Loving the pressure-free stalker role

[RhodyPatriot]

This year is the anti-'07 and the Patriots and their fans should embrace this pressure free no expectation zone.
Nobody likes the losing but it's actually a nice change of pace not having the pressure of sky high expectations this team has faced for several years now. It really is a nice change of pace to be lurking in the weeds as the stalker and not the one constantly being stalked.
Team is struggling. Is full of questions. Has glaring holes. Stars are underperforming. The kids look overwhelmed. The Pats are not an elite team. The Colts are undefeated. The Saints are undefeated. The Vikings have Favray.
Nobody sees the Pats as championship caliber. Nobody!
So just kick back and enjoy watching this team and keep one little thought in the back of your mind.
NOBODY wants to face this Patriot team in January. NOBODY!!
And with good reason!!
Just sit back and enjoy Pats fans.
Just sit back and enjoy the pressure free no expectation show!!!!!
Gonna be fun!!!

 

[sieglo]

Re: Loving the pressure free stalker role

You are confusing this year with last.

 

[ausbacker]

Re: Loving the pressure free stalker role

You can't say nobody would want to face us. The Patriots haven't done much to instill fear in good teams this season.

 

[Raymond]

Re: Loving the pressure free stalker role

I don't know about January, but I think the Saints would love to play the Pats in February.

 

[muzz]

Put the pipe down!!

This team instills fear into NOONE not named Detroit or Cleveland,and for good reason.

I'd bet the Colts/Saints/Vikes/Cinci would be salivating to "have" to play these guys as they are currently constituted.

 

[fair catch fryar]

Absolutely! I know what you mean. Finally, a team without a bulleye's on it's back and has no expectations to win every game they play and contend for the Super Bowl. Boy, it reminds me of the good old days back around the late 80s & early 90s. Now that was football!

 

[brady et al fan]

that's what you get for trying to be positive

 

[The Intimidator]

This team is no longer feared by the ANYONE, however, I believe they are still respected throughout the league. With that being said im pretty sure the Vikings, Saints and Colts would love to play this team right now. There no longer really intimidating at all. Enough said.

 

[sieglo]

Last year, with Matt ******* Cassel, the Pats ended the season as the team that nobody wanted to play. Sadly, they missed the playoffs. This year, it is the other way around.

 

[A.C Vegas]

It's sad how poined most of you have become and how fast you throw in the towel. If you really think the "elite" teams don't want to face the Pats you are wrong ask Indy if they want to be where they were again. in reality the Pats have really only been dominated in one road game against what is proabably one the most balenced team in the league in a long time.

but that's ok doomsayers you'll all come back in Janualry saying you knew all along they would win

 

[102 Pat]

Last year, with Matt ******* Cassel, the Pats ended the season as the team that nobody wanted to play. Sadly, they missed the playoffs. This year, it is the other way around.

I still wonder "what if" the 2008 team got into the playoffs, I really think they could of done some damage...but Lord Favre ruined it with some ugly football against the Dolphins. That horrible pick six he threw still makes me mad thinking about it...

 

[Patjew]

I still wonder "what if" the 2008 team got into the playoffs, I really think they could of done some damage...but Lord Favre ruined it with some ugly football against the Dolphins. That horrible pick six he threw still makes me mad thinking about it...

I think they would have at least made the AFCCG. That team was rolling.

 

[patsfan-1982]

the pats will stay at the #4 seed even if the pats win out i cant see san diego or cincy loseing two game's


so they will play denver at home if it stay's the way it is only if the steelers make the 5 seed will the pats have a hard time wining there first playoff game at home

but after that its at cincy or at indy

cincy has a D this year and they are not just a runing team the stats say they are but they still have (Carson Palmer)

who just a few year's ago was puting up payton manning type number's every year they have chad johnson one of the best WR in the NFL and the pats corners have a hard time covering good WR and they have Chris Henry one of the fastest player's in the NFL


now indy we all know about payton manning and the colts pass rush

the pats can not and will not hold the colts under 30 point's and i dont think tom brady will have the same type of game he did the colts will get better at DB and there pass rush will be feeding off of the playoff crowd noise


i do think the pats can beat any one when they bring there A game

but like OP said no one fear's the pats any more

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I love the response to my post. It really does point out just how superficial and spoiled many Patriot fans are. Many are so incapable of analysis beyond the last game. How different the perspective would be among Superficial Pat Nation had the Patriots been given the correct spot on the 4th and 2 and won the Colts game, a road game they dominated for 55 minutes.
You're right. nodoby fears Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and their emormous playoff experience because they played a horrible game against the Saints in November.
Figure it out guys. IF you can!!

 

[RhodyPatriot]

It's sad how poined most of you have become and how fast you throw in the towel. If you really think the "elite" teams don't want to face the Pats you are wrong ask Indy if they want to be where they were again. in reality the Pats have really only been dominated in one road game against what is proabably one the most balenced team in the league in a long time.

but that's ok doomsayers you'll all come back in Janualry saying you knew all along they would win

A voice of reason. Right on Vegas!
If this Patriots offense can get their act together they are as dangerous as any team in football because nobody has a great defense this year. The Vikes are probably the best D in football but they're not even a great D.
The Pats O is predictable and vanilla. They run their offense out of shotgun formation more than any other team in football. They're 30th in throwing to their TE's. They're near the bottom of the league in red zone offense. (Jeez I can't imagine why given their vanilla predictability) Their feature back in Laurence Maroney. They are shotgun to Moss/Welker and shotgun to Welker/Moss. The QB tries to force the ball to his binky when the play isn't there. Most of Brady's INT's are happening on forced plays to Moss. All in all there is very little for the opposing defenses to have to analyze and adjust to with this current Patriot O.
The good news is all of this can be fixed.
Brady needs to come over center far more often in the passing game. Need to keep the D honest and guessing. This is the best screen pass team in football. Use at least one screen a quarter instead of one per game like they've been doing. Ben Watson and his wide receiver skill set needs to be incorporated into this offense. Put Wats out wide in some formations and throw the GD ball to the TE. (Also watch the other team call time out when seeing Wats in that formation. ) Feddy Taylor coming back is huge for this run game. Huge! The man is a "pro". When going clock management and ball control put baby Wes on the field with Wes and strengthen the short game.
The losses to the Jets, Broncos and yes the Colts (2 red zone TO's in the 2nd half kept Peyton in the game. They also did zero clock management in that game and allowed the Colts 14 possessions - absolute suicide against that QB) I put on the offense.
It's ridiculous for everyone to go hysterical over one bad (and it was bad. Pats played horribly) road loss to a very good Saints team.

This offense gets its' act together and the Patriots are as dangerous as ANY team in football. Nobody wants to play this highly experienced and talented team in January.
NOBODY!!!

 

[muzz]

cincy has a D this year and they are not just a runing team the stats say they are but they still have (Carson Palmer)

who just a few year's ago was puting up payton manning type number's every year they have chad johnson one of the best WR in the NFL and the pats corners have a hard time covering good WR and they have Chris Henry one of the fastest player's in the NFL


but like OP said no one fear's the pats any more

Chris Henry broke his arm, he's done for the year, the #2 is Coles, and the #3 is Caldwell.

With Benson getting healthy, and LJ trying to prove himself again, they have a dangerous offense....their D has played better than folks that still call them the Bungles think....I thought they looked better than usual in the PS.

 

[Nikolai]

Funny. Too many people seem to think that if the Pats played the Saints ten times, it would wind up just like Monday night every time. Apparently, there's no such thing as a bad night. Some of you have really let that loss get into your skull.

Is this team feared? Nope. That's the beauty of it. This team is better than what we saw Monday night, and while they may not be a Top 3 team this year, I still have no doubts that this team can keep pace with anyone. Monday night was a case of a Saints team firing on all cylinders, while the Pats stalled out trying to shift from first to second.

 

[UESPatsFan]

I mean seriously, was there anything more exciting than watching the 2001 team put it together? Truthfully, that is why last year was fun to watch - seeing if MC could get it done. You ever meet a Yankee fan, they get absolutely no joy out of winning anymore after that run from 1996 on. Of course, they enjoy it, but needing your team to win so you can feel good about your fandom is tough on the psyche. It is how I felt in the back to back season. Sure, it was exciting, but not very fun.

So Ill sit back, root like heck and see if they can put it together. If they dont, that's life baby, and we'll be back at it next year. For me, that is what it is to be a fan. It certainly isnt that the organization isnt trying to get it done. There are a lot of fans that dont even have that knowledge each Sunday.

UESP