We'll be in New Orleans next season

[carterjt47]

The thing I don't get about Belichick is that he thinks he can make something

out of nothing with these scrubs on defense. You can do that for so long, but

eventually it will catch to you. At the end of the day talent win games, and we

missed out on Clay Mathews.


And for Ochocinco.......I know the Patriot playbook is difficult to understand, but

you should picked up on the playbook by mid season. C'mon.

 

[English Patriot]

The Ravens were one short FG far left from being in yesterday's game.

The Ravens are still stacked on defensive front with the only real question mark is their secondary and maybe a star WR away

We saw that Flacco can be as good as he could be with proper game management.

They were only a FG away because Brady played awful and even then they couldn't get it done! If Sterling Moore is stopping you from getting to the SB then you have a problem that still isn't fixed.

Just imagine if Brady played well what would've happened? Even a Brady performance like the one he gave tonight would have meant a blowout win for the Pats in the AFC title game.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

No man i'm simply going by logic, the pats improve where they need to then only the Texans i can realistically, stylistically and matchup wise see giving us problems because the rest are a known foe and BB and Brady can figure them all out.

But then you say the lack of experience in the Texans team is glaring and could they seize the moment when asked against team that's been there and done it?

Like every year,injuries to key players will change the course of a conference every time.

Everyone thought the 2008 Patriots were going to be out for blood and extremely heavy favorites to get back and win it that year after losing it in 2007.......Bernard Pollard took care of that problem with one QB sack to Brady's knee.....anything can happen to teams we look at as threats including this team.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

2012-13, and 2013-14 are it for Brady. So, time for BB to decide. Window is 2 yr max for Pats. BB can choose to go all in for #4, or choose to keep tradinginto future drafts and every year the team lays a fat egg because it is totally imbalanced team, either DL is garbage with no pass rushers, or LB is weak, or WR depth sucks, or no TE, or Defensive secondary is a mess.

Even when everything's going your way, it only takes one or two little things to derail it.

Mortgaging the future to win now is what got the Colts where they are today.

 

[Joker]

here's a newsflash...whether they do or don't, I'll STILL be a Patriot fan no matter what...so why cry like a little spoiled brat because you can't have all the toys all the time every year....here's another newsflash...THIS was a GREAT TIME being a Pats fan this season....the loss is a downer but if all you can do is think totally negative things going forward, maybe YOU should find another team that suits your NEED to win everything every year...

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

They were only a FG away because Brady played awful and even then they couldn't get it done! If Sterling Moore is stopping you from getting to the SB then you have a problem that still isn't fixed.

Just imagine if Brady played well what would've happened? Even a Brady performance like the one he gave tonight would have meant a blowout win for the Pats in the AFC title game.

Like I said....a star WR does not let that happen,Moore knocked it out of Evans arms who is hardly a star in this league......if the Ravens had a better receiver in that situation who handles the ball better,the Pats would have been watching the SB at home yesterday.

If Flacco can get any type of decent WR to compliment that offense they will be tough,barring injury of course.

 

[patsdeena]

They were only a FG away because Brady played awful and even then they couldn't get it done! If Sterling Moore is stopping you from getting to the SB then you have a problem that still isn't fixed.

Just imagine if Brady played well what would've happened? Even a Brady performance like the one he gave tonight would have meant a blowout win for the Pats in the AFC title game.

To be fair, Brady never plays well against Baltimore, so "if Brady played well" doesn't really apply.

But I like the Pats chances next season. The only teams on the schedule who really concern me are Baltimore and Houston.

 

[SVN]

We play the AFC South+NFC west next yr with baltimore and denver added on. Not an easy schedule but not very tough RIGHT now.

 

[English Patriot]

here's a newsflash...whether they do or don't, I'll STILL be a Patriot fan no matter what...so why cry like a little spoiled brat because you can't have all the toys all the time every year....here's another newsflash...THIS was a GREAT TIME being a Pats fan this season....the loss is a downer but if all you can do is think totally negative things going forward, maybe YOU should find another team that suits your NEED to win everything every year...

I'll be Pat long after Brady and Bill are done and even if we end up like the Bills and Dolphins into mediocrity after having good teams i'll still be there. I'm just counteracting negativity where it's not deserved. Like taking shots at a QB that has made this franchise into what it is, Bledsoe was phenomenal but he doesn't even come close to measuring what Tom can and has achieved.

Be grateful you have this man as your QB because it won't last and finding Steve Young after a Joe Montana doesn't happen every year and chances are we won't.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

It would not surprise me to hear in the coming months that Brady may need surgery on that left shoulder.

He hides pain well but you have to believe he is simply not comfortable with that injury,even if it's on his non throwing arm.

Whatever he needs to do to get that problem fixed,I hope it's soon.

 

[Sciz]

At the end of the day talent win games, and we missed out on Clay Mathews.

Dude. Rob Ninkovich had more sacks this season than Clay Matthews. Matthews is an overrated two trick pony who finally got exploited this past season. Can we finally end all this Clay Matthews talk?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Dude. Rob Ninkovich had more sacks this season than Clay Matthews. Matthews is an overrated two trick pony who finally got exploited this past season. Can we finally end all this Clay Matthews talk?

IIAC Clay Matthews was second in the league behind Jared Allen at QB pressures......just sayin'

 

[Zoie]

The chances don't bode well.

1. There has been a different Super Bowl champion for nearly a decade, and no team has been there back to back except the Patriots in 2004 and 2005.

2. I think the Ravens and Texans will put up a good fight especially the Ravens considering their window is rapidly closing.

However, the chances might bold well because of this-

Look at Kobe Bryant-

-3 Rings
-1 Finals Loss
-1 Finals Loss exactly 4 years later
-2 Rings

Then Tom

-3 Rings
-1 Super Bowl Loss
-1 Super Bowl Loss exactly 4 years later

I would love 2 more rings, but 1 would suffice.

I remember all the chatter about how Kobe and Phil couldn't do it without Shaq, Robert Horry, they were washed up, and when the Celtics beat them making it their 2nd Finals loss everyone said Kobe and Phil were done. Then they won 2 more rings.

It can happen.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

Dude. Rob Ninkovich had more sacks this season than Clay Matthews. Matthews is an overrated two trick pony who finally got exploited this past season. Can we finally end all this Clay Matthews talk?

You can't be serious ! Like Sack #'s are all that matters.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

You can't be serious ! Like Sack #'s are all that matters.

They are not, but when talking about Clay Matthews, whose sold job is to pass rush, that's actually pretty important. He gets pressures and he isn't a bum, but the fact is the impact players that Belichick looks for are well-rounded.

I do completely agree that an impact defensive player, or two, or three, would do wonders toward getting that ring. There will be free agents, trade options, and the draft to try and get some impact players on defense and at the receiver positions. The team looks quite stacked in a lot of areas, and they will be back.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

They are not, but when talking about Clay Matthews, whose sold job is to pass rush, that's actually pretty important. He gets pressures and he isn't a bum, but the fact is the impact players that Belichick looks for are well-rounded.

I do completely agree that an impact defensive player, or two, or three, would do wonders toward getting that ring. There will be free agents, trade options, and the draft to try and get some impact players on defense and at the receiver positions. The team looks quite stacked in a lot of areas, and they will be back.

They will go as far as the QB #12 goes. If his psyche is hit after this loss, we got problems. For some reason he is just putting way too much pressure on himself, its as if after 3SB wins he took the role of John Elway SB/playoff losing years 1983-1997.

 

[Sciz]

IIAC Clay Matthews was second in the league behind Jared Allen at QB pressures......just sayin'

If you care about pressures, then he was incredibly overrated last year. If you care about sacks, he was incredibly overrated this year. He's never managed to put together an elite pass rushing season by both numbers, and his work against the run isn't making up for the not-quite-elite pass rushing stats. He's a solid player, but he's far from the all-around elite talent that everybody says the Pats passed on.

 

[Marqui]

If you care about pressures, then he was incredibly overrated last year. If you care about sacks, he was incredibly overrated this year. He's never managed to put together an elite pass rushing season by both numbers, and his work against the run isn't making up for the not-quite-elite pass rushing stats. He's a solid player, but he's far from the all-around elite talent that everybody says the Pats passed on.

The point is that the Pats need to rely on more talented players than Rob Ninkovich/Kyle Love to make big championship stops at the end of Superbowl games.

 

[letekro]

The point is that the Pats need to rely on more talented players than Rob Ninkovich/Kyle Love to make big championship stops at the end of Superbowl games.

The D allowed 19 points and it would have been 16 if we didn't let them score at the end. How much did the Giants score against the great, talented Packers defense with the amazing Clay Matthews? 37 points. How about San Fran, the best defense in the league? 17 points in regulation. What's your point again?

 

[celticboy04]

The point is that the Pats need to rely on more talented players than Rob Ninkovich/Kyle Love to make big championship stops at the end of Superbowl games.

Greetings,
One thing to remember is teams spend way more time game planning against Clay Matthews than they do Rob Ninkovich, and this season they were more effective in limiting his effectiveness than normal. Also teams may have already figured him out and he may never play at that high level again. But at the same time I have seen plenty of dominant pass rushers have seasons below their normal standards who were able to comeback and dominate again. I am in agreement this defense needs an upgrade, but they were not the biggest reason for this loss.

Celticboy04