I'm still hopeful, and here's why

[aluminum seats]

I dont know about this team...I have been a believer up until this week. The same problems keep coming up and they havent been corrected. They have not proven that they are a team that is feared among teams in the NFL. Our defense is young an inexperienced, cannot get a pass rush or come up with a big stop when it is needed. Our offensive with the talent that it has is definitely under achieving and struggling in 2nd halfs when it matters. In all our our losses except the Saints game we have had double digit leads, and have lost them all in the 2nd half. All of those factors just dont point to a team that is capable of going anywhere in the playoffs.

With that said I still am going to cheer for the Pats and hope that they can go somewhere in the playoffs. I am not going to look ahead towards next year. This team will win the AFC east whether they finish 11-5 or 10-6 and get a home game on wild card weekend. They will win that game and then have to go into Indy, and we'll see what happens there. I do know if most of the Pats issues are not corrected by then it will be a long night in Indy. Hopefully the Pats can turn everything around in their last 4 games and I dont think any team wants to play BB and Tom Brady in the playoffs.

For accuracy's sake, I should note that they didn't have a double-digit lead against the Jets.

But yeah, that lays it out pretty well.....and does going out to Indy scare anyone? Doesn't me. Then what? Cincy? SD? Bring it on.

 

[The Coon]

lets stop worrying about our pass rush, or how we are going to be able to compete with the Indys and New Orleans of the world until these teams come up on the schedule again. Our focus should be on being better than Carolina. One game at a time folks. Lets see what happens.

 

[The Dynasty]

For accuracy's sake, I should note that they didn't have a double-digit lead against the Jets.

But yeah, that lays it out pretty well.....and does going out to Indy scare anyone? Doesn't me. Then what? Cincy? SD? Bring it on.

Thanks, I'll fix that.

 

[JMarr]

Re: I'm Still Hopeful, and Here's Why....

Jeez....good luck with post #2.

Now THAT was funny. Thanks I needed a good laugh.

 

[mgteich]

lets stop worrying about our pass rush, or how we are going to be able to compete with the Indys and New Orleans of the world until these teams come up on the schedule again. Our focus should be on being better than Carolina. One game at a time folks. Lets see what happens.

It is the job of the team to play one game at a time. We fans have the luxury of looking ahead to playing Denver or San Diego in the playoffs in the snow at home.

 

[Metaphors]

Re: I'm Still Hopeful, and Here's Why....

1 and done if they can even make it in.

The Pats will not lose a playoff game at home to Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh or Baltimore. Just won't happen.

 

[The Dynasty]

Re: I'm Still Hopeful, and Here's Why....

The Pats will not lose a playoff game at home to Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh or Baltimore. Just won't happen.

I agree, we wont lose to whoever we play on wild card weekend

 

[rabthepat]

Re: I'm Still Hopeful, and Here's Why....

The Pats will not lose a playoff game at home to Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh or Baltimore. Just won't happen.

This year's 2009 Patriots are not the Patriot's of the past who would not lose at home in the first round to a road team. This year's Patriot team is well capable of losing to those teams at home in the first round.

Our defense is allowing QBs, whom are truly back up QBs, to look better than they really are. Remember when Bill used to get into the head of QBs like Sanchez and Henne...what happens when a veteran QB shows up like Roethlisberger with the play offs on the line?

 

[pheenix11]

Relax, Gisele is gonna pop out Brady III and Tom is gonna get his head clear, Belichick is gonna give O'Brien a swift kick in the ass and Ernie Adams is gonna switch back to his old medication.

Pats run the table the rest of the season, finish 11-5 and get the 3rd seed. This will begin the Run of Retribution to remind everyone who is the team of the 00's.

Knock off Steelers in Wild Card Round
Knock off Chargers in Divisional Round
Knock off Colts in AFCCG (Colts will lose to TEN so no 16-0)
Knock off Vikings in SB (finally revenge on Favre like it should have been in 2007)

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Festivus for the Rest of Us!

 

[The Dynasty]

Re: I'm Still Hopeful, and Here's Why....

This year's 2009 Patriots are not the Patriot's of the past who would not lose at home in the first round to a road team. This year's Patriot team is well capable of losing to those teams at home in the first round.

Our defense is allowing QBs, whom are truly back up QBs, to look better than they really are. Remember when Bill used to get into the head of QBs like Sanchez and Henne...what happens when a veteran QB shows up like Roethlisberger with the play offs on the line?

Well this team has proven that they can win at home, they havent lost at home all year. There is no reason to believe that we wouldnt win our first game at home.

I wouldnt consider Henne to be a backup QB. He is developing into a solid QB that can be successful in the NFL. BB got in the head of QB's when he had the talent to do so. This defense is young and inexperienced so you cant imply the same strategies as you did when you had the veterans that we had. This defense will eventually have that talent, but not this year. If you are scared of Ben Roethlisberger than theres a problem...they lost at home to the Raiders.

 

[The Dynasty]

Relax, Gisele is gonna pop out Brady III and Tom is gonna get his head clear, Belichick is gonna give O'Brien a swift kick in the ass and Ernie Adams is gonna switch back to his old medication.

Pats run the table the rest of the season, finish 11-5 and get the 3rd seed. This will begin the Run of Retribution to remind everyone who is the team of the 00's.

Knock off Steelers in Wild Card Round
Knock off Chargers in Divisional Round
Knock off Colts in AFCCG (Colts will lose to TEN so no 16-0)
Knock off Vikings in SB (finally revenge on Favre like it should have been in 2007)

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Festivus for the Rest of Us!

I like your positive attitude but where do you see us finishing 11-5 and getting the 3rd seed. We're 2 games back of the 3rd seed with 4 games left. We will win the AFC East and get the #4 seed, and see where things go from there

 

[pheenix11]

I like your positive attitude but where do you see us finishing 11-5 and getting the 3rd seed. We're 2 games back of the 3rd seed with 4 games left. We will win the AFC East and get the #4 seed, and see where things go from there

Cincy is gonna collapse down the stretch, lose to MIN, SD, NYJ and finish 10-6.

 

[The Dynasty]

Cincy is gonna collapse down the stretch, lose to MIN, SD, NYJ and finish 10-6.

I can see them losing to the Vikings and Chargers, but I cant see them losing to the Jets. Also, how is it a guarantee that the Pats win out, just saying. We still have yet to win a true road game and we have 2 left

 

[pheenix11]

I can see them losing to the Vikings and Chargers, but I cant see them losing to the Jets. Also, how is it a guarantee that the Pats win out, just saying. We still have yet to win a true road game and we have 2 left

Ya gotta believe!

 

[SVN]

obviously the carolina game is huge. Anyone who thinks its a sure win can just see the oak@pitt game. After that if they dont beat the bills then they might as well wave the white flag.
The jets have the easiest schedule and iam more worried about than miami who have to tenn and pitt.

 

[aluminum seats]

This is what I mean by going by what you see. I'm ridiculously confident that the Pats win out and win their first round home playoff game. Off the Colts then and who knows.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Who knows maybe this offense will click and this January will look like September of 2007. Wouldn't that be something

 

[Patsguy05]

Maybe someone already pointed it out but, when the Colts won the superbowl 3 years ago, their defense was dismal. Including their pass rush and they couldn't stop the run if their life depended on it. Somehow, they made enough changes and improved the last couple of games headed into the playoffs to shock people and win the SB. Is there not the same hope for our team?

 

[mgteich]

If our OFFENSE were playing as wekk as that of the colts in 2006, I would agree with your an analysis.

Maybe someone already pointed it out but, when the Colts won the superbowl 3 years ago, their defense was dismal. Including their pass rush and they couldn't stop the run if their life depended on it. Somehow, they made enough changes and improved the last couple of games headed into the playoffs to shock people and win the SB. Is there not the same hope for our team?

 

[Tunescribe]

I see the Patriots winning the division, winning a hard-fought home playoff game in the first round, and losing at one of the top two seeds in the second round. Beyond that I have no expectations and hope they surprise me.