Time to focus on the positives

[JoeSixPat]

I've been as big a critic as anyone of Brady's penchant not to spread the ball around in the past - but in ALL of last season Brady completed passes to 14 guys - and that included 2 to Blount and 2 to Mulligan

In only 3 games this season Brady has already completed passes to 12 guys - and it would be 13 without some of the big catches that were called back on Amendola.

Seems to me Brady is making a concerted effort to keep the D off balance and with a little more time from the OL this could be an O that confounds Defenses

 

[mgteich]

I've been as big a critic as anyone of Brady's penchant not to spread the ball around in the past - but in ALL of last season Brady completed passes to 14 guys - and that included 2 to Blount and 2 to Mulligan

In only 3 games this season Brady has already completed passes to 12 guys - and it would be 13 without some of the big catches that were called back on Amendola.

Seems to me Brady is making a concerted effort to keep the D off balance and with a little more time from the OL this could be an O that confounds Defenses

Confusing us with facts is against board policy.

However, I believe that Amendola did have 3 receptions against Miami.

Brady has thrown to 5 WR's, 3 TE's, and 4 RB's. Unless I missed something, that is every receiver on the squad other than White and our blocking tight end.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Here's a positive. Someone posted this over at the Chiefs forum.

It is encouraging that lots of rushing yards that place the Pats 18th, were surrendered in the Summer Heat of the Miami second half. Not having Siliga Jones, Easley, Buchanan to rotate the players, make that different from the first half, and a unique outlier. The Pats also gave up 23 of the 49 Points Against in 3 games, in that second half Heat.

 

[doesntmatter1]

We tricked Miami into thinking they had everything figured out and now they can't win a game.

 

[DarrylS]

There is one positive I focus on 2 wins, 1 loss...

Another one is turnover differential, we are at +6 tied for the lead.

Despite every thread descending into the NFL's crappiest O line and worse set of receivers, we are taking care of the ball... and creating turnovers.

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.co...-win-turnover-battle-have-72-17-record/26247/

Over the past five full seasons, clubs with more takeaways than giveaways have a combined 810-220-2 (.786) record.

 

[AzorianPats]

It's nice to look at the positives but you really can't be happy with a 16-9 win over a bad west coast team in New England. It must have felt like a loss this week in practice for the Patriots. Anyways, for positives I'd say the pass defense has been a big plus. Rush defense is hard to say because No-Show Moreno destroyed them and Minny (minus AD) and Oakland have weak running games. I don't think you can win a Super Bowl with a line this bad. Offense should come together if the line does.

Is it so impossible to think that the Raiders was a trap game?

 

[Seacoast Fan]

I fear this will be a short thread. It will never catch on with the drama queens. I mean how can you beat your breast and claim to know more than the professionals who have the best record in fooall over for over a decade, when you are saying positive things. We all know is SOOOOOO much easier to tear something down, than to build it up.

We may very well lose this game because ANY road game is hard in the NFL, and KC is one of the toughest venues in the league to come in and play at. KC also has one of the most productive QB's over the last couple of years, and THE most productive RB. They also have 2 of the best Pass rushers in the league in Hali and Houston. What could possibly go wrong.

Nice OP, Rob. There are a LOT of positives we can garner from the first 3 games.

1. We have stopped the bleeding from the first game gashing of out run D.

2. We have a secondary that is feared, rather that exploited, for a change. And that's a secondary that's a secondary that's missing 2 key contributors (Browner and Dennard)

3. We have lost only one starter for any length of time (Siliga) and have several key players getting healthier with every game. When was the last time we could say that.

4. Ridley has run well and not fumbled. Though I'm amazed at so many RB's who seem to fumble all the time yet continually get a pass from both fans and the media. (see Demarco Murray with 3 fumbles already). It only points out how unfair the media and certain fans have been to Ridley.

5. Hightower has been playing to his potential and we've seen more explosive plays from him in 3 games than we've seen in 2 years. BTW- I think too much attention has been made of his improved pass coverage. A lot of that has to do with the fact he now has coverage on the outside rather than the middle.

BTW- I never understood why he took so much heat last year. 90% of all ILB's (and 100% of 270lb LB's) can't run with RB's and slot receivers over the middle, like Hightower was being asked to do last season. So why were people shocked when Hightower got beat so often. Why did they feel the need to berate him for something entirely out of his control.

6. We are the 3rd best D in total yds in the league. And more importantly the FIFTH best scoring D in the league, and that's despite giving up 33 in the first game.

7. Revis is every bit as good as what we've hoped. IIRC at least 3 of those passes completed against him vs Oakland could just as easily been picked or incompletions, that's how tight the coverage was. I can think of only one pass this season where you could honestly say he was "beaten" on a route. I'll take that in a league that specifically legislates the advantage to the passing game.

8. Pat Chung's pl;ay has exceed even the biggest homer's expectations. (and the whiners are pissed )

9. Nate Ebner is getting meaningful snaps as a DB and doing well

10. Tavon Wilson seems to playing well when he replaces Chung in passing situations in sub packages.

Still if you think fantasy football points are the object of the game, then it probably IS time to panic.

Always like your posts, PFK, even if i dont agree with all of your points.
Your point on Revis is spot on. Its incredible to me that people are criticizing his play. Did people think no pass would ever be thrown in his direction or, god forbid, be completed? And i am going to go out on a limb here but.....if we only give up 9 points a game from here on out, well, i dont care what happens on O. (If anyone says, 9 points a game is impossible to sustain, well, that is the point....the D only allowed 9 last time out and you'd think the world had ended.)
And except for one blocked punt, ST have been great. P.S on this point: what a play by slater last week on that puntcover.
The O, i will agree needs some work but we are 2-1.

 

[Rob0729]

I fear this will be a short thread. It will never catch on with the drama queens. I mean how can you beat your breast and claim to know more than the professionals who have the best record in fooall over for over a decade, when you are saying positive things. We all know is SOOOOOO much easier to tear something down, than to build it up.

We may very well lose this game because ANY road game is hard in the NFL, and KC is one of the toughest venues in the league to come in and play at. KC also has one of the most productive QB's over the last couple of years, and THE most productive RB. They also have 2 of the best Pass rushers in the league in Hali and Houston. What could possibly go wrong.

Nice OP, Rob. There are a LOT of positives we can garner from the first 3 games.

1. We have stopped the bleeding from the first game gashing of out run D.

2. We have a secondary that is feared, rather that exploited, for a change. And that's a secondary that's a secondary that's missing 2 key contributors (Browner and Dennard)

3. We have lost only one starter for any length of time (Siliga) and have several key players getting healthier with every game. When was the last time we could say that.

4. Ridley has run well and not fumbled. Though I'm amazed at so many RB's who seem to fumble all the time yet continually get a pass from both fans and the media. (see Demarco Murray with 3 fumbles already). It only points out how unfair the media and certain fans have been to Ridley.

5. Hightower has been playing to his potential and we've seen more explosive plays from him in 3 games than we've seen in 2 years. BTW- I think too much attention has been made of his improved pass coverage. A lot of that has to do with the fact he now has coverage on the outside rather than the middle.

BTW- I never understood why he took so much heat last year. 90% of all ILB's (and 100% of 270lb LB's) can't run with RB's and slot receivers over the middle, like Hightower was being asked to do last season. So why were people shocked when Hightower got beat so often. Why did they feel the need to berate him for something entirely out of his control.

6. We are the 3rd best D in total yds in the league. And more importantly the FIFTH best scoring D in the league, and that's despite giving up 33 in the first game.

7. Revis is every bit as good as what we've hoped. IIRC at least 3 of those passes completed against him vs Oakland could just as easily been picked or incompletions, that's how tight the coverage was. I can think of only one pass this season where you could honestly say he was "beaten" on a route. I'll take that in a league that specifically legislates the advantage to the passing game.

8. Pat Chung's pl;ay has exceed even the biggest homer's expectations. (and the whiners are pissed )

9. Nate Ebner is getting meaningful snaps as a DB and doing well

10. Tavon Wilson seems to playing well when he replaces Chung in passing situations in sub packages.

Still if you think fantasy football points are the object of the game, then it probably IS time to panic.

I think Revis has not been as good as we have hoped, but then again most of us were expecting this superman who would shut down the entire left side of the field. But that said, people are going way, way overboard with talking down his performance. As you said, many of the passes he gave up were in tight coverage. But most importantly, most of them were short nothing passes.

The directive (as Revis said) has been to CBs to not give up the big play and the Pats haven't. So far they have given up 6 passing plays of over 20 yards or 2 per game. Last year, the Pats gave up 55 passing plays of 20 yards or more or 3.4 per game. So there is a clear measurable stat that shows Revis is making an impact. And the last few years, the Pats were non-discriminating about which QB they would give up big plays whether it was Peyton or a rookie like Derek Carr.

 

[Seacoast Fan]

Yes! Yes I can. The object is to win games! This attitude is ridiculous, it's negative loser thinking.

No, RC you are wrong. You cannot be happy. That is an order. Understand? You MUST be unhappy.
if I come back to this thread and find that you are in fact happy, well, let's just say, at that time you and I will both be unhappy.
And don't think I won't catch intermittent moments of giddiness on other threads.

 

[Bruins29]

Is it so impossible to think that the Raiders was a trap game?

A trap game is a team playing well and winning and having overconfidence taking a team with a worse record for granted.

The Pats were not playing well and should not have been confident so I dont think at that juncture of the season (where there were embarrassed just a game before) they should have been taking anyone for granted. If they were, than there is a big problem.

The pats Offense just did not play well/execute. Simple as that.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I fear this will be a short thread. It will never catch on with the drama queens. I mean how can you beat your breast and claim to know more than the professionals who have the best record in fooall over for over a decade, when you are saying positive things. We all know is SOOOOOO much easier to tear something down, than to build it up.

We may very well lose this game because ANY road game is hard in the NFL, and KC is one of the toughest venues in the league to come in and play at. KC also has one of the most productive QB's over the last couple of years, and THE most productive RB. They also have 2 of the best Pass rushers in the league in Hali and Houston. What could possibly go wrong.

I will be ecstatic, if we beat KC @ KC. This was one of the four losses in my 12-4 preseason prediction. Meanwhile were 2-1 even amidst the O-line reconstruction.

Nice OP, Rob. There are a LOT of positives we can garner from the first 3 games.

1. We have stopped the bleeding from the first game gashing of out run D.

Siliga's unavailability hurt the Run defense against Miami. Let's hope it doesn't against KC.

2. We have a secondary that is feared, rather that exploited, for a change. And that's a secondary that's a secondary that's missing 2 key contributors (Browner and Dennard)

3. We have lost only one starter for any length of time (Siliga) and have several key players getting healthier with every game. When was the last time we could say that.

4. Ridley has run well and not fumbled. Though I'm amazed at so many RB's who seem to fumble all the time yet continually get a pass from both fans and the media. (see Demarco Murray with 3 fumbles already). It only points out how unfair the media and certain fans have been to Ridley.

No one respects BB coaching. Have you all forgotten that BB benched Faulk too, until he altered the way he carried the ball, and acrried it more protectively ? Faulk went on to have a great career.

5. Hightower has been playing to his potential and we've seen more explosive plays from him in 3 games than we've seen in 2 years. BTW- I think too much attention has been made of his improved pass coverage. A lot of that has to do with the fact he now has coverage on the outside rather than the middle.

BB has never made a complete mistake in his First Round selections. "High" is coming into his own.

BTW- I never understood why he took so much heat last year. 90% of all ILB's (and 100% of 270lb LB's) can't run with RB's and slot receivers over the middle, like Hightower was being asked to do last season. So why were people shocked when Hightower got beat so often. Why did they feel the need to berate him for something entirely out of his control.

6. We are the 3rd best D in total yds in the league. And more importantly the FIFTH best scoring D in the league, and that's despite giving up 33 in the first game.

I agreee with Deus the second half in Miami was an anomaly. We gave up lots of yards and 23 of the 49 surrendered in 3 games,simply becuase Siliga, Jones, Easley, Buchanon were dinged and we couldn't rotate players in the fierce Summer Heat.

7. Revis is every bit as good as what we've hoped. IIRC at least 3 of those passes completed against him vs Oakland could just as easily been picked or incompletions, that's how tight the coverage was. I can think of only one pass this season where you could honestly say he was "beaten" on a route. I'll take that in a league that specifically legislates the advantage to the passing game.

I agree, completely. Some fans must have something to criticiize.

8. Pat Chung's pl;ay has exceed even the biggest homer's expectations. (and the whiners are pissed )

9. Nate Ebner is getting meaningful snaps as a DB and doing well

10. Tavon Wilson seems to playing well when he replaces Chung in passing situations in sub packages.

I'm glad to see someone other than me is noticing the Safety play of all thre players. "Different strokes for different folks" has always been a Belichick formula for success. He doesn't ask people to do what they can't do well.

Still if you think fantasy football points are the object of the game, then it probably IS time to panic.

 

[Rob0729]

A trap game is a team playing well and winning and having overconfidence taking a team with a worse record for granted.

The Pats were not playing well and should not have been confident so I dont think at that juncture of the season (where there were embarrassed just a game before) they should have been taking anyone for granted. If they were, than there is a big problem.

The pats Offense just did not play well/execute. Simple as that.

The Pats did blow out the Vikes. The same Vikings that were only losing by 4 points vs. the Saints going into the fourth quarter last week. People are overstating how bad the Pats have been playing.

 

[PATS16N0]

Negative Nancies should put on a Jet jersey just for one week, go to a Metlife game, watch a mismanaged meltdown, get told to #*%# off by the QB, visit Jet player twitters on the drive home to read about how you should have better kids, visit the official team website before going to sleep to hear Ryan is sticking with Geno, participate in Jets Insider scream fests for the duration of the night, then, afterwards, come back and share any new perspectives you might have.

It ain't so bad

 

[1960Pats]

One positive is the 2-1 record, in spite of some uneven play by our offense. Is it ok to call our offense uneven without being labeled a whimp or a negative Nancy?

Another positive is the health of the players. That new team doctor seems to be working out well.

I really like the new and improved defense too. After all, it's still defenses that wins championships. It pretty much has always been that way and probably always will be.

The two biggest positives can't be overlooked though, and those are Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the match made in football heaven.

I still reserve the right to complain though, just not in this thread.

 

[Jackson 2]

Is it so impossible to think that the Raiders was a trap game?

No, I think you're on to something. It may have been a game which the Pats unintentionally took lightly. 2 road games to start the year, Oakland coming east for the second time in 3 weeks and the comforts of home, so to speak. I don't think that was the whole story, but I think it contributed.

 

[State]

Vereen catching passes and staying healthy. And Patrick Chung's new-lease on life as a starting safety.

Many didn't see that coming. I've always like Chung. Good attitude.

 

[captain stone]

Time to focus on the positives after tonight's game:

Ahhh…

Errr…

Hmmm…

 

[1960Pats]

Time to focus on the positives after tonight's game:

Ahhh…

Errr…

Hmmm…

KC didn't score 50.

The Pats got their first 2nd half TD of the season, and they got two of them.

 

[borg]

Rooting for Slater, the Pats one hope for the Pro Bowl

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Positive?

The Patriots have lots of money and cap space.

While other teams such as the Seahawks and Broncos concentrate on getting the best players they can, the Patriots concentrate on getting the cheapest. The good teams spend the offseason trying to upgrade while the Patriots spend the offseason firing expensive players, hiring cheap one, and re-negotiating anyone they can get away with.