Admit it, we are REBUILDING. But how far from the bottom are we?

[H8R]

Wait, now it's clear as day the PATS are rebuilding but going into the playoffs they "were going to the SUPERBOWL" Guys, dont get too high or too low on your team. Nothing to be a shame of, you made it to the playoffs. Everyone experiences a loss.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

rebuilding? our offense was the same..the defense added some younger guys and we added talent at the corner position

thats not rebuilding. we dont need to rebuild. we need to change our styles. we tried to live off 2007 style but just like the wildcat, teams adapt to it and learn to stop it. we need to evolve into a different type of style team

It all depends on who BB keeps on defense...If Thomas,Burgess,Springs and a few others are gone that makes the defense another rebuild issue.

I can almost guarantee you the 2009 defense and its roster will be changed quite a bit in 2010.

 

[emoney_33]

It all depends on who BB keeps on defense...If Thomas,Burgess,Springs and a few others are gone that makes the defense another rebuild issue.

I can almost guarantee you the 2009 defense and its roster will be changed quite a bit in 2010.

Integrating youth into a team is NOT rebuilding. Some of you just enjoy attaching as many negative connotations to the team as you can.

It's not uncommon for talented veterans to cross the threshold and have their starting job replaced. This year just so happened that 4 very important guys crossed the threshold at the same time (Bruschi, Harrison, Vrabel and Seymour). It's not like they were lost, we had no one to replace them even in the slightest, and no we are scrambling to fill their slots. We have young guys who have been groomed to replace them but need the experience that only comes with starting.

The defense is still transitioning yes, but the main foundation of the defense is not changing. We'll still have Wilfork, Warren, Jarvis, Wright anchoring the line. We'll still have Mayo, Guyton, TBC as big contributing LBs. We'll still have Bodden, Brandon, Sanders in the secondary.

We need to do some touching up in the offseason but it's not a downward trending rebuild/overhaul.

 

[emoney_33]

Better check that schedule homer

Why do you negative Nancies think that calling people a "homer" is some sort of insult or something negative? Is it the morons in the media like Felger who make you think that being a Fan is a bad thing?

This is patsFANS.com, not patsMEDIA.com or patsOBJECTIVITY.com or patsHATERS.com.

You cannot be a FAN and be 100% objective without emotion when analyzing the team, it's oxymoronic. So call me a homer all you want, I'm damn proud to be a Patriots fan.

You enjoy your whining negative ways that I'm sure extends far beyond the Patriots.

 

[Remix 6]

It all depends on who BB keeps on defense...If Thomas,Burgess,Springs and a few others are gone that makes the defense another rebuild issue.

I can almost guarantee you the 2009 defense and its roster will be changed quite a bit in 2010.

the main guys on defense will still be there assuming we resign wilfork. our defense has been rebuilt last few years with the youth movement but this thread starter is trying to say we are rebuilding completely. the main core of guys are still here

 

[SeymourTrophies]

You really think we'll go from 10-6 and AFCE champs to 5-11 in one season? Really?

We went from 5-11 to super bowl champs, so why couldn't it go the other way?

I don't think that we will tank, but anything can happen.

I will wait until after the draft to jump off of a cliff.

 

[mgteich]

If we do not create holes, we will be fine. We need to re-sign Mankins, Wilfork, Bodden, Faulk and Watson.

We have plenty of picks, cap space and cash to improve the team.

 

[Prufrock]

This team is like the Yankees after they won all those world series' with Paul O'Neil and Scott Brosius. They don't need anymore superstars with baggage, what they need are some solid "good soldier" players who play with intensity and know how to win.

 

[Patjew]

Why do you negative Nancies think that calling people a "homer" is some sort of insult or something negative? Is it the morons in the media like Felger who make you think that being a Fan is a bad thing?

This is patsFANS.com, not patsMEDIA.com or patsOBJECTIVITY.com or patsHATERS.com.

You cannot be a FAN and be 100% objective without emotion when analyzing the team, it's oxymoronic. So call me a homer all you want, I'm damn proud to be a Patriots fan.

You enjoy your whining negative ways that I'm sure extends far beyond the Patriots.

Agree 100%. The whole "homer" vs "chicken little" namecalling thing is so junior high and makes no sense. It's lazy.

 

[Joker]

I'm a chicken with a little homer trapped inside..

 

[PowerAlley.com]

Getting rid of seymour(I liked the move), did feel like a rebuilding kind of move to me.

With losing Vrabs, Bru, and Rodney it sure was getting rid of the old guard.

 

[Patjew]

I'm a chicken with a little homer trapped inside..

We're all shades of gray. Or shades of chicken in this case.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

the main guys on defense will still be there assuming we resign wilfork. our defense has been rebuilt last few years with the youth movement but this thread starter is trying to say we are rebuilding completely. the main core of guys are still here

I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying that few if any winning teams from 2008 had as much roster turnover as the Patriots did this year, I'd imagine. Even an awful team will have a core of players they will seek to keep, and we are not awful and haven't been since Bill took over. It is rare to "blow it all up" and we are not doing that. I doubt that even the Buffalo Bills, for example, will blow everything up this offseason.

I am also not saying that we are anywhere near the bottom of the league, like some people are taking it. I am saying that maybe we are as low as we need to go in order to have enough influx of young, inexperienced, and inherently mistake-prone raw talent, that when added to the core, with time to develop, will be able rise to the top again.

Turnover is normal. 75% turnover in one season on defense and special teams is abnormal, especially for an 11-5 team.

I am wondering if Bill Belichick saw a decline coming along, a fall that is normally a more prolonged dropoff, and decided to accelerate roster turnover with the inevitable price being short-term slide exchanged for long term gain. He initiated more rapid turnover, a "rebuild" at least of defense and special teams, much sooner than most coaches would. Perhaps for that reason we may be near the halfway point of a rebuild and 2009 may be near the bottom of our own down cycle.

I hope so. Maybe I have too much confidence in Bill Belichick to beat the whole parity principle.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

You bet we're on track.

We'll get some good draft picks and some FA's....I feel like if we address the Oline, Recievers and linebackers esp. we should get it together for another strong season and hopefully execute more consistently.

The loss to the Ravens hurt... but to beat the best.....you know the rest....
We had some close ones with the best teams this year and that's a good sign. The team needs to rest and recalibrate.

We really need to REBUILD the energy and intensity....some of the players seem like they're not giving 110%

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think at this rate without any major additions next season and in the short future we are heading to the mediocre 8-8 or 7-9 team area - The bottom of the league would be a bit far fetched since there is still many quality guys on this team,I doubt we sink to double digit losses any time soon.

Unless there is drastic changes in our offseason,I think the AFC East takes a different route next year in the Jets neighborhood.

You sound like a JETS fan. That's what they've been saying for the last 40 years...

 

[Deus Irae]

You sound like a JETS fan. That's what they've been saying for the last 40 years...

He may sound like a Jets fan, but the Jets are still playing football while the Patriots are watching it on TV.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

I guess I don't think that we are at the bottom when we are a division winner, have a fine team and have one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league leading the team.

This great era for the patriots has been the era of quarterbacks. Since Kraft came, we have had two eras, the Bledsoe years (1993-2000; one before Kraft) with three playoffs and one SB appearance, and the Brady era with seven playoffs and four SB appearance and three wins. Since Kraft took over the team, we have had two losing seasons, 1995 and 2000. we ahve had appeared in the playoffs 10 times. This has been a truly amazing run.

I expect the Krafts to continue as owners for a long time. The question then is when the Brady era will end. As long as Brady is here, I have every confidence that we will be competitiors for a division win and more every year. I would EXPECT a rebuilding year the year after Brady leaves, but not until then.

I don't think the division title really matters. The Jets are still playing and look like they might be in it beyond this weekend. I'd rather be them right now than a division winner.

They will also be the slam dunk media pick to win the division next year. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few tap Miami as the No. 2 team. Not that it means much beyond outside perception of where the team is at.

 

[Disco Volante]

Yes, we should all be very worried. Hell rebuilding takes forever now in the NFL.

2007 Dolphins: 1-15
2008 Dolphins: 11-5

2007 Falcons: 4-12
2008 Falcons: 11-5

2007 Ravens: 5-11
2008 Ravens: 11-5

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes, we should all be very worried. Hell rebuilding takes forever now in the NFL.

2007 Dolphins: 1-15
2008 Dolphins: 11-5

2007 Falcons: 4-12
2008 Falcons: 11-5

2007 Ravens: 5-11
2008 Ravens: 11-5

Interesting that you should bring those 3 teams up, because each one of them rebounded by bringing in a major quarterback upgrade. Who'll be upgrading over Brady in this hypothetical situation?

 

[Disco Volante]

Interesting that you should bring those 3 teams up, because each one of them rebounded by bringing in a major quarterback upgrade. Who'll be upgrading over Brady in this hypothetical situation?

Exactly, we're already established at the most important position on the field with one of the greatest QBs in NFL history coming off his second best statistical season as a pro.

Those teams didn't even have that and turned out OK.