ESPN magazine: Patriots will be 9-7???

[BradyFTW!]

Any conclusion that's arrived at using PFF data is worthless.

 

[BobDigital]

The problem with this kind of reporting is that you make dumb bold predictions to sell papers instead of doing interesting & in depth stories.

People need to not paying attention to this stuff and people will stop printing it.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The problem with this kind of reporting is that you make dumb bold predictions to sell papers instead of doing interesting & in depth stories.

People need to not paying attention to this stuff and people will stop printing it.

Oh snap the RZA is on patsfans!!!!

 

[fnordcircle]

1. Write a provocative article promising a decline for a perennial contender.

2. Enraged nerds post links to your article everywhere when venting their fury on internet discussion boards.

3. Get an 'attaboy' from your editor for driving up site views.

 

[ATippett56]

ESPN The Mag's bold New England Patriots prediction - ESPN Boston

Using projections from Pro Football Focus, the Miami Dolphins are picked to sit atop the division with a 10-6 record. The New England Patriots, in their game-by-game breakdown, wind up second at 9-7 and just a 45.1 percent chance of making the playoffs.

Using projections from Pro Football Joke-us

 

[EJ Blitz]

 

[Joker]

you know...I seem to remember reading the debut issue of ESPN The Magazine..can't say I remember what was in it...just remember thinking..."jeezus krist...did People Magazine buy ESPN?"...

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

The article is obviously stupid and over the top just to generate shock value.

But it isn't completely insane to say the offense will regress significantly this year and we'll likely struggle much more on the road.

Obviously to the extent they take this is way too far, but the idea isn't terrible.

Stupid??? Over the top???

This, apparently, is modus operendi for this publication.

In their baseball pre-season forecast issue, they picked Toronto for first in the AL East, and the Red Sox for last.

How'd that one work out?

They used to say nobody was more adept at putting their foot in their mouth than Sports Illustrated, but I firmly believe ESPN has overtaken them in that department.

This article all by itself practically guarantees the Pats the division!

 

[SVN]

Check out Kevin Acee here
Does New England Patriots QB Brady have a good enough supporting cast? - NFL Videos

calls "Evil Empire"

 

[Joker]

OK...that moron is a complete fruit.

 

[nabwong]

9-7? I think they ran the simulation with Tebow at QB.

 

[Bruins29]

9-7? I think they ran the simulation with Tebow at QB.

That would have been the 0-16.

 

[Hael]

I do think we'll probably lose some games against inferior teams on account of all the changes/rookies/chemistry taking time to gel and we do have a pretty brutal schedule. But it wouldn't suprise me if we also suddenly turn it on midway through the season and perhaps go on a huge tear near the end of the year to squeek into the playoffs and perhaps go deep.

In many ways, I think we can beat anything in the AFC if we are properly in synch.

Are we good enough to beat some of the ridiculously talented NFC teams? Well, that might be a bit of a stretch, but at least we'll have a shooters chance with Brady.

 

[nabwong]

That would have been the 0-16.

Impossible. The heavens would at least help Tebow beat the Jets twice.

 

[Deus Irae]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/1043781-espn-seems-think-we-win-just-one-road-game-year.html

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/1043781-espn-seems-think-we-win-just-one-road-game-year.html

Away team / 2012 results
Bills (6-10)
Jets (6-10)
Phins (7-9)
Ravens (10-6)
Texans (12-4)
Panthers (7-9)
Bengals (10-6)
Falcons (13-3)

(A) ESPN believes the Patriots won't pull out any of the 4 games against the 2012 playoff teams + (B) pull out only 1 against 4 sub .500 teams = (C) Given the Patriots winning ways over the last 10 years, this isn't just a W/L prediction, this is ESPN believing the Patriots are most definitely no longer the same Patriots (given the recent historical data).
Damn! I just don't think I can make it through the night knowing ESPN believes the Patriots are done. :help:

 

[Joker]

Hey, guess what...if the Pats have a bad season..if they fall flat...hell, I won't like it....but I'll still be here next season ..and every season until I die. Unfortunately for the ESPN mongoloids...I washed my hands and my time devoted to following NFL football through them some time ago and will NEVER patronize any of their interactive options,merchandising,public appearances or any of the detritus that litters their landscape....including the Angel Dust Magic Kingdom.

ESPN, you collectively, especially your board of directors headed by the worst corporate scumbag back stabber I've ever had the distaste to run across in my life, deserve ZERO from any of us on ANY level. For you fans who wondered WHERE that story in Rolling Stone got it's push from, where the behind the scenes impetus for writing it up and for publishing it just before the season begins...look no further than John Skipper, CEO of ESPN.. he spent 10 years with Straight Arrow Publishing including eight years with "Rolling Stone." He served as Publisher of "US" magazine at Straight Arrow. He has been a Director of Disney Media Networks at Walt Disney Co. since January 1, 2012. . He PERSONIFIES the extremist HATE for the Northeast and the Southern New England region in particular. He and the rest of that board can rot and burn in hell for a thousand eternities AFAIC.

 

[QB12]

Not much worse than some posters' gloomy predictions here.

 

[shmessy]

That feat looks more and more miraculous with distance. Gaffney was a mid-level NFL receiver, and the rest of the WRs were utter garbage.

You know, we see that kind of statement all the time on the website.

So Gaffney whose line that year was Rec 11 Yds 142 Yds/Game 12.9 TD 1 was mid-level, but Caldwell (whose crime was to have bug eyes, evidently) was Rec 61 Yds 760 Yds/game 47.5 TD 4 was "utter garbage".

In 3 seasons with New England, Gaffney never caught more than 38 passes or more than 468 yards in ANY of them. Yet Reche Caldwell, who was signed as a #4 or 5 WR and was thrust in the #1 role due to Branch and Givens leaving and injuries to others was "utter garbage" for only catching 61 passes in his only season with Brady.

Please, 'chick.

This is the same kind of zombie stuff that has been learned by rote by fans who still think Buckner lost Game 7 of the 1986 WS and that the Patriots filmed the Rams pre SB 36 practice.

 

[MassPats38]

You know, we see that kind of statement all the time on the website.

So Gaffney whose line that year was Rec 11 Yds 142 Yds/Game 12.9 TD 1 was mid-level, but Caldwell (whose crime was to have bug eyes, evidently) was Rec 61 Yds 760 Yds/game 47.5 TD 4 was "utter garbage".

In 3 seasons with New England, Gaffney never caught more than 38 passes or more than 468 yards in ANY of them. Yet Reche Caldwell, who was signed as a #4 or 5 WR and was thrust in the #1 role due to Branch and Givens leaving and injuries to others was "utter garbage" for only catching 61 passes in his only season with Brady.

I believe she was referring to the general talent level of the receivers, not the numbers that year. Stated as a general proposition rather than the anomalous year in 2006, that is not revisionist history or hyperbole.

Caldwell left the Bolts after 4 seasons, averaging 19 receptions per year. He caught 15 receptions for the Skins in 2007, before leaving the NFL after 6 seasons (he was cut by the Rams preseason). Thus, in 5 years he caught 15 more receptions than he did the one year Brady threw him the ball. That is not the resume of a number 1 receiver, and I have nothing against Caldwell and what he did in 2006 as the surprise leading receiver. And I suspect most remember Caldwell's drops in the championship game loss rather than his bug eyes. The Colts shut down Gaffney, and Brady then went to Caldwell and he folded in the second half.

Gaffney, over his over 11 year career, has averaged about 45 receptions per year. I believe mid-level receiver is a fair assessment in terms of his talent. The fact he came into a new system close to the middle of the season and was capable of doing something in the playoffs (he had 18 receptions in the first 2 playoff games, 7 more than his total over 10 regular season games), means Brady found a way to work with him in short order (he also made Gaffney his primary receiver when it counted rather than Caldwell), which says something of the QB and the receiver in terms of building chemistry.