July 30 Pat Kirwan article on Pats training camp

[teamplay]

Nice piece full of tidbits. He was at Gillette Sunday or today.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10274851

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

A favorite..."Seau told me no one escapes Belichick. Any player, including Brady, can make the dreaded "low-light tapes" shown after bad performances. This is a group that doesn't let the individual overrule the team. This team really does believe it can get better at every practice. When the offense was told to take a lap around the field, Brady won it."

DAMN, we gots ourselves one SLOW offense.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Nice read.
Kirwan tempers expectations by predicting 12-13 wins.

I am thinking 13-15 wins will probably be what this team gets this year.
Asante can sit out if he wants to, this team is stacked to win even without his services.
OR he can take his head out of the sand and participate in possibly the most talented Patriots squad ever.
And I don't say this lightly considering how great the Pats were in their 2003 and 2004 superbowl years.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

I heard quite a bit of Kirwan on Sirius' yesterday while they did their show from Foxboro. Kirwan just gushed about the Patriots, not just the talent, but how efficient they looked in practice. He said that if he saw the film from the practice and didn't know when they taped it, he thought it would be from midseason when they were in midseason form instead of the first weekend of camp.

 

[Flying Fungi]

I heard quite a bit of Kirwan on Sirius' yesterday while they did their show from Foxboro. Kirwan just gushed about the Patriots, not just the talent, but how efficient they looked in practice. He said that if he saw the film from the practice and didn't know when they taped it, he thought it would be from midseason when they were in midseason form instead of the first weekend of camp.

How'd he sound? I have quietly enjoyed his work over the past few years...

 

[Jacky Roberts]

how'd he sound? I have quietly enjoyed his work over the past few years...

Sounded pretty good. Definitely gushed over the Patriots and seemed legitimately impressed at how good they looked already.

 

[Nordberg]

I'm not going to lie...I got a little bit "plump" after reading that article.

 

[psychoPat]

I'm not going to lie...I got a little bit "plump" after reading that article.

Speaking of getting "plump" ... or whatever ...
d'ja see that pic of Vince?

Last week it was reported that he had LOST 30 pounds!
Well, i think they've been found.

 

[BelichickFan]

Speaking of getting "plump" ... or whatever ...
d'ja see that pic of Vince?

Last week it was reported that he had LOST 30 pounds!
Well, i think they've been found.

Nah, you can tell the difference from last year.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

You don't know how the breaks will fall - in the 14-2 years, I think they fell quite well. Beyond that, a lot of the guys from 03-04 squads are still there (Rodney, Bruschi, et al,) and are far less impressive today. Do we have a better D now? Possibly, with AD in the mix, Meriwether looking like a fast-impact guy, and especially if we have "the Franchise" back.

But my main reason for agreeing with the 12-13 wins summing-up, is that it's just plain statistically unlikely -- however talented you are -- to go beyond 13 wins in today's NFL. You know the "any given Sunday" maxim. It does not take much to have a few slips here and there and (gasp) lose a game.

12-13 wins sounds right to me. (PS - Kirwan has been a Pats backer for a while now... so while it's always good to see him lovin' on the Pats' coaching, their camps, their discipline, etc. etc., I still take it with a grain of salt. But hey, a grain of salt in a whole cup of kool-aid is fine by me.)

PFnV

 

[Nordberg]

I have them going 13-3

Losses to San Diego (passing game won't be clicking yet)

In Miami (what else is new)

and some other random team. Redskins maybe?

But I agree.....it just statistically doesn't make sense to go underfeated.

 

[cstjohn17]

Kirwan is really rising above other national writers, he forms ideas that are based upon a thorough analysis instead of pure conjecture. When he picks apart a team it is backed up with evidence or a valid historical comparison. He also provides some insight into how rosters are developed, looking beyond the draft and the first wave of free agency. He explains how important depth and waiver wire pickups are in the overall process.

The final 4-5 roster spots have a lot of competition, special teams is going to be critical.

His final paragraph sums up the whole AFC, any team that makes it to the Superbowl will have to either stop SD's running game and / or stop the Colts passing attack. Think for a moment how completely different these tasks are for a defense. I see all three teams in a dead heat, it will come down to who plays the best in January.

"Can the Patriots handle the San Diego running game, the Colts' spread passing attack, and the other tough teams in the AFC to get to the Super Bowl? Barring injury, they should get that chance in the AFC Championship Game."

 

[PatsSteve1]

A favorite..."Seau told me no one escapes Belichick. Any player, including Brady, can make the dreaded "low-light tapes" shown after bad performances. This is a group that doesn't let the individual overrule the team. This team really does believe it can get better at every practice. When the offense was told to take a lap around the field, Brady won it."

DAMN, we gots ourselves one SLOW offense.

For sure. TB winning the lap is the worse news I've heard from TC yet.