One issue that came up in the 2007 season and which surely would come up again is if the Pats are undefeated with 2 games to go and they have home field locked up, do you put Brady at risk to try to go undefeated or do you put in the backup and hope for the best.
My take is, that 2007 was a once-in-a-century event and will not be repeated, maybe never again will a team win all their regular-season games, especially now that it looks like there will be more than 16 regular season games.
This is very good analysis. I feel like this time around, they definitely sit Brady with two games left and home-field decided. Even BB will not possibly risk the him getting injured in lieu of what happened last season. I think he realizes the importance of winning another SB this decade and what that means to solidifying this team as one of the greatest ever. Also, you're right about that whole thing being a once-in-a-century occurrence, though many teams this decade have hit the 13-0 mark. However, if any team can repeat the 16-0 feat, I believe it's the team that did it already and is retooled this season. With that said, though, I find it very hard to believe it'll happen again for a while at least. Like I said in an earlier post, so many things have to go right for 16-0, and the even greater 19-0, to occur. Everyone here must remember the number of close games that the Patriots had to pull out in the nick of time, especially down the stretch. I think in our "spoiledness" we're forgetting just how difficult it is for NFL teams to win and just how much one bad call or one bad bounce or one key injury can change the outcome of a game, and hence, the season.
The 2007 season was an anomaly for the Patriots. Injuries were pretty much a non-factor for most of the season (I'm not talking about the minor cuts and bruises). All of the bounces and calls went in their favor in just about every game as well. Whenever they needed a big play, they made one. Things like that all have to fall in line again.
Not to sound too pessimistic, as I want to believe that anything is possible, but here is why I think it will be extremely hard to do:
1. The bottom line is that winning on the professional level in any sport is
EXTREMELY difficult. I do believe that we are a bit spoiled around these parts because we're used to the Patriots being so good for so long. We saw them almost go 19-0 and think that it should be a piece of cake since they have Brady back, BB is still at the helm, they upgraded the weapons, etc. What we overlook sometimes is that so many little lucky things happened for them that year, whether it was a certain bounce of the ball, a lucky break from the refs, etc.
2. The 2009 schedule, at least on paper, looks like it will be a lot more difficult for the Patriots to navigate. The AFC East is better, and the non-division games are ridiculous - Baltimore and their vaunted defense, Tennessee will still be tough despite the loss of Haynesworth, Indianapolis is always tough (I am not counting them out like most others), and even New Orleans and Houston could be tough. Also, let's not forget that the only team that BB
DOES NOT have a winning record against this decade is Denver.
3. The defense is much younger. While this presents a vast improvement in overall team speed, it also means that mistakes will be made early and often as this new team, particularly the secondary, tries to gel. The losses of Vrabel and Harrison will be felt in terms of leadership. They may have been getting old and their statistical production may have been declining, but it will be tough to replace the knowledge, passion, and leadership they brought each time they stepped onto the gridiron.
4. The offensive line may be a problem. I, for one, am not at all sold on this group. I felt all year long in 2007 that they were an overrated group. Unfortunately for all of us, they showed it in the most important game of the season. Really, they began showing signs later in the year. It just took a highly motivated and nasty bunch, the Giants D-Line, to really expose them. Losing Neal in the early going of the SB was a HUGE loss. Which leads me to . . .
5. Injuries. What can you say about them? Injuries come when you least expect them and at the most inopportune times. The team just didn't have to deal with them in 2007 (not big ones), other than the loss of Colvin midway through the season and then Neal in the SB. I never hear anyone mention it, but I think the loss of Colvin that year truly hurt the Patriots going into the SB more than we realize. It forced them to have to move Adalius back outside, but I felt he was playing so well inside. Colvin had a knack for stepping up in big games and making the game-changing or game-clinching play. Remember, he was part of the game-clinching play against Indianapolis to preserve that win.
Those are just a few reason why I think it'll be tough for the Patriots. I invite anyone to make a list of why they think the Patriots could/will do it again just to provide the other side of it. The list I compiled features just some of the things that I think could potentially present problems, but make no mistake about it,
I really do hope that the team can do it again. I do not proclaim to be an expert or anything like that. This is just my little observation. To be quite honest, I know that BB wants it. I know he's seething at the thought of not finishing the deal. He will never mention it publicly or even to his players, but you know it's burning inside him.
:singing:
