How optimistic are you feeling?

[RayClay]

There are a lot of advantages to winning when you are undermanned and going through rookie growing pains. 3 wins are in the bank. Whatever tough stretch we run into, that helps our overall record. Obviously getting Gronk, amendola, Vereen, Armstead? back will make us better, but the backups and rookies having to tough it out will make them better too. Bolden, Edelman are getting meaningful minutes too.

Of course you want to be full strenghth and on a roll, but there's also that peaking at the right time a tough early season might help.

I'm always optimistic, but the thing to look for is teamwork and camaraderie which, again, often grows by fighting through tough times.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Amendola is 1-2 weeks away from the sound of it..and gronk has a good shot next week. I like

 

[Sticky Caulk]

Who knows how things will be come playoffs, but as of now, I am optimistic. The young players got thrown into the fire unprepared, got burnt up, but they'll live and be better for it. Meanwhile, the team found a way to win three games in a row without the best TE in football. They also adjusted to life without Vereen and Amendola quicker than most teams would be able to manage.

People always find ways to downplay the Patriots achievements and turn them into negatives. Win three games? LUCKY SCHEDULE. Rookie has two TDs against a good pass defense? Another has a TD on the first play of his career? Could this be because they have an awesome QB leading them? Nope. Aaron Dropson and Kenbrell Dropkins get lambasted by Brady tissy fit! Yet the Broncos can play another cupcake schedule while their star defensive player tries to cheat the system and get none-stop praise. If Jones were to pull a Von Miller you know exactly what the narrative would be. Patriots. Cheat. Yup.

While the Patriots have dealt with a lot of injuries, other teams have too. The Patriots have been very lucky, so far. The Bears look relatively strong, but just lost Henry Melton for the season. They say next man up. Great. That doesn't change the fact that their line is probably going to be worse. One play can change the entire season. Getting to the playoffs is the only thing that matters now. The season will be too dynamic to plan for much else. Let's just enjoy the ride.

 

[Water Boy]

I'm pessimistic because I don't think the Patriots will have the receiver depth to compete for a Super Bowl. If Edleman continues to catch 10 passes a game and return punts, he will likely miss some games too.

I'm optimistic because despite the fact that our rookie receivers are still learning the system, they have been getting open down field on a regular basis, and our offensive line has been doing its job protecting Brady.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

People always find ways to downplay the Patriots achievements and turn them into negatives. Win three games? LUCKY SCHEDULE. Rookie has two TDs against a good pass defense? Another has a TD on the first play of his career? Could this be because they have an awesome QB leading them? Nope. Aaron Dropson and Kenbrell Dropkins get lambasted by Brady tissy fit! Yet the Broncos can play another cupcake schedule while their star defensive player tries to cheat the system and get none-stop praise. If Jones were to pull a Von Miller you know exactly what the narrative would be. Patriots. Cheat. Yup.

I look at the negative comments and (mostly) think of it as veiled hatred that we're so good. How many AFC teams felt they had to be the Patriots for them to be considered elite? How many other fans just plain hate the team. Sure they use whatever they think is clever, but didn't we do that as Red Sox fans when the Yankees weren't doing well or made excused (like inflated payroll/buying the wins).

I think the local Boston media helps support that. I mostly feel that there are more contrary voices out there than fan voices. It's quite sickening that people try to make their living, not promoting local fans, but bashing the local team. It happens so often that everyone feels justified that it's ok. Rarely, do other fans look (general fan, not people who study the game) within their own team for faults, much easier to blame the other team.


As for our rookies, I'l; state what I was saying before. I do believe there are visual/measurable improvements in how they are playing. You have to believe they "get" the system to a certain extent. And they are getting seperatation (and I don't think it's because the defend knows the route they want to run more than our receivers -- so they' be in the right place and our receivers would be out of place).

Still, we'll know what we have soon enough.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Couldn't watch the game live (I was watching Carlos Dunlap make the Jermaine Cunningham pick look even worse ...) but, having seen it on TV, I feel better about the offense and not so good about the D.

Seemed to me that Martin, Williams and Jackson were doing a lot of damage and that there wasn't an overwhelming pass rush/pass coverage/run defense. Fortunately, the Bucs had Freeman and beat themselves on 4th downs. The O, on the other hand, had a lot of reasons to be cheerful. I thought that Thompkins and Dobson almost looked the part. Those two plus Edelman and (hopefully) Gronkowski should see the team through if the hoped-for improvements take place with practice and familiarity. I thought Ridley looked better than he did against the Jets. So, overall, some cautious optimism about where the team is headed.

But optimism/pessimism isn't the point this season. As PWP wisely says, this is a season to take nothing for granted and to enjoy the good things that come along the way.

 

[Ivan]

Couldn't watch the game, too busy watching Geno Carmazzi leading the 49ers to yet another win, first QB to go 150 games over .500. Still pissed Belichick wasted that 6th on Tom Frigging Brady, like anyone who follows the draft didn't know that was a rotten pick, christ Kiper called it when they took him, a back-up at best.

Anyhow, I am fairly optimistic, I think that they will be a good team as the season progresses and where they end up will largely depend upon how they weather the next month. If they can come out of this stretch at 5-1 they will be in really good shape, if they end up 4-2 decent shape and 3-3 they will be feeling the pressure.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

christ Kiper called it when they took him, a back-up at best.

Stop taking things out of context. Clearly Kiper meant backup to Montana as the best ever. :rocker:

 

[Uncle Rico]

I'm pessimistic because I don't think the Patriots will have the receiver depth to compete for a Super Bowl. If Edleman continues to catch 10 passes a game and return punts, he will likely miss some games too.
...

I'm actually optimistic about how the receiver depth and, especially, pass-target depth will look come post-season time. Give the three rookies all this real-game experience (and coaching under Brady--BB-McDaniels), and Edelman gets less wear and tear. Add Gronk and Amendola and Vereen and Leon W. Bolden shows some potential as a pass-catcher and maybe as a bonus Sudfeld recaptures some camp magic. I'm very optimistic about this offense and the depth of options it will ultimately have.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I'm pessimistic because I don't think the Patriots will have the receiver depth to compete for a Super Bowl. If Edleman continues to catch 10 passes a game and return punts, he will likely miss some games too.

I'm optimistic because despite the fact that our rookie receivers are still learning the system, they have been getting open down field on a regular basis, and our offensive line has been doing its job protecting Brady.

Edelman has caught 10+ passes exactly twice in 51 career games. One of those times was his rookie year.

 

[BradyFTW!]

We have lost so many weapons that were planned on... AH, Vereen who was showing some real brilliance, Amendola with his muscle pull, Gronkowski, Leon Washington has had little if any playing time...

So they have had to rely on 3 rookie receivers and Edelman, in a team that usually views wide receivers as a second or third option..

Our run game is stymied, as we have not, up to last week thrown any screens.. so their D line does not have to worry about the "edge" as we open up the offense, things will get better...

If the Pats were relying on Washington to contribute on offense, then that's on them. There's a reason why he hasn't had a regular role on offense in years. Likewise, Gronk and Hernandez were known situations well before the preseason. I agree re: Amendola and Vereen though - I think the Pats figured that, even if those guys got hurt, it would be later in the season when Gronk was back and the rookies were further along. Nobody could have predicted that both would be lost for an extended period in week 1.

 

[Oswlek]

If the Pats were relying on Washington to contribute on offense, then that's on them. There's a reason why he hasn't had a regular role on offense in years. Likewise, Gronk and Hernandez were known situations well before the preseason. I agree re: Amendola and Vereen though - I think the Pats figured that, even if those guys got hurt, it would be later in the season when Gronk was back and the rookies were further along. Nobody could have predicted that both would be lost for an extended period in week 1.

Yes, because Seattle doesn't really use their backs the same way NE does. If Washington was healthy, he'd be out there for scrimage snaps in Vereen's absence.

 

[Uncle Rico]

If the Pats were relying on Washington to contribute on offense, then that's on them. There's a reason why he hasn't had a regular role on offense in years. Likewise, Gronk and Hernandez were known situations well before the preseason. I agree re: Amendola and Vereen though - I think the Pats figured that, even if those guys got hurt, it would be later in the season when Gronk was back and the rookies were further along. Nobody could have predicted that both would be lost for an extended period in week 1.

I think Hernandez's situation didn't develop until June -- hard to blame the Pats for not seeing that coming. From a football perspective, that's a big unexpected loss.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I am always optimistic at the start of every season knowing we have that QB and coach.

I think the wide-outs are doing ok. It would be hard not to have jitters coming into the league. The first couple games you could see they were tripping over their legs....too amped up.

As always i think the offense will keep us competitive but the defense will win us the championships. I am still not sold on Gregory, Denard, Arrington...I don't know. I just don't have a good feeling about them. We need more attitude back there.

When good teams start driving I can feel points coming...heck even so-so teams like the Bills and Jets.

At the end of the day we got a shot, a realistic shot to be watching ball in January.

Can't complain about that!

 

[QB12]

Feeling a beat down like Pats at Steelers, Sunday Night Football in 2010.

 

[QB12]

What has me very optimistic is the strong belief that this team, unlike previous years, and Denver this year, has a tremendously high ceiling, and we will continue to improve and grow in confidence week to week.

 

[shmessy]

Way more optimistic than after Week 2 in 1969:

Bean Town Massacre - YouTube

You can actually see Clive Rush on the sidelines hallucinating.

 

[Christiancat]

I think the Pats will do just fine this season. They have been winning so far. Thus, I am celebrating that and remain optimistic. The Pats need to stay focused, keep working hard and they'll continue to win games.