.....and if this wasn't exciting enough....

[patfanken]

....I was thinking about doing an final "idle thoughts" before the big game. But was having a hard time thinking of anything to put in the post that hadn't be thoroughly discussed already these last 2 weeks. However there was ONE thought that kept coming up over and over again as to took my morning walk

If you are not just a LITTLE bit surprised, that THIS team, with THIS defense made it to the superbowl, then you are being disingenuous. After the start of the season we wondered how the defense would be given some of the "surprising" (to us) cuts at the end of camp. And then as the yards piled up and the players we counted on went down for good or for long periods of time,(Wright, Pryor, Barrett, Dowling, Fletcher, Chung,Spikes, Boddin, Cunningham, etc) the defense became a season long concern. And while Anderson and Carter exceeded FA expectations, Ellis hasn't lived up to them, and Haynesworth wasn't even good enough to stay with the team. Now that is a LOT of names people. Is it any wonder our defense spent most of they year at the bottom of the league in most defensive stats.

Yet here we are. The sun is shining (at least it is in the Boston area), and Patriot Nation is getting prepared to go to war in the NFL's final game of the season. It makes us all happy. It makes us all proud. It makes most of us anxious, and a few even fearful. But most of all, Patriot Nation understands how HARD it is to get to this point, and how lucky we are to be fans of an organization that allows us to be in this position so often. BUT I DIGRESS. (you really didn't think I was going to make this short and to the point, did you? )

The point of this thread, the the thought that kept reoccurring while I walked was, "imagine how much BETTER this team is going to be NEXT year!!!!"

Think about it. Dowling, Pryor Barrett and Carter will all make this team stronger defensively. And then there are the FIVE picks in the first 3 rounds (albeit very low in those rounds), that will bring another 3 or 4 keepers to the team. Then there is that matter of having over $20MM in cap space (and room for creating more), to re-sign our own FAs and STILL have the ability to go after pretty much anyone else Bill feels he needs to improve this team even further. (Like that top end FA Safety that I covet.) Want to take a shot a Mario Williams? I doubt VERY much it would happen, or if I would even want it to happen, but its STILL comforting to know that if the Pats wanted to, they have the ability to do it.

WOW! In around 9 hours my team will be ready to KO and make their run on THIS years championship, and win or lose, as a fan I can look forward to a team that will far better than the one that has gone so far in 2011. I mean, how good is THAT! I mean REALLY.

....and with that, I leave you all to your preparations, and with the hope that we all thoroughly enjoy OUR Superbowl Sunday. GO PAT's!....and thank you Myra

 

[Mark.]

If you are not just a LITTLE bit surprised, that THIS team, with THIS defense made it to the superbowl, then you are being disingenuous

My exact thoughts this morning-I really didn't expect to see them in the Superbowl. This team reminds me of the 2001 team-I know that defense was better, but nobody gave that team a shot either.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Nice try Ken. But win or lose this may all be moot if Tiquan doesn't clear waivers...

 

[kpreh]

I sit here and think no matter the outcome today my team is a friggin good team, not many fans over the past ten or so years can say their team is always there at the end of the season.

 

[Nikolai]

Well, to be fair, I predicted the Pats would finish 13-3 and win the Super Bowl in my preseason prediction thread (link in my sig). Of course, I thought they'd be playing the Falcons (lulz).

Seriously though, I remember being at the Razor for the Giants game. As the time ticked down, I remember Pats fans giving up on this team.

"It's official, we're bums."

"We're done."

"Well, that's it for this year."

That's what I heard out of a lot of fans, and I get it. After that 2009 season and the choke job in the playoffs last year, some fans could be forgiven for thinking this team lacked the mental fortitude to come back after back-to-back losses against the kinds of teams against which the Pats want to measure up. But here they are, and coming back from injury, disappointment, and adversity is a credit to this team and the great job BB has done. One more game baby.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

I feel a lot like I did before the 2001 SB, very happy and a bit surprised to be here. Not too surprised though as I never saw an AFC team that looked a lot better than the Pats this year....so I knew after week 12 it was possible.

What this has resulted in, now at least, is the most calm I have had in any previous SB. It's a combination of being very happy just to be here along with the firm belief that the Pats ave a very good chance of winning. This has me in a very excellent place indeed waiting for this game.

I can't wait....this is going to be fun.

 

[Zeus]

I'd prefer to talk more about this after the game today. That's all that matters for the next 12 hours.

Having said that, the window remains open and will do so for another 3-4 years.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Before we say better next year there are things to do like re-sign Welker Ect:

Although they will likely franchise him

 

[JJDChE]

I've been thinking the same thing. This team is going to be pretty tough next year. The fact is we've been rebuilding the last few years. Having a HoF coach and QB means we kept competitive, but I think next year is really the point the front office was probably targeting to start the final push of TB12's career. They need to add one upper tier DB and a solid veteran WR (B. Lloyd, please!) and this team will kick some major ass.

 

[reflexblue]

Back in Nov. i would have Never thought this team would make it to the SB with this defensive backfield. It turned around after the giants game when changes were made in the backfield. With the incredible national disrespect it feels like 2001. They remember how bad the D was in the early to mid part of the season, not how things change.

 

[Deus Irae]

Ken,

For a couple of reasons, I haven't had the time to do all the research I wanted to, especially for the line play. I don't know if I'll get to it before game time, either. So, as a bit of a sop, here's a NYT article which has some pretty good stuff in it, including some stuff I'd planned to use:

Super Bowl Playbook: Blitz Tendencies - NYTimes.com

 

[patfanken]

Ken,

For a couple of reasons, I haven't had the time to do all the research I wanted to, especially for the line play. I don't know if I'll get to it before game time, either. So, as a bit of a sop, here's a NYT article which has some pretty good stuff in it, including some stuff I'd planned to use:

Super Bowl Playbook: Blitz Tendencies - NYTimes.com

Thanks DI, that was a very interesting read. The most important thing I got out of it was that when the Giants blitz (6 or more) they are getting to the QB. In those rare times the Pats blitz (6 or more) they aren't. (which might explain why they so rarely do it. ) Clearly its a strength of the Giants defense, while throwing against the Blitz is clearly a strength of Brady, whose completion percentage and QB rating is higher against the blitz than not. Its one of those great "strength against strength" battles that make this game so intriguing. In fact unlike most games, this game is filled with them.

 

[Fball]

The Pats run benefitted from playing in a conference that was much weaker than it's counterpart in the NFC. This was as weak a year for the AFC as I can remember - even the "good" teams had a hard time because of losing QB's or key players.

I would expect a tougher conference next year. Schaub back, Cincy getting those picks from the Raiders, Manning possibly in Miami. Even though the Pats might improve, it will likely be a harder road to the SB.

 

[patfanken]

The Pats run benefitted from playing in a conference that was much weaker than it's counterpart in the NFC. This was as weak a year for the AFC as I can remember - even the "good" teams had a hard time because of losing QB's or key players.

I would expect a tougher conference next year. Schaub back, Cincy getting those picks from the Raiders, Manning possibly in Miami. Even though the Pats might improve, it will likely be a harder road to the SB.

There is no such thing as an UNhard road to the Superbowl. So many things have to happen right for ANY team to get there. Just look at the Giants path to this one.

The Point of my thread is not to say the Pats will be better so book your reservations to the next superbowl now. No. The point of the thread is that the window for the Patriots to be among the most serious contenders to the super bowl isn't closing. Far from it. For the next 4 years, the Pats will be more talented than they are today and have as good a chance of making it into the superbowl as any and better than most.

Clearly there will be other talented teams, and "on any given Sunday", even mediocre teams can beat you. That's the nature of the NFL. In fact that the nature of the game of football and why we all love it.

No, FB, this thread was just a reminder to the lovers and haters alike, that this team is NOT going away anytime soon. In fact is going to be better.

 

[Fball]

There is no such thing as an UNhard road to the Superbowl. So many things have to happen right for ANY team to get there. Just look at the Giants path to this one.

The Point of my thread is not to say the Pats will be better so book your reservations to the next superbowl now. No. The point of the thread is that the window for the Patriots to be among the most serious contenders to the super bowl isn't closing. Far from it. For the next 4 years, the Pats will be more talented than they are today and have as good a chance of making it into the superbowl as any and better than most.

Clearly there will be other talented teams, and "on any given Sunday", even mediocre teams can beat you. That's the nature of the NFL. In fact that the nature of the game of football and why we all love it.

No, FB, this thread was just a reminder to the lovers and haters alike, that this team is NOT going away anytime soon. In fact is going to be better.

No doubt. But that's all Brady & BB.

The Pats have been contenders as long as they have had both, and will be contenders as long as they have both. Little else matters all that much - they have shown they can do it with all kinds of different lineups & talent levels.

 

[buile]

"imagine how much BETTER this team is going to be NEXT year!!!!"

I felt that way the past handful of years... like we're just one gap away from dominating top to bottom. But, each year gives a new bump in the road. Not to mention every other team is doing what they need to put a better team on the field.

Surprising we're in the SB this year? Yes, though I exptected a knock-down drag-out with the Jets for the division.

 

[Zeus]

The Pats run benefitted from playing in a conference that was much weaker than it's counterpart in the NFC. This was as weak a year for the AFC as I can remember - even the "good" teams had a hard time because of losing QB's or key players.

I would expect a tougher conference next year. Schaub back, Cincy getting those picks from the Raiders, Manning possibly in Miami. Even though the Pats might improve, it will likely be a harder road to the SB.

NFC was 33-31 vs. AFC this year, though the NFC playoff teams did have better QBs (Rodgers, Brees, E. Manning). If the Patriots had an easier path to the Super Bowl than the Giants, maybe it's because the Patriots only lost three games and were the #1 seed. People seem to forget this but it counts for something.

You can make believe that NE is not really a good team, but the fact is that they have won 27 regular season games over the last two years. That's not luck and it's not an accident.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Thanks DI, that was a very interesting read. The most important thing I got out of it was that when the Giants blitz (6 or more) they are getting to the QB. In those rare times the Pats blitz (6 or more) they aren't. (which might explain why they so rarely do it. ) Clearly its a strength of the Giants defense, while throwing against the Blitz is clearly a strength of Brady, whose completion percentage and QB rating is higher against the blitz than not. Its one of those great "strength against strength" battles that make this game so intriguing. In fact unlike most games, this game is filled with them.

The defensive tactic that makes me the most nervous is on 3rd and long when the Pats rush just 3. Our DBs simply do not double cover tightly enough to stop accurate QBs who can check down.

 

[ralmat55]

In the past 2 seasons, these flawed patriots have lost only 6 games incl playoff. That's one less than the Giants lost just this season.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Ken, I think I've learned two things this season, one that makes me agree with you and the other disagree.

Agreement first. I didn't write this team off -- I'm too pessimistic to get too high, but I don't get that low -- but I certainly didn't think that they'd get to the Superbowl. Watching Heath Miller and Roethlisberger carve them up ("I've got lots of time, so how about a nice pass to the soft zone in the middle of the field to my tight end? Oh nice, no one near him! Let's try that again ... and again ... ) and Ryan Fitzpatrick putting together unstoppable drives to take the game, I defy anyone to have felt confident about this defense.

So, yes, you're dead right. It's just great. The team has come together, got better, managed to overcome its flaws and won game after game. I'm totally, unexpectedly relaxed. Even if it ends today, it's been a GREAT season.

But the other thing I've learned is not to anticipate next season. We've all done it -- you have Ken, on this board last season -- but I think I've learned my lesson. We thought: great, we'll have Bodden back this year. And Warren. And Butler will probably come on. And one or other of Tate or Price will come through as a deep threat. And with Chung Sanders or Meriweather should be fine. And so on ... So where are they now?

The truth is, BB didn't like what he had and he blew up his secondary. He's not just battling against the (inevitable). He's doing things his way.

Every season is its own entity. Every team is different. It's his way.

And, while he deserves enormous credit for taking a team this far with Sergio Brown, Ihedigbo and the like playing defense or Mathew Slater as the deep threat wide receiver, the fact that these players are on the field other than for kicks is BB's decision. He's the one who fills up his roster with special teamers who can't be relied on for defense or offense.

So who knows what will happen next season?

Personally, I'm thrilled that Josh McD is coming back. I thought that he'd really become a first-class play caller just before he got the Denver job and I still have my doubts about BOB (when even Bernard Pollard -- who's no mastermind -- guesses the play call immediately he sees Slater come on the field, you can take it that it is pretty obvious).

In the meantime, it's a beautiful day in New England and the Pats are playing in the Superbowl. Good luck to them and happy, happy days to Patsfans everywhere!

:rocker: