Fixit

I just heard a caller on Cowherd (I know, I know, but when he's not being an a-hole he's actually decent) yell that the Pats will lose because they can't run the ball and that Indy is great at it. I've been hearing this all over the place recently.

259 attempts (1st)
1086 total yards (4th)
4.2 yards/carry (T-13, and just .2 below Indy)
135.8 yards/game (8th, 4.5 below Indy)
8 TDs (T-3rd)

These are very good numbers which become insane numbers when you factor in New England's passing attack.

Is it that hard to take a moment to know what you're talking about? Really?

FlyingElvis75

Yeah, I think it was someone either on Fox or NFLTA who was commenting on a Maroney highlight from the Skins game, saying "This is a team that can't run the ball, right?" That was great.

Would be nice if most of the league perceived the Pats that way, so we could go in and unexpectedly pound it down their throats. Somehow I don't think Dungy buys the idea that we have no running game, though.

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SeanBruschi54

It was an ignorant comment. But you can kind of see what they were saying.

Pretty much since we cant get 100+ yards with one player we cant run the ball well. So we revert to 3 guys to run the ball for 170+.

It really was a dumb comment.

Pat the Pats Fan

That's the issue with talk radio, they often will put anyone on to fill air time......even idiots......

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A sarcastic Bill Belichick on Tom Brady's finger injury, "It's not life threatening."

Fixit

And without our #1 back for a month and #1A back for a few games!!!

Wow, I'm cranky today.

FrontSeven

Some impressions are lasting. I think the world was watching the showdown in Big D and we didn't come out able to run the ball well (as I remember it.)

So some people came away believing that we can't run the ball until garbage time, or after the passing game sets it up.

There are times when yards are tough to get, and I don't care who the running back is, or who the OL is. But overall I think we do a better than average job of running it. We have a pounder, we have an all purpose back who can hurt you with the catch and cut backs, and we have the prototypical third down back who can totally change the pace. The OL is excellent. I see no problem, but nobody is going to run the ball at will when the box is stacked and they are guessing correctly.

I just think it's hard to guess correctly against the Pats because they have complete confidence in the pass in short yardage situations. In fact, on second and short they are most dangerous because they can go for the kill shot with the confidence that if they miss they will get the first down on the next play.

And if the defense bites on play-action on second and short I think that there is going to be major problems for them. One split second and BAM - it's down the field and six points.

TomBrady'sGoat

It stems from the Dallas game, when NE was missing Maroney, lost Morris during the game, and Phillips admitted to his game plan being to stop the run game. Wow, big surprise they couldn't run.

Beyond that, it's the fact that fans and analysts can say anything without being called on it. There is no fear of being called on misinformation so there is little reason to worry about being able to back statements up.

Get used to it. Most people don't want NE to be as good as they are, so they'll see what they want to see. They haven't trailed in the 4th yet, so pretty soon we'll be hearing that Brady is unproven at the end of games. I expect to hear soon that Brady/BB can't win big games. It will only get worse.

Satchboogie3

I want the Colts to get absolutely raped Sunday. I want us to pick off Manning a few times, sacks his ass, put up 50+ points, rush for over 200 yards, Brady have another rediculous game with over 300yds, 4TD, etc. Just absolutely make it impossible for people to look past us. Expose everything.

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This is the year. We put our failures in the past, it's a new year, a new defense. It's time to prove to the league that the Patriots are back and aren't going anywhere and they will be the last ones standing in Feb.
Update: Well that didn't work out as I had planned. Next year baby, next year 19-0 we go. Next year.

ctpatsfan77

Yes, on NBC right after the Redskins game, Jerome "Short Bus" Bettis said he expects the Colts to win . . . because "I don't think the Pats can run the ball."

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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Metaphors

I think you really need to factor all phases of the game (including ST and coaching) when evaluating stats. If the Pats keep developing this year, they really could achieve a kind of "perfect" harmony between all the phases. They are all strengths on their own, but become super-charged when put together.

I think this is why some folks on this board (and others as well) predict a Pats blowout on Sunday, and it is hard to fault them. Where is the weakness that can be exploited? You can devote all your energy to attack or defend a certain area...but the other areas (already good) now step up and become great. If the Colts always drop 7 into coverage, Maroney may run for 200 yards. Heck, Brady could run for 100 yards.

I'm not predicting a blowout win against the Colts or an undefeated season...but I also can't come up with a logical reason why either of those things won't happen. About all I can come up with is a perfectly executed gameplan from the coaches that they've never shown before and/or players that are smart enough to "guess" correctly thinking outside the box. Unfortunately for other teams, that description best fits the Pats as well...