Just wanted to remind everyone...

[Ring 6]

I'm going to enjoy the mood swing 12 days from now when we absolutely dominate the Chiefs|Texans|Bengals.

You know, the game where we will likely:
Get Edelman back
Get Vollmer back
Get Jones back
Get Hightower back
Play Amendola more than just sparingly

We're talking about a game yesterday that the team didn't even play to win where we were missing some very important cogs on offense and defense.

But yeah, serious concern over here.

Hope you are right, but its just wishful thinking right now.
We don't even know those guys will be ready to play. And how much do you expect when they are at best still recovering from injury and have lost their game readiness by sitting idle?

I want to be wrong, but its a huge mess right now

 

[Joey007]

What is there to wait and see? He has spent a month not letting his offense try. What do you think was going on in the lockerroom? He told them he wanted to lose on purpose?

Not what I'm saying. Really all I'm saying is we have no idea what's transpiring for certain. Obviously they aren't losing on purpose. It will just be interesting to see what happens in the playoffs, and whether or not this team turns it around.

I get this team is banged up, but let's not forget most of the guys still out there are guys that were executing well earlier in the year. Lack of talent out there is not the issue, and injuries aren't the sole issue, either. It's overall a combination of execution and injuries.

With a bye week here, we can only hope that both will be shored up the most they can.

 

[Ring 6]

Getting ridiculous now. This Dolphins game (which apparently was a blowout loss, according to you. 20-10. is a blowout? WTF?) defines our success/failure in the playoffs now? Chill.

We lost by 10 points to one of the few worst teams in the NFL. I'm OK with that if it didn't come on the heels of losing to 2 other non-playoff teams. And I'm OK with that too if it didn't happen by waiving the white flag when we had the football.

 

[Bartmac36]

Past successes have nothing to do with this year. You are saying we should be happy with this year because we are spoiled and ungrateful. I want to win this year. I would want that whether we had 12 SBs in a row or were 0-16 last year. I don't think being concerned that the team is limping into the playoffs is wrong because they won in other years. Maybe that's just me.

As far as your other comments, why would they run the offense they ran for 6 weeks if they know they have to run a real one in the playoffs?
They did what they did, because they actually were afraid to have the football. I don't know what changes that. BB decided that letting the clock run out was better for his team than trying to score. BB decided that throwing 5 times in the first half of a critical game was best for his team. Your argument seems to be he knew it was wrong, but didn't care because it wasn't the playoffs, and now he will take his job seriously. I don't buy that.

Ever heard of the term "live to fight another day"..? You are jumping to extremes. It doesnt have to be either they go all out or they lay down during the finals weeks. Its called managing the game.

They will have Edelman, Amendola, Chandler, Vollmer back in two weeks and that will change how the offense looks. Now how much it changes remains to be seen, but I will bet my entire life savings that Brady will not have only 5 pass attempts at half time in two weeks.

If they had the pieces they needed to be more effective on offense, they wouldve been more effective on offense these past few games. Bill did what he felt was necessary to give this team a reasonable chance to win and yet still not push his luck anymore with further injuries, setbacks etc

Both the Jets and Dolphins games were within reach of winning going in to the 4th quarter or overtime, so obviously Bill at least wanted a chance at winning those games, just not at the risk of further damaging the team when it needs to focus on getting healthy and rested and already had at least a 2 seed locked up.

I am not by any means saying they should just be happy with past accomplishments and call it a season, nor am I saying everyone needs to be positive and act like its going to be fine. You need to be rational in situations like these and understand that this team is better than any other at overcoming tough situations and until they prove me otherwise I will continue to hope for the best and not jump to conclusions.

 

[Danger Zone]

What is there to wait and see? He has spent a month not letting his offense try. What do you think was going on in the lockerroom? He told them he wanted to lose on purpose?

When my HoF coach, arguably perhaps the best coach of all time is doing something unexpected, I come to very different conclusion as to why.

The more I can't understand what a genius is doing, the more I am suspicious that the failing in comprehension is mine, not theirs.

I'm fine with criticizing Belichick, he is human. I'm less fine with the level of rhetoric that often gets used when doing so.

 

[Ring 6]

Not what I'm saying. Really all I'm saying is we have no idea what's transpiring for certain. Obviously they aren't losing on purpose. It will just be interesting to see what happens in the playoffs, and whether or not this team turns it around.

I get this team is banged up, but let's not forget most of the guys still out there are guys that were executing well earlier in the year. Lack of talent out there is not the issue, and injuries aren't the sole issue, either. It's overall a combination of execution and injuries.

With a bye week here, we can only hope that both will be shored up the most they can.

I'm more concerned that what the GOAT coach is seeing is that he should be afraid to run a professional football offense.
I am more inclined to believe that BB is right that Patriots ball at the 35 with 2 minutes left in the half of a tie game with 2 timeouts left means the best chance to win is to let the half run out and hope we can win on a lucky 2nd half play than to try to score, which would be more likely to result in the other team scoring, than to believe he has just lost his mind. That tells me that he looks at his OL and says its even worse than we think it is.

 

[Whitt25]

We lost by 10 points to one of the few worst teams in the NFL. I'm OK with that if it didn't come on the heels of losing to 2 other non-playoff teams. And I'm OK with that too if it didn't happen by waiving the white flag when we had the football.

I get it. I'm disappointed and annoyed, too, at what's gone down. But I've seen this team do the impossible too many times to count to count them out. It's not a matter of pretending nothing is wrong or being optimistic to make other people think "I'm a true fan." We've seen them turn things around when all hope was lost, so maybe it can happen again. All we can do is wait two weeks.

 

[meatface]

We lost by 10 points to one of the few worst teams in the NFL. I'm OK with that if it didn't come on the heels of losing to 2 other non-playoff teams. And I'm OK with that too if it didn't happen by waiving the white flag when we had the football.

I cant wait until we win in two weeks and i can call out all crying fans, but im sure you will just say that we will blow it in the AFCC game.

 

[Ring 6]

Ever heard of the term "live to fight another day"..? You are jumping to extremes. It doesnt have to be either they go all out or they lay down during the finals weeks. Its called managing the game.

AGAINT THE DOLPHINS? We have to live to fight another day instead of beat the Dolphins? That is supposed to make me confident. "Hey guys lets not push it against the Dolphins, lets wait for an easier game" Ugh.

They will have Edelman, Amendola, Chandler, Vollmer back in two weeks and that will change how the offense looks. Now how much it changes remains to be seen, but I will bet my entire life savings that Brady will not have only 5 pass attempts at half time in two weeks.

How do you know those guys will be back? We needed them yesterday and they couldn't play.

If they had the pieces they needed to be more effective on offense, they wouldve been more effective on offense these past few games. Bill did what he felt was necessary to give this team a reasonable chance to win and yet still not push his luck anymore with further injuries, setbacks etc

So you agree that the offense is so bad it shouldn't even try??????? And that's supposed to make me feel better?

Both the Jets and Dolphins games were within reach of winning going in to the 4th quarter or overtime, so obviously Bill at least wanted a chance at winning those games, just not at the risk of further damaging the team when it needs to focus on getting healthy and rested and already had at least a 2 seed locked up.

That makes no sense. If all he cared about was health, he would have sat Brady and Gronk. McCourty and Chung would not have come back yesterday.
You want to believe we just chose to not try. I don't buy it.

I am not by any means saying they should just be happy with past accomplishments and call it a season, nor am I saying everyone needs to be positive and act like its going to be fine. You need to be rational in situations like these and understand that this team is better than any other at overcoming tough situations and until they prove me otherwise I will continue to hope for the best and not jump to conclusions.

No this team isn't. Past Patriot teams were. This one is not acting like any of those. Not even close.
They proved otherwise to me vs Denver, Philly, the Jets and Miami. They shouldn't have lost any of those games much less all 4, and the cost of losing all 4 is horrible.

Think about this. 3 challenges:

1) You play Houston, Tennessee, Philly, Miami, the Jets (who hadn't beaten a single team with a winning record all season) and Denver. You only have to go 3-3 and you get HFA.
2) You have to beat EITHER the Jets or Dolphins
3) You have to beat 3 playoff teams in a row

We choked up our lunch on the first 2, and the 3rd is 1000 times harder.

 

[Ring 6]

I get it. I'm disappointed and annoyed, too, at what's gone down. But I've seen this team do the impossible too many times to count to count them out. It's not a matter of pretending nothing is wrong or being optimistic to make other people think "I'm a true fan." We've seen them turn things around when all hope was lost, so maybe it can happen again. All we can do is wait two weeks.

I'm not giving up either, I'm just frustrated that people want to argue like this isn't the worst ending to a Patriots regular season and least hopeful playoff situation in over 10 years.
My fear is we just aren't good enough. The Dolphins put a better team on the field yesterday. They are one of the worst teams in the league. I'm not feeling all warm and cozy that we can go from terrible to champs because we add players who were to injured to play yesterday.

 

[Ring 6]

I cant wait until we win in two weeks and i can call out all crying fans, but im sure you will just say that we will blow it in the AFCC game.

What are you talking about?
If we win you can call out fans who are honest about how crappy we have been playing?
Like you think ignoring that means you want them to win and admitting means you want them to lose???????????

 

[Ring 6]

When my HoF coach, arguably perhaps the best coach of all time is doing something unexpected, I come to very different conclusion as to why.

The more I can't understand what a genius is doing, the more I am suspicious that the failing in comprehension is mine, not theirs.

I'm fine with criticizing Belichick, he is human. I'm less fine with the level of rhetoric that often gets used when doing so.

But the biggest fear is that he is right. If our OL is so bad that he is correct to play White Flag Offense then we are truly screwed.
I'm not sure what other reason there is, because there is nothing genius in giving away home field for no reason.

 

[Whitt25]

I'm not giving up either, I'm just frustrated that people want to argue like this isn't the worst ending to a Patriots regular season and least hopeful playoff situation in over 10 years.
My fear is we just aren't good enough. The Dolphins put a better team on the field yesterday. They are one of the worst teams in the league. I'm not feeling all warm and cozy that we can go from terrible to champs because we add players who were to injured to play yesterday.

Division opponents usually overachieve, no matter how garbage they are (That Chargers-Broncos game is another great example. 4-11 Chargers had no business staying in that game, and they're worse than the Dolphins.).

And strange things happen in the playoffs -- teams gaining momentum suddenly play like **** and are one-and-done, teams that just barely snuck in transform into this monstrous force that plows its way to the Super Bowl, injuries to key players on a hot team that was destined to win it all strikes, a team that's clearly about to win draws a huge penalty/fumbles/throws an interception that shifts the entire game, etc.

All that matters is we're in this thing. Every team's record in the postseason is 0-0, so no one cares who kicked your ass in the regular season. I don't care how ugly we play. We win, we move on to the next round. Brady can play his worst game ever, stats-wise. As long as we get the W in the end, that's all that matters.

 

[TomPatriot]

White flag, running scared, afraid, not like the past, bad offense.

Two weeks . . .

 

[Ring 6]

Division opponents usually overachieve, no matter how garbage they are (That Chargers-Broncos game is another great example. 4-11 Chargers had no business staying in that game, and they're worse than the Dolphins.).

And strange things happen in the playoffs -- teams gaining momentum suddenly play like **** and are one-and-done, teams that just barely snuck in transform into this monstrous force that plows its way to the Super Bowl, injuries to key players on a hot team that was destined to win it all strikes, a team that's clearly about win draws a huge penalty/fumbles/throws an interception that shifts the entire game, etc.

All that matters is we're in this thing. Every team's record in the postseason is 0-0, so no one cares who kicked your ass in the regular season. I don't care how ugly we play. We win, we move on to the next round. Brady can play his worst game ever, stats-wise. As long as we get the W in the end, that's all that matters.

Everyone is 0-0, but everyone is not equal. Does it not bother you that we are playing the worst football we have since 2002 or maybe longer?
The argument of any given day so we have as much chance as the Redskins or Texans doesn't make me feel good.

 

[Bartmac36]

AGAINT THE DOLPHINS? We have to live to fight another day instead of beat the Dolphins? That is supposed to make me confident. "Hey guys lets not push it against the Dolphins, lets wait for an easier game" Ugh.


How do you know those guys will be back? We needed them yesterday and they couldn't play.


So you agree that the offense is so bad it shouldn't even try??????? And that's supposed to make me feel better?


That makes no sense. If all he cared about was health, he would have sat Brady and Gronk. McCourty and Chung would not have come back yesterday.
You want to believe we just chose to not try. I don't buy it.


No this team isn't. Past Patriot teams were. This one is not acting like any of those. Not even close.
They proved otherwise to me vs Denver, Philly, the Jets and Miami. They shouldn't have lost any of those games much less all 4, and the cost of losing all 4 is horrible.

Think about this. 3 challenges:

1) You play Houston, Tennessee, Philly, Miami, the Jets (who hadn't beaten a single team with a winning record all season) and Denver. You only have to go 3-3 and you get HFA.
2) You have to beat EITHER the Jets or Dolphins
3) You have to beat 3 playoff teams in a row

We choked up our lunch on the first 2, and the 3rd is 1000 times harder.

The answer to all of your points is that the final two games didnt mean s**t compared to the playoffs. Do you really not see the difference between a week 16/17 regular season game when you already have a bye secured vs a MUST WIN PLAYOFF GAME?

Yes you live to fight another day against the Dolphins because ITS NOT A PLAYOFF GAME, or even a game with a lot of importance. Yes it was the difference between home field in the 2 seed, but thats nothing compared to the difference between moving on or going home in the postseason.

We didnt need to force out Edelman, Amendola, etc yesterday because the season wasnt on the line. The season will be on the line in 2 weeks, and thats why they will be out there. (With two more weeks to get back to normal, sorry but that is a HUGE difference this time of year)

Am I seriously having to explain this right now..? Like this isnt a difficult concept.. Would you rather them have risked further injury to Vollmer/Edelman/Jones etc. and really put our season in trouble by playing them yesterday or would you rather have them playing when it matters most?

 

[meatface]

What are you talking about?
If we win you can call out fans who are honest about how crappy we have been playing?
Like you think ignoring that means you want them to win and admitting means you want them to lose???????????

you mad bro?

 

[Ring 6]

White flag, running scared, afraid, not like the past, bad offense.

Two weeks . . .

Do you disagree?
What does 2 weeks mean? Like you think admitting they stink right now is rooting against them and ignoring it is rooting for them?

 

[Ring 6]

you mad bro?

Very mad. We had the world by the balls at 10-0 and the wheels have fallen off. Of course I'm mad.

 

[Ring 6]

The answer to all of your points is that the final two games didnt mean s**t compared to the playoffs. Do you really not see the difference between a week 16/17 regular season game when you already have a bye secured vs a MUST WIN PLAYOFF GAME?

Are you arguing they didn't try to win these games and now they will try? If so, they are no longer the Patriots we know. Does the other team try in the playoffs too?

Yes you live to fight another day against the Dolphins because ITS NOT A PLAYOFF GAME, or even a game with a lot of importance. Yes it was the difference between home field in the 2 seed, but thats nothing compared to the difference between moving on or going home in the postseason.

Huh? The road team is 6-14 in Conference Championship games the last 10 years. How is that not important? How is that not a factor in moving on?

We didnt need to force out Edelman, Amendola, etc yesterday because the season wasnt on the line. The season will be on the line in 2 weeks, and thats why they will be out there. (With two more weeks to get back to normal, sorry but that is a HUGE difference this time of year)

You do not know they will be back or ready or anywhere near 100%. They will be added to an offense that is more dysfunctional than it has been in many years. We may need the HFA to win a game with these deplete team. We could have run a regular offense yesterday and tried to beat a crappy team. If we can't beat Miami or the Jets on the road, doesn't that tell you HFA is important?
I guess you are just a guy who says we didn't get it so it must not have been important.

Am I seriously having to explain this right now..? Like this isnt a difficult concept.. Would you rather them have risked further injury to Vollmer/Edelman/Jones etc. and really put our season in trouble by playing them yesterday or would you rather have them playing when it matters most?

I would rather have played all healthy players and get HFA. I would rather have run a regular offense with whoever was in there. I would rather be home for the AFCCG but if I couldn't I wouldn't want to head into the playoffs with an offense that looks worse than the Browns right now.
I would have used this game to get my offense in sync and keep them home.

Having a football player play football doesn't mean he is going to break and not be able to play again.