Rodney: Pats might benefit from losing one

It's actually a tremendous Article. Let me Relink it for your Convenience, Fellow Patriots Fans.

For what it's worth: I feel that both Harrison and Brown both made outstanding Arguments...for each side.

That is very rare.

Props to Karen Guregian for recognizing that the men themselves were both eloquent enough.

Props to Karen Guregian for simply letting the Article write itself, which is itself admirable.

BelichickFan said:

I don’t think we're going undefeated so it's probably moot. In fact I expect to lose this week to

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Why are you expecting a loss? Injuries? I think they have a shot, but Rex seems to be letting him emotions get the better of him and I think his players may mirror their coach and that leads to stupid penalties.

I hate this argument so much. Id gladly take my chances on making history and be 18-0 heading into the SB. Losing a game won't increase your chances of winning later. Don't be scared of the moment.

BelichickFan said:

I don’t think we're going undefeated so it's probably moot. In fact I expect to lose this week to Buffalo.

That said, if we do, I don’t think it's the same as 2007 when 16-0 in the regular season had never been done before. 19-0 (sorry Shula, you were only 17-0) hadn't been done. Maybe I'm wrong but I think the pressure is way less;until the SB "all" that we'd do would have been done before.

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I don't mean to sound arrogant but this isn't the 2010 playoff Jets coming to town. Rex is a one trick pony. Brady has worked out the amoeba D, the Patriots are rolling and just disposed of their bogey team. They're better than the Bills (by some margin) and should hammer this team made of fool's gold.

Mark. said:

Why are you expecting a loss? Injuries? I think they have a shot, but Rex seems to be letting him emotions get the better of him and I think his players may mirror their coach and that leads to stupid penalties.

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Well I am a pessimist. I just don't like the matchup with Lewis and Edelman out against a team with good CB and lesser LB; and also missing our most athletic LB against a team with McCoy and Clay. I do realize we almost never lose at home this time of year, however.

rosco1 said:

Let it be at denver,we'll be glad to take the pressure off.

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It would be great talk radio fodder for the rest of the year.

"BUT THEY CAN'T BEAT ANYONE GOOD, MIKE!"

IcyPatriot said:

A loss does not increase the odds of a win ... it's an inane concept that while interesting to discuss simply has no validity in how the Patriots are coached from week to week which is one game at a time. The Patriots already rotate personnel every game and sitting a game only makes one rusty for the next. With how little they already wear pads ... missing a game only makes it worse. you play to win every game.

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Unless the Patriots are all Vulcan your statement is not verifiable. Humans are affected by the din, they can be inculcated, their concentration can be altered by loud and abundant external opinion.

What Rodney is saying (and not the only 07 player to suggest) is quite simple and quite accurate: the added stress/the added chatter of being perfect may/can have an affect. It's unrealistic to believe players do not hear and/or are not affected by the meme outside the walls of Gillette. Further, opponents have stated they have that little extra spark for the "undefeated"

With that said, should they lose a game? No. Play every game to win and let the chips fall where they may. But if the Patriots lose a game because starters are resting -- starters are likely to rest at some point -- the extra stress is now gone. That suggests a minor bump upward in focus/concentration and a minor bump in the likelihood of victory.
Doesn't BB value every single advantage no matter how small?

Rodney as a Patriot was great, and I respected him. Rodney as an analyst has been a huge failure and an embarrassment.

I don't care if we lose 1 or 2 as long as Carolina loses at least 1 so Shula's son can't get a perfect season. Unfortunately Carolina has a cakewalk schedule the rest of the way.

TommyD4207 said:

It would be great talk radio fodder for the rest of the year.

"BUT THEY CAN'T BEAT ANYONE GOOD, MIKE!"

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To be fair, Denver isn't good either. Beating them won't prove much.

We don't have anything to prove though. We're defending SB champs and we're undefeated.

And to Aluminum...yes the stress is extreme. Try reading a book on the subject.

He doesn't say should lose one, says could benefit from a loss. I do think teams do benefit from losses. Patriots definitely benefited from losing to St Louis Rams regular season in 2001. That loss showed they could hang with and defeat the greatest show on turf. Showed them what not to do against them with the gameplan.

I personally want 19-0 but understand Rodney's view.

FourierSeries said:

Rodney as a Patriot was great, and I respected him. Rodney as an analyst has been a huge failure and an embarrassment.

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I think that's overstated, but I don't think he brings much to the table as an analyst.

Patsrock said:

He doesn't say should lose one, says could benefit from a loss. I do think teams do benefit from losses. Patriots definitely benefited from losing to St Louis Rams regular season in 2001. That loss showed they could hang with and defeat the greatest show on turf. Showed them what not to do against them with the gameplan.

I personally want 19-0 but understand Rodney's view.

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They should have won that reg season game. Left a ton of plays on the field.

moejr said:

I don't care if we lose 1 or 2 as long as Carolina loses at least 1 so Shula's son can't get a perfect season. Unfortunately Carolina has a cakewalk schedule the rest of the way.

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The next five weeks Carolina is at Dallas, New Orleans, and the Giants, and have two games with Atlanta. Most of the league sucks… By today's standards, that's a pretty difficult stretch.

Eh, i look at it like a win win situation. Path to perfection was very stressful to watch and after reading how much it affected their sb prep, it scares me to think of that again. Still, deep down inside i know i want to see them go for it again and i think they have a solid shot at it. Overall If they do lose in the regular season, i agree with rodney i may breathe a little sigh of relief despitr the disappointment.

The only thing that can really go wrong this reg season is another major injury or injuries. Otherwose its hard to see us losing more than 2 meaningful games and losing the top spot.

Zuma said:

And to Aluminum...yes the stress is extreme. Try reading a book on the subject.

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I was disagreeing with your not caring about a perfect season. No reason to get all pissy.

aluminum seats said:

I was disagreeing with your not caring about a perfect season. No reason to get all pissy.

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I don't care? Nothing would make me happier then to have a perfect season. As has been well documented many times by former players...the stress of that was just to over-whelming. I prefer a Super Bowl then the stress of winning the regular season and failing in the playoffs....but thats just me.

EDIT: I changed the wording in my post

IMO This team (and last year's) is far mentally tougher than 2007's team was. I wouldn't expect the same effect of being 18-0 if it happens.

Carolina has never experienced the type of pressure they are about to. Plus they have a couple of tough games coming up. Lets see what happens when the pressure really mounts.

But yeah, seeing Shulas son not make it would be nice since Shula Sr is such a ****