1-5 scale, how worried are you we will lose?

[IndyKen]

A little anxious, but confident deep down inside. Brady's on a mission, and he has the team with him.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

2. If we play the way we are capable, then we should win. It will take an excellent game for the Ravens to beat us. It can happen, but if we play them 10 times, i feel we win 7 of them.

Also, nice choice list to choose from. A good range and tones expressed.

This

Great poll because it's worded so well. You pretty much capture the range of feelings that I have before different games. This week I'm feeling "a little anxious" and that's how I voted. I think we win, but I'm definitely anxious. Last week was definitely "hope we don't beat ourselves."

..... and this

Chose 3. I'm pretty confident we will win, but obviously a little anxious about it too. Ravens definitely have a defense that can frustrate our offense. Unlike 09, I don't think it can stop us, but it could limit us. We just have too many weapons.

One thing I do think that is a little outside of the typical sentiments I've heard here....... I don't think the game is going to be particularly close (whichever way it goes). I hear a lot of "Patriots win in a close one". I don't see that.

I sense this game the type of game that, at the end of the day, the ultimate winner will have dominated the other team to a certain extant. Perhaps not like a 45-10 drubbing we gave to Donkeys, but more along the line of a convincing 28-14, 31-17 or 24-10 win.

Personally, I think that New England has a better chance of doing that then Baltimore does. I can see our defense having a very good day (they have been trending that way) much more realistically then seeing Flacco hoisting this team on his back to victory (moreso based on his recent play).

 

[F0nSY]

A little anxious no doubt. I can't wait for tomorrow.

 

[102 Pat]

I'd put myself at a 4 mostly because were so close to kickoff. I'm working today from 4pm to about 3am and I'm glad as no doubt, I'll be tired enough to actually get some sleep.

 

[IndianPat]

Quite worried. Last week I wasnt because Denver was an inferior team. This week its a totally different story. Ravens are very good on defense. Real possibility of a loss - only need to look at three recent games:
1. Last year's Jets loss
2. SF beating New Orleans
3. Giants beating GB
and to a lesser extent
4. huge leads given up to Bills, Denver and Miami in recent games which tells me similar advantage might be accrued by Baltimore very early in the game. The moment this happens, their defense will get ferocious.

Posters are getting lulled by the peformance of our defense in Bronco's game. Not representative of our season long performance.

Well, there you go. My reasons for being worried. How will the game turn out, I have no idea. Just NO TURNOVERS, please.

 

[BAM!]

Flacco leads the league in deep throws...the patriots give up the most deep throws...

Just because they stopped tebow doesn't meant the pats defense can stop a somewhat established qb.

Better check your facrs again there "coolguy", the Pats are tied for 12th in the league giving up 40+ yard pass plays. The longest play they have given up through the air is 58 yards which is ranked 2nd in the league. Try again.

The one thing the Pats do exceptionally well with their pass D is to eliminate the deep ball so if that's what ravens fans are banking on, you're going to be very dissappointed. Basically this takes away Flacco's strength according to you which is false as he is ranked 18th in the league on the deep ball behind the likes of stellar qb's such as Tavaris Jackson.

What other amazing "facts" do you have?

 

[Uncle Rico]

I don't feel worried. But I had a restless night of sleep with a recurring dream of the Patriots not being able to get past their own 23 yard line. (Why 23, I have no idea.) Hopefully this was more a matter of having had Chinese food and vodka last night, as opposed to an omen.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Flacco leads the league in deep throws...the patriots give up the most deep throws...

Just because they stopped tebow doesn't meant the pats defense can stop a somewhat established qb.

So you're making the case that your team can pass on the Pats and the best you can say about your QB is that he is "somewhat established"?

 

[Ring 6]

How can you say that with the pats horrible defense? With flacco deep throws, the pats would be lucky to hold the ravens than 28.

How do you figure? The Patriots allowed 28 in one of 17 games. And Joe Flacco is the Ravens QB.

 

[Raymond]

I don't feel worried. But I had a restless night of sleep with a recurring dream of the Patriots not being able to get past their own 23 yard line. (Why 23, I have no idea.) Hopefully this was more a matter of having had Chinese food and vodka last night, as opposed to an omen.

Sometimes the details of dreams are quite foggy. Possibly it was baltimore was beaten by 23 points?

 

[jmt57]

I guess I look at this game differently than some other fans do; 'worried' never entered my mind prior to seeing this thread.

If the Pats lose, they lose; I still got to enjoy a great ride and a very good season. Is there some terrible fate that is going to befall me if they lose that I am not aware of that I should be concerned about?

The Patriots have won three championships. On average a fan of any team should be expected to see a championship once every 32 years, with the first coming 16 years after rooting for that team. In the last decade I've witnessed what should happen in a lifetime, eighty years. I'm playing with house money at this point.

Worried? No. I'm hoping that they'll win and I believe they have a good chance to do just that; I'm cautiously optimistic of a victory. What is it that I'm supposed to be worrying about?

 

[TruthSeeker]

How can you say that with the pats horrible defense? With flacco deep throws, the pats would be lucky to hold the ravens than 28.

What Ravens team are you watching? The team that scored more than 30 points once this season?

The Patriots have had an average defense (15th) over the course of the season and they have just gotten healthy. They played a great game last week albeit against an inferior opponent - but an opponent that they definitely had some problems with in December.

I'm not worried although I know the Ravens can win. I just feel very good both about how the Patriots are starting to play and how the Ravens have been declining over the past month. I voted a 2.

 

[BingoBrown]

I'm at 3.Ten minutes into the game though,and I
can go from 1 to 5 or 5 to 1.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Sometimes the details of dreams are quite foggy. Possibly it was baltimore was beaten by 23 points?

I could live with that.

 

[sly24]

3. Hopefully we can get good momentum early on.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Watching Playbook AFC on NFLN and I'm feeling good. They're giving a lot of respect to the Pats D, showing how they hold their positions and are well suited to stop Rice from having a game like he had two years ago.

ALso talked a bit about the McCourty move to safety -- they showed how the Safeties weren't helping out, making the move necessary. Seemed to like the move and I think it was Theismann who said you'll see more teams do that now, moving good CBs to Safety, because of all the passing.

 

[coolguy]

So you're making the case that your team can pass on the Pats and the best you can say about your QB is that he is "somewhat established"?

How do you figure? The Patriots allowed 28 in one of 17 games. And Joe Flacco is the Ravens QB.

@uncle rico the ravens are not my team, i'm just saying flacco is a somewhat established passing threat.

@andy johnson i said the samething about rex grossman going into the redskins game

I hope/want the pats to win, but i don't think this defense as it is can do it.

If flacco gets hot and throws a lot of touchdown, do you think it's wise to get into a shootout with this ravens defense?


Maybe i'm underestimating the pats defense and overestimating flacco's passing abilities, but i would rather underestimate something i watched for 17 games than a qb who has the stats to back up his potential.

 

[kkpat]

3.5.... We might win a close one.
Rice and their WRs, TEs can put pressure on us.
Hope our D is as good as the last game.
Also, another worry is if there is a lot of pressure on Brady, can we fix the protection in the middle of the game?

 

[sevengables_2207]

I voted a 2.

As long as New England dictates the tempo and forces Baltimore to play to their style, a trip to the Super Bowl is in the offering.

About the only way I see an upset in Foxboro is a near reenactment of the Wild Card game in 2010. But given the improves chemistry/makeup of this year's team, coupled with much better overall talent, I feel confident that this will not manifest tomorrow afternoon.

Go Pats! :rocker:

 

[SVN]

Watching Playbook AFC on NFLN and I'm feeling good. They're giving a lot of respect to the Pats D, showing how they hold their positions and are well suited to stop Rice from having a game like he had two years ago.

ALso talked a bit about the McCourty move to safety -- they showed how the Safeties weren't helping out, making the move necessary. Seemed to like the move and I think it was Theismann who said you'll see more teams do that now, moving good CBs to Safety, because of all the passing.

Dont know how much i want to read into that show. Lot of the samples they showed were vs broncos i think. People forget that when McCourty moved to safety , the bills really put it on us early in the game. Except the broncos playoff game this yr...last few games starting from jets-drive all the way down the field and miss a fg,denver - back to back TDs, Redskins -Same thing,Eagles-10 pt lead,fins and bills -double digit leads. Our D adjusted and largely created turnovers to get back in the game. If our D cant force turnovers , can we win this playoff game ? Biggest question to me.