Can Patriots go undefeated and return to Super Bowl?

[ATippett56]

And of course there is the annual obligatory loss to the Dolphins in Miami. This year was an exception because of their lousy team but they will be disciplined enough to hang on this year.

I'm not sure the Dolphins will have enough players left to field a team.

 

[neuronet]

Of course the defense was SB-caliber. It gave up 17 points (a very respectable amount) in the SB. If you're arguing that, barring an overhaul, it won't be SB-caliber next year, then we're in agreement. Arguing that it wasn't SB-caliber this year, however, is pretty much pointless. If the offense had come within 10 points of its season average, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Exactly. That last drive was devastating, but the Giants played great, crucially got every break, and ultimately deserved the win. The Patriots won a couple of games the same way, and that's how it goes, and the Pats deserved those wins.s

But also, if you watch the tape of the last drive (I frankly can't bring myself to do it too painful) I think you'll see we could have won this game easily. Don't go blaming our D for that loss.

All this talk of 16-0 is a kind of denial I think, a coping mechanism to deal with the pain of losing the SB. We should all realize how unlikely it is to happen, and not set ourselves up for a huge disappointment if our team loses a single game. That is just a silly thing to do to yourself. I predict they'll go 14-2 next season, lock up home field advantage, and win the SB.

 

[pao]

I don't see the Pats going 16-0 this coming year, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did, either. I think the Pats had a few breaks last year on the way to 18-0, and had a few go the other way in the SuperBowl.

I'd gladly have the situation reverse itself this year and have a couple of unlucky regular season losses followed by a victory in the Big Game.

Finally, a realistic viewpoint.

pao

 

[pao]

Chasing perfection didn't make the O-line collapse or make the defense miss multiple sacks and picks. It didn't make the Giants catch incredible breaks.

And having a perfect record doesn't mean you didn't have incredible breaks to get there. A team has to have a pretty large helping of luck to go undefeated in an NFL season and Postseason.

pao

 

[pao]

haha. ok pal. no ones ever guaranteed a win or a loss. and what makes you think it gonna be against San Diego?? You have a great team, but considering weve owned you as of late, I think your line of thinking is a little off.

True. Until the Chargers prove they can beat the Patriots us fans should pretty much keep our guarantees to ourselves.

pao

 

[pao]

Hey look it's the San Diego Chargers Super Bowl Trophy Case....

Hey someone stole their AFL Championship Trophy!

pao

 

[Sivy]

guys, guys guys.

Im just trying to get to week 1.

 

[pao]

That's right! Like LT said, the Chargers would beat the Pats 9 times out of 10---errr make that 8 times--oh wait nope that would be 7, or are we down to 6? He probably was misquoted...

Ok, come on. Let's be fair. What he meant was if the two teams that played in THAT playoff game played 10 times the Chargers would have won 9 of them. Did you really not understand that?

pao

 

[pao]

Why is it arrogant? As a fan we want our team to win every game. This is not a new concept...

But to EXPECT it to ACTUALLY happen? Over confidence bordering on arrogance.

pao

 

[pao]

Sure. Nothing wrong with fans feeling their team has a chance to win every game on its schedule...teams for that matter as well. But of course the Pats will take it one game at a time. With that one game at a time attitude, im sure they and most teams (at least the successful ones do) go into every game believing you can win.

True. But even BB and TB don't EXPECT to go 19-0.

pao

 

[DaedalusX]

But to EXPECT it to ACTUALLY happen? Over confidence bordering on arrogance.

pao

People expected it this past year. Some of us (I did) even predicted it just looking at the off-season signings. And we were 1 minute away from it.

The Pats proved it was possible to go 16-0. The team is still clearly the best in league. And Belichick thinks the Patriots can get even better next year.

That's confidence with a good bit of logic behind it, not arrogance.

 

[makewayhomer]

we'll have a similar chance of going undefeated next year as we did this year: very, very, very small.

less than 1% chance of 19-0

we are still the best team in the league, but as we saw last year, a thousand things have to break your way to get to 19-0. if we don't stay healthy, or if Ryan doesnt call that TO in Baltimore, etc etc than we dont have chance at 19-0 this year. on the other hand, if the ref decides that Eli is in the grasp on the Tyree bomb, then we probably do go 19-0.

I've said it a thousand times, but lots of people dont appreciate how large of a role luck plays. its extremely unlikely for all the close/coinflip type plays to go your way again and again and again

 

[pao]

Exactly. That last drive was devastating, but the Giants played great, crucially got every break, and ultimately deserved the win. The Patriots won a couple of games the same way, and that's how it goes, and the Pats deserved those wins.s

But also, if you watch the tape of the last drive (I frankly can't bring myself to do it too painful) I think you'll see we could have won this game easily. Don't go blaming our D for that loss.

All this talk of 16-0 is a kind of denial I think, a coping mechanism to deal with the pain of losing the SB. We should all realize how unlikely it is to happen, and not set ourselves up for a huge disappointment if our team loses a single game. That is just a silly thing to do to yourself. I predict they'll go 14-2 next season, lock up home field advantage, and win the SB.

Excellent post. Realistic.

pao

 

[pao]

People expected it this past year.

They had no realistic right to expect it. No team should expect to go undefeated, even if they are clearly the best team in the league. There are just too many things that can go wrong. And then there is the luck element. To go undefeated a team MUST have at least SOME luck.

Some of us (I did) even predicted it just looking at the off-season signings. And we were 1 minute away from it.

Prediction and Expectation are two different things.

The Pats proved it was possible to go 16-0. The team is still clearly the best in league. And Belichick thinks the Patriots can get even better next year.

I didn't say it was impossible. I said it was overconfidence bordering on arrogance to EXPECT it.

That's confidence with a good bit of logic behind it, not arrogance.

Of course you are a fan saying you expect them to go 19-0. You would not find a single player or coach say they expect to go 19-0 and mean it the way you do. Imagine if a Charger said he expects to go 19-0. BB would have that on his bulletin board so fast it wouldn't be caught by even the fastest video camera.

pao

 

[pao]

we'll have a similar chance of going undefeated next year as we did this year: very, very, very small.

less than 1% chance of 19-0

we are still the best team in the league, but as we saw last year, a thousand things have to break your way to get to 19-0. if we don't stay healthy, or if Ryan doesnt call that TO in Baltimore, etc etc than we dont have chance at 19-0 this year. on the other hand, if the ref decides that Eli is in the grasp on the Tyree bomb, then we probably do go 19-0.

I've said it a thousand times, but lots of people dont appreciate how large of a role luck plays. its extremely unlikely for all the close/coinflip type plays to go your way again and again and again

Excellent post. Realistic. Can they go 19-0? Yes. Is it realistic to EXPECT them to go 19-0? Nope.

pao

 

[Pats726]

Maybe...but while I would LOVE that if they did...I think the chances of that are quite slim..and that is OK..they really overpowered teams and the last games were harder because many teams tried to play ugly..more physical and shorten the game..the Giants did it best and even though the Pats played in a situation which was the hardest for them, they almost won. In past games, they would come back and go ahead and the D would make a play and end it. This time it didn't happen and that is OK. I DO think they will get back to the Bowl..but not carrying the weight of an undefeated season...

 

[Patriot_dynasty]

I was bummed, but now I am looking forward to another great season. Losing the last game was horrible, but I would love for them to go into next year's Super Bowl with another 18-0 record. Another year of listening to Mercury Morris will suck, but I want to see history in a good way...not in a bad way

 

[pao]

Maybe...but while I would LOVE that if they did...I think the chances of that are quite slim..and that is OK..they really overpowered teams and the last games were harder because many teams tried to play ugly..more physical and shorten the game..the Giants did it best and even though the Pats played in a situation which was the hardest for them, they almost won. In past games, they would come back and go ahead and the D would make a play and end it. This time it didn't happen and that is OK. I DO think they will get back to the Bowl..but not carrying the weight of an undefeated season...

The thing about the Patriots season that sticks out in my mind is the ability to come back, even under the weight of the perfect season. It seemed that EVERY game was a SB type game and they kept making improbable come backs. The only thing that kept them from winning the SB in similar fashion was 3 dropped interceptions on the final drive. Bad luck at the wrong time.

pao

 

[pao]

I was bummed, but now I am looking forward to another great season. Losing the last game was horrible, but I would love for them to go into next year's Super Bowl with another 18-0 record. Another year of listening to Mercury Morris will suck, but I want to see history in a good way...not in a bad way

From an objective viewpoint 18-0 was history in a good way even though they lost the SB. 16-0 season will always be there, it can never be broken.

pao

 

[makewayhomer]

Bad luck at the wrong time.

yep. but some good luck helped get them to 18-0 (Ryan calling the TO in Baltimore)