SI: "Be afraid NFL. Be very afraid"

[livinginthe past]

I'll say it again. It's preseason.

You think this is new information to us?

Nobody is suggesting that preseason=regular season, but clearly you can learn something from it.

Its not as obvious how to disemminate the information so alot of people take the option of suggesting that nothing of value can be gleaned.

I guess some people think the reasons that make a HC talk the way he does in press conferences are just as applicable to fans posting on a message board.

 

[Reckedtrek]

Only stadium in the league where sitting and clapping is the norm. I thouht I was at tennis match.

When we go, we end up in the SRO areas in the end zone. We make a lot of noise (when you're supposed to) and enjoy ourselves and support our team... and people look at us like we've lost our minds.

I've been to other stadiums outside of this entire area and it's LOUD! Like I said... a New England thing.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I don't think we really new what we had last season into late November and maybe even December. Usually you don't know what you've got until mid point of the season- some years it's earlier, sometimes it's later.

Last I checked, November and December is real action, no? With that said, I stand by my previous statement.

P.S. The next time you decide to police a thread, have a dictionary and thesaurus handy . . . and I'm not just talking about your reply to my comment.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I'll say it again. It's preseason.

Logical. Flawlessly logical.

Wait until week 8 and we'll see some ball washing if it goes as expected.

 

[Reckedtrek]

Last I checked, November and December is real action, no? With that said, I stand by my previous statement.

Uhhh- yeah- last I checked. :bricks:

You said we won't know what we have until real games are played.
My response was - it usually takes until mid season to really see what you have, and having said that, last year we still had lots of questions as late as December- at least I know I did.

Actually, you know what... I'll go sulk until the real games start.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Actually, you know what... I'll go sulk until the real games start.

Please do. You'd be doing us both a huge favor.

 

[jmt57]

"have all won playoff games in the four years since the Patriots last won a playoff game"

Not to pick specifically on Shaughnessy since so many others trot out the same line, but I've always had difficulty in following this math. Yes, 2011 minus 2007 equals four, but the 2011 season has yet to start; there have only been three seasons since 2007 (2008, 2009, 2010), not four.

Do people use that same faulty math and similarly say "it's been two years since the Saints won a playoff game" or "it's been five years since the Colts won the Super Bowl", or is that exaggerated "haven't won anything since" line used exclusively when commenting about the Patriots?



/rant

 

[Reckedtrek]

Last I checked, November and December is real action, no? With that said, I stand by my previous statement.

P.S. The next time you decide to police a thread, have a dictionary and thesaurus handy . . . and I'm not just talking about your reply to my comment.

Oh- boy... you got me... typos! Iz myy fase read!

 

[NEPatriot]

Logical. Flawlessly logical.

Wait until week 8 and we'll see some ball washing if it goes as expected.

I've never been on the "we're the greatest and we're going to win another Super Bowl" train. I try to enjoy every week, enjoy the season and see where it ends up. It seems every year that some pundits and fans project the outcome based on a week or two. I enjoy football in a different way.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I've never been on the "we're the greatest and we're going to win another Super Bowl" train. I try to enjoy every week, enjoy the season and see where it ends up. It seems every year that some pundits and fans project the outcome based on a week or two. I enjoy football in a different way.

Same here. Each week brings it's own excitement and storyline. I love it.

 

[Reckedtrek]

Please do. You'd be doing us both a huge favor.

The ability to recognize and understand sarcasm develops at approximately age 13. Your comments are beginning to make more sense now.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

You can't help but have expectations from this team. Not just the fact that they were 14-2, but the way they played down the stretch last year. 8-0 in the 2nd half, and towards the end just started killing teams even conference championship caliber teams. No major losses from that very team. Most of the players are at the stage where 1 more offseason is a good thing and not 'another year older/slower', and we've had a brilliant offseason/preseason. This is before Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis even step on the field.

 

[patsfan13]

IMO this team has more upside that the 2007 team, health is the only thing that will derail this team.


The O should be better than last year Branch will be with the team for the full year, when Ocho get in sync with Brady he is an upgrade over Tate, Price could provide a weapon that was missing las year with his spped and what looks like good route running ability. Gronk and Hernandez seem poised to make the 2nd year jump and the OL will have Mankins for the entire year and at worst Solder seems a big upgrade as an OT backup ( I wonder if Light could be moved to guard?)

The D was set to be better solely by the return of Bodden and the experience factor the personnel upgrades in the Front 7 and unleashing Mayo promise far more than that .

The team was first in points scored and 8th in points allowed.

Would Anyone really be surprised if the team was first in points scored and first in least points allowed? I will be surprised if the team isn't first in points scored (assuming Brady is healthy of course).

 

[Reckedtrek]

I've never been on the "we're the greatest and we're going to win another Super Bowl" train. I try to enjoy every week, enjoy the season and see where it ends up. It seems every year that some pundits and fans project the outcome based on a week or two. I enjoy football in a different way.

I agree and actually enjoy the season in the same manner. I'm just enthusiastic from what I've seen so far in preseason. I don't see why that's a bad thing.

Come to think of it, I think I'm even more excited about this year simply because there will be football.

 

[jmt57]

Only stadium in the league where sitting and clapping is the norm. I thouht I was at tennis match.

When we go, we end up in the SRO areas in the end zone. We make a lot of noise (when you're supposed to) and enjoy ourselves and support our team... and people look at us like we've lost our minds.

I've been to other stadiums outside of this entire area and it's LOUD! Like I said... a New England thing.

I wouldn't characterize it as a "New England thing", because crowds for Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics games can get pretty loud.

In my opinion there are couple other factors: first, the design of the stadium is such that a lot of noise dissipates rather than being retained, mostly due to that open end.

Second, ticket prices as well as demand due to the team's popularity are such that many tickets do go to the corporate set rather than long time individual fans. When a person is out with a client he is, unfortunately for the rest of the fans, going to be much more reserved than he would be if he was there with his friends. Although we notice this more with those attending games in Foxboro, you can be sure that the same type of situation is happening to varying degrees for the 31 other NFL teams as well.

 

[NEPatriot]

I agree and actually enjoy the season in the same manner. I'm just enthusiastic from what I've seen so far in preseason. I don't see why that's a bad thing.

Come to think of it, I think I'm even more excited about this year simply because there will be football.

It's not a bad thing. I didn't mean to sound judgemental. Let's hope that we can make the playoffs and have a stronger finish this year.

 

[ausbacker]

IMO this team has more upside that the 2007 team, health is the only thing that will derail this team.


The O should be better than last year Branch will be with the team for the full year, when Ocho get in sync with Brady he is an upgrade over Tate, Price could provide a weapon that was missing las year with his spped and what looks like good route running ability. Gronk and Hernandez seem poised to make the 2nd year jump and the OL will have Mankins for the entire year and at worst Solder seems a big upgrade as an OT backup ( I wonder if Light could be moved to guard?)

The D was set to be better solely by the return of Bodden and the experience factor the personnel upgrades in the Front 7 and unleashing Mayo promise far more than that .

The team was first in points scored and 8th in points allowed.

Would Anyone really be surprised if the team was first in points scored and first in least points allowed? I will be surprised if the team isn't first in points scored (assuming Brady is healthy of course).

We are in agreement. On face value, this side appears to be favorably balanced compared to the 2007 side. This side has a special feeling about it, but that doesn't mean the 2011 Patriots will go 19-0 by any stretch, more to me that swagger feels like it's back.

I love watching Brady and the offense operate but I cannot wait to see a return to the dominating Patriots D. When the clamps need to be applied, I'd like to see the Pats D be the ones to do it.

 

[reflexblue]

I never paid attention to this Clown before and i'm not going to start Now. He should stick to baseball.

 

[Nikolai]

Eh, if the Pats were stinking it up in the preseason, I have a feeling a lot of naysayers would jump on it. Hell, we had boatloads of people in here writing the Pats off after the Browns loss last year.

For some reason, it's hard for fans in New England to trust success. Methinks it is a carry over from the Red Sox long title drought.

 

[jsull87]

Once again, it's the preseason. The offense and defense have looked very good so far in limited action, but let's try not to jump the gun too much.

This is true, if we had lost both games half the poeple here would be saying pre season doesn't matter other half would be saying cut player x/y/z (trade brady).

I am happy with our progress so far this pre season and hope the young kids step up but i am cautiously optimistic for the season. Would like to see Spikes Ras-I, Cunningham and Vareen out there a bit more tho.