“It’ll take us years to contend”

[captain stone]

They wanted to come here this year

Yeah, if we paid them the most.

That shouldn't have to be the case next offseason.

 

[TheRainMaker]

They did make the Super Bowl and almost won the thing, so maybe they did have business.

They needed a miracle to beat Buffalo who started Rob Johnson and was awful. Had Flutie played, Titans lose.

 

[Ring 6]

Yeah, if we paid them the most.

That shouldn't have to be the case next offseason.

No different than any team.

 

[TommyD4207]

They needed a miracle to beat Buffalo who started Rob Johnson and was awful. Had Flutie played, Titans lose.

Had Flutie played, they probably win a Super Bowl, but hey, that's why the Bills are the Bills.

 

[fnordcircle]

Because it is fun. Shove it up their ass.

And here I thought watching our team win was fun.

Turns out I've been missing the key ingredient of being a fan all along: spite!

 

[captain stone]

Even if Maye became an above average starter, we’re probably still in playoff contention. There were many that insisted the playoffs weren’t even on the table.

Yeah I was one of those, especially after week 3, another home loss, to the Squealers this time... Lotta bad, bad football in that one...

I however never subscribed to the theory that it takes 3-4 years to rebuild. Up to the early 1990s that might've been true; not now.

 

[captain stone]

I think they knew it was a draft choice. I don’t know of any LT that they pursued.

I thought I read/heard that they would've pursued Ronnie Stanley had he not signed a 3-year extension before the free agency period began...

 

[uknepatsfan]

I know I’m fairly new here, but….

What was the point of this thread, other than for a few posters to beat their chest and tell us how smarter than everyone else they were by obviously knowing before the season started that the Pats would be this good?

 

[n1997y]

Agree. I myself was ready to call one of the FAs a bust. Davis... but I've changed that thinking. He's come on strong lately. We also have 3 rookies well 4 actually starters in borregales, Campbell, Woodson, Wilson. All playing well. Also Williams is also contributing and making plays.

Even veterans like Hawkins under the coaching and system have been playing well.

Isn’t the long snapper also a rookie?

 

[n1997y]

As far as coaching goes, I think the biggest thing Vrabel has done is establish a culture. I don’t know how many players I have heard say it that this is one of the best, if not the best, locker rooms they have been a part of.

Yes!

I think a good example was his choice to have Tavai lead the locker room breakdown after the MNF game. From the few words Tavai spoke before breaking them down it was clear what the support during his absence for personal business meant to him. I’m sure it meant as much to his teammates, just as I’m sure that’s why Vrabel had him lead that particular locker room ritual.

It’s the little things. That are really big.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

And here I thought watching our team win was fun.

Turns out I've been missing the key ingredient of being a fan all along: spite!

Even old dog fnordcircle can learn new tricks.

 

[Uncle Rico]

By any measure the turn-around from last year is extraordinary and rare. We all saw great promise in Maye last year — but even as there was hype about having a big second year, I'd be surprised if anyone on this board or elsewhere seriously predicted what we are seeing. On the other end you'd be hard pressed to find anyone thinking five years to contend. There was a thread earlier in this run and I know I'm not the only one who thought it was premature to spend big on someone like Diggs at this stage of team building. But that's just the sort of move that went exactly right. (I almost called the signing "debatable" but of course these days everything is debatable, lol).

Anyway .. here's a reminder of where the board thought the team would go this year:

Thread '2025 Patriots Season Predictions'

Aug 27, 2025

Well, it's that time, once again.
Time for 2025 Season Predictions

The roster is (kinda) set.
Vrabes, Josh, and Terrell Williams head up a much more seasoned coaching staff.
All eyes are on Maye.
For many of us, alcohol is on hand for celebrations or lamentations.
Long term expectations are maybe higher than anytime since TFB was here.
Will the Pats be in the playoff hunt?
Will they be booking January tickets for Caribbean vacations by November?
You predict it all, right here!

We've got the regular season, maybe even including a playoff appearance(?), and around the league, we've got the...

• Nikolai
• Replies: 99
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

 

[Huckleberry1]

What's pissing me off is watching the talking heads whine about how easy our schedule is.

Sorry we took advantage of that and won.

I think we have played down to our opponents in a few games... however we looked superior in just about every game we played... it shows on the score.


I really hope we go all the way this year.

There's a really easy way to fix that, don't watch or listen to them.

 

[gobesmug]

I understand where you’re coming from. It’s normal to feel that way with a team that’s in its first year of ascension but there’s nothing “fluky” about this team.

We have the right HC and OC. We’ve drafted a franchise QB, a cornerstone LT and a lockdown CB…all of whom are still on their first contract. On top of that, we’ve hit on almost all of our FA signings and our draft (last season) with the current front office hopefully intact for years to come. I envision we’ll do well in FA and the draft for the foreseeable future.

Obviously no one knows the future for certain, but how could any Pats fan not be optimistic with the way things are stacked up for this team.

This comes across like you read the first part of his post without reading the final part because he pretty much says exactly this.

 

[upstater1]

Watching a QB play has a certain feel to it. You just get confidence from watching certain players do it. With Brady, I thought every with single snap only good things could happen, and when they didn't, I was sure good things would happen on the next snap.

I felt this way when we went against Manning or Marino. I dreaded watching them QB against us (Manning post 2004).

With Mac Jones, I felt like I was walking through one of those Horror Mazes at the Dead Malls all over America, waiting for the next jump scare.

I remember watching Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre in college (honestly, I only saw Favre in the Senior Bowl where he looked fantastic) and I thought the same thing, these guys just have a certain magic about them. Brady was like that at Michigan too. Only good things seemed to happen around him.

This kind of flair can be seen in other sports. Heck, I took my daughter to a Women's pro soccer game, and it was obvious which of the 22 players on the field had an extra gear and spark that no one else had. You could see it almost instantly.

Drake Maye gave me that confidence last year. Even though he had happy feet and was often jittery in the pocket, and abandoned it too early, you could see the confidence in his own abilities and also the way he threw the ball against pressure.

Now, I have felt this way also about QBs who turned out to be duds (Sam Bradford) or who are trending toward becoming duds (Josh Herbert) but I'd say that this feeling of confidence in a player is 90% on most of the time.

Drake Maye is not going to flame out on us.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Trying to make people eat crow about moderated expectations going into what has been a delightfully surprising season is quite possibly the most fanboard type of post here in a long time.

We’ve had a few threads like this already. All that’s missing is the megaphone and spotlight calling out each fan individually, demanding the walk of shame.

 

[Real fan 02]

Isn’t the long snapper also a rookie?

Yes, you're absolutely correct forgot about that. Feels good having a real offense and being in the top 10 and not having to talk about punters and kickers like we had to far to often the past few seasons.

 

[palialka]

This comes across like you read the first part of his post without reading the final part because he pretty much says exactly this.

I read the entire post.

Sure, my response echoed what he said in the final part but I was also addressing Hugepatsfan’s first paragraph where he expressed concern over this season being a fluke based on the example he gave.

Anyways, this season is not a fluke and we should all be happy how this team is set up moving forward.

 

[Real fan 02]

Watching a QB play has a certain feel to it. You just get confidence from watching certain players do it. With Brady, I thought every with single snap only good things could happen, and when they didn't, I was sure good things would happen on the next snap.

I felt this way when we went against Manning or Marino. I dreaded watching them QB against us (Manning post 2004).

With Mac Jones, I felt like I was walking through one of those Horror Mazes at the Dead Malls all over America, waiting for the next jump scare.

I remember watching Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre in college (honestly, I only saw Favre in the Senior Bowl where he looked fantastic) and I thought the same thing, these guys just have a certain magic about them. Brady was like that at Michigan too. Only good things seemed to happen around him.

This kind of flair can be seen in other sports. Heck, I took my daughter to a Women's pro soccer game, and it was obvious which of the 22 players on the field had an extra gear and spark that no one else had. You could see it almost instantly.

Drake Maye gave me that confidence last year. Even though he had happy feet and was often jittery in the pocket, and abandoned it too early, you could see the confidence in his own abilities and also the way he threw the ball against pressure.

Now, I have felt this way also about QBs who turned out to be duds (Sam Bradford) or who are trending toward becoming duds (Josh Herbert) but I'd say that this feeling of confidence in a player is 90% on most of the time.

Drake Maye is not going to flame out on us.

Absolutely agree with you Up. Drake oozes confidence, and has that element in him that the greats do.. the hunger for more. He doesn't settle, he doesn't get flustered when pressure is in his face. The total opposite of Jones. With disaster all around him with coaching and the 32nd ranked OL Drake was the only real reason to tune in last year.

This season he's gotten better each game and whenever he makes a mistake he comes right back and makes a play. The Buffalo game this year I feel was his national spotlight and he was phenomenal. That set the tone for the season in my estimation.

 

[Uncle Rico]

What's pissing me off is watching the talking heads whine about how easy our schedule is.

yeah, it's no easier than it was when they predicted last place before the season started (or before half this board predicted 7-10 wins ...)