Still a SB chance after losing Gronk?

[Ring 6]

Agree completely, but they are able to get him into mismatch situations that they exploit really well.

It helps that we can put 3-4 WRs out there that are dangerous as well.

 

[Ivan]

I don't see a team that scares me.
The defense needs to get better to make me more confident, but BB always prepares them well for big games.
Offensively, I actually think we may have somewhat of an advantage of being totally unpredictable.
I think it is possible to make Vereen the focal point of the passing game, almost eliminate the TE position, and have a stable of WRs with varied skills that can exploit the weaknesses of any secondary. Boyce showed a skillset today that the others lacked. Amendola is looking effective in the spread when we use it and may have a larger role with Gronk done. We have seen what Dobson and Thompkins can do, and hopefully they will be healthy. Edelman is kind of everyman who can fill most roles at a fair level of skill although not excelling at any, which makes him effective in the right matchups.
We have to pass block. If we do that extremely well, we will win the SB.

Agree completely. This season has a long way to go and this team has heart and character, I won't be counting them out until the clock does.

 

[Ring 6]

You sure as hell can't consider them favorites but the play-offs is a season onto itself, and any team can come out on top. The 2001 Patriots weren't anywhere near as talented or tested as this Patriots team and faced a SB Champion and beat them. The 2007 Giants came within a hair of missing the play-offs altogether and beat one of the greatest team's in NFL history, and last year's Ravens had no business winning a SB and ended up hoisting the Lombardi. The season isn't over, and the Patriots aren't the only team that suffers major injuries, so we really won't even know what the Play-off team's are looking like until the play-offs get here. I'm not rooting for injury to any team or player but they are a fact of life, and we could end up seeing Denver or Seattle, or another prime contender without a major piece when that time comes. Bottom line, I can see no reason why anyone would quit on this team even with the major injuries they have had.

Regardless of what happens from here on out this team has showed they are never out of any game, they never give up, and they can beat anyone regardless of the circumstances. And whether they win a SB this season or not they have created a character for this team going forward that will someday lead them to hold the Lombardi again. They are young and the young player's are getting thrown into the fire and tested as hard as can be. it isn't pretty but you could not have a better training ground for young players than this season has been for the Patriots. I love the way this team plays even though they have serious issues, I think they will continue to battle their @sses off for the rest of the season, and they will benefit greatly from all of this over the next few years.

Assuming a 1 or 2 seed, you have a home game probably vs Indy, Cincy or KC leading to the AFCCG, which could be at home.
There is no one showing up for that AFCCG that I don't like our chances against.
Securing the 2, or better yet 1 (sucks that Denver has such a cake schedule) seed is important.

 

[terabthia2]

Losing Gronk REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY sucks. I mean REALLY sucks. :steamed:

Did I mention REALLY sucks???

But they're still the Pats. Overcoming adversity is their stock in trade.

Ya gotta believe...and I believe!!!!!

Screw the Chicken Littles!! :rocker:

 

[PatriotsInGA]

The more I think about it, this could be a team of destiny. That's crazy but hear me out:

• This is the only Massachusetts pro team left to be playing it's first season since the Marathon Bombings in April.

• The Sox went on to have a historic season this year complete with many miracles themselves. Just like the Bruins did to the SCF in June. And just like the Pats are doing now.

Who's to say this team can't be the next team of destiny? Cheesy? Yes. Improbable? Hell no.

 

[Observer]

We have as good a chance as some other teams I think (other than Denver who have to be favorites). The loss of Gronkowski is gigantic, especially with our OL already struggling even with him there. I am worried our running game is going to suffer and we absolutely cannot suffer any more injuries on that line at this point.

 

[A man named Brady]

Brady would have to play lights out 3 straight games in The playoffs

 

[Ring 6]

Brady would have to play lights out 3 straight games in The playoffs

I'll take that bet, as long as he is protected.
If Brady has time to throw, the Patriots have always been virtually unbeatable.

 

[Fencer]

Somewhat more than a puncher's chance. For example, if we subtract all the contributions Gronk, Vince, and SeaBass made before their season-ending injuries, the Pats would probably still be division leader. And without those three injuries, the season-ending injuries would mainly be one Pro Bowler and one other starter -- not remarkable in the overall scheme of things.

I.e., current talent is a legitimate playoff team, and any playoff team with a superb quarterback has more than a puncher's chance in the postseason.

 

[Ivan]

Anyone who watched the Bruins and Patriot's games in the last 24 hours knows the answer to this question. The much better question is why anyone would quit on this team? Did it just get harder, yep, sure did, is it still a real possibility, yep, it is.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

The way they played against Cleveland and Campbell? At home in Dec?
A horrible effort all the way around besides the last 2 min of that game. No gronk? Screwed.

O line when pressured just folds. We all know how the pats play against physical Ds in the playoffs.


Injuries are just too much this year

 

[everlong]

I'll take that bet, as long as he is protected.
If Brady has time to throw, the Patriots have always been virtually unbeatable.

The problem is in the playoffs he hasn't been as often as he has been in recent years. Couple that with the worst performance during the regular season by the line perhaps in the Brady era and it doesn't look good.

 

[everlong]

Anyone who watched the Bruins and Patriot's games in the last 24 hours knows the answer to this question. The much better question is why anyone would quit on this team? Did it just get harder, yep, sure did, is it still a real possibility, yep, it is.

I don't think anybody is quitting on them and we all hope they pull off the miracle but with all the losses they've had and now to lose their second best players I don't it's unreasonable to have the opinion that the losses have been too much. It doesn't make you a bad fan. I'll be there until the final whistle of every remaining game praying they win.

 

[Ring 6]

The problem is in the playoffs he hasn't been as often as he has been in recent years. Couple that with the worst performance during the regular season by the line perhaps in the Brady era and it doesn't look good.

Every recent playoff loss has been primarily due to a bad job of protecting Brady.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think anybody is quitting on them and we all hope they pull off the miracle but with all the losses they've had and now to lose their second best players I don't it's unreasonable to have the opinion that the losses have been too much. It doesn't make you a bad fan. I'll be there until the final whistle of every remaining game praying they win.

Rather than looking at who isn't here, lets look at who is.
What teams do you think we can't beat?

Remember, we are likely to have a bye.
That means a home game vs Cincy, Indy or KC probably. I love our chances in any of those.
Then that means another one of them or Denver in the AFCCG.
I give us a strong chance in that as well.

 

[aluminum seats]

We have to pass block. If we do that extremely well, we will win the SB.

I don't if I'd go quite that far, but you're 1000% correct that protecting Brady would likely be the difference, Gronk or not. If Brady has time, then I like their chances.

 

[SVN]

No. People are underestimating the loss of gronk a bit and relying on AD/KT and boyce etc. Well..they are all rookies. And a defense like balitmore or cincy will take those guys out of the game. We saw what happened last yr with no gronk. We had welker and hernandez. Its fun to think on paper to put these 5 fast WR in spread and go wide and all that but its a fantasy. Not to mention AD and KT are not healthy and AD was seen with a walking boot today.
And also we are missing both vollmer and cannon. Our OL is playing average.
They might have had a chance if our D was like the first half of the season but right now we are close to last in 3rd down defense and close to last on rush defense. That is recipe for failure.
Enjoy the fight in the team and see where it goes but I would temper expectations. Just my 2 cents.

 

[SVN]

Rather than looking at who isn't here, lets look at who is.
What teams do you think we can't beat?

Remember, we are likely to have a bye.
That means a home game vs Cincy, Indy or KC probably. I love our chances in any of those.
Then that means another one of them or Denver in the AFCCG.
I give us a strong chance in that as well.

Not really sure about the bye. We have to win out with 2 tough road games ahead and cincy on the heels. Cincy has steelers/vikings/ravens with last 2 at home. They might very well get the bye which means ravens/dolphins/chargers at pats in the first round

 

[Ring 6]

No. People are underestimating the loss of gronk a bit and relying on AD/KT and boyce etc. Well..they are all rookies. And a defense like balitmore or cincy will take those guys out of the game. We saw what happened last yr with no gronk. We had welker and hernandez. Its fun to think on paper to put these 5 fast WR in spread and go wide and all that but its a fantasy. Not to mention AD and KT are not healthy and AD was seen with a walking boot today.
And also we are missing both vollmer and cannon. Our OL is playing average.
They might have had a chance if our D was like the first half of the season but right now we are close to last in 3rd on defense and close to last on rush defense. That is recipe for failure.
Enjoy the fight in the team and see where it goes but I would temper expectations. Just my 2 cents.

Why temper expectations?
They are most likely going to have a week 1 bye, and a home divisional round game vs Indy, Cincy or KC. Are your expectations low there?
Then an AFCCG either at home or in Denver. I expect a very very competitive Patriot team there.
Are those kind of expectations the ones you would temper? I wouldn't.

 

[SVN]

Every recent playoff loss has been primarily due to a bad job of protecting Brady.

Well..teams have taken out our best players and we have missed gronk in all those playoff losses. Others havent been able to get open and make plays. And our D has been average in the playoffs. And this yr with the injuries we might have another bad defense of all the teams except maybe indy and to some extent denver.