BlitzFritz
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2006
- Messages
- 779
- Reaction score
- 97
Todays game is a critical contest in the season, and will either assuage the panickers and throw more fuel on the fire to the theory that the NEP are still a shaky work in progress..
After a full week of back and forth, I give you my summary of the debate that has been raging on this Board.
1. The NEP have been the most successful franchise over the last decade. A True testament to BB's skill.
2. We are a top team in the AFC with a real shot at post-season and SB berth. Just as we are every year, which is remarkable.
3. Our offense is a fearsome machine, a top 5 squad. Once in awhile, an opposing defense may be able to confuse or stop it... the O is mortal. It cant carry every single game. But its truly a superb unit.
4. The big concern is that the NEP post season performance for the past 3 years has been uninspiring. And this year looks similar to those years. We are a team that can roll on Offense especially against weaker teams, but will need to play lights-out offense against the best teams, and hang on for dear life on D. The best teams in the post-season will bring both a strong offense and a fearsome defense, something the Pats lack. This is concerning.
5. BB realizes this and is trying everything he knows to improve the D. He massively upgraded the front 4 with veterans in the off season. He turned over the secondary. He added new schemes to let the LBs play to their strengths. Unfortunately, this has been necessary because for some bizarre reason, his defensive drafts have not yielded many playmakers or even proven starters. As a result, he is in a highly creative mode right now.
6. BB knows that the last quarter of the season and the post-season are what matter. Can he get the team on a roll, playing their best football for that stretch. We've seen it before. Can the team run the table beginning pretty soon, gel as a better defense, add in more schemes, and be able to stop top teams. That is the question. And that has been the question for 3 years (tho last year is looked like he had it almost solved).
7. Setting aside 2004 and 2007, we are in the state we might expect to be in every year -- HANGING IN THE BALANCE -- waiting to see how this drama will unfold. But rest assured, there is no one else we would rather have trying to pull it off than BB, despite his flaws. opcorn:
Reactions?
See you guys in Foxboro today. Looks like a sunny crisp day!!:eat2:
-- FRITZ
After a full week of back and forth, I give you my summary of the debate that has been raging on this Board.
1. The NEP have been the most successful franchise over the last decade. A True testament to BB's skill.
2. We are a top team in the AFC with a real shot at post-season and SB berth. Just as we are every year, which is remarkable.
3. Our offense is a fearsome machine, a top 5 squad. Once in awhile, an opposing defense may be able to confuse or stop it... the O is mortal. It cant carry every single game. But its truly a superb unit.
4. The big concern is that the NEP post season performance for the past 3 years has been uninspiring. And this year looks similar to those years. We are a team that can roll on Offense especially against weaker teams, but will need to play lights-out offense against the best teams, and hang on for dear life on D. The best teams in the post-season will bring both a strong offense and a fearsome defense, something the Pats lack. This is concerning.
5. BB realizes this and is trying everything he knows to improve the D. He massively upgraded the front 4 with veterans in the off season. He turned over the secondary. He added new schemes to let the LBs play to their strengths. Unfortunately, this has been necessary because for some bizarre reason, his defensive drafts have not yielded many playmakers or even proven starters. As a result, he is in a highly creative mode right now.
6. BB knows that the last quarter of the season and the post-season are what matter. Can he get the team on a roll, playing their best football for that stretch. We've seen it before. Can the team run the table beginning pretty soon, gel as a better defense, add in more schemes, and be able to stop top teams. That is the question. And that has been the question for 3 years (tho last year is looked like he had it almost solved).
7. Setting aside 2004 and 2007, we are in the state we might expect to be in every year -- HANGING IN THE BALANCE -- waiting to see how this drama will unfold. But rest assured, there is no one else we would rather have trying to pull it off than BB, despite his flaws. opcorn:
Reactions?
See you guys in Foxboro today. Looks like a sunny crisp day!!:eat2:
-- FRITZ