What counts as "success" this year

looking better at the end of the year than the beginning

PowerRunRevival said:

I answered "the playoffs". I know we should be down on this team after how the season ended and then losing the GOAT. I just refuse to believe that a Belichick team will miss the playoffs.

We will move the ball on the ground and have a strong play action game. The defense will still be elite, we won't tank for a QB but compete for the division.

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The Gospel According To Bill (actually both Bill's)
We cannot satisfied without being in the playoff hunt right though the 17th game.

I agree

Success is Winovich at fullback.

Give me 8-8 and not a trainwreck at QB and I can dig it

Assuming we actually have something close to a football season...
As a geezer who suffered through decades in the wilderness of losing Patriots seasons, I'm happy with watching a new team develop and improve thru the season. I have no explicit title expectations for a very cap limited reconstruction year since we can't stock up on FAs cut.
I gotta admit it would kill me seeing Satan enable the Jete to sweep us this year but do not believe that would happen.

I was the 21th...

Gotta get to at least the AFCCG





Anything else is a failure.

I like watching well-coached teams--teams that play hard, don't beat themselves, don't quit and win more than their share of close games. If the Patriots continue to play that way this year, I'll consider the season a success. The record won't matter.

Spiral said:

I like watching well-coached teams--teams that play hard, don't beat themselves, don't quit and win more than their share of close games. If the Patriots continue to play that way this year, I'll consider the season a success. The record won't matter.

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So we'll mark you down for 2-14, as long as both wins are close games, then?

10+ wins
First Round Bye or WC Round Win

The best things they happen this year are the extremes. Stidham balls out like a mf’er and drags this team to the playoffs Witt a solid record and we know we can build around him regardless of the playoff results or he collapses and we fold and get a chance at Lawrence.

Mediocre is what will suck

Spiral said:

I like watching well-coached teams--teams that play hard, don't beat themselves, don't quit and win more than their share of close games. If the Patriots continue to play that way this year, I'll consider the season a success. The record won't matter.

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Deus Irae said:

So we'll mark you down for 2-14, as long as both wins are close games, then?

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If they play hard, don't beat themselves and don't quit in any of the other 14, the answer is yes. I think I'll always enjoy watching a Belichick-coached team.

This may not be a popular opinion here, but in a way, I admire NYJ fans. Yes, I know NY fans can be obnoxious jerks, but here's a team that hasn't won anything in over 50 years, but still has a large corps of die-hard fans. How many years without getting to the AFCCG would it take for you to stop rooting for the Patriots?

Spiral said:

If they play hard, don't beat themselves and don't quit in any of the other 14, the answer is yes. I think I'll always enjoy watching a Belichick-coached team.

This may not be a popular opinion here, but in a way, I admire NYJ fans. Yes, I know NY fans can be obnoxious jerks, but here's a team that hasn't won anything in over 50 years, but still has a large corps of die-hard fans. How many years without getting to the AFCCG would it take for you to stop rooting for the Patriots?

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hmm
There are many patriots fans who were fans for 40 years before winning a SB. Many post here.

I'd say there are some, but not many. I count myself as one of those, having gone to places like Fenway Park and Harvard Stadium to watch games. For the first 20 years or so, the Patriots were way behind the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics.

I was busy with military service and raising a family but remember the Babe Parilli,Larry Garron, Ron Burton, and Gino Cappelletti years......vaguely

Ah remember the good old days when the fans ran onto the field to help the players and in one game decided to warm things up in the stands at Boston College. As bad as things were back then in many ways I'd like to go back it was a lot more fun. Winning is great and won't ever regret seeing these super bowls, but then it just seemed like you were part of the team.

May just be me reminiscing too much.