A loss like this makes you realize how great they are...

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

It's games like this when we realize how much we take for granted. The Patriots aren't played by marionettes with a fixed outcome, even though it sometimes seems that way. The special teams, typically a perfect machine that never allows big plays, muffs punts, or makes poor mental decisions, is actually the work of human beings. As is the offense, which appears often times as calculated and brilliant as Gary Kasparov moving chess pieces in his prime, mistake free and as efficient as anyone. Tom Brady isn't given the other team's defensive formations and coverage patterns, although some conspiracy theorists might think so. And even though they very, very rarely lose at home and very, very rarely lose to "cupcake" opponent, there's no magic hand guiding them. It's all hard work, diligent preparation, and flawless execution against 45 other men, all with their same physical gifts, multi-million dollar contracts, and local fame.

So, before everyone goes off *****ing about how they disgusted, let's remember that that today's game is a frequent reality for most fanbases, and yes, lots of players just didn't play well, and lots of coaches just didn't coach well. Given enough games, that's bound to happen.

 

[smg93]

Agree. This last decade and a half has been incredible. Losses are surprising and that feeling is not felt by the vast majority of other fan bases.

On a side note, a game like today also makes you realize how important Slater is to this team.

 

[ivanvamp]

Every year it seems the Pats put up one "WTF" game. Last year against KC, then today, etc. What struck me was the following:

(1) These guys NEVER give up. They were down, inexplicably, 35-14 but did not stop fighting. If not for three dropped passes on that last drive, they even had a chance to maybe tie the game.

(2) It took the 11-2 Denver Broncos three fumble recoveries, major injuries by key Pats' players, and incomprehensibly bad refereeing to beat the Patriots in overtime at home. It took an average Eagles team two freak special teams plays and a 99-yard pick-six against a depleted Patriots' team that nearly doubled their yardage gained and had a dozen more first downs in order to beat the Patriots. Rarely do teams just line up and beat the Patriots straight up. Crazy things have to happen in order to win.

(3) If everyone returns healthy for the playoffs, nobody will want to play them. If they finish 12-4 with the 3 seed, but return everyone but Lewis and Solder (because both are on IR), then this team will be a major, major threat to win the AFC, even without HFA. Health is absolutely the key to this team moving forward.

(4) The offensive line needs to play better. Man I hate seeing Brady get hit like this.

(5) Brady, with very few weapons, no running game, a sieve for an offensive line, and a WR corps with a serious case of the dropsies, still threw for over 300 yards and 3 scores (plus one rushing) and very nearly brought them back from 21 down in the fourth quarter to tie the game. The guy is absolutely incredible.

The rest of the NFL can crap on the Patriots right now and I understand it, but they'd better be very, very careful. Unless the Pats simply are too wounded to compete, they are going to be an extremely dangerous team.

 

[trevrox]

(4) The offensive line needs to play better. Man I hate seeing Brady get hit like this.

This is what makes me feel sick the last few weeks.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

This is what makes me feel sick the last few weeks.

The potential is there though, remember last year and the first few games this year everyone was singing there praises, whatever they're doing wrong can be fixed and hopefully soon.

 

[neuronet]

Next week, we win.

 

[woolster22]

Every year it seems the Pats put up one "WTF" game. Last year against KC, then today, etc. What struck me was the following:

(1) These guys NEVER give up. They were down, inexplicably, 35-14 but did not stop fighting. If not for three dropped passes on that last drive, they even had a chance to maybe tie the game.

(2) It took the 11-2 Denver Broncos three fumble recoveries, major injuries by key Pats' players, and incomprehensibly bad refereeing to beat the Patriots in overtime at home. It took an average Eagles team two freak special teams plays and a 99-yard pick-six against a depleted Patriots' team that nearly doubled their yardage gained and had a dozen more first downs in order to beat the Patriots. Rarely do teams just line up and beat the Patriots straight up. Crazy things have to happen in order to win.

(3) If everyone returns healthy for the playoffs, nobody will want to play them. If they finish 12-4 with the 3 seed, but return everyone but Lewis and Solder (because both are on IR), then this team will be a major, major threat to win the AFC, even without HFA. Health is absolutely the key to this team moving forward.

(4) The offensive line needs to play better. Man I hate seeing Brady get hit like this.

(5) Brady, with very few weapons, no running game, a sieve for an offensive line, and a WR corps with a serious case of the dropsies, still threw for over 300 yards and 3 scores (plus one rushing) and very nearly brought them back from 21 down WITH 6:00 MINUTES TO GO IN THE fourth quarter to tie the game. The guy is absolutely incredible.

The rest of the NFL can crap on the Patriots right now and I understand it, but they'd better be very, very careful. Unless the Pats simply are too wounded to compete, they are going to be an extremely dangerous team.

Fixed point 5 for you. Just the fact they made it a game at the end is impressive. Outside of those 6 minutes and a few in the 2ND quarter, the team played like ****. That had to be some of the most undisciplined, sloppy, careless, disheartening football ive seen under BB. Okay, maybe I need to take a few deep breathes, but ffs was that ugly.

 

[Bartmac36]

just wanted to throw this out there....WE WON THE SUPERBOWL LAST YEAR. Actually this very same calander year, about 10 months ago.

You would think we were the Cleveland Browns sometimes reading peoples reactions to a 10-2 team on here that would probably be 12-0 if not for an incredibly unlucky run in with the injury bug.

 

[brdmaverick]

I don't count last year's Bills game b/c we all knew that was a glorified practice, but it's an odd coincidence that when the Pats do lose at home (which is rarely) it seems to be against an NFC opponent.

Think about it.........

Giants in 2011
Arizona in 2012
San Fran in 2012
Philly in 2015

 

[patriotfantyler]

a game like today also makes you realize how important Slater is to this team

I agree. Slater is a key component to special teams play.

 

[Guts]

Still pissed off we lost though thank god for this forum sports talk will be unbearable all week long.

 

[hambone1818]

Good perspective. Losses sting, losses at home against terrible opponents sting worse, losses at home against terrible opponents when your team pukes all over themselves a few times to gift 21 points to an opponent stings the absolute most.

But it can and does happen, to every team. We all felt last week was the perfect storm of bad luck/poor refereeing piling up, well this one was the perfect storm of crap decisions and crap play piling up. They HAVE to play better, the coaches HAVE to game-plan better. But with this team, with this coach and QB, we know they will play and scheme better. This is not a team or organization where I worry that these mistakes will continue to haunt them.

10-2 with some injured guys coming back. It could be better, but it could be worse, and most certainly if this team gets healthy at the right time there's no reason they can't be the juggernaut they were when the season started. Peaking at the right time is all-important in the NFL. Well I don't know if this team will peak come playoff time, we'll see; but from a health standpoint it sure feels like they'll peak, personnel-wise, at the right time. If they get through the next two with wins they could be right back in the drivers seat in the AFC...patience and faith, this coach and this QB have earned at least that much.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

SO much heart at the end..just a little too late

 

[RobertWeathers]

This is what makes me feel sick the last few weeks.

He can do all the planks and eat avocado ice cream he wants but if he keeps getting knocked on his butt 10-12 times a game it WILL impact his performance down the road this year and one of those hits will really, really do some damage.

 

[alvinnf]

Such a week coaching and execution effort yesterday. Yes, we are a bit spoiled. Yet at the same time they have made us expect excellence every time out. Yesterday was an aberration not the norm, but man they stunk. Like PU.....

 

[trevrox]

He can do all the planks and eat avocado ice cream he wants but if he keeps getting knocked on his butt 10-12 times a game it WILL impact his performance down the road this year and one of those hits will really, really do some damage.

This is something that really concerns me. And I really don't want his career to end that way. I want Brady healthy and under center for years to come.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This is something that really concerns me. And I really don't want his career to end that way. I want Brady healthy and under center for years to come.

Over the years every single QB that I have heard talk say that QB hits are cumulative not only in a game but over the course of a season. They can make you foggy, seeing ghosts and create a nagging injury that doesn't go away.

We can blame the WRs, RBs, O-line even TB12 himself for making ill-advised throws all we want but the fact is that over the last four games Brady has been taking shots and they will impact his performance.

As Brady's performance goes....so does the team's.

 

[Tony2046]

He can do all the planks and eat avocado ice cream he wants but if he keeps getting knocked on his butt 10-12 times a game it WILL impact his performance down the road this year and one of those hits will really, really do some damage.

Getting their dink and dunk guys back on the field along with Gronk should allow Brady to get rid of the ball quicker which will hopefully reduce the amount of hits he's taking.

One positive is that White does seem to be improving which could be a huge option when the defenses have to focus on Jules, Amendola and Gronk.

 

[Gronkowski123]

we didn't have to get cute to defeat the freaking eagles.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

Last y

just wanted to throw this out there....WE WON THE SUPERBOWL LAST YEAR. Actually this very same calander year, about 10 months ago.

You would think we were the Cleveland Browns sometimes reading peoples reactions to a 10-2 team on here that would probably be 12-0 if not for an incredibly unlucky run in with the injury bug.

Last years Super Bowl means nothing this year. I'm sure TB and BB would say the same. People are reacting to the lack of focus and urgency that showed last night. This team is better than that, and it looks like they got stuck in a trap game mentality.