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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The point is that the Patriots lose a playoff game while missing key players and "fans" take a macro view of problem solving that's wildly off base. Ngata, Lewis and Suggs were absolutely healthy enough to be on the field the entire game. And, they played well. This loss had nothing to do with BB's schemes, Brady "choking," blah, blah, blah. Talib's injury was catastrophic. Kyle Love went down. Gronk would definitely have meant more points and better execution all around offensively. You need your top performers AVAILABLE in championship games, especially against a physical opponent like Baltimore. That was the essential difference.
Most teams have a down period where they finish out of the playoffs (ex NYGiants) collect a few high round picks and start again. The Pats Never have a down time, their always in the mix to go all the way. They don't get to pick in the top 15, the price of always being near the top is drafting near the bottom.Nobody can maintain the kind of edge Belichick had his first few years with the Pats -- not even Belichick.
So, you really think that we still have the same advantage with Belichick that we had in the 2001 to 2006 era? You don't think that other coaches around the league have learned from Belichick and have studied the Pats. If there's nonsense, it's in your reasoning. It's quite obvious that teams copy a lot of what Belichick does, and it's quite obvious that in that way the Pats have lost some of the advantage of having so great a coach. And yes, if Gronk and Talib were there, we would have done better, but that's my point, there's parity at the upper level now, and we need better luck with injuries in order to win another Superbowl. Perhaps you should read a little more carefully before posting such snide remarks?
Next man up Tunescribe. That's been the Patriots mantra for forever and a day.
The only complaint I've had about BB the coach/GM is that it seems to me that he started beefing up the defense a couple years after he should have. It's awfully tempting to say I'd gladly trade some of our offensive pieces for some defensive ones. The decay in the defense was evident a long time before this last draft.
When Talib went out this game was over. He's the only reason the defense improved late in the year.
Until BB can balance the offense with a high caliber defense, the result will be the same every year. 28th ranked defense just doesn't get it done in the playoffs. That lollipop and rainbows offense sure is exciting when they're beating up on weak teams, but look at their record against elite defenses in the past five years. It is just not good, not good at all.
Yes. Not having Jones, Love and Talib didn't help but to allow 3 2nd 1/2 TDs and not putting up a single point is really bad.
Most teams have a down period where they finish out of the playoffs (ex NYGiants) collect a few high round picks and start again. The Pats Never have a down time, their always in the mix to go all the way. They don't get to pick in the top 15, the price of always being near the top is drafting near the bottom.
That's a fine thing to prep for, but after Love got hurt, Wilfork was an easy double team into oblivion.
The roster is still the strongest roster in the NFL.
This team was the youngest BB has ever had.
BB will go back to work and get us the impact DT/NT we need, along with CB, S (Chung is so gone), OL, WR via the draft, FA, and UDFA, and we'll be back as a top 4 seed again next year.
Let's just enjoy the ride, the extra games we get every year, and sooner or later our turn will come again, when we enter the post season injury free, when a tipped ball lands in the hands of one of our corners, and then we win another Superbowl. The Pats, the Ravens, the 49ers, and a few other teams are all pretty even, and I don't see how that will change anytime soon.
Nonsensical ruminating. The Patriots last night were a healthy Gronk and Talib away from this thread never existing.
Until proven otherwise, Gronk's style of play dictates he's an uncertainty to be serviceable late in the season. You can't rely on having him in the playoffs.
And Talib has health issues too.
And anyway, he's been unfairly appointed the savior of the entire defense.
He's one player.
The defense sucks. It's sucked for years and years now. Sucked for the whole second half of Brady's career. What a waste.
And it's because of Belichick's propensity for bringing on players he can control. They have nobody anyone fears. Defensive players need to be feared. That's half the battle & scheme. Super Bowl winning teams have defensive players who're feared.
Harrison, Bruschi, Vrabel, McGuiness, Seymour, Law were all feared.
These days, Belichick's a control freak who doesn't want defensive players with attitude. Too bad attitude's a prerequisite for winning the Super Bowl.