Adversity

[PatsFanInVa]

If this loss was some kind of isolated incident I wouldn't worry much, ****ting the bed a couple times per year is basically to be expected.

The problem is that the Pats already similarly **** the bed against not-good teams on the road three other times before this. This team is giving off a lot of 2009 vibes.

Sigh. It's not 2008, it's not 2009, it's not 2007, it's not 2001 or 2014, it's only this year. It's only right now.

I mean, if we stand back, look, and say "we weren't good enough today" that's hardly much of a bulletin board.

But we can flap our jaws from now until next year and we won't know anything more than we know right now about the reality of right now. Next week can result in everybody being in football heaven or hell or whatever else there is--and we still wont know the story until the last line for the Pats this season is written, as in, elimination or victory.

Because we lost a close -- and important -- game in Miami, does not mean very much. It means that if anybody thinks we MUST play in Gillette to win, they can stop watching. Otherwise, HFA is traditionally worth 3 points in the oddmakers' eyes. Feh.

As to the defense I have a few thoughts for another thread.... might or might not be worth reading.

 

[archstanton543]

Sigh. It's not 2008, it's not 2009, it's not 2007, it's not 2001 or 2014, it's only this year. It's only right now.

Yeah, it is right now, this team stinks...just like 2008.

 

[Triumph]

The 2018 NEP defense is Jekyll and Hyde.

Great some weeks and a colander the next. Today even, at times the defense looked championship worthy stopping the Phins and on the next series they were giving up field position in miles. Bending and breaking.

The only thing that the defense is consistent about is playing bad.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Yeah, it is right now, this team stinks...just like 2008.

After a loss one always feels that the team stinks, because winning is binary, whatever we say here.

However good they were, they were/were not good enough that day.

Today is after a loss.

We have never gone 19-0.

This team always stinks at various points in the season, including when we win the Super Bowl.

QED.

 

[Redman443]

The 2018 NEP defense is Jekyll and Hyde.

Great some weeks and a colander the next. Today even, at times the defense looked championship worthy stopping the Phins and on the next series they were giving up field position in miles. Bending and breaking.

The only thing that the defense is consistent about is playing bad.

We beat the chiefs. The only other team to do it was the rams.

 

[archstanton543]

After a loss one always feels that the team stinks, because winning is binary, whatever we say here.

However good they were, they were/were not good enough that day.

Today is after a loss.

We have never gone 19-0.

This team always stinks at various points in the season, including when we win the Super Bowl.

QED.

Yeah yeah yeah. Nobody's perfect. Look on the bright side of life. At least it's not raining. When god closes a window he opens a door. Etc etc etc.

Sorry if I don't hold football opinions that come out of a fortune cookie in that high regard.

 

[Triumph]

We beat the chiefs. The only other team to do it was the rams.

Yep by 3 points in a shootout.

Whoever has the ball last wins similar to basketball. Play for the last shot.

 

[Redman443]

Yep by 3 points in a shootout.

Whoever has the ball last wins similar to basketball. Play for the last shot.

Well now there’s literally no room for error. If we lose again, it’s off to the wild card round. Belichick doesn’t do well in the wild card round. That bye is crucial to winning.

 

[1960Pats]

"I just can't get these guys to play they way they need to".

Let's say that that's the case. Is that on the players or the coaching?

 

[archstanton543]

Let's say that that's the case. Is that on the players or the coaching?

Both.

 

[archstanton543]

Well now there’s literally no room for error. If we lose again, it’s off to the wild card round. Belichick doesn’t do well in the wild card round. That bye is crucial to winning.

He does well in the Wild Card round. It's the Divisional round after a Wild Card game that doesn't go well.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Sigh. It's not 2008, it's not 2009, it's not 2007, it's not 2001 or 2014, it's only this year. It's only right now.

I mean, if we stand back, look, and say "we weren't good enough today" that's hardly much of a bulletin board.

But we can flap our jaws from now until next year and we won't know anything more than we know right now about the reality of right now. Next week can result in everybody being in football heaven or hell or whatever else there is--and we still wont know the story until the last line for the Pats this season is written, as in, elimination or victory.

Because we lost a close -- and important -- game in Miami, does not mean very much. It means that if anybody thinks we MUST play in Gillette to win, they can stop watching. Otherwise, HFA is traditionally worth 3 points in the oddmakers' eyes. Feh.

As to the defense I have a few thoughts for another thread.... might or might not be worth reading.

In Brady's career, the Pats in the playoffs are 19-3 at home vs. 3-4 on the road (and 5-3 on neutral fields). They've won 8 straight at Gillette since their last loss. The past 5 years can be summarized as "they make the Super Bowl if they have home field, but lose in the AFCCG if it's on the road".

Obviously there's a lot of correlation vs. causation and sample size issues there, and any trend can be broken with an especially good or especially bad run, but I can't get on board with the idea that it matters only a little.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yeah, it is right now, this team stinks...just like 2008.

2010 is more alike to this one

 

[bormio]

This stupidity already happened once this year - if Trubisky throws the ball one yard further.

 

[BradyFTW!]

We beat the chiefs. The only other team to do it was the rams.

We've beaten every good team we've played. The problem is that we can't reliably beat bad teams.

Maybe that's the plan - all the bad teams aren't making the playoffs anyway, so we can't lose

 

[Doctor DDS]

Chiefs in a dogfight with the Ravens at home after barely beating the Raiders. Steelers are struggling at Oakland, Texans just lost to the Colts. The AFC is wide open. Loss today hurts as as it would have made the 2 seed highly likely even if they lose to the Steelers. This team is flawed but there is no game in the AFC where they'd be more than a small underdog regardless of where it was played.

 

[aluminum seats]

OK, bright side alert.

The fact that Kansas City won is actually a good thing. Let’s hope they run the table. They will be seen, rightly, as the alpha dog in the AFC this year. So if and when the Pats go to KC, there’s no pressure on them, they will be the underdogs. I like Brady and Belichick and the Pats in that scenario. Let’s get there and see.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

In Brady's career, the Pats in the playoffs are 19-3 at home vs. 3-4 on the road (and 5-3 on neutral fields). They've won 8 straight at Gillette since their last loss. The past 5 years can be summarized as "they make the Super Bowl if they have home field, but lose in the AFCCG if it's on the road".

Obviously there's a lot of correlation vs. causation and sample size issues there, and any trend can be broken with an especially good or especially bad run, but I can't get on board with the idea that it matters only a little.

I gave you the agree on the strengths of your caveats rather than your argument

However, you're right on the strength of the small sample size we do have.

PS, the thoughts I had on the D? I began checking some stats, and they weren't thoughts. If you asked Wolfgang Pauli whether they were right, he'd say "They're not even wrong." (Or if you asked Scott Pioli, for that matter.)

That said, is this team as good as the 2007 Pats? No. Is this team as good as the 2007 Giants? Maybe.

I'll leave this board to brighter lights, and go back to the fortune cookies

 

[TomPatriot]

This is not a championship team though...what does this season have in common w past Patriots title teams? Absolutely nothing...

Who looks like a championship team? Frankly, no one looks dominant.

 

[XLIX]

If they beat ****tsburgh next week, then today will just be a footnote en route to the #2 seed.

If they lose next week, then it's bye-bye to the bye, and a lousy January on the horizon.