How do you guys do it?

[MoLewisrocks]

I think the answer here is easily our coach. If the sky is falling, he never ever lets on that's he's ruffled, or that he expects anything less of his team. And they trust in him and believe him.

And so do we.

When I see opposing coaches jumping around like cheerleaders or either gleefullly hyperventilating or badmouthing players in postgame PC's I just shake my head. Because I know on some level they made lots of mistakes that will not be corrected either because the team thinks they are playing well enough or they've tuned out their HC because he didn't prepare them well enough and as a self defense he's tossing some of 'em under the media bus.

Bill's message is always as consistent as his sideline/postgame demeanor.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Because each and every player and coach knows they will get motivated by some of the geniuses that populate this messageboard.

Fear PatsFans

I always wanted to write "There. Fixed it for you."

Seriously, DTF, that was a game where everything went right for the Pats and pretty much everything wrong for the Broncos. We aren't as good as last night's scoreboard, but still, what progress from last week!

Without tempting fate (they were up this week, down last: who knows about next week?) I'd say that, in the end, they've got two main things going for them: a team ethos that they all recognize (ruthless, not concerned with what outsiders think, strong orientation to team and family, veteran domination, etc.) and trust in the coaches. Quality coaching isn't enough. You can have excellent coaching but it's no good if there aren't clear lines of authority and no second-guessing or disputing. Bill knows that you can't run a football team like a town meeting!

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Interesting comments about your team all around.

FWIW-Parcells was on WFAN recently(or it may have been a few months ago or longer than that), and said how the Cowboys unit he worked with was just that..."stupid". Wade Phillips has gotten alot of flack over at Valley Ranch, but at the same time, even Tuna had a hard time working with them.

But anyhow-accountability, assembling a talented, albeit deep roster with team-first players(while spreading the $$ around instead of a few players), a coach spreading out the accountability including himself, etc, etc.

It's just not with your team, but a number of other teams despite some significant injuries are also playing lights out(i.e. Pitt, Tampa, Giants, etc). I think I see why now. I know injuries are easily the biggest equalizer in professional sports, but at the same time, it's no coincidence that teams like the Chargers and Cowboys just completely fall apart if there's even a few minor injuries...b/c of the makeup of those teams.

 

[pao]

Throughout Belichick's tenure in New England, almost every year, you guys would go through injuries, even a few significant ones here and there.

How does this team continue to rally around and play gangbusters at almost a consistent basis? Even Cassell was making plays.

While I was watching the game last night, most of us on the CMB(including myself) were saying, "A wounded animal Pats team are making plays...why can't we??".

Usually it's a combination of Brady and BB. This year it's all BB.

 

[ScottieC]

Usually it's a combination of Brady and BB. This year it's all BB.

All BB? Wow, I did not see him throw a pass last night. Musta missed it.

 

[jmt57]

There's a certain philosophy that Belichick (and Pioli and Kraft) has regarding how to succeed within the constraints of a salary cap. For one thing he believes in planning for long term success, to build a team that can make it to the playoffs every year, with the idea to get the team to the playoffs every year. He won't give in to the temptation to go put all his chips on one year if it's going to come back and put the team in a bad salary cap position later. He assigns a specific value to a player and will not overpay in order to maintain long-term success, even if that may hurt the short-term success.

This goes hand-in-hand with spreading money throughout the entire roster. If and when a player goes out due to injury, the replacement is probably going to better than the replacement on another team. In addition, Belichick expects/demands both versatility and accountability. You've seen this over the years with Troy Brown as a DB, Seymour and Klecko as a FB, Vrabel and Seau as a TE, etc. One of the other benefits to this is better play on special teams, which, as any Steeler fan should know, can be the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs.

You may want to pick up a copy of Education Of A Coach by David Halberstam, Patriot Reign by Michael Holley, and The Blueprint by our own Chris Price. I highly recommend them all to any NFL fan that wants to understand something such as what you asked, or what goes on with a coach and a team that we don't see on TV.

 

[SVN]

Interesting comments about your team all around.

FWIW-Parcells was on WFAN recently(or it may have been a few months ago or longer than that), and said how the Cowboys unit he worked with was just that..."stupid". Wade Phillips has gotten alot of flack over at Valley Ranch, but at the same time, even Tuna had a hard time working with them.
.

Well that basically is your answer. For such a 'stupid' team you cant have a free flowing coach.The cowboys lack leadership at any position including romo who cant just ask TO to shut up for e.g . After 2001 BB has basically let the vets handle the team while still maintaining control. The cowboys felt more relieved when parcells left because wade phillips was a nice guy but lost all discipline.
BB has a lot to do with the pats but the veterans run the team on a daily basis.
Dont know if you read this
SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NFL Football stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NFL Football columnists

Probably an accurate description.

 

[Patjew]

Throughout Belichick's tenure in New England, almost every year, you guys would go through injuries, even a few significant ones here and there.

How does this team continue to rally around and play gangbusters at almost a consistent basis? Even Cassell was making plays.

While I was watching the game last night, most of us on the CMB(including myself) were saying, "A wounded animal Pats team are making plays...why can't we??".

What's that?

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

What's that?

Cowboys Message Board(of course, CMB also stands for Colts Message Board and Chargers Message Board)...but in my post, it stands for that.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Well that basically is your answer. For such a 'stupid' team you cant have a free flowing coach.The cowboys lack leadership at any position including romo who cant just ask TO to shut up for e.g . After 2001 BB has basically let the vets handle the team while still maintaining control. The cowboys felt more relieved when parcells left because wade phillips was a nice guy but lost all discipline.
BB has a lot to do with the pats but the veterans run the team on a daily basis.
Dont know if you read this
SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NFL Football stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NFL Football columnists

Probably an accurate description.

Phil Simms said that the solution to better your team are mentally tougher players, NOT a softer coach.

Thanks for the link-will read it now.

Edit: Was Pete Carroll alot like Wade when he was coaching your team? I remember a Pats fan friend of mine said something how eventually, guys like Teddy and Ted Johnson no longer responded to his player-friendly ways when all was said and done(can't remember exactly what he said, but I believe it was something like that).

 

[buile]

I think everyone's said it, but, an even-keeled coach leads to an even-keeled team. A core group of vets and coaches who expect everyone to Do Their Job. Those vet players lead by example with their work ethic. It'll hurt us losing Harrison if only for his leadership, work ethic, and situational football.

A big part of the team strength is Pioli and ilk know what kind of player they want. There's a culture of team-oriented, football-smarts play; and they all believe in it. One thing constantly heard from the players is they all believe they WILL win, and work for that.

Granted, New England is doing great considering the injuries, but the team will not get too high over last night's win. As already demonstrated this year, nothing is guaranteed because of one good game. They need to work on the next opponent and be prepared.

Turning the talk to Cassel, he's learning every week, but will be inconsistent due to inexperience. Can't rest because of a good outcome this week.

 

[Fencer]

Guys have jobs to do each week, and are accountable for those jobs.

They respect and in some cases like their coaches.
They respect and in almost all cases like a core of senior players (e.g. Bruschi, Vrabel, Brown (until this year), Brady, previously the perhaps less likable Willie McGinest).
They desperately want -- and get or fail to get on their merits -- the respect of their coaches and teammates.

It's very much a respect-centric culture. Whether or not you like BB, if you're a football player you're thrilled by getting his respect.

On the whole team, I think Richard Seymour is the only star talent BB has somewhat mishandled.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Watch any one of our America's Game broadcasts and you'll see why.

the 2004 one was the best IMO. You'll see how Asante went down against St. Louis and Troy Brown stepped in. He was the MVP that year I thought - he played three positions: WR, CB and PR.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

If you've watched the bandwagoners flailing around the first few games crying about how the season's over and they're bailing on the team and yadda yadda yadda, I guess you see the short-term, "tactical" mind of most fans. If you watch the Pats I think you see the longest-term, most "strategic" perspective in the league. No player is allowed to think "game over man", not for long. Evidently this year it was Rodney who confronted it in the locker room and said, WTF is up with this team not getting past the TB injury?

Loooks like now we have to get past a Rodney injury too. I guess all that to say, someone will always step up and get the team over that hump of "we're still US..." (no you're not. You're a football team, playing one game at a time...) and then get the team over the hump of "wahhhhh we're not us anymore" (you never were, grasshopper.)

Some people call that discipline, it's more like an elusive mindset... try to make it kick in and maybe it won't. (at least from media-length observation, that's how it seems.)

But keep in mind this was ONE game. Just like SD was ONE game, just like Miami was ONE game... I have been saying we should be a playoff team; at 10-6 or so, that it is within reach (and 2 out of the last few weeks, boy has that looked wrong.) It could still just as easily end at 5-11.

The Cowboys? I heard one of them saying to the media "look we're not the Patriots, we can't be the Patriots," meaning they weren't going to get all tight-lipped and disciplined, the players were gonna have fun out there, they have personalities, all that.

Well, they're not. That doesn't mean they can't win in this league and win big. But the thing about what they're saying is that it makes me think "well, no, but it wouldn't be such a bad thing to be the Patriots... what if you're the Chargers?"

To get the reality you have to get past the ego that comes with success for the "star" guys. If you have a strong team ethic and a star goes down the expectation is finding a way anyway... if you have a star ethic and the star goes down, your expectation is that the team will come down so sharply that it's "not the same team."

Don't get me wrong, the Pats went through some of that reaction, I believe... certainly at the Miami game, a lot of people were very critical of a lack of effort, just seeming "lost." But last night I felt like "okay they get it again." Sure it wasn't against the best team at the best time, but they did seem to "get it." (Okay not counting pass protection LOL)

PFnV

 

[Angry Man]

Watch any one of our America's Game broadcasts and you'll see why.

Or the America's Game/Super Bowl DVDs.

 

[jczxohn1]

Well that basically is your answer. For such a 'stupid' team you cant have a free flowing coach.The cowboys lack leadership at any position including romo who cant just ask TO to shut up for e.g . After 2001 BB has basically let the vets handle the team while still maintaining control. The cowboys felt more relieved when parcells left because wade phillips was a nice guy but lost all discipline.
BB has a lot to do with the pats but the veterans run the team on a daily basis.
Dont know if you read this
SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NFL Football stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NFL Football columnists

Probably an accurate description.

Picked this out to underscore another excellent article by Albert Breer. He'd better watch out. Texans won't tolerate this negative nabobbery for long. Maybe we'll have a shot to get back one of the best analysts in print.