9-3 feels great...but something is still missing

[NG Pats Fan]

I still feel like we're not yet ready for Pittsburgh or Baltimore. I feel like if the playoffs come, and Brady doesn't play a spectacular game, we will lose. I just hope Brady and the offense are ready to bring their A game to every postseason game we play this year, because they're are only hope. We can't expect out soft defense to suddenly come alive in the playoffs, it's wishful thinking. It will come down to how stud like our offense performs.


9-3 is excellent for this team, # 1 in the AFC right now. I would love to get homefield advantage.

 

[ensoul]

Yes it is called a secondary. I am not looking at their record as a judgement as to how good they are but what I see on the field. What I have seen all season shows me no indication this team is as good as the 9-3 Steelers and Ravens. I am enjoying this season but I am under no illusions that this team is going to win a SB.

 

[PatriotFan77]

I guess it's a good thing there are 4 weeks left then eh? Patriots have not peaked. They are not playing their best football which is a GREAT thing. Top seed in the AFC currently playing so so. I love where they're at right now.

 

[patsfan-1982]

i would like the running game to be better right now, i am a defense guy and would love to see this team win games 17 to 10 and not 35 to 28 but a win is a win,

there are something a do like about the defense Carter is geting Doubled on every down when Spikes and chung come back the run D will be much better...they tryed to play some man to man vs the pro bowl WR's that the colts have and it did not work, we will find out what this defense is really made of when the the playoffs start

 

[Haterproof]

I guess it's a good thing there are 4 weeks left then eh? Patriots have not peaked. They are not playing their best football which is a GREAT thing. Top seed in the AFC currently playing so so. I love where they're at right now.

I couldn't agree with you more. I want them peaking in January! As of now we're vulnerable. But so are the Ravens & Steelers. I'm hoping the Ravens & Steelers play each other for a 3rd time in the playoffs with the winner limping into AFC championship game against the Pats.

 

[mgteich]

Why do you believe that that patriots will improve over the last four weeks and BALT and PITT will not?

I guess it's a good thing there are 4 weeks left then eh? Patriots have not peaked. They are not playing their best football which is a GREAT thing. Top seed in the AFC currently playing so so. I love where they're at right now.

 

[PatriotFan77]

Why do you believe that that patriots will improve over the last four weeks and BALT and PITT will not?

Where did I say Balt and Burgh won't improve?

 

[resdubwhite]

i would like the running game to be better right now, i am a defense guy and would love to see this team win games 17 to 10 and not 35 to 28 but a win is a win,

there are something a do like about the defense Carter is geting Doubled on every down when Spikes and chung come back the run D will be much better...they tryed to play some man to man vs the pro bowl WR's that the colts have and it did not work, we will find out what this defense is really made of when the the playoffs start

An improved running game will help that defense. As I've already said. Crumplers run blocking last year has been sadly missed.

 

[ralmat55]

Because we know this team has a fatal flaw - a defense which is subpar and has been several years. Allowing 21 points in a little over a quarter is never acceptable no matter how many on this board what to excuse it somehow. It's the scheme, the players, but most of all, it's the coach. It boggles my mind how a great coach and defensive genius like Bill Belichick hasn't been able to fix it after all these seasons with all the draft picks and cap space he's had to address it.

 

[SanAngeloState]

something is missing? Ya think? A defense that can play man and consistently pressure the passer? An offense that can beat the press....

Team faces annihilation against Baltimore or Pittsburgh. I'm hoping not, but it doesn't look good. Roethlesberger had a career day against these stiffs. Not sure how much is scheme or what.

If Grossman has a career day, then you know it is bad, bad bad. He's 50/50 to connect even if there's no defense at all.

 

[Rob0729]

The Pats have been missing some of their best players on defense the last month or so. Chung, Spikes, and Fletcher haven't played in a while. Those three will significantly upgrade this team.

BTW, have you watched the rest of the league? You can still say there is something not right with most of the playoff teams. The Steelers almost lost to the Chiefs last week. The Packers' defense got torched by the Giants yesterday. Baltimore has gotten beaten by several bad teams and if they have to rely on Flacco they struggle. Whoever wins the Super Bowl this year will not be a remotely complete team because there are no complete teams in the NFL.

 

[Tunescribe]

Why do you believe that that patriots will improve over the last four weeks and BALT and PITT will not?

They very well might. Or, they might be playing "all-in" right now and are as good as they can get. BB, on the other hand, is experimenting with personnel a la the preseason and STILL wins games while resting injured players. I think if we can stay reasonably healthy and get a bye, you'll see a very different Patriots team in the playoffs.

 

[resdubwhite]

The truth is.


TFB and BB can beat anyone on their day..


The thing is, I'm not so sure they can do it in 2 play off games and a Superbowl.

If the D were better we could probably get by with Brady having an off day, but he has to be lights out every game for NE to have a chance to win.

 

[A.C Vegas]

what's missing is the Pats putting together a full 60 minute game

 

[IllegalContact]

They very well might. Or, they might be playing "all-in" right now and are as good as they can get. BB, on the other hand, is experimenting with personnel a la the preseason and STILL wins games while resting injured players. I think if we can stay reasonably healthy and get a bye, you'll see a very different Patriots team in the playoffs.

a few questions:

- which of the injured players would have made a difference yesterday?
- do you actually believe that there's some mystery equation that has the planets lining up at the right time (playoffs)?

 

[Haterproof]

The truth is.


TFB and BB can beat anyone on their day..


The thing is, I'm not so sure they can do it in 2 play off games and a Superbowl.

If the D were better we could probably get by with Brady having an off day, but he has to be lights out every game for NE to have a chance to win.

Well I'm hoping Brady plays lights out in the post season. I love when the Pats are underdogs or playing with their backs against the wall.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

We can't and won't stack up with Baltimore's or Pittsburgh's defense so to beat them with our defense you have to...

1) create turnovers and punch the ball out when given a chance

2) Hope their defense has a bad day and Brady puts up 30,Baltimore and Pittsburgh usually do not fare well in high scoring games and then the defense can try and limit them to 4 TDs

3) Special teams,they have to give the other team bad field position and on the other side return kicks to at least 35 on average,you don't see ALOT of teams taking the Ravens or Steelers defense 80 yards downfield.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

It feels more like media driven hype that people buy into than anything. Based on 2007, you'd think there would be a constant media circus going on about the Green Bay Packers, but still the NFL fan wants.

The biggest thing missing from that point is a post season win and we can't achieve that until the post season. (it's the ultimate catch-22).

Assuming Denver/Green Bay and New England win next week, what will be the bigger story. Brady vs Tebow or Green Bay going for their 14th win?

 

[IllegalContact]

The Pats have been missing some of their best players on defense the last month or so. Chung, Spikes, and Fletcher haven't played in a while. Those three will significantly upgrade this team.

BTW, have you watched the rest of the league? You can still say there is something not right with most of the playoff teams. The Steelers almost lost to the Chiefs last week. The Packers' defense got torched by the Giants yesterday. Baltimore has gotten beaten by several bad teams and if they have to rely on Flacco they struggle. Whoever wins the Super Bowl this year will not be a remotely complete team because there are no complete teams in the NFL.

those are some of their best players?

as for the ravens, they don't need to worry as the crap teams will not be in the playoffs, and they don't need much of a flacco to repeat what they did in their last playoff game here.

right now, there is no difference between this team and the one that flopped in the playoffs last year

keep the excuses and the TBC jokes coming

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Everyone in the AFC has something missing. Do you think that, if we did manage to score 28 or more points vs. the Steelers or Ravens, they could outscore us? Yards don't mean crap.

I am disappointed at taking the pedal off the gas with a 31-3 lead.

Yes we have flaws. Everyone does, even Green Bay. They needed some lucky away-from-the-play illegal contact penalties to win againat the Giants, who looked flawed as everything a few days ago.

Just glad no apparent injuries of substance occured. I will be glad with Spikes and Chung back and if McCourty stops playing like an undrafted rookie.