To wit, why wouldn't anyone relish the chance of playing this year's Patriots in the playoffs? Most on here thought yesterday was the day they "finally" get it going - score prediction thread was FULL of 28, 35, 31, 30 etc point predictions from the offense. But here's the deal people, not that the offense was any good since the whistle blew for the first half of the Jets game back in September, BUT...in their last FIVE games, vs supposed "good competition" (but Dallas and Philadelphia have proven nothing but mediocre), the Patriots have a total of NINE - NINE!!!! touchdown drives...UNTHINNKABLE for a quarterback with all the answers to the test!
More concerning is the fact that this offense simply cannot score touchdowns if they have to cross the 50 yard line. The 2019 New England Patriots have a total of 5 touchdowns in 5 games in which Brady has had to cross the 50, and I would argue TWO of those (second 2 vs Houston, 63, 89 yard drives) were garbage time touchdowns vs a prevent defense.
The fact that Belichick thought his team could block a punt (thus setting up a short field for the quarterback with all the answers to the test) than drive 75 yards for a td is VERY telling...don't say that in the GDT, it'll get you banned.
And, since the defense and special teams stopped scoring, the Patriots are 2-3 and the two wins (vs average at best Dallas and Philadelphia) came down to the defense making a stop to win the game. The fact that the offense couldn't put games away vs two sub .500 teams was very worrisome to me, but many of the fanboys on here kept whistling past the graveyard - "Yeah baby, that was a 2001/2003 type win - yahooo!"
So the offense is anemic and vs Baltimore, Houston, and Kansas City the "Boogeyman" have given up 30, 28, and 23 points. This supposed "historic" defense has surrendered third downs at a 43% conversion rate over those 3 games (third down vs KC was 31%, on road vs Bal and Hou defense was a putrid 52%!, so good performance vs KC at home skews #s). Also, this alleged historic defense has given up touchdown drives of 72, 72, 86, 62, 86, 58, 70, and 68 yards in 3 games vs last 3 winning clubs theyve faced. Do historic defenses do that?
Folks, we've been hoodwinked into believing this defense is "historic". They're a good defense in today's NFL, but they can't be counted on to keep a playoff team under 20 points, which would have to be the order of the day in the playoffs given the pathetic nature of the 2019 offense.
