Dolphins will torch Patriots secondary on Saturday

[ausbacker]

The Patriots are a better team than the Dolphins. They should win this game.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, they didn't. Trap games do occur. Last season at Cleveland was a classic example. The two play-off losses were not "trap games." Bill Parcells coined the phrase by referring to regular season games in which a heavily favored team, usually playing at home, but not always, takes a seemingly lesser opponent for granted. I don't believe that's possible in a play-off game. I think teams can be somewhat over-confident in play-off games, but I don't believe they can take a play-off opponent for granted. Now, all of that is just my opinion, but I'm not sure you can ever define your beliefs as opinion. I'm guessing, they are factual absolutes which are never, ever open to debate, discussion or rational discourse. But, once again, that's just another of my opinions.

1.) I didn't say that the games in question were trap games. I noted the energy/emotional levels being part of what people are talking about in trap games.

2.) Yes, teams sometimes take other playoff teams for granted. Just ask the Saints about it.

 

[goheels22002]

Yes, they did. Their emotional/energy level was nowhere near what it should have been. You can question the "why" all you want, but the fact of it was there for all to see.

And it happens to teams in all sports. Hell, it's one of the reason people talk about "trap" games.

Absolutely. The defense was steamrolled by the Ravens running game and Brady was off. The Broncos game last Sunday gave me the willies like it was the Ravens at Gillette deja vu. The Pats responded with intensity against the Broncos on both sides of the ball in the 2nd quarter. That definitely did not happen against the Ravens - things got worse.

 

[wyomingpatsfan]

The Dolphins will target McCourt early and often and they will have a banner passing day, but my prediction is that Pats will pull out a victory....

 

[goheels22002]

"...come out flat..."? When they're fighting for a bye and home field throughout the play-offs? You gotta do better than that.

Others took up the cause, but we've seen the Patriots come out flat several times in the past couple of years. Most glaring to me was last year at Cleveland when Eric rat-snitch ingrate Mangini had the Browns revved up for the Patriots and they shoved the ball down the Patriots' throat and controlled the tempo and clock. That was the very essence of coming out flat against an inferior opponent.

The Packers at the Chiefs last Sunday was the same thing. Romeo had his guys ready and the Packers thought they could just turn it on when needed. In pro sports, the players are elite, competitive athletes even on the poor teams.

 

[Ring 6]

The nice part is every time we get 'torched' and 'make a bad QB look like a Hall of Famer" we win.

 

[F0nSY]

Talkin' about the Dolphins... the Barkley's deccission to continue at USC hurts in Miami... I'm pretty sure.

 

[goheels22002]

Wait so you are talking about torching and then in the pick thread you picked the pats to win by like 16

Yeah. I cheesed out. Sorry. I took the over/under (49) and guessed a likely score based on the teams' average ppg - 31-18. I'm in 4th place on the season and need to go with probability.

Nevertheless, I am worried the Pats will lose this one.

Thanks for caring.

 

[Jackson 2]

1.) I didn't say that the games in question were trap games. I noted the energy/emotional levels being part of what people are talking about in trap games.

2.) Yes, teams sometimes take other playoff teams for granted. Just ask the Saints about it.

Merry Christmas and Happy new Year.

 

[Jackson 2]

Others took up the cause, but we've seen the Patriots come out flat several times in the past couple of years. Most glaring to me was last year at Cleveland when Eric rat-snitch ingrate Mangini had the Browns revved up for the Patriots and they shoved the ball down the Patriots' throat and controlled the tempo and clock. That was the very essence of coming out flat against an inferior opponent.

The Packers at the Chiefs last Sunday was the same thing. Romeo had his guys ready and the Packers thought they could just turn it on when needed. In pro sports, the players are elite, competitive athletes even on the poor teams.

I understand that "coming out flat" does occur (note my post a few prior to yours when I cited the same Cleveland game you cited). My point is that I believe "trap games" or "coming out flat" happens rarely, if at all, in play-off games or games which have serious play-off implications, such as this one on Saturday.

 

[ATippett56]

The New England Patriots pass defense is the worst in the NFL this season.

 

[goheels22002]

I understand that "coming out flat" does occur (note my post a few prior to yours when I cited the same Cleveland game you cited). My point is that I believe "trap games" or "coming out flat" happens rarely, if at all, in play-off games or games which have serious play-off implications, such as this one on Saturday.

I agree that there really is no such thing as a trap game in the playoffs.

As for whether this game has "serious playoff implications," I don't think it does, really. Miami is out and the Pats are playing for seeding, only. The importance of this particular game dropped when Houston, Pittsburgh and Baltimore lost last weekend. It went down another notch last night with Houston's loss to the Colts.

The Pats at Broncos game had much bigger implications. Maybe the Miami game won't matter with the way the AFC contenders are stumbling into this weekend.

As for coming out flat, that happens in the playoffs in all sports. The Pats getting killed by the Ravens two years ago is exhibit A.

My all-time most painful game is #1 UNC in the 2008 Final Four (with five future NBA players) getting down 31 to Kansas in the first half. Biggest game of these kids' lives and they were f-l-a-t. All the starters came back the next year and they won it all in the most convincing NCAA run ever, winning every game by 12 or more points.

 

[captain stone]

The nice part is every time we get 'torched' and 'make a bad QB look like a Hall of Famer" we win.

Mark the Gay Blade Sanchize says Hello from January 2011.

 

[randomk1]

Same old **** different day.

 

[Krugman]

And in other news the sun will rise in the east tomorrow....

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Let me guess

You must think long and deep........

What did we do to deserve your uber insight?

Started a thread which states the obvious.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Yeah. I cheesed out. Sorry. I took the over/under (49) and guessed a likely score based on the teams' average ppg - 31-18. I'm in 4th place on the season and need to go with probability.

Nevertheless, I am worried the Pats will lose this one.

Thanks for caring.

I was going to ask you the same question. So, you won't put your money where your mouth is...I believe you have the Dolphins "torching" the Pats for 18 whole points and losing 31--18.

You lost me there, guy. I can respect taking a contrarian view out here, as I often do, but not standing by what you say...sorry, I just don't respect that.

And don't give us this pious pap about being worried and going with the probability. What do you really think and why won't you stand by it? And don't give me any lecture about how to pick in the "contest." I'm in ninth place, just seven points behind you, and I understand the contest too; I predict not based on averages or probabilities, but on what I really think is going to happen in the game.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The New England Patriots pass defense is the worst in the NFL this season.

I think we have a great chance to finish the season as the worst pass defense in the history of the NFL.

You would think given the reputation of our coach,that we would not be in this sorry situation.

Zero pass rush and a secondary that can't cover a fire hydrant.

BB the GM is killing the reputation of BB the coach.

Keys to fixing our sorry situation:

1.) Hire a real DC.
2.) Use our first first round draft pick on a pass rusher like Courtney Upshaw of Alabama or Sam Montgomery of LSU.
3.) Hire a personnel guy that will stand up to BB in the war room when he tries to pass on drafting pass rushers.

 

[Speedy Welker]

I think BB and Brady(actually the whole team) knows how important it is by winning the last 2 games to them. It means home field advantage throughout the playoffs and any team on the AFC want to go to the Superbowl they must go through Foxboro. With that being said, I don't think BB like to see a mediocre QB Matt Moore come in Gillete and light up the stadium and get a W. That will not happen! I think BB will get this defense to play light out today and next week.

 

[Ring 6]

I think we have a great chance to finish the season as the worst pass defense in the history of the NFL.

You would think given the reputation of our coach,that we would not be in this sorry situation.

Zero pass rush and a secondary that can't cover a fire hydrant.

BB the GM is killing the reputation of BB the coach.

Keys to fixing our sorry situation:

1.) Hire a real DC.
2.) Use our first first round draft pick on a pass rusher like Courtney Upshaw of Alabama or Sam Montgomery of LSU.
3.) Hire a personnel guy that will stand up to BB in the war room when he tries to pass on drafting pass rushers.

I know we have to get that Belichick guy to stop making decisions, just look at the sorry state of this franchise. #1 seed in the conference through 14 weeks is simply embarrassing and will destroy the legacy.