Eagle game is a G-O-O-D thing for Patriots

[RhodyPatriot]

Tough physical hard nosed close game is a good thing for the Patriots to experience this time of the year especially coming into games against the Ravens and Steelers. It's good for this team to get punched in the nose. Keeps them grounded and keeps them focused. Belichick was on the Real Post Game show at 1:00 am this morning and sounded pretty darn upbeat about the team. He was far from upset by this close win. No team is going to win big every game and no team is going to win pretty every game. Just not going to happen. The sign of a great team is to win when you don't play your best and when you come from behind to win. All credit to the Eagles for playing a great game. All credit to the Patriots for making the big plays when they had to. The sign of a great team.
Get ready for a weeks worth of "blueprint" and "exposed" talk. Didn't we hear this after the Indy game too?
Nothing has changed except new talking points for the media. :blahblah:
The ONLY team that's going to beat the New England Patriots IS the New England Patriots.
Blueprint my ***!!

 

[FrontSeven]

Tough physical hard nosed close game is a good thing for the Patriots to experience this time of the year especially coming into games against the Ravens and Steelers.

Agreed. That game did more to deflate the ego-bubble than any fifty thousand t-shirts with "eat it" written on the back.

Eat this - you can be beaten, big guy.

 

[He Ban Me]

Eagles games is ALSO goood for the rest of the league. There is hope. But, I suspect you all will come out hungrier next week.

 

[sdaniels7114]

No running it up whining to listen to this week either.

 

[He Ban Me]

No running it up whining to listen to this week either.

Amazingly, there is STILL whining from the Patriot fanbase. Like clockwork, each and every week.

 

[Buchanty]

Totally agree. This was a good game period. Excellent game plan from the Eagles and Feeley was playing out of his skin. We should never underestimate how well he played under pressure. Much has been made about our mistakes in the secondary, but more often than not it was Feeley squeezing out a great throw under heavy and relentless pressure. More than once I said out loud "how the heck did he get that off?" A.J.'s game last night merited consideration for a permanent role as starting QB, if not the Eagles then any of about 12 teams.

60 minutes has been BB's mantra all season and nowhere was it more important than last night. The Eagles deserve praise not just for the above but also for making it a 60 minute game. They never gave up. And while many believe the Eagles and the Colts have defined the blueprint to beat the Patriots, any aspiring contender has to be able to execute and do so over the entire game. Very few can.

As many have said already the team needed this - a genuine concerted and game-long challenge. This was a tempering experience that will make them stronger and more aware for the winter months.

Kudos also to the offense for weathering the pressure and still gaining over 400 yds.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Totally agree. This was a good game period. Excellent game plan from the Eagles and Feely was playing out of his skin. We should never underestimate how well he played under pressure. Much has been made about our mistakes in the secondary, but more often than not it was Feely squeezing out a great throw under heavy and relentless pressure. More than once I said out loud "how the heck did he get that off?" A.J.'s game last night merited consideration for a permanent role as starting QB, if not the Eagles then any of about 12 teams.

How about backup QB for the Patriots? [I'm almost completely serious.]

 

[marty]

Agree with OP. It was a good game overall, with the Eagles giving us plenty to work on. Nothing's more dangerous to a successful team than buying into the "greatest team ever" talk. Lets stay focused on the season and leave that other stuff for post season talk.

 

[spacecrime]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I miss waching a blowout, but with only five games to immortality, getting a dose of "if we believe our press clippings, we'll be the Chargers of the East Coast" is a good thing. Plus, it gives BB plenty of work with.

Plus, it is actually funnier to almost lose the game where the point spread was the highest in NFL history. It would have theoretically be even funnier had we lost, but I'm not willing to go that far to get a horse laugh on the NFL.

Tough physical hard nosed close game is a good thing for the Patriots to experience this time of the year especially coming into games against the Ravens and Steelers. It's good for this team to get punched in the nose. Keeps them grounded and keeps them focused. Belichick was on the Real Post Game show at 1:00 am this morning and sounded pretty darn upbeat about the team. He was far from upset by this close win. No team is going to win big every game and no team is going to win pretty every game. Just not going to happen. The sign of a great team is to win when you don't play your best and when you come from behind to win. All credit to the Eagles for playing a great game. All credit to the Patriots for making the big plays when they had to. The sign of a great team.
Get ready for a weeks worth of "blueprint" and "exposed" talk. Didn't we hear this after the Indy game too?
Nothing has changed except new talking points for the media. :blahblah:
The ONLY team that's going to beat the New England Patriots IS the New England Patriots.
Blueprint my ***!!

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Tough physical hard nosed close game is a good thing for the Patriots to experience this time of the year especially coming into games against the Ravens and Steelers. It's good for this team to get punched in the nose. Keeps them grounded and keeps them focused. Belichick was on the Real Post Game show at 1:00 am this morning and sounded pretty darn upbeat about the team. He was far from upset by this close win. No team is going to win big every game and no team is going to win pretty every game. Just not going to happen. The sign of a great team is to win when you don't play your best and when you come from behind to win. All credit to the Eagles for playing a great game. All credit to the Patriots for making the big plays when they had to. The sign of a great team.
Get ready for a weeks worth of "blueprint" and "exposed" talk. Didn't we hear this after the Indy game too?
Nothing has changed except new talking points for the media. :blahblah:
The ONLY team that's going to beat the New England Patriots IS the New England Patriots.
Blueprint my ***!!

Spot on. I agree especially with those points.

 

[bluepatriot]

yea, it's really good that it makes this team battle tested. now we know if moss is taken out of the game, we still have welker, stallworth and even gaffney.

it made watching the game more interesting as well rather than a blowout

 

[PatsNut]

I agree with the OP, that was a battle and it will help them down the stretch. I enjoy watching them play a physical opponent that's not affraid of them, it shows what the Pats are made of. They never panic, they keep grinding even when they're not playing their best, and show they can win the close ones.

 

[marty]

I got a 11:30pm phone call from my 91yr old father! He couldn't turn the tv off at half time like he'd been doing these past few late night games. He wanted to see if "they could pull it off"! I'm sure there were a lot of households that thought they might get an early night of it and instead had to add another late night to their holiday weekend.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

In years past, we would have lost this game. Didn't play all that great and the Eagles played great. Like I said, in years past, we would probably would not have been able to be "off" that much and still eek out the win.

I'm satisfied, but I am a touch worried out our secondary. Both Hobbs and Gay went out at times. Anything long term?

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

This was a lot like the games of '03 and '04, where we didn't make mistakes, took advantage of the other teams mistakes, and did just enough to Win.

Hats off to Coach Reid and Johnson, great game plan, good execution against a superior opponent.

 

[bclaff]

Amazingly, there is STILL whining from the Patriot fanbase. Like clockwork, each and every week.

Why are you here? We don't have a PayMeATon messageboard here.

 

[pats1yes]

I agree with almost all of the points made here, but I would like to add one more point.

I think our team was beginning to believe the hype. I say that because of the play calling in the first half. 4 wide-outs, no running back -- and an attitude of hey try to stop us.

The Eagles came to play and were hitting hard on both sides of the ball. But if you know what's coming, you can defend it much better. We need to rethink the play calling which will open up guys like Moss in such a game.

I don't know if anyone else was thinking this, but by the time the second quarter started I was saying to myself, OK if they will not give you the deep ball how about some running and screen plays.

We cannot become a one dimensional team -- pass, pass and pass some more. We have got to get our running game in gear and start mixing up the plays.

But I also believe the Eagles played "over their heads" last night. Not to take anything away from them. And their lines looked pretty darn good -- we could not get to the QB. I think that bothered me more than anything about the game -- get in there guys.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I agree wholeheartedly. This is a good thing for the Pats. I was cracking up after the game when the talking heads said the Eagles came up with a blueprint to beat the Pats. Put pressure on Brady, hit him, and give your own QB time to throw. Isn't that the blueprint to beat any team ? Hit their QB in the mouth, and protect your own ? lol..............Sheer genius by the mediots !!

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Agreed!

We won, and yet have plenty of stuff to work on.

Even BB deserves his share of humble pie this week. Our defensive game plan simply did not work very well at all.

I would rather win the superbowl than go undefeated in the regular season, and complacency has been the concern for me. Looks like our team will be back to the grindstone this week for real.