It's been 10 years. Time for another run at 19-0.

[1960Pats]

If we resign ht and dont trade butler, can see a run for sure.

This team was 14-1 with brady last year. Only 3 wins were by single digits iirc. That was w/o gronk for a major chunk.

You would take that team + gronk and cooks, with the key losses being either reasonably replaced or upgraded. That is a team that can def go undefeated.

They're playing a real tough schedule this year, so they would have to step it up a bit from last season.

 

[NashuaPats]

If the Pats do indeed go 19-0, I could see a reporter ask Brady "Is this now your favorite ring?" and Brady responding, "No, my favorite is the next one."

 

[neuronet]

I am not even gonna think about 19-0 unless we get through the regular season undefeated first. Not gonna set myself up like that. There are too many good teams we are playing. Bad karma thread. Abort.

I get what you are saying, but...NOPE.

 

[New England Pride]

If they started 12-0, they would break their winning streak record from 03/04. Another ring for me would be plenty, but that would be insane.

 

[Uptown]

The OL, with another year of development with Scarneccia, should be improved. Brady is still Brady. Gronk hopefully will be healthy. Allen is a really good second TE. Another year of improvement from Mitchell at WR. Brandin Cooks is electric. Lewis will be healthy. James White gets another year to improve.

The offense should be absolutely unbelievable. It's all about health. If they stay relatively healthy, this offense could score 35+ a game, without question.

Then the defense... If Hightower re-signs and they keep Butler, the defense is vastly improved. Ryan was solid for them last year. But Gilmore is a much better player. Between him and Butler, they will have two of the very best corners in all of football. And Rowe gets to play the big receivers, and he does a pretty darned good job at that. The three top safeties are all back.

Ealy replaces Sheard. Branch is back. Another year of development for Brown and Flowers. Plus whatever else they have coming in the draft.

This may end up being - if Hightower and Butler stay - the best defense this team has fielded in...forever. Even better than last year's.

Holy smokes this team, if it stays relatively healthy, is going to be unbelievably good.

Imagine if Rob Housler (assuming he makes the team) stays healthy & becomes a factor. About as dynamic an offense as you can have.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Goodness....so many cute women in one gif

 

[Kdo5]

Keep HT and Butler and I don't see how a team can stop us if we are healthy-ish. If we get a quick lead (likely with the offensive firepower), other teams would need to go pass heavy on a bad ass secondary.

 

[1960Pats]

I am not even gonna think about 19-0 unless we get through the regular season undefeated first. Not gonna set myself up like that. There are too many good teams we are playing. Bad karma thread. Abort.

I get what you are saying, but...NOPE.

You aren't even going to think about it until they get to 16-0? That isn't going to happen. By the time they got to 5 or 6 straight the talk would start up.

Let's just hope that if it does come down to an attempt to get to 16-0 that the Pats don't pull a Polian and wimp out before giving it a try.

 

[aluminum seats]

I'd probably chuckle at them coming up short after starting 18-0

Can't say I'm with you on that one, Chris..

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Can't say I'm with you on that one, Chris..

I know. I say the above now, but I'm sure I'm swearing at the TV come February should we be so lucky.

Regards,
Chris

 

[PatsBoy12]

Not this again. Why do some care so much? I'm genuinely asking. What is it so important? Would it still be if we never got so close in 2007?

Personally, just like I was saying in 2007, I'm okay with them dropping a game or two along the way and learning from them. I guess to each his or her own, but I just don't get the fascination. If they do it, great. If not and they still win the SB, great.

 

[aluminum seats]

Not this again. Why do some care so much? I'm genuinely asking.

Not sure about the "so much" part, but I think why it's desirable is obvious: it's historic, it's never been done before. Pretty cool.

I would ask why someone wouldn't want that?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

It would be great, but I've already accepted that we lost that chance 10 years ago, and it is highly improbable to get that opportunity again. Oh well, team fully redeemed itself, and 5 rings is better than 19-0 season. Just feel bad for some of the players on that team like Moss, Welker, and Seau. They all deserved a ring.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Not sure about the "so much" part, but I think why it's desirable is obvious: it's historic, it's never been done before. Pretty cool.

I would ask why someone wouldn't want that?

I think they wouldn't want to chance running out of energy again. Many players from the '07 team said that the pressure and expectations ran them down, especially heading into the Super Bowl. They were exhausted and played tight.

 

[aluminum seats]

I think they wouldn't want to chance running out of energy again. Many players from the '07 team said that the pressure and expectations ran them down, especially heading into the Super Bowl. They were exhausted and played tight.

Oh no, I get that. I'm not talking about how the team should approach things, just as a fan. I don't get how someone could be confused as to why other fans would think that's a cool thing to achieve.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Not sure about the "so much" part, but I think why it's desirable is obvious: it's historic, it's never been done before. Pretty cool.

I would ask why someone wouldn't want that?

It's not that I wouldn't want it, so much as I think it's one of those things that should be icing and not the main goal. I also wonder how much it would matter if we didn't get so close a decade ago. Winning is hard and so many things have to line up for a successful season.

Aluminum, I guess for me the games became a little less enjoyable because not losing as opposed to just trying to win a game became "uncomfortable." And I remember Troy Brown alluding to how the players got tighter as they got closer. And of all the SB's, that's the one where I remember hearing how the players were around up really tight and didn't seem too be enjoying the build up.

I'd be ecstatic if it happens, but I don't look for it. It's one of those 'It is what it is' type things for me. I don't necessarily begrudge anyone wanting it, so much as I'd just like to know why it comes up almost every off season.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Oh no, I get that. I'm not talking about how the team should approach things, just as a fan. I don't get how someone could be confused as to why other fans would think that's a cool thing to achieve.

I wasn't confused. It seems like more than just a "cool" thing. It seems more like an expectation with it being mentioned so much.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

It seems important because we almost did it and only came up short due to some bizarre plays spectacularly going the wrong way. It is added pressure though.

 

[aluminum seats]

I wasn't confused. It seems like more than just a "cool" thing. It seems more like an expectation with it being mentioned so much.

Didn't mean confused in a pointed sense, probably should have phrased differently.

Anyway, actually agree with quite a bit of your other post. The games are a little tighter when the undefeated thing is on the line. The patriots playing a game when they're 12-0 vs 11-1 is more stressful.

I guess it's coming up now, because you never know how a team is going to evolve, but this team is just absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball.

 

[Nehalem]

Really they almost did it the last 2 years.

14-2 last year. If Brady is not suspended easily 15-1. And then the Seattle game came down to the wire.

2015: 10-0 before all the injuries decimated the offense to the point they couldnt even practice and still came a missed XP basically from the Super Bowl