Lowered Expectations

[andrewgarrr]

They lost many talented players to injury, FA, and jail. If the offense reaches its potential by December, I think the Patriots can compete in the playoffs.

 

[moejr]

Valid point, but can our D really stop any playoff team come January? For that to happen, we would either need this current unit to suddenly improve (especially the run D) or the Pats to make a big acquisition before the trade deadline.

Our D can once it gets back Talib and Kelly are back.

 

[patsfan-1982]

im not ready to give up on a 5-2 team that still has Brady at QB and just got Gronk back, we seen Denver can be beaten and I know that the colts and bangles are not so much better then the pats that its time to throw in the towel, the pats have averaged 12 wins per season with brady at QB I don't see why they still cant win 12 get the number 2 seed win one at home and they are in the AFCCG just like last year

 

[supafly]

im not ready to give up on a 5-2 team that still has Brady at QB and just got Gronk back, we seen Denver can be beaten and I know that the colts and bangles are not so much better then the pats that its time to throw in the towel, the pats have averaged 12 wins per season with brady at QB I don't see why they still cant win 12 get the number 2 seed win one at home and they are in the AFCCG just like last year

I fully agree with you. There is no "lowering of expectations" around here, especially with a 5-2 record-- all things considered.

These next 2 games prior to the bye are enormous though. If we're going to have any kind of reasonable shot at the #2 seed and first round bye, we're going to need to go into the bye week at 7-2, and not a game off of that pace.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

Is this the only fanbase that acts like this? Lowering your expectations after an injury decimated, rookie heavy 5-2 start. What? Stop looking at the (close) loses as if they tell you everything.

I hate how some people are willing to ignore the wins and focus exclusivly on loses. The Falcons and Saints both were hyped before New England defeated them. Now the Colt and Chiefs become the new flavor. How long until they are knocked off?

 

[thenepatsrule]

Is this the only fanbase that acts like this? Lowering your expectations after an injury decimated, rookie heavy 5-2 start. What? Stop looking at the (close) loses as if they tell you everything.

I hate how some people are willing to ignore the wins and focus exclusivly on loses. The Falcons and Saints both were hyped before New England defeated them. Now the Colt and Chiefs become the new flavor. How long until they are knocked off?

Of course people will lower their expectation a bit, if you lose two of your defensive captains in a year where the defense was outshining the Offense you should lower your expectations.

Also, lowering of expectations =
*Preparing yourself mentally for an early Playoff exit
*Not having a heart attack like we did after the 07 SB loss
*Not cursing the team,BB in case we are one and done in the playoffs
*Not drowning oneself in drunken misery for weeks after a Playoff loss

 

[TomPatriot]

The 2007 Giants say hello.

 

[Water Boy]

How long have you been a Pats fan?

Since the days of Grogan, Hanna, Nelson and Hasselbeck

15 years ago if you told me the Pats were 9-7 and in as a wild card I'd have been giddy. You must think every i needs dotting and t needs to be crossed to enjoy the season. It should be a struggle and for most teams it is every year. The Pats play a bad game against the Jets and you want to start playing for next year...at 5-2?

I never said anything about not enjoying the season. I love football. I've watched every snap of every preseason game for as long as I can remember. I love the art of team building. I love watching rookies on the bubble perform.

Coming into the year I had hopes that the team could win the Super Bowl - even after the stupidest move in BB's career in not resigning Welker and losing that piece of crap Hernandez. With Wilfork and Mayo out, Talib likely out for several games and possibly iffy for the rest of the season, with Amendola likely to miss a significant portion of the season (who could have seen that coming) and the likelihood of more injuries as the season progresses, I have officially stuck a fork in the idea that the Pats can win the Super Bowl. It doesn't mean I'm not a fan - all it means is that the losses aren't going to bug me as much this year if it betters our position in the 2014 Draft.

 

[stcjones]

Ha ha ha....right...a "healthy Amendola"...that's a good one! Whew...haven't laughed that hard in awhile....a "healthy Amendola"...you crack me up!!.....oh wait....you weren't being serious were you? )




QUOTE=Gronkandez;3610985]It's probably a bad sign when your two main receivers that can stay healthy both have names that rhyme with drop.

Getting Vereen, Talib and Kelley will make a big difference. But they need more..like a healthy Amendola...[/QUOTE]

 

[Patsgofor4]

It's probably a bad sign when your two main receivers that can stay healthy both have names that rhyme with drop.

Ummmm, what?

Edelman
Dobson
Thompkins
Stop...please.

 

[RayClay]

Overlooking the absurdity of this thread and realizing *gasp* every team has or may have injuries...I'm pretty happy to be 5-2, coming off a recent victory against a top team with two winnable games and a bye ahead to work in Gronk Vereen and Armstead for the stretch run.

The OP is obviously only interested in drafts so his imaginary teams can be undefeated every year, not having to deal with the nasty realities of actually having to play the games.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Getting Kelly back and hoping that Armstead is something spectacular is what I am hanging my hat

Agreed. Armstead COULD be the wildcard on D, although I don't think that he needs to be spectatular. If he can play at a "Jones plus" level that may be good enough.

Armond Armstead is yet to return to the field, but New England Patriots teammates say he 'knows his stuff' in meeting rooms | masslive.com

Not practicing yet but seems like he is preparing for a return at some point. I think the they can win playoff games with a DT rotation of Kelly, Jones, Armstead and Vellano. I am more concerned about the LB play...Hightower has been quite underwhelming thus far, IMO. Collins may be too raw at this point to really contribute but i hope that he "gets it" come playoff time.

Ultimately, IMO, the games will be won or lost on Brady's right arm. He needs to stop sweating the rookie WRs, drops, OL play, bla, bla, bla and start worrying about his own decision making and accuracy. His 18 targets to GRONK reminded me of Brady to Moss at all cost circa 2009.

 

[olschool]

Where was it said that the Pats will NEVER lose to the Jets ?

All I know is that I'm glad I'm a 5-2 Pats fan and not a 1-6 Giants fan.

I shudder to think how many fans will jump off the Tobin bridge after being torched by Manning and Welker in a few weeks.

Tough losses happen, get used to it.

And enjoy the tough wins, which we'll see plenty of, if we can survive the heart attacks.

 

[Bruins29]

Ummmm, what?

Edelman
Dobson
Thompkins
Stop...please.

Agreed, also Gronkandez should change his screen name. The one he has is a disgrace and the fact that he dosent see that or has not changed it says a lot about him.

 

[Kontradiction]

This time last year, the Ravens were too decimated by injuries to make a run.

On December 4th 2011, the Giants were 6-6 and unlikely to make the playoffs.

In 2010, the Green Bay Packers were 4-3 and decimated by injuries.

In today's NFL, it isn't the best teams in October, November, and December who win Super Bowls. It is who gets hot in the playoffs.

As of right now, the only two players definitely won't be back in Mayo and Wilfork. Gronk should be a lot better and Vereen will be back. Amendola may be 100% by the playoffs. This team could be better than it has been all season going into late December/early January.

Just a nitpick, but Amendola is not going to be 100% all season, given the status of his injury. For him it's just a matter of dealing with the pain and hopefully avoiding other injuries.

This is the worst offense Brady has been handed since 2006. On the flip side, it's also probably the best defense he's been given since then (save maybe the 2007 season). Wilfork and Mayo's losses are killers and stopping the run may be a problem unless the team can pry a quality DT from someone before the trade deadline, but they can stop the pass when healthy. From a glass half full standpoint, the young WR's should continue to learn the offense (though they need to stop rounding off their routes), Gronk should get in better game shape, and Amendola and Vereen should return. All of those things should help. If health holds up on the defensive side, the team could theoretically make a run in the postseason as the AFC seems to be open this year. From a fan's point of view, hopefully everything I just listed happens.

 

[102 Pat]

I guess I'm just drinking the kool-aid but I have faith in this team. It's only October for petes sake. The way people are acting you would swear this team is 0-6. Once the playoffs start it's a whole new season.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I'm only interested in the bye week right now. It is critical that we don't lose any more games before the bye.This team is deficient on offense,defense and special team (Blount returning kicks arghh). I think that after the bye this team needs to make some critical adjustment.

 

[FalconHeavy]

Having seen the ups and downs of this team for the past decade, I can call myself a little bit more seasoned now. In the past, when Pats lose a game, no one will talk to me for a day or two, I would be that grumpy and insufferable

But honestly, this O needs to put their $hat together in a hurry and our run D needs to improve. Without which we are looking at probably 1 and done come January. damn, truth sucks

 

[PatriotReign]

I hadn't planned on using the thread ignore feature but I think this is the perfect time to try it out.