Not bad for a rebuilding year....

I couldn't give two hoots that this was considered a rebuilding year at the beginning of the season. The Patriots went 14-2 and got the #1 seed. We can now be considered chokers in the recent era.

Also we hopefully are getting Leigh Bodden and Ty Warren back next year.

Our younger guys will be a year better and a year smarter. This team can really go places.

NEPats1 said:

Guys we shouldn't let the fact hat we overachieved make us feel better over what just happened. We had the best record, #1 seed, bye etc and came out and lost in the divisional round.

Dont get me wrong, the future looks bright with all the picks, but this was a very tough loss. Brady and BB aren't getting any younger.

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Yeah, it sucks. But it wasn't that long ago that even we were discounting what this group was capable of.

I remember when they were 6-2, having lost to Cleveland, and the Steelers/Colts were up, a Thanksgiving game at Detroit followed by a huge game against the Jets, and everyone hoping we could go 2-2 in that stretch. Little did we know we'd find a way to grit out 8 straight wins.

The team grew up a lot this year. The season will suck for 31 teams, and we're one of them. But we shouldn't overlook the major strides we took.

I dont believe in the term "rebuilding" season. Thats a word created by the media who know nothing about sports. Every year the team competes for the championship with who they have. Those players arent rebuilding, they are competing for the ultimate prize.

ausbacker said:

I couldn't give two hoots that this was considered a rebuilding year at the beginning of the season. The Patriots went 14-2 and got the #1 seed. We can now be considered chokers in the recent era.

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I completely agree.

Tom Brady doesn't have enough years left for us to really rebuild....but rebuilding teams don't make it this far so that's not what we are.


We have to get this young and honestly not very good defense up to par before Tom's windown closes.

AJY said:

Tom Brady doesn't have enough years left for us to really rebuild....but rebuilding teams don't make it this far so that's not what we are.

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Disagree completely--- more roster turnover than any playoff team in history that made the playoffs the year before. If that is not rebuilding, what is? It's just unprecedentedly quick and successful (so far) rebuilding

TheGodInAGreyHoodie said:

As may recall this was suppose to be a rebuilding year.

Lots of rookies, gave up the season when we traded away Maroney. Threw in the towel and was looking at next year when we traded away Moss.

Nothing more than a rebuilding year, nobody really expected the Patriots to even compete for the division title.

Just say'in.

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That's close to my view, but not exactly it.

I had them 10--6 and competing for the Division at the beginning of the season. 14--2 and SB favorites was beyond what I expected. So, today's loss was a huge disappointment (especially living in New York and having to deal with the tabloids), but, if I'm honest, the team way exceeded my expectations.

That doesn't make it any easier for me to take, but I'm not complaining.

mcgraw_wv said:

Screw that, you don't beat just about every playoff team, get the #1 seed int he playoffs, best record in the entire league, and one and done in the playoffs, and chalk it up to rebuilding.

We are spoiled... Chances at SBs are rare, and we have been pissing them away with some bad playoff performances. 06, 07, 09, 10...

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Not too mention Brady is another year older and they just pi$$ed away one of, if not his best years ever.

mcgraw_wv said:

Screw that, you don't beat just about every playoff team, get the #1 seed int he playoffs, best record in the entire league, and one and done in the playoffs, and chalk it up to rebuilding.

We are spoiled... Chances at SBs are rare, and we have been pissing them away with some bad playoff performances. 06, 07, 09, 10...

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yeah.......have to agree with you here. We were supposed to be in a rebuild year.....until the D started to Gel and Brady had one of his best ever regular seasons and our offense came together beautifully and looked almost unbeatable.....UNTIL tonight. The OP can try to sell himself on the warm fuzzy thoughts of "boy, for a rebuilding year.....this team really exceeded expectations"......I will say that they BLEW yet another opportunity at WINNING it all. This team was GOOD ENOUGH to win it all this year.....but laid an egg when it mattered most....just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that.......all the way back to 2004.

PATSYLICIOUS said:

Also we hopefully are getting Leigh Bodden and Ty Warren back next year.

Our younger guys will be a year better and a year smarter. This team can really go places.

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Until we get some guys that can rush/pressure/blitz the QB we will continue to be one and done's. We will need more help in secondary....Butler is a bust....Arrington played well this year...but is he the answer? Merriweather is so darned inconsistent.....

PatsFanSince74 said:

That's close to my view, but not exactly it.

I had them 10--6 and competing for the Division at the beginning of the season. 14--2 and SB favorites was beyond what I expected. So, today's loss was a huge disappointment (especially living in New York and having to deal with the tabloids), but, if I'm honest, the team way exceeded my expectations.

That doesn't make it any easier for me to take, but I'm not complaining.

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I wouldn't be that devestated right now....IF we hadn't lost to that fat a##ed windbag coach and his ****y, obnoxious, and loudmouthed team. That is what really hurts.....they called Brady and the Pats ****ies all week.....and then came in and rubbed their faces in it.....Awfully embarrassing for team and us fans.....

mcgraw_wv said:

Screw that, you don't beat just about every playoff team, get the #1 seed int he playoffs, best record in the entire league, and one and done in the playoffs, and chalk it up to rebuilding.

We are spoiled... Chances at SBs are rare, and we have been pissing them away with some bad playoff performances. 06, 07, 09, 10...

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I just don't think most folks out here acknowledge how hard it is to get to the Conference Championship, then get to the SB and finally win the SB.

Yes, you're partially right. We can't just chalk this up to "rebuilding," but that doesn't mean that they have pissed their chances away. In 06 they lost a tough game to a very good Indy team, in 07 they were the victims of a freak play, in 09 they were at the end of a string and stunk the place up. This year, a whole lot of things finally caught up with an overachieving team and they lost to an inspired and well-coached opponent.

Winning SB's is an enormous accomplishment. They weren't up to the task today and they lost a game a lot of us thought they could have won. But there are still only three franchises that have more Lombardi's than the Pats and only two that have gone to more SB's than they have.

I always saw this year as a "retooling" year and in August pegged them at 10--6 and competitive for the division. From my perspective, they've been playing with house money for some time and, while very disappointed, I'm grateful for the season.

convertedpatsfan said:

Unless you win the Super Bowl, there's never a good end to the season.

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This is true.

But this fall I have had 14 Sundays* that were fun and only three that sucked. Beats the 1990 ratio, by a lot. And is a lot better than the fans of a lot of teams.


*okay if you want to be technical 12 Sundays plus a Thursday and a Monday.

TheGodInAGreyHoodie said:

This is true.

But this fall I have had 14 Sundays* that were fun and only three that sucked. Beats the 1990 ratio, by a lot. And is a lot better than the fans of a lot of teams.


*okay if you want to be technical 12 Sundays plus a Thursday and a Monday.

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:agree:

Yes, two of those three Sundays sucked hard, but, in the grand scheme of things, not nearly enough to overcome the fun of the other 14.

Good thing Butler got coached up!

The rebuilding year, while it's true, is a copout at this point. Sure, they're rebuilding. But they went 14-2 in the regular season. They defeated every opponent in the AFC playoffs save for one. They beat the team they played 45-3 barely even a month ago. Let's just call this one exactly what it is... a choke job of epic proportions. The team looked completely unenthused and completely unready for what the Jets were going to do (in spite of the fact that they were supposedly "invincible" after a bye week). From the coaching staff to the gameplan to the players to the execution, THEY choked on a fat one today.

i agree, we did choke. Before we played the jets, who here honestly was thinking "its just a building year, atleast we made the playoffs, we arent superbowl contenders." **** that, we all thought we would make the superbowl and win it.

The patriots blew a great opportunity today, but i am pretty damn confident that we will be contending for several years.

KontradictioN said:

The rebuilding year, while it's true, is a copout at this point. Sure, they're rebuilding. But they went 14-2 in the regular season. They defeated every opponent in the AFC playoffs save for one. They beat the team they played 45-3 barely even a month ago. Let's just call this one exactly what it is... a choke job of epic proportions. The team looked completely unenthused and completely unready for what the Jets were going to do (in spite of the fact that they were supposedly "invincible" after a bye week). From the coaching staff to the gameplan to the players to the execution, we choked on a fat one today.

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Not trying to play armchair psychiatrist here or anything, but I just find it interesting that you keep saying "they," "the team," etc., up until your final conclusion, which suddenly switches to "we."

ctpatsfan77 said:

Not trying to play armchair psychiatrist here or anything, but I just find it interesting that you keep saying "they," "the team," etc., up until your final conclusion, which suddenly switches to "we."

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If you read my posts, I do that all the time. Don't really see the big deal at all. Believe me, I'm aware that I'm not on the team.