Impact of the rookies

[HomerSchooled]

Considering what we did to Miami in the last game of the regular season, with many starters resting, I'm not worried. They still have a QB who will struggle, and we'll be putting out a much better team than the one that absolutely crushed them in week 17. It's a night game, so I think that will mitigate the heat a bit, too.

San Diego always, ALWAYS struggles out the gate. We played them in week 2 of 2007, and absolutely crushed them. They' haven't been above .500 in the first four weeks of a season since. They're obviously a tough team, but given their history, and the incredibly long trip from SD to Foxborough, I like our chances.

 

[Triumph]

Really? And you know this how?
The last time the Pats played in Miami in September was 2000. Sorry, you got this one wrong.

September 21, 2008

You can make the excuses that Cassel was at fault, but Miami unveiled the Wildcat and caught NE totally by surprise. Cassel didnt play on defense that day.

We are talking about 'struggling' vs Miami and SD. He didnt isolate games, he said we have struggled vs those teams.

The next Miami game is in Florida. Not in Foxboro, where the Pats rarely lose.

If you want to pretend that its the same whether you play on the road or at home, please be my guest.

We have won 5 of those, and have won 4 of the last 5. That is hardly struggling. You 'struggle' against teams that you lose to often, not against teams you consistently beat regardless of margin.
Did the Packers struggle to a SB win last year?

3 of those games were decided by 3 points and 1 by 7 points.

Without question Brady and the NE offense struggled vs SD last season. Brady had a horrible day, but NE squeaked out of there with an ugly win.

 

[Ring 6]

September 21, 2008

You can make the excuses that Cassel was at fault, but Miami unveiled the Wildcat and caught NE totally by surprise. Cassel didnt play on defense that day.

That game was in Foxboro, dont you remember all the booing?
You are limiting this to September games in Miami and say we have struggled in them. I said, correctly, we havent played in Miami in september since 2000. The Sept in Miami struggles are as much a figment of your imagination as the local of the 9.21.08 game.

If you want to pretend that its the same whether you play on the road or at home, please be my guest.

I'm not pretending anything. I am discussing whether or not the Patriots 'traditionally struggle against the dolphins'. You are the one moving the goalposts.

3 of those games were decided by 3 points and 1 by 7 points.

Without question Brady and the NE offense struggled vs SD last season. Brady had a horrible day, but NE squeaked out of there with an ugly win.

My definition of stuggling against a team is not winning 4 of 5.
I'm pretty sure any NFL team would be happy winning 4 of the next 5 against every opponent they have, and would not consider that a struggle regardless of how badly they beat them.
Feel free to consider an .800 winning percentage strugglilng, but I will not agree.

 

[Metaphors]

My definition of stuggling against a team is not winning 4 of 5.
I'm pretty sure any NFL team would be happy winning 4 of the next 5 against every opponent they have, and would not consider that a struggle regardless of how badly they beat them.
Feel free to consider an .800 winning percentage strugglilng, but I will not agree.

The Pats winning percentage over the last 2 years is only .500. Over the last 6 years, the percentage is .667 but the Pats are outscored by the Bolts over that time.

What about the Colts-Pats from 2005-2009? The Colts had an .833 percentage. No problem with the Pats during this time, right? I think Goober might disagree.

You take the term "struggle" and only apply it to wins and losses. Fine, but it ignores the possibility you could struggle to win a game. Does that seem right to you? Haven't you watched a game and it felt like the Pats escaped a loss rather than earned a win? That is how the 2009 and 2006 SD games felt to me. Add in the blowout losses in 2008 and 2005 and the ugly win (with Rivers on one good knee) in the 2007 playoffs...well I would describe that as a struggle.

 

[Ring 6]

The Pats winning percentage over the last 2 years is only .500. Over the last 6 years, the percentage is .667 but the Pats are outscored by the Bolts over that time.

I dont think win one lose one qualifies as 'struggling' to me, and when that is on the heels of winning 3 in a row, no.

What about the Colts-Pats from 2005-2009? The Colts had an .833 percentage. No problem with the Pats during this time, right? I think Goober might disagree.

The Colts didnt struggle with us at all, the owned us. We certainly struggled with them.

You take the term "struggle" and only apply it to wins and losses.

Yes I do. To me, 'struggling against a team' is havign trouble beating them. 5 straight 3-0 wins is not what I would consider struggling with that team, although I could easily see each individual game being a struggle to win.
Those 2 things are very different to me.

Fine, but it ignores the possibility you could struggle to win a game. Does that seem right to you? Haven't you watched a game and it felt like the Pats escaped a loss rather than earned a win? That is how the 2009 and 2006 SD games felt to me. Add in the blowout losses in 2008 and 2005 and the ugly win (with Rivers on one good knee) in the 2007 playoffs...well I would describe that as a struggle.

Hey I'm just giving you my opinion. By my definiton no we have not 'struggled with the Chargers' over the last few years. Some games have been struggles. If you want to define it differently, go right ahead.

BTW, I never considered the 2007 playoff game an ugly win, I felt we were pretty well in control.

 

[Triumph]

That game was in Foxboro, dont you remember all the booing?
You are limiting this to September games in Miami and say we have struggled in them. I said, correctly, we havent played in Miami in september since 2000. The Sept in Miami struggles are as much a figment of your imagination as the local of the 9.21.08 game.

Youre are right, I stand corrected. Ive never been to a game in Foxboro at the new stadium.

The Pats have struggled in the Miami heat and humidity. Last years game in early October wasnt a great offensive performance by Brady - 153 passing yards. 21 NE points were attributed to the Special teams and defense.

I'm not pretending anything. I am discussing whether or not the Patriots 'traditionally struggle against the dolphins'. You are the one moving the goalposts.

Its tougher to win on the road. 2 seasons ago the Pats couldnt buy a road win. Both losses last season came on the road and the Pats could have easily lost to the Chargers.

 

[Ring 6]

Youre are right, I stand corrected. Ive never been to a game in Foxboro at the new stadium.

The Pats have struggled in the Miami heat and humidity. Last years game in early October wasnt a great offensive performance by Brady - 153 passing yards. 21 NE points were attributed to the Special teams and defense.



Its tougher to win on the road. 2 seasons ago the Pats couldnt buy a road win. Both losses last season came on the road and the Pats could have easily lost to the Chargers.

Come on. They blew the Dolphins out 41-14 and you are going to call a 27 point win a struggle because of the number of passing yards? Surely you know that silly.

Of course it is tougher to win on the road. What does that have to do with whether the Patriots have 'traditionally struggled vs Miami and SD'?

 

[Triumph]

Come on. They blew the Dolphins out 41-14 and you are going to call a 27 point win a struggle because of the number of passing yards? Surely you know that silly.

A 150 yard passing day for Brady and the offense is struggling. A 300 yard day is not.

TDs on a KO return, a blocked punt and INT are rare. I would have loved to have at least 1 when Brady struggled vs the Jets last post season.

Of course it is tougher to win on the road. What does that have to do with whether the Patriots have 'traditionally struggled vs Miami and SD'?

The Miami game is in FLA. If you want to already ink in a W, go ahead. Sparano is fighting for his job with all the time in the world to prepare for NE.

 

[Snake Eyes]

A 150 yard passing day for Brady and the offense is struggling. A 300 yard day is not.

Brady had a 79.2% completion percentage that day, the a TD and 0 INTs, that's struggling?

This isn't fantasy football, the point is to win, and if they can win just fine by not airing it out then that's smart football. A rather doubt BB was ripping into Brady the next day for his crappy performance.

That said, I like our chances against Miami, I don't think it'll be a walk in the park but I think we get the W that day.

 

[Triumph]

Brady had a 79.2% completion percentage that day, the a TD and 0 INTs, that's struggling?

This isn't fantasy football, the point is to win, and if they can win just fine by not airing it out then that's smart football. A rather doubt BB was ripping into Brady the next day for his crappy performance.

That said, I like our chances against Miami, I don't think it'll be a walk in the park but I think we get the W that day.

150 passing yards is not a great day for the NE offense, but it will get you by with scores from special teams and defense.

 

[BlueThunder]

That's why football is a TEAM sport...all facets...Offense..Defense...ST

When all 3 are contributing...you usually win big....

The sign of a good team is when one or two facets struggle and the other bails you out....

 

[ausbacker]

150 passing yards is not a great day for the NE offense, but it will get you by with scores from special teams and defense.

The offense didn't have to do much that day. Why are you bothering to argue this point? It's nonsensical.

 

[PlainOldEd]

A 150 yard passing day for Brady and the offense is struggling. A 300 yard day is not.

TDs on a KO return, a blocked punt and INT are rare. .

Have you considered that having 3 drives taken away from the offense could impact the passing yards?

 

[Ring 6]

A 150 yard passing day for Brady and the offense is struggling. A 300 yard day is not.

What does that have to do with anything?
And, its wrong too. Not needing to pass the ball is a clear sign the team didnt struggle to win.
You are grasping at straws.
Realize this. You are now saying the Patriots struggled while beating Miami by 27 points because they didn't pass for 150 yards.

TDs on a KO return, a blocked punt and INT are rare. I would have loved to have at least 1 when Brady struggled vs the Jets last post season.

They were part of the game.
What is your argument now? That if we didnt score 3 of the TDs that we did in a blowout win, it may have been a struggle?

The Miami game is in FLA. If you want to already ink in a W, go ahead. Sparano is fighting for his job with all the time in the world to prepare for NE.

None of that has anything to do with the topic.
Where the teams next play is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
My confidence or lack thereof whether they will win the next meeting is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
Sporano's job security is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
How much preparation time the teams have for the next game is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.

You are fighting a losing argument and now you have just made a post that brings the credibility of your argument into question.
You cant really believe that what you just posted is helpful to your argument or relevant to the discussion, can you?

 

[Triumph]

What does that have to do with anything?
And, its wrong too. Not needing to pass the ball is a clear sign the team didnt struggle to win.
You are grasping at straws.
Realize this. You are now saying the Patriots struggled while beating Miami by 27 points because they didn't pass for 150 yards.

What part about the offense struggling in Miami isnt clear to you?

150 yards sucks for a HOF QB.

Are you going to tell that the NE offense didnt struggle vs SD last season as well. The Pats won.

They were part of the game.
What is your argument now? That if we didnt score 3 of the TDs that we did in a blowout win, it may have been a struggle?

They were not part of the offense

None of that has anything to do with the topic.
Where the teams next play is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
My confidence or lack thereof whether they will win the next meeting is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
Sporano's job security is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.
How much preparation time the teams have for the next game is not a factor in whether the Pats have traditionally struggled vs Miami.

You are fighting a losing argument and now you have just made a post that brings the credibility of your argument into question.
You cant really believe that what you just posted is helpful to your argument or relevant to the discussion, can you?

Yes it does.

Sporano has outcoached BB before. It do or die for him this season in Miami.

 

[Ring 6]

What part about the offense struggling in Miami isnt clear to you?

1) The fact that we scored 41 points
2) The fact that the discussion was about THE PATRIOTS TRADITIONALLY STRUGGLING VS MIAMI not if the offense had good stats in that game

150 yards sucks for a HOF QB.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. The team won 41-14. Brady didn't need to throw. Brady is a HOF because of winning not passing yardage totals.

Are you going to tell that the NE offense didnt struggle vs SD last season as well. The Pats won.

You have totally abandoned the topic of this discussion.

They were not part of the offense

They are part of the team, we are talking about the team.

Yes it does.

Sporano has outcoached BB before. It do or die for him this season in Miami.

Please explain to me what that has to do with determining whether the Patriots have traditionally struggled vs Miami. You are talking about something that may affect a future game, how can that address what happened in the past?

 

[Off The Grid]

Last years game in early October wasnt a great offensive performance by Brady - 153 passing yards. 21 NE points were attributed to the Special teams and defense.

Come on. They blew the Dolphins out 41-14 and you are going to call a 27 point win a struggle because of the number of passing yards?

Surely you know that silly.

A 150 yard passing day for Brady and the offense is struggling.

A 300 yard day is not.

OK, now you're just being LUDICROUS.

A 41-14 ANNIHILATION, and you're calling that a "STRUGGLE???"

 

[Off The Grid]

This just in...

Georgia Tech "Struggles" to get by CumberLand

 

[supafly]

This just in...

Georgia Tech "Struggles" to get by CumberLand

Sadly Georgia Tech didn't even cover the spread though

 

[Sicilian]

150 yards sucks for a HOF QB.

Apparently they only give Super Bowl MVPs to QB's who suck then. Brady had 145 yards passing in Super Bowl 36.