- Joined
- Dec 22, 2005
- Messages
- 16,343
- Reaction score
- 7,623
Getting a bye and HFA for the playoffs is an important goal, but for the 2012 Patriots I think that growth and development mean more. 3 losses in the books are already a strike against the shot at a bye and 2 against a #1 seed and HFA.
...
I don't doubt that failure in these situations now can create success in them later, by changing players and scheme.
That's the best and most reasoned analysis I have read.
The Giants have to be our role model this year (as hard as it is for me to spit those words out of my keyboard). What matters is how the Pats address the issues you outline, then how they make the Playoffs by hook or by crook and, most importantly, how they are playing in December. I wish I were as sanguine as you about the talent in the Secondary, but they clearly have all the talent they need on the other side of the ball; they just have to play that way in the last "eighth" of the game on a consistent basis.
The only thing I'd add is that, with this year's profile and what would be a playoff run without a Home game after the Wild Card Round, assuming they win the Division as I do assume, they are going to have to develop the attitude and toughness to win two tough games on the Road in a hostile environment; when Bruschi and Harrison and Law were anchoring the locker room, I never doubted that they had that. I hope that Wilfork and others can provide the same leadership now.