Thoughts on this season

[YearbookCurfew]

First off, I am more than a little disappointed that the Pats didn't get a chance to raise a fourth Lombardi trophy, but I am incredibly proud of the Pats this season. I think the turning point was when we were facing the Bills. They went into the locker room, came back out and pounded the Bills and showed them that they were a team with tenacity. They could fall behind (I think it was 21 points) and come back and win. I honestly didn't think we would make it this far in the playoffs. I didn't even think we would get a first or second round bye. Given the amount of injuries this year, I think we did pretty damn well. And, even though we didn't make it to the Super Bowl, I'm still proud to be a New England Patriots fan. We had a pretty great season, and we have one of the best (if not the best) QB and Coach combination in the league. I am more excited than ever to see who we draft, and what the upcoming season has in store for us.

What about you? What was your favorite moment from this season?

Hang in there people! Remember, there is always next season.

Go Patriots! :rocker:

 

[Efstratios]

For me, it has to be the regular season game against the Texans. It was hyped up as one of the biggest match ups of the season, and the Pats just went in and played one of their best games this season.

I'm also quite pleased with the emergence of certain players (Ninko in particular), along with the improvement over last year's secondary.

 

[josh24]

Another great season run in the 2nd half of the season and playoffs put down brutally by a team that executed better in the game.

 

[NEboiTB]

One of the best things to take away from this year is that we have a defense that is a couple of pieces away (mostly at DB) from being one of the better units in the league. To go from being a laughing stock defense to one that at some points this season were shutting teams down is very reassuring moving on to next season.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Another great season run in the 2nd half of the season and playoffs put down brutally by a team that executed better in the game.

Again, how differently does this game turn out if the Pats have GRONK?

 

[BradyBranch39]

Again, how differently does this game turn out if the Pats have GRONK?

not at all. 1 guy doesn't change anything when 40 other guys play like ****.

 

[Ifleninwasawizard]

This season gave us the hope of being a top D next year. Tons of important players making the second year leap.

Jones, Dennard, and Hightower are all going to be top flight starters going into the future for us. Wilson and Francis could be major contributors two.

We have the blueprint for a really good D next year. I think we'll resign him, and having all solid starters in our secondary for a whole year could be huge.

 

[coolguy]

The loss itself isn't that bad....it's the way the ravens man handled the patriots on both sides of the ball that makes me question the team.

 

[Fencer]

not at all. 1 guy doesn't change anything when 40 other guys play like ****.

I disagree. It would have made a huge difference if Brady had a guy who do what Boldin did, and more.

Deion Branch actually got some snaps. At this stage of his career, that's a huge downgrade from Gronk ...

 

[serifyn]

We have no depth for Talib and Gronkowski. I'm not sure what the offensive gameplan was going into today, but it was terrible, on defense you can say that losing Talib was the biggest problem and screwed everything up royally.

You had the #1 scoring offense in the league this year and your defense showed significant improvements over last year (prior to this game). With another year under Dennard, Hightower and Jones, one would think this unit can only improve.

The question is whether you bring back Welker and Vollmer then hope everyone else remains healthy, or do you let Welker go and take a huge risk with Edelman, a WR draft pick and resigning Talib.

You should be set at all other positions in offense, but i don't know if you can afford to let Vollmer and Welker go, but in order to evolve as an Offense you may be forced to do so.

The Strength of this team right now is the ability to create matchup problems, but without Gronkowski, you are simply a good offensive team.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

belichick and brady outcoached out played out performed in the second half... something you have been saying for 5 years....

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We have no depth for Talib and Gronkowski. I'm not sure what the offensive gameplan was going into today, but it was terrible, on defense you can say that losing Talib was the biggest problem and screwed everything up royally.

At least for 2012, GRONK was, in an almost literal sense, irreplaceable.

Maybe there's someone coming down the pike who does everything GRONK does as well as he does, but, at least this season, no one in the league could really be a true substitute.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

belichick and brady outcoached out played out performed in the second half... something you have been saying for 5 years....

Indeed, it has become an alarming trend and is the thing that most worries about this team moving forward. Where once this team won the most important games because of superior coaching and QB it now is no longer the case. Hopefully that trend changes!

 

[Froob]

Seems like the same old story every year. #4 might just never happen . To think how close they were last year..

 

[hodgey]

This is the first time in I think more than 20 years I'm embarrassed to be a Pats Fan.. Lets stop with the ball washing crap we have to hear all year long and call this what it was. This was a beat down by an old less talented team with more fight and heart.. Time for significant changes or we'll have this conversation again much sooner than we want. Amazing how the regular BW'ers are so silent. Easy to be a front runner!

 

[hodgey]

Seems like the same old story every year. #4 might just never happen . To think how close they were last year..

I think thats why i'm so pissed. Maybe time for TB to go to a contender?

 

[hodgey]

I think thats why i'm so pissed. Maybe time for TB to go to a contender?

BTW I want to go on record I put the blame squarely on BB.

 

[PatriotFan77]

Offense was just too loaded to drop the AFCCG at home like that. It certainly didn't help not having the best TE in the league, as well as edelman. Welker is now officially a liability. Brandon Lloyd was a decent pick up but clearly not a difference maker. Tremendous depth at RB. Brady is on the decline. I put a LOT of the problems on McDaniels and I don't just mean tonight, rather all season when they struggled. Some of the play calling is mind boggling at times, especially during the losses. Stretch plays and dives to Woodhead in critical situations, horrid clock management at times, going for it on 4th down, 3rd and short (especially tonight).

 

[ensoul]

I don't believe in moral victories. The point of a season is to win a SB. If you don't then the season was a failure.