Six Consecutive Losses for the Patriots

[1960Pats]

2013 (Playoffs)- @ Denver- LOSS
2013 @ Carolina- LOSS
2013 @ Cincinnati- LOSS
2012 @ Seattle- LOSS
2012 @ Baltimore- LOSS
2011 @ Pittsburgh- LOSS

The most telling thing about that list is that the Pats have only played six winning teams on the road in 3 seasons. This 4 team/4 division setup really does suck.

 

[1960Pats]

I hear you, but those games were close enough that NE had plenty of opportunities to win. It isn't too often that the officials have a 20+ point influence on a game like they did in Baltimore. The officiating was embarrassing in the 2006 AFCCG, and NE may have won comfortably if not for the Brown OPI call, but at least Indy's comeback from that point on was of their own accord.

Wasn't that the game that Indy's tying and winning drives were set up by bogus PI calls? The first was a long pass over that middle that kept the tying drive alive. The second set up the winner, and that came on another long pass that led to a no-contact call in the end zone that gave Indy the ball at the 1.

Then they played Rex Grosmman's powerhouse Bears team in the SB.

 

[1960Pats]

I think the Patriots may have a Defense this season...

and that's a key element to winning on the road against top teams.

 

[1960Pats]

I'm not sure @woolster22. As good as Luck is, he's turning into Peyton Manning 2.0. That bodes well for New England.

I wouldn't be so quick to label Luck as a choker like P6. When Brady's gone he'll have a much better shot at being #1 in the NFL than anyone else. He has all the tools but, like most QBs not named Brady, he sometimes thinks he can force the ball. He'll probably get better, and that doesn't bode well for us.

 

[Oswlek]

Wasn't that the game that Indy's tying and winning drives were set up by bogus PI calls? The first was a long pass over that middle that kept the tying drive alive. The second set up the winner, and that came on another long pass that led to a no-contact call in the end zone that gave Indy the ball at the 1.

Then they played Rex Grosmman's powerhouse Bears team in the SB.

No, you might be thinking of the 2009 game which was something to that effect, but not exactly.

In 2006, NE was already up 21-3 and was driving for a clinching TD having just gotten a first down on the 18 with a Ben Watson catch. The refs called OPI on Troy Brown when it was actually the defender who initiated the contact by literally jumping right in front of him. NE's drive fizzled out from there.

Later in the game, they called DPI on Hobbs for faceguarding, which hadn't been in he NFL rule book for years. They also allowed Bethea to tackle Reche before the ball entered the screen on the TV. I mean that literally, Bethea had two arms around him and was bringing him to the ground so early that the ball doesn't come into view until after he starts going down. No call. That was a biggie because it would have been a tie game on NE's final drive.

Oddly enough, Bill Polian has yet to chastise the league for it's officiating in that game.

 

[varjao]

The OP forgot the loss at Miami last season, that was painful and took us the HFA in the Afc championship game.

In the previous seasons I was not too much worried about that, but last season this team, with a lot of roster chances, rookies, etc...they were lacking toughness to win on the road. This year, after 9 games and still improving I think we have a good chance to win the rest of the regular season games. Green Bay's defense is pure garbage, Detroit are pretenders and San Diego are decimated by injuries. 14-2 it is, Skip Bayless was right.

 

[mayoclinic]

One of the interesting things about this is how hard it is for teams to stay good from year to year. The Pats have won the division every season since 2008, so they've had to play each of the other AFC division winners. But look at some of those games:

2011: Indianapolis went from 10-6 in 2010 and winning the division to 2-14 and getting the #1 seed
2013: Houston went from 12-4 in 2012 and winning the division to 2-14 and getting the #1 seed
2013: Baltimore went from 10-6 in 2012 and winning the division AND the SB to going 8-8; the Pats crushed the Ravens 41-7 on the road, but the Ravens' 8-8 schedule made that game "not count" on this list

 

[Rob0729]

I'm not sure @woolster22. As good as Luck is, he's turning into Peyton Manning 2.0. That bodes well for New England.

I see Luck more like Brett Favre. I think Luck when he is done could have both the career TD record and the career INT record.

 

[PatsFan2]

I will say this if we want HFA throughout the AFC the Colts and San Diego Games are MUST Wins! Our two losses are already in the conference. I think the Colts and San Diego have Defensive problems nothing 30 points shouldn't cover.

 

[JMC00]

The OP forgot the loss at Miami last season, that was painful and took us the HFA in the Afc championship game.

Miami wasn't a winning team last year

 

[PatsFan2]

I see Luck more like Brett Favre. I think Luck when he is done could have both the career TD record and the career INT record.

Thats exactly what I think too Luck is a Great QB but he also reckless with the Football and thinks he can place the Football anywhere...he doesn't beleive in throwing the Football away. With his style of playing I cannot see him defeating a BB Defense. And this will be by far the Best Patriots Defense he will face. The Colts have a good Offense but they are not Denver Good.

 

[mayoclinic]

Thats exactly what I think too Luck is a Great QB but he also reckless with the Football and thinks he can place the Football anywhere...he doesn't beleive in throwing the Football away. With his style of playing I cannot see him defeating a BB Defense. And this will be by far the Best Patriots Defense he will face. The Colts have a good Offense but they are not Denver Good.

I was a huge Luck fan, but he's been a mild disappointment to me. Very good QB, but too much of a gunslinger. It looks spectacular when it works, but there is too much downside for my taste.

 

[PatsFan2]

I was a huge Luck fan, but he's been a mild disappointment to me. Very good QB, but too much of a gunslinger. It looks spectacular when it works, but there is too much downside for my taste.

I am sure BB have the boys playing the old tip and catch drills, Balls will be coming there way just get ready to catch them. Wouldn't surpride me if our Defense get atleast 3 picks.

 

[mayoclinic]

I am sure BB have the boys playing the old tip and catch drills, Balls will be coming there way just get ready to catch them. Wouldn't surpride me if our Defense get atleast 3 picks.

Luck so far this season:

Game 1 @ Broncos (L): 53 pass attempts, 370 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Game 2 vs. Eagles (L): 34 pass attempts, 172 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Game 3 @ Jaquars (W): 39 pass attempts, 370 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT
Game 4 vs. Titans (W): 41 pass attempts, 393 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Game 5 vs. Ravens (W): 49 pass attempts, 312 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Game 6 @ Texans (W): 44 pass attempts, 370 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Game 7 @ Bengals (W): 42 pass attempts, 344 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT
Game 8 @ Steelers (L): 45 pass attempts, 400 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
Game 9 vs. Giants (W): 46 pass attempts, 354 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs

He's averaging 44 passing attempts per game. Hard to see him doing that against the Pats and not having a couple picked off. Luck has yet to face a secondary that's anywhere near as good as the Pats'. So far the only team that's attempted over 40 passes against the Pats' has been Denver (57 attempts by Manning, 2 INTs).

 

[chasa]

that Carolina "loss" was more like a robbery. should have been 1st down at the 1 yard line after gronk was tackled in the endzone allowing an interception to happen.

 

[Rob0729]

Thats exactly what I think too Luck is a Great QB but he also reckless with the Football and thinks he can place the Football anywhere...he doesn't beleive in throwing the Football away. With his style of playing I cannot see him defeating a BB Defense. And this will be by far the Best Patriots Defense he will face. The Colts have a good Offense but they are not Denver Good.

I didn't watch all of the Indy/Giants game and Luck was being sacked and instead of being sacked he threw the ball right to a Giants' defender. He was lucky the Giants defender was surprised that Luck would be throwing the ball while being brought down and didn't catch the ball.

Luck seems like a QB that Belichick can get into their head. Hence why Luck has thrown 7 INTs against the Pats in two meetings.

 

[FCB02062]

Winning on the road is TOUGH. Every team has trouble against good teams on the road. The best teams in the league generally win 12-14 games. You lose more often on the road and more often against good teams. It only stands to reason that of those 2-4 losses, the majority will come on the road. Two road losses over 3 seasons is... 6 games. PLUS the playoffs, and this "6 games losing streak" is nothing out of the ordinary. Looking at the best teams since 2012:
Denver:
loss @ ATL
loss @NE
loss @ IN
loss @ NE
loss @ SB to Seahawks
loss @ SEA
loss @ NE

Seatle:
loss @ AR
loss @ STL
loss @ SF
loss @ DET
loss @ MIA
loss @ ATL
loss @ IN
loss @ SF
loss @ SD
loss @ STL

49ers:
loss @ MIN
loss @ STL
loss @ SB to Ravens
loss @SeA
loss @ NO
loss @ SEA
loss @ AZ
loss @ DEN

Ravens 2012:
loss @ HOU
loss @ PHI
loss @ WASH

Show me a team that has had success on the road against good teams...

The 03-04 Pats were pretty ****ing incredible on the road

 

[50-yard-line]

How many teams have the Pats beaten on the road that didn't finish with a winning record BECAUSE the Pats beat them at home?

Buffalo would be 6-2 right now if they had won against the Pats, and so a pretty good bet to finish with a winning record.

As others have pointed out, it's hard to go on the road against a good team and win. Indy will be a big test (here, we'd smoke them), as will Green Bay. I'm not so concerned about San Diego, although htey are the streakiest team in the NFL. And I have no idea what condition the Jets will be in by the time we go there in December.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Well, I guess if we assume that they are doomed to repeat the recent past, then it doesn't bode very well for the games against Indy, Green Bay and San Diego, all of which will probably end the year with winning records (lowest probability of the three for SD, but still "probably" a winning record).

However, I think that things are too fluid in the NFL to assume that the pattern will hold. My gut tells me that the Pats win at least two of the three...but that's the same gut that had them beating the Giants in 08 and 11, so don't bet the farm on my say so.

 

[strngplyr]

I didn't watch all of the Indy/Giants game and Luck was being sacked and instead of being sacked he threw the ball right to a Giants' defender. He was lucky the Giants defender was surprised that Luck would be throwing the ball while being brought down and didn't catch the ball.

Luck seems like a QB that Belichick can get into their head. Hence why Luck has thrown 7 INTs against the Pats in two meetings.

Agreed. Luck has a bright future, but I've also thought of him as far more like Favre than Manning. He isn't afraid to make a mistake while going for the throat.

It's won him games and its lost him games. True gunslinger mentality.

That's not the best approach to come after a BB defense with as he has a very good track record of taking away what you do best and forcing you to try to win in a method that is unconventional for your teams personnel.