After overachieving looking to 2014

[chasa]

What an incredible year by the pats. Super proud of this team.

Anytime you go into a season with the second youngest team in the league its going to be tough, But then to lose all of the defensive leaders(wilfork, Mayo), Their backups (kelly, Spikes) Play multiple games without your number 1 CB(talib) And before the season even starts you lose your number 1 tight end to more surgery on his arm, your number 2 te to ******ation and murder, And you come into the season with 3 rookies, 1 backup slot guy, a new number one slot guy(who you lose week 1)

It's INCREDIBLE how we made it to the AFCCG.

Moving into 2014, we have 2 young receivers who should excel, kids that got more playing time then they could have ever expected coming into the season(dobson, thompkins) We have 2 young Defensive linemen who were expected to be third stringers who came in and exceled and got better as the season went along.

We have a young CB who has shown signs of being a future number 1

We are only a couple of pieces away, and this offseason cant possibly be as bad as the one we had the year before.

The future is incredibly bright for us pats fans.

 

[billdog3484]

Brady's 37, we have no passing weapons...doesnt seem so bright to me

 

[Rob0729]

Brady's 37, we have no passing weapons...doesnt seem so bright to me

The Pats just played in the AFCCG. I agree it is doom and gloom all around.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

This team is encouraging, should be competitive as long as Brady is here. Unfortunately the pass rush continues to disappear in the biggest games and our secondary is not good enough without Talib (who is not durable enough to rely on that heavily). Even when the D does perform somewhat decent, they can't hold the lead at the end. Doesn't get off the field enough, doesn't create turnovers.

 

[Rob0729]

The Pats will get back Mayo, Gronk, and Vollmer. Dobson and Thompkins should take second year jumps. Collins looks like he could be a stud as soon as next year. Vince and Kelly could be back.

I think with a few moves and a good draft, the Pats should be the favorites to win the AFC next year going into the season.

 

[MossWelkowski]

The Pats will get back Mayo, Gronk, and Vollmer. Dobson and Thompkins should take second year jumps. Collins looks like he could be a stud as soon as next year. Vince and Kelly could be back.

I think with a few moves and a good draft, the Pats should be the favorites to win the AFC next year going into the season.

Until they get injured

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I'm still proud of this team, as is Bill

We overcame so much.

With all of the key injuries, our talent level was below average for a Patriots team in the Belichick era.

We were beaten by a team with a lot more healthy playmakers

It happens.

Problem is, injured players have a tendency to come back either with diminished skills or come back and get re-injured, Not always, but often

Thus we need an offseason talent upgrade IMO

but I am still proud that this team won a division, made their 8th "final four" since 2001, and came within a 2 pt conversion of at least making it very interesting

 

[Baboon]

Re: I'm still proud of this team, as is Bill

The coaching staff was amazing this season. The way they kept the team together after all the key injuries, and the development of some of the younger talent was simply a work of art.

The pats will be better next year. I believe they will be once more the premiere pre-season pick for the superbowl. But nothing in the pre-season ever turns out to be the way things end.

Maybe after watching Manning hoist the trophy over his head this year, Brady and others will come back with new fire.

 

[mgteich]

Bury The Ball

As Belichick once said about another game, we should bury the ball and look forward (Miami game in 2001 I think). We were beaten badly and soundly by a better team. Belichick had no problem recognizing this. We should also. We had a great season. We need to look forward.

IMHO, our defense was decimated by injuries. Our defense had little chance once Talib was gone. In addition to all those defensive players on IR, the only healthy corner was Ryan. We can blame this defense all we want. They were on the field for three solid quarters and the offense had scored 3 points (could have been 6). Even after Talib was out, the defense kept it close enough for a fight if the offense was up to it. BUT, THE DEFENSE certainly deserves much blame for not even coming close to Manning (was his shirt even dirty?).

On offense, we were using Slater as a downfield threat! Dobson, Amendola and Brady were all playing with injuries. Thompkins was out. DEN properly decided to stop the run. Brady was "free" to compete with our passing game. Brady missed two wide open receivers on passes that would have meant point on the board. BTW, the patriots effectiveness on long balls (more than 25 yards) was 31st in the league.

 

[mgteich]

With a few moves and a good draft, DEN will still be favorites, but that's fine.

The Pats will get back Mayo, Gronk, and Vollmer. Dobson and Thompkins should take second year jumps. Collins looks like he could be a stud as soon as next year. Vince and Kelly could be back.

I think with a few moves and a good draft, the Pats should be the favorites to win the AFC next year going into the season.

 

[BelichickFan]

Brady's 37, we have no passing weapons

We have one of the best in the league, he's Probable for Week 1 (knee).

 

[Lansdowne]

If this team can stay healthy for just one year, JUST ONE, imagine the possibilities.

 

[patsfan-1982]

I don't think they were overachieving at all who other the Denver was better then the pats in the AFC even with the injuries ? they had the #2 seed and that's were they end it the season as #2 in the AFC.

but I will say it would be nice to have Gronk at 100% for the full playoff season that would give Brady that one super star he need to open thing up for the mid level guys

 

[BradyBranch39]

If this team can stay healthy for just one year, JUST ONE, imagine the possibilities.

Won't ever happen until Tom Gill is gone.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

Won't ever happen until Tom Gill is gone.

Please explain to me how that's the case. Even if you blame him for Gronkowski taking so long to get back on the field, how is he at fault for anyone else?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I don't think they were overachieving at all

Setting aside free agency, the Pats lose The Jack*** Who Shall Not Be Named. . . . then they lose Vereen and Amendola in Week 1. Then some of the rookies get hurt . . . they get Amendola back, and then they lose Wilfork and Mayo . . . and then they get GRONK back and lose Kelly and Vollmer . . . and then they lose GRONK again. Throw in injuries to Dennard and Talib and McCourty and Spikes, and, oh yeah, Brady, and it's really easy to see how the Patriots could have decided "You know what, this just isn't our year" and run out the string. Shut down Brady for the season, see what Mallett can do, develop the rookies without pressure, actually get top-20 draft picks of their own,* etc.

The overachieving isn't relative to the rest of the NFL per se, but the normal fate of teams that suffer as many catastrophic losses as the Patriots did.


*That hasn't happened since 2003, BTW.

 

[Gronkandez]

Gronkowski, Talib ,Amendola can't stay healthy. Wilfolk is coming off Achilles surgery counts 7m on the cap.ridley can't hold on to the ball. Vereen is just ok.

When I watched the NFCC game I was amazed at the talent on both teams. SF especially, too bad their QB is a knucklehead and not too bright.

 

[chumpchange]

Brady's 37, we have no passing weapons...doesnt seem so bright to me

I can't figure out why people are so doom and gloom about Brady's age. Times have changed, science has advanced in keeping players healthy, and rules favoring quarterbacks mean that these guys have much less wear and tear in their mid-thirties than NFL QBs used to have. I see Brady maintaining a very high level of performance.

 

[DarrylS]

Back in April the plan was to compliment AH, a later returning Gronk, Edelman, Amendola and working some rookies into this offense.... our run O was to keep the opposing D honest.

Our D was built around Wilfork, Mayo with some older players and some young'uns.. our D backfield was Talib, McCourty and some new guys...

None of this worked out... but as we are the second youngest team in the NFL and there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Brady is 37, and shows no sign of diminished talent or desire to win..

Looking forward to all of the offseason stuff, the OTA's and then training camp to start the season all over again... with high hopes.

 

[AzorianPats]

Gronkowski, Talib ,Amendola can't stay healthy. Wilfolk is coming off Achilles surgery counts 7m on the cap.ridley can't hold on to the ball. Vereen is just ok.

When I watched the NFCC game I was amazed at the talent on both teams. SF especially, too bad their QB is a knucklehead and not too bright.

I said this in another thread but SF and Seattle are absolutely loaded, but they are doing that with 2 up and coming Qb's on cheap 2nd-3rd round rookie contracts. That's why Seattle were such players at FA last year getting guys like Avril and Bennett, and trading for Harvin. Not to mention, they still have Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor and Okung on rookie contracts. When those 4 plus Wilson comes up, they'll be lucky if they can keep 2 of those guys.

Same with SF. They already made a tough decision last year letting Goldson walk. They might let Whitner and Boldin walk this off season. Try are already tight to the cap as is, and there's already talk of Kaepernick contract extension possibly being in the $18-20 mil a year range. They also have Aldon Smith, Crabtree, Iupati contracts to look forward to.

After all the injuries we took this season, and another AFC championship appearence, I don't think there's a team with better depth then us.