Curran: Brady and his no-good, 6-2 Pats march on

[PatsWickedPissah]

We have the WORST 6-2 team in the history of the NFL according to most media pundits! We're doing it with smoke and mirrors. LOL. Let the disrespect continue, I'll take the wins any day!!

I remember pundits stating the very same Pats record analysis during the Championship seasons

 

[kennyb]

As long as they keep playing mediocre teams, they'll do pretty well.

Not sure how many mediocre teams there are in the playoffs.

Playoffs?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Did the Pats pass the eye ball test to you so far?

They're very lucky to be 6-2 so far. Even if they get to the playoffs, will they keep getting lucky breaks? I hope so, but, this team isn't very good.

They will get better, but it's hard to see the pats beating KC.

 

[Kontradiction]

As long as they keep playing mediocre teams, they'll do pretty well.

Not sure how many mediocre teams there are in the playoffs.

Playoffs?

I'll agree that this team is Jeckyll and Hyde right now, but the Saints are not a mediocre team and the Pats went toe to toe with them before having a letdown against the Jets the following week.

 

[RIpats88]

I don't understand how fans can discount their wins at being 6-2 to "luck" and "playing mediocre teams"

And then go praise Kansas city and the broncos who have played a very weak schedule so far with "mediocre teams"

 

[mgcolby]

The 2013 Patriots are a lot like the 2012 Falcons. Not nearly as good as their record. No one believed in them either

Pats will get to the playoffs... but just pray they don't draw the Broncos or the Chiefs

The same Chiefs that struggled to hold off Jason Campbell and the Browns yesterday?

I will ask this in general, to everyone, not just you: Do the people that think the Pats "are not very good" say that in comparison to the past Pats teams or to the other 31 teams in the league playing this season?

Not one team in the league is playing lights out football, not one team.


NFC:
Seattle is efficient but not dominate.

SF stop the run game and they are done. Kap is useless without the read option.

GB we will start hearing about how good they are as they are about to go on a run thanks to a terribly weak schedule, but they have issues as well with injuries topping the list.

Detroit: again they have a weak schedule remaining and they will put up numbers if they take their scizo medicine. But not a real threat IMO, because of the mental make up of the team.

NO: Best of the league at this point in my opinion. Their defense has played well, but Thad Lewis moved the ball against them very well yesterday. And their offense can go into a lull for multiple series at a time. IMO, due to them looking for that quick strike too often.

NFC East.....Ah....yeah.

AFC:

KC solid efficient team, but not built to come from behind will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs, but not a dominating team. Not to mention a team without a lot of playoff experience.

Denver has no defense and Manning's passes seem to get wobblier by the week.

Cincy is solid, but once again, can they win in the playoffs? Is this their growing up year? Not much of a running game and Dalton is inconsistent. They grind out wins with the exception of yesterday, which I chalk up more to the Jets feeling like they "arrived" after beating the Pats.

Indy can beat any of the top teams which they have shown three times now by beating Seattle, SF and Denver but then turn around and lose to Miami and SD. Signs of a young, but very talented football team. I do have to wonder how good that offense will be without Wayne and the coverage he dictates.

Those are the teams the Pats will be competing against for the SB this year, not the 2007 or 2004 Patriots and none of the teams listed look to be super at this point of the season either.

8 Games left for the offense to find its groove and hopefully get/stay healthy as much as possible. When the D gets Kelly back the run D will improve greatly. Talib's presence speaks for itself.

 

[mgcolby]

As long as they keep playing mediocre teams, they'll do pretty well.

Not sure how many mediocre teams there are in the playoffs.

Playoffs?

Patriots 4th highest SOS in the AFC behind Baltimore, Miami, and Jacksonville. They are tied with Cincy.

Only 5 teams in the league have weaker SOS than the Chiefs and one of them is the Broncos sitting at dead last in the NFL.

So what gives a mediocre team the illusion that they are good? Beating up on the sisters of the poor week after week?

 

[mgcolby]

They will get better, but it's hard to see the pats beating KC.

The team that is 8-0 against teams that are a combined 20-41 and only one team that is currently at 500 (the Cowboys). The same KC that squeeked out a 1 point win over the Casey Keenum led Texans who lost Foster five minutes into the game and Ben Tate for most of the 2nd half do to an injury that happened on the first drive of the 3rd quarter. I think he carried it twice after the injury and clearly wasn't right.

I will reserve judgement on KC until they play a good team and I'm not sure the Broncos are a good team, a good offense yes, but the Broncos defense is terrible. They play Indy which should be a good test for them as long as the loss of Wayne doesn't derail their offense. It might be the playoffs before the Chiefs see a team with a good offense and a good defense.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Did the Pats pass the eye ball test to you so far?

They're very lucky to be 6-2 so far. Even if they get to the playoffs, will they keep getting lucky breaks? I hope so, but, this team isn't very good.

Honestly, in the AFC, most of the teams aren't very good, they all have their weaknesses.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Everybody needs to take a deep breath and think back to 2003, and we know how that year ended......
The year started with the 31-0 Lawyer Milloy debacle and 6 of the first 9 games were decided by one score or less ( +7, -3 (Wash 4th down drop) +8,+6, +6, +4) as well as -31, +21 and +11. That team learned to win close games and it carried thru the playoffs. Would you rather have the blowouts of 2007 and how that season ended or 2003 ? Am I saying that they will win the Super Bowl this year? Of course not, but teams that learn how to win close games are better prepared come the post-season....Just my $0.02...

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't understand how fans can discount their wins at being 6-2 to "luck" and "playing mediocre teams"

And then go praise Kansas city and the broncos who have played a very weak schedule so far with "mediocre teams"

It's pretty simple, and quite sensible:

Chiefs haven't lost

Broncos are burying teams, as opposed to squeaking out victories, and their only loss was to a very good Colts team



You might choose to disagree with those who are unimpressed with the Patriots, but to say that you don't understand? That takes willful blindness.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I remember pundits stating the very same Pats record analysis during the Championship seasons

:yeahthat:

Our 2003 championship team got destroyed 31-0 by the 6-10 Bills to open the season, and played in 10 one-possession games (going 9-1).

Sure, they beat some contenders in close games like the 12-4 Titans, 10-6 Dolphins, 10-6 Broncos, and 12-4 Colts.

They also had to sweat it out against some of the lesser competition, winning one-possession games against the 6-10 Jets (twice), 5-11 Browns (winning 9-3), and 5-11 Texans (in OT).

They also lost to the 5-11 Redskins by 3.

So I think people are forgetting our own history. Championships can be won, and have been won, with teams that aren't blowing everyone out of the water. I don't think anyone felt good about our Super Bowl chances after losing to the lowly Bills 31-0 in the Lawyer Milloy game.

 

[Kdo5]

They will get better, but it's hard to see the pats beating KC.

The Pats can beat anyone. They can beat Denver, KC, and Seattle. I haven't looked at many TB/Belichick teams and thought they couldn't compete with any team in the league. I remember in 2006 nobody thought we would beat the 14-2 Chargers, and sure enough they did.

They might not stack up as well on paper to those teams but I think we always have the ability to beat supposedly better teams.

 

[goheels22002]

The Pats can beat anyone. They can beat Denver, KC, and Seattle. I haven't looked at many TB/Belichick teams and thought they couldn't compete with any team in the league. I remember in 2006 nobody thought we would beat the 14-2 Chargers, and sure enough they did.

They might not stack up as well on paper to those teams but I think we always have the ability to beat supposedly better teams.

Any given Sunday aside, I do not like the Patriots chances at all against the Broncos without Kyle Arrington, Talib and Tommy Kelly back. Arrington is having a monster season, but this groin issue is a big problem. Talib is also absolutely a necessity to take away whoever lines up on his side.

Kelly on first down and goal line/very short yardage changes the complexion of the Patriots interior a lot. Kelly, Jones/Vellano platooning to go with Carter, Ninkovich, Jones and Collins is a versatile DL. We need the big guy back for situational duties.

I could care less about KC and Seattle - neither is on the schedule.

 

[Ivan]

It's pretty simple, and quite sensible:

Chiefs haven't lost

Broncos are burying teams, as opposed to squeaking out victories, and their only loss was to a very good Colts team



You might choose to disagree with those who are unimpressed with the Patriots, but to say that you don't understand? That takes willful blindness.

Kind of like the people who seem to consider themselves "critical thinkers" and who have been "critically ripping" them for years and years, but who in fact have been "willfully blind" to the fact that during that time the Patriots have been without a doubt the most successful team in the NFL.


Huh, go figure. Maybe they are just a bunch of miserable dumbasses who just have a really really high opinion of themselves?

 

[PATSNUTme]

I don't take anyone, media or fans, seriously in regards to the Patriots season so far.

What I do take seriously is my lying eyes. And I will agree with those who say that, right now, the Patriots are not a very good offensive team. But, they are 6-2 and as Parcells use to to say, you are what your record says you are.

However, I do think the pieces are there for them to be a good, not great, offensive team. It depends on if they can stay healthy and get players like Vareen back to contribute. I think the rookies are coming along now with Dobson and Thompkins showing improvemnent.

It also depends on the OL playing well as a unit. I don't think I've seen a season that Mankins has made as many mistakes or missed as many blocks. Seabass looks like he's gone for the year but I do think Cannon will do well.

Also, I have confidence in the coaching staff to keep working to improve. And, I have confidence in TFB to fix whatever it is that is causing him to make the poor reads that he has been making.

The season is only at the half way mark, so I find it humorous that people are projecting what any team will do in the playoffs. There is so much that can, and will, happen in the second half that it's silly right now to project into the playoffs.

I'm more encouraged by what the defense can be if they get those who are injured back to playing at a high level, and avoid any additional key injuries.

 

[Ozymandias]

What this team is showing above all else is the ability to grind. Grind out victories. Grind through adversity. Grind through inconsistencies. That's what this Patriots team has been able to do halfway through the regular season.

I'm greatly impressed with the grit and mental toughness this team has showcased so far. I'd rather they play these close and tight ball games than those mickey mouse blowouts that don't really mean much. This team is getting battle tested each and every week and it's only going help them in the long run when they have to play in these types of games in the playoffs (they will).

Having your backs against the wall each and every week, is making this team better, each and every week. Old ghosts of the past have made the Patriots become their own worst enemy. It's not good enough to win by 1 anymore, it has be by 30 otherwise the game is deemed to "feel like a loss." A win is a win, whether by 1 or 100.

Pittsburgh is the next team on the schedule. It's going to be another dogfight, but I like their chances against anyone in the league because they've demonstrated above all else that they'll fight to the finish - win, lose, or draw.

 

[VrabelJr]

The thing with this team is that we are winning despite Brady's somewhat awful play as opposed to because of Brady's incredible play. Brady will eventually get it together and hopefully our entire team keeps coming along as they seem to do every year after Thanksgiving.

Being 6-2 is a gift. Going 8-0 the rest of the way is very possible.

 

[Pats-Phan]

Great article. This fan base has a bunch of cry babies so don't deserve such a good product.

 

[MoneyFX]

6-2 and the best is still yet to come for this team. Hopefully Vereen will be back to be the change of pace RB that the offense has been missing since week 2, Brady will get better with his receivers and the defense will gel and get Kelly/Talib back as the season goes on.

I also love the fact that this team has been grinding out wins. This team has been battle-tested early and this will be good experience and preparation for what's to come in the last part of the season.