idle thoughts.....for Tuesday

[glm]

but this was the worst pass defense in NFL history (feels nice being able to say that).

They were top 10 this year...

 

[Lurks_All_Day]

I hope the locker-room hears this sentiment:

I don't foresee a Pats blowout of the Ravens like I did the week before ...

I hope the entire organization hears the message that this game is in doubt, even the slightest bit, from their own fanbase (myself included). Let doubt fill the air, and bets be hedged until game-time!

I'd like to see the Patriots draw off any fuel available to execute the most deliberate and thorough beat-down in modern NFL history this coming weekend.

Maybe we can get Tebow to say a prayer or two?

 

[robbomango]

Nice read, thanks Ken.

 

[Lurks_All_Day]

I don't think the pats had to endure as much as other teams.....like houston:

schaub, leinart, williams and andre johnson for much of the year. where would the pats be if brady, hoyer, wilfork and welker went down?

Probably at 11-5. See Cassell, Matt. We had our share then, as well. Good teams have depth, shizt teams succumb.

 

[highlander2190]

They were top 10 this year...

The Packers? I'm just going with what the mediots said

 

[glm]

The Packers? I'm just going with what the mediots said

The mediots are ******ed. The Packers led the league in interceptions and had the 9th best defensive passer rating.

The actual worst pass defense ever is held by the 0-16 08 Lions, who posted a 110 defensive passer rating and had only 4 picks (lowest number of picks since the 1934 St. Louis Gunners. Although the Gunners played only 3 games and intercepted 3 picks against 52 passes).

 

[PatsFanNM]

I was out in San Francisco this past weekend and, even though I wasn't at the game, you could feel the energy from Candlestick. Friends we were visiting were at the game and said that the violence of tackling you saw on TV was even more evident in person.

I think the thing about the 49ers defense is their ferocity. They crushed Pierre Thomas. They crushed Sproles all game -- you could see he wasn't going after the extra yards the way he has all season. The crushed Jimmy Graham, though he was still able to score that amazing touchdown. They were coming down on Brees all day. They made New Orleans look like a different team on offense.

You don't get to see defenses play with that level of savagery hardly ever. By the end they were tired; I think that's why NO got their last two touchdowns. Except for the very end of the game the 49ers offense was amazingly inept and pitiful, which meant their defense was out on the field all game long. Offensive pass interference on two plays in a row, really obvious? 12 men in the huddle on maybe the most crucial play in the game? And then a time out? It was amazing all the blunders they made.

And then amazing that they pulled it out. New Orleans defense was tired at the end, too, and they chose some bad strategies with their all-out blitzes.

I think the 49ers hit the Giants so hard they'll be dazed by half time and, even though the 49ers offense won't come up big in the game, they'll still win. Although I'm not looking forward to the Pats playing the 49ers, and getting beat up (though very probably winning), it will be great to see the Giants physically crushed.

 

[JMarr]

Is there anyone on this board who really thinks that the Pats are going to blow out the Ravens the way they did the Broncos? I find this hard to believe! The Ravens are a very good, physical football team or have I beeen watching something else this past season? They beat the Steeles twice which we failed to do even once.
I want the pats to win. Badly! But we ar in for a hell of a fight this Sunday. It won't come easy!

Ken, you mention the sick feeling after the Superbowl in 08 and to a lesser extent last year. The one that really made me sick (aside form 08) was the AFCC game against the Colts the year that Indy won the Superbowl. I could barely talk for about 2 weeks afterwards. Just too depressed and angry!!!! We never should have lost that game. Never! And playing the Bears in the Superbowl? Please! That was our 4th ring right there. I still get pissed when I think of this loss.

Yes, I do think there's a chance we blow the Ravens out. Their D is still great, but a lot more long in the tooth than they were in 2009. Flacco has improved basically zero since then, and most importantly, our O-Line playing absolutely lights out right now--they might be the best unit in the league. And the addition of our stud TE's presents a nightmare scenario for the Ravens' vaunted linebackers who won't be able to attack the LOS like they're used to.

This offense is light night and day compared to the Welkerless team they beat in '09.

 

[SVN]

according to greg bedard who is great at breaking film down

The more film I watch the more confused I am about Sunday's game. #paralysisbyanalysis

 

[Patdown93]

I think this comes down to two things: not turning the ball over and limiting Ray Rice. We don't have to stop him, just limit him.

I don't believe Baltimore can stop this offense. I honestly don't believe anyone can. Much like the Saints, we'll get our yards and our chances at scoring. However, forcing us into turnovers is a different story.

If we can limit Ray Rice we can put the game in Joe Flacco's hands. And he'll either have to hit a lot of receivers to keep the chains moving or try to score quick. I don't think he can do either with the current crop of receivers he has.

 

[DarrylS]

Nice read.. your comments typify the inability of the mediots to think outside of the box and their need to find solace in meaningless statistics...

Perhaps too many of the remember the epic battles between in the old NFL, nothing quite like the bloodied face of Y.A. Tittle making the cover of Sports Illustrated. Change is difficult for older men.

2. I find it curious how the mediots can't wait to jump off the “offense is king” bandwagon to hype the “defense wins championships” band wagon. Do these guys have ANY shame. Do they even listen to any of their previous comments, before they make their next uninformed pronouncements.

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't think the pats had to endure as much as other teams.....like houston:

schaub, leinart, williams and andre johnson for much of the year. where would the pats be if brady, hoyer, wilfork and welker went down?

stop it with this woe is me crap......

How quickly you forgot:

Chung - 8 games
Spikes - 8 games
Vollmer - 10 games (All-Pro RT)
Koppen - 15 games
Connolly - 3 games
Wendell - 2 games

You seem to forget that losing Koppen, Connolly and Wendell forced the Pats to use a 4th string center... A guy who started on the practice squad for them.

BTW, if you actually read what Ken was saying instead of putting in your 2 cents, you'd see he wasn't saying woe is me for the Pats.

 

[Fball]

How quickly you forgot:

Chung - 8 games
Spikes - 8 games
Vollmer - 10 games (All-Pro RT)
Koppen - 15 games
Connolly - 3 games
Wendell - 2 games

You seem to forget that losing Koppen, Connolly and Wendell forced the Pats to use a 4th string center... A guy who started on the practice squad for them.

BTW, if you actually read what Ken was saying instead of putting in your 2 cents, you'd see he wasn't saying woe is me for the Pats.

That's actually not a bad list at all, when you compare it to other teams around the league. The Patriots actually escaped the injury bug for the most part this year. Previous years were much worse, particular the years they lost Brady & then Welker.

 

[patfanken]

Chung - 8 games
Spikes - 8 games
Vollmer - 10 games (All-Pro RT)
Koppen - 15 games
Connolly - 3 games
Wendell - 2 games

That's actually not a bad list at all, when you compare it to other teams around the league. The Patriots actually escaped the injury bug for the most part this year. Previous years were much worse, particular the years they lost Brady & then Welker.

No its not a bad list if you choose to ignore these names

Wright 15 games IR
Barrett 15 games IR
Dowling 14 games IR
Priyor 15 games IR
Carter 4 games IR
Fletcher - 10 games

All of these players were either starters or in the primary rotation at their positions

And then you have add the short term losses you had with

Mankins
Light
Branch
Warren
Brace
Mayo

Now I know there might be other teams who have had it worse, but I bet is isn't many, especially given the volume of people.

Compare this list with our neighbors to the south. Of the top of my head. So far this season here is their injury list

Turner - 16 games IR a back up OLman who rarely played
Mangold - 2 games
LT - 2 games

Thats it for their offense

Leonhard - 8 games IR
Devito 4 games
Thomas 16 games IR

And that's it, though they probably had a few short term injuries I haven't thought of, but then again,. I haven't added several short term injuries to special teams guys on the Pats

BOTTOM LINE - I'm waiting for the year when our injury report looks more like the Jets than ours. But there is no question that the list is significant. I'd be interested if there is a list of player's games lost due to injury. I know there used to be one

 

[PatriotsReign]

One can not have "Idle thoughts...for Tuesday" on Wednesday or any other day but Tuesday.

So I'm baffled that people have posted today....

Oops...