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This was a great win against a very good team. THAT is what you all should take from this game. Why did we win? Well it's simple. They Pats followed the same formula that basically defined the 20 year run before we "sucked". We ran the ball effectively. We had turn overs and didn't turn the ball over ourselves. They had penalties (64 yds worth). We had fewer (18 yds) We managed the clock better than they did. And finally and perhaps most importantly, the Patriots out physicalled the Ravens all night long. We simply OUT hit them and left a trail of bodies along the way.
We were back to being the well coached disciplined team that brought us so much of the early success we had in the first run of the dynasty. Let's be frank. This ISN'T a championship kind of roster. But neither was the 2001 team. (BTW- it would be interesting to compare each team and have a discussion on where this team is better and where it is worse. Unfortunately its too late to do that in this OP)
But getting back to the topic, It should be clear now that THIS team is capable of winning any game they play the rest of the way WHEN they do all the things they showed tonight. When they don't. When they turn the ball over. When they are undisciplined, When they are out hit, THEN they can lose any game. It's all going to be up to them as a team and how well the coaching staff prepares them.
A couple of things to remember from the past.
Bill believes (and rightfully so) that EVERY year the team is different and has to develop it's own identity, and until it does it isn't going to "jell". At some point during they year a team has to come together and "get it". If they don't then you get 2009 all over again.
On the team's side is they HAVE to believe that their coaching staff is developing game plans that will put them into position where they can succeed....IF they execute it. This was the secret sauce that fueled this dynasty. The team BELIEVED it down to their souls. It didn't matter how good the other team's players where or what their records were. Those teams believed that they were never out of a ball game and their game plan and mid game adjustments were going to be better than the other team's.
Now I have no idea if THIS team has that belief yet. I DO know that this is a team that is STILL evolving. Hopefully in the right direction, but we will see how it goes next week
A couple of comments on the defense -
1. I thought the front seven had a VERY good game. It certainly wasn't dominant as the Ravens had 115 yds rushing at a 4.1 ypc average, but considering that this team had been running the ball at a 5.1 ypc rate for the season, this was a pretty good job for a team without any dominant player and 2 ILB's whose names I never heard of prior to this game. Terez Hall??????? and Anfernee Jennings were NOT the guys you would think that could contain the best running attack in the league and force 34 throws from a QB not ready to win a shoot out with his arm yet, ESPECIALLY in torrential rain.
2. JC Jackson is the real deal. IF the Pats decide to move on from Gilmore after this season, the cupboard won't be bare. OR if they decide to keep him, they will have two #1 CB's on the roster. This kid is GOOOOOOOD. Special kind of good.
So in the end. Just what do we have here in this team. The jury is still out. All I know is that they play hard. They play tough and are worthy of our support despite their flawed nature and mixed results. Good night all and enjoy the week. Life is always just a BIT better after a Pats win.
We were back to being the well coached disciplined team that brought us so much of the early success we had in the first run of the dynasty. Let's be frank. This ISN'T a championship kind of roster. But neither was the 2001 team. (BTW- it would be interesting to compare each team and have a discussion on where this team is better and where it is worse. Unfortunately its too late to do that in this OP)
But getting back to the topic, It should be clear now that THIS team is capable of winning any game they play the rest of the way WHEN they do all the things they showed tonight. When they don't. When they turn the ball over. When they are undisciplined, When they are out hit, THEN they can lose any game. It's all going to be up to them as a team and how well the coaching staff prepares them.
A couple of things to remember from the past.
Bill believes (and rightfully so) that EVERY year the team is different and has to develop it's own identity, and until it does it isn't going to "jell". At some point during they year a team has to come together and "get it". If they don't then you get 2009 all over again.
On the team's side is they HAVE to believe that their coaching staff is developing game plans that will put them into position where they can succeed....IF they execute it. This was the secret sauce that fueled this dynasty. The team BELIEVED it down to their souls. It didn't matter how good the other team's players where or what their records were. Those teams believed that they were never out of a ball game and their game plan and mid game adjustments were going to be better than the other team's.
Now I have no idea if THIS team has that belief yet. I DO know that this is a team that is STILL evolving. Hopefully in the right direction, but we will see how it goes next week
A couple of comments on the defense -
1. I thought the front seven had a VERY good game. It certainly wasn't dominant as the Ravens had 115 yds rushing at a 4.1 ypc average, but considering that this team had been running the ball at a 5.1 ypc rate for the season, this was a pretty good job for a team without any dominant player and 2 ILB's whose names I never heard of prior to this game. Terez Hall??????? and Anfernee Jennings were NOT the guys you would think that could contain the best running attack in the league and force 34 throws from a QB not ready to win a shoot out with his arm yet, ESPECIALLY in torrential rain.
2. JC Jackson is the real deal. IF the Pats decide to move on from Gilmore after this season, the cupboard won't be bare. OR if they decide to keep him, they will have two #1 CB's on the roster. This kid is GOOOOOOOD. Special kind of good.
So in the end. Just what do we have here in this team. The jury is still out. All I know is that they play hard. They play tough and are worthy of our support despite their flawed nature and mixed results. Good night all and enjoy the week. Life is always just a BIT better after a Pats win.