New England at Denver AFCCG pre game thread.

[gitgronked82]

Is it game time yet, fellas? WOOOOO

Task 1: finally fall asleep
Task 2: Beat the hangover in the morning
Task 3: go to the ****ing super bowl.

Nerves haven't set in yet so I'm on cloud 9 waiting for this game

 

[PatsBoy12]

It is what it is. To win big games you have to sometimes take on their best. and his stuff evens out. Who knows how the SB wouldve gone if Cliff Avril hadnt got hurt.

Probably the same. He was mostly neutralized prior to leaving the game. lol

 

[Ivan]

In today's age of constant media attention through social media, smart phones, smart TVs, etc it's much harder to try and ignore that stuff than it was in the past. I obviously can't speak for Viper, but I'm assuming that's what he's getting at. One way or another, we'll have to deal with negative stuff jammed down our throats unless we win 2 more games. It's an American tradition to hate the NEP and the media will do everything they can to take advantage. It's a bit of a shame in my opinion, but it is what it is.

I honestly have no trouble avoiding it at all. I used to watch ESPN and then later the NFLN but they are so over the top against the Patriots that it simply wasnt enjoyable so I stopped watching and rather than waste hours and hours listening to idiot talking heads I'm doing things that are constructive right up until kickoff, and once the game ends it goes right back off the football channels, and I really don't watch ESPN at all anymore unless the Patriots are on it and I have no choice, so it's really not hard to tune them out once you get used to turning them off, and I don't miss it one bit.

 

[Ivan]

I definitely agree with you that our bread and butter will always lie on the shoulders of #12, but there are arguments that can be made for an attempt at some better balance in the running game.

Ultimately, it would be great to at least be able to gain about 85-100 on the ground. I think that's going to be our limit in terms of the ceiling this year, and as you mention, that would likely be just fine. Whether or not we can get that may go a long way towards determining how close we actually come to that Lombardi this season--although I certainly hope it doesn't. As you've said, it's going to be a challenge to commit to it this late in the season, which is one of the main reasons why I've been banging the drum so hard since the beginning of November.

SUP, my point is that I no longer believe they do need it and I would much rather see them come out swinging as they did against KC last week. Throw the ball from the get go, get Brady in rhythm, put up points and make the opponent play from behind. They don't have Lewis and they don't have Blount and scoring is much more important than TOP is. If Denver wants to go small then I'm all for putting a sixth OL out there and running it down their throats but short of that I think they should do b what they did to Baltimore and Seattle and KC and let it rip. If they were playing the sorry assed Colts I would say run run run but playing to your weakness and your opponents strength just for the sake of balance is a losing formula. They win the Super Bowl last season by playing to their strengths and I see no reason to abandon that now. Get Manning behind and make him throw the ball to catch up and he will turn it over and the Patriots will win this game and send HGH off into retirement.

BTW, the Broncos, Manning, and media all claimed Manning was his old self before last week's game and it was BS, he looked like sh.t, and I don't expect it to be any different this week.

 

[Ivan]

And for the record SUP I'm all, in favor of a strong run game and want them to work on improving it in the off-season but right now trying to run at a strong run defense with a RB they basically pulled out of retirement a month ago doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Gronkowski123]

2013 title we tried to run during the 1st half with no success. when we started speeding things up towards the end of the game, we actually moved the ball. im sorry but steven jackson isn't the answer today. maybe a few HB draws to james white to keep them off balance.

 

[sambam94]

Why Denver Game Early?

Why does the East coast team in Car play the late game and Den get the early game? Is there precedent for this? Of course, the conspiracy theory would be the NFL is trying to get Manning to play in the day when temps would be warmer.

 

[102 Pat]

I honestly have no trouble avoiding it at all. I used to watch ESPN and then later the NFLN but they are so over the top against the Patriots that it simply wasnt enjoyable so I stopped watching and rather than waste hours and hours listening to idiot talking heads I'm doing things that are constructive right up until kickoff, and once the game ends it goes right back off the football channels, and I really don't watch ESPN at all anymore unless the Patriots are on it and I have no choice, so it's really not hard to tune them out once you get used to turning them off, and I don't miss it one bit.

I haven't watched any of these countdown shows for about 2.5 seasons now mostly because of that.

 

[FourierSeries]

For those who are worried about everyone picking the Pats, rest assured that Belichick has a tone of material to use if he wants to play the disrespect card. This being first among them, which came right after the loss to Denver:

Kiszla: New England Patriots are too soft to repeat as NFL's best

 

[Betterthanmost]

re: Why Denver game early




No no no.

 

[JMC00]

It rotates every year. Last year the AFCC was the late game.

 

[XLIX]

Why does the East coast team in Car play the late game and Den get the early game? Is there precedent for this? Of course, the conspiracy theory would be the NFL is trying to get Manning to play in the day when temps would be warmer.

And, like most conspiracy theories, it would be displaying a great deal of ignorance.

They alternate conferences for early/late. Last year AFC was late. This year early. Doesn't matter the participants.

 

[patsfanincleveland]

It rotates every year. Last year the AFCC was the late game.

...........and the early NFCCG was in Seattle!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[supafly]

SUP, my point is that I no longer believe they do need it and I would much rather see them come out swinging as they did against KC last week. Throw the ball from the get go, get Brady in rhythm, put up points and make the opponent play from behind. They don't have Lewis and they don't have Blount and scoring is much more important than TOP is. If Denver wants to go small then I'm all for putting a sixth OL out there and running it down their throats but short of that I think they should do b what they did to Baltimore and Seattle and KC and let it rip. If they were playing the sorry assed Colts I would say run run run but playing to your weakness and your opponents strength just for the sake of balance is a losing formula. They win the Super Bowl last season by playing to their strengths and I see no reason to abandon that now. Get Manning behind and make him throw the ball to catch up and he will turn it over and the Patriots will win this game and send HGH off into retirement.

The game was lost in the trenches, just like I feared. Our poor OL and inability to run did us in, and that imbalance allowed the Broncos to tee off and constantly apply pressure, which screwed up the ability to pass as well.

I expect both the outside tackle position and the RB position to be addressed in the offseason/draft. Fleming and Cannon just aren't cutting it, and that really added to the problem.

 

[VectorPrime]

Trash talk means absolutely nothing going into a game and this experience better mean its forever put to rest.