idle thoughts- stepping back from the edge

[Deus Irae]

No DI, I'm fully and painfully aware of the glaring flaws of this team.

No, you're not. Your weekly manifestos demonstrate this conclusively.

However I choose to ALSO be aware of the many good things that are occurring and I also recognize that OTHER teams also have flaws. Your ilk seem to think that "everyone else" have no problems and only the Pats have to endure such a flawed front office and personnel

And, once again, you get it completely wrong. Everyone except you and the ostriches are able to understand that every team has flaws. When you stop posting as if the Patriots are the only exception to that rule, you'll become a smarter poster.

You, and the rest of the ostriches, used the same ridiculous defenses last year that you're using this year, right up until the one-and-done in the playoffs, despite the large number of us who were warning you about the defensive problems and the problem of a lack of an outside receiver who could consistently threaten deep.

That's another reason why I can get through the week without psychotropic medicines to ward away the perennial gloom, Of course that might chance if the NFL doesn't to do something to eliminate what seems to be the arbitrary nature of officiating.

Oddly enough, I've been able to live my entire life without the need for mind altering drugs of any kind, even while dealing with this Patriots team since the 1970's. It's not necessary to have one's head completely inside the shorts of Bill Belichick to make it through the years. Give it a try.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Yeah, why wasn't Page given a 2nd chance? Is he hurt?

Page wasn't cut, he was tendered as a RFA but the signing of the new CBA rendered him an UFA and someone offered him more money on a longer deal than Bill apparently thought he was worth by the Dream Team who cut him a few weeks ago and he then signed on with the Viqueens. I'm sure Bill looked at the film and considered the situation and decided to pass based on what he saw.

 

[mgteich]

As a sports fan, one makes choices.

One choice is to consistently complain about your team when it consistently is one of the very best in the nfl. This choice allows satisfaction only for the five minutes after the patriots win a Super Bowl game. The rest of their lives are spent complaining. I have no problem with your choice; it is your own. You are also free to continue to look ridiculous by calling anyone names who appreciates a team that is likely to get a bye and who refuses to whine and complain the requisite 10-20 times a day in public. Yours choice is your own. Many patriot fans make the same choice, especially those who are also long-time Red Sox fans. Such a choice is a Boston tradition.

Some of us choose other paths.

No, you're not. Your weekly manifestos demonstrate this conclusively.



And, once again, you get it completely wrong. Everyone except you and the ostriches are able to understand that every team has flaws. When you stop posting as if the Patriots are the only exception to that rule, you'll become a smarter poster.

You, and the rest of the ostriches, used the same ridiculous defenses last year that you're using this year, right up until the one-and-done in the playoffs, despite the large number of us who were warning you about the defensive problems and the problem of a lack of an outside receiver who could consistently threaten deep.



Oddly enough, I've been able to live my entire life without the need for mind altering drugs of any kind, even while dealing with this Patriots team since the 1970's. It's not necessary to have one's head completely inside the shorts of Bill Belichick to make it through the years. Give it a try.

 

[shmessy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. McCourty WASN'T beaten by Stallworth on that long gain. In man coverage, he's SUPPOSED to play the receiver from underneath. He was in perfect position. He was beaten by the perfect pass. Just like EVERY DB is when that occurs. Just like the Skin DB who was covering Gronk on one of his TDs. Perfect position....Perfect pass....TOUCHDOWN.

As always, Ken, great stuff.

I DO have to take issue with the long reception play.

That one took place right almost in front of me - - Section 125 Row 8 (10 yd line near the "NAVY" endzone ).

McCourty never turned for the ball - - when it was obvious that it was coming for Stallworth. While it happened, I yelled "TURN!!!!!!"

The 2010 McCourty turns for that. The 2011 doesn't. This has happened on several other occasions this year.

I would say that it probably has more to do with his injury (which IIRC was collarbone/shoulder) limiting his turning flexibility.

 

[Deus Irae]

2) I didn't suggest that your name-calling is not "brutal". "Ostrich" is mild enough.
=============
You ask how many defensive players are better than the starters the one of the very best teams to ever have played the game. Carter, Wilfork and Mayo. More would have started on the 2005 team at this time in the season.

Your complaint seems to be that the patriots don't have the same talent as one of the best teams ever. As I recall, for you, even the 2007 team that was one play away from being among the best ever was also fatally flawed.

As a sports fan, one makes choices.

One choice is to consistently complain about your team when it consistently is one of the very best in the nfl. This choice allows satisfaction only for the five minutes after the patriots win a Super Bowl game. The rest of their lives are spent complaining. I have no problem with your choice; it is your own. You are also free to continue to look ridiculous by calling anyone names who appreciates a team that is likely to get a bye and who refuses to whine and complain the requisite 10-20 times a day in public. Yours choice is your own. Many patriot fans make the same choice, especially those who are also long-time Red Sox fans. Such a choice is a Boston tradition.

Some of us choose other paths.

1.) One choice is to enjoy your team while admitting and understanding that it has significant issues despite its record. In that vein, one can note/opine such things as

- The team is 10-3 and has some real talent on the offensive side of the ball
- The team has a problem at WR and the defense is lousy

without having to do mental gymnastics in order to accommodate both takes.

2.) I'm reasonably certain that calling someone an ostrich (well known as meaning someone who's got their head in the sand, refusing to see reality) is not exactly a brutal "name calling" spree. For example, it's certainly no worse than using a passive-aggressive posting style to throw out "You are also free to continue to look ridiculous" as if that's not name calling/insulting because you're couching it as a response to the aforementioned use of 'ostrich'.

3.) Given that I spend plenty of my posts defending Patriots players/coaches/decisions, perhaps you should search out those who don't take such an even approach.

4.) Is Rodney Harrison a Patriots hater, or a whiner? He called this Patriots secondary the team's worst in 10 years.


Lastly, as an exercise in "Does mgteich get it?", please list all the players on this current defense who would definitely be starting on the 2003-2004 teams. Don't list Wilfork, as he's a given, considering he was/is a starter for both already.

 

[Sciz]

Yeah, why wasn't Page given a 2nd chance? Is he hurt?

He sucks. Pretty sure he was among the league leaders in missed tackles in his time as an Eagle.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Fixed your post.

Nothing more annoying than those on here acting like we're perfectly fine because of our record.

 

[shmessy]

No, you're not. Your weekly manifestos demonstrate this conclusively.



And, once again, you get it completely wrong. Everyone except you and the ostriches are able to understand that every team has flaws. When you stop posting as if the Patriots are the only exception to that rule, you'll become a smarter poster.

You, and the rest of the ostriches, used the same ridiculous defenses last year that you're using this year, right up until the one-and-done in the playoffs, despite the large number of us who were warning you about the defensive problems and the problem of a lack of an outside receiver who could consistently threaten deep.



Oddly enough, I've been able to live my entire life without the need for mind altering drugs of any kind, even while dealing with this Patriots team since the 1970's. It's not necessary to have one's head completely inside the shorts of Bill Belichick to make it through the years. Give it a try.

Wow. Somebody is CRANKY today!

If you decided to read correctly, you would see that Patsfanken isn't saying the defense DOESN'T have weaknesses and that a dependable burner 3rd WR ISN'T a concern for the playoffs.

The Patriots are 10-3 and in contention in the big tournament. Which is more than can be said by YOUR 'Best Organization of the Past 12 Years' - - the ONE-MAN-TEAM, Indianapolis Colts.

I learn more from Patsfanken in one post than I have learned from Deus Irae in total since he got here........and over 90% of the members here would agree. You can spin like the Tasmanian Devil in anger and jealousy all you want, but Patsfanken is respected by the vast majority of the readers on this site as incredibly read-worthy.

 

[Deus Irae]

Wow. Somebody is CRANKY today!

I learn more from Patsfanken in one post than I have learned from Deus Irae in total since he got here........and over 90% of the members here would agree.

I'm not cranky at all, actually.

As for the second part of your post, that implies that you've actually learned something.

 

[Bella*chick]

As always, Ken, great stuff.

I DO have to take issue with the long reception play.

That one took place right almost in front of me - - Section 125 Row 8 (10 yd line near the "NAVY" endzone ).

McCourty never turned for the ball - - when it was obvious that it was coming for Stallworth. While it happened, I yelled "TURN!!!!!!"

The 2010 McCourty turns for that. The 2011 doesn't. This has happened on several other occasions this year.

I would say that it probably has more to do with his injury (which IIRC was collarbone/shoulder) limiting his turning flexibility.

You were 125? I was 122 row 15. It almost felt like a home game at times, so many Pats fans. Wish we could have met there.

 

[supafly]

I said it before the game, and I imagine I will say it for the next 3 weeks; NOTHING this team can do will satisfy the media/general fan base/and the denizens of Patsfans.com.

That's bullsh!t..

Maybe if they'd solve some of the glaring weaknesses on both sides of the ball, people here (and also in the Patriot locker room, just in case you hadn't noticed it's not all candy canes and unicorns over there) would/could actually feel better.

In the past 2 weeks against BOTTOM tiered competition (teams with a combined 4-21 record), we've seen :

DEFENSE

Absolutely horrible pass defense. Pass defense so bad, you wonder how any of the secondary actually made it through high school at these positions.

Pretty shoddy run defense. I don't want to hear about any "top 15" numbers, because everyone chooses to throw vs us anyway--they'd be dumb not to. Those "top 15" numbers regarding the rush defense don't mean anything. The eye test will tell you that we've seen them give some pretty ineffective performances in this aspect this season.

Failure to consistantly pressure the QB. Yes, even though Andre Carter is this team's saving grace as far as pressuring the QB goes, they cannot do it 1/2 as well as many of the good teams in the league.


OFFENSE

Failure to properly protect the QB. Again, someone will bring up some skewed stat that says Brady is getting good protection, but he's not. I don't remember seeing him have to constantly step around in the pocket so much, run so much, and rush his throws so much. Not only that, but let's remember that one good hit will end this whole thing...he has been getting too many hits in the past month for my liking.

Failure to beat man coverage. Without Gronkowski this team would have at least 3 more losses. If anyone finds a way to successfully cover, stop, or slow down Gronkowski--we are all in trouble. You can't help but wonder how long it will be before good man to man coverage and pressure slows Brady down to making a mistake (God forbid, like in the NYJ game in January, where he "only" threw for 300 yards, 2 TD's and 1 INT, with a QB rating that was actually higher than his average). Then everyone can pick on Tom, and say how lousy he's looked at times throughout the year. It's only a matter of time, right?

The ineffectiveness of the running game. Teams that win in January can run the ball, chewing clock up and limiting their opponents TOP. Has anyone seen our TOP stats this yr? It's almost unbelievable.

----------------

I can't see how someone like you could possibly say that "nothing they can do will be good enough?"

How about some improvements, or maybe a solid win against teams that currently have 4-21 records (Colts, Skins)?

Usually teams that actually have a shot start there......

We can get lucky and ride Brady to the AFC Championship, if the seeding sets up and they win a home playoff game with a bye. I suppose that's reason enough to be happy in some aspects, but if you're expecting fans (as you say, fans "here on patsfans.com)," media, or even any coach or player in the locker room to actually feel positive moving forward, you are incredibly short-sighted and overly optimistic.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Ken! Thank you.

Count me among those eagerly looking forward to read your views irrespective of whether we win or lose.

Posts like yours, which give different perspectives and more importantly, are from a COACH, are a welcome relief.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

 

[ALP]

Great post. I've quoted the part that gets me as well. The NFL is sliding down the slope of becoming the NBA in regards to penalties.

i would have to agree....and it is getting worse and worse every year

a lot of things would have to happen for me to stop watching the NFL, but before this season I thought this was an impossibility, seeing how the refs work this year and seeing how worse they get every year I can only say that though extremely unlikely, I can see a league which I would have no interest to watch any longer....and that saddens me

someone needs to step in and fix these issues, or it will, in time, cripple the NFL, and the game I love along with it

 

[Ochmed Jones]

1.) Before this game I thought our defense was much better against the run than what we showed Sunday.

Everybody and their mother knows we can not rush the passer and we can not defend the pass, but the Denver stretch-one cut and go running really hurt us. Flethcer, White and Mayo lost all lost backside contain in their efforts to beat the RB to the sidelines.

If we face Houston in the playoffs, I would expect them to have the same type of success unless BB can iron out the wrinkles in his scheme, based on this game.

2.) Ocho sucko ran a base no-wrinkles route against man coverage for his one catch of the day. Seems to me we ought to be able to give him a bunch more plays with base routes against man coverage. Maybe that will allow him to get more involved in the offense.

3.) The loss of Branch is huge. We need a third passing option in this offense and I have doubts that Hernandez is viable. He drops a ton of balls.

4.) Maybe if Brady threw to the check down RB's more, it would bring up the defenses LBers and give Welker and Gronkowski more room to navigate.

5.) I still think McCourty is playing hurt. I admire his guts for playing through it, and regret we have no viable options to put on the field to give him time to heal.

 

[shmessy]

You were 125? I was 122 row 15. It almost felt like a home game at times, so many Pats fans. Wish we could have met there.

Oh no! So close, yet so far!

You had GREAT seats - - probably at the 50? We couldn't see the TFB-BoB dustup 'cause we were so far left of the Pats bench and the "combatants" were on the right side of the bench.

Gotta say, at least 40% of that crowd (and possibly 50%) were Pats fans - - and we represented.

We had this leather-lunged Skins fan in back of us drinking vodka out of his binoculars case (because of the Snyder ban on bringing in alcohol) and he was taunting the Pats fans in our section. The only two people who could take him on safely were my 11 year old son and my 13 year old nephew - - and they didn't miss the opportunity!!! They absolutely hammered away at the guy (who turned out to be a pretty funny and a good sport, actually). The folks in our section got a big kick out of the kids and at the end of the game even the Skins fans were coming down several rows to shake their hands and take pics with them - - it was really cool.

 

[stcjones]

Good realistic post here...

That's bullsh!t..



Maybe if they'd solve some of the glaring weaknesses on both sides of the ball, people here (and also in the Patriot locker room, just in case you noticed it's not all candy canes and unicorns over there) would/could actually feel better.

In the past 2 weeks against BOTTOM tiered competition (teams with a combined 4-21 record), we've seen :

DEFENSE

Absolutely horrible pass defense. Pass defense so bad, you wonder how any of the secondary actually made it through high school at these positions.

Pretty shoddy run defense. I don't want to hear about any "top 15" numbers, because everyone chooses to throw vs us anyway--they'd be dumb not to. Those "top 15" numbers regarding the rush defense don't mean anything. The eye test will tell you that we've seen them give some pretty ineffective performances in this aspect this season.

Failure to consistantly pressure the QB. Yes, even though Andre Carter is this team's saving grace as far as pressuring the QB goes, they cannot do it 1/2 as well as many of the good teams in the league.


OFFENSE

Failure to properly protect the QB. Again, someone will bring up some skewed stat that says Brady is getting good protection, but he's not. I don't remember seeing him have to constantly step around in the pocket so much, run so much, and rush his throws so much. Not only that, but let's remember that one good hit will end this whole thing...he has been getting too many hits in the past month for my liking.

Failure to beat man coverage. Without Gronkowski this team would have at least 3 more losses. If anyone finds a way to successfully cover, stop, or slow down Gronkowski--we are all in trouble. You can't help but wonder how long it will be before good man to man coverage and pressure slows Brady down to making a mistake (God forbid, like in the NYJ game in January, where he "only" threw for 300 yards, 2 TD's and 1 INT, with a QB rating that was actually higher than his average). Then everyone can pick on Tom, and say how lousy he's looked at times throughout the year. It's only a matter of time, right?

The ineffectiveness of the running game. Teams that win in January can run the ball, chewing clock up and limiting their opponents TOP. Has anyone seen our TOP stats this yr? It's almost unbelievable.

----------------

I can't see how someone like you could possibly say that "nothing they can do will be good enough?"

How about some improvements, or maybe a solid win against teams that currently have 4-21 records (Colts, Skins)?

Usually teams that actually have a shot start there......

We can get lucky and ride Brady to the AFC Championship, if the seeding sets up and they win a home playoff game with a bye. I suppose that's reason enough to be happy in some aspects, but if you're expecting fans (as you say, fans "here on patsfans.com)," media, or even any coach or player in the locker room to actually feel positive moving forward, you are incredibly short-sighted and overly optimistic.

 

[ATippett56]

17. FINALLY - The general ARBITRARY nature of the way the game is called is starting to vast diminish my enjoyment of the game. Just look at a few plays. The PI on McCourty in the first half is called and keeps a critical drive alive. A Skin DB does almost the exact same thing and gets a pick. Gronk gets a helmet to head as a defenseless receiver on the Skins GL which is ignored, (which was fine by my btw), while Grossman gets a flag for having his ankle touched. Then because of that they feel they have to call a needless flag on Fletcher, and then ANOTHER needless call (though a lot less egregious) on Wilfolk.
I saw Dedrick get a justified holding call on a play that I'd seen let go a dozen times before.

I just can't figure it out anymore. Every play is literally held hostage by the possibility that some ARBITRARY flag is going to erase a play from existence. There doesn't seem to be a single in complete pass that doesn't end with a flag or a player calling for a flag. And if its affecting a football lifer like me, imagine what its doing to the casual fan.

Wow! Let's blame the referees for making the game closer than should have been!

 

[ATippett56]

5.) I still think McCourty is playing hurt. I admire his guts for playing through it, and regret we have no viable options to put on the field to give him time to heal.

Quite frankly, I'm am sick and tired of PatsFans message board posters utilizing the injury excuse for the New England Patriots defense.

To put things in perspective, the Houston Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals on the road with a third string rookie quarterback without Andre Johnson at wide receiver and without Mario Williams at defensive end. To add insult to injury, Andre Johnson is a far better wide receiver than Devin McCourty is at cornerback.

 

[cavtroop]

Wow! Let's blame the referees for making the game closer than should have been!

I think you missed the point. I dont think patfanken is saying 'the officials are the reason it was a close game'. I think he's saying 'officiating is sucking this year' all over, and not just in a Pats-specific way. Sure, the examples he gives are pro-pats, but I don't think that's his point.

 

[ATippett56]

I think you missed the point. I dont think patfanken is saying 'the officials are the reason it was a close game'. I think he's saying 'officiating is sucking this year' all over, and not just in a Pats-specific way. Sure, the examples he gives are pro-pats, but I don't think that's his point.

If you think officiating is bad in the NFL, watch European club soccer sometime.