Better to lose in the AFCCG than Divisional round

[Patjew]

Right after the Colts loss I was thinking I would have much rather have lost to the Chargers. But I've changed my mind since then. Although this loss still stings greatly (and I'm pissed not to be in Miami right now), I'm happy that the Pats did better this year than last and at least made it to the final four. Looking back on it someday, I think that will mean alot more than just making it to the final eight, and it gives everyone more to hope about next year. The end of 2006 hurt more to me than 2002 and 2005, but I still think it was a better season, if that makes any sense.

I'm proud to be a fan of a team whose heartbreaking end to a season would have been considered a success by the fans of most other NFL teams. We are STILL in the midst of a great run, our championship run has NOT ended, and I'm going to try to appreciate it as much as I can even while fantasizing about burning down Polian's house.

Let's just sign Asante and get some good young LBs and a stud WR and keep the secondary healthy for once and we'll be in great shape!

(that was my most cathartic post ever)

 

[BigEZPatsFan76]

I have to disagree completely, I would rather have lost to the Chargers, even convincingly in the AFCDP, then lose the way we did to that bunch in Indianapolis two weeks ago in the AFCCG. No way would that have stung as much. For one, I don't think Indy beats SD in SD. I believe it would be SD against Chicago Sunday, which to me would have been significantly more "tolerable".



EZ76

 

[BelichickFan]

It's better to have gotten further. The offseason would have been easier with a loss to SD, though, as I think they were probably the better team than us - as opposed to Indy where I still think we were the better team. That's what makes it tough.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I would rather lose the super bowl than the AFC Divisional playoffs.. But the way we lost the AFC Championship game will haunt me until we win another super bowl..

 

[Patjew]

I have to disagree completely, I would rather have lost to the Chargers, even convincingly in the AFCDP, then lose the way we did to that bunch in Indianapolis two weeks ago in the AFCCG. No way would that have stung as much. For one, I don't think Indy beats SD in SD. I believe it would be SD against Chicago Sunday, which to me would have been significantly more "tolerable".

I agree completely that losing to the Colts stung much much more than losing to the Chargers would have. But I still think that getting further is better for the team's immediate future and legacy. And I can take some joy in how we knocked out SD- THAT was really something. Whereas beating the Jets and losing to SD would have felt more like BFD in retrospect

 

[Patjew]

I would rather lose the super bowl than the AFC Divisional playoffs.. But the way we lost the AFC Championship game will haunt me until we win another super bowl..

Same here. Believe me, I'm still sick about it, too. I'm lucky to be surrounded by a billion people that couldn't care less, at least. I feel bad for you guys back home.

 

[363839]

The irony of those 2 games (SD ands Indy).
I spent 3 quarters of the SD game thinking we were done that day, I spent 3 quarters of the Indy game thinking we were going back to the Bowl.

But let's look at it this way... Last year we were stopped in div round, this year we made it to AFCCG. Next year.....

 

[pepper03]

The irony of those 2 games (SD ands Indy).
I spent 3 quarters of the SD game thinking we were done that day, I spent 3 quarters of the Indy game thinking we were going back to the Bowl.

But let's look at it this way... Last year we were stopped in div round, this year we made it to AFCCG. Next year.....

That about sums it up-I had kind of accepted in the SD game they might not win, but in Indy I was sure they had it.

It hurts a lot more for me to lose to Indy the way they did than it would have to lose at SD-and the thought of being one 3rd and 4 from going to the Super Bowl is tough to take.

I guess there is no right answer.

 

[richpats]

Considering our performance in the last 2 division games (both embarrassing losses), I consider a whipping of the Jets and a gritty, ugly win over the best team in the league in their house a sign of improvement and success for this season.

Now the Indy game - I've feared playing the Colts in their house the last 2 postseasons b/c it would probably come down to 1 or 2 plays, or a conveniently-timed penalty (or lack thereof). We saw that happen and the end result didn't surprise me.

 

[jcdavey]

Right after the Colts loss I was thinking I would have much rather have lost to the Chargers. But I've changed my mind since then. Although this loss still stings greatly (and I'm pissed not to be in Miami right now), I'm happy that the Pats did better this year than last and at least made it to the final four. Looking back on it someday, I think that will mean alot more than just making it to the final eight, and it gives everyone more to hope about next year. The end of 2006 hurt more to me than 2002 and 2005, but I still think it was a better season, if that makes any sense.

I'm proud to be a fan of a team whose heartbreaking end to a season would have been considered a success by the fans of most other NFL teams. We are STILL in the midst of a great run, our championship run has NOT ended, and I'm going to try to appreciate it as much as I can even while fantasizing about burning down Polian's house.

Let's just sign Asante and get some good young LBs and a stud WR and keep the secondary healthy for once and we'll be in great shape!

(that was my most cathartic post ever)

it always means more when you know you lost to a superbowl winner

as a charger fan i feel like crap knowing we didn't lose to the superbowl winner , i was pulling for the pats to win it all after we blew it

 

[Kdo5]

Yes, it was better to lose in the AFCCG because for one we were 4 points away from the Superbowl. It hurts to look back a few weeks ago. What if Caldwell hadnt dropped such an easy potential TD or what if the ref had called the PI on whoever covered Caldwell in the endzone. I mean not many people thought we'd get this far. I was crying all night after the game. It just hurts so much,

But if we lost against the Chargers we'd be hearing, about how the Patriots are crumbling and cant make it past the AFC Divisional Round anymore. So the further we got the better.

 

[RayClay]

Right after the Colts loss I was thinking I would have much rather have lost to the Chargers. But I've changed my mind since then. Although this loss still stings greatly (and I'm pissed not to be in Miami right now), I'm happy that the Pats did better this year than last and at least made it to the final four. Looking back on it someday, I think that will mean alot more than just making it to the final eight, and it gives everyone more to hope about next year. The end of 2006 hurt more to me than 2002 and 2005, but I still think it was a better season, if that makes any sense.

Hey Patjew, how ya doing??!!

All I ask of a team is they give their all.

There are personnel issues, coaching losses, personality conflicts and injuries to deal with and not every team has the ability to go all the way.

I'm proud to be a fan of a team whose heartbreaking end to a season would have been considered a success by the fans of most other NFL teams. We are STILL in the midst of a great run, our championship run has NOT ended, and I'm going to try to appreciate it as much as I can even while fantasizing about burning down Polian's house.

Let's just sign Asante and get some good young LBs and a stud WR and keep the secondary healthy for once and we'll be in great shape!

(that was my most cathartic post ever)

Hey Patjew, how ya doing??!!

All I ask of a team is they give their all.

There are personnel issues, coaching losses, personality conflicts and injuries to deal with and not every team has the ability to go all the way.

First issue, the Pats always put a competitive team on the field. No Parcellian cut and run, no cap killing ego driven super flops.

Even last years horribly injured team, (probably my favorite team, I'm kind of sick that way: Be it the post championship Celtics with McHales broken foot and Bird stretched out on the floor with a bad back, Willis Reed hopping around on one leg and taking Wilt's milk money or the rag tag mess left at defensive back, Offensive line and running back that had the audacity to make the playoffs and win a game when they should have had a damn losing record).

That's why I want to punch the Corey Dillon detractors after watching him try to plant his less injured leg just right so he could wedge his body for one more yard when we had zero other options at running back.

Makes me think of John Hannah playing for Ron Meyer who used to say "empty your buckets" all the time as part of his college rah rah motivation.

Hannah would just look at him like "empty my f**ing bucket"?

Hannah had two shoulder and two knees and I think he had them all operated on as soon as he retired.

But I digress.

Other teams fear us and you know why? Because we never do less than our very best and if they let down we will always beat them.

This year, San Diego exposed a weakness with TBC and we knew it would be tight with Seau out. I think we could have beat the Colts, but one area we needed health was at linebacker and DB.

LBs take a while on this team and the value seemed to be on offense this year. Besides losing Seau and Rodney, Artrell was apparently a bad flu victim so we got hit at the weakest spot.

Every team has insecurities, false confidence and such, except for the very best. When you beat a team and they refuse to fold, they still maintain an edge.

The Pats D crumbled physically, but not mentally. Players can be replaced, but confidence like that is only for the great teams.

Sorry to write so much. Maybe you can pull up a chair and have some Chop Suey. It was invented in Taisin which is pretty close to you.

 

[Patjew]

But if we lost against the Chargers we'd be hearing, about how the Patriots are crumbling and cant make it past the AFC Divisional Round anymore. So the further we got the better.

You just succinctly wrote what I was ineffectively trying to express.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I would rather lose the super bowl than the AFC Divisional playoffs.. But the way we lost the AFC Championship game will haunt me until we win another super bowl..

The way I look at it is to picture myself a fan of any other team in pro football. Would I swap places with any of them? Nope. For starters, just take the Buffalo Bills and their four straight SB losses. I wonder how that felt.

 

[Patjew]

Hey Patjew, how ya doing??!!

All I ask of a team is they give their all.

There are personnel issues, coaching losses, personality conflicts and injuries to deal with and not every team has the ability to go all the way.

First issue, the Pats always put a competitive team on the field. No Parcellian cut and run, no cap killing ego driven super flops.

Even last years horribly injured team, (probably my favorite team, I'm kind of sick that way: Be it the post championship Celtics with McHales broken foot and Bird stretched out on the floor with a bad back, Willis Reed hopping around on one leg and taking Wilt's milk money or the rag tag mess left at defensive back, Offensive line and running back that had the audacity to make the playoffs and win a game when they should have had a damn losing record).

That's why I want to punch the Corey Dillon detractors after watching him try to plant his less injured leg just right so he could wedge his body for one more yard when we had zero other options at running back.

Makes me think of John Hannah playing for Ron Meyer who used to say "empty your buckets" all the time as part of his college rah rah motivation.

Hannah would just look at him like "empty my f**ing bucket"?

Hannah had two shoulder and two knees and I think he had them all operated on as soon as he retired.

But I digress.

Other teams fear us and you know why? Because we never do less than our very best and if they let down we will always beat them.

This year, San Diego exposed a weakness with TBC and we knew it would be tight with Seau out. I think we could have beat the Colts, but one area we needed health was at linebacker and DB.

LBs take a while on this team and the value seemed to be on offense this year. Besides losing Seau and Rodney, Artrell was apparently a bad flu victim so we got hit at the weakest spot.

Every team has insecurities, false confidence and such, except for the very best. When you beat a team and they refuse to fold, they still maintain an edge.

The Pats D crumbled physically, but not mentally. Players can be replaced, but confidence like that is only for the great teams.

Sorry to write so much. Maybe you can pull up a chair and have some Chop Suey. It was invented in Taisin which is pretty close to you.

That was a good read- thanks! The only spot I'm really worried about for next year is LB. It's ironic (to me) that of all the off-season losses last year, it turns out the one that hurt most was Willie. I mean it was all "Adam blah blah blah" and "receivers blah blah blah". But not having Willie on the ROLB really hurt, especially in the playoffs.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

That about sums it up-I had kind of accepted in the SD game they might not win, but in Indy I was sure they had it.

It hurts a lot more for me to lose to Indy the way they did than it would have to lose at SD-and the thought of being one 3rd and 4 from going to the Super Bowl is tough to take.

I guess there is no right answer.

ditto that sentiment... tough to be so close. coaches and players must feel awful

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Hey Patjew, how ya doing??!!

All I ask of a team is they give their all.

There are personnel issues, coaching losses, personality conflicts and injuries to deal with and not every team has the ability to go all the way.

First issue, the Pats always put a competitive team on the field. No Parcellian cut and run, no cap killing ego driven super flops.

Even last years horribly injured team, (probably my favorite team, I'm kind of sick that way: Be it the post championship Celtics with McHales broken foot and Bird stretched out on the floor with a bad back, Willis Reed hopping around on one leg and taking Wilt's milk money or the rag tag mess left at defensive back, Offensive line and running back that had the audacity to make the playoffs and win a game when they should have had a damn losing record).

That's why I want to punch the Corey Dillon detractors after watching him try to plant his less injured leg just right so he could wedge his body for one more yard when we had zero other options at running back.

Makes me think of John Hannah playing for Ron Meyer who used to say "empty your buckets" all the time as part of his college rah rah motivation.

Hannah would just look at him like "empty my f**ing bucket"?

Hannah had two shoulder and two knees and I think he had them all operated on as soon as he retired.

But I digress.

Other teams fear us and you know why? Because we never do less than our very best and if they let down we will always beat them.

This year, San Diego exposed a weakness with TBC and we knew it would be tight with Seau out. I think we could have beat the Colts, but one area we needed health was at linebacker and DB.

LBs take a while on this team and the value seemed to be on offense this year. Besides losing Seau and Rodney, Artrell was apparently a bad flu victim so we got hit at the weakest spot.

Every team has insecurities, false confidence and such, except for the very best. When you beat a team and they refuse to fold, they still maintain an edge.

The Pats D crumbled physically, but not mentally. Players can be replaced, but confidence like that is only for the great teams.

Sorry to write so much. Maybe you can pull up a chair and have some Chop Suey. It was invented in Taisin which is pretty close to you.

Agree on this, which is why they'll be back and even better.

 

[RayClay]

That was a good read- thanks! The only spot I'm really worried about for next year is LB. It's ironic (to me) that of all the off-season losses last year, it turns out the one that hurt most was Willie. I mean it was all "Adam blah blah blah" and "receivers blah blah blah". But not having Willie on the ROLB really hurt, especially in the playoffs.

I had my fingers crossed about linebacker for the last two years.

I'm certainly not happy it caught up with them, but i guess the flu doesn't discriminate by position, (I think Artrell was one of the worst and that one really hurt too.

I've started more threads about young linebackers than anything and if they don't draft some or acquire some less than AARP age, color me clueless as to how they continue playing great D in the future.

 

[RayClay]

And we need DB's, Samuel or no Samuel.