Loss of McGinest & Mangini makes Defense shadow of former self...

[PatsFanInVa]

I'll take where they have us for now. I think the Pats will come up much better in the last regular season rankings than their decent showing in the preseason rankings.

I like where the defense is heading. I think we're looking at some stars in the making in the defensive backfield. I wouldn't count on Rodney back, certainly not at 100%, until mid-season; that's just being prudent. But the Pats are coming back with Hobbs, Samuel, Gay, Wilson et al. all getting seasoned and experienced. I think we're close to set for the coming years - I think what analyses like these miss, is that when you start rookies and second and third year guys, they're just going to get better (what's that say about the D-line? Think about it.)

I do think we take a hit at LB, but not some crippling blow, and I don't think the Mangini loss really factors in. Losing Crennel is the big hit there - but people just love to hire away Pats' coordinators.

For similar reasons, I'm more bullish than most on our O-line.

I'm thinking mis-cues in the first half of the season got bad, even comical at times, and got less frequent in the games that followed. I'm thinking that time to gel as a team gives us quality across the board, once we set the roster in TC.

Oh yeah by the way... do you think we're in better or worse shape at running back this year? Maybe we can get past the magic 3.5 yards/carry barrier, what say you? Think we're more set than in 2001?

PFnV

 

[mcdonut16]

This guy looks like a figure skater (A red haired Brian Boytano) and he has Power Rankings on Yahoo ?

Common dude, Roethlisberger a front runner for MVP ? What about Brady.

 

[Hoodie]

BB did not encourage EM from what I understand, he actually told him he wasn't ready for head coaching position and particularly not the jets because of the cap situation they're in.

Well unless you have some inside scoop that's not what either Eric or BB had to say.

Belichick: I'm happy for Eric


Patriots coach Bill Belichick, commenting for the first time on Eric Mangini going to the Jets, said yesterday that he didn't try to dissuade his protégé from becoming their head coach, as many speculated.


"He's been in the league for 11 years, and he was with the Jets (from 1997 to 1999), so he knows everything I know," Belichick told the Daily News. "He had to do what was best for his family and his career. I respect that. It's not my job to run his life."


Belichick, a former Jets assistant who resigned as head coach after one day, said he expects Mangini to do well. Asked if Mangini, who turned 35 yesterday, is ready, Belichick repeated the Bill Walsh quote that Mangini used in his news conference. Walsh once said that a head coach is never quite ready, regardless of age.


"He did a good job for me, that's obvious," Belichick said. "I hired him three different times, counting Cleveland. Actions speak louder than words. I'm happy for him. I just wish he wasn't in the division. But, hey, that's the business."


Another Belichick protégé, Nick Saban, coaches the Dolphins. If the Bills had hired Charlie Weis two years ago, the AFC East would've been filled with Belichick disciples.


"The brotherhood," Belichick joked.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/384299p-326191c.html

 

[Hoodie]

Mangini's take

http://www.allthingsbillbelichick.com/articles/2006/emnotugly.htm

Dispelling rumors of a rift, former Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini yesterday said head coach Bill Belichick encouraged him to become head coach of the New York Jets.

Mangini accepted the job Monday and held his introductory press conference yesterday at the Jets' training facility in Hempstead, N.Y. He said that Belichick never tried to talk him out of accepting.

"It never got to that point," Mangini said. "Bill and I are the best of friends. We had a late conversation last night. He really wants what's best for me and my family. Bill always encourages me to take advantage of good situations."

 

[mgcolby]

Give me a break....

Steelers arent the best by any means. Yes they are the champs, but next season hell I dont even see them in the playoffs.

That is a bit of a stretch. They will be in the playoffs, they are a good team.

 

[mgteich]

C'mon people said the same thing about the pats in 2002 (after winning the SB). Oops, they were right.

Give me a break....

Steelers arent the best by any means. Yes they are the champs, but next season hell I dont even see them in the playoffs.

 

[mgteich]

Why should anyone but homers rate us higher than Pitt at this point? We were in the playoffs, and we DID lose our coordinator. We DID lose Givens and are hoping that a draftee will replace him. And PITT win the Super Bowl. Around here, we used to believe that winning the Super Bowl counted for something, certainly a top rating since they replaced all their player losses.

Yes, I would rate us higher than SD. The writer implies that SD won't get to the playoffs unless Rivers is as good as SD expects. I agree.

Do you expect the media to understand that adding Mincey and losing McGinist will make the front seven stronger?

Do you expect the media to understand that Samuel, Hobbs and Gay are a proven set of cornerbacks, among the best in the conference?

We are who we are. At the end of last year, we weren't good enough to beat Denver, period.

I expect that we will improve more than the other teams, but then I'm a homer.

Yahoo! Power Rankings

Gotta love Yahoo! Sports....

 

[mgteich]

IF I WERE A NATIONAL COLUMNIST
POWER RANKINGS
(BTW, I expect six of these to again make the playoffs).
These rating as of now. Much will happen between now and the starting GAME ONE power rankings.

(1) PITT
The champs are the champs until they are beat. We used to believe this. PITT wasn't a fluke. They've replaced losses reasonably well. They caught Cinci and are the class of their division.

But the pressure is on them, and the patriots are a better bet for winning the AFC. The pats have something to prove, an easy schedule, and are by far the best playing team when the playoffs come.

(2) INDY
This is a team that has been on the rise and chokes in the playoffs. They start with two big losses: Triplett and Edge. I wouldn't pick them for the most likey to be in the Conference Game. That is a slightly different ranking.

(3) DEN
As the season start, DEN must have the edge over the rest. They haven't lost much. The question is whether Plummer is a SB quarterback. Their hole is at RB, never a hole with the DEN OL.

(4) NEW ENGLAND
They start fourth on power. They have lost three key players in McGinist, Vinitieri and Givens. Their replacements have a lot of potential, never a good word in evaluating the power of teams early in the season. BTW, is Beisel really a starting ILB? The patriots have been money in the playoffs, but they have a ways to go to convert much of the potential to playoff quality performance. I would bet on the patriots to win the AFC, but they have a ways to go.

(5) CINCI
The franchise was injured. They were on their way up. They might have peaked, and been passed by PITT. But with Palmer coming back from injury, they cannot start any higher than 5.

(6) MIAMI
They improved greatly toward the end of 2005. They figure to continue to improve. Some have MIA as contenders for the title. I ahve them as the best of the rest.

(7) JAX
They seem to be on the way up. They were a playoff team.

(8) SAN DIEGO
The Super Chargers were on their way up, arguably the strongest team in the league for a good part of then year. And then they lost their second best player, to be replaced by a player most had a secomd rounder, and who has zero game experience. At BEST, San Diego will move up over the year, and be a force fighting for the conference, but only if Rivers has a great year. He doesn't need to be a great QB, he just has to have a great year.

(9) KANSAS CITY
This team is a true question mark. I might move them up to (7) if they sign Ty Law.
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