For those who trashed the defense

[Ring 6]

This is your apology thread. 100% participation ( this is a case where it’s fun to say I was wrong).
Don’t make me go back and quote your posts.

 

[Joey007]

When you’re right, you’re right

 

[edkk323]

The D was not good at all early on. Winning the SB champ would not change the fact. This D played way above its talent. Let us go onto the celebration and the draft.

 

[UFGatorPat]

I never trash our team at any point but I did think the run D and DL would not get it done tonight, so I’m here to eat my crow.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

How much crow did you eat last year when they put up a historically bad defensive performance in the SB?

 

[reflexblue]

This is your apology thread. 100% participation ( this is a case where it’s fun to say I was wrong).
Don’t make me go back and quote your posts.

Its always the same people, they show up every week in the game day post. All week long they talk up the team but on game day they have Nothing good to say. Its the defense sucks, brady sucks, mcdaniels sucks. Its disgusting that these so called fans can trash the team on game day and then come back the next day and act like everything is fine and praise the team they trashed the day before.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I never posted about the D here on the board but I have a lot of texts to people saying the D would eventually cost us in the playoffs. Absolutely amazing performance.

 

[TBR]

They were bad at points throughout the season. Can't deny that.

Thankfully, all that matters is they showed up big time in the biggest game of the year for 4 straight quarters.

 

[UFGatorPat]

They were bad at points throughout the season. Can't deny that.

Thankfully, all that matters is they showed up big time in the biggest game of the year for 4 straight quarters.

Bad may be worth calibrating or reevaluating on in this day and age of offensive firepower. Yes, bad play sure, but it’s all relative to the league.

 

[raduray]

3

 

[102 Pat]

Can we tar and feather the usual suspects who even after this win will be *****ing and moaning in the next few days?

 

[Kdo5]

I mean I realized they were a LOT better later in the season but I admit doubting them in the first half of the year. They weren't playing their best football.

But they were dominant tonight. Haven't seen a defense play like that since the early era of the dynasty.

 

[Joker]

Here's the best Foot In Mouth post ever...this mutt must be in a sanitarium by now...

 

[Boomer B]

Really Andy? We just won the Super Bowl and you post an apology thread? Grab a drink or 2 and have some fun.

 

[Vatahala]

I watched the game with the sound off and was just checking in at Finhaven and apparently there a little miffed at Romo for only crediting BB for tonight's defense and gave little respect to Flores, was that true?,

 

[MainePatsFan26]

This is your apology thread. 100% participation ( this is a case where it’s fun to say I was wrong).
Don’t make me go back and quote your posts.

I was wrong about this team more than just the defense. I didn't sense an aura around these guys that suggested they could beat any of the heavy hitters. But the team pulled it together in a way that was tough to imagine. In the end, we went as an 11-5 club through a killer lineup in the playoffs who went 12-4, 12-4, and 13-3.

With this our weakest team (in terms of W/L) to win a championship since 2001, let's compare that team's playoff competition. Oakland, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis went 10-6, 13-3, and 14-2 respectively. That makes the combined record of these teams in the regular season 37-11. Coincidentally, this year's competition was 37-11. Of those two, I honestly would say this one is more impressive.

The record of the other Patriot Super Bowl winners?

2003 - 35-13
2004 - 40-8
2014 - 33-15
2016 - 31-17

So, this team was in a tie for the toughest road to victory with the 2001 club. The 2004 road was brutal, but that team had studs. In my estimation, this postseason run ranks with 2001 as the best overall when one considers all the adversity and powerful teams we faced to get this championship.

 

[fightingirish595]

This is your apology thread. 100% participation ( this is a case where it’s fun to say I was wrong).
Don’t make me go back and quote your posts.

The run defense stunk for most of the regular season. Overall the entire D was great in the playoffs. Both things can be true

 

[PF_SU]

The run defense stunk for most of the regular season. Overall the entire D was great in the playoffs. Both things can be true

They somehow played like an all-time great D in the playoffs with the exception of the 4th quarter in Kansas City (and the 4th quarter against the Chargers in which the whole quarter was basically garbage time).

 

[Ned Stark]

I was down on the defense, especially early in the year. I don't have enough good things to say about them now. This was an absolutely legendary performance. Congratulations to the coaches and players!

 

[Jangles]

In my defense, the defense did not inspire much confidence through much of the regular season

when it mattered, it put on one of the GOAT performances

You win this round @AndyJohnson