A possible Theory on the Patriots playoff woes

[KDPPatsfan85]

Just throwing this out there. The last time the Patriots won a playoff game was in 2008 when we almost went undefeated. Josh McDaniels was here. Josh left after that season and we havent won a playoff game since. Josh is back now, do you think josh is the good luck charm to win this year? I know its a bogus theory, I am just looking at the past, present, and possible future.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I think that's why BB brought him back. To be a good luck charm.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

the super bowl - well there was alot of things... part i think was the whole spygate thing and the pressure of being undefeated...

2009- was not a good team too many bad individials on that team and we got what we deserved...

2010- young team that may have been a bit overconfident and gave the jets momentum with dumb plays...


this team will be not like those teams and we should be playing for the afc title game...

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

my theory is this: small sample size

Never have two games been cited by so many as such an all-consuming, apparently long-term trend that somehow cannot be reversed (I don't count a Super Bowl game as part of "playoff woes").

Sometimes your opponent plays exceptionally well, even well over their heads, and sometimes you play very poorly.

That was the case on both counts each time. Two years ago was also compounded by the devastating Welker injury. I would say that Baltimore was an exceptionally bad matchup for us without Wes two years ago,
though that doesn't excuse the defense not stopping the running of Ray Rice.

 

[goheels22002]

Josh McDaniels does remind me of the leprechaun on the box of Lucky Charms and a win on Saturday night would be magically delicious.

Somehow, I think the Ravens stomping the Patriots in 2010 had something to do with the Patriots defense coming out in a fog and letting Ray Rice from Rutgers run wild, so I pin that one on the defense.

Last year, Brady, we later learned, was hurt and the offensive line stunk out the joint. Maybe Josh would have made a difference. Probably not. The Jets win seemed like one team was determined to win and the other over-confident.

I sure hope that Patriots are not over-confident this year. But the vibe will be similar with everybody picking the Patriots and the recent 40-burger at Denver may lull our heroes to sleep.

Tebow has God and Brady has McDaniels. Uh-oh. Seems like a mismatch to me.

 

[PatsSox363804]

The offensive line was bad in all 3 games and the 09 game was made worse by Rice breaking that long TD right off the bat and not having Welker.

 

[resdubwhite]

We're doooommmmmeeeed.



Doomed I tells ya.

 

[letekro]

Here's my theory.

Losing in the Super Bowl does not really qualify for "playoff woe" consideration.

IN 2009, the Pats were just a mediocre team by the end of the year, especially without Welker. Getting beaten by a better team does not qualify for "playoff woe" consideration.

In 2010, the Pats made some uncharacteristic mistakes and got outplayed and outcoached by an inferior opponent.

Now, if the 2010 scenario plays out again, then maybe we get into "playoff woe" territory, but as of now, we have a sample size of one abysmal playoff appearance, which doesn't make for a trend and certainly doesn't require a theory of explanation.

 

[PonyExpress]

McDaniels was not a "lucky charm" in 2005 when the Pats got smoked by Denver, putting up a wopping 13 points. Nor was he "lucky" against the Colts the following year when the pats got called for 12 men in the huddle on 1st down on the potential game icing drive at the end of the 4th Q when all they needed was a 1st down. (They ended up gaining 11 yards in 3 plays, 4 yards short). Nor was he lucky against the Giants when his offense put up 14 points in the game. Nor was he lucky when he and his brother from UMinnesota advocated drafting Lawrence Maroney.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Josh McDaniels does remind me of the leprechaun on the box of Lucky Charms and a win on Saturday night would be magically delicious.

Somehow, I think the Ravens stomping the Patriots in 2010 had something to do with the Patriots defense coming out in a fog and letting Ray Rice from Rutgers run wild, so I pin that one on the defense.

Last year, Brady, we later learned, was hurt and the offensive line stunk out the joint. Maybe Josh would have made a difference. Probably not. The Jets win seemed like one team was determined to win and the other over-confident.

I sure hope that Patriots are not over-confident this year. But the vibe will be similar with everybody picking the Patriots and the recent 40-burger at Denver may lull our heroes to sleep.

Tebow has God and Brady has McDaniels. Uh-oh. Seems like a mismatch to me.

Ahem, Brady is God

 

[upstater1]

His name is McDaniels, he looks like a leprechaun.

 

[PatsDeb]

I think that's why BB brought him back. To be a good luck charm.

LOL.

1. We lost the Baltimore game because Ray Rice ran us over, the Pats were shell-shocked and never recovered.

2. We lost to the Jets because they put a lot of pressure on Brady, he threw a dumb INT, the Pats were shell-shocked and never recovered.

I haven't seen any sign of shell-shock in this year's team. If Josh McDaniels can help with the "Oh No! We've fallen and we can't get up!" mentality, then yeah, that's why BB rehired him.

 

[Tunescribe]

do you think josh is the good luck charm to win this year?

Yes. Josh will be on the sidelines wearing a sweatshirt with a big shamrock on it, holding a horseshoe in one hand and rabbit's foot in the other.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Josh McDaniels does remind me of the leprechaun on the box of Lucky Charms and a win on Saturday night would be magically delicious.

Somehow, I think the Ravens stomping the Patriots in 2010 had something to do with the Patriots defense coming out in a fog and letting Ray Rice from Rutgers run wild, so I pin that one on the defense.

Last year, Brady, we later learned, was hurt and the offensive line stunk out the joint. Maybe Josh would have made a difference. Probably not. The Jets win seemed like one team was determined to win and the other over-confident.

I sure hope that Patriots are not over-confident this year. But the vibe will be similar with everybody picking the Patriots and the recent 40-burger at Denver may lull our heroes to sleep.

Tebow has God and Brady has McDaniels. Uh-oh. Seems like a mismatch to me.

Being hurt is irrelevant, everyone is hurt in some way this time of the year. I think BOB called a poor game in the Jets game, the entire staff was outcoached. This move should help that area, but it has yet to be seen how they execute (I think that is especially important when we play BAL).

 

[reflexblue]

Just throwing this out there. The last time the Patriots won a playoff game was in 2008 when we almost went undefeated. Josh McDaniels was here. Josh left after that season and we havent won a playoff game since. Josh is back now, do you think josh is the good luck charm to win this year? I know its a bogus theory, I am just looking at the past, present, and possible future.

I got a theory, maybe JMD is a better OC than BOB. The Giants gambled and revamped their defense in the two weeks leading up to the SB catching BB and JmD totally of guard.

 

[brdmaverick]

Just throwing this out there. The last time the Patriots won a playoff game was in 2008 when we almost went undefeated. Josh McDaniels was here. Josh left after that season and we havent won a playoff game since. Josh is back now, do you think josh is the good luck charm to win this year? I know its a bogus theory, I am just looking at the past, present, and possible future.

That was also the last playoff game that we had Asante Samuel. Maybe we need him back too.

 

[ay-yo]

I believe a lot of it has to do with young key contributors gaining experience (i.e. Mayo, McCourty, Chung, Nink, Arrington, Gronk, Hernandez, Vollmer) and it's almost never mentioned.

 

[brdmaverick]

That was also the last playoff game that we had Asante Samuel. Maybe we need him back too.

Sorry, this was my jack@ss response, now for me real one......

I think your theory would have legs if the Patriots had struggled on offense since Josh's departure. We, however, have not seen this decline. Instead, we have seen Brady win another MVP and have another season that would usually be considered for MVP (if it weren't for Rodgers/Brees).

 

[NEP4Life]

Yes. Josh will be on the sidelines wearing a sweatshirt with a big shamrock on it, holding a horseshoe in one hand and rabbit's foot in the other.

I understand Josh keeps the horseshoe...elsewhere.

 

[makoute]

Here's my theory.

Losing in the Super Bowl does not really qualify for "playoff woe" consideration.

IN 2009, the Pats were just a mediocre team by the end of the year, especially without Welker. Getting beaten by a better team does not qualify for "playoff woe" consideration.

In 2010, the Pats made some uncharacteristic mistakes and got outplayed and outcoached by an inferior opponent.

Now, if the 2010 scenario plays out again, then maybe we get into "playoff woe" territory, but as of now, we have a sample size of one abysmal playoff appearance, which doesn't make for a trend and certainly doesn't require a theory of explanation.

If the Pats lose this game, then serious changes have to be made in Foxboro.