The Browns may be lousy but I think the Pats are going to be challenged on Sunday

[Deus Irae]

Speaking of Mingo, he's been MIA these first four weeks. What's the story with him?

There's a reason he was available...

 

[ViperGTS]

There's a reason he was available...

Could still be working him in to his best fit.

 

[SVN]

Lombardi on Patriots not signing Pryor after workout: 'We blew it'

 

[Deus Irae]

Could still be working him in to his best fit.

I'm sure they are.

 

[SVN]

GameDay: Patriots vs. Browns highlights

nfl.com posted highlights from the previous pats/browns game in cleveland. Look at all the joy for daboll and mangini.

 

[Gronk]

If they tackle like they did last week this game is going to be close.

They need to do better on that, yes. But they also only gave up 16 and a lot of people are acting like it's the 2011 D out there. If they hold everyone under 20, they shouldn't lose again. No pressure, 'course

 

[wolverinejoe80]

we are pats coached by the great BB who just lost to friggin rex ryan and got shutout.

we are going to crush them. we are a good football team. they are a bad one. as long as tom doesn't play like he did against miami in 2006 we are going to be fine.

 

[Geezer Butler]

**** all this nervous hedging around the Browns.

We have Brady back and -- on paper -- a better team than in the last few years. If we can't win convincingly against the Browns there is no point in taking about playoffs or homefield advantage.

We will win by 2+ scores.

I don't see anyone in here nervous that's for sure, just level headed assessments of a football game.

"On paper", that means two things in football: Jack and Sh*t.

We would all love a two score win, but predicting it as a lock is a fool's errand. Also, they could lose this game by 40 and it would not shake my confidence in them as a playoff contender. Remember Kansas City 2014?

 

[supafly]

If they hold everyone under 20, they shouldn't lose again.

Well, sure, because that would automatically place them in the top few/several scoring defenses in the entire league. For comparison's sake, the Denver Broncos gave up an average of 18.5 PPG last season.

 

[Gronk]

I don't see anyone in here nervous that's for sure, just level headed assessments of a football game.

"On paper", that means two things in football: Jack and Sh*t.

We would all love a two score win, but predicting it as a lock is a fool's errand. Also, they could lose this game by 40 and it would not shake my confidence in them as a playoff contender. Remember Kansas City 2014?

I actually agree with everything you said, but if they lost this game by 40 this website would explode. Whether it would be funny, sad, or disturbing...well, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about it but OMG. Giving up a 1st down (which is generally obviously avoidable to every poster here via gameplanning, better roster construction, better coaching, or simply a "better play call") is reason for a meltdown.

 

[Gronk]

Well, sure, because that would automatically place them in the top few/several scoring defenses in the entire league. For comparison's sake, the Denver Broncos gave up an average of 18.5 PPG last season.

Right, and I'm not the first person here to point out that there's a lot of concern over the "horrific" defense and poor calling/planning/****ty players in a game where they gave up 16 pts. 16 pts is a win, almost every week, when you have one of the best and most reliable offenses in the NFL (but only for the last. like, 11 years).

I don't think it's about the 16 points against - it's about mistakes they can correct/adjust whatever in terms of gameplay, but if they'd lost that game 16-14 instead of getting shutout there wouldn't be anything substantially different about how the season proceeds from here. And there's lot of talk about the D being ****, and being exposed, and it's insane.

 

[WhoaDirty]

I actually agree with everything you said, but if they lost this game by 40 this website would explode. Whether it would be funny, sad, or disturbing...well, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about it but OMG. Giving up a 1st down (which is generally obviously avoidable to every poster here via gameplanning, better roster construction, better coaching, or simply a "better play call") is reason for a meltdown.

It might be good just to clear out some of the chaff from the website.

 

[Mack Herron]

Speaking of Mingo, he's been MIA these first four weeks. What's the story with him?

Been seeing lots of st snaps. More solo tackles than Bolden, Ebner, and Slater.

 

[supafly]

If they tackle like they did last week this game is going to be close.

While I've had this as a game that's moderately concerned me for awhile, I highly doubt that we'll see a repeat performance of last week's poor tackling effort. As a matter of fact, I think it may be a little while before we see something like that again. That was just terrible. No excuse.

 

[supafly]

Right, and I'm not the first person here to point out that there's a lot of concern over the "horrific" defense and poor calling/planning/****ty players in a game where they gave up 16 pts. 16 pts is a win, almost every week, when you have one of the best and most reliable offenses in the NFL (but only for the last. like, 11 years).

I don't think it's about the 16 points against - it's about mistakes they can correct/adjust whatever in terms of gameplay, but if they'd lost that game 16-14 instead of getting shutout there wouldn't be anything substantially different about how the season proceeds from here. And there's lot of talk about the D being ****, and being exposed, and it's insane.

I think it'd be crazy for anyone to call the defense horrific or ****ty, at least with this small of a sample size. That said, I do find it reasonable that people are concerned, particularly after a less than mediocre performance on Sunday.

They allowed world beating QB Tyrod Taylor to relax and manage the game on his terms. They weren't really effective in either the pass or run game. They allowed a major difference in TOP. They didn't cause any turnovers. They got zero pressure (understanding that it was a containment scheme), and most importantly--they missed more tackles than any other game that I can remember in quite awhile. Aside from buckling down in the 2nd half, I don't see much to be proud about regarding the recent defensive performance. Luckily for us, it's only one game.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't see anyone in here nervous that's for sure, just level headed assessments of a football game.

"On paper", that means two things in football: Jack and Sh*t.

We would all love a two score win, but predicting it as a lock is a fool's errand. Also, they could lose this game by 40 and it would not shake my confidence in them as a playoff contender. Remember Kansas City 2014?

If the Patriots lose this game by 40, Belichick will fire himself.

 

[Patriot Missile]

They need to do better on that, yes. But they also only gave up 16 and a lot of people are acting like it's the 2011 D out there. If they hold everyone under 20, they shouldn't lose again. No pressure, 'course

I agree. And like sf said. I doubt we will see a tackling performance like that for awhile. Probably could of kept the score lower than 16 if they tackled like they normally do.

 

[luuked]

I don't see anyone in here nervous that's for sure, just level headed assessments of a football game.

"On paper", that means two things in football: Jack and Sh*t.

We would all love a two score win, but predicting it as a lock is a fool's errand.

Also, they could lose this game by 40 and it would not shake my confidence in them as a playoff contender. Remember Kansas City 2014?

I don't see any level headed assessment at all, at least not from the majority. Most people's analysis or predictions can be modeled by a pendulum.. swinging one way into insane arrogance when things go well for some time and then immediately doom and gloom after a setback.

The truth is that despite what happened in the Bills game, we will have a great offense and a pretty good defense while the Browns have none of that. The game might appear close at half time if a few things go their ways but they will fade in the second half as the game goes on.

They are not the Chiefs who are a team that has been on the verge of being a playoff team for 2-3 years now. The Browns are almost void of difference makers on defense and have to play a pretty shaky rookie QB. I'd be a lot more careful about predicting a game against many other teams e.g. the Rams because despite their incompetent coach they have a lot of talent on their roster.

Finally, obviously anything can happen but in the end it depends on how you lose games and if we lose to those Browns without suffering key injuries, major blown calls or crazy turnovers but simply get outplayed then we'd have bigger immediate issues than dreaming of the playoffs and it would definitely change my mind about who our team is this year.

 

[TB12TheGoat]

I don't like expecting a blowout but we are not putting up less than 45 Sunday. People that think it will be close will be changing their opinions as soon as they see psycho Tom in the first quarter. The browns have played us tough the last two times, but they're going to take it up the ass this Sunday. Mark my words

 

[2000army]

1st game I have ever bet on.