Stay the course

[Sivy]

I wouldnt be suprised if there was some big FA moves made this offseason. I think the last time they got to the AFCCG and lost was 06, and we all no what happened in 07. Perhaps getting close and losing leaves a worse taste in Belichicks mouth than getting there and losing.

who knows, just my thoughts

 

[letekro]

Yeah Talib, who can't stay healthy for 2 weeks straight is a MUST RE-SIGN, while they should move on from Welker. Complete idiocy.

They will offer Welker small money and he will either take it or get slightly more elsewhere. Once a little guy with average hands loses his quicks, its over in a hurry. That could happen any day now--one might say the process has already begun. At this point, Edelman is a more explosive player and there are other guys in the draft that could take over in the slot (e.g., Tavon Austin)

Talib, on the other hand, offers rare ability that transformed our defense. Corners like him don't grow on trees (or in the draft--at least if BB is doing the scouting). Maybe his injury history will drive down his price a bit, but if you're the Patriots, you need him--you almost have to take a calculated gamble that he can stay healthy and motivated.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Much as it pains me to say it, we've got to have robust Gronkless contingency plans. He's a bonus when healthy, but experience to this point suggests that you...

Can't. Count. On. Gronk.

Remind yourself of this, remember it, learn it, live it, love it. He's a guy that can get you there, he might even be healthy once you're there. But he's an every-down injury risk. It just is what it is. There's no fixing it. We can all hope he's a season-long and post-season-long threat, but the Pats would be wise not to count on him.

Where's the Ballard consensus come from? What has Ballard done? Are we going w/the Giants career? Honest questions... I just never remember him lighting it up since we've had him, but I just haven't been glued to football all year. I do remember him having a hand in the last SB loss, and when a guy helps beat you on the biggest stage, it's easy to get an outsized impression of his likely contribution.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Where's the Ballard consensus come from? What has Ballard done? Are we going w/the Giants career?

He only has played one season, after a redshirt rookie year.

38 catches, 604 yards, 15.9 ypc, 4 TDs in an offense that does not generally use tight ends much at all as receivers,

while being viewed as a superb run-blocker

 

[IllegalContact]

Having a fullback would help....the come in handy when playing more zealous defenses

 

[DocHoliday]

Much as it pains me to say it, we've got to have robust Gronkless contingency plans. He's a bonus when healthy, but experience to this point suggests that you...

Can't. Count. On. Gronk.

Remind yourself of this, remember it, learn it, live it, love it. He's a guy that can get you there, he might even be healthy once you're there. But he's an every-down injury risk. It just is what it is. There's no fixing it. We can all hope he's a season-long and post-season-long threat, but the Pats would be wise not to count on him.

Where's the Ballard consensus come from? What has Ballard done? Are we going w/the Giants career? Honest questions... I just never remember him lighting it up since we've had him, but I just haven't been glued to football all year. I do remember him having a hand in the last SB loss, and when a guy helps beat you on the biggest stage, it's easy to get an outsized impression of his likely contribution.

He's Dennis Pitta. Big, strong target on the slow side.

 

[aluminum seats]

Once a little guy with average hands loses his quicks, its over in a hurry. That could happen any day now--one might say the process has already begun.

One might say anything, but one would be very wrong to say that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Much as it pains me to say it, we've got to have robust Gronkless contingency plans. He's a bonus when healthy, but experience to this point suggests that you...

Can't. Count. On. Gronk.

Remind yourself of this, remember it, learn it, live it, love it. He's a guy that can get you there, he might even be healthy once you're there. But he's an every-down injury risk. It just is what it is. There's no fixing it. We can all hope he's a season-long and post-season-long threat, but the Pats would be wise not to count on him.

Where's the Ballard consensus come from? What has Ballard done? Are we going w/the Giants career? Honest questions... I just never remember him lighting it up since we've had him, but I just haven't been glued to football all year. I do remember him having a hand in the last SB loss, and when a guy helps beat you on the biggest stage, it's easy to get an outsized impression of his likely contribution.

He suffers a freak ankle injury and a freak broken arm and hes now a year in year out health risk?

The biggest concern about Gronk is his back and neck which has been fine.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

He suffers a freak ankle injury and a freak broken arm and hes now a year in year out health risk?

The biggest concern about Gronk is his back and neck which has been fine.

...and we're not counting the re-break of the arm, or the "broke it in a different place" arm... and didn't he have injury problems in college? Is that the back and neck concern?

Look, I'm all for Gronk just having some bad luck and all, but let's look at him for what he is: A big boost when healthy, in fact, such a big boost that you need that spot on the roster warm for him when he's available. But you have to be ready to win Gronklessly, whatever that entails. It's not a revolutionary hypothesis that a guy who's been injured a lot might get injured more a lot in the future.

 

[upstater1]

I don't know what it is. I've heard people say we're a front running team; when the going gets tough, we don't fight back. Not sure if that's really the case, but I can see why people say that.

One thing for sure, the Ravens didn't all of a sudden get 15 points better from week 3 to yesterday. Maybe momentum does play a huge role. But then again, we destroyed the Texans last week. People make fun of Ray Lewis' leadership, but it's evident that those guys, whether it was for Ray or not, were playing with more sense of urgency than we were.

The argument that we don't have enough talent is bull*****. We led the league in scoring, even without Gronk. We put up 41 against the Texans, and scored a boatload against the 49ers defense. We have the talent. Our teams just doesn't seem to have the balls to make plays or to make the right adjustment. How can you fix that?

It is momentum. They fought back against the 49ers.

Let me show how momentum counts:

3 series in a row:

1. Welker drop
2. Solder 10 yard hold on a 1st down conversion to Woodhead, 3rd and long
3. Ridley fumble

Is that backing down, not fighting back, or is it circumstance?

I can't see how those three plays can be attributed to something wrong with the Patriots mentality.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

True dat.

The old 32-1 odds may have the same teams (in some cases) rising to the top perennially to have a 1 in 12 shot... or 1 in 8, with the first-round bye... but within that shooting gallery, it's who's hot, who's healthy, and dare I say it, who gets the bounces and the calls (cough cough gintz cough cough.) I'd hazard to say that BB was ahead of the league in 01-04, did not get complacent, and truly had an edge -- just enough of one to put together the dynasty. From that time we've come back to earth; the league has caught up with how to do things in the free agency/cap era. The BB/Brady axis is still the strongest force in the known football universe, IMO, and produces the results that get us into the hunt time after time. We're simply subject to the same forces as mortal teams.

Then there are days when you play below your peak performance potential. I think yesterday was such a case, all gronklessness aside. Was the Brady desperation throw a choke? Yeah kinda. Was the Pollard helmet-to-helmet knockout fumble within the rules? I don't get it, but apparently so. Should our D go into assassin mode against the Ravens? Definitely. In baseball a bean draws a retaliation bean. It's the way of the world. Lose a Flacco or a Rice like that, and they may be way less "physical" from that point forward.

But the many details aside, Baltimore outplayed us pure and simple. Will we be back in '13? Count on it.

 

[fumbrunner]

Yeah Talib, who can't stay healthy for 2 weeks straight is a MUST RE-SIGN, while they should move on from Welker. Complete idiocy.

The Defense was completely different with him in there. If he comes at the right price, you have to try and sign him. Players get hurt, it happens. Should we cut Gronk because of his late season injuries in the past two years?

 

[Ring 6]

The Defense was completely different with him in there. If he comes at the right price, you have to try and sign him. Players get hurt, it happens. Should we cut Gronk because of his late season injuries in the past two years?

It really wasn't. People hoped it would be, but it really wasnt

 

[pherein]

Keep doing what the Patriots are doing, add a few players. The team is already built to win. More pass rush, more outside receivers. That's it. Nothing wrong with Brady. No Gronk, and the offense stalls against a good D. It stalled against the 49ers until they went zone, it stalled against the Ravens.

Gronk is a pretty big weapon.

The D needs more pass rush, and they may be one player away there.

No need to panic. The Patriots are already built to win, no need to change course now.

If I'm the front office, I resign Welker at $7-8 million for 2 years, and go heavy on Percy Harvin.

I agree, you team is really elite. Not alot of tweaking needed. All our teams can get better here and there, but most of us dont even get close to success the Patriots are having.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know what it is. I've heard people say we're a front running team; when the going gets tough, we don't fight back. Not sure if that's really the case, but I can see why people say that.

One thing for sure, the Ravens didn't all of a sudden get 15 points better from week 3 to yesterday. Maybe momentum does play a huge role. But then again, we destroyed the Texans last week. People make fun of Ray Lewis' leadership, but it's evident that those guys, whether it was for Ray or not, were playing with more sense of urgency than we were.

The argument that we don't have enough talent is bull*****. We led the league in scoring, even without Gronk. We put up 41 against the Texans, and scored a boatload against the 49ers defense. We have the talent. Our teams just doesn't seem to have the balls to make plays or to make the right adjustment. How can you fix that?

I don't know how 'balls' is part of the discussion. Do you think they are afraid?

 

[moejr]

I don't know what it is. I've heard people say we're a front running team; when the going gets tough, we don't fight back. Not sure if that's really the case, but I can see why people say that.

One thing for sure, the Ravens didn't all of a sudden get 15 points better from week 3 to yesterday. Maybe momentum does play a huge role. But then again, we destroyed the Texans last week. People make fun of Ray Lewis' leadership, but it's evident that those guys, whether it was for Ray or not, were playing with more sense of urgency than we were.

The argument that we don't have enough talent is bull*****. We led the league in scoring, even without Gronk. We put up 41 against the Texans, and scored a boatload against the 49ers defense. We have the talent. Our teams just doesn't seem to have the balls to make plays or to make the right adjustment. How can you fix that?

Get coaches that have some cajones. All this scheming we do is taking away from the main objective and that's play football. McDaniels gets too cute with our O sometimes and it costs us. This seems to bite us in the arse especially in the postseason. I still stand by my assessment that no matter how good we are in the regular season we are not going to win a SB with Josh as our OC.

 

[condon84]

It is momentum. They fought back against the 49ers.

Let me show how momentum counts:

3 series in a row:

1. Welker drop
2. Solder 10 yard hold on a 1st down conversion to Woodhead, 3rd and long
3. Ridley fumble

Is that backing down, not fighting back, or is it circumstance?

I can't see how those three plays can be attributed to something wrong with the Patriots mentality.

In-game momentum is definitely huge. After the failed 3rd down conversion following the Solder hold, the guys in the sideline definitely looked defeated at that point (someone else mentioned this on another thread). It would have been nice if someone got the troops together at that point to rally them. Kevin Faulk was pretty good about being the emotional leader towards the end of his career.

Then after the Ridley fumble, our defense just sort of gave up that easy TD drive.

After a good 24 hours to digest what happened in the game especially what went down in the second half, Baltimore really took this NE team to the woodshed. It's not like when they beat us in 09 when we limped into that game, we had a healthy, talent-full squad yesterday, but still got an @$$ whooping.