Why is it so difficult to completely believe in the Pats?

[tombonneau]

A lot of you should take a deep breath, relax, and get some perspective. If one good thing came out of 18-1 it taught me that its just a game and not worth negatively affecting your life.

Win or lose at 8pm tonight you'll have the same job, same salary, same car, same house, same family, same friends, same dog, same cat, same TV and you'll still be the same old you. So relax, enjoy, and don't take things too seriously.

(Unless you took out a second mortgage on the moneyline; then you're ****ed )

 

[Haley]

I believe.

QUALITY STANDINGS UPDATE
Data is current through the end of the 2010 season. 

Team 	 	 	W 	L 	PF 	PA
New England Patriots	7 	1 	30.3 	19.9
New Jersey Jets 	2 	4 	16.0 	22.2

 

[Titanium Coate Hanger]

Patriots have for the past few years, not considering this current season, have shown weaknesses in

A) Hitting the opposing QB, esp late in games.

B) Having problems on defense, esp getting shredded via passing attacks.

C) Shown an inability to effectively run the ball in critical situations

Things are much better this year. The defense is much stronger than in years past. The pass defense is better, not out of this world, but McCourty and Chung are making a difference. Merriweather is a solid player, a little above a JAG IMHO, pro bowl notwithstanding but still a solid player.

The combination of Law Firm and Woodhead has given them a young running rotation that works.

The pass rush is still a considerable weakness IMHO.

The reality is, IMHO, the three Superbowls they won and the Superbowl they lost came down to 4-5 individual critical plays in those playoff runs. Change the dynamic of four to five big plays and the Pats could feasibly have no Superbowl wins at all.

Find a team that's packing their bags in the playoffs and you'll find a team, any team, that has had problems running the ball with authority and can't create a violent feared defense. The Patriots of seasons past were a little too pass happy IMHO. That's ok for the regular season but it doesn't translate well to playoff football.

The Pats are going to need some defenders to really step it up if they want to get a ring. Particularly their D line. It all starts in the trenches and unless someone simply wills themselves to play above their current level and starts punching someone in the mouth, I don't know if this seasons Pats will last. The problems with 3rd down conversions come from the inability to beat the hell out of enemy QBs. I love that Belichick likes to stockpile picks in each future draft, but at some point you have to stop trading back and get a blue chipper who will be a disruptive game changer on defense. I know he loves the heart of the 2nd round/dog back end of the 1st round of the draft, but game changers are typically found earlier in first round.

Belichick should get a medal for squeezing every last drop out of Tully Banta Cain, but TBC and crew aren't enough of a pass rush to make this defense truly elite.

 

[seven]

Belichick should get a medal for squeezing every last drop out of Tully Banta Cain, but TBC and crew aren't enough of a pass rush to make this defense truly elite.

Well then, Maybe next year!
Thanks for saving me the time.

And here I was thinking they had to
Play the Games and stuff.

This is very important.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...l-wisecracks-about-rex-ryan-thread-page4.html

 

[Titanium Coate Hanger]

Well then, Maybe next year!
Thanks for saving me the time.

And here I was thinking they had to
Play the Games and stuff.

This is very important.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...l-wisecracks-about-rex-ryan-thread-page4.html

^

You're welcome.

I am a huge Patriots fan but there are reasons why they have struggled of late in the playoffs. IMHO, Sanchez is not an elite nor an all world QB. There is no reason a guy like Sanchez should toss three TDs against your defense. Patriots players today had zero sacks. No single defender just out and out took control of the game for the Patriot D, which is what they might have missed with Seymour ( with his upsides and downsides as a player alike in consideration)

They had a running game but neither Law Firm nor Woodhead turned into a bell cow to take the team on his shoulders. And to be fair, neither was ever expected to do so.

I also said the Patriots championships or losses in the playoffs came down to a few critical plays ( in this case, it was the fake punt and the interception of Brady in the first series) Even Belichick says that himself in interviews, that a handful of plays can make or break a game or a season.

They fell behind and they had to lay it on the back of Tom Brady to pull it out for them. And as great a QB1 as he is, that was a tall order today. Pass heavy teams tend to flame out during the playoffs ( Eagle and Colts are good examples)

I find it disappointing that the Jets were pretty crude this week and won. I don't understand it but the Football Gods are fickle I suppose. Good game by Alge Crumpler. For an older player, he brought his A game today and never gave up.

Please Belichick, get some pass rushers. When a defense makes Mark Sanchez look like a good QB ( and frankly during the regular season, much of it, he did not), you need to get some guys who can hit the QB hard on a consistent basis.

 

[alvinnf]

^

You're welcome.

I am a huge Patriots fan but there are reasons why they have struggled of late in the playoffs. IMHO, Sanchez is not an elite nor an all world QB. There is no reason a guy like Sanchez should toss three TDs against your defense. Patriots players today had zero sacks. No single defender just out and out took control of the game for the Patriot D, which is what they might have missed with Seymour ( with his upsides and downsides as a player alike in consideration)

They had a running game but neither Law Firm nor Woodhead turned into a bell cow to take the team on his shoulders. And to be fair, neither was ever expected to do so.

I also said the Patriots championships or losses in the playoffs came down to a few critical plays ( in this case, it was the fake punt and the interception of Brady in the first series) Even Belichick says that himself in interviews, that a handful of plays can make or break a game or a season.

They fell behind and they had to lay it on the back of Tom Brady to pull it out for them. And as great a QB1 as he is, that was a tall order today. Pass heavy teams tend to flame out during the playoffs ( Eagle and Colts are good examples)

I find it disappointing that the Jets were pretty crude this week and won. I don't understand it but the Football Gods are fickle I suppose. Good game by Alge Crumpler. For an older player, he brought his A game today and never gave up.

Please Belichick, get some pass rushers. When a defense makes Mark Sanchez look like a good QB ( and frankly during the regular season, much of it, he did not), you need to get some guys who can hit the QB hard on a consistent basis.

What a great post..... All I can say is 2. They should get 2 pass rushers, just to make sure.....

 

[stcjones]

Wow....how prophetic was this post.....???? We can't completely believe because of games LIKE THIS ONE!!!! Where you have this sick feeling in your stomach every game day knowing that there is a good chance the Pats are going to shoot themselves in the foot or not show up to play the game......They are quickly becoming known as NOT being able to get it done anymore in the big games.

 

[tests]

im not blaming the defense because they did an ok job, but it just feels like mark sanchez had no pressure all game. He was playing football in his backyard. We need to pressure quarterbacks more imo