Probably will have lost to 4 of the 6 AFC playoff teams

[PatsFaninAZ]

Not really a bad loss this year, to the extent there's such a thing as a "not bad" loss. The Jets game sticks in the craw. If there were any play of the year I could have the patriots get a mulligan on, it would be the 3d and 15 in overtime where the Jets converted. That or the coin toss.

I guess you can make the argument that you shouldn't make the playoffs without having beaten a playoff team, although the Patriots did beat the fins once. (Obviously, I'm not giving Denver much of a chance tonight.)

 

[dtbrks]

what you state is very true..
as much as i love the pats and really want them in the playoffs, they didn't beat the playoff teams they needed to (they are still better than the phins, I will not let that go).

 

[upstater1]

what you state is very true..
as much as i love the pats and really want them in the playoffs, they didn't beat the playoff teams they needed to (they are still better than the phins, I will not let that go).

In this respect, they are similar to the 2001 team that won the Super Bowl and the 2006 team that lost to the Colts. Neither team had marquee victories.

I ALWAYS believe in Bill Belichick in the playoffs. The guy is just money come playoff time.

 

[dtbrks]

In this respect, they are similar to the 2001 team that won the Super Bowl and the 2006 team that lost to the Colts. Neither team had marquee victories.

I ALWAYS believe in Bill Belichick in the playoffs. The guy is just money come playoff time.

i agree.. I always believe in him... things have not gone their way in recent years though..
I hoped last year was the statement F*ck you year.. well, that didn't work.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Hell no. The Titans and Steelers would be tough on the road, and the Ravens at home, but with a #3 seed I would not have feared anybody and as a #6 seed (if the Ravens had lost) we would have beaten Miami handily. The tissue-soft rely-on-miracles Colts and Bronchos/Chargers don't scare me.

crap

 

[JoePats]

Sucks that we missed out but our 11-5 (and Miami's) was kind of inflated in the sense that 8 of our games (and 7 of our wins) were against the hideous AFC West and NFC West divisions. We had a really easy schedule.

 

[Kontradiction]

BLAHHHAHAHAHAHA. Did you bail on the Cardinals two years ago or something? We could have beaten quite a few of the playoff teams in the postseason and had multiple chances to beat them during the regular season. Colts game could have been won on Gaffney's drop (which never usually happens) or Thomas' late blocking attempt. We could have went into halftime up on the Steelers (and Ben just got his brain waxed today), I have faith that we could beat the Titans, and I KNOW we could have beaten Denver again as well as San Diego.

 

[upstater1]

Sucks that we missed out but our 11-5 (and Miami's) was kind of inflated in the sense that 8 of our games (and 7 of our wins) were against the hideous AFC West and NFC West divisions. We had a really easy schedule.

But, this sort of thing happens every year.

Consider that last year our 8 wins came against the AFC East and Cleveland and Cincy.

Every year, it seems, 8 wins are against patsies.

 

[upstater1]

Honestly, only Pitt scared me this year.

But I had run through a few scenarios in my head where even they went down to the Patriots (and of course Ben R. throwing a pick 6 figured prominently).

Here's my vote for the new Brett Favre: Ben Roethlisberger.

 

[QuinielaBox]

The season was lost on perhaps 4 plays this year:

1) The unsportsmanlike conduct on Thomas in Indianapolis (Assist to Belichick for calling those 2nd half timeouts).
2) The 1st half blunders that put us in 24-6 hole against the Jets.
3) The 2nd half blunders against Pittsburgh.
4) Mami's wildcat offense sprung on us out of nowhere on Week 3.

What a strange season. We get our asses kicked at home by Miami and Pittsburgh.
We got our asses kicked by 8 and 8 San Diego.

Perhaps we should have gone for 2 points against the Jets at the end of regulation and not have had to rely on exhausted, undermanned defense.

 

[MassPats38]

Color me in strong disagreement with the OP. The offense has improved throughout the season. The defense actually looked better than it did at the midpoint of the season.

I do not think the Colts escape with a win in a rematch.

The Ravens would be tough, but I would count them as a win.

The Chargers would be tough, but Belichick tends not to lose in rematches.

The Steelers would not benefit from sloppy conditions and teams have been putting points on their defense of late. I still suspect if Moss holds on to the two passes in the first half that game does not get out of hand

Broncos scare me in a rematch, despite their inconsistency given their history with the Pats.

Titans are not offensive juggernauts, Haynsworth is hurt and their defensive unit has looked spotty of late.

Do I think the Pats run the table? I think it would be tougher to do this year than in others with injuries. Do I think they can do it with luck (which as the Giants proved is a factor in the post-season)? Yes. They would not be so overmatched that they would get their doors blown off under any circumstances. They can be competitive, and that is vital to any playoff contender.

 

[upstater1]

The season was lost on perhaps 4 plays this year:

1) The unsportsmanlike conduct on Thomas in Indianapolis (Assist to Belichick for calling those 2nd half timeouts).
2) The 1st half blunders that put us in 24-6 hole against the Jets.
3) The 2nd half blunders against Pittsburgh.
4) Mami's wildcat offense sprung on us out of nowhere on Week 3.

What a strange season. We get our asses kicked at home by Miami and Pittsburgh.
We got our asses kicked by 8 and 8 San Diego.

Perhaps we should have gone for 2 points against the Jets at the end of regulation and not have had to rely on exhausted, undermanned defense.

Don't forget the pass interference penalty against Mike Vrabel on 3rd down late in the Jets game. That one sticks in my craw.

 

[dtbrks]

Don't forget the pass interference penalty against Mike Vrabel on 3rd down late in the Jets game. That one sticks in my craw.

thanks.. i almost forgot that one..

 

[WhiZa]

I'm not even mad about losing to the Jets as it set them up well for failure tonight. It will be fun reading the defamation the NY rat media writes about Mangina and Super Favre tomorrow.

 

[brdmaverick]

Guys, I know that we like to recount the losses that were SOOOO close to victory, but let's not forget that we actually WON more of our close games than LOST them. In fact, I think this team was closer to 10-6 than 12-4.

Close games that we won....
vs. Kansas City (that game was a goal line stand from OT)
vs. St Louis Rams (I know we like to forget, but we were losing in the 4th QTR to STL)
at Seattle (down 14-3 early, nail biter of a game)

Close games that we lost...

at Indy (contrary to popular belief, the Gaffney drop did not lose this game, it would have made it a different game. Peyton and the Colts would have had another shot at the end of the game to counter our score as opposed to killing the clock)

vs. NYJ (this won stings. We look at the missed 3rd and 15 stop and wonder 'what if', but let's face it: a lot of things needed to go perfectly just to get to that point. The Jet's dominated the first half based on their good play, and were able to hang on for victory. Pats needed a miracle last second TD to force OT.)

 

[MassPats38]

Guys, I know that we like to recount the losses that were SOOOO close to victory, but let's not forget that we actually WON more of our close games than LOST them. In fact, I think this team was closer to 10-6 than 12-4.

Under that theory, the Titans of this year could be 9-7 and out of the playoffs rather than the number 1 seed. The 2001 Pats could have been 7-9 and out of the playoffs rather than Super Bowl champions.

The fact is just as the Pats cannot redo the Jets and Colts losses to go 13-3 and seize the number 1 seed, they are also entitled to claim the victories they have. I will not marginalize the season record as your logic can easily be flipped to say they should be 13-3 and enjoying home field advantage and a first round bye. As Belichick commonly says, it is what it is.

 

[PittPatriot]

Hell no. The Titans and Steelers would be tough on the road, and the Ravens at home, but with a #3 seed I would not have feared anybody and as a #6 seed (if the Ravens had lost) we would have beaten Miami handily. The tissue-soft rely-on-miracles Colts and Bronchos/Chargers don't scare me.

crap

I think the Chargers are a better all-round team than us and I also think Peyton could put 35 on the board against us in a playoff game. I think we could play with them, but I don't think Cassel/McD have shown any Red Zone consistency this year to warrant a serious threat to Indy or the Steelers.

The way Buffalo ran down our throats today, I think Tennessee would have embarrassed this current front 7. Pittsburgh can shut down our offense and bend our defense with relative ease (they proven that in the thorough dismantling last month).

It was a great ride and I am pissed for not making it to the show...but there is always next year. At least I have my appetite, something I lost last February.

 

[brdmaverick]

Under that theory, the Titans of this year could be 9-7 and out of the playoffs rather than the number 1 seed. The 2001 Pats could have been 7-9 and out of the playoffs rather than Super Bowl champions.

The fact is just as the Pats cannot redo the Jets and Colts losses to go 13-3 and seize the number 1 seed, they are also entitled to claim the victories they have. I will not marginalize the season record as your logic can easily be flipped to say they should be 13-3 and enjoying home field advantage and a first round bye. As Belichick commonly says, it is what it is.

I think you are misinterpretting the point of my post. My post was a round-a-bout way of stating Bill Belicheck's "your record is what it is" statement. My statement was more of a response for the posters who were claiming that we were a few plays away from 12-4 or 13-3. By doing so would be neglecting how easily some other games could have been lost. In trying to make my point, I was stating that the Pats may have been closer to 10-6 than 12-4 as some others have said that we could easily be. So with all of the if's and what if's, at the end of the day you are what you are. I'm not claiming that the Patriots are anything other than an 11-5 team.

 

[rabthepat]

I think you are misinterpretting the point of my post. My post was a round-a-bout way of stating Bill Belicheck's "your record is what it is" statement. My statement was more of a response for the posters who were claiming that we were a few plays away from 12-4 or 13-3. By doing so would be neglecting how easily some other games could have been lost. In trying to make my point, I was stating that the Pats may have been closer to 10-6 than 12-4 as some others have said that we could easily be. So with all of the if's and what if's, at the end of the day you are what you are. I'm not claiming that the Patriots are anything other than an 11-5 team.

Excellent posts...I agree with you 100%...the season Is What It Was...11-5 and a lot of fun...better luck next year.

 

[DaBruinz]

Not really a bad loss this year, to the extent there's such a thing as a "not bad" loss. The Jets game sticks in the craw. If there were any play of the year I could have the patriots get a mulligan on, it would be the 3d and 15 in overtime where the Jets converted. That or the coin toss.

I guess you can make the argument that you shouldn't make the playoffs without having beaten a playoff team, although the Patriots did beat the fins once. (Obviously, I'm not giving Denver much of a chance tonight.)

Is this your attempt at rationalization? To say that the Pats probably would have lost anyways? BS. The Pats were one of the hottest teams in the league NOT named the Colts.

Fact is that Brett Favre proved me to be right. While he WAS one of the best, all he's been for the last 5 years is the biggest choke artist not named MANNING.

I am proud of the Patriots and what they over-came to get to 11-5. But every loss was one that could have been the one that got them into the play-offs. Its unfortunate and the adversity they over-came is something that is unheard of. They ARE a play-off team in my mind.