Patriots Pregame Thread Pats-Ratbirds thread

[Real fan 02]

They haven't learned the lesson all season with TE's. We're going to get hurt by these 2 because we don't have the Safety experience or coverage ability. Maybe they should give Saunders a shot soon. He's a big physical presence and his college/preseason tape is pretty good.

Good points... with Spillane out I'd thought for sure Vrabel would elevate someone.. guess not?

 

[Real fan 02]

Our special teamers play more snaps than anyone else in the league.
Hopefully next year, they'll be back to just playing on special teams.

Good points.. they do try hard and hustle but the talents just not there.

 

[TommyD4207]

Good points... with Spillane out I'd thought for sure Vrabel would elevate someone.. guess not?

Literally who though?
Who is he elevating that would make any difference?

 

[patfanken]

This looks like the perfect story line for a loss that the Pats have had all year. THEY are beat up, while the other team is getting healthier. THEY are questioning themselves. THEIR all-world QB is suddenly not so "all world". THEIR brilliant OC looks like he will be fired after one bad half, etc, etc, etc.

Well, it's all true. They ARE beat up and missing key people, and they are going on the road to meet with a desperate team who seems to be getting better. So, it doesn't look good...according to the mediots and most of us here. But while I watched the Bears/Packers for most of the night, I couldn't help drawing the comparison. Here you had a Packers team losing their top player and beat up in other areas, going against a hot team on the road. And except for the most amazing and luckiest 2 minutes I have ever seen, walked away with the win. Man, the Bears have had SOOOOOO much good luck this season. Well, we are the Packers in this scenario, and the story line looks the same. Except we don't blow the 10-point lead with 2 minutes to play.

How to win? We have to play a clean game. We have to run the ball. And finally, we have to get some ****ing TURNOVERS. This is a character game for the Pats. This is an adversity game. This is the game where I hope we see Drake Maye to his best imitation of Josh Allen. This is a game where I hope we see, Maye have at least 3 designated runs and Boutte takes one deep.

At any rate this is going to be an interesting game to watch and comment on afterwords.

 

[Grogan14]

Pats are going to get spanked tonight. Hope I am wrong but Ravens will be amped.
Pats run D has been bad and Henry will exploit.
Pats beat tanking Jets and Dolphins easily and finish 13-4.
Lose in first round of playoffs.
Draft pick in the 27 range

 

[mgteich]

Good points... with Spillane out I'd thought for sure Vrabel would elevate someone.. guess not?

elevating a player means that someone else in now inactive.

So, when you see the inactives, suggest who you might want elevated and who would be your additional inactive.

 

[mgteich]

Pats are going to get spanked tonight. Hope I am wrong but Ravens will be amped.
Pats run D has been bad and Henry will exploit.
Pats beat tanking Jets and Dolphins easily and finish 13-4.
Lose in first round of playoffs.
Draft pick in the 27 range

We have a good shot at winning our first round game at home, likely against LAC or JAX.

 

[condon84]

This is essentially a playoff game for the Ravens. Every game for them is an elimination game at this point if they want to get into the playoffs.

This will be another good test for the team to see how they fair against a team who's playing not to be eliminated.

I think the Ravens are going to be able to run especially with Spillane out. They're gonna score in the upper 20s.

Our offense will have to win this game imo. I think they can: 35-28

Would love for them to win so I can hear all the Ravens fans whine on sports radio the next day here in MD.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The good news is that this game is on national television. The bad news is we're going to hear the announcing of Mike Tirico who says random **** and the rambling of Chris Collinsworth. The ESPN Sunday night crew was the best.

 

[Real fan 02]

Literally who though?
Who is he elevating that would make any difference?

A poster referenced Saunders at S..

 

[Real fan 02]

I thought he really was turning the corner, he had like 3 or 4 good games in a row, and then completely **** the bed against Buffalo. If he can't even spy Josh Allen, there's no point in him being here.

Yes, he appeared as if he was coming on.. and he's got the speed and agility to spy Allen, Jackson ( well probably this version of Jackson) if he's out there tonight and he's not showing up I doubt we see him much the rest of the way..

 

[TommyD4207]

A poster referenced Saunders at S..

He's just another practice-squad level player though.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The good news is that this game is on national television. The bad news is we're going to hear the announcing of Mike Tirico who says random **** and the rambling of Chris Collinsworth. The ESPN Sunday night crew was the best.

As much as i hate this getting moved to primetime its good experience for the team. Gonna need to perform big under some lights if we are going to last in January

 

[Real fan 02]

As much as i hate this getting moved to primetime its good experience for the team. Gonna need to perform big under some lights if we are going to last in January

They have had a few night games Buffalo, giants and now Ravens they should at least be comfortable with the experience. I like the internal sense of urgency they have and or pressure they may put on themselves.

 

[Real fan 02]

He's just another practice-squad level player though.

I know that this current although a flawed roster is good enough to be competitive... if Vrabel had truth serum he'd admit he didn't see 11-3.. the 2026 offseason is going to be very Imperative to the future of the team.

 

[jdlboot14]

Pats are going to get spanked tonight. Hope I am wrong but Ravens will be amped.
Pats run D has been bad and Henry will exploit.
Pats beat tanking Jets and Dolphins easily and finish 13-4.
Lose in first round of playoffs.
Draft pick in the 27 range

We have a good shot at winning our first round game at home, likely against LAC or JAX.

I agree with both. Sam Bam is likely right. And mgteich is also right - if we face Chargers or Jags they have a very bad history of coming to cold weather teams in wildcard rounds, so we could win 1 game. But, I can't see Pats winning 2 playoff games with our roster. Still, sitting where we're at today is an amazing blessing and has been quite a fun ride.

 

[moosekill]

As @UGAPatsfan perfectly said.. their is no threat from anyone else for a OC to have to worry about.. if Barmore is occupying multiple blockers shouldn't that allow for other guys to make plays?

It is tiring to read your posts. Please just stop.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

We have a good shot at winning our first round game at home, likely against LAC or JAX.

I hear you. Not so sure I share that same optimism. I hope you are right.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

This looks like the perfect story line for a loss that the Pats have had all year. THEY are beat up, while the other team is getting healthier. THEY are questioning themselves. THEIR all-world QB is suddenly not so "all world". THEIR brilliant OC looks like he will be fired after one bad half, etc, etc, etc.

Well, it's all true. They ARE beat up and missing key people, and they are going on the road to meet with a desperate team who seems to be getting better. So, it doesn't look good...according to the mediots and most of us here. But while I watched the Bears/Packers for most of the night, I couldn't help drawing the comparison. Here you had a Packers team losing their top player and beat up in other areas, going against a hot team on the road. And except for the most amazing and luckiest 2 minutes I have ever seen, walked away with the win. Man, the Bears have had SOOOOOO much good luck this season. Well, we are the Packers in this scenario, and the story line looks the same. Except we don't blow the 10-point lead with 2 minutes to play.

How to win? We have to play a clean game. We have to run the ball. And finally, we have to get some ****ing TURNOVERS. This is a character game for the Pats. This is an adversity game. This is the game where I hope we see Drake Maye to his best imitation of Josh Allen. This is a game where I hope we see, Maye have at least 3 designated runs and Boutte takes one deep.

At any rate this is going to be an interesting game to watch and comment on afterwords.

It's a pretty good gut check game. I think what we saw last week was a combination of not having that extra gear when it's needed -- not realizing deep down that it's "war" -- and also, perhaps, not being "that team" yet... bc Drake is not "that guy," yet. It's also possible that Drake's just not "that guy" and won't be, but I don't like to think about that. Plenty of room for the "yet" to apply. But we need him to be able to keep the game going even when the D needs help - and he couldn't in the second half, last week.

Now we're talking about how our side is banged up, our brilliant OC looks like he will fired, etc., which I understand you're saying tongue-in-cheek-ish-ly. But we're not the only banged-up team in the league (or in this game.) We can say and think what we want, but THEY need to be finding ways to win, not reasons they lost...

We have to watch and hope that this week, we (1) start strong per last week and (2) remember the problem of having to win 2 halves of football.

Yes, to all the hoped-for outcomes (generate TOs, yes to trusting the running game -- what's not to trust?, yes to a "clean game," although that's as much on the refs as the Pats. The "there's holding-on-every-play" asterisk applies to "just don't give them anything to call."

But then there's that last factor: Want it more. NEED it. Tough to do when, in literal terms, they NEED it and we just WANT it. That's what TFB was able to do, and it was infectious.

Anyway, as you say, it'll be fun to watch and comment on

 

[VJCPatriot]

This looks like the perfect story line for a loss that the Pats have had all year. THEY are beat up, while the other team is getting healthier. THEY are questioning themselves. THEIR all-world QB is suddenly not so "all world". THEIR brilliant OC looks like he will be fired after one bad half, etc, etc, etc.

Well, it's all true. They ARE beat up and missing key people, and they are going on the road to meet with a desperate team who seems to be getting better. So, it doesn't look good...according to the mediots and most of us here. But while I watched the Bears/Packers for most of the night, I couldn't help drawing the comparison. Here you had a Packers team losing their top player and beat up in other areas, going against a hot team on the road. And except for the most amazing and luckiest 2 minutes I have ever seen, walked away with the win. Man, the Bears have had SOOOOOO much good luck this season. Well, we are the Packers in this scenario, and the story line looks the same. Except we don't blow the 10-point lead with 2 minutes to play.

How to win? We have to play a clean game. We have to run the ball. And finally, we have to get some ****ing TURNOVERS. This is a character game for the Pats. This is an adversity game. This is the game where I hope we see Drake Maye to his best imitation of Josh Allen. This is a game where I hope we see, Maye have at least 3 designated runs and Boutte takes one deep.

At any rate this is going to be an interesting game to watch and comment on afterwords.

Our injury list going into the game is not good.

We're missing two starting corners in Marcus Jones and Carlton Davis. We're missing starting LBs Spillner and Ellis. Barmore is also questionable.

On top of all that this is a road game in a hostile environment.

We're going to need guys who have been backup or practice squad players to step up on defense big time.

I'm hoping we can get the bounce back win but I wouldn't be surprised by a loss either.

I wish we had an afternoon game but I guess the schedule makers moved the Patriots to prime time because of playoff implications.