OK, so we lost to the Colts, Big Deal

[PATSNUTme]

We lost to the Colts Sunday night - big deal. I heard so many idiots say 'if the season ended today, the Colts would be the #1 seed". Guesswhat? The season doesn't end today.

The score was 27-20. That was in spite of 5 turnovers. Their "winning" TD came on a great catch by a great reciever. However, even Marvin Harrison would not have been able to pull that off 9 out of 10 times.

Tom played a very bad game. There were some drops and I do have to question the play calling in some repects. As BB said, they didn't play well and they didn't coach well.

We didn't have Graham, Neal, Geno, and lost Rodney right off.

And, if anyone thinks that my avatar pic's is fiction, just go over the calls of the game.

If anyone thinks that I'm making excuses, then tell me what I just posted that is not accurate (except my avatar thing)

So, we will have another chance to play them when it's for all the marbles and we will put a dagger in their hearts again.

 

[mosi]

We lost to the Colts Sunday night - big deal. I heard so many idiots say 'if the season ended today, the Colts would be the #1 seed". Guesswhat? The season doesn't end today.

The score was 27-20. That was in spite of 5 turnovers. Their "winning" TD came on a great catch by a great reciever. However, even Marvin Harrison would not have been able to pull that off 9 out of 10 times.

Tom played a very bad game. There were some drops and I do have to question the play calling in some repects. As BB said, they didn't play well and they didn't coach well.

We didn't have Graham, Neal, Geno, and lost Rodney right off.

And, if anyone thinks that my avatar pic's is fiction, just go over the calls of the game.

If anyone thinks that I'm making excuses, then tell me what I just posted that is not accurate (except my avatar thing)

So, we will have another chance to play them when it's for all the marbles and we will put a dagger in their hearts again.

After going back and watching the game, I am not as concerned either. It was a stinker for sure, but we can play better. Certain key people played poorly and more than anything, that cost us the game.

Also, while a first round bye would be helpful, I don't think being at home would be. I think forcing this team to go on the road and play with their back up against the wall would be better.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

I think Brady needs to adopt Peyton's ritualistic pregame warm up routine of meticulously practicing timing routes with his receivers. The fact is, if Brady is 'OFF" against a good team, the Patriots lose. Lately, even when he connects, the receiver is rarely hit in stride, and the offense produces near zero yards after catch.

They let the Colts off the hook on this one.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

We lost to the Colts Sunday night - big deal. I heard so many idiots say 'if the season ended today, the Colts would be the #1 seed". Guesswhat? The season doesn't end today.

The score was 27-20. That was in spite of 5 turnovers. Their "winning" TD came on a great catch by a great reciever. However, even Marvin Harrison would not have been able to pull that off 9 out of 10 times.

Tom played a very bad game. There were some drops and I do have to question the play calling in some repects. As BB said, they didn't play well and they didn't coach well.

We didn't have Graham, Neal, Geno, and lost Rodney right off.

And, if anyone thinks that my avatar pic's is fiction, just go over the calls of the game.

If anyone thinks that I'm making excuses, then tell me what I just posted that is not accurate (except my avatar thing)

So, we will have another chance to play them when it's for all the marbles and we will put a dagger in their hearts again.

It is a BIG DEAL that we lost this game, whether you like it or not. We now have no tie breaker over the two teams we are most likely by far to face in the final round of the playoffs.

I just don't get why you feel the need to make light of our losses by posting this type of message every time we lose AN IMPORTANT GAME.

If you would try to be a little more moderate and say 'It may be a big deal, but we can still reach our goals', than I might understand what you are trying to prove. As it is, these type of posts you like to make just seem to prove that you don't want to 'get it'.

We very likely just lost home field advantage in the playoffs. A big deal, to be sure.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Exactly, big deal. The team can lose. It can win. The important games are played in 2 months.

The only way to be disappointed in this team is to compare it to the '03 & '04 teams which both went 14-2 and won the title.

We were spoiled by teams which somehow could not lose big games. I have no problem accepting a team which isn't unbeatable. It's not like any other team can make that claim.

 

[richpats]

Not a big deal....A HUGE DEAL!

We've proven ourselves AGAIN to be incapable of beating one of the top 2 teams in our conference, regular season or playoffs. We've proven that we can commit 5 turnovers against both teams in the national spotlight and blow what could have been winnable games.

I don't agree with those that just say "wait til the playoffs" - are we going to be that much better when we proved last year we can actually play worse the 2nd time around? We're not unbeatable and unless we decide to step up against one of these teams we are going to have to accept being 3rd-best and nothing more.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

It is a BIG DEAL that we lost this game, whether you like it or not. We now have no tie breaker over the two teams we are most likely by far to face in the final round of the playoffs.

I just don't get why you feel the need to make light of our losses by posting this type of message every time we lose AN IMPORTANT GAME.

If you would try to be a little more moderate and say 'It may be a big deal, but we can still reach our goals', than I might understand what you are trying to prove. As it is, these type of posts you like to make just seem to prove that you don't want to 'get it'.

We very likely just lost home field advantage in the playoffs. A big deal, to be sure.

I think you're making way too big a deal about home field advantage.

Oh no, the Colts will get to play at home in their dome! We all know the Patriots play horribly in domes *rolls eyes*. Yeah their offense gets to run around on turf but so does ours. And indoor noise has never been that big of an issue for the Pats offense.

Oh no, the Broncos will get us at home where they kill us! Um, the Broncos haven't had any trouble beating the Pats in Foxborough. Didn't the one Pats win against Denver in the last 5 years occur in Denver? Once more, noise not really an issue. Also, Denver has two losses and their only lead on the Pats right now is the tiebreaker.

The one thing they lose is the advantage of having the Colts play in the cold and possibly the snow. Hardly life-shattering.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I think you're making way too big a deal about home field advantage.

Oh no, the Colts will get to play at home in their dome! We all know the Patriots play horribly in domes *rolls eyes*. Yeah their offense gets to run around on turf but so does ours. And indoor noise has never been that big of an issue for the Pats offense.

Oh no, the Broncos will get us at home where they kill us! Um, the Broncos haven't had any trouble beating the Pats in Foxborough. Didn't the one Pats win against Denver in the last 5 years occur in Denver? Once more, noise not really an issue. Also, Denver has two losses and their only lead on the Pats right now is the tiebreaker.

The one thing they lose is the advantage of having the Colts play in the cold and possibly the snow. Hardly life-shattering.

I think you are dead wrong. I'll take the home field advantage, thank you very much. Whether you realize there is one or not.

Not to mention that we may have just lost a bi-week.

Not that that's a big deal either.

 

[miDeuce]

Let's not forget that the Donkos still have 2 games vs. San Diego, 1 at KC, and others vs. Cinci and Seattle. We still have a really good shot at the #2 seed. I still think we lose one or two more games max...

 

[emoney_33]

We, as a whole, expect TOO much out of this team. We are becoming like yankee fans. I for one am going back to enjoying the patriots, hoping, but not expecting for a win each week and hoping, not expecting, for them to go all the way in the playoffs. The patriots are an elite team but that does not mean they are a perfect team. And when two elite teams go against each other, well it's not likely for one team to ALWAYS win no matter what. The Colts and the Broncos are damn good teams, as are we. But because we did not beat a damn good team this year (and last year means 100% nothing to me when talking about this year) does not mean our team is not good, overrated, "cant beat a good team" or anything else.

It just shows you that this is the National Football League. We have been fortunate to win 3 of the last 5 years but that doesn't mean we are should expect them to win every game, every year. Sure, it was a "big" game in the sense of it almost certainly gives Indy HFA over us but HFA is not the be-all end-all of winning the SB. We can still get the #2 seed, which I think is likely, and not have to play in Denver.

There are a ton of reasons we lost yesterday, and a lot of those reasons we will probably never know. We played poorly and lost to a great offensive team. Peyton and the boys don't have as many offensive stinkers as we've had lately because they've been in that system for years upon years. If you watch their offense, Peyton is constantly throwing the ball before the receiver ever turns around. He knows exactly where they will be and exactly when they will be there. We dont have that luxury with all the new receivers we have, so we have to struggle through some rough games offensively, but we are still only 50% done with the season.

A great gameplan can slow the colts down, and BB is capable of devising one and our defense didn't play that bad on Sunday even though I don't believe that's the best BB will come up with this year. Now if we meet in the playoffs, we have as good a chance as Indy of winning. Maybe a little better based on personnel and coaching but that game will still have to be played and as the saying goes... any given sunday (or monday).

When it comes down to it though we should feel very fortunate that we are in position to compete year in and year out. We aren't gonna win the superbowl every year, we aren't going to go undefeated, we will have our bad games and we will have our good games. But there aren't many franchises that can consistently field a competitive team with the ability to compete for it all year after year. Hopefully the Sundays that count the most will go in our favor this year, but if not you know we will be right back next year as a legitimate contender... again.

 

[mgcolby]

It is a BIG DEAL that we lost this game, whether you like it or not. We now have no tie breaker over the two teams we are most likely by far to face in the final round of the playoffs.

I just don't get why you feel the need to make light of our losses by posting this type of message every time we lose AN IMPORTANT GAME.

If you would try to be a little more moderate and say 'It may be a big deal, but we can still reach our goals', than I might understand what you are trying to prove. As it is, these type of posts you like to make just seem to prove that you don't want to 'get it'.

We very likely just lost home field advantage in the playoffs. A big deal, to be sure.

2001 and 2004 no home field advantage and we win the AFCC game on the road. 2005 Colts have home field advantage and lose at home.

8 games left and we need to run the table and have the Colts lose 3 games. Both are possible, but I am not holding my breath on the Colts losing 3 games. I still think we end up 14-2.

The Broncos will have at least 3 losses by the end of the year and possibly 4. They still have to play a stretch that includes SD, @ KC, Sea, @ SD. Not an easy stretch.

The worse part about this loss is that it essentially was a 3 game swing in favor of the Colts, that sucked. I don't think HFA throughout the Playoffs is as important as simply getting the bye. HFA is an added benefit and having the one seed know that they will play at home is nice, the two seed has the second best chance of hosting the AFCC game. So this loss wasn't an end all be all. Bottom line we are playing for #2 seed at this point, unless the Colts start dropping a few.

With that said the #2 seed is our's to lose if if technically we are the 3rd seed at this point and here is why:

No one knows who is going to win the West or the North. The one thing we have in our favor is that there are three teams in the West that have a legitimate shot at the division and in the North there are two teams,they will beat up on each other fighting for the division, plus the North still has a Steelers team that will be looking to knock off the Bengals and Ravens from the spoilers role. Our biggest competition is the Jets.

It still isn't smooth sailing for the Colts, they have to play 4 teams who will be playing for their playoff lives in their last 8 games. The Colts have the Cowboys and Eagles in back to back weeks, two teams that will be fighting for the playoffs, they also have the Bengals (not sure what that team will be in week 15). The Jags at worst should go into the Colts game 8-4, if they upset the Giants in Jax, they could go into that Colts game next month 9-3.

Their is a lot of football left to be played and nothing has been decided. So lets not act as if we just lost a game that ended our season.

 

[PATSNUTme]

It is a BIG DEAL that we lost this game, whether you like it or not. We now have no tie breaker over the two teams we are most likely by far to face in the final round of the playoffs.

I just don't get why you feel the need to make light of our losses by posting this type of message every time we lose AN IMPORTANT GAME.

If you would try to be a little more moderate and say 'It may be a big deal, but we can still reach our goals', than I might understand what you are trying to prove. As it is, these type of posts you like to make just seem to prove that you don't want to 'get it'.

We very likely just lost home field advantage in the playoffs. A big deal, to be sure.

When did I "make light" of our other losses? The only other loss that we have had is Denver.

If you want to wallow in your misery, go ahead.

Are you afraid of playing the Colts in the playoffs at their place IF that is what happens after the NEXT 8 games to be played.

If we lose to the Jests this week, I will not "make light" of it. That will be a BIG DEAL.

So, sit in your darkened room and cry if you want to. The sky is falling and everything is gloom and doom.

But, my Patriots are 6-2, just where I thought that they would be on their way to a 12-4 record. If that means that we play the Colts in their dome, so be it. As I said in my original post, we will drive a dagger into their heart as usual.

Now, I'll leave you and some of the others to whine and cry and tell everyone that the sky is falling.

 

[marty]

We're 6-2, we're 6-2, we're 6-2!!!!!!!!!! Half way through the season with a lot of new faces on the offensive side of the ball !

Love my pats, come hell or high water!!!!

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I think you are dead wrong. I'll take the home field advantage, thank you very much. Whether you realize there is one or not.

Not to mention that we may have just lost a bi-week.

Not that that's a big deal either.

Obviously home field is nice. I'd take it too. What I don't realize is why losing homefield equals no chance in the playoffs. I even *gasp* gave reasons why I didn't think losing homefield is huge deal.

I must be incorrectly researching 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and last year. NFL.com tells me the superbowl champion each of those year's didn't enter the playoffs with homefield advantage throughout.

The bye week is an entirely different matter, and including it in response to a post about homefield advantage so you can mock me is transparent and pathetic. Besides, losing the bye requires two better teams. The 6-2 Broncos aren't so far ahead of the 6-2 Patriots (FYI, the tiebreaker only enters the equation if the teams are tied). Yeah they're trailing in the race for a bye but it is far from over.

 

[rabthepat]

Our pats are a good team. They are NOT an elite team. Elites teams do not lose at home. We were and elite team in 2003 and 2004. Sorry, but not now. Indy, Denver and San Diego have no fear of coming to Foxboro anymore.

 

[Double G]

I'm with Rabthepat on this one. They have lost two games at home and it is way too early to play the playoff seeding game, but if they finish third behind Denver and Indy, that would mean no bye, winning a playoff game and then having to go through Denver AND Indy; game over (unless Indy chokes again, but we'd still have to beat Denver in Denver; nope).

The 2006 Patriots are a good team, but not an elite team like Rab said. Losing their top two wide outs from last year is too much to overcome I am afraid to say. I hope I am wrong, but I tend to doubt it..............

 

[Lansdowne]

I'm pretty pissed off that we lost, but here's the thing. The Patriots seem to have played better on the road this season than at home. Why, I have no clue.

 

[Aldogg]

I am not worried. I still think we have a shot at #2 seed, and we have won a few AFC Championships on the road, 3 if memory serves, 2 @ Pitt and 1 @ Miami.

I kinda feel like Dennis Green did after the Monday nighter a few weeks ago. We let them off the hook. Part of me hopes that if we get another shot at these guys and Brady doesn't throw up another lemon in said rematch. Hopefully these WR's and Brady the next few weeks can get back to the way they were vs Minn to get ready for the playoff run.

 

[onegameatatime]

It's a big deal. We've lost the last two home games to the Colts.

I expect us to go 11-5 at worst with a very good chance for the #2 seed. Still, we have shown we are at best the #3 team in the AFC.

 

[LasVegasPatsFan]

Home field advantage helps, sure, but it does not guarantee a victory. We won on the road in 2004 against the same team that crushed us that year. We also beat the Steelers in 1996 and 2001 away. We shown that we can win games on the road. I think we have a better chance of beating the Colts in their dome. Two reasons:

1. Brady has a perfect record of 10 wins in a dome. (We even beat them when they had that high powered offense in their dome 3 years ago.
2. Colts will most likely sit out their starters 2 weeks early and if with the bye week, their players will be rusty from sitting out 4 weeks total. Remember the Steelers game. Colts couldn't get going until the 4th quarter.

I just hope we make it to the playoffs, then "Any given Sunday".

We still have 8 weeks left in the season. We are 6-2 and could be worse. We progressed last year and I have no doubt that we will progress this year. Finally, didn't the Rams beat us in 2001 in the regular season? We won the SB and began our dynasty. Lets have some faith and not worry about home field advantage. Many teams won SB without home field advantage.