NFLN morons: Patriots will "take a step back" this season

[Huckleberry1]

The more I think of it, the more I really don't care. There have been new guys that have registered here because their favorite college team(s) had star players that were drafted by the Pats and nobody really gave them a second thought. The only thing I can't stand is when the TC threads would get derailed and they (the Tebow supporters) would act like they had nothing to do with it. But I can't fault someone for registering on a team's forum because they like one player in particular. As I said, this isn't the first time it's happened.

I basically agree as fans become fans for many reasons, however what does separate this somewhat is that the Tebow fans are going from team to team each season pretending they are fans of that team when in fact they are simply Tebow fans. And while they are welcome to root for any reason they want it is hard to have any kin d of team related discussion with them becausee they generally don't understand the team and will move on to the next team with Tebow. ChristianCat is a perfectly nice guy but I don't take him seriously as a Patriots fan because he has been rooting for their archrivals the past 2 seasons, whether he admits it or not. Imo if Manning went down in denver in week 3 and Elway went "Holy Cow I need a QB, I will give you a 5th for Tebow...." then ChristianCat would be right back cheering for the Bronco's without missing a beat, and that's not a fan of the team, just the player.

FTR-I am not dumping on him personally I just don't take him seriously as a Patriots fan, but that would also go for anyone who cheered for the jets last season, not just CC. That said i will leave it at that.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I appreciate the part in bold. The part that I considered as "looking down on" was the questions on whether you were rooting for the jets last season and bronco's the season before that? etc As none of that matters.

.

Actually it does if you expect anyone to take you seriously as a Patriots fan as there is no such thing as a Patriots fan who was a Jets fan last season, Tebow supporters aside, and you would know that if you actually were a Patriots fan as we hate the Jets, and we even have an annual thread devoted to just how much they suck, which as most here already know is greatly. It's kind of like trying to be a fan of Auburn and Alabama, it simply doesn't work.

At any rate enjoy your time rooting for the Patriots, if Tebow survives the cuts then hopefully he can help them get ready for read option QB's and hopefully he never ever sees a snap at QB unless it is to kneel down (no pun intended), or because they have locked up the top seed and they simply want to give Mallett and Tebow some reps. And before some people take this as hating on Tebow I really don't want Mallett to see any reps at QB unless it is under the same circumstances, when you have the GOAT you go with the GOAT.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Ivan - I will go a step further. And this is not intended to be disrespectful to Christiancat, but I don't think he knows too much about the game of football because he really doesn't talk about football in the 200 + posts that he has made.

I think that he likes Tim Tebow because of his "public persona" that he has and wherever Tebow is, then he supports that team for no other reason.

I honestly haven't read enough of his posts to know but either way i am fine with whatever reason he has for becoming a football fan, there's nothing wrong with that, it is simply because he is going from team to team, including rooting for the Jets, that i can't take him seriously as a Patriots fan, because i honestly believe he will become a fan of whomever Tebow goes to as soon as he goes there, which really means he is a Tebow fan, not a team fan. I do hope he enjoys his time as a Patriots fan and maybe, just maybe, he will someday evolve into a patriots fan, and i actually hope he does because he is clearly a decent guy, but right now i just don't take him very seriously as a Patriots fan. However i suppose the same can be said of borg...........................

 

[FourierSeries]

Hahaha. Now I hear Daniel Jeremiah and Mike Mayock praise Brady and our rookie receivers on NFLN and saying that our O will be on par with last year's.

Gotta love NFLN.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

Shane Vereen > Danny Woodhead
Add LeGarrette Blount, Add Leon Washington KR and Third Down Specialist
Brandon Bolden back healthy
Danny Amendola when healthy IMO > Wes Welker
Julian Edelman back healthy - another Wes Welker
Shane Vereen is also an extra receiver
Rob Gronkowski is coming back sooner than expected
Re-signed Sebastian Vollmer, OLine still one of the best
Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins are 3 gifted mature rookies
Zach Sudfeld has speed, hands and huge upside
Daniel Fells is solid
Chandler Jones in second year
Tommy Kelly to team with Wilfork, also Armstead to help interior pass rush
Don'ta Hightower in Second year
Drafted Jamie Collins to add to pass rush
Brandon Spikes in contract year, and worked on coverage during offseason
Re-signed Aqib Talib
Alfonzo Dennard maynot be suspended
Re-signed Kyle Arrington, who's really good in nickel
Ras-I Dowling possibly healthy for full season, he's talented and big Corner
Drafted Logan Ryans for depth, better depth than Marquice Cole
Signed Adrian Wilson, he's physical, nasty, cover TE's and is an extra LB
Tavon Wilson's second year

With all that being said, how can we possibly take a step back? This team is clearly stronger on both sides of the ball IMO, even offense because last year Wes Welker WAS the offense. Until Hernandez came back.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Many have posted why the NFLN analysis may prove to be wrong.

No one has posted why the NFLN analysis is unreasonable.

And just BTW, what does a step backward really mean? Does it mean that we won't have one of the best passing offenses in the history of the NFL? Is that really so unreasonable?

Folks say that we will have a top 5 offense. Fine! That is CERTAINLY a step back compared to last year. We expect the defense to make up for that step backwards, if a whole lot of good things happen on defense.

In the end, if the NFLN analysts said that the patriots are the top team in the AFC, they would be considered UNREASONABLY optimistic (and rightfully so). We may win the Super Bowl; we are one of the favorites; NFLN knows that.

I don't think they are "unreasonable" but I do think their analysis on the whole tends to be superficial, some more than others, and often their career biases are on full display. Regardless of the team or division they like the obvious, and their takes are based upon the shiny new objects as opposed to a more in depth analysis that looks at teams more comprehensively and takes their development into account as much as they do free agents and draft picks. The media obviously goes for the names and storylines but don't take things like development and consistency into account. Mike Wallace and Danielle Ellerbe get the big deals and they make a move for Dion Jordan so they have had a great offseason, whereas the Patriots lost Welker and The Prisoner (*PWP) so they have taken a step back..............yaddi yaddi yadda...... Some of it is accurate and reason for question but it doesn't really go in depth and look at the teams holistically. The Patriot's have had obvious losses this offseason, some of which can be offset and some probably not this year, but overall they had a really good offseason in terms of players lost, gained, and retained and they are really setting themselves up for not only a really good 2013 but a great run to close out Brady's career. They will always have work to do on both sides of the ball but right now and going forward this is a team that most coaches and fans would love to have. And if the young receivers actually come through then this team is a 2nd TE from all set on offense. They are set at QB/RB/OT/OG/C- and the slot receiver position, and set at TE when Gronkowski is back, but could use another top flight TE to pair with him down the road. So overall they are in great shape with a couple of question marks offensively. On the other side of the ball those looking in from the outside have room to be skeptical but if you are a Patriots fan and have watched them assembling this defense then you are probably going to feel pretty good about it. They aren't the best defense in the league but they actually have a chance to be one of them this season, and it has been a while since we could say that with any confidence. They are still a young defense but are gaining the experience and time together to turn into a really good defensive unit, although they will need to stay pretty healthy and play up to potential to do it. They have the ability to switch in and out of 4-3/3-4 looks and should be a good group in terms of gameplanning, and they now have the athletic talent to get after the passer, which they have to do to help their secondary no matter who is back there. Their DL is where the biggest questions are defensively, and while the starting unit (Wilfork/Jones/Kelly+Ninkovich) are really good the depth is questionable at best. I'm hoping guys like Forston and Armstead step up but need to see it to believe it. I love their LB unit and see it as one of the best in football, if Collins can get after the passer they may well become an elite unit. I also love the fact that they were able to keep Talib and the McCourty move to safety is essentially permanent. Overall I see really good things for the Patriots defensively and believe that coupled with their run game will give them a significantly better points against and more than offset the losses at receiver, especially when coupled with those who they brought in to fill that production.


Basically i can see where those looking in from the outside would have questions but i think that those who follow them closely have a much better understanding of the team as a whole and know that Brady doesn't have bad years, period, and that coupled with a better defense means nothing is going to change and they will be right back in the hunt come January.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Danny Amendola when healthy IMO > Wes Welker
Julian Edelman back healthy - another Wes Welker
.

In general I appreciate your flaming homerism but these two bits are 100% crap.

I really like Amendola but the claim that he is better than Welker is based upon absolutely nothing, and the claim that Edelman is Welker is actually a sign of mental illness. If the two of them together can match Welker's production for one season it will be a first but I will definitely be rooting for them because someone has to do it.

 

[Kontradiction]

In general I appreciate your flaming homerism but these two bits are 100% crap.

I really like Amendola but the claim that he is better than Welker is based upon absolutely nothing, and the claim that Edelman is Welker is actually a sign of mental illness. If the two of them together can match Welker's production for one season it will be a first but I will definitely be rooting for them because someone has to do it.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[reflexblue]

NFLN "expert" consensus -- the Patriots will (their favorite phrase) "take a step back" this season while Houston and Denver are darlings for the conference title and Miami will seriously challenge for the division. So say Darren Sharper, Deion "Screaming Clown" Sanders and one or two others I've heard lately.

To me, this is more wishful thinking than anything based in reality. Screw those azzholes.

No respect i tell ya, no respect. i feel like rodney.....dangerfield. i like it playing the no respect card.

 

[supafly]

Shane Vereen > Danny Woodhead
Danny Amendola when healthy IMO > Wes Welker
Julian Edelman back healthy - another Wes Welker
Shane Vereen is also an extra receiver
Rob Gronkowski is coming back sooner than expected
Re-signed Sebastian Vollmer, OLine still one of the best
Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins are 3 gifted mature rookies
Zach Sudfeld has speed, hands and huge upside
Daniel Fells is solid
Chandler Jones in second year
Tommy Kelly to team with Wilfork, also Armstead to help interior pass rush
Don'ta Hightower in Second year
Drafted Jamie Collins to add to pass rush
Brandon Spikes in contract year, and worked on coverage during offseason
Re-signed Aqib Talib
Alfonzo Dennard maynot be suspended
Re-signed Kyle Arrington, who's really good in nickel
Ras-I Dowling possibly healthy for full season, he's talented and big Corner
Drafted Logan Ryans for depth, better depth than Marquice Cole
Signed Adrian Wilson, he's physical, nasty, cover TE's and is an extra LB
Tavon Wilson's second year

With all that being said, how can we possibly take a step back? This team is clearly stronger on both sides of the ball IMO, even offense because last year Wes Welker WAS the offense. Until Hernandez came back.

Half of these statements are just facts:

"Chandler Jones in his second season."

"Shane Vereen is also an extra receiver."

I'm missing the point as to how this definitely helps?


I'm not sure where you're getting your information about the bolded topics either? How do you have any idea as to whether or not Dennard will be suspended? How about your statement about Gronkowski coming back early? Where are you coming up with this stuff from?

 

[ausbacker]

In general I appreciate your flaming homerism but these two bits are 100% crap.

I really like Amendola but the claim that he is better than Welker is based upon absolutely nothing, and the claim that Edelman is Welker is actually a sign of mental illness. If the two of them together can match Welker's production for one season it will be a first but I will definitely be rooting for them because someone has to do it.

Thanks for the laugh.

I must admit, that comment did elicit a laugh from me.

 

[patsfan-1982]

I don't see anyone in the AFC east winning more then 9 games and the pats would have to really lay a egg to win any less then 11 games IMO the pats will still be one of the top 2 seeds in the playoffs. how deep they go in the playoffs will tell if they took a step back or not

 

[ahmed]

This is the same song every single year for the last few years... Pats are done in pre-season.... tune starts to change halfway through the season... completely goes to the other extreme by end of regular season :blahblah::sleeping:

 

[manxman2601]

Thats' nice. So you have graduated to the 2nd string quarterback of the Patriots? LOL....BTW - it is spelled Mallett. Not Mallet.

Yea - ok.

BTW - it is spelled Deus.

Can I respectfully suggest that before you start calling out others on their spelling that you check your username.

 

[ATippett56]

Can I respectfully suggest that before you start calling out others for their spelling that you check your username.

Yowza!

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I won't mind "taking a step back" in the regular season while they develop an well rounded offense that will win a playoff game against a very good defense.
The Patriots offense of the past several years was statistically one of the best of all time yet they could not beat really good defenses (Ravens, Giants) in the playoffs.
Time for the Patriots to get back to their roots. Ball control, clock control offense......you'll be amazed how much better the defense looks with this type of offense being run. Remember how the Patriots, when they actually had a terrific D, used to beat the Colts?? They used their offense to limit the number of possessions the Colts got. Brady and Co. would go on 8 minute drives. Even if they only got 3 pts out of it they accomplished their goal. Took the ball out of the hands of the other team.
Patriots need to get back to that. The Patriots can go a long way this season if they get back to their roots.

 

[Kontradiction]

Can I respectfully suggest that before you start calling out others on their spelling that you check your username.

 

[fnordcircle]

Thread took a turn for the lmao.

 

[tonyto3690]

We got carried last year by our offense.

That same offense lost 4 of it's 5 top receivers.

It's really not that outlandish to say we'll be worse.

In fact until proven otherwise it's pretty ridiculous to say we won't.

 

[tonyto3690]

Shane Vereen > Danny Woodhead
Add LeGarrette Blount, Add Leon Washington KR and Third Down Specialist
Brandon Bolden back healthy
Danny Amendola when healthy IMO > Wes Welker
Julian Edelman back healthy - another Wes Welker
Shane Vereen is also an extra receiver
Rob Gronkowski is coming back sooner than expected
Re-signed Sebastian Vollmer, OLine still one of the best
Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins are 3 gifted mature rookies
Zach Sudfeld has speed, hands and huge upside
Daniel Fells is solid
Chandler Jones in second year
Tommy Kelly to team with Wilfork, also Armstead to help interior pass rush
Don'ta Hightower in Second year
Drafted Jamie Collins to add to pass rush
Brandon Spikes in contract year, and worked on coverage during offseason
Re-signed Aqib Talib
Alfonzo Dennard maynot be suspended
Re-signed Kyle Arrington, who's really good in nickel
Ras-I Dowling possibly healthy for full season, he's talented and big Corner
Drafted Logan Ryans for depth, better depth than Marquice Cole
Signed Adrian Wilson, he's physical, nasty, cover TE's and is an extra LB
Tavon Wilson's second year

With all that being said, how can we possibly take a step back? This team is clearly stronger on both sides of the ball IMO, even offense because last year Wes Welker WAS the offense. Until Hernandez came back.

hahahahaha