MrNathanDrake

1. Stronger running game. Beat up the opposing defense. The more tired they are from trying to stop the run, the easier it will be for Brady to pass. With Vereen, Ridley, BJGE, and Woodhead, there will be plenty of running this year. BB didn't draft 2 RB's for no reason. They'll also be used to Kill the clock.

2. Tougher Defense / More Veteran defense / Attacking Defense. Shaun Ellis, Haynesworth, Mark Anderson, Carter. Those 4 alone bring a ton more veteran leadership to a team that was depleted on the front lines last year. Pats have gotten 'bullied' in the past 2 playoff loses. These additions give us more toughness. It's clear that BB also wants to attack opposing QB's more with these signings.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Bring on the 2012 Season

BradyFTW!

C) It's unlikely that our entire defensive line will end up on the IR again

AndyJohnson

I agree but ironically we got older and more injury prone on the DL.
Luckier with injuries is hopefully part of the equation.

D-Money

I expect this team to be one of the top 3 offenses in the league.The defense is where i am waiting to see what occurs.

AndyJohnson

What i hope has changed from last year is that when the playoffs arrive the team doesnt feel things have been so easy it is invincible.

The common thread of the 2 biggest playoff upsets of the BB ERA, last years Jets game and the game not be mentioned, were that they were the only times I can think of where I really think the players felt there was no way they could lose.

Last year was coming off the destruction of 45 to 3, and the other was supposed to be the coronation ceremony.

Given that most of these players were here last year, and most of the new ones are veterans looking for a ring, hopefully we are OK.

Remove that, and we will be hard to stop.

D-Money

There's definetly pressure on this team to win in the playoffs this season.

randomk1

**** top 3...i'm fairly certain we will outscore every team and by a wide margin.

We just added a top target at WR,brought in a promising OL,Mankins will be a happy camper,TE's will have another year in the system. Added some promising young RB's.

This team will cruise in the regular season barring injuries. It's playoff time when we need the D to step up.

__________________
Three out of Four. Back-to-back.

strngplyr

I agree there will be more emphasis on the run. Lee Smith and the new RBs point to that. If Lee can truly be a younger Crumpler in the blocking game it will be great.

I think this D will be harder to run against while at the same time generating more pressure on passing downs. Obviously thats better in every aspect. I don't know about the leadership point. Wilfork and Mayo really stepped up, they might not do the whole Ray Lewis routine but from everything we hear those 2 are more than enough of the leaders we need. Having some age and experience back in the D, a long with our returning players with a year of extra experience and some key players like Bodden returning will certainly help. If we can avoid the unprecedented amount of injured starters this season we'll be in incredible shape.

I honestly see upgrades at:
Backup QB - always important, hopefully never needed, Hoyer is great and Mallet looks like the real thing, at least from what we saw in 1 game
RBbC - When you take this approach you need good, young RB's, Ridley really showed up o Thursday
OL - Just by resigning our own, making them happy, and have apparently very good depth returning + Solder looked great
WR - Price looks to have come to his own, Ocho can only help in my opinion
DL - Added some true pass rushing ends, Haynesworth in the middle with VW, not a lot more to say
DB - Chung should hopefully be a year better, BM is in a contract year (correct?), Bodden returned, McCourty with a years worth of experience

The only thing I don't think we improved at was OLB, Mayo is great, we all know this, but BB apparently wants him in the middle, and the other 2 great looking LB's are figured to play the same role, Spikes and Fletcher. Have we improved at all at OLB? OLB and maybe depth at Safety are my only true concerns with this team this year.

I think we are much better off than last year. That said, I don't know if our record will improve, I think our offense will be just as good, maybe better, defense will certainly be better, the thing that has me ...confused I guess, would be the turnover differential.

How can re replicate that? More pressure MIGHT mean picks, but honestly, last years turnover differential was the best since the 80's redskins, TB also had 2 or 3 luckily dropped interceptions, and we can't rely on never fumbling again. I can see the interceptions for our defense remaining high, we have a secondary with a thing for picking it off, but I don't think our offense can maintain control as well as they did last year, it was a truly incredible thing with how well we handled the ball last year.

parthasas

you don't say ...

__________________
IT IS WHAT IT IS
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

BradyFTW!

Agreed, regression to the mean etc. etc.