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Just a few miscellaneous observations that have no particular import or meaning except to pass the time this off week.
1. You know for all the crap BB has taken for the failures of the Ocho and Haynesworth signings, it's kind of slipped under the radar that the FO did a little better on some other signings. Can someone give me another example where a team's off season FA additions included TWO first team all pro signings and other double digit sack getter. Did ANY other team even get CLOSE to this kind of FA haul this year....or ever?
2. Think about it. While most of us were screening potential draft choices based on how well they rushed the passer, and continuing the decade long prayer for the next Willie McGinest; how would our thinking have been changed if we knew the Pats would add TWENTY sacks to the squad in August. Pretty amazing. I don't think this gets enough press.
3.In the Felger "the cap is crap" thread the Boston media guy brought out a very insightful if painful point that hasn't been mentioned. He opined that if the Pats hadn't found it necessary to bring back Kevin Faulk in a mostly ceremonial role, they MIGHT have had room on the roster to keep Ras Dowling off the IR and he'd be ready to play now.
IF that's true, then its painful to think the Pats might have had a fast, big coverage guy who has played safety before ready to play instead of having to move McCourty there to play the same role. I have NO idea how true this might be, but the thought of it was painful. A healthy Dowling would have made as big an impact on the secondary as Chung's return did. Just as I know his addition next year will make a huge difference.
4. Thinking about how much different this defense would be with Carter and Dowling back, just makes me want to scream OOOOUUUUCCCCCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
OK now its out of my system and I will never think of it again.
5. The media has been totally predictable, both nationally and locally. The statistical fact that the Packers, NOT the Pats have the worse defense in the league has done NOTHING to keep the mediots from harping on how bad the Pats defense is, and equally frustrating, keeps them from RARELY mentioning the Packer defense at all when analyzing them.
So you have a situation where we see the Pats dismissed as a legitimate contender because of their D, while the Packers are universally considered the favorites DESPITE their D. It makes no sense. BTW - personally I'm happy to see this, since it give the Pats a chance to play the "lack of respect" card after so many years.
6. The latest sign of disrespect that the mediots have all flocked to is the "the Pats haven't played a single team with a winning record this season". And they wave that in your face, as if to say, "see that 13-3 record is a fraud....just like the team." To which I want to say, "last season the Pats played and BEAT, more teams with winning records than anyone in the league.....and how'd that work out. It MEANS NOTHING Just more guys, taking shots while they can.
It often seems like one guy finds the "stat" then everyone one races each other to embrace it and make it their own. I think its the smugness and sense of superior knowledge that gets me the most. To hear a guy like Mazzarrotti talk like he'd actually know how to put shoulder pads on just rubs me the wrong way. Its one thing to have an opinion, anyone can have that. Its another to make JUDGMENTS. To do that, I think, you have to have at least some knowledge and/or experience. MOST of these guys have neither. I'd even be OK with it if they acknowledged that their OPINION is as uneducated as the rest of ours. Instead they make their JUDGMENTS with God-like certainty and fling them in our faces like supeonneas from a process server
And finally, if I may continue this rant, I hate the lack of ACCOUNTABILITY these mutts seem to have. They feel entitled to make these, often, blanket judgments, yet want complete immunity from any accountability. No matter how many times these guys are proven wrong they have NO shame to puff up their chests and proclaim their expertise when they are right. SHAMELESS is the right word to describe the great majority of these frauds. Thanks I feel better now
6. When assessing our chances for this playoffs its important to know that as bad as our defense has been, the offense has, not just been very good, its been HISTORIC. In fact there have been 3 HISTORIC offenses this season. Fortunately only one is in our conference.
Face it! Gone are the days where defense wins championships. If either the Packers, Pats or NO win this year, THAT will be completely dis proven. No longer in the NFL will "good pitching beat good hitting". So with a healthy OL and all his weapons intact and ready to go, I don't see either the Baltimore or Steeler defenses shutting down the Pats offense
7. Here's a question for the assembled congregation. When the team gets together later today for the first practice of the playoffs, and Sebastian Volmer is declared 100%. Does he get the start in the playoff opener? Just askin'.
8. Looking back to the Pittsburgh game, as that was the the Pats worst game of the year.....by far. I was surprised to be reminded that it was a game they EASILY could have stolen. The safety at the end was a fraud. BB not challenging the Gronk TD cost the team over 90 seconds. Add the Gostkowski missed FG and despite all the turmoil and missed opportunities there is a reasonable scenario where the Pats would have been down 3 points, with the ball, and over a minute and a half left on the clock.
And that was a game, on the road, where you were out played and coached. I think the team and the staff are really looking forward to a rematch. It think I'll take my chances here. A lot has changed since late October, and most of them, IMHO, favor the Pats
9. Other personnel questions that should be wide open for discussion are:
Who is your first running back - BJGE or Ridely? To me its the old, ball securtiy vs ypc debate. Which is more important in the playoffs? Let the debate begin.
Who is your 5th receiver when you go to that formation, Ocho, Underwood, or Edelman? Say what you want about Ocho. He did beat his man deep vs Buffalo. And it wasn't the first time he's beaten his man deep. Brady missed him.
Who are your active DLmen. Remember vs Baltimore and Pittsburgh, stopping/controlling the run will be the first priority (though I think the Steelers will be more passing, its still in their DNA)
10. I said it a few weeks ago. I said at the start of the year. NOTHING that is accomplished this season means a thing until the Pats win that first playoff game a week from Saturday night Its all been fun, but unless we want to become the 2010's version of the last 2 decades Dallas Cowboys, we HAVE to win that game. All other discussion is essentially just air.
Here are the facts of the last 4 seasons 48-16 regular season 0-2 playoffs
Hard to explain, harder to defend. Nothing but a win begins to erase the stain. That's a lot of pressure, but a lot of pressure on a team that seems to thrive on it. Its going to be hard to wait another 10 days before the team we root for gets a chance to cleanse themselves. In the mean time all we can do is wave our "LACK OF RESPECT Cards" proudly and make Rodney proud
1. You know for all the crap BB has taken for the failures of the Ocho and Haynesworth signings, it's kind of slipped under the radar that the FO did a little better on some other signings. Can someone give me another example where a team's off season FA additions included TWO first team all pro signings and other double digit sack getter. Did ANY other team even get CLOSE to this kind of FA haul this year....or ever?
2. Think about it. While most of us were screening potential draft choices based on how well they rushed the passer, and continuing the decade long prayer for the next Willie McGinest; how would our thinking have been changed if we knew the Pats would add TWENTY sacks to the squad in August. Pretty amazing. I don't think this gets enough press.
3.In the Felger "the cap is crap" thread the Boston media guy brought out a very insightful if painful point that hasn't been mentioned. He opined that if the Pats hadn't found it necessary to bring back Kevin Faulk in a mostly ceremonial role, they MIGHT have had room on the roster to keep Ras Dowling off the IR and he'd be ready to play now.
IF that's true, then its painful to think the Pats might have had a fast, big coverage guy who has played safety before ready to play instead of having to move McCourty there to play the same role. I have NO idea how true this might be, but the thought of it was painful. A healthy Dowling would have made as big an impact on the secondary as Chung's return did. Just as I know his addition next year will make a huge difference.
4. Thinking about how much different this defense would be with Carter and Dowling back, just makes me want to scream OOOOUUUUCCCCCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
OK now its out of my system and I will never think of it again.
5. The media has been totally predictable, both nationally and locally. The statistical fact that the Packers, NOT the Pats have the worse defense in the league has done NOTHING to keep the mediots from harping on how bad the Pats defense is, and equally frustrating, keeps them from RARELY mentioning the Packer defense at all when analyzing them.
So you have a situation where we see the Pats dismissed as a legitimate contender because of their D, while the Packers are universally considered the favorites DESPITE their D. It makes no sense. BTW - personally I'm happy to see this, since it give the Pats a chance to play the "lack of respect" card after so many years.
6. The latest sign of disrespect that the mediots have all flocked to is the "the Pats haven't played a single team with a winning record this season". And they wave that in your face, as if to say, "see that 13-3 record is a fraud....just like the team." To which I want to say, "last season the Pats played and BEAT, more teams with winning records than anyone in the league.....and how'd that work out. It MEANS NOTHING Just more guys, taking shots while they can.
It often seems like one guy finds the "stat" then everyone one races each other to embrace it and make it their own. I think its the smugness and sense of superior knowledge that gets me the most. To hear a guy like Mazzarrotti talk like he'd actually know how to put shoulder pads on just rubs me the wrong way. Its one thing to have an opinion, anyone can have that. Its another to make JUDGMENTS. To do that, I think, you have to have at least some knowledge and/or experience. MOST of these guys have neither. I'd even be OK with it if they acknowledged that their OPINION is as uneducated as the rest of ours. Instead they make their JUDGMENTS with God-like certainty and fling them in our faces like supeonneas from a process server
And finally, if I may continue this rant, I hate the lack of ACCOUNTABILITY these mutts seem to have. They feel entitled to make these, often, blanket judgments, yet want complete immunity from any accountability. No matter how many times these guys are proven wrong they have NO shame to puff up their chests and proclaim their expertise when they are right. SHAMELESS is the right word to describe the great majority of these frauds. Thanks I feel better now
6. When assessing our chances for this playoffs its important to know that as bad as our defense has been, the offense has, not just been very good, its been HISTORIC. In fact there have been 3 HISTORIC offenses this season. Fortunately only one is in our conference.
Face it! Gone are the days where defense wins championships. If either the Packers, Pats or NO win this year, THAT will be completely dis proven. No longer in the NFL will "good pitching beat good hitting". So with a healthy OL and all his weapons intact and ready to go, I don't see either the Baltimore or Steeler defenses shutting down the Pats offense
7. Here's a question for the assembled congregation. When the team gets together later today for the first practice of the playoffs, and Sebastian Volmer is declared 100%. Does he get the start in the playoff opener? Just askin'.
8. Looking back to the Pittsburgh game, as that was the the Pats worst game of the year.....by far. I was surprised to be reminded that it was a game they EASILY could have stolen. The safety at the end was a fraud. BB not challenging the Gronk TD cost the team over 90 seconds. Add the Gostkowski missed FG and despite all the turmoil and missed opportunities there is a reasonable scenario where the Pats would have been down 3 points, with the ball, and over a minute and a half left on the clock.
And that was a game, on the road, where you were out played and coached. I think the team and the staff are really looking forward to a rematch. It think I'll take my chances here. A lot has changed since late October, and most of them, IMHO, favor the Pats
9. Other personnel questions that should be wide open for discussion are:
Who is your first running back - BJGE or Ridely? To me its the old, ball securtiy vs ypc debate. Which is more important in the playoffs? Let the debate begin.
Who is your 5th receiver when you go to that formation, Ocho, Underwood, or Edelman? Say what you want about Ocho. He did beat his man deep vs Buffalo. And it wasn't the first time he's beaten his man deep. Brady missed him.
Who are your active DLmen. Remember vs Baltimore and Pittsburgh, stopping/controlling the run will be the first priority (though I think the Steelers will be more passing, its still in their DNA)
10. I said it a few weeks ago. I said at the start of the year. NOTHING that is accomplished this season means a thing until the Pats win that first playoff game a week from Saturday night Its all been fun, but unless we want to become the 2010's version of the last 2 decades Dallas Cowboys, we HAVE to win that game. All other discussion is essentially just air.
Here are the facts of the last 4 seasons 48-16 regular season 0-2 playoffs
Hard to explain, harder to defend. Nothing but a win begins to erase the stain. That's a lot of pressure, but a lot of pressure on a team that seems to thrive on it. Its going to be hard to wait another 10 days before the team we root for gets a chance to cleanse themselves. In the mean time all we can do is wave our "LACK OF RESPECT Cards" proudly and make Rodney proud
