NOW where is your confidence?

[PATSYLICIOUS]

What do they do about next week?

Do we play the starts and go for momentum heading into the playoffs or rest up?

I'm not worried about MY confidence, I'm worried about theirs. Need to ride this momentum, but is it worth it to risk injuries. Hmmmm.

IMO health takes precedence, though I could be wrong and BB goes all out next week. I think right now, judging by some of the players comments, their confidence is good enough. Hopefully that wouldn't change by giving the starters a week off. Having a bye week never seemed to hurt us in the past, so I hope we treat next week like one.

 

[rivers983]

IMO health takes precedence, though I could be wrong and BB goes all out next week. I think right now, judging by some of the players comments, their confidence is good enough. Hopefully that wouldn't change by giving the starters a week off. Having a bye week never seemed to hurt us in the past, so I hope we treat next week like one.

You don't go all out next week - but you play reasonably at least until the end of the 3rd quarter. Don't hand it to Houston, they've still got Johnson and Schaub and a pretty good D-Line, although I wouldn't be concerned if we had to play them in the playoffs. You never know, Cincy could knock off IND or SD - and I think it's important to have that AFC Championship game here if we got that far.

 

[patsfan13]

We may not know for several weeks now.

I missed most of the game as my boy had a soccer tournament today.

The few plays I saw it seemed Brady's arm strength was back also ... but it was a small sample IMO.

Good for you, your sons soccer games were more important than any other game you could watch, that's why they made DVR's. Hope he had a good tome playing.

 

[Kontradiction]

What do they do about next week?

Do we play the starts and go for momentum heading into the playoffs or rest up?

I'm not worried about MY confidence, I'm worried about theirs. Need to ride this momentum, but is it worth it to risk injuries. Hmmmm.

I'd play the starters until the lead is safe. I know you don't want injuries going into the playoffs and that some people would rather get Indy in the divisional than San Diego, but I'm thinking about the Wild Card round. I see the Jets as being easier for us to beat than the Ravens (should the current seeding stay intact). Hopefully, we don't sustain any injuries and roll into the playoffs with momentum. On top of that, San Diego does not really scare me. I don't worry about their running game and I know we can score on their defense should our starting O-Line be healthy enough to keep the dogs off Brady and open some holes up for the running game. The only question would be matching up with Rivers and those big wide receivers, which I think we can. People seem to forget that we've beaten San Diego with greater regularity (with the exception of 2008, minus Brady) than they've beaten Indy.

 

[Free_Pacman]

I was confident in this team before this game, and I remain confident. There's not one team I don't think this team can beat.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Neal started, but I saw Connolly in at guard as well. Anyone know anything about this?

QB12

I remember he came in as the lead blocker/fullback ( like Hochstein in last year's Buffalo wind tunnel game) on the 4th down play.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Confidence level is moderately high.

Defense is playing the best they've played all season. I love the way they stand up with the swagger of old. I'd like to see them play a full half next week to see how they stand up to Houston's passing attack. I think that would be a good measure right before the playoffs for BB and staff to insert or stamp out any final details.

Brady is at his best when he's not trying to force it into Moss. Getting everyone involved is the way to keep defenses confused which makes Welker and Moss better targets.

This team is not a bunch of world beaters. It's a really good team. They seem hungry and coming together at the right time. Very dangerous combination. I'll take my chances with this team against the Colts or Chargers. The problem is winning 3 in a row to get to the big game. Can they do it? Sure, you better believe it. But there has to be a certain element of coming up with the big play at the right time. Executing to the fullest. This is what every team is striving for, San Diego and Indy do it well. We have to be better.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

I don't know what to think, after the Saints and Dolphins losses I stopped being so uptight about the Pats performance now I'm just enjoying the ride. I think with Brady and Belichick theres no reason we can't win the Super bowl. If Welker AND Moss can show up big in the post season I think theres no reason we won't.

 

[Fencer]

You never know, Cincy could knock off IND or SD - and I think it's important to have that AFC Championship game here if we got that far.

Actually, just Indy. If it's SD Cincy gets a crack at first, they'll have been the third seed.

 

[mgteich]

I feel as confident as I did when the season started and as I did 3 weeks ago.

I'm not starting this thread trying to say that wins over Carolina/Jacksonville/Buffalo should make us all believe we're the team to beat or anything like that. I just want to see what people truly feel right now about our team. In 2007 we were a juggernaut at this point, aside from that I personally think this is the most confident I've felt heading into playoffs since '04.

Brady looks like he's not bothered by the ribs/finger anymore if he was earlier. Healthwise we're in awesome shape assuming Wilfork will be ready in 2 weeks. Most importantly the 5 guys most of us seem to want starting on the OL are back. Fred Taylor is back giving us 3 RB's that I am confident in for January. We just had a 12+ minute drive!! When was the last time we had a drive that long?? The '07 AFCC we had an 11 minute drive I think. But that has me psyched for the playoffs, the current backfield may be on par with the '04 Dillon one man show. Taylor historically has owned the Colts. IMO this time we would not blow a double digit lead against Indy if it came to it and hopefully we avoid getting one-dimensional in 2nd halves like in all our losses. Finally having a healthy OL and Taylor will help us there.

At the same time though, can we trust this team to beat 4 good teams in a row? And likely 3 elite teams in a row? 2 of them most likely road games? This is where I get brought back down to reality a bit but I'll ride with BB and TFB any day. I think we have a serious shot at going all the way. Where is your confidence right now?

 

[The_Riddler]

Cris Collinsworth:

"Be careful of teams that get hot late............"

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

You don't go all out next week - but you play reasonably at least until the end of the 3rd quarter. Don't hand it to Houston, they've still got Johnson and Schaub and a pretty good D-Line, although I wouldn't be concerned if we had to play them in the playoffs. You never know, Cincy could knock off IND or SD - and I think it's important to have that AFC Championship game here if we got that far.

I just don't get the purpose of playing into the 3rd quarter if you're not going to go all the way through. Unless it's a total blowout, alot can happen in the last quarter. If you're not playing all the way to win, what's the point in playing more than a few series's just to make sure you're in tune.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I too like our chances and agree about the Bolts having jitters with us but wonder why Indy must be afraid of us considering that they have beaten us for the last five games irrespective of the venue.

Did you watch the game in Indy?

It was a beatdown given away by poor officiating. Take away the horrid PI call on Butler and the perspective is different.

However, you can't be afraid in the playoffs since only goode teams are left.

 

[Kdo5]

Everything is coming together at the right time. Getting Morris and Taylor back is huge but I'm looking more at the defense.

How good it is to have James Sanders and Shawn Springs out there making plays. Sanders I must admit is much more important than I gave him credit for.

There's still the problem of a pass rush against good offenses. Other than that I feel very confident.

 

[upstater1]

If you're not playing all the way to win, what's the point in playing more than a few series's just to make sure you're in tune.

To play two quarters to make sure you're in tune.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Cris Collinsworth:

"Be careful of teams that get hot late............"

Agreed. Not to say being hot isn't important, but I'd also put in there the teams that advance tend to be the ones that are balanced. Look at AZ last year. They ran the ball 28,43 and 29 times and threw it 32,34 and 28 times. Seems that the Pats are striving for that kind of balance.

Just an observation...

 

[lamafist]

Agreed. Not to say being hot isn't important, but I'd also put in there the teams that advance tend to be the ones that are balanced. Look at AZ last year. They ran the ball 28,43 and 29 times and threw it 32,34 and 28 times. Seems that the Pats are striving for that kind of balance.

Just an observation...

That's one team in one year.

Over all, there is absolutely no positive correlation between balance and post-season wins. None.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

My confidence has not changed until this team can beat a team with a solid record and that won't happen till AT LEAST round 2 of the playoffs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That's one team in one year.

Over all, there is absolutely no positive correlation between balance and post-season wins. None.

Wrong. Teams don't win 3-4 playoff games in a row by throwing or running the ball 70% of the time and at the same time, keeping defenses honest. C'mon.

 

[dhamz]

Same as it has been for awhile. I fully expected to win the division and expect to win the opening playoff game. I think after that this team is capable of beating anyone in any game but probably not going to get 3 wins in a row against the best of the NFL away from Gillette Stadium.