I anticipate a statement game this Sunday

[BradyManny]

Historically speaking, the more hype and BS surrounding a given football game - with the one exception I don't feel like mentioning excluded - the more focused & ready this team is, and the better their execution.

Especially consider recent history. (I feel this team has the same level of chemistry as last year's.) The 45-3 trouncing of the Jets last year; or our beatdown of them this year. Our beating of Pittsburgh after the Browns game last year.

I'd also point out Belichick's pre-game speech before SB 38, when he riled up the team by pointing out how the media was giving Carolina so much credit. Belichick said something like "they haven't accomplished what we have accomplished." And made it personal. The Chargers game in 2007 would be another example, right after the Spygate stuff broke.

This week, the Denver Tebows have been hyped up beyond belief. I can't remember a regular season game with so little relative consequence getting so much damn hype. It's insane. Even the rights to air this game became a controversy. For the first time in who knows how long, Tom Brady & Bill Belichick are not even a focus going into the game, instead its an opposing QB who can't complete half of his passes.

The reality is - the offensive execution of this team has been improving recently. This team could've dropped 50 last week with just slightly better execution. They are very close - and perhaps that's why TB and BOB were so frustrated.

Statistically - especially when opposing defense is accounted for - this offense is right there with NO & GB this year, but to our own eyes, I feel like we haven't seen the 60 minute performance we've been waiting for.

I have a feeling this is the week it all comes together. The added motivation surrounding this game will only lead to increased focus.

Defensively, this game sets up well for us. We can't defend the pass, but Tebow can't pass. We can defend the run. And we don't let running QBs beat us.

I expect a Patriots rout and an FU TD from Belichick sometime around 7pm EST on Sunday.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I've anticipated a statement game every week this year. Hope you're right; time to start gathering steam.

 

[NEP4Life]

"Forgive them, Father; they know not what they do."

 

[ALP]

I disagree

I see this as a close game, I actually see ONLY close game in the Pats future

i think w/ this defense, (which I have lost hope will become a top 15 unit in the NFL this year, but can still wait on a colt 2006 type event) we wont be blowing out any team any time soon

but we're good at winning the close games, so I like our chances of winning the rest of our games (including playoffs) but not so much blowing ANY team out

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I disagree

I see this as a close game, I actually see ONLY close game in the Pats future

i think w/ this defense, (which I have lost hope will become a top 15 unit in the NFL this year, but can still wait on a colt 2006 type event) we wont be blowing out any team any time soon

but we're good at winning the close games, so I like our chances of winning the rest of our games (including playoffs) but not so much blowing ANY team out

I think we demolish the broncos in the 1st 3 quarters. Denver doen't have the talent to beat the pats. All the bronco fans are using the brady is 1-6 stat to justify a win. Tebow has been lucky in the last 5 min of game...in the first 55...he is horrible..but they will get a score or two in garbage time when this team doesn't try for some reason

 

[patsfan-1982]

i dont know if it's a "statement game" for the pats because the pats are trying to get the #1 seed in the AFC and have been a good team for over 10 years now, if anything it's a statement game for Denver who trying to make the playoffs with a young QB who no one believes in and would love to prove everyone worng by beating a good team,


as far as the pats not playing a full 60 min game this year i dont know about that i like that they are winning close games this is a franchise that won three SB's by a total of 9 points so winning close games is the patriots way...last year they pretty much beat every team they faced by 2+ TD's after the half way point and when they got in the playoffs in a close game they fold it up cause they did not know how to win a close game with a young team,

this year as bad as this defense has been they are comeing up with stops when they need them something they did not do last year and it's something they will need to do in the playoffs because they are not going to blow out anyone,

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm just curious as to how people here think the Patriots will shut down Thomas....

 

[NEP4Life]

If the Lord is real, will He make Himself known in a game having His greatest worshipper on one team, and on the other an adulterer, plus a father of multiple bastards ?

Just wondering.

 

[everlong]

I don't think you can cite 03 or even 07 as examples of statement games to make your case any longer. There's no defensive starters from 03 left and one from 07. There's two on offense, 3 if you want to include Faulk even though he's a reduced role player, from the 03 team. There are 5 on offense including Faulk from the 07 team. Koppen would have been another for both years.

I think the Pats are going to beat them the same way the Packers and Lions did because their offense is just as good but not because it's a statement game.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

BB doesn't give a hoot about media hype. All he cares about is getting the W. Rest assured that the best preparation will go into this game as it does with all others. I expect a close game, not much style or statements.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I just want a win by any amount whatsoever, and with no major injuries.

Statement game or no statement game, in OT, by 1 point, by 10 points, by 35 points, by a fluke, or by dominating throughout. All of that is irrelevant to me.

As the 2nd Jets game last year showed, a blowout win or dominating performance doesn't really mean anything, because the playoffs is another day, another game plan, and ultimately another story.

 

[BradyManny]

BB doesn't give a hoot about media hype. All he cares about is getting the W.

But history shows he has used bulletin-board material and hype surrounding a game to add extra motivation for the players. So I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement. He may not care about the hype personally, but if he can use the hype for a tactical advantage - such as motivation - then he will.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

You are not going to see many 'statement' games when you have a horrid secondary....expect every game from here on out to be nail biters because this team on defense simply cannot stop any decent team from keeping it close...and this game will likely be no exception.

IMO Its going to be a 6 points or less victory either way

Not to mention that DENVER and NOT the PATS needs this game MUCH more than we do.

 

[BradyManny]

As the 2nd Jets game last year showed, a blowout win or dominating performance doesn't really mean anything, because the playoffs is another day, another game plan, and ultimately another story.

It's true.

But having a game where you fire on all cylinders is a bad thing.

This offense has left points on the field in a lot of games this year b/c its execution is just a step below last year, and b/c they have faced some tough defenses. It would be a big boost to have a game where they execute on everything from practice, before going into the postseason. It certainly wouldn't hurt.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Not to mention that DENVER and NOT the PATS needs this game MUCH more than we do.

Pats need this bad if they want a first round bye...without a bye i don't think we have a chance...so in reality..a bigger game for the pats IMO

 

[BradyManny]

Pats need this bad if they want a first round bye...without a bye i don't think we have a chance...so in reality..a bigger game for the pats IMO

I agree. Pats need to win out. They need that bye.

 

[IndianPat]

In any case, most football media has been picking the Pats to win. Infact, the verdict among football reporters is almost unanimous. That should scare any Pats fan.
The media hype is understandable. Have you seen any of Denver's football games? Last week's Chicago game (down 10 points with 6 or 7 minutes to go) is representative of the breath taking wins Denver has been pulling off. As a football fan, I will take that any day.

 

[Rob0729]

My prediction..... Pain.

rocky 3 Prediction for the Fight - YouTube

Not that I am talking about a statement game or not, just predicting pain.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

I anticipate a game that will result in the Pats hanging on by the skin of their teeth by the end of the 4th Q. Maybe they're fortunate enough to win. Maybe not. Either way a rout is pie in the sky. Absolutely zero chance that happens.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Pats need this bad if they want a first round bye...without a bye i don't think we have a chance...so in reality..a bigger game for the pats IMO

I don't buy any of this. I'm not looking for a "statement," but a W.

A Bye didn't do us squat last year; I'd rather see this team go into Wild Card Weekend with a chip on its shoulder than have two weeks to sit around and wonder why it hasn't been able to win a Playoff game in four years.

Saying that this team is somehow reminiscent of the team that beat Carolina...that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. That team and those players, with a couple of exceptions, are virtually irrelevant to this team and these players.

I'm hoping for and anticipating nothing more than another messy win on Sunday, if we can get it. Ideally Tommy puts them up by 17 or so and we just have to hope that our D can protect the lead down the stretch. If the game is within 10 points going into the fourth quarter, I think we're in trouble.

And, this isn't an "overhyped" game. It has playoff implications for the two contending teams as well as for the Raiders, Steelers, Ravens and Texans, to mention the teams that come immediately to mind. It's a big game and worth hype even without the Tebow add-on.