What We've Hopefully Learned from 2007, 2010 and 2011

[rabidfireweasel]

They did 50 minutes of effort against the Ravens last time. this time, I hope we give the full 60.

 

[mayoclinic]

The game will be close

This is/should be ray lewis and ed reed last game and they won't go out without a fight.

I'm sure they won't go out without a fight, but I'm not so sure the game will be close.

I see these Ravens as being a bit like the 2006 Pats. They gave it all against Denver, as we did against heavily favored SD in 2006. I'm sure they'll be fired up. But I think that if the Pats can run off a lot of plays they'll wear down .

In any case, in just over 24 hours our 2012 season will either be over, or we'll be the first team to reach the Super Bowl in successive seasons since the 2003-2004 Pats. 60 minutes of football for this team to determine the outcome.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

-After a momentum changing INT, don't call the Slater bomb when you get on the field.

-Don't use Gronk to block every play amd turn Crumpler into your feature TE.

-Attempt 47 yard field goals on 4th and 13.

Don't start Eric Alexander or Tracy White at LB.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

The 2007 team was perhaps the most dominant in NFL history, going 16-0 and setting a record for points scored. But the team peaked too early, other teams had a chance to adjust to our offense, the team was perhaps worn down by Spygate and the media frenzy, and by the constant grind of being every other team's target as they tried to go undefeated.

I think an oft-overlooked thing in 2007 was losing Sammy Morris for the season around the midway point of the season.

 

[Off The Grid]

I think an oft-overlooked thing in 2007 was losing Sammy Morris for the season around the midway point of the season.

That's a damned good point!!

Through 5 Games, that year, before we lost Morris for the Season in Week 6, we were averaging:

155 Yards Rushing
273 Yards Passing

That was an incredibly, beautifully, brutally balanced Offense before we lost Morris.

If he'd stayed on, no way we lose the Super Bowl.

It probably wouldn't've been close.

 

[SVN]

One common thread I can see in pats past 3 playoff losses - Bad Starts /Bad plays early on have set the tone for the whole game.
2009 - Ray Rice 80 yard TD
2010 - Brady throws INT on opening drive when they were going right through the defense .Even though jets didnt score, it put doubts in our team.
2011 - Brady safety on first drive.

So hopefully we have a +ve start to the game or at least not an early disaster.

 

[RayClay]

Awesome post as usual Mayo. I think this team is constructed to go all the way. Now it just comes down to execution and hopefully a lucky bounce or two.

One element of the game that I wish we had as a weapon is scrambl-ability by our GOAT QB. Kaepernik absolutely torched Green Bay last night.

Russell Wilson can also move the chains with his legs. I think the era of the pure pocket passer may be waning. Johnny Manziel/Russell Wilson/Colin Kaepernik/RGIII maybe the new prototype QB in the NFL.

On passing downs opposing defenses the Pats face can rush 4 with little or no gap discipline knowing that Brady will only leave the pocket in the most dire of situations and if he does he'll be chased down in short order.

If the Pats make it to the SB and face Seattle or SF I can envision the ability of the opposing QB to scramble on 3rd down being the difference in the game.

"Running quarterbacks are the wave of the future, pocket QBs are history."

--Said every year since at least the seventies.


It helps, but if you can't read defenses and operate from the pocket you end up maimed eventually.

 

[reflexblue]

Just saw this thread, this year the pats have a legitimate running game. In past playoff games teams have keyed on the brady and the passing game, they cant do that this year. The last time the pats had a true balanced attack was when corey dillion was on the team. This takes some heat off Brady from a pass rush stand point,and its not all on toms shoulders to win the game.

 

[livinginthe past]

I am encouraged and hopeful that the Patriots can stick with the running game even if it doesn't go well in the early stages.

I have this intuition from watching many, many Patriots games that if you put Brady and his OC under enough duress that they will revert to type and go shotgun spread and forsake the running game outside of a few draw plays.

Some of it is the belief that putting the game solely in Brady's hands is the best way to go, some of it has probably been a lack of faith in the defensive unit to win a game that is low scoring by the Patriots own design.

I have to say that the whole 'destiny', Ray Lewis retirement party narratives will disappear into the ether tomorrow - almost as if they never existed - if we can execute our gameplan.

There are no sure things - but the Patriots have the better QB, the better complementary offensive weapons, and a comparable defense - combine this with homefield advantage and a fatigued, old opposition and I think we can all head into this game in a confident frame of mind.

Incidentally, I also happen to strongly agree tha setting the tempo early is important - convert that 2nd/3rd and long, get the Ravens in their nickel - and then pound it with the hurry up.

 

[DarrylS]

What this team has hopefully learned is that they listen to their coach, and remember all the situational things that they practiced throughout the year, and they all just "do their job"....

One of the things that I have been thinking about, and really do not know the meaning of what is the effect of the Ravens D having played 188 defensive snaps the past two weeks??.... does that have an impact or is it a non-issue.

 

[captain stone]

I think an oft-overlooked thing in 2007 was losing Sammy Morris for the season around the midway point of the season.

And not having Rosey Colvin for the SB didn't help, either.

 

[jdwad246]

One thing I have realized is how HARD it is to win the Super Bowl, and how much I took the dynasty years for granted. The thing I like about this year is the play of the defense. I feel much more optimistic that the D can make that impact "Bruschi type" play to snuff out a drive. Those are the plays we haven't had in prior runs, especially in 2010 and 2011.

 

[RobertWeathers]

One thing I have realized is how HARD it is to win the Super Bowl, and how much I took the dynasty years for granted. The thing I like about this year is the play of the defense. I feel much more optimistic that the D can make that impact "Bruschi type" play to snuff out a drive. Those are the plays we haven't had in prior runs, especially in 2010 and 2011.

In the end, those teams won SB because....

-They had a great defense.
-The offense and defense made plays when they had to.
-They didn't rely on Brady to win the game for them.
-They ran the ball successfully when they had to.

If the 2012 Patriots adhere to that line of thinking, they will win the SB too.

 

[PATSNUTme]

If Asante didn't let a sure int go through his hands and Wes didn't drop that pass there would be 5 Sb victories.

One play can determine the AFC Champion and the SB Champion- that's what I learned.

Here is another thing I learned:

Team Game Finder Query Results - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Your NE Patriots have the highest winning % of all 32 teams over the past 10 years.