Did you all really think all the rookies would not have down games?

[PatsFanInVa]

07 was the "perfect" year. 08 was the Cassel mulligan. In 09 we officially came back to Earth... but you guys remember up through 06, when we always had the annual stinker game/head scratcher?

Here's hoping this was it. Unless the Jets game was it. This D has been together long enough where it should not be giving up 180 odd yards to any runner, and frankly I'm getting tired of guys named Peyton, I don't care if it's Sean Peyton, Walter Payton, Peyton Manning, or Peyton Hillis. Nothing good ever comes from guys named Peyton.

Okay that was a side-track. Let's see what kind of bounce-back we get after this debacle, especially stopping the run. Time to stop pondering which of our newbies is the DROY and start pondering how they are at the lunch-pail stuff.

 

[Brady_12]

Huh? I think you're misreading my post. I said earlier we would struggle with a young defense. The defense has been much more consistent than I thought. I expected to have a worse record than we do now.

Not a doom post at all, more a "damn happy to be 6-2" post. Of course we'll have some let downs.

I did point to the active troll in the post above mine.

Sorry, I don't think I was being clear, my post was directed at the troll... Lame Shakespeare reference FAIL by me....

 

[RhodyPatriot]

It's not the rookies I'm worried about. It's the QB who's not ready to play at the start of these games and it's the predictable vanilla playcalling that has me concerned.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

07 was the "perfect" year. 08 was the Cassel mulligan. In 09 we officially came back to Earth... but you guys remember up through 06, when we always had the annual stinker game/head scratcher?

Here's hoping this was it. Unless the Jets game was it. This D has been together long enough where it should not be giving up 180 odd yards to any runner, ...Let's see what kind of bounce-back we get after this debacle, especially stopping the run. Time to stop pondering which of our newbies is the DROY and start pondering how they are at the lunch-pail stuff.

This is a pretty reasonable thread, compared to the whining and doomsday rants in the Gameday Thread.

On Offense, this probably qualifies as a "stinker," where players who should have known better and done better simply didn't execute, from #12 on down.

But, for the Defense this wasn't a stinker, but a predictable performance by a young crew; if we're honest about it, unless everything comes together in the next couple of weeks, we're probably going to see another game like this from the D before the year is out. Here's hoping it comes against a team that might well have beaten us anyway and not in a game that we need to win to go 10--6 or 11--5.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Anybody who's not happy with 6-2 at the midway point right now had their expectations way too high.

The 2nd half schedule is not a whole lot more difficult than the first. There is 3 games against the supposed elites, a few other tough ones, and then the Bills game. Only difference is the first half had just 2 of those 'elite' opponents. So 12-4 is a realistic goal IMO, I think 11-5 is more likely. Of course neither is a given as we will likely need to continue winning the turnover battles to maintain the pace.

 

[mgteich]

Both Minny and the SD were considered "elite" opponents to start the year. They might still be consider such if they had beaten the patriots.

But, yes, your point is well-taken. 6-2 is a fine record at this point in the season for any team, and especially for a team with a very, very young defense and an offense that has overhauled its schemes.

With regard to the last half, there are FOUR "supposed elites": PITT, INDY, NYJ, and GB. I think that 10-6 and 11-5 are reasonable projections. I'm one of those who has always believed that, predicting 10-6 and a division win when we started the season.

Anybody who's not happy with 6-2 at the midway point right now had their expectations way too high.

The 2nd half schedule is not a whole lot more difficult than the first. There is 3 games against the supposed elites, a few other tough ones, and then the Bills game. Only difference is the first half had just 2 of those 'elite' opponents. So 12-4 is a realistic goal IMO, I think 11-5 is more likely. Of course neither is a given as we will likely need to continue winning the turnover battles to maintain the pace.

 

[Haley]

Part of what makes this season so exciting to watch is the fact that we have so many rookies that can have such dynamic play. They can have terrible days but they can also have really excellent days. IMO it is a lot more fun than watching a polished team of older players that never really has either one.

 

[Rob0729]

The one good thing with this loss is it is a teachable moment for the young guys. They might have been reading their own press clippings or just looking past the Browns. Now Belichick can hammer in to them to take every game one game at a time.

It doesn't outweigh the embarrassing loss, but it could be one positive from yesterday that was filled with negatives.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

07 was the "perfect" year. 08 was the Cassel mulligan. In 09 we officially came back to Earth... but you guys remember up through 06, when we always had the annual stinker game/head scratcher?

Here's hoping this was it. Unless the Jets game was it. This D has been together long enough where it should not be giving up 180 odd yards to any runner, and frankly I'm getting tired of guys named Peyton, I don't care if it's Sean Peyton, Walter Payton, Peyton Manning, or Peyton Hillis. Nothing good ever comes from guys named Peyton.

Okay that was a side-track. Let's see what kind of bounce-back we get after this debacle, especially stopping the run. Time to stop pondering which of our newbies is the DROY and start pondering how they are at the lunch-pail stuff.

That was beautiful...

 

[blackglass3]

An ass kicking can be a very solid teaching tool. I am glad it happened to a team that MIGHT compete for a wild card, as opposed to a team that will be in the playoffs for certain. Plus it wasn't a division game, which is extra points.

All in all, if there was a game to get blown out in, this was the one.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

...

All in all, if there was a game to get blown out in, this was the one.

Nah, that would have been Packers or Vikings...not a Conference game, which counts towards Playoff tiebreakers.