Gut check time for the Patriots against Denver

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I think many of us realized San Diego was going to be the better team on sunday night and they were, but the beating the Pats took was unexpected to most of us.

In the BB era since 2001 this team has never been beaten badly 2 games in a row so this game against Denver is gut check time to see if the team can rebound and still be considered a factor in the AFC race

Should a second defeat in a row happen,especially another blowout one can all but proclaim the demise of the 2008 Patriots - I cannot see another loss to an pretty good AFC team giving any chances of playoffs for NE down the road - This game could very well become a tiebreaker on who gets a final 5 or 6 wildcard spot since I think Denver will be one of those teams looking to grab a wildcard once SD wins the division.

This game is pivotal to the remainder of the season - If this team cannot defeat another good team and in prime time once again,I think this season could very well be a washout.

Brady had trouble with any Denver team in years past than he did against most teams - How Matt Cassel will have success against the same team is a big question - The game plan against one of the smartest and best coaches in the league in Shanahan must be done to perfection.

How Hobbs and O'Neal who were crushed against lesser talented SD receivers than Denver has and now having to face Marshall and Royal is another big question on how they will stop these 2 outstanding receivers.

Its gut check time for the Patriots ..... Its Swim or Sink

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Back in the pre-season, there was a poll on this board about what team would be the first to win in New England. I had the Broncos picked (no one saw the Miami game coming). I still think the Broncos have a shot, only because of history. For some reason, the Broncos have had the Pats number over the last 8 years or so. It just seems like Shananaghan always has his team prepared for the Pats and that they perform way above their heads in these games.

I don't know, I hate road teams on Monday night football, so I wouldn't put money against the Pats on this one. This game does have the potential for tiebreaker situations later on. Its a huge game for both teams.

 

[DefenseRules]

Back in the pre-season, there was a poll on this board about what team would be the first to win in New England. I had the Broncos picked (no one saw the Miami game coming). I still think the Broncos have a shot, only because of history. For some reason, the Broncos have had the Pats number over the last 8 years or so. It just seems like Shananaghan always has his team prepared for the Pats and that they perform way above their heads in these games.

I don't know, I hate road teams on Monday night football, so I wouldn't put money against the Pats on this one. This game does have the potential for tiebreaker situations later on. Its a huge game for both teams.

I agree. Losing to San Diego hurts for me because the Jets beat them. We have to win this one, IMO.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I agree. Losing to San Diego hurts for me because the Jets beat them. We have to win this one, IMO.

The Chargers beat the Jets 48-29 - What game were you watching?

 

[JSn]

The Chargers beat the Jets 48-29 - What game were you watching?

Obviously a more interesting one.

I think we'll win against Denver. Gut feeling. That said, I thought we'd be SD.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Cutler is going to absolutely DESTROY us downfield. {McCain} This game will get ugly "my friends", of this I am certain {/McCain}.

 

[Garbanza]

BB has had a mediocre secondary before and was able to scheme properly - then again, he had a capable QB that other teams feared - so there goes that theory! But seriously folks - wasn't Capers brought in to help the defense - especially the secondary??? This is the net result so far? Grrrrrrrr................

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Cutler is going to absolutely DESTROY us downfield. {McCain} This game will get ugly "my friends", of this I am certain {/McCain}.

I could make a political joke, but, since this isn't the Political Forum, I'll restrain myself.

Instead, I'll simply refer you back to the 2006 game against the Bungles, when someone over at Football Outsiders asked, "What have the Pats done to the football gods to deserve two starting secondary members out against Carson Palmer & Co.?"

New England Patriots 38 at Cincinnati Bengals 13

 

[BionicPatriot]

Gut check time? More like slump time. No way they win this sunday, I don't see how suddenly they go from constantly doing the same **** (OL troubles, defense sucks, etc.) to suddenly doing it right. Unless they can, here it goes, GET TO THE QUARTERBACK we have no chance.

 

[Ring 6]

I think many of us realized San Diego was going to be the better team on sunday night and they were, but the beating the Pats took was unexpected to most of us.

In the BB era since 2001 this team has never been beaten badly 2 games in a row so this game against Denver is gut check time to see if the team can rebound and still be considered a factor in the AFC race

Should a second defeat in a row happen,especially another blowout one can all but proclaim the demise of the 2008 Patriots - I cannot see another loss to an pretty good AFC team giving any chances of playoffs for NE down the road - This game could very well become a tiebreaker on who gets a final 5 or 6 wildcard spot since I think Denver will be one of those teams looking to grab a wildcard once SD wins the division.

This game is pivotal to the remainder of the season - If this team cannot defeat another good team and in prime time once again,I think this season could very well be a washout.

Brady had trouble with any Denver team in years past than he did against most teams - How Matt Cassel will have success against the same team is a big question - The game plan against one of the smartest and best coaches in the league in Shanahan must be done to perfection.

How Hobbs and O'Neal who were crushed against lesser talented SD receivers than Denver has and now having to face Marshall and Royal is another big question on how they will stop these 2 outstanding receivers.

Its gut check time for the Patriots ..... Its Swim or Sink

Its one of 16 games. There are 99,000,000 permutations of playoffs and tiebreakers 11 weeks away.
You seem to both say that the 3rd loss of the season would doom the team, and that the players should feel they have something to prove.

I disagree with both.
First, the 3rd loss would be the 3rd loss. There will be 10 games left after this one, and those 10 will mean a lot more to the standings than this one.
Secondly, I don't get this idea that these players are supposed to have some kind of embarrased feeling that they summon up extra effort from when they lose. They are PEOPLE. Do you go to work every day, and when you have a bad day, or fail at a task, feel shame, embarassment and censure so you suck it up, and do better in 'gutcheck time'? Thats ludicrous. What you do is focus more on the job at hand and make sure you do a better job. If doing a better job means caring about the results, you would have been or will soon be fired anyway.
The Patriots need to go to practice and work on execution. There is no question that the roster is talented enough to continue to build on a 3-2 start to the season, and to ultimately get to and win a SB. The problem is that they are not EXECUTING at that level right now.
Rather than put 11 games on the line in one week, the Patriots need to practice well, build on that, and execute better. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I see no reason why this team isn't winning the AFCE and going to the playoffs. I see no team in the East that is good enough to take that away from the Patriots.
So, 'the season' is not about one game in October, but about how well this team works and improves its execution to take advatage of the overall talent advantage we have against the other teams in the NFL.

 

[BadMoFo]

Its one of 16 games. There are 99,000,000 permutations of playoffs and tiebreakers 11 weeks away.
You seem to both say that the 3rd loss of the season would doom the team, and that the players should feel they have something to prove.

I disagree with both.
First, the 3rd loss would be the 3rd loss. There will be 10 games left after this one, and those 10 will mean a lot more to the standings than this one.
Secondly, I don't get this idea that these players are supposed to have some kind of embarrased feeling that they summon up extra effort from when they lose. They are PEOPLE. Do you go to work every day, and when you have a bad day, or fail at a task, feel shame, embarassment and censure so you suck it up, and do better in 'gutcheck time'? Thats ludicrous. What you do is focus more on the job at hand and make sure you do a better job. If doing a better job means caring about the results, you would have been or will soon be fired anyway.
The Patriots need to go to practice and work on execution. There is no question that the roster is talented enough to continue to build on a 3-2 start to the season, and to ultimately get to and win a SB. The problem is that they are not EXECUTING at that level right now.
Rather than put 11 games on the line in one week, the Patriots need to practice well, build on that, and execute better. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I see no reason why this team isn't winning the AFCE and going to the playoffs. I see no team in the East that is good enough to take that away from the Patriots.
So, 'the season' is not about one game in October, but about how well this team works and improves its execution to take advatage of the overall talent advantage we have against the other teams in the NFL.

It's only a 4th loss, it's only an 5th loss, etc.

 

[sieglo]

Instead, I'll simply refer you back to the 2006 game against the Bungles, when someone over at Football Outsiders asked, "What have the Pats done to the football gods to deserve two starting secondary members out against Carson Palmer & Co.?"

Didn't the Pats have a pass rush back then?

 

[captadamnj]

A win for NE this weekend would be very big...but I'm not ready to give up on the season if they don't win. This was a tough game on the schedule from day one. We knew this stretch was going to be a tough one with the back-to-back west coast games followed by Denver. Coming out of these 3 games would be the disaster, and they've won one already. 1-2 isn't is good as 2-1, but doesn't end the season.

That said, improvement is needed in the areas of biggest weakness from Sunday nite - Secondary play, pass rush, and get an RB back.

I know the score indicates blowout, but I have to go with BB that the game was closer than the score indicated. NE had the advantages in Time of Poss., 3rd down %, Rushing Yards (thanks to the last drive mostly), and did not lose the turnover battle. Losing stinks, that's the bottom line. But not ready to give up on the season if we don't win against DEN.

Go Pats!