Anyone else MORE optimistic after last night's loss to 49ers?

[hambone1818]

It's a loss, no doubt...there were ugly moments, most notably the fumbling, the terrible reaction to the fake punt (can't remember who was on the outside--Arrington maybe--but whoever it was looked like he was going through the motions, backing up for his blocking and seemed completely taken by surprise) and allowing the kickoff return/quick TD after crawling back into the game.

All that said, this team showed a LOT in their comeback bid. First and foremost, the generic don't give up attitude; this team showed amazing resolve and knowing they'll have a tough road unless Denver gifts them the #2 seed they'll need it. The offense absolutely dismantled the best defense in the league for 25 minutes, Brady put on an absolute clinic in the second half and he did it without the best all-around weapon in the NFL. The defense, minus the Crabtree TD, was wholly dominant in the second half. Sure, Kapearnick had four TD throws, but San Fran started drives inside NE territory a ridiculous eight times, and inside the NE 30 on half of those occasions. I don't care what kind of D you have, you're giving up a lot of points when defending a short field all night, the fact that they shut SF's offense down during the comeback and basically gave up the one big play the last 25 minutes tells me a ton about where this defense has come.

And finally, I don't prescribe to the idea that a team needs to lose a game to get that 'fire in the belly' late in the year...but I think this game is the perfect thing to motivate this team: they have to be proud of the way they fought, but they also have to be embarrassed at the mistakes. They have to be pissed at the loss, but they also have to be encouraged that they dismantled the best defense in the league for 25 minutes. And finally, they have to be frothing at the mouth for a rematch, I want to see Kapaernick and the Smith's in the playoffs and I'm sure this team does too. Gronk's back this week, the team has two weeks to 'rest'--get everyone healthy and get the offense running on all cylinders and bring on the playoffs! :rocker:

 

[Froob]

Kind of. Not happy about the defense making Kap look like Joe Montana. Offense looked great in the 2nd half against the best defense. Nearly 400 yards and 31 pts in the 2nd half . And that's without the best tight end in football. Going to have to go to denver tho unless the browns or chiefs get a huge upset. Browns have been playing teams close so who knows? Looks like Pats will play Steelers, Bengals, or Jets in the 1st round. Hoping for the bengals.

 

[Rob0729]

Not more optimistic, but nearly the distraught as the mediots on the radio and many posters are telling me I should be. Sounds like we should already be prepared to go into Denver in the division round and get crushed.

I love that they didn't just lay down and die and fought back and that they wore down the best defense in the NFL, but I can't be more optimistic after a loss.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

No, we took a big step back on D. 4 fatal breakdowns: The Moss TD (they had 2 guys behind our D), The TD to the backup TE who was wiiiiiide open, The Crabtree TD on Arrington, the should have been TD to Vernon Davis who was just as wide open as the others if not more but Kap overthrew him. It's not a good sign and hopefully they get back on the right track defensively. That was the whole key to this year's team was they were supposed to have been playing much better on D which they were until last night. If we revert to a secondary who gives up multiple huge plays a game it's going to be very tough to go all the way with that.

 

[Ivan]

Losing never makes me optimistic but the long winning streaks going into the play-offs always concern me, odd as that sounds. Teams always have an off day and i would rather have the Patriots falter now than a month from now. they have shown an incredible ability to win during the second half of seasons and I really believe this is just going to mark the start of another winning streak. I have a ton of confidence in this team and believe that overall they are one of the best teams in football and that will show up in the tournament. I'm feeling really good about this team and feel really good about their chances of winning it all this season.

I'm glad they faced two really good play-off teams the last two weeks, even though one was a loss, that should get them ready for january in a way that facing the also rans never could have.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

No. #2 seed gone which means more games on road. Pats play better at home in playoffs

 

[PatriotSeven]

I'm not more nor any less optimistic. I feel pretty even keeled. I expected we would lose at least one of the two games and I looked forward to get this much needed experience against top defenses. I was thinking of an 11-5 record, losing one of these 2 games and possibly the last Miami game if it has no seeding implications and we could rest some of our starters.

The only thing I am down on right now is the special teams. ST has been a problem in our losses to the Giants and again last night. We keep getting exploited in the big games and I expected BB to do something about it by now.

What started off the season as us looking like we would roll through weak competitions, I would argue we ended up facing one of the toughest schedules in the league and certainly the toughest schedule of defenses in the league.

The key for me last night was if the 49ers expose our offense, which they did, and then if the offense would "figure it out" which they did. I expected our O to do this in the second game. I was encouraged to see them already beginning to key in on their coverage in the 3rd quarter.

I was happy because I didn't think Houston's defense gave us the test of a top 10 defense we needed. Well we got that for the 49ers. I feel ready for the playoffs.

But the only thing that will make me more optimistic than I already was, is if we get Gronkowski back, keep him healthy, and get him in playoff game shape quickly. Time to see Hernandez and Gronk back on the field at the same time.

 

[BadMoFo]

And what happened to Chandler Jones?

 

[satz]

It feels like more like the 07 gainst game 16.
we where right there , inches.

Harbaugh and his team outcoached BB and our team. I say team as in games we have seem mayo and vince do alot ingame adjustment which where missing.

next time we know we can beat the best of the NFC. till now we assumed that the NFC has the strongest teams. Another side effect we knock GB out of the Bye and in the 49rs path. That is the one team that can run with us if we make it to the SB.

 

[Chopblock CB]

Ya..this might have cost us a latter round home playoff game...and yes...they were down by 28 and made an amazing comeback......but it is all overshadowed by an abysmal first half and a pathetic special teams breakdown totally switched the momentum. Even more pathetic was the next series..the go pinned back...sacked twice and didn't counterpunch the punch in the mouth As mentioned here...hopefully this will be a learning tool for the pats....

 

[Chopblock CB]

BTW...Arrington SUCKS!!!!! He's more of a determent to the team then a help

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Superstitiously speaking, you got the egg laying out of the way before the playoffs. However, teams don't make the Super Bowl two years in a row very often, so I'm not having visions of grandeur this season. The team is as talented as it's been in 5 years, but odds stack up against you and bounces don't always go your way.

The league doesn't have a juggernaut this year, so who knows what happens. Either way, I think 2013 is the year to talk about the Super Bowl for us.

 

[Sivy]

No. #2 seed gone which means more games on road. Pats play better at home in playoffs

True, except when they get killed by the Jets and the Ravens in the playoff. But we wont count that.

As for the OP. Yes I am. The team had no quit. Brady is the best ever and no one else could have done what he did last night.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I hate to be a downer, but last night's loss was huge. I'm not talking about morale, I'm talking about the playoffs. Yes, we have owned Denver's defense, but I would be close 100% sure we'd beat Denver at home, and I'm not optimistic about traveling to a one of the toughest stadiums in the NFL in January to face a top-5 defense led by one of the best QBs of all-time on a week's rest. The Brady-Manning rivalry is almost always won by the home team, and I can already foresee the 2 BS PI calls Manning gets, with even a 30 point lead feeling like it's coming down to the last play.

Sorry, but there isn't much rah-rah here. Glad to see the Pats had fight in them, but ultimately that L could be very costly.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm not more optimistic, but I'm not worried either. Much of what we saw last night is correctable.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Superstitiously speaking, you got the egg laying out of the way before the playoffs. However, teams don't make the Super Bowl two years in a row very often, so I'm not having visions of grandeur this season. The team is as talented as it's been in 5 years, but odds stack up against you and bounces don't always go your way.

The league doesn't have a juggernaut this year, so who knows what happens. Either way, I think 2013 is the year to talk about the Super Bowl for us.

Well we won 2 in a row before.

And if the Bills can make it 4 years in a row so can we. Personally I'm shooting for 4 in a row

And then rename the Superbowl, The Patriots Bowl.

 

[Danger Zone]

It feels like more like the 07 gainst game 16.
we where right there , inches.

Harbaugh and his team outcoached BB and our team. I say team as in games we have seem mayo and vince do alot ingame adjustment whic h where missing.

next time we know we can beat the best of the NFC. till now we assumed that the NFC has the strongest teams. Another side effect we knock GB out of the Bye and in the 49rs path. That is the one team that can run with us if we make it to the SB.

Outcoached? I dont think so. 1st half maybe, 2nd half no.

We threw 2 picks boith of which could be argued was not Bradys fault -one of which definitley wasnt).

We fumbled twice. Didnt recover once.

49s threw one pick.

49ers fumbled SIX times. We recovered only once.


It was just one of those bad-bounce games in the NFL. It happens. I ended up being incredibly proud of our boys.

 

[Patstopia]

I had this game as loss in my season predictions, but I have us beating them in the big game. So I am sad they lost, but not any less optimistic. I would have been crazy upset if the game ended with a score like the first half. But now we know what we know and next time we will be expecting a tough game and not expecting just to roll. Onwards and upwards no sense looking back now.

 

[Kontradiction]

BTW...Arrington SUCKS!!!!! He's more of a determent to the team then a help

Bull. Arrington is fine when he's lining up where he's supposed to be: as a nickelback. When he is thrust into the role of being an outside corner lined up against the opposing team's number one, he doesn't fit.

 

[satz]

Outcoached? I dont think so. 1st half maybe, 2nd half no.

That is what i am saying. How many times have you felt that we where outcoached for a entire half. after the first drives BB was on the sidelines with a marker and going over pictures. I have seen him make adjustments with the white board but not use the formation pictures to see what the heck was going on defensively.