This thread is only for posters who do not allow other posters to say anything negative. You know who you are..if anyone has a complaint or worried about something your the first to call people bandwagon fans or chicken littles. So if the talent on the team is fine and the coaching and gameplans are fine why is the team 11-8 over the last 2 years?
Even though I don't consider myself to be one of those people "who do not allow other posters to say anything negative", let me respond anyways.
I don't know what other 'homers' think so I'm not going to assume what they are thinking, but in my opinion fans overreact to just about any news - whether it be a win, a loss, an injury, an article, a rumor, a single missed tackle or errant pass, or whatever. Seven days ago some were ready to assume the Pats would go 14-2, and by Sunday night some were predicting the Pats will finish 4-12 this year.
While there may be some that don't want others to be so negative, there are others that only show up with a negative comment after a negative event such as a loss. Look at it from their point of view: the only time certain people are seen or heard is when they complain over an event in which you are already upset, angry and frustrated about. Would you look forward to seeing or hearing from that person again?
Personally, I have no problem with people being critical of aspects of the team or organization that need to be improved upon. But myself, I can do without the overreactions that people make that they have put little thought into.
I can think of a guy I used to watch games with that would screaming for the Pats to get rid of Brady after any incomplete pass, and call for the backup to immediately enter the game after a turnover. Ten minutes later he'd be hopping up and down and high-fiving me after a Brady touchdown pass. Got to the point I stopped watching games with him because it was just annoying. I can handle a know it all and don't mind a neophyte at all; I just don't care for somebody that knows very little but acts like an expert - and that's how some people who only post negativity come across.
My suggestion is this: if you're going to be critical and negative, say something beyond 'this team sucks, fire the coach, cut this play, trade that player, blow the whole thing up because there's no way this team wins two games this year'. Let me hear your plan, let me hear your suggestion. Want to trade Randy Moss? Let's hear what you think you will get in return, who will replace him in the lineup and why he would be more productive, if that move will improve the team this year and why, or if you are willing to throw this season out and why. Let me hear the same for any other similar (fire this guy, cut that guy, bench this one, etc.) suggestions.
As for the last sentence, I don't think there were too many that felt the talent on this team was perfectly fine. On defense there was and still is a question about the pass rush. Some of that was addressed with the draft pick of Cunningham, but that's more of a long-term solution. Derrick Burgess was a short-term solution that didn't work out, and Shawn Crable was a draft pick that was expected to be productive by this point in time. And Adalius Thomas was expected to be very productive in that role at this point as well. It's unfortunate, but I don't think there's many that thought all three of those decisions would not work out.
Add to that the hole the Pats have with injuries to Ty Warren and Leigh Bodden, and now there are gaps in the starting lineup at all three levels on defense. There are seven new starters on defense. The rookies and first year starters are going to make rookie/first year starter mistakes. On the other hand they are an improvement over the alternative, which would be for Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas and similar other veterans still starting.
Can the team improve - for example, by being less predictable? Absolutely!
Are the homers a bit overly optimistic? Yep, probably so.
Are the chicken littles a bit overly pessimistic? I'll let you answer that one.
