Some Week 10 thoughts

[Miguel]

1.) My prediction of a 11-5 season still looks about right.
2.) My prediction of one and done in the playoffs still looks about right.
3.) Those who predicted that the Colts would suffer a losing season this year are really wrong.
4.) Those of us who thought those predictions were just wishful thinking are really right
5.) Maroney is a violent kick-off returner.
6.) What a great catch by Marvin Harrison!
7.) Is there something in the Foxboro water that causes the Patriots secondary to get injured each and every year???
8.) If this is the best Patriots team ever, why then are the Patriots 0-3 at home against Denver, the Colts and the Jets??
9.) Who is the best pass-coverage LB on the Patriots??How does he stack up against the best pass-coverage LBs in the league??
10.) Tom Brady may not make the Pro-Bowl team - with good reason. I had pencil him, Palmer, and Manning in before the season.
11.) I thought that the bad field was supposed to give the Patriots an advantage.
12.) I can't wait to hear the guys on Patriots Football Weekly this week.
13.) Artrell Hawkins may be the best in-season pickup made by this front office.
14.) It was really nice to meet Mike the Brit. It is just too bad that the Patriots were lousy hosts
15.) What did the TV analysts say about that roughing the passer call??
16.) Mike the Brit brought up an excellent point - why don't the Pats pitch out the ball more to Maroney?? He would be ideal for the Colts' stretch play.
17.) To the Colts and Jets fans that visit this board, your team was the better team the past two Sundays.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

1.) My prediction of a 11-5 season still looks about right
***My 13-3 isn't looking too good this morning, I'll admit. They could get it together and run the table or they could be 10--6.

2.) My prediction of one and done in the playoffs still looks about right.
***I'm not smart enough to predict what happens in January, but the road to Miami is a lot tougher this morning.
3.) Those who predicted that the Colts would suffer a losing season this year are really wrong.
***I didn't have them losing, but I didn't see 9--0 either.
4.) Those of us who thought those predictions were just wishful thinking are really right
***Glad you're not rubbing it in, tho.
5.) Maroney is a violent kick-off returner.
***Here we agree if by violent you mean explosive.
6.) What a great catch by Marvin Harrison
***I still think he didn't get control of the ball until his feet left the ground, but that doesn't take anything away from the game he played IMO.
7.) Is there something in the Foxboro water that causes the Patriots secondary to get injured each and every year???
***I don't know.
8.) If this is the best Patriots team ever, why then are the Patriots 0-3 at home against Denver, the Colts and the Jets??
***You'd have to ask someone who made that claim. I don't see how they could be any better than the XXXVIII/XXXIX team.
9.) Who is the best pass-coverage LB on the Patriots??How does he stack up against the best pass-coverage LBs in the league??
***I guess the answer is "not well" to anyone I would choose.
10.) Tom Brady may not make the Pro-Bowl team - with good reason. I had pencil him, Palmer, and Manning in before the season.
***So far, the facts are on that side of the discussion without a doubt.
11.) I thought that the bad field was supposed to give the Patriots an advantage.
***To quote BB, slop is what it is...
12.) I can't wait to hear the guys on Patriots Football Weekly this week.
***I'll pass, thank you.
13.) Artrell Hawkins may be the best in-season pickup made by this front office.
***Can't argue that.
14.) It was really nice to meet Mike the Brit. It is just too bad that the Patriots were lousy hosts
***You lost me there.
15.) What did the TV analysts say about that roughing the passer call??
***They seemed to agre with it, as, for what it's worth, did I.
16.) Mike the Brit brought up an excellent point - why don't the Pats pitch out the ball more to Maroney?? He would be ideal for the Colts' stretch play.
***I think they tried to go outside too much. With the field conditions, they should have pounded up the middle and thrown more short yardage slants, but what do I know?
17.) To the Colts and Jets fans that visit this board, your team was the better team the past two Sundays.
***Without a doubt.

Thoughtful post. Please see my comments above. Thanks.

 

[Mike the Brit]

My first game at Foxborough after twenty-five years of liking the Patriots. It was raining, I was wet through and cold and the Patriots played a stinker -- I had a WONDERFUL time!

Miguel is my kind of fan and I even got to say "hi" to Mrs B and Big Al (though, since Mrs B was struggling with a picnic canopy that wouldn't come apart and I was running for the train I didn't come at a GOOD TIME).

Busy day today but I'll describe the experience in more detail so that my fellow overseas fans can eat their hearts out.

 

[hodgey]

Boy thats a lenghty post to disguise your typical ball washing of the colts! Most Patriot fans I would suppose are quite disappointed this morning, but not you . I not sure if your back slapping I told you so post , or your seemingly beaming about our demise pisses me off more. I seldomly post, but often read. I will take my chances with the Pats, and Brady, over your beloved colts in the playoffs. We have been terrible for two weeks, but we are not dead in November.

 

[BelichickFan]

11.) I thought that the bad field was supposed to give the Patriots an advantage.

Unfortunately we've got from a sandpit to a mudpit and with Brady and Maroney, it's no advantage at all to see them slip, sliding away. Sorry guys, but I want that field turf.

15.) What did the TV analysts say about that roughing the passer call??

That he drove Brady into the ground. It was unfortunate for the jesters but I thought it was the correct call.

16.) Mike the Brit brought up an excellent point - why don't the Pats pitch out the ball more to Maroney?? He would be ideal for the Colts' stretch play.

I'd also like to see some more screens to him - even though he's had a couple of drops. On a real field (see above), he should be very dangerous on those kinds of plays.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Boy thats a lenghty post to disguise your typical ball washing of the colts! Most Patriot fans I would suppose are quite disappointed this morning, but not you . I not sure if your back slapping I told you so post , or your seemingly beaming about our demise pisses me off more. I seldomly post, but often read. I will take my chances with the Pats, and Brady, over your beloved colts in the playoffs. We have been terrible for two weeks, but we are not dead in November.

Mmm, yes, I see. Miguel is a Colts troll. But then who was the guy next to me yelling his head off for the D in the fourth quarter yesterday?

 

[OldEnglandPatriot]

That he drove Brady into the ground. It was unfortunate for the jesters but I thought it was the correct call.

QUOTE]

I'm still scratching my head over that one. I can see why, by the letter of the law, it may have been a correct call. But it appeared to me that the guy simply hit Brady real hard and knocked him off his feet (rather than 'picking him up') and if you do that how can you not drive the guy into the ground when you land on top of him?

I thought the Jets guy was penalised for making a great play, basically.

 

[Patfandango]

I like the idea of Miguel being a deeply entrenched mole activated at just the right time to demoralize patriots nation. Nice post, Miguel, well reasoned and thoughtful. The Jets outcoached and outplayed us yesterday. Mangini was the right coach to take advantage of our injuries. No one else knows better how we scheme to protect our weakest links. I had previously posted that the Jets would play a high risk/ high return strategy and perhaps rush from 8 in the box. Their D had a lot of movement and they played the game of their lives. I didn;t think they had the talent to beat us but i was wrong. My hats off to them. This one hurt alot because it's rare that we lose the important games. It's clear we're still a work in progress but there were also some positives. Caldwell and Gaffney played well. Corey was unstoppable (except by us). Given the weakness in the deep middle and lack of pass rush, we weren't beaten alot there (kudos to Hawkins). Maroney continues to impress on KO returns. My concerns from the game: third down defense, OL protection and push up the middle (though we did convert 4th downs), the defense admitted to feeling mentally fatigued by the 4th quarter (when have we ever heard this in the last 5 years). We'll get better. This team doesn't panic and their leaders will respond. I agree with 11 and 5. If they get to 12-4 , a bye isn't impossible.

 

[jct]

Sadly, Miguel you are right on in your thoughts and opinions,
however, let us look at the good aspects of where we sit today...

Next year we have a Double draft Basically.
Next year we should be able to splash in FA and pick up a couple great players.
We have a good rookie class in Maroney and O'Callahan.
With luck we can heal up and go all the way, but it will require luck.
On 1st downs and yards we equaled Indy and Beat the Jets so we aren't quite as bad as it seems.
We won the tiebreaker of points scored Vs the Jets=2 game lead.

 

[Miguel]

Boy thats a lenghty post to disguise your typical ball washing of the colts! Most Patriot fans I would suppose are quite disappointed this morning, but not you . I not sure if your back slapping I told you so post , or your seemingly beaming about our demise pisses me off more. I seldomly post, but often read. I will take my chances with the Pats, and Brady, over your beloved colts in the playoffs. We have been terrible for two weeks, but we are not dead in November.

FYI - I, too, was disappointed with the Pats. If I gave the impression that I was beaming about my favorite team losing, then my post failed to accurately articulate my feelings.

I post often. When I am wrong, I have no problems admitting so on this board. That's why I occasionally like to pat myself on the back.

You can call it ball-washing. I call it objective analysis of another team. We can agree to disagree.

 

[Miguel]

Thoughtful post. Please see my comments above. Thanks.

By lousy hosts, I meant that I felt bad that I had invited Mike the Brit to a game thinking that he would see a Patriots victory.

 

[kolbitr]

FYI - I, too, was disappointed with the Pats. If I gave the impression that I was beaming about my favorite team losing, then my post failed to accurately articulate my feelings.

I post often. When I am wrong, I have no problems admitting so on this board. That's why I occasionally like to pat myself on the back.

You can call it ball-washing. I call it objective analysis of another team. We can agree to disagree.

The idea that Miguel is a Colts 'troll' is fairly absurd...

on the other hand, objective analysis is sorely lacking all too often. Back-patting and chuckling at the failure of the most extreme of the local prognosticators is barely analytical.

It would be good to remember that the Colts are, for the most part, a team of continuity with the past several seasons, while the Patriots remain one in transition. I don't think we can emphasize enough the change in culture that results from losing two veteran coordinators in the same season, one of their replacements (Mangini) in the next, and gaining an obviously-green OC in the process. Player turnover is manageable, to some extent; I believe that the coaching turnover is much more difficult to deal with.

The Pats defense has, overall, been excellent this year: a good sign, perhaps, for Pees. Yes, they failed to get a three and out on the Jets' final drive, but the Pats defense is rarely a three-and-out defense. Overall, given the short fields, the defense played well. It is the offense which has been erratic. Despite the numbers being good, often, they have struggled with consistency and with adjustments.

 

[captain stone]

1.) My prediction of a 11-5 season still looks about right.

10-6 if they don't wake the eff up.

2.) My prediction of one and done in the playoffs still looks about right.

Check.

3.) Those who predicted that the Colts would suffer a losing season this year are really wrong.

Not I. Their division is too soft.


4.) Those of us who thought those predictions were just wishful thinking are really right

Afraid so.

5.) Maroney is a violent kick-off returner.

Dig that.

6.) What a great catch by Marvin Harrison!

SOB

7.) Is there something in the Foxboro water that causes the Patriots secondary to get injured each and every year???

It must be the water they drink on draft day. 3 (Wilson, Samuel, Hobbs) and one-half (Sanders) quality DBs drafted in 7 years is Bobby Grier-esque. Unacceptable.

8.) If this is the best Patriots team ever, why then are the Patriots 0-3 at home against Denver, the Colts and the Jets??

Simple. This is not the best Patriots team ever.

9.) Who is the best pass-coverage LB on the Patriots??How does he stack up against the best pass-coverage LBs in the league??

Pass-coverage LB? On the Patriots? Is this a trick question?

10.) Tom Brady may not make the Pro-Bowl team - with good reason. I had pencil him, Palmer, and Manning in before the season.

Manning, Rivers and McNair, so far.

11.) I thought that the bad field was supposed to give the Patriots an advantage.

Bad field, plus bad weather, plus slower RBs, plus our defenders were 2/3 years younger than today, plus Branch and Givens, plus Ty Law and Ted Washington.

12.) I can't wait to hear the guys on Patriots Football Weekly this week.

Why? Will they sugar-coat, or tell the truth?

13.) Artrell Hawkins may be the best in-season pickup made by this front office.

Then why doesn't the FO add more experienced vets with track records of success? Instead, we are given Iwuoma, Spann, Baker, Mays, Mruc, Jonathan Smith and Vinnie T. Gaffney has possibilities, however. Is it arrogance, or lack of hustle?

14.) It was really nice to meet Mike the Brit. It is just too bad that the Patriots were lousy hosts

Bummer.

15.) What did the TV analysts say about that roughing the passer call??

I was in Dayton, OH over the weekend. I saw the game (with Gil & Gino's call) on Comcast digital's NFL Network highlights package. They thought, like I, that it was a weak call.

16.) Mike the Brit brought up an excellent point - why don't the Pats pitch out the ball more to Maroney?? He would be ideal for the Colts' stretch play.

I've been saying the same thing All Season Long. Either it's arrogance, laziness or incompetance.

17.) To the Colts and Jets fans that visit this board, your team was the better team the past two Sundays.

And it's been killing me inside.

 

[brady2brown]

That he drove Brady into the ground. It was unfortunate for the jesters but I thought it was the correct call.

QUOTE]

I'm still scratching my head over that one. I can see why, by the letter of the law, it may have been a correct call. But it appeared to me that the guy simply hit Brady real hard and knocked him off his feet (rather than 'picking him up') and if you do that how can you not drive the guy into the ground when you land on top of him?

I thought the Jets guy was penalised for making a great play, basically.

He did two things wrong. He picked Brady up. Had he run into him, it would have been okay, but he picked him up. Second thing was slamming him into the ground. THis is okay for WR, TE and RB tackles, but not QBs. The key was holding onto Brady so he couldn't adjust on the way down. Ever see DEs lift thier arms wide to the sides as they land on a QB. They are smart and know the rule. They get to land on the QB but are just landing on him, not driving him down as they would be doing if they held onto his arms (like the Jets guy did).

Correct call.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Miguel a Colts troll??? Where are those LMAO smileys when you need them? I hope he was joking or that will go down in the top 10 most absurd thing ever posted here. And there have been a lot of absurd things.

Now, I agree with half of Miguels points. I disagree with half of them. And, I have no opinion on the last half.

Just a quick question about your taking Mike the Brit to the game. ARE YOU NUTS?

 

[Mike the Brit]

Just a quick question about your taking Mike the Brit to the game. ARE YOU NUTS?

Yes, well, I love you too, Homer!

 

[gomezcat]

My first game at Foxborough after twenty-five years of liking the Patriots. It was raining, I was wet through and cold and the Patriots played a stinker -- I had a WONDERFUL time!

Miguel is my kind of fan and I even got to say "hi" to Mrs B and Big Al (though, since Mrs B was struggling with a picnic canopy that wouldn't come apart and I was running for the train I didn't come at a GOOD TIME).

Busy day today but I'll describe the experience in more detail so that my fellow overseas fans can eat their hearts out.

WTF? You, Miguel and Mrs B exist in real life? Is anyone else on here real?
Congrats on getting to a game (he says through gritted teeth- ). It would be great to read about your experience at a later point.

 

[Mike the Brit]

WTF? You, Miguel and Mrs B exist in real life?

Mrs B is charming and gracious under pressure. I shan't give out any of Miguel's secrets -- if he wants to wear a Peyton Manning jersey to a Patriots game, that's his business.

Is anyone else on here real? Ha, Ha -- very post-modernist.

Congrats on getting to a game (he says through gritted teeth- ). It would be great to read about your experience at a later point.

Sorry -- another full day, out early and back late -- trying to prove to my new American colleagues how keen I am to succeed (or maybe I just like my job)! But I will get round to it, I promise.

Gomez: have you shown Miss GC your last General Talk post? Is it cold sleeping out on the balcony?

 

[PATSNUTme]

Yes, well, I love you too, Homer!

Actually, I glad for you to have had the chance to go. Just don't let it happen again.

Too bad it was raining instead of a nice warm day so you could have seen the Cheerleaders in their skimy outfits.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Actually, I glad for you to have had the chance to go. Just don't let it happen again.

Once in twenty-five years -- I mean, that's even rarer than my love life...

Too bad it was raining instead of a nice warm day so you could have seen the Cheerleaders in their skimy outfits.

Well, we were pretty high up, so the difference between skimpy and track-suit outfits wasn't that apparent.

But, boy, was I impressed with those ladies. They are ATHLETES! I mean that literally. Those dance routines are strenuous and they kept going for three hours pretty much non-stop. If only our linebackers showed that kind of energy!

Take care, Mike.