g-fresh

There is enough blame to go around for everyone. You can blame the defense for dropping what should have been game ending interceptions and you can blame the offense for barely scrapping together enough points to put them in a situation to almost win. You can blame the coaches for not making adjustments and you can blame the players for coming out flat.

When it comes down to it they lost because as a team they did not do enough to win. They had many chances throughout the game to make a play and change the outcome but when it came time to make it happen more often than not they couldn't get it done. Simple as that.

When it comes time to decide what to do in free agency and the draft Belichick and Pioli will sit down and make decisions that they feel best help the team. Hands down they are the best there is so I am not worried, we will be competing for another super bowl next year.

BradyFTW!

There's room for upgrade, sure, but saying that they're vulnerable to speed rushers is like saying that secondaries are vulnerable to good receivers. Everyone is, and, had Brady been healthy in the SB, nobody would be paying any attention anyways. If it takes the best D-Line in the league, a brady injury, and uncommonly bad o-line performance to limit our O to only two touchdowns, then I'm okay with that. It's the D that needs upgrading.

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BradyFTW!

I agree, in the context of the Super Bowl. Going forward, however, the D is older and is losing more key parts to free agency, so I feel like that should be the point of emphasis this offseason. WHile the o-line choked pretty hard in the Sb, and should probably be addressed, I don't see it being the point of emphasis in this offseason.

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Deus Irae

People keep saying this, but it's simply not true.

D-line:

Seymour
Warren
Wilfork

That's the best NT in the game and two of the best D-linemen in the game with him.

D-backfield
Samuel
Hobb
Harrison
Sanders
Meriweather

That's a solid all around unit, with Meriweather really starting to come on and Sanders developing into a nice replacement for Rodney when the time comes. Now, the team might need to replace Samuel because of attrition, but it's not an upgrade that's needed. Having said that, I expect the team will draft a couple of CB's in rounds 2-4.

Now, the crux of all the "upgrade" people: the linebackers.

Thomas
Colvin
Vrabel

I'm not sure where there's supposed to be an upgrade there.

SO..... it all comes down to this:

Seau
Bruschi

and THAT'S what everyone is crying about (ok, a few misguided souls might whine about Hobbs, but they should immediately be barred from ever talking football if they think he was any real problem for the team).

Now, should/will the team look to supplement Seau/Bruschi if they stay or replace them if they retire? Yes, absolutely. Was is some major weakness that needed a major upgrade? No. That is, in fact, what's so great about having the #7 this season: the team has no absolute needs, so it can focus on getting a truly outstanding player at any position besides quarterback. My personal preference is a potential franchise LT, but I'm confident Belioli will make the best of it, no matter who they choose.

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BradyMossTD

I think the D has to be the focus this offseason. The O-Line played well all year, bar the Superbowl, but the D should signs of aging and this must be seen as a priority. Getting younger at LB and more height at CB IMO should be the front office's priority.

NormZauchin

The offensive line played a poor game in the Superbowl but otherwise had an outstanding season. The defense played better than the offensive line in the Superbowl, but did not play great. Throughout the second half of the season the defense had a problem in getting off the field on third down. In the Superbowl this led to poor field position for the offense for most of the game. I don't think you make the offensive line a priority in the draft based on one game - no matter how important that game was - when the defense was the weaker unit thoughout the season.

JoeSixPat

I agree that speed rushers alone weren't the problem in the Super Bowl - but it really can't be denied that such players give our OL a problem.

We can write off the Super Bowl loss - and the other close games where speed rushers gave us big problems - and say "the OL had a great season" but in truth the OL had a great season against bigger, more static defenses.

The trend in the NFL, I believe, is to shift away from that towards quicker, more agile defensive lines and LBs... DC's and OC's alike are learning that size and brawn only go so far.

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chrisfx811

Well, look where the Colt's fast & small defense go them.

captain stone

So would you take Ryan Clady at #7, assuming that Jake Long is already taken? As of now, it appears that the only defensive back 8 player worthy of the #7 pick is Vernon Gholston. Lots could happen between now and draft weekend, of course.

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SammyBlueCat

Neal is fragile. Why? Because he is 260lb wrestler that has blown up to 310lbs.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN

(I am not dumping on him. He was national champion.)