Is this the end of our great ride?

[PATSNUTme]

I guess there is a lot of panic in Patriots land today> The D is awful- BB has lost it as a coach- We need a deep threat- BB is an awful GM.

So is the the beginning of the end of the great ride we Patriots fans have had for the past 10 years?


a poll will be coming to get the pulse of teh patfans members.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

I think were crusing into the Miami Model when Marino was clearly a HoF QB, with a HoF coach and they seemed to beat down the AFC east every single year followed with a round 1 playoff exit, or round 2, never reaching the Super Bowl.

Not enough talent in all three facets to win deep in the Playoffs.

 

[BadMoFo]

I think we'll still win more than we lose, but I still expect us to have a tough time against the other great teams of the league.

 

[signbabybrady]

how about just the middle.

We are in the middle of it.

Let them do there thing until they retire and I see no reason to let a regular season loss make us think they wont win another one or more in the next say 5-10 years until they retire. They being TB and BB.

 

[SyN65]

Beginning of the end unless BB starts hitting on some drafts and brings in some FAs to help us.

 

[NEPatriot]

I think we'll still win more than we lose, but I still expect us to have a tough time against the other great teams of the league.

Agreed. The last few years have shown me that we often struggle against the better teams in big games, especially in the playoffs. What's frustrating for me, is that we often seem to get out schemed and out coached. If we lay it on the line and play aggressive, I'm ok getting beat.

 

[blackglass3]

Agreed. The last few years have shown me that we often struggle against the better teams in big games, especially in the playoffs. What's frustrating for me, is that we often seem to get out schemed and out coached. If we lay it on the line and play aggressive, I'm ok getting beat.

That sums my feelings up exactly.

I think this is the beginning of the end. Brady and Belichick aren't getting any younger. Brady might get a couple of rings in his last few years like Elway did, but unless there is a ridiculous change in fortunes our secondary is going to cost us games in the playoffs every year.

That being said, I would still rather have Belichick coaching this team and I refuse to be one of the message board doomsayers complaining every single week about every little thing that goes wrong. If anyone can cover up a weakness it's Belichick (Earthwind Moreland, Randall Gay). We have 9 weeks to figure out how to do it.

 

[BradyFTW!]

The end of what? I do think that this team needs significantly more talent on defense, and particularly in the secondary. Until it does that, I think our chances to knock off teams like Pittsburgh and Green Bay in the playoffs will be something of a long shot.

Unless the Pats turn in a '09 Colts style fluke performance, I don't see it, so I guess I'm in the "beginning of the end" crowd. Cutting both Meriweather and Sanders in rapid succession bothered me, and cutting Bodden when Dowling was about to go on IR might be even worse.

All of that said, one great draft, coupled with some key FA signings, could turn the whole thing around, so it's too early to start saying that we've arrived at the end, here.

 

[Patjew]

"Is this the end of Patriots winning" what?

 

[Elijah T.]

I stopped drinking Kool-Aid when I was 14...or so.

We still have Belichick and Brady, and they haven't forgotten how to win.

And every year we see teams get hot in late November, or teams like the Cardinals in 2009 who end up in the Super Bowl.

Sure the secondary has issues, but we still do a solid job in the red zone. I believe we'll improve as the season goes on and the weather turns.

We have two stud tight ends that are in their second year, drafting Soldier, Vollmer, and Marcus Cannon should pay off. Ryan Mallett has the tools, football acumen, and work ethic to pick up TB's mantle in a few years.

I like Spikes, Chung, and McCourty as a long term starters who still haven't peaked in potential. Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley are fully capable of being an effective backfield long-term.

We have two 1's and 2's and a 3 and 4 in next year's draft....We're in solid shape moving forward when you consider all 32 teams rosters and future prospects.

The last two times Belichick lost after a bye, the team made the playoffs. The last two times we lost to the Steelers in the regular season, we came back to beat them in the AFC Championship (01, 04).

And the last time we lost to Buffalo we won the Super Bowl.

Things are looking good from my end.

 

[RIpats88]

this board is so rediculous with the doom and gloom after a loss...you might think we were the colts and having 0 wins..it might be best to stay off here until the Giants game

this team will rebound, they always do....poor tackling, poor offensive execution...the team looked rusty and unfocused...you can put that on the coaching and im sure belichick will hit them hard this week in practice...its better they lose a game like that and have to work hard in practice to fix those issues than to let them slide like in 2010 because the team was winning

this is a long season and this team will improve as it goes on...we're not going 16-0 so losses should be expected...

 

[TheSolderKing]

I chose the least pessimistic answer. We still have Brady for awhile... and who knows maybe we do very well in the next few drafts?


Will Hoyer get us a 2nd rounder? (I think so)

Will Mallett get us a high draft pick or is he a possible heir to the throne?

do we ever use our two 1st rd. DP's?

despite the negative... there is some good things left

 

[TheSolderKing]

this board is so rediculous with the doom and gloom after a loss...you might think we were the colts and having 0 wins..it might be best to stay off here until the Giants game

this team will rebound, they always do....poor tackling, poor offensive execution...the team looked rusty and unfocused...you can put that on the coaching and im sure belichick will hit them hard this week in practice...its better they lose a game like that and have to work hard in practice to fix those issues than to let them slide like in 2010 because the team was winning

this is a long season and this team will improve as it goes on...we're not going 16-0 so losses should be expected...

PPL fail to see the NEGATIVE impact a BYE has on a team in terms of wins vs. Losses. Many teams this yr are losing the week after their BYE:bricks:

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Part of me wishes that we lost this game by 20 or 30 points like we should have. That would allow more doom and gloom despite us having one of the best records in the league. I'm hoping we scrap out a couple wins against the NY teams and KC (not easy but winnable games) then lose big at Philly, which would keep us under the radar somewhat. Then win the last 5 which are all winnable or home against a tough Buffalo team. Finish 12-4 or 13-3 and quietly a 2 seed while GB and Pitt/Balti get all the nationwide.

As long as you are making the playoffs and contending yearly you have a shot to go all the way, and one of these years the ball will bounce in our favor when it matters. The ride is far from over.

 

[ensoul]

Pats are in purgatory and have been for a few years. . Not bad enough to miss the playoffs but not good enough to win the SB.

BB the coach is still top notch. BB the GM is not.

 

[Ring 6]

Agreed. The last few years have shown me that we often struggle against the better teams in big games, especially in the playoffs. What's frustrating for me, is that we often seem to get out schemed and out coached. If we lay it on the line and play aggressive, I'm ok getting beat.

Isnt being aggressive and getting beaten being outschemed?
Why do people act as if aggresssive play is trying and conversative play is lazy?

 

[Ring 6]

Pats are in purgatory and have been for a few years. . Not bad enough to miss the playoffs but not good enough to win the SB.

BB the coach is still top notch. BB the GM is not.

Thats ridiculous. The Patriots were good enough to win the SB last year. They were the best team in the regular season. They were good enough to beat the Jets at home, but fell short, and already have trounced Pitt who went to the SB.
Being good enough to win the SB and actually winning it are not the same thing.
They were good enough in 2010, 2008(if Brady hadn't been injured) 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001. They won 3 of those 7 and missed a 4th by seconds.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

its better they lose a game like that and have to work hard in practice to fix those issues than to let them slide like in 2010 because the team was winning

This is truth, people want the dominant 14-16 wins but can't handle when it is wasted. Wouldn't it be better if Pittsburgh is the favorite and everyone doubts us at 11-5 or whatever? Then we can get fired up unlike last year when it was "meh we beat them 45-3, why even try".

 

[YearbookCurfew]

It's been the beginning of the end ever since we lost the SB in 2008... :'(

 

[Ring 6]

I cannot imagine another team in any sport that could have this reaction from their fanbase after losing a road game to the team that was the best in the Conference last year and has the best record in the conference this year.
Incredible to me that people have nothing better to do than cry when everything doesn't go their way.