

PatsFanInVa

...and continues to use what other teams don't even have, as the currency with which he can transform the team. This might go in the category of "If you can't beat 'em," and probably should be extended to include the FieldTurf at the Razor, as well as this year's off-season acquisitions.

I don't think we didn't adapt last year by choice - I think we "lost" in last year's free agency game. This year we "won" via trades/FA, and won big. We got our new receiving corps for a comparative song.

But I'm not happy, and I'm sure Bill's not happy, that we are beginning to show cracks on the other side of the ball. It didn't suddenly become flag football out there, regardless of the fact that Tom Brady's Flying Circus can seemingly score at will.

Don't fling the poo just yet, fellow primates. I do think the defensive issues will be righted. But I don't agree with the notion that "playing soft" must include three offensive touchdowns in rapid succession, as we just witnessed. This is where "bend but don't break" used to come into play. Now, at times, it's more like "Bend and then break."

Yep, Belioli adapted. But part of that adaptation definitely needs some attention (and I'm sure it will get it over the course of this week).

PFnV

maverick4

Last year Deion Branch disrupted the plans at the last minute, the long range goal was to create an offensive juggernaut as evidence by our high offensive draft choices the past 3 years, the overall plan was to transition to what we are today, but last year had a major bump (Branch) that wasn't planned and Piolichick did the best they could based on the circumstances.

ALP

i love that...were not gonna outmuscle the colts this time...were gonna OUTSOCRE THEM...it IS like beating them in their own game..