Running the table? I wouldn't bet on it. Lower your expectations.

[ausbacker]

I disagree with the mentality in this comment.

This is one of those comments that make it sound like there is only 1 team whose performance determines the outcome. "If we play well we win, if we won't we will lose."

It's not only about how we play, it's about how our opponents play as well. We can win Texans or whomever, even if we have a bad day, as long as they have worse.

Furthermore, I don't think we have more potential than the 49ers, and I'm not sold on the comparison against the Texans either seeing how high of an upside Schaub obviously has. If Kaepernick can put up 32 on the Bears, then he can definitely put a 50-burger on us in his best day. Even though TFB is the best QB in the NFL, I don't see him putting up 50 on the 49ers D without some help in terms of turnovers etc.

You're welcome to that opinion, but I've yet to see a defense stop the Patriots with outright brilliant scheming and execution. The Patriots Offense stops the Patriots Offense with mistakes.

And for the record, I have no idea why you brought up 50 points as some sort of indicator.

 

[fnordcircle]

You're welcome to that opinion, but I've yet to see a defense stop the Patriots with outright brilliant scheming and execution. The Patriots Offense stops the Patriots Offense with mistakes.

I dunno, I think that is laying it on a little thick. I know I can't stand it when one team plays its butt off and the other team says **** like 'We beat ourselves.'

I think there are definitely some teams who have schemed to slow the Pats offense down and bring pressure and were successful at it. Like those ******* Giants.

 

[lurker1965]

Looking at the remaining games, we have somewhat of an uphill battle with back to back games against the 49ers and Texans, two playoff bound teams with power house defenses, following 2 divisional games. ...

SF's latitude would put it south of D.C. and north of Richmond, VA. Although I do not know about local CA weather pattern, I feel safe calling SF a southern team. Southern team traveling across for time zones to face an nearly as good opponent in a northern stadium, in December, at night. Um, I'll take the home team.

As for Houston, add "dome team" to above and change it to one time zone.

Oh, I agree, sort of. There is a reason to play the games.

 

[ausbacker]

I dunno, I think that is laying it on a little thick. I know I can't stand it when one team plays its butt off and the other team says **** like 'We beat ourselves.'

I think there are definitely some teams who have schemed to slow the Pats offense down and bring pressure and were successful at it. Like those ******* Giants.

I didn't say slow down I said stop.

 

[fnordcircle]

I didn't say slow down I said stop.

What do you call what happened against the Cards this year? Do we have to be shutout for it to be considered a stop?

Don't feel like you're giving some good defenses who kicked our butts their just dues.

 

[NewFeep]

3-3 over the last 6 to eke out the division and get into the playoffs. Book it!

 

[alvinnf]

I smell 4-2 down the stretch, 4 seed.

 

[Deus Irae]

What do you call what happened against the Cards this year? Do we have to be shutout for it to be considered a stop?

Don't feel like you're giving some good defenses who kicked our butts their just dues.

1. Injury to Hernandez throws everything out of whack
2. Backup O-lineman was absolutely terrible
3. Horrendous call on a legal play cost 7 points

Even with the early loss of Hernandez, the time it took for the team to adjust its offensivve focus, and the abysmal play of Thomas, the Patriots were a horrible call away from scoring 25 points.

 

[PatriotSeven]

I smell 4-2 down the stretch, 4 seed.

Realistically, I can see this as well. I'd be fine with that as long as only one of those losses is either against Huston or SF but not both.

I'd rather lose to an average team that catches us off guard than feel like we are not capable of beating a top 10 team with a top 10 defense. As long as it's not the Jets. I can live with a split with Miami, especially if it's the last game of the season where we might sit some starters.

 

[ausbacker]

What do you call what happened against the Cards this year? Do we have to be shutout for it to be considered a stop?

Don't feel like you're giving some good defenses who kicked our butts their just dues.

Which defense kicked the Patriots O's butt this season?

The Patriots killed themselves against the Cardinals (or have you conveniently forgotten that?).

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

SF's latitude would put it south of D.C. and north of Richmond, VA. Although I do not know about local CA weather pattern, I feel safe calling SF a southern team. Southern team traveling across for time zones to face an nearly as good opponent in a northern stadium, in December, at night. Um, I'll take the home team.

As for Houston, add "dome team" to above and change it to one time zone.

Oh, I agree, sort of. There is a reason to play the games.

I live in the Bay Area (grew up in the Boston metro area). You are on solid ground to lump SF in with southern teams. It never snows here (except surrounding mountain areas) and the amount of days we experience a high temperature that does not reach at least 50? Usually just a few (and that means the temp only got to 48 or 49). There is no doubt 9ers can be affected by the cold because of their home climate. While "can be" does not mean will be (everyone expected the Raiders to be affected by it in the tuck rule game -- and they seemed to not be), it's a scheduling plus for SF to play us at night in December in Foxboro. And I believe Colin K grew up in Cali/as a warm blooded player...

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

What do you call what happened against the Cards this year? Do we have to be shutout for it to be considered a stop?

Don't feel like you're giving some good defenses who kicked our butts their just dues.

I don't see your point as completely unreasonable. Some defenses have had success slowing down the O. But kicked our butts? When your offense scores around 20? That clearly is not getting their butts kicked (consider the #16 and #17 team averages about 23 per game). And the only time the Patriots total was below 20 (in the loss against AZ), there was some non competitive officiating that kept certain points off the board. The Patriots lowest total of the season would equal 23 in any other officiating year.

With that said, AZ and a couple of others definitely found a way to significantly slow down the Patriot O. I am not of the mind that the Patriots can only stop themselves and that the opposing D will have a say in how well we score. But given the running ability of this year along with TB throwing to Gronk, AH, WW, BL (and Edelperson now??), it is reasonable to believe that if the Patriots are not making self inflicted mistakes they will score well against anyone.

 

[Lansdowne]

I dont want this team to grab the #1 Seed, for once i want them to go on the road in the playoffs and kick some butts. Those are the games which will test our mettle. Kinnda how the Giants and Packers went on the road and won games and then went on to win the SB.

Anyways the last 1 seed to win the SB were the 2003 Pats , Doesn't look like 1 seed is of any help .

The last 1 seed to win the SB was actually the 2009 Saints.

 

[ausbacker]

I don't see your point as completely unreasonable. Some defenses have had success slowing down the O. But kicked our butts? When your offense scores around 20? That clearly is not getting their butts kicked (consider the #16 and #17 team averages about 23 per game). And the only time the Patriots total was below 20 (in the loss against AZ), there was some non competitive officiating that kept certain points off the board. The Patriots lowest total of the season would equal 23 in any other officiating year.

With that said, AZ and a couple of others definitely found a way to significantly slow down the Patriot O. I am not of the mind that the Patriots can only stop themselves and that the opposing D will have a say in how well we score. But given the running ability of this year along with TB throwing to Gronk, AH, WW, BL (and Edelperson now??), it is reasonable to believe that if the Patriots are not making self inflicted mistakes they will score well against anyone.

The Pats put up 387 yards of offense and controlled the ball for nearly 32 minutes despite turning the ball over in favourable position for the Cardinals.

I'm not taking credit away from the Cardinals D, but that's hardly an impressive performance given the Patriots seppuku.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The Pats put up 387 yards of offense and controlled the ball for nearly 32 minutes despite turning the ball over in favourable position for the Cardinals.

I'm not taking credit away from the Cardinals D, but that's hardly an impressive performance given the Patriots seppuku.

I was basing my opinion strictly off of points scored. However, point well taken. The yards accumulated even more clearly shows AZ's D did not kick the Patriot's offensive butts......

 

[ausbacker]

I was basing my opinion strictly off of points scored. However, point well taken. The yards accumulated even more clearly shows AZ's D did not kick the Patriot's offensive butts......

I'm not propositioning that credit should be taken away from a defense for slowing down the Patriots. That puts the game into a manageable scoring perspective for the opposition. I tend to believe that the Patriots tend to limit the Patriots when they aren't on the ball. As we can see, a really bad performance is still around 20 points (and even then the replacements blew that game and Ghost went full ******).

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm not propositioning that credit should be taken away from a defense for slowing down the Patriots. That puts the game into a manageable scoring perspective for the opposition. I tend to believe that the Patriots tend to limit the Patriots when they aren't on the ball. As we can see, a really bad performance is still around 20 points (and even then the replacements blew that game and Ghost went full ******).

San Francisco will be an interesting test, since they have shown the ability to totally shut down opposing offenses at times, and haven't allowed more than 26 points so far in any game. But the Pats have been held under 29 points only twice in 10 games, and under 20 points only once (18 against Arizona), and that game was notable for the team being flat and out of sync, and for struggling with adjustments after Hernandez was lost to injury. And as you say, it still took some bad calls by the replacement refs and a missed FG to keep the team under 20. The Seattle game was noteable for a ton of points being left off the scoreboard, not entirely due to Seattle's defense - failing to come away with at least 3 points before the half by trying to score a TD with 6 seconds left comes to mind. The offense appears much sharper now than it did earlier in the season in terms of timing and execution. I will be surprised if anyone holds the Pats to under 20 points the remainder of the season. It will be interesting to see if anyone can hold them to under 25. I think it's going to be difficult if they continue to execute.

 

[ausbacker]

San Francisco will be an interesting test, since they have shown the ability to totally shut down opposing offenses at times, and haven't allowed more than 26 points so far in any game. But the Pats have been held under 29 points only twice in 10 games, and under 20 points only once (18 against Arizona), and that game was notable for the team being flat and out of sync, and for struggling with adjustments after Hernandez was lost to injury. And as you say, it still took some bad calls by the replacement refs and a missed FG to keep the team under 20. The Seattle game was noteable for a ton of points being left off the scoreboard, not entirely due to Seattle's defense - failing to come away with at least 3 points before the half by trying to score a TD with 6 seconds left comes to mind. The offense appears much sharper now than it did earlier in the season in terms of timing and execution. I will be surprised if anyone holds the Pats to under 20 points the remainder of the season. It will be interesting to see if anyone can hold them to under 25. I think it's going to be difficult if they continue to execute.

As per usual mayo you make some excellent points. I'm not one to look past the Dolphins or Jets but I'm really looking forward to seeing the O go against the Texans and 49ers D's (for the reasons you've mentioned).

 

[mayoclinic]

As per usual mayo you make some excellent points. I'm not one to look past the Dolphins or Jets but I'm really looking forward to seeing the O go against the Texans and 49ers D's (for the reasons you've mentioned).

Houston's defense doesn't scare me nearly as much as San Francisco's, especially if Sebastian Vollmer can handle JJ Watt. That will be the key matchup. The Texans gave up 25 points to Denver and Peyton Manning and 42 points to Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers, so they haven't fared that well against teams with a top QB. Rodgers threw for 6 TDs against them. They gave up 42 points to GB and 37 against Jacksonville. I'll be curious to see how they do against Detroit and Matt Stafford today, but I'm not convinced that their defense is in the same league as San Francisco's.

But time to focus on the Jets today.

 

[Finnishfan]

You're welcome to that opinion, but I've yet to see a defense stop the Patriots with outright brilliant scheming and execution. The Patriots Offense stops the Patriots Offense with mistakes.

And for the record, I have no idea why you brought up 50 points as some sort of indicator.

Yeah that is a good point about the 50 points. In hindsight, I have no clue where that came from.

But I still stand behind my comments. I don't think we have the most potential. To me, potential is the upside of the team. With TFB playing at such a high level week after week, our offense plays pretty close to their maximum all the time, whereas teams like the 49ers go up and down. In their best day, they are worse than we on an average day, but the with the defenses the matchup is the other way around.

However, I do think that we control our own destiny against just about 23 or 24 of the 31 teams in the NFL. The remaining 6-7 are what I call "top end teams".

When two top end teams play the outcome is always uncertain. The differences are so small, it usually comes down to 1 or 2 key plays, and whoever makes those plays on any given sunday comes down to things like experience, momentum, form, mental toughness, single moments of individual brilliance etc..