It has begun...

[Oswlek]

so, which mediot is going to make headlines by saying that the Pats will win this week? seriously, this is all about airtime and clicks. why do people keep falling for this or even being bothered by it? yawn.....

You are missing the point. I am not finding a lone mediot playing the contradictory game and taking him to task, I am talking about general perception.

Every media member feels that NE is a good be for an L. Jet fans are supremely confident. Even amongst Pats fans, it seems that NE has a 50/50 shot at best on Sunday.

Somehow this team has found its way into underdog status and I am revelling in it.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Somehow this team has found its way into underdog status and I am revelling in it.

I know, doesnt it feel good? Im kind of hoping we stay this way (while winning) for awhile

 

[shmessy]

I think the problem is, I need an angrier indian chief in my avatar. Then this sort of thing wouldn't happen.

I like your Indian Chief.

He's stoic, reflective and resolvd.

Like Belichick.

If you want a Rex Ryan Indian Chief, you can simply change to the Cleveland Indians Logo.

 

[BradysBunch12]

I don't know why all the mediots are jumping off the bandwagon. We aren't going to go 16-0 again, but I never expected us to anyway. Atlanta, Baltimore, Tennessee, and Indy, and New Orleans are all loseable games. Worst case scenario, we lose 3 out of those, and we lose 2 random games like at Miami and one to the Jets or Buffalo later on in the season (We aren't losing this Sunday. Belichick against a rookie qb plus Rex's bulletin board material is enough to motivate this team) and we go 11-5 and get a 2 or 3 seed.

In the playoffs, it's all about who's hot, and we have the advantage of having the best playoff qb of all time not named Joe Montana. Frankly, the only team I'm worried about is the NFC team we face in the Super Bowl that can take us by surprise (see Carolina and the Giants.)

You figure the other 5 AFC playoff spots are Pittsburgh, San Diego, Indy, Baltimore, and Tennessee. Pittsburgh has never shown they can beat us when it counts...the One and Done Colts, even if they make it that far, well we all know how Manning turns into Rex Grossman in the postseason...Baltimore has no offense...Tennessee...good D, but how many points will Kerry Collins put up against us?...San Diego...still hasn't proven they can win in the postseason. So I'm pretty confident about our chances in the playoffs.

I doubt we get the one seed, I'm looking at a 12-4, 11-5 record, but it will be good enough to get a few home games, and I'm looking forward to see the Patriots in Super Bowl 44.

 

[Ryan]

It's just amazing how fickle the media is. Less than a month ago the Pats were heavy favorites. They trade Seymour and struggle in the opener (but still win), and now pretty much everyone is saying they should be worried, they'll be lucky to make the playoffs, etc. It's wacky.

But like others have said, I'll take being the underdog once again. Great success came with that in the past.

 

[AFPatsFan12]

Actually. this game uncannily reminds me of the 2006 Week 2 game against, surprise surprise, the Jests. Flashback to 2006:

-- New England listlessly and uninspiringly beats what is supposed to be a mediocre/bad Buffalo Bills team 19-17 in Week 1. It takes a fairly bad mistake by the Bills (going for it on 4th down late in the 3rd, when a chip shot FG makes it a two possession game), and a big play (a 4th quarter safety) to fend off a pretty big upset.

-- The team is dealing with the Deion Branch circus at the time, before he is traded to Seattle for a first rounder.

So what happens? New England goes into the Meadowlands and jumps out to a 24-0 lead, before hanging on for a 24-17 win.

Now it's foolhardy to compare games/weeks across seasons, but the comparison between this year and 2006 is a bit uncanny, no?

 

[STUB STUB]

Superficially, Leon Washington looks like he is going to get at least 300 yards on screens and draws. But there was a reason the underneath was so open, NE used both safeties to double TO and Evans all game. Buffalo wisely just went were there was a lone defender trying to cover a lot of ground, and a backup lone defender at that.

Interesting write-up. I agree, I think this is the key to the game: Can Sanchez make the throws when guys are in 1-on-1 or vanilla zone coverages once the Pats shift their focus to the underneath stuff?

 

[shmessy]

Actually. this game uncannily reminds me of the 2006 Week 2 game against, surprise surprise, the Jests. Flashback to 2006:

-- New England listlessly and uninspiringly beats what is supposed to be a mediocre/bad Buffalo Bills team 19-17 in Week 1. It takes a fairly bad mistake by the Bills (going for it on 4th down late in the 3rd, when a chip shot FG makes it a two possession game), and a big play (a 4th quarter safety) to fend off a pretty big upset.

-- The team is dealing with the Deion Branch circus at the time, before he is traded to Seattle for a first rounder.

So what happens? New England goes into the Meadowlands and jumps out to a 24-0 lead, before hanging on for a 24-17 win.

Now it's foolhardy to compare games/weeks across seasons, but the comparison between this year and 2006 is a bit uncanny, no?

.....or last year.

Jets won week 1 on the road.

Pats non-impressively sqeaked by KC at home.

Jets NEW QB!!!!!!!!! Whoa!!!!

Week before, Pats lost their most important player + signal caller on Offense (this time - D)

 

[PatsGAgirl]

Somehow this team has found its way into underdog status and I am revelling in it.[/QUOTE]

I love it too...some of these media guys make it sound like we have no chance against this Jets team

 

[tajapandu]

I know, doesnt it feel good? Im kind of hoping we stay this way (while winning) for awhile

we managed to do it all the way through 01 and 03, somehow. maybe we can pull it off again.

 

[PatsFanJess]

They need a life and lots of counseling too. Now they have a crazy azz coach leaving messages asking the fans to help him out, saying he's not as good a coach as BB. Must be something in the air below Connecticut that eats away at the rational portion of their brain.

It's called toxic waste from the dumpsites in Jersey. That stuff can screw with ya.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

It's called toxic waste from the dumpsites in Jersey. That stuff can screw with ya.

Hey Hey.....I am not that messed up! Glad I moved to MA!!

 

[PatsFanJess]

Hey Hey.....I am not that messed up! Glad I moved to MA!!

LOL. You must've lived where the ground wasn't contaminated...

 

[NJPatsfan26]

LOL. You must've lived where the ground wasn't contaminated...

Well my wife says I do kinda glow green at night......

 

[Rob0729]

You are missing the point. I am not finding a lone mediot playing the contradictory game and taking him to task, I am talking about general perception.

Every media member feels that NE is a good be for an L. Jet fans are supremely confident. Even amongst Pats fans, it seems that NE has a 50/50 shot at best on Sunday.

Somehow this team has found its way into underdog status and I am revelling in it.

That's not true. Every one of the mediots on Inside the NFL picked the Pats to win.

Here are other people who pick the Pats to win:

Harmon Forecast 21-14
NFL - CBSSports.com Football

Peter Schrager Fox Sports 23-13
NFL - - FOX Sports on MSN

The Pats will definitely use the Jets' comments and some of the media who are questioning if they can win to their favor, but let's not go overboard. The general perception of the media is that the Pats will still win this game.

 

[StraightCashHomey81]

-Simmons has gone negative on all the boston teams. In his podcasts and columns over the last few months he has expressed no faith in the Sox or Pats, thinks the Sheed move was bad for the Celtics, and thinks KG's knee won't be healthy. His time in LA and his obsession with the NBA in general has made him less of a Boston guy writing for a national site and more of a national writer who happens to be from Boston. Problem is the rest of the country still thinks he speaks for the Pats fans, etc. Now my friends who are fans of other teams (i.e. Jets fans) will use it in arguments saying things like "Even Simmons thinks the Pats D is old and stinks, etc.".

But then I correctly point out we have 1.5 starters over 30 and have playmakers like Wilfork, Mayo, Burgess, Meriweather, and Bodden, and they shuddup and they are a bunch of talk, and they are silenced.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Actually. this game uncannily reminds me of the 2006 Week 2 game against, surprise surprise, the Jests. Flashback to 2006:

-- New England listlessly and uninspiringly beats what is supposed to be a mediocre/bad Buffalo Bills team 19-17 in Week 1. It takes a fairly bad mistake by the Bills (going for it on 4th down late in the 3rd, when a chip shot FG makes it a two possession game), and a big play (a 4th quarter safety) to fend off a pretty big upset.

-- The team is dealing with the Deion Branch circus at the time, before he is traded to Seattle for a first rounder.

So what happens? New England goes into the Meadowlands and jumps out to a 24-0 lead, before hanging on for a 24-17 win.

Now it's foolhardy to compare games/weeks across seasons, but the comparison between this year and 2006 is a bit uncanny, no?

Thanks for that timely, historical perspective.