What was the scariest moment for you in the 2006 Patriots season?

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Well, we obviously didn't need him to win since he was hurt in the early going.

Now how as a coach are you going to know that?

Bill Belichick is not a mind reader,nor a forecast of how the game was going to go before the kickoff.

 

[WhiZa]

The potential Brady injury didn't scare me as much since he seemed to get up from it.

The Seau injury was my scariest since there was no true backup for him and the rest of the game they ran right up the middle with ease.

 

[richpats]

Now how as a coach are you going to know that?

Bill Belichick is not a mind reader,nor a forecast of how the game was going to go before the kickoff.

He probably knew that he risked not having a key player for the playoffs by playing him in a game that wouldn't have shortened their playoff run anyways.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

He probably knew that he risked not having a key player for the playoffs by playing him in a game that wouldn't have shortened their playoff run anyways.

You could say that he should have sat Brady, Seymour, Warren and Wilfork too since they are just as important. If not, even more so to the team for the playoff run too, correct?

 

[richpats]

You could say that he should have sat Brady,Seymour,Warren and Wilfork too since they re just as important,If not even more so to the team for the playoff run too,Correct?

Absolutely! I cringed for most of the game, watching our guys play in that mudbog. Brady almost had his knee taken out one play.

I would have taken 11-5 and a healthy Harrison into the playoffs over 12-4 and no Harrison.

 

[zippo59]

Absolutely! I cringed for most of the game, watching our guys play in that mudbog. Brady almost had his knee taken out one play.

I would have taken 11-5 and a healthy Harrison into the playoffs over 12-4 and no Harrison.

They played to win the game, which is what they should have done given the circumstance. Your hindsight based opinion does not change that.

 

[richpats]

They played to win the game, which is what they should have done given the circumstance. Your hindsight based opinion does not change that.

Hindsight my a_s, I started a thread 2 days before that game saying that BB should rest everybody:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showpost.php?p=274140&postcount=1

 

[BelichickFan]

Scariest for me ? When we were up 21-3 against Indy only to allow a TD at the end of the half. 21-10 with them getting the ball back to start the second half - realizing that what had seemed like a lock barring a total meltdown was now a close game if the high scoring Colts scored on the opening drive of the second half.

My fear was realized

 

[zippo59]

Hindsight my a_s, I started a thread 2 days before that game saying that BB should rest everybody:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showpost.php?p=274140&postcount=1

Hindsight in that there was no way Belichick could have known it would be like this:

11-5 and a healthy Harrison into the playoffs over 12-4 and no Harrison.

Belichick saw that he had an opportunity to get his team a higher seed and along with that a higher chance of hosting the conference championship game. And I don't blame him one bit for trying.

 

[zippo59]

Scariest for me ? When we were up 21-3 against Indy only to allow a TD at the end of the half. 21-10 with them getting the ball back to start the second half - realizing that what had seemed like a lock barring a total meltdown was now a close game if the high scoring Colts scored on the opening drive of the second half.

My fear was realized

They only got a field goal. It was 21-6 at half time.

 

[BelichickFan]

They only got a field goal. It was 21-6 at half time.

OK, right, so to be accurate, it was when they kicked the FG and I realized that a TD on the opening drive put them within a TD.

 

[zippo59]

When you found out that Maroney had some kind of shoulder problem and possibly was out a few games and may not be the same runner as in the first 1/4 of the year?

I don't know for sure but I don't think we knew this at the time.

 

[richpats]

Hindsight in that there was no way Belichick could have known it would be like this:



Belichick saw that he had an opportunity to get his team a higher seed and along with that a higher chance of hosting the conference championship game. And I don't blame him one bit for trying.

Stay with me here- he knew that he risked losing a key player by putting him in the lineup, just like every game. This isn't hindsight, it's common sense.

 

[BWareofDWare]

Can you explain putting Cassel in at QB with a 3-point lead in the 4th quarter?

Cassel didn't have a lot of meaningful experience up until then, this gave them a chance to see what he could do in a game that meant something.

 

[BWareofDWare]

They played to win the game, which is what they should have done given the circumstance. Your hindsight based opinion does not change that.

Exactly, Belichick plays each week to win that weeks game, unless they have their playoff spot 100% secured. It's what has made him and the team great.

 

[zippo59]

Stay with me here- he knew that he risked losing a key player by putting him in the lineup, just like every game. This isn't hindsight, it's common sense.

You can't play this game scared. Injuries are going to happen. Risk does not equal automatic injury. He accepted the risk of an injury in an attempt to get a higher seeding. Clearly he (and I) valued a higher seeding more than you did. The Colts played their starters the entire last game to ensure that they got the number three seed and in the end it paid off.

 

[belichickaholic]

The loss at Miami. The o-line was terrible that whole game. At that point, I started wondering why they played relatively poorly in some of the biggest games of the year. Denver, Indy, and the Jets. But then I just shrugged it off and said wth, you can't win 'em all!!

 

[richpats]

You can't play this game scared. Injuries are going to happen. Risk does not equal automatic injury. He accepted the risk of an injury in an attempt to get a higher seeding. Clearly he (and I) valued a higher seeding more than you did. The Colts played their starters the entire last game to ensure that they got the number three seed and in the end it paid off.

So why did Belichick rest every key player against the Fins in the '05 finale? He had an even better chance of getting the 3 seed that year (and would have, b/c Cincy lost that day).

I value the healthiest team possible over a 3 seed. Belichick did back in '05 and should have done the same last year. There's a difference between playing scared and playing smart.

As for the Colts, they knew the stakes since the Pats won earlier that day. Win and get the 3 seed, simple as that. They had to play their starters. They controlled their own destiny, the Pats did not.

 

[DaBruinz]

Stay with me here- he knew that he risked losing a key player by putting him in the lineup, just like every game. This isn't hindsight, it's common sense.

So, what you are saying is that BB should KNOW that scumbags like Bobby Wade are going to purposely go at Rodney's knees so BB should bench Rodney for all games except when they are critical?

Give me a frigging break. The Pats wanted home field advantage and needed a win against the Titans to get that. There is no way that BB or anyone else could have know what a cheating team Jeff Fisher runs there. Fisher's teams hadn't been known for playing dirty like that.

 

[DaBruinz]

So why did Belichick rest every key player against the Fins in the '05 finale? He had an even better chance of getting the 3 seed that year (and would have, b/c Cincy lost that day).

I value the healthiest team possible over a 3 seed. Belichick did back in '05 and should have done the same last year. There's a difference between playing scared and playing smart.

As for the Colts, they knew the stakes since the Pats won earlier that day. Win and get the 3 seed, simple as that. They had to play their starters. They controlled their own destiny, the Pats did not.

In 2005, the Pats wanted to play the Jaguars and not the Steelers because the Steelers were the hottest team in football going into the play-offs. That is why Belichick "rested every key player" against the Phins.

In 2006, the Pats didn't control their destiny because of losing to the Colts earlier in the season. But they damn well made it hard for the Colts to get the seeding they wanted by the Pats winning the game against the Titans.