ClevTrev

Good post and good points. I was thinking the same thing today with Pittsburgh and the Ravens losing. The Ravens have looked pitiful since the New England game. There's no guessing why, as they said the Patriots game was their Super Bowl. The loss today, however, is the Ravens 8th in a row and makes them 4-10. What's more interesting is how they were able to get "up" for the Patriots when they've played so poorly this season.

The Eagles lost two home games against the Seahawks and Giants after the Patriots game. This was after they said the recommitted themselves after the Patriots.

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Sunqueen212

This is a very interesting observation. I might add that this phenomenon of teams gearing up to giving it everything they have when they play us has happened mostly in the second half after the undefeated talks began.

reflexblue

Someone even mentioned this on Fox radio last night, that they noticed that teams that play the Pats seem to not play well for a few weeks afterward. Something that we here have noticed during the Belichick era also. Someone recantly put up a list of teams that got mind fvcked by the pats. They were all good teams until they played the us. A couple of examples: The Rams were never the same after SB 36, neither was Carolina, the latest victim the Steelers. Off the top of my head at 3 am only the Colts seem uneffected by playing us, I can't think of another team other than the them.
Heres my take on it. I remember the first time I heard the phrase "Bledsoe's throwing off his back foot" was during a game against the Belichick coached Browns, BB layed out the hate to say it "blueprint" on how to stop Bledsoe who up until that game played some great Qb for us. After that game he constantly threw off his back foot. Why because teams knew how to defense him. I think BB comes up with schemes that expose teams weaknesses which are then copied,until the team changes its play calling, philosophy,or personel. Sometimes like in the case of Carolina they never seem to recover. But I remember Carolina's SB apperance as being a Cinderela story in the first place,so maybe they were never that good. Just a fluke that year. Just a theory.

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Deus Irae

The Patriots are, arguably, the most physical team in the NFL. It's probably why depth is always the focus and the injured list usually reads like a "who's who". This team doesn't just play teams, it breaks them. Hell, look at the Ravens. Now, granted, part of what broke them is that they have been breaking down mentally for while and finally snapped, but they've been crushed by the Colts and beaten by the Dolphins. The Patriots absolutely shattered that squad.

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wistahpatsfan

I mentioned this on the "whiner wagonjumpers" thread.
The Dolphins win! The Dollllllllllllppphins win! [merged]
Other fans have been noticing it as well and I think I saw it in CHFF this year as well.

TheGodInAGreyHoodie

I don't see that trend letting up next week the Jets play Ten who is fighting for a playoff spot. Dolphins Cinci after us. They are bad but not as bad as the Fish.

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Mooch

Thought I'd post an update on this.

With the Jets losing last week and the Dolphins currently down by double-digits to the Bengals today, this trend looks to continue to 4-11.

And with the Giants emptying the tank last night and coming out with a bunch of injuries, going on the road to play another physical team in Tampa in the first round of the playoffs next weekend?

I'd put money on 4-12 for the 2007 season.

That's a pretty remarkable stat, any way you slice it.