You heard it here first

[crypto]

The last five minutes of Sunday's game was an abomination and I'm among the most pissed off fans on this forum.

That said, I mentioned this in another thread and I'm a big enough attention leech to make another thread devoted to it.

If the Patriots beat the Jets by a convincing margin (two touchdowns would be the standard, but it depends on overall quality of play as the scoreboard can make a game look closer than it really is, etc., etc.), I'm calling that they win at New Orleans and run the tables for a 13–3 regular season record, the #2 seed, and a AFC Championship Game berth, minimum.

With 20/20 hindsight, I have no idea what we, myself included, were thinking expecting an automatically stellar team the first half of this season. Sports fans tend not to understand the concept that some seasons simply must be devoted to rebuilding, and that's what happened during the offseason to New England's defense. At Indy, the team as a whole pretty much proved that the Titans and Bucs routs were not a case of the Decent Team Ruins Awful Team scenario. I maintain my stance that the coaching staff (and, moreover, the officiating crew) tanked at the end of the game, but holistically you can chalk up last night's game as a win. 6–3 is a damn good record for a rebuilding season.

Long story short: If you ask me, one tightrope regular season game against the top-ranked team in the league is a bit of a red herring.

(Buckles on flameproof vest.) You heard it here first.

/rant

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The last five minutes of Sunday's game was an abomination and I'm among the most pissed off fans on this forum.

That said, I mentioned this in another thread and I'm a big enough attention leech to make another thread devoted to it.

If the Patriots beat the Jets by a convincing margin (two touchdowns would be the standard, but it depends on overall quality of play as the scoreboard can make a game look closer than it really is, etc., etc.), I'm calling that they win at New Orleans and run the tables for a 13–3 regular season record, the #2 seed, and a AFC Championship Game berth, minimum.

With 20/20 hindsight, I have no idea what we, myself included, were thinking expecting an automatically stellar team the first half of this season. Sports fans tend not to understand the concept that some seasons simply must be devoted to rebuilding, and that's what happened during the offseason to New England's defense. At Indy, the team as a whole pretty much proved that the Titans and Bucs routs were not a case of the Decent Team Ruins Awful Team scenario. I maintain my stance that the coaching staff (and, moreover, the officiating crew) tanked at the end of the game, but holistically you can chalk up last night's game as a win. 6–3 is a damn good record for a rebuilding season.

Long story short: If you ask me, one tightrope regular season game against the top-ranked team in the league is a bit of a red herring.

(Buckles on flameproof vest.) You heard it here first.

/rant

The 1 seed is better but the pats proved they can go into a hostile environment in Indy and win on primetime. Of course, it's better if it's snowing out there but hey...

 

[Marqui]

This team won't run any tables as long as it keep imploding on the road.

 

[jmt57]

crypto, didn't you get the memo?

The sky is falling and the season is over.

 

[thenepatsrule]

crypto, didn't you get the memo?

The sky is falling and the season is over.

rofl............... i am beginning to wonder when ppl will post threads for bb and tb etc to retire.......rofl................it was just a game, a gamble which could have gone wither way..........i say we still win the devision and God willing 'THE SUPERBOWL'..............

 

[thechris]

I wish but 12-4 and another heartbreaking playoff loss is more like it.

 

[pats1]

I would tend to agree. If the Pats had lost this game 35-20, then what would we be saying today? Bad game, but we'll see you again in the playoffs? Since it was such a crusher of a loss, we tend to overstate its importance.

I was thoroughly impressed with the way both sides of the ball played for most of the game last night. The defense, especially, held the Colts to a record number of punts and a few turnovers too. At one point in the game, I could imagine a Colts fan saying "Who are these guys and when did the Pats' defense suddenly get so good?" I really do think this up-and-coming young group of Mayo, Meriweather, Wilfork, Warren, McGowan, Guyton, Wright, Chung, Pryor, Butler, Wilhite, et al is really starting to come together. And that's even without Warren, Green, TBC, and Springs for most of last night's game.

I wouldn't put it past this defense to turn in some dominant performances in the playoffs. As far as the offense goes, just keep in mind that Morris almost returned this week and Taylor isn't very far behind. They should give the Pats a solid running game to carry them into the bad weather portion of the season. It's good to have Edelman back too.

If you look at the big picture, this loss wasn't as bad as it may have looked. The worst thing the Pats lost was the potential for HFA/#1 seed, the opportunity to stop the Colts' perfect regular season (tying Pats' record), and an opportunity to stop the Colts' 17-game regular season winning streak (2006-08 Pats have the record of 21).

But come January and hopefully February, this loss won't mean very much. Which makes it a whole lot more palatable than the Colts' AFCC loss or the Giants SB loss. If anything, it gives me confidence the Pats can beat the Colts on the road when everything is on the line.

 

[Raymond]

This team won't run any tables as long as it keep imploding on the road.

I disagree. If that were the Broncos or Jets, We would have smoked them.

Manning's horseshoe up his butt will slip out some day.

 

[crypto]

rofl............... i am beginning to wonder when ppl will post threads for bb and tb etc to retire.......rofl................it was just a game, a gamble which could have gone wither way..........i say we still win the devision and God willing 'THE SUPERBOWL'..............

Your sarcasm radar seems to be malfunctioning.

This team won't run any tables as long as it keep imploding on the road.

Denver and Indianapolis are the two hardest stadiums to win in as the visiting team in the league. Get a grip.

 

[Marqui]

Denver and Indianapolis are the two hardest stadiums to win in as the visiting team in the league. Get a grip.

I like how you conveniently failed to mention the Jets game.

And I already have a grip.

 

[Bella*chick]

I like how you conveniently failed to mention the Jets game.

And I already have a grip.

They are playing much better now than then, though. That was an early game.

Look, I am as sickened by last night's loss as the next guy, but face it, the reason I am so sickened is because we had that game. Multiple times. We weren't out of our league in the slightest. That's why it sucks so bad.

 

[thenepatsrule]

Your sarcasm radar seems to be malfunctioning.


Denver and Indianapolis are the two hardest stadiums to win in as the visiting team in the league. Get a grip.

guess u need to read stuff twice to understand it..............

 

[crypto]

I like how you conveniently failed to mention the Jets game.

And I already have a grip.

You're right. Damn that travesty of a Patriots team for losing a single road game to a team that always gives them trouble.

 

[Bledsoe11]

The fact that this team struggles so mightily on the road is very disturbing, now that they will surely play on the road in the playoffs now (if they make it).

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

The last five minutes of Sunday's game was an abomination and I'm among the most pissed off fans on this forum.

That said, I mentioned this in another thread and I'm a big enough attention leech to make another thread devoted to it.

If the Patriots beat the Jets by a convincing margin (two touchdowns would be the standard, but it depends on overall quality of play as the scoreboard can make a game look closer than it really is, etc., etc.), I'm calling that they win at New Orleans and run the tables for a 13–3 regular season record, the #2 seed, and a AFC Championship Game berth, minimum.

With 20/20 hindsight, I have no idea what we, myself included, were thinking expecting an automatically stellar team the first half of this season. Sports fans tend not to understand the concept that some seasons simply must be devoted to rebuilding, and that's what happened during the offseason to New England's defense. At Indy, the team as a whole pretty much proved that the Titans and Bucs routs were not a case of the Decent Team Ruins Awful Team scenario. I maintain my stance that the coaching staff (and, moreover, the officiating crew) tanked at the end of the game, but holistically you can chalk up last night's game as a win. 6–3 is a damn good record for a rebuilding season.

Long story short: If you ask me, one tightrope regular season game against the top-ranked team in the league is a bit of a red herring.

(Buckles on flameproof vest.) You heard it here first.

/rant

Indy will be one and done in the playoffs.

The upside of the Pats is far greater than that of any other contending team. Missing Warren, Green, TBC, Morris, Taylor means far more upside for us than any other contender.
Naturally, if we are missing key players in the playoffs; it would be tough in any circumstance.

The comparisons to 01-04 is really really stupid. This is a new group of 1/2/3 year players. Besides where were Teddy and Rodney 06/07? Let the dynasty go.

Hopefully, BB now understands not to let the gas off the peddle and go conservative. The beatdown being administered was pretty impressive. However, even a young Pats team needs to learn how to win.

 

[crypto]

But-but-but if they won by more than 14 points they'd have been accused of running up the score! Curse Belichick. He's either the devil or an idiot.

 

[condon84]

I disagree. If that were the Broncos or Jets, We would have smoked them.

Manning's horseshoe up his butt will slip out some day.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we lose to the Broncos and Jets?

Each game has it's own ebb and flow so just because our offense looked great against Indy, that doesn't mean it's gonna look great against the Jets, Dolphins, or any other team. We've showed that we can struggle in the Red Zone.

What is for certain is that our defense cannot stop an offense when the game is on the line.

Against the Ravens, Flacco had them going for a game winning drive until Clayton dropped that sure first down.

We couldn't stop Denver when we needed to.

Even Sanchez scored against our D when they needed to.

You saw what happened against the Colts yesterday.

Our defense will always make us vulnerable in the 4th quarter. What makes it worse is that we seem to have the personnel to play good D for the first 3 quarters. Somehow our coaches think it's a good idea to play soft when the game is on the line and teams take advantage of that.

So in summary, we are not firing our DC and we haven't changed our philosophy in the past couple of years so I don't see why we would change now.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

I disagree. If that were the Broncos or Jets, We would have smoked them.

Manning's horseshoe up his butt will slip out some day.

10chars

oh and,

 

[upstater1]

Although I don't think the Patriots are scared of going up against the Colt defense again, I do think they are leeary of Manning, and the chances are that they'd lose.

That being said, the Colts may need to get past the Steelers or Chargers before we meet them in a championship game.

The way I see it, 12-4 may just allow us the 2nd seed this year.

 

[crypto]

Shameless bump. Sticking to my prediction. We run the tables for 13–3 and the #2 seed.

If we lose to the Saints I will admit to being a homer. But they'll win the rest of their games. Go-Go Gadget Kool-Aid.