My condolances to the other 31 teams in the league

[MiChargers]

I'm done with you and your idiocy. Wheatley and the rest not so much? You know nothing.

You're not done with me, you always come back for more. Yeah, I know a thing or two about Wheatley, since we've played against him many times, twice a year. In fact, Im sure I know more about him than you [looking up his stats] could possibly know. He's decent, but I dont think he adds any real significance or impact to your run game, already having the RBs you do. He's definately expendable.

 

[ALP]

True, if we're talking in terms of talent and overall strength but the Giants proved they are the best by beating the best team in the league. Doesn't that count for something?

jesus man...u just caled the pats the best team in the league...quit arguing already...

to asnwer ur question, they also LOST to the best team in the league

 

[ALP]

I think you are being sarcastic but in the rare scenario that you are not, someone was able to defeat the patriots each of the previous 3 seasons, while a Brady led Pats team is easily the best team in the NFL imo, it does not diminish anyone's championship season if they did it in a Brady-less year

hmm...thats a VERY debatable topic....

 

[SDFan]

To be the best, you've got to beat the best.
You will never be able to say you beat the best in 2008.

what kind of a statement is this? one player (even if he is the key position in offense) does not make the whole team. There are other way to win games. Season is not over for this team. Last I checked Pats are 1-0 and haven't lost a game.

 

[pao]

To be the best, you've got to beat the best.
You will never be able to say you beat the best in 2008.

Kidding right? Whoever wins the SB, isn't going to be saying "Well we didn't have to face Brady so this is tarnished". Injuries are a part of the game. Some hurt worse than others. But whoever wins the SB will celebrate and appreciate it without reservation. I mean the Patriots didn't beat the Chargers best team last year in the AFCCG did they? They aren't bemoaining that fact and the Chargers, or this fan, aren't making excuses. Ridiculous.

 

[mark3274]

My condolances to ther other 31 teams in the league when the patriots prove that it REALLY is all about TEAMWORK and no one player (no matter who) is above the team. Yes we will win the superbowl... BOOK IT!

ummm no you will not


you will be lucky to win 8 games this year but You will not be in the playoffs nor will you win the afc east and your coach may even get so upset he hangs it in this year... brady could come back to a new coach lol

 

[GuyClinch]

I don't really agree with the OP. I don't think the superbowl winning team will care that they didn't get to face Tom Brady.

OTOH - I do think that the undefeated 16 game regular season is more special then the superbowl. It shows an astounding commitment to excellence that no team has ever matched. Every year someone wins the superbowl. But only one team has ever gone 16-0 during the modern regular season.

I'd say the same thing about the NBA. If one team went 82-0. HOLY FRIGGIN SH**. That's a way bigger deal then winning the NBA championship. Every year someone wins a championship. It just seems special to long suffering fans..

Pete

 

[MiChargers]

Kidding right? Whoever wins the SB, isn't going to be saying "Well we didn't have to face Brady so this is tarnished". Injuries are a part of the game. Some hurt worse than others. But whoever wins the SB will celebrate and appreciate it without reservation. I mean the Patriots didn't beat the Chargers best team last year in the AFCCG did they? They aren't bemoaining that fact and the Chargers, or this fan, aren't making excuses. Ridiculous.

Exactly, but since it happened to NE and his majesty Tom Brady, nothing else in the universe matters.

 

[MiChargers]

I don't really agree with the OP. I don't think the superbowl winning team will care that they didn't get to face Tom Brady.

OTOH - I do think that the undefeated 16 game regular season is more special then the superbowl. It shows an astounding commitment to excellence that no team has ever matched. Every year someone wins the superbowl. But only one team has ever gone 16-0 during the modern regular season.

I'd say the same thing about the NBA. If one team went 82-0. HOLY FRIGGIN SH**. That's a way bigger deal then winning the NBA championship. Every year someone wins a championship. It just seems special to long suffering fans..

Pete

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're with slim company, even on this forum. The mantra that's constantly pounded on this forum is that only Championships matter. Everything else is meaningless.

 

[Wildo7]

I've never considered the SB to be the final determining factor in which team is the absolute best, too many fluky things can happen each week (hence "on any given sunday"). But I do think winning the SB is the most important thing for any fan, player or coach. Chargers fans in this thread seem to be suggesting that the rankings should shake out exactly according to how the playoffs ended. So by that standard, the best teams last year were, in this order:

Giants
Pats
Chargers
Packers
Colts
Cowboys
Seahawks
Jacksonville
Buccaneers
Redskins
Titans
Steelers

I don't think anyone would make that list if you asked them to rank last year's teams. As somebody said, the Rams were the best team in 2001, not the Pats, but that's what's fun about the NFL, the best team doesn't always win. And I don't give a lot of creedence to power rankings, but was there a single power ranking list that had the Giants above the Pats before last week? Who would Norv Turner say was the best team in the NFL last year if you asked him? Which team would the majority of head coaches rather have faced, the Pats or the Giants?

The confusion here, and it's led to inevitable trash-talking, is that you think saying the Pats were the best team last year is some kind of sour grapes rationalization, but I think it's merely a fair distinction. You won't find any sane Pats fans that wouldn't have traded 18-1 for the Giants SB win, but the Pats were the best team, and with Brady at the helm, they are still considered the best until something changes or another team rises up. But the Giants could not have possibly won 18 straight games last year, they were not good enough, and no other team could have either I don't think. That's not to say it's the greatest "accomplishment" but it accurately tells which team was the best. If anything, this is an even greater testament to the Giants accomplishment.

EDIT- That being said, injuries are part of the game and to say that the winner this year should have an asterisk or whatever is beyond ludicrous and unfair. Though I understand the backlash given the treatment the Pats have gotten and the character most other fans have shown in shamelessly celebrating Brady's injury. There is an element of fans being so desperate to beat the Pats that they'll be happy to beat them when their most important player isn't there, and I think that's pathetic.

 

[MiChargers]

I've never considered the SB to be the final determining factor in which team is the absolute best, too many fluky things can happen each week (hence "on any given sunday"). But I do think winning the SB is the most important thing for any fan, player or coach. Chargers fans in this thread seem to be suggesting that the rankings should shake out exactly according to how the playoffs ended. So by that standard, the best teams last year were, in this order:

Giants
Pats
Chargers
Packers
Colts
Cowboys
Seahawks
Jacksonville
Buccaneers
Redskins
Titans
Steelers

I don't think anyone would make that list if you asked them to rank last year's teams. As somebody said, the Rams were the best team in 2001, not the Pats, but that's what's fun about the NFL, the best team doesn't always win. And I don't give a lot of creedence to power rankings, but was there a single power ranking list that had the Giants above the Pats before last week? Who would Norv Turner say was the best team in the NFL last year if you asked him? Which team would the majority of head coaches rather have faced, the Pats or the Giants?

The confusion here, and it's led to inevitable trash-talking, is that you think saying the Pats were the best team last year is some kind of sour grapes rationalization, but I think it's merely a fair distinction. You won't find any sane Pats fans that wouldn't have traded 18-1 for the Giants SB win, but the Pats were the best team, and with Brady at the helm, they are still considered the best until something changes or another team rises up. But the Giants could not have possibly won 18 straight games last year, they were not good enough, and no other team could have either I don't think. That's not to say it's the greatest "accomplishment" but it accurately tells which team was the best. If anything, this is an even greater testament to the Giants accomplishment.

EDIT- That being said, injuries are part of the game and to say that the winner this year should have an asterisk or whatever is beyond ludicrous and unfair. Though I understand the backlash given the treatment the Pats have gotten and the character most other fans have shown in shamelessly celebrating Brady's injury. There is an element of fans being so desperate to beat the Pats that they'll be happy to beat them when their most important player isn't there, and I think that's pathetic.

Wildo, good post. I agree that the SB winner is not always the better team. Things happen, including injuries and the like. And I wouldnt rank em the way you did either. But you missed the most important part of the original post. It was that NE is the best team THIS year, not last. With changes in personnel, injuries, drafts, etc., the best team last year doesnt make them the best team this year.

 

[K-Ro 25]

hmm...thats a VERY debatable topic....

Maybe but I know for many of my friends who are Eagles fans, a SB trophy without Brady active would not be diminished to any one. I think I can safely assume for every other fanbase that this sentiment is a common theme

 

[Wildo7]

Wildo, good post. I agree that the SB winner is not always the better team. Things happen, including injuries and the like. And I wouldnt rank em the way you did either. But you missed the most important part of the original post. It was that NE is the best team THIS year, not last. With changes in personnel, injuries, drafts, etc., the best team last year doesnt make them the best team this year.

if Brady doesn't go down, I think they are, it's a moot point now though. I will say that most people not from NE think the loss of Samuel means the team got worse because he became a big name on a defense that people have been constantly told is "old" and "questionable." When we lost Milloy, Ty Law etc., I certainly felt it was a big loss, but Samuel was often overhyped as a shutdown corner, and while he was here I can tell you most Pats fans didn't tout him as anything more than just a good corner. He jumped a lot of routes, which translated to a lot of INTs, but it also meant he got burned sometimes and I was never that high on him. A lot of fans think this is just Pats fans belittling him because he left, but it's honestly not the case, I always felt he was very good, but overrated. Considering what Mayo, Crable, Wheatley, Wilhite, Slater, Merriweather etc. will bring to the defense that they didn't bring last year, I don't understand how anyone can think the team has gotten worse.

 

[Wildo7]

Maybe but I know for many of my friends who are Eagles fans, a SB trophy without Brady active would not be diminished to any one. I think I can safely assume for every other fanbase that this sentiment is a common theme

I would say that is correct, because winning a SB is a great achievment, with or without Brady. I would say though that a win against the Pats without Brady at the helm does carry much less weight, and while you'll take the win next week if you can, and be happy about it, there's no way most Jets fans can honestly talk **** or feel as if they finally overcame that 300 pound gorilla. A season is more than just one team, so it's foolish to think any team would feel less gratified about winning a SB this year, just like Pats fans wouldn't have thought twice about going 19-0 last year even though it came via a win over a Chargers team with LT, Rivers and Gates all marginalized. If you start counting the what ifs as tangibles, we'd never have a SB win without an asterisk.

 

[K-Ro 25]

I would say that is correct, because winning a SB is a great achievment, with or without Brady. I would say though that a win against the Pats without Brady at the helm does carry much less weight, and while you'll take the win next week if you can, and be happy about it, there's no way most Jets fans can honestly talk **** or feel as if they finally overcame that 300 pound gorilla. A season is more than just one team, so it's foolish to think any team would feel less gratified about winning a SB this year, just like Pats fans wouldn't have thought twice about going 19-0 last year even though it came via a win over a Chargers team with LT, Rivers and Gates all marginalized. If you start counting the what ifs as tangibles, we'd never have a SB win without an asterisk.

QFT, I wont talk **** if we win this sunday b/c thats not really my thing but it will be satisfying none the less.

 

[MiChargers]

if Brady doesn't go down, I think they are, it's a moot point now though. I will say that most people not from NE think the loss of Samuel means the team got worse because he became a big name on a defense that people have been constantly told is "old" and "questionable." When we lost Milloy, Ty Law etc., I certainly felt it was a big loss, but Samuel was often overhyped as a shutdown corner, and while he was here I can tell you most Pats fans didn't tout him as anything more than just a good corner. He jumped a lot of routes, which translated to a lot of INTs, but it also meant he got burned sometimes and I was never that high on him. A lot of fans think this is just Pats fans belittling him because he left, but it's honestly not the case, I always felt he was very good, but overrated. Considering what Mayo, Crable, Wheatley, Wilhite, Slater, Merriweather etc. will bring to the defense that they didn't bring last year, I don't understand how anyone can think the team has gotten worse.

Hmm. I'd have to say SD is the bettter team this year, even with Brady. (We're not going to agree here, are we?) Aside from the QB and WR positions, I dont see any aspect where NE has an advantage. Of course, this is all on paper. We were good on paper last year and it didnt work out too well. It really means nothing until all teams have 6-8 games or so under their belt.

 

[Wildo7]

Hmm. I'd have to say SD is the bettter team this year, even with Brady. (We're not going to agree here, are we?) Aside from the QB and WR positions, I dont see any aspect where NE has an advantage. Of course, this is all on paper. We were good on paper last year and it didnt work out too well. It really means nothing until all teams have 6-8 games or so under their belt.

No offense, but I think the Norv Turner/Bill Belichick matchup is a huge mismatch too. But like you said, we'll agree to disagree on that.

 

[Deus Irae]

Hmm. I'd have to say SD is the bettter team this year, even with Brady. (We're not going to agree here, are we?) Aside from the QB and WR positions, I dont see any aspect where NE has an advantage. Of course, this is all on paper. We were good on paper last year and it didnt work out too well. It really means nothing until all teams have 6-8 games or so under their belt.

New England is superior on the DL, has a better overall RB corps, and a vastly superior OL just to point out some obvious areas you missed.

 

[MiChargers]

No offense, but I think the Norv Turner/Bill Belichick matchup is a huge mismatch too. But like you said, we'll agree to disagree on that.

Oh yeah, I missed that one. +1 for NE
Good luck next week.

 

[K-Ro 25]

New England is superior on the DL, has a better overall RB corps, and a vastly superior OL just to point out the obvious areas you missed.

Im not sure how you can say this when the guy San Diego has can single handily take over the game and is probably the best back in the league