One thing is VERY obvious - This team cannot comeback from a 2+ score deficit

[PATRIOT64]

I am not pushing the panic button yet because aside from Denver and Buffalo there is not really any team in the AFC standing out right now

BUT

The reality check is here and its the fact we do not have the comeback kid Brady on this team this year which of course means Cassel is in to manage the team and that simply means this team is not capable of making comebacks when trailing by 10 or more points.

Only an idiot will not agree that the team will lose any game when trailing anytime in the second half by 2 or more scores so if this team is going to win 10 games this year like some of you believe, its going to have to have the lead,be tied or trail by less than 7 every time going into the 3rd and 4th quarters or a loss will be the case.

Cassel is not QB TD machine,never will be - so the dink and dunk passing and staying close throughout most games is the only way this team gets to the playoffs - 19 passes for 131 yards and a poor rushing attack will never win games unless the defense plays so well that it gets turnovers and puts the offense deep into the opponents end zone,the defense sucked plain and simple yesterday and Cassel's safety net which has been the defense was not there to help.

So hope and pray that the team never trails by 10 or more in any game because 'Brady,the comeback kid' is not here to get it done this year.

BTW: I do not totally blame Cassel for the loss even though he cannot bring a team back from trailing,The defense sucked and looked old yesterday - Joey Porter said what he was going to do and the defense was Ronnie Brown's b!tch - Hope to not see more like this going forward.

 

[richpats]

Before '07 we rarely came back from 2 scores down.....and even then it was against teams like the Bills and the '02 Bears.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Before '07 we rarely came back from 2 scores down.....and even then it was against teams like the Bills and the '02 Bears.

I wish I could gather all the info from years past and see how many games Brady got us bck from 2 score deficits - I think there would be more than you think.

You have to admit that when NE trailed by 21-6 you felt differently about our chances to win yesterday's game than in years past - You knew we were going to lose unless the defense suddenly got turnovers - This years offense is not capable of coming back on the scoreboard and MUST stay close or ahead to stay competitive to win or there is ZERO chance to pull off the victory - Thats the bottom line

Games that this team wins will be the result of a productive running game and a total defensive effort - take any of those 2 away and its a loss - Plain and simple

Moss may not get or reach 600 passing yards this year and that won't help matters any.

 

[signbabybrady]

first I think throughout history the percentages of coming back from down 2 scores is probably pretty low.

second, Yes the offense looked horrible but there was a point in the game where Cassel came onto to consecutive drives and the score had consecutively gotten worse and worse. To expect a QB in his third game to come form behind when the defense couldn't do anything right is just not fair.

Look I think yesterdays loss falls equally on the shoulders of the De and offense but to blame Cassel because he couldn't mount a comeback when the de couldn't do anything to stop the other team is not fair.

 

[Dagg]

I think we all pretty much new that moment Brady went down to believe other wise the last few weeks was blind optimism.

 

[captadamnj]

Look I think yesterdays loss falls equally on the shoulders of the De and offense but to blame Cassel because he couldn't mount a comeback when the de couldn't do anything to stop the other team is not fair.

You have to admit, though, that it's a lot easier to rationalize the Pats losing because of Cassel (which I don't personally believe) than to acknowledge the alternative - the defense got whooped, the coaching staff got whooped, the o-line/running game got whooped - oh, wait, that's pretty much the entire team!

 

[PATRIOT64]

first I think throughout history the percentages of coming back from down 2 scores is probably pretty low.

second, Yes the offense looked horrible but there was a point in the game where Cassel came onto to consecutive drives and the score had consecutively gotten worse and worse. To expect a QB in his third game to come form behind when the defense couldn't do anything right is just not fair.

Look I think yesterdays loss falls equally on the shoulders of the De and offense but to blame Cassel because he couldn't mount a comeback when the de couldn't do anything to stop the other team is not fair.

When Tom Brady or Peyton Manning is your QB a deficit is not as worrysome and it would be different with all the other QBs in the league,Thats why both of those guys are guaranteed future HOFers.

I do not totally blame Cassel because like I said, the Patriots defense was Ronnie Brown's b!tch but you have to realize Cassel will not bring a team back from 10 or more points which was a luxury and the hope that we always had with #12 so hope for the best and the defense learns how to play like professionals again or this team will not make 8-8

Even though the team is still a very weak 2-1,as of now the Super Bowl loser jinx is in full swing unless a dramatic turnaround is done.

I do know one thing - The Miami Dolphins will NOT be anywhere near the toughest competition the team faces at Gillette this year and if that does not frighten you I don't know what will.

 

[maverick4]

You have to admit that when NE trailed by 21-6 you felt differently about our chances to win yesterday's game than in years past - You knew we were going to lose unless the defense suddenly got turnovers - This years offense is not capable of coming back on the scoreboard and MUST stay close or ahead to stay competitive to win or there is ZERO chance to pull off the victory - Thats the bottom line

Games that this team wins will be the result of a productive running game and a total defensive effort - take any of those 2 away and its a loss - Plain and simple

who cares if we feel less secure now?
it makes games more interesting now and we dont' have fans who feel entitled to win

 

[D-Money]

Thats my point.Thats why i wouldnt object to get a veteran QB.Cassel is only good for 165 yards or 185 yards.People are expecting this D to get stops and win games under 20 points, thats ridiculous.We need to put up points!!!

 

[signbabybrady]

When Tom Brady or Peyton Manning is your QB a deficit is not as worrysome and it would be different with all the other QBs in the league,Thats why both of those guys are guaranteed future HOFers.

I do not totally blame Cassel because like I said, the Patriots defense was Ronnie Brown's b!tch but you have to realize Cassel will not bring a team back from 10 or more points which was a luxury and the hope that we always had with #12 so hope for the best and the defense learns how to play like professionals again or this team will not make 8-8

Even though the team is still a very weak 2-1,as of now the Super Bowl loser jinx is in full swing unless a dramatic turnaround is done.

I do know one thing - The Miami Dolphins will NOT be anywhere near the toughest competition the team faces at Gillette this year and if that does not frighten you I don't know what will.

Does Cassel get more than 3 games to prove that he can bring a team back from behind?

Also, I hate the stupid Super Bowl Jinx talk. Wether there was truth to it in the past or not I dont care it is not the same case here. It is not a SB loss hangover if we lose it is a Tom Brady less Hangover, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE ONLY LOST ONE OF 3 GAMES RIGHT NOW AND TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE ITS OVER IS STUPID AND IF YOU ARE TALKING LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW THAN YOU MUST HAVE JUMPED OF THE PATS BAND WAGON WHEN THEY LOST TO DREW'S BILLS 31-0.

 

[pwes]

Even if cassel had scored we could not have won with the defense giving up 7 points on every Miami drive. Having Brady would not have change the fact that they just rolled over and died. We still would have lost.

 

[richpats]

I wish I could gather all the info from years past and see how many games Brady got us bck from 2 score deficits - I think there would be more than you think.

You have to admit that when NE trailed by 21-6 you felt differently about our chances to win yesterday's game than in years past - You knew we were going to lose unless the defense suddenly got turnovers

I've gone through it before - his first 2 years he had 5 (2001 -SD, @NYJ, OAK; 2002-@CHI, MIA). Then his next was in '05 against the BILLS. Then his next was the '06 opener against the BILLS. The SD playoff game was the next one. Before '07 he had 8, but they were mainly in his first couple of years.

If Brady had been down 21-6 with the same o-line I wouldn't have felt a lot better. The D gave away any chance to keep it close anyway.

 

[PATRIOT64]

who cares if we feel less secure now?
it makes games more interesting now and we dont' have fans who feel entitled to win

There certainly is less pressure to win this year as most pundits won't even mention the Patriots as an elite team and as of now in 2008 The New England Patriots are not an Elite team - Elite teams do not get blown out by the worst team in the NFL

Based solely on yesterdays game and the fact that this team may not score more than 21 points anytime soon seems like the Path Of Perfection in 2007 is slowly becoming the Path Of Destruction in 2008 - We will see what transpires in SF 2 weeks away - The Patriots have NEVER won in San Francisco in the franchise's history.

 

[nepatz11]

This is pro football there are very few teams that can have a realistic chance to come back from 14+ points. Jacksonville, Buffalo, Tenn, Minne, TB, are examples of some playoff contendign teams that need to play from ahead to win. This just proves we are mortal. We threw in a dog I still think we are a contending team

 

[Ring 6]

There certainly is less pressure to win this year as most pundits won't even mention the Patriots as an elite team and as of now in 2008 The New England Patriots are not an Elite team - Elite teams do not get blown out by the worst team in the NFL

Based solely on yesterdays game and the fact that this team may not score more than 21 points anytime soon seems like the Path Of Perfection in 2007 is slowly becoming the Path Of Destruction in 2008 - We will see what transpires in SF 2 weeks away - The Patriots have NEVER won in San Francisco in the franchise's history.

You must be enjoying your 1/16th of a season where gloom and doom feel appropriate.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Does Cassel get more than 3 games to prove that he can bring a team back from behind?

Also, I hate the stupid Super Bowl Jinx talk. Wether there was truth to it in the past or not I dont care it is not the same case here. It is not a SB loss hangover if we lose it is a Tom Brady less Hangover, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE ONLY LOST ONE OF 3 GAMES RIGHT NOW AND TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE ITS OVER IS STUPID AND IF YOU ARE TALKING LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW THAN YOU MUST HAVE JUMPED OF THE PATS BAND WAGON WHEN THEY LOST TO DREW'S BILLS 31-0.

I think Matt Cassel will have 2 weeks to prove himself, unless Belichick takes his lumps with him all yr.. Good teams recover from this, so again its a week to week thing.. But like Ive said, there are no more, oh yeah the raiders that is a win, the niners should be a win, Chargers should be a loss.. None of that anymore, its one game , one week, one play at a time.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Does Cassel get more than 3 games to prove that he can bring a team back from behind?

Also, I hate the stupid Super Bowl Jinx talk. Wether there was truth to it in the past or not I dont care it is not the same case here. It is not a SB loss hangover if we lose it is a Tom Brady less Hangover, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE ONLY LOST ONE OF 3 GAMES RIGHT NOW AND TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE ITS OVER IS STUPID AND IF YOU ARE TALKING LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW THAN YOU MUST HAVE JUMPED OF THE PATS BAND WAGON WHEN THEY LOST TO DREW'S BILLS 31-0.

No,I Did not jump off the bandwagon because I knew we had Brady and there was always a chance to recover later in the season -
I am not convinced we will this year -

Like it or not stats is a stat - For some strange unknown reason,Bad things happen the next year to the loser of the Super Bowl in this decade - like it or not its the truth and so far I am not convinced the Patriots will change that streak with 2 close wins against crap teams and a beat down by a 2-14 team - RIGHT NOW it does not look good,Maybe it will change for the better a few weeks down the road but I am not going to be an as$hole and predict the team will win the division or even make the playoffs as of now because we have seen little to say they will - or won't recover from this humiliating defeat at the hands of a team like the Dolphins who are coming off a 2-14 season.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yet another patently false and completely ridiculous thread.....

 

[PATRIOT64]

Yet another patently false and completely ridiculous thread.....

Thanks for your usual worthless response Deus - Always welcomed

 

[nepatz11]

I dont think it is fair to call this thread redicoulous. I am 100% in Cassel's corner and I think this team will still make the playoffs and that he will do fine as long as we play good defense and good special teams. But the OP's point is worth discussing because Cassel has not shown he is the kind of QB who can put points up fast or light up the scoreboard yet. You never want to say never because he is still unproven and I think he will get better as time goes on, but clearly he has not shown that he is a "move the ball up and down the field" kind of guy. He jas shown that he can be a game manager and keep the chains going kind of QB and I think that is good enough to have a good year considering the unfortunate circumstances. Many, Many superbowl and playoff team QB's were like that. But as of right now I do not like their chances in shoot out games or games where they fall behind.