Are the Patriots a 3rd place team?

[BSR]

At the end of the day, this is still a quarterback's league. Could they be 3rd place? Sure, anything can happen. Is it likely? No.

With a healthy Brady at the helm, the expectation should be for them to clearly win the division.

 

[Intommywetrst]

Oh my god!!!! Is anyone listening to Felger and Mazz right now!!!!????

They are TRASHING the Pats saying the fans have NO reason to be excited for this season. Everything we did in the draft is s**t!!

Can we organize a boycott to get these morons off the air?? I'm not looking for a homers perspective but this is seriously RIDICULOUS!

 

[emoney_33]

I'll take it a step further: how have the Jets improved?

Let's put it this way, last year the Jets had the best defense in the NFL and a great running game. They were 7-7 before playing 2 games where the opponent had no reason to give their best.

They haven't done anything miraculous to go from best defense to '85 Bears, so that isn't buying them much even if they were slightly improved in that area. It's likely they won't be the best defense in the NFL in 2010 though.

Their running game will almost assuredly be worse than last year, and their passing game is not likely to be improved enough to be meaningful. Sanchez is not turning into Montana.

They are in a division where at least 2 of the other 3 teams have improved, and they couldn't even win that division last year. Patriots are favorites for the division, just the same as they have been for most of the last decade.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I watched part of it. Don't kow if Borges is an idiot who doesn't understand or was just looking to take a shot at BB.

He main complaint was about value. He says BB is always looking for value. Borges said when I'm looking for a car, I don't find the cheapest junker I can, with no engine or transmission, and call it value because it is cheap.

I was waiting for Felger of gaspar to correct him, but they nodded their heads wisely.

But I wanted to shout "Value isn't getting the cheapest possible. It is getting the most for your money."

I'd like to write him as ask when he buys a car, does he buy the most expensive car made, ignoring value by going for the $500,000 custom job? or does he get what he needs to do the job.

A better analogy of BB value might be: You have a limo service. You need to buy 53 limos, and you have a budget of $2 million. Do you go for value and buy two or three high end Mercedes for the big clients, and a bunch of Mercedes and BMWer sedans better jobs, and the rest of Caddies and Lincolns? Or do you buy one Lambourgini and 52 Ford Escorts from Craigslist?

Anyway, there was no attempt at objectivity. It was the only time I tuned into Felger's Sunday show. It was an accident (my DVD movie ended and the TV was on that channel) and I won't tune in again.

I know many here think the Big O is a Big Zero, but he just finished debunking that same idiotic value misperception on his show... That's why all the silly love for Felger's objectivity makes me chuckle...

 

[RobertWeathers]

Oh my god!!!! Is anyone listening to Felger and Mazz right now!!!!????

They are TRASHING the Pats saying the fans have NO reason to be excited for this season. Everything we did in the draft is s**t!!

Can we organize a boycott to get these morons off the air?? I'm not looking for a homers perspective but this is seriously RIDICULOUS!

I expected as much. It's not even worth listening to.

Callahan is another. He refuses to acknowledge that McCourty was a highly-rated DB who put up outstanding numbers at Rutgers and considers him just a STer. Completely unlistenable.

 

[BradyManny]

Even then, he will miss 4 games.

Jets DL is old now. They have 20 contracts expiring at the end of this coming season. That to me, puts even more pressure on them.

Yikes - and with only 7 guys getting added through the draft the past two seasons, that puts an awful lot of pressure on them to find some back end of the roster players via the UDFA market. Otherwise, they're going to have trouble building a roster going forward.

 

[BradyManny]

Let's put it this way, last year the Jets had the best defense in the NFL and a great running game. They were 7-7 before playing 2 games where the opponent had no reason to give their best.

They haven't done anything miraculous to go from best defense to '85 Bears, so that isn't buying them much even if they were slightly improved in that area. It's likely they won't be the best defense in the NFL in 2010 though.

Agreed. And I'm not sure how long Jenkins will be out, or if he'll be the same - but they're going to have to cut ties with Ellis & Thomas, we believe - two more guys that, while aren't studs, they have to replace.

I agree with your assessment. Sure, this could go either way, Cromartie could magically turn back into a good CB, Gholston could stop sucking, Taylor could have something left in the tank. LdT could turn back the clock, somehow. McKnight could replicate Washington, miraculously.

But there are so many ifs involved in the Jets succeeding next season that I find the proclamations of them as AFCE favorites laughable. The Patriots had just about all the "ifs" go against them last season (when Sam Aiken is your wideout opposite Randy Moss, you know something went wrong!), and they still won the AFCE. Why? Because at the end of the day, the core of their team is much better than what they compete against in the AFCE - b/c they have TB at QB, BB at HC, Kraft running the show, Big Vince at NT, Moss at wideout, etc.

 

[shmessy]

Oh my god!!!! Is anyone listening to Felger and Mazz right now!!!!????

They are TRASHING the Pats saying the fans have NO reason to be excited for this season. Everything we did in the draft is s**t!!

Can we organize a boycott to get these morons off the air?? I'm not looking for a homers perspective but this is seriously RIDICULOUS!

Why? You're listening to them, therefore you are doing everything possible to KEEP them in their jobs.

 

[SeauOUCH]

The Jets have had a very nice offseason IMO. We'll see whether that catapaults them over us but I think we will finish above them.

Dolphins, tough for me to see them finishing ahead of us.

I think the Jets are worse this year then last, they got worse at RB & G. Picked up a CB who hasnt been good in 2 years & a WR who is will be supspended for the 1st 4? 6? games.

The got rid off a bunch of team leader types & replaced them with a bunch of bigger named douchebags.

If Sanchez doesnt improve quite a bit ( 50/50 ) they will finish under 8-8.

 

[Kontradiction]

Declaring the Pats to be a third place team makes about as much sense as declaring them to be a Super Bowl contender.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Remember how last year, everytime someone talked about how great the Pats were, cooler heads around here reminded them that the Dolphins were the reigning division champs? Same applies now: bottom line, however disappointed we were with the 2009 Pats, they won the division. At this point, I don't see much reason to believe that they won't do it again. Jets and Dolphins both could make major strides this year, but it's far from a sure thing, and I think that given how the Pats underperformed last year, it's just as likely that they'll make a significant leap. There's a good crop of second-year guys coming into their own, third-year guys entering their primes, and rookies at positions of need that may be able to contribute immediately. I'm not handing the division to anyone just yet, but I don't think the Pats are in a bad position at all, all things considered.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Declaring the Pats to be a third place team makes about as much sense as declaring them to be a Super Bowl contender.

In April....definately

But anyone ruling out the Jets or the Dolphins in this division is a fool as well - This division could be in horse racing terms ...A Photo Finish

 

[DarrylS]

I expected as much. It's not even worth listening to.

Callahan is another. He refuses to acknowledge that McCourty was a highly-rated DB who put up outstanding numbers at Rutgers and considers him just a STer. Completely unlistenable.

Best news I heard in a long time, 98.5 moved ahead of the D & C show in that morning slot.. been listening to them more, find them silly but not as political.

 

[BradyFTW!]

In April....definately

But anyone ruling out the Jets or the Dolphins in this division is a fool as well - This division could be in horse racing terms ...A Photo Finish

Ruling out anyone other than a select few teams, in April, is generally just a bad idea. Other than the few teams that you can assume will suck, due to terrible management, horrible cap situation, crap coaches, or whatever--and Buffalo is one of those teams--the rest all have a reasonable shot at having a good year.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I dont understand why the people continue to bash people who give a honest opinion.. right now they are a thrid place team...

Who is rushing the passer??

Who is the third WR??? Although I think we upgraded huge at TE as long as the Grownkoski kid holds up...

But if we cant rush the passer it will be like last year.. So its only april and anything could happen, but there are some questions still left unawnsered on the team that need to get figured out before sept...

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Personally tired of the resident contrarians, so I try to avoid them.. these guys make a living off of being oppositional..

What I don't understand is HOW they make a living doing that. Among fans, Pats/BB lovers outnumber haters 10-1. I don't get who likes these guys. They are a total turnoff and that's what I do when they're on a roll - turn them off. Like I'm sure many others must do.

 

[Intommywetrst]

Why? You're listening to them, therefore you are doing everything possible to KEEP them in their jobs.

Obviously you're completely right, I stopped listening to them and I am going to really try to never listen to them again.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I dont understand why the people continue to bash people who give a honest opinion.. right now they are a thrid place team...

Who is rushing the passer??

Who is the third WR??? Although I think we upgraded huge at TE as long as the Grownkoski kid holds up...

But if we cant rush the passer it will be like last year.. So its only april and anything could happen, but there are some questions still left unawnsered on the team that need to get figured out before sept...

My guess without any major moves soon is Tully Banta Cain and Jermaine Cunningham on the opposite site.... that is reason for concern

Sure,Tully had 10 sacks last season but asking to duplicate that effort or improving on that is a tough situation,not likely.

I would rather see the team do a deal with one of their second rounders next season with another teams vet OLB if they can find a competant pass rusher this summer who does not come with a huge salary,and may not be a flashy superstar,but yet is good enough to give a 2011 second round pick away.

 

[emoney_33]

My guess without any major moves soon is Tully Banta Cain and Jermaine Cunningham on the opposite site.... that is reason for concern

Sure,Tully had 10 sacks last season but asking to duplicate that effort or improving on that is a tough situation,not likely.

I would rather see the team do a deal with one of their second rounders next season with another teams vet OLB if they can find a competant pass rusher this summer who does not come with a huge salary,and may not be a flashy superstar,but yet is good enough to give a 2011 second round pick away.

So basically you want TBC (except you want to give up next year's 2nd rounder to get him)...

Some of you underrate TBC so much, and I'd guess it's probably due to his play earlier in his career and not anything to do with how he actually played (quite well) last year.

 

[TruthSeeker]

The Jets have had a very nice offseason IMO. We'll see whether that catapaults them over us but I think we will finish above them.

Dolphins, tough for me to see them finishing ahead of us.

I have (hate) to agree about the Jets part. They really improved their team, that was leading the AFCCG at half time. They really had no holes to fill prior to the draft, the draft was just a luxary after a very good offseason. And they still did very well in the draft (I disagree with Kiper, I think we did better), so I have to think, they are the favorites to win the division (unfortunately). I really think the only position where we have them beat is QB.