Why is it so difficult to completely believe in the Pats?

Why do you find it so hard to believe?

Personally, I have more confidence in this team than 2007 in some ways. This team is peaking now and basically blowing out teams. The 2007 team was slowing down by playoff time.

I totally believe in this team. It has something special like 2001 and 2003. Both those teams were teams that came out of nowhere and everyone overlooked them (at least until late in the season) and they had a special mental make up. There was a focus there.

I think 2004 and 2007 were different because they were dominant teams right off the bat and they were the team to beat from day one.

blackglass3 said:

I'm concerned, also. We've seen what happens when the younger players start to believe their press clippings...it was the Browns game. I worry if the #1 seed has gone to their heads. I hope BB and TB have been drilling it into their heads that they haven't accomplished sh!t yet.

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i think brady and belichik have been drilling this into the teams head.

Brady always says that they havent done **** in his interviews

blackglass3 said:

I'm concerned, also. We've seen what happens when the younger players start to believe their press clippings...it was the Browns game. I worry if the #1 seed has gone to their heads. I hope BB and TB have been drilling it into their heads that they haven't accomplished sh!t yet.

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If it wasn't for the Browns' and Packers' games, that might be more of an issue. I think the young players have seen what can happen when you get too full of yourself.

Also, Belichick has played the bye week perfectly by showing the entire team each player's video lowlights to keep them humble. Every player who commented on that session this week said it was a very humbling experience.

I think after Giants' Super Bowl and the Colts' Championship Game, I've always felt like no game is a given, unless we pay the Bills.

yea, that colts championship game was a huge choke



come on pats, shut the jests up!

bruce_w said:

This team is the surest bet to win I have seen since the 80's 49ers. Enjoy the ride, it will be fun.

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I feel the same way. Praying for some lopsided playoff scores same as those Niners got, too.

There are definitely a few reasons to be worried...

1. How young the defense is and its lack of experience in the playoffs.

2. Too much of a reliance on Brady. If he struggles the Pats are doomed.

3. The defenses not having played in many wire to wire close games, could be an issue if it is close throughout.

4. Dependence on the turnover. What if the Pats dont force any turnovers?

5. Weak DL. With so many guys out this could definitely effect the game.

The Patriots havent made any of these become an issue this season so you wouldnt expect it to become an issue now, but this is the playoffs and its a whole new season. Anything can happen

Why is it so difficult to believe? For me, I've been a boston sports fan for 40years. That should tell you enough, if not. How about the 75 redsox, the 78? the 86? Maybe the all the Bruins teams that failed after Bobby Orr left, No Bruin fan alive in 79 will ever forget the " Too many men on the Ice" that cost them the Cup. How about the BS roughing the passer in Oakland? 85 Bears ring a bell? The Colts game? Or just 2 years ago? Hello... we been Boston sports fans all our lives and a couple glorious seasons will never erase the heartache we all felt since childhood.

The Dynasty said:

There are definitely a few reasons to be worried...

1. How young the defense is and its lack of experience in the playoffs.

2. Too much of a reliance on Brady. If he struggles the Pats are doomed.

3. The defenses not having played in many wire to wire close games, could be an issue if it is close throughout.

4. Dependence on the turnover. What if the Pats dont force any turnovers?

5. Weak DL. With so many guys out this could definitely effect the game.

The Patriots havent made any of these become an issue this season so you wouldnt expect it to become an issue now, but this is the playoffs and its a whole new season. Anything can happen

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these two make me very nervous the most

Brady has played near flawless football the last 8 weeks, I doubt he can keep it up. They have established the run game so that takes some pressure off of Brady.

It's not difficult for me to completely believe in the Patriots. You either believe in this team or you don't. It's that simple....

The most important thing that matters, is that this Patriots team believe in themselves....

swheeler23 said:

Brady has played near flawless football the last 8 weeks, I doubt he can keep it up. They have established the run game so that takes some pressure off of Brady.

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God, I hate this. This law of averages BS is what the analysts have been saying all day. So, let me get this straight, no one can figure out how to beat the Patriots, but the "Law of Averages" says that eventually they'll beat themselves. Hmm, sounds like sound football logic there.

I believe in the Pats and until they're out of the playoffs.

TX_Patriot said:

God, I hate this. This law of averages BS is what the analysts have been saying all day. So, let me get this straight, no one can figure out how to beat the Patriots, but the "Law of Averages" says that eventually they'll beat themselves. Hmm, sounds like sound football logic there.

I believe in the Pats and until they're out of the playoffs.

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I believe in the Patriots, but that does not mean they will win.
Why do I think they will lose?
1. a young defense with little playoff experience, who knows how they react. Although I think they have improved the last 10 games of the season
2. Third and long... on defense .(has gotten better)
3. Brady has a bad game, the run game should take some of the pressure off
4. They lost last year at home so they can lose at home. I used to think home games were automatic wins.
This team has won more games this year than I thought they were capable of. I thought they would be 10-6. The defense has matured and gotten better with each game. If they play mistake free football and the defense can get the Jets off the field on third downs they will win.

I agree that after 2007 and the Baltimore game last year there will always be anxiety and nervousness prior to a big game.

But more than that, I think a lot of us invested a lot of time in this team (on my own end perhaps more than I should have ) and to see everything that the team has accomplished this year be completely wiped out because of a poorly played game is scary, no matter who the opponent is. One of the things that makes football great is that on "any given Sunday" any team can win. And there are no second chances in the NFL playoffs so the stress level can get pretty high.

We have spent an offseason evaluating the team's moves and than an additional 4+ months watching every game, discussing the games here, listening to analysts on the radio and TV and more generally forming a sort of bond with the team.

Watching the Patriots team this year (and specifically watching Tom play this season), I think a lot of posters here (and fans in general), including me, see something special with this team and have high expectations for them. But the fact of the matter is that anything can happen and that is a scary concept.

This season has been so special that I just don't want to lose it. And to lose it to our fierce rivals, a team led by a trash talking coach with a bunch of trash talking players, would not do this team justice. It just seems wrong. And while I don't think it will happen, and I think the Patriots are the better team, anything can happen.

Granted I am probably more neurotic when it comes to things like this, but I think a lot of fans are probably along the same wavelength as me.

Additionally, living in NY now (I grew up outside Boston until college), I don't want to have to deal with the devastation of a loss.

swheeler23 said:

I believe in the Patriots, but that does not mean they will win.
Why do I think they will lose?

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Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems to me like you've been predicting the Pats will not win for about three or four years now.

How exactly does that equate to believing in the Patriots?

swheeler23 said:

I believe in the Patriots, but that does not mean they will win.
Why do I think they will lose?
1. a young defense with little playoff experience, who knows how they react. Although I think they have improved the last 10 games of the season
2. Third and long... on defense .(has gotten better)
3. Brady has a bad game, the run game should take some of the pressure off
4. They lost last year at home so they can lose at home. I used to think home games were automatic wins.
This team has won more games this year than I thought they were capable of. I thought they would be 10-6. The defense has matured and gotten better with each game. If they play mistake free football and the defense can get the Jets off the field on third downs they will win.

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Those are all valid points...

My point is, you can't say that their run of mistake free football will end just because the universe is aligned against them, which is what the Law of Averages says. It's just a dumb way to analyze football games and that's what some analysts have started to do.

They pick against the Pats because they're due for a loss...wow, just wow.

As for the 'law of averages argument', it works this way:

- If stats support my opinion, then it proves my point.

- If stats don't support my opinion, then the law of averages says that the opposite will happen - and that proves my point.

Ron Sellers said:

As for the 'law of averages argument', it works this way:

- If stats support my opinion, then it proves my point.

- If stats don't support my opinion, then the law of averages says that the opposite will happen - and that proves my point.

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I agree completely. I saw on ESPN that supposedly the "experts" like the Jets because the Patriots were due for some turnovers. I wanted to punch somebody for being stupid.

Ron Sellers said:

As for the 'law of averages argument', it works this way:

- If stats support my opinion, then it proves my point.

- If stats don't support my opinion, then the law of averages says that the opposite will happen - and that proves my point.

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Exactly!

lol...I may need to use this logic on my kids at some point.