Im already over the loss. Next year is the year.

[VectorPrime]

The Patriots got outplayed, it sucks but its what it is. At least it was tonight and not in the SB since they clearly weren't going to beat the 49ers at half strength like they were. Nothing we can do about that now so stop worrying about it.

Anyway, aside from Brady who will unfortunately get a year older, the rest of the team is young on both sides of the ball. Brady still has 3 to 4 great years left. Thats a fact, his strength has always been in football smarts. Never his legs (lol) and never his arm. That isn't going away.

With Ridley and Vereen (and Woodhead/Bolden depending on what happens there) the running game will be fully utilized. Its for real and its not going anywhere. The defense is 1 or 2 pieces away (perhaps an additional safety or defensive end) from being great as long as they resign Talib, which I suspect they will. A healthy Chandler Jones and Hightower will be an additional force on the defense. Seriously, go down the list on defense, everyone is young and signed aside from Talib.

On offense they need to resign Welker and I bet they do. Maybe the Pats can take a look at Greg Jennings to go opposite lloyd on the outside. With Gronk and Hernandez having a fresh start at health it can only get better on that end. The o-line is extremely young and an additional offseason will finally give them some continuity.

Basically people need to calm down and realize how good the Pats have it going forward. The AFC will only get weaker around the Pats (aside from the Texans who are a complete toss up at this point). The Broncos and Steelers are stagnating and this really is the Ravens last hurrah for a while. Look forward to minicamp in May.

PS: Id really appreciate it if this thread is not merged since all the other threads are currently ranting about the perceived downfall of our team.

 

[Petersen23]

well said sir, could not agree more... alot to look forward too; Pats still have a great team. They will be back

 

[thenepatsrule]

Well said my friend, well said. I gave up hope when Talib was out ,because lets admit it we were literally back to being the team which was 3-3 / 1-2 at the start of the season. Flacco (or even tim tebow for that matter) had his way with the D from there on. It would have hurt more if we would have lost the SB to the niners.

 

[BradyBranch39]

Entering today, we had a 1:4 chance of winning the Lombardi. Next year's odds are much lower.

 

[Brady2Moss]

I think these last few years have just beat any optimism I have left in this team, they always find ways to lose in the playoffs now.

Defense gave the offense numerous chances in the first half to score and Brady and Co pooped themselves. Eventually the dam burst which is what we all knew would happen and the defense exploded.

Next year they'll win 10-12 games maybe win the divisional round thats about it until they grow some balls.

 

[DocHoliday]

Too true.

We were never going to beat the 49ers. Better to lose now than in back to back SBs. That would have broken the team's back.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Over it? Or just getting used to it?

 

[blackglass3]

Another "Next Year" thread...can't we just sticky one? In 05 it was Wait till we don't get a screwy DPI and end zone pick. In 06 it was wait till our WR's are top notch and the D gets better. In 07 wait till we get revenge from 42. In 08 it was wait till Brady's back. In 09 it was wait till this D gets better. In 10 it was wait till this D gets better. In 11 it was wait till this D gets better. And now in 12 I am supposed to believe THIS be the D's turning point? Please.

 

[WhiZa]

Is it weird that after the loss I was hoping we would squeak into the playoffs and be the underdog rather than get HFA again?

 

[deters]

ill be over it the minute those **** ravens get their **** kicked by the 49'ers

 

[IllegalContact]

brady is simply too old to be counted on for the magnitude of his responsibilities in the offense.....the pats need to become even more sun oriented.

guys his age begin to become more complementary because as the possibility of their injury increases, the more you have to have a scheme that your next guy won't get lost in until he is ready

as is, brady is going to wind up another warren moon

 

[Lansdowne]

Another "Next Year" thread...can't we just sticky one? In 05 it was Wait till we don't get a screwy DPI and end zone pick. In 06 it was wait till our WR's are top notch and the D gets better. In 07 wait till we get revenge from 42. In 08 it was wait till Brady's back. In 09 it was wait till this D gets better. In 10 it was wait till this D gets better. In 11 it was wait till this D gets better. And now in 12 I am supposed to believe THIS be the D's turning point? Please.

Amen. And don't get me wrong, I appreciate the optimism by the OP. But it's now 8 years straight of having the best QB and best coach in the league and still having this team fall short and thinking "gee, a whole year from now things will be better". I feel like I've aged faster looking into the future too often, even though that's not at all true. It's just perplexing that this team can knock on the door so many times in the last 8 years and still not have it answered. Some will call that line of thinking "entitlement", but I think I'm allowed to have high hopes for such a great tandem.

It's the race against time. Brady turns 36 next season.

 

[jcrack]

So if one of the main players suffers a season ending injury in week 1, will you say next year again? Sorry but the Pats were a few good quarters from getting to the SB and you never know what would of happened against SF. I dont know how youre over a loss not even 2 hours after the game when youre that close to another SB birth.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

They should be as good if not better next year and they get another kick at the can. Maybe they have some better players and a couple injuries dont hurt as much, maybe even better they dont get injuries to two of the top 3 or 4 key players at the wrong time.
Either way Ill enjoy another great year from the Pats and hopefully not listen to a bunch of 21 year olds whining that they didnt win, Brady sucks and is old and is a fraidy cat (that one took the cake for most senseless vent of the night), they got punched in the mouth blah blah.
This team has more balls that some of you get will ever have, grow the eff up, quit whining like little girls and enjoy what you seeing cause it aint lasting forever.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

brady is simply too old to be counted on for the magnitude of his responsibilities in the offense.....the pats need to become even more sun oriented.

guys his age begin to become more complementary because as the possibility of their injury increases, the more you have to have a scheme that your next guy won't get lost in until he is ready

as is, brady is going to wind up another warren moon

The worst part of losing is what it brings out on this message board. I'm assuming as well as being a resident closet hater you drank your dinner.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I was over it as i was leaving the stadium. The last 2 SB losses has really put it into perspective for me. Love my pats and going to these playoff games and will never stop loving this team..but i am not going to sit and sulk for a week after losses anymore and won't after this one. We lost to the better team...not some BS call late in the 4th ect. I took the last SB lose horribly as in not sleeping ect. But realized this year..it's not worth it..at all


They will be in the final 8 next year again. Will win the division ect. Future looks bright with this team even with brady getting older. He will still be able to get it done.

 

[ausbacker]

The worst part of losing is what it brings out on this message board. I'm assuming as well as being a resident closet hater you drank your dinner.

It's difficult not to agree that for too long the Patriots have relied on the brilliance of Brady to get them out of tight spots. Naturally, the finger pointing begins with him.

Truthfully, I'm more annoyed with Belichick, McDaniels and Patricia. They were thrashed after half time. I fear groupthink may permeate the New England coaching panel. Their level of success has been amazing but those final steps to the summit feel oh so far away right now.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Another "Next Year" thread...can't we just sticky one? In 05 it was Wait till we don't get a screwy DPI and end zone pick. In 06 it was wait till our WR's are top notch and the D gets better. In 07 wait till we get revenge from 42. In 08 it was wait till Brady's back. In 09 it was wait till this D gets better. In 10 it was wait till this D gets better. In 11 it was wait till this D gets better. And now in 12 I am supposed to believe THIS be the D's turning point? Please.

You should migrate to a fan base that doesn't have to suffer any next year threads. Call when you find one. Most fan bases are subjected to decades of even approaching seriously competing. Ravens fans been waiting for 12 years...during which they attempted to scrimp on offense and the QB position...

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

brady is simply too old to be counted on for the magnitude of his responsibilities in the offense.....the pats need to become even more sun oriented.

No he is not. This year they had a running attack that took most of the pressure on him..but in the crunch..you need to rely on your QB these days in the NFL..this isn't the 70s anymore and with brady...90% of the time you can rely on him...jesus losses make people morons

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It's difficult not to agree that for too long the Patriots have relied on the brilliance of Brady to get them out of tight spots. Naturally, the finger pointing begins with him.

Truthfully, I'm more annoyed with Belichick, McDaniels and Patricia. They were thrashed after half time. I fear groupthink may permeate the New England coaching panel. Their level of success has been amazing but those final steps to the summit feel oh so far away right now.

Me too. I long for the days when Belichick actually paid attention to what was happening when the offense was on the field instead of assuming... He spent all game again coaching up the defense and it only seemed to make matters worse. Remember in the first superbowl when the Pats missed on the fade and on the next play Belichick had Charlie call it again only as an out and up because he saw something in the way they were defending the play? TD...

They have become too reliant on scheme.