Watching the playoffs is making the Pats' absence more painful

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

To be frank, the Cards have proven that "running the tables at the end" doesn't matter.

I mean look at all the other playoff teams sans Ravens...they all got hot at the end, only to end their postseason runs like a thud.

 

[ivanvamp]

Original Poster, I completely agree with what you are saying. I was thinking the exact same thing. Watching these games is making it that much more painful that the Pats did not make the playoffs at 11-5. In fact, the Chargers are one WIN away from HOSTING the AFC Championship game after finishing the regular season 8-8....it's making me want to throw up.

I understand what you are saying, and it's frustrating for sure. But the Chargers did put a major whooping on the Pats this year in their head-to-head game, so the Pats had a chance to take care of their own business. The team that kills me (that, strangely, I'm actually rooting for now) is Arizona. They go 9-7 in the league's worst division in years, and the Pats beat them by *FORTY* points (and it could have been 60 if they were really looking to rub it in). That's the one that makes this hard to swallow. And if Philly knocks off the Giants today, Arizona hosts the NFC championship game.

Amazing.

 

[snafu]

I would like call our season a 'successful failure'.

Considering what we had to deal with this year, it was an amazing run. Also the 11-5 season squashed any talk of TB being a system QB and BB solely depending on TB for his success. If we had lost more games, then people/analysts would have claimed that BB was not that great of a coach. If we had gone to play-offs and won a couple or more games, the very same people would have claimed that TB is really not that great. His success was solely due to the BB system.

The 11-5 result doesn't support either argument. Coaches coach, players play.

I would like to see Ravens vs Eagles (or Cardinals) in the SB. No steelers and definitely no Giants.

 

[upstater1]

I understand what you are saying, and it's frustrating for sure. But the Chargers did put a major whooping on the Pats this year in their head-to-head game, so the Pats had a chance to take care of their own business. The team that kills me (that, strangely, I'm actually rooting for now) is Arizona. They go 9-7 in the league's worst division in years, and the Pats beat them by *FORTY* points (and it could have been 60 if they were really looking to rub it in). That's the one that makes this hard to swallow. And if Philly knocks off the Giants today, Arizona hosts the NFC championship game.

Amazing.

I don't put that much emphasis on one game, especially early in the year. Our loss to the Chargers was as significant as the Titans loss to the Jets. It's just one game.

 

[upstater1]

I would like call our season a 'successful failure'.

Considering what we had to deal with this year, it was an amazing run. Also the 11-5 season squashed any talk of TB being a system QB and BB solely depending on TB for his success. If we had lost more games, then people/analysts would have claimed that BB was not that great of a coach. If we had gone to play-offs and won a couple or more games, the very same people would have claimed that TB is really not that great. His success was solely due to the BB system.

The 11-5 result doesn't support either argument. Coaches coach, players play.

I would like to see Ravens vs Eagles (or Cardinals) in the SB. No steelers and definitely no Giants.

But why would we care what other people think? I'd rather watch the Pats play.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I know it's frustrating and I think we can take any team, but there's no guarantee we would have beaten 4 great teams in a row. I dunno, maybe I've just already let out all my frustration, but I've been enjoying the games. No stress, just watching teams battle it out for the prize. It wasn't our year face it, I'm sure even if we made it during one of these games something randomly rare and catastrophical (Sudden rash of injuries, Dave Thomas personal foul, Slater muffing a KO, Watson fumble on ankle tackle, Shotgun snap goes 20 yards back) would have happened and we'd have come up just short. 11-5 and missing the playoffs sounds about right for this season.

 

[upstater1]

I know it's frustrating and I think we can take any team, but there's no guarantee we would have beaten 4 great teams in a row. I dunno, maybe I've just already let out all my frustration, but I've been enjoying the games. No stress, just watching teams battle it out for the prize. It wasn't our year face it, I'm sure even if we made it during one of these games something randomly rare and catastrophical (Sudden rash of injuries, Dave Thomas personal foul, Slater muffing a KO, Watson fumble on ankle tackle, Shotgun snap goes 20 yards back) would have happened and we'd have come up just short. 11-5 and missing the playoffs sounds about right for this season.

In understand where you're coming from BUT I had the same feeling in 2001 and 2006. So... I'd rather roll the dice.

 

[dtbrks]

I was good with the playoffs so far but seeing Arizona win tonight really feels like a kick to the groin for Pats fans. We throughly thrashed this team that wanted no part of us a few weeks ago (based on there play that day) and now there one win away from SB 43? As long as the Eagles can knock off the Giants tomorrow...

Yeah... A REAL kick in the groin! I can't believe the cardinals are still playing. I thought carolina would give the Giants a good game but now it seems, unless philly continues it's hot streak, that the Giants will be back in the superbowl.

I still can't believe Carolina rolled over like that but those bad turnovers killed them

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

the playoff without the pats, its like winter without snow.. Its not the same.. these teams suck, can you imangine , a Chargers Cardnials super bowl??? that would be the nfl's just desserts for all the hate in the last year they have put on the pats..

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

Please, God, NO!

I will have to leave home for 2 weeks I couldn't take it.

Me too. The arrogance of the locals when they finally won the World Series for their first championship of ANY type in 25 years was bad enough...
Add a Lombardi and I'll have to pull a McNabb and hurl........

 

[pao]

I thought I had dealt with the Pats not being in the playoffs pretty well, until I started watching the games this weekend.

Tennessee? The Ravens? Carolina? Arizona? Oh my god, the Pats would beat any and all of these teams. I'm waiting for an impressive performance from SOMEBODY. Seriously, this is awful....it's making the end of the Pats season--when I was just really proud of how they performed, and OK with them not being in it--much worse.

I understand your frustration. The Patriots were playing better than any team in the NFL at the EOS, imo. They may've made a run in the playoffs. I know they would have faired better than Miami and would've proven tougher against SD than their showing here during the game in hte regular season.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

Dolphins beat Jets in week 1 (they lost 20-14 but were driving late)
Ravens beat Titans in week 5 (they lost 13-10 but were winning 10-6 late)
Pats beat Jets in week 11 (no recap necessary)

Just imagine if these results had actually happened. The Pats would have finished in a tie for the best record in the NFL and still would have missed the playoffs.

Metaphor - Where would the Pats have lost the tiebreaker? I ask this because the Titans would have had a 12-4 record, but lost the tie breaker to the Colts, thereby not finishing first in their division. The Pats and Titans didn't play head to head, so that tiebreaker is out. The Titans and Pats would have been tied with an 8-4 conference record. For common opponents, The Titans and Pats would each be 2-2.

Thanks in advance.

 

[pao]

I share the OP's sentiment; watching the Ravens slug it out with the Titans and the Cards stunning the Panthers, I really wish the Ravens had met us in their first game. With all our cyclinders clicking, we would have certainly dealt with them and others.

Glad that the arrogant Titans got sniffed out.

Yes, Jeff Fisher is dirty so I'm glad his team lost. His teams take players out intentionally, I don't like that. Merriman is out right now due to just that. They ran two plays intentionally trying to hurt him. Got him on the second with a high/low downfield. It was Maweigh (Sp?) and another guy that can't be seen on the broadcast (but I'm sure they know who it was from the coach's recording). I am against any team that intentionally tries to hurt a player on the other team. Intimidation through rough, tough play between the whistles. Fine. Intentionally trying to hurt a player, no way.

 

[pao]

I don't put that much emphasis on one game, especially early in the year. Our loss to the Chargers was as significant as the Titans loss to the Jets. It's just one game.

Also it was when Cassel was still feeling his way and thinking too much. Eventually he began to make plays without thinking with pretty dang good results. I think the Charger game would have been alot different if they had played the Patriots at the end of the season. Chargers still would have won of course

 

[Metaphors]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

Metaphor - Where would the Pats have lost the tiebreaker? I ask this because the Titans would have had a 12-4 record, but lost the tie breaker to the Colts, thereby not finishing first in their division. The Pats and Titans didn't play head to head, so that tiebreaker is out. The Titans and Pats would have been tied with an 8-4 conference record. For common opponents, The Titans and Pats would each be 2-2.

Thanks in advance.

I did it quickly so my math may be a little off. I had the Titans/Pats with the same conference record (8-4) and same common opponent record (3-2). Next is strength of victory and I had Titans at 77-114-1 and Pats at 77-115. Yes, that means the Cincy/Eagles tie would have knocked the Pats out of the playoffs since the Pats would win (I believe) the strength of schedule tiebreaker.

Just shows you that digging deeper just adds to the pain.

 

[aluminum seats]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

I did it quickly so my math may be a little off. I had the Titans/Pats with the same conference record (8-4) and same common opponent record (3-2). Next is strength of victory and I had Titans at 77-114-1 and Pats at 77-115. Yes, that means the Cincy/Eagles tie would have knocked the Pats out of the playoffs since the Pats would win (I believe) the strength of schedule tiebreaker.

Just shows you that digging deeper just adds to the pain.

Seriously.....ouch.

 

[upstater1]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

I did it quickly so my math may be a little off. I had the Titans/Pats with the same conference record (8-4) and same common opponent record (3-2). Next is strength of victory and I had Titans at 77-114-1 and Pats at 77-115. Yes, that means the Cincy/Eagles tie would have knocked the Pats out of the playoffs since the Pats would win (I believe) the strength of schedule tiebreaker.

Just shows you that digging deeper just adds to the pain.

You could just as easily made other scenarios that worked.

For instance, if Matt Schaub hadn't scrambled for a TD with 3 seconds left against Miami, and if Walt Coleman doesn't over turn the ruling on the field of no TD for Pitt against the Ravens, then the Patriots miss out on the playoffs with a 12-4 record.

 

[bakes781]

I think the Ravens would have beat us. Sorry just my objective opinion. Otherwise I agree we could've beat just about anyone else. Obviously I like the Ravens to get to the Super Bowl.

 

[Yehoodi]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

That's pretty crazy that you were able to come up with that scenario, which was very close to playing out.

The thought that I left the regular season with was....It's a good thing we got destroyed by the Steelers as opposed to losing in the fashion that we did against the Colts. I say that because if we had won the game against the Steelers then the Pats would have been the two seed and earned a first round bye. Imagine if the Pats were only a Gaffney drop and Thomas personal foul penalty away from being the two seed as opposed to missing the playoffs entirely? Like I said, it's a good thing they got killed to make it a little easier to take. Of course, I still do think of the 'what if's' if Moss doesn't drop all those balls that night.

For me . . . this was the most frustrating part of the season (yes in a way its better that we lost by a lot), cause the thought was crossing my mind yesterday, even before the Giants game . . .

Imagine what could of been - - - you are sitting at home watching the Giants loose and are waiting for the Pats first playoff game against the SD chargers in cold Foxborugh (without LT), and all that is left in the playoffs is Baltimore, Philly and Arizona. We haven't played our first game and all that is left is a hobbled 8-8 SD team w/out LT, a Raven team w/out much offense, and 9-6-1 Philly & 9-7 Arizona . . . what a picture -

glad to see the NYG get spanked but the above thoughts were going through my mind at the start of the Pitt-SD game . . .

Regarding the Pitt game is does help that we loss by a lot, but then again we were still close even as late as the start of the 4th, even given a few TO in the 3rd . . . even though Pit played well one wonders if Moss catches that crossing route and the one in the end zone in the first half is the game different ? ? ? I think it would of been, so in one way it was nice to lose by a lot, but on another hand a small part of me thinks that we were only a play or two from making that a win, which is not that too far off from the Indy game . . .

 

[Metaphors]

Re: Watching the Playoffs is Making the Pats Absence More Painful

You could just as easily made other scenarios that worked.

For instance, if Matt Schaub hadn't scrambled for a TD with 3 seconds left against Miami, and if Walt Coleman doesn't over turn the ruling on the field of no TD for Pitt against the Ravens, then the Patriots miss out on the playoffs with a 12-4 record.

Understood, but I was showing that the Pats could have easily missed the playoffs with the best record in the league. While I'm not an advocate of changing the playoff rules, that would still be pretty messed up.