March of the Tomato Cans and does it mean anything?

[BobDigital]

This is a phrase I hear a lot. Why do the Pats seem to get an easy divisional games so much and does it make much of a difference? Well lets look at each year in the Brady/BB run.

2001 - Raiders, Steelers, Rams - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2003 - Titans, Colts, Panthers - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2004 - Indy, Steelers, Eagles - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2005 - Jags, Broncos - 1 tomato can game and lost in divisional round.
2006 - Jets, Chargers, Colts - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG
2007 - Jags, Chargers, Giants - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in the SB.
2009 - Ravens - 1 tough game and lost in the divisional round.
2010 - Jets - 1 game (arguably tomato can or tough) and lost in divisional round.
2011 - Denver, Baltimore Giants - 1 tomato can game, 1 tough game and lost in the SB
2012 - Texans, Ravens - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG.
2013 - Colts, Bronco - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in the AFCCG
2014 - Ravens, Colts, Seahawks - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and won the SB
2015 - Chiefs, Denver - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG.
2016 - Texans, Steelers, Falcons - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and won SB.
2017 - TBD (Beat the Titans though)

In 14 runs we have a good amount of info. We can try to break it down but it deals with a lot of unknowns.

Personally I am just going to post it and let people make their own opinions on if it matters or not and how to look at it.

 

[Tunescribe]

I absolutely hate the term "tomato can" applied in reference to an NFL opponent. Mostly because that haughty, ignorant dink Shaughnessy popularized it to disparage/minimize the Patriots' success and get a rise out of us. There is no such thing as a "tomato can" (unworthy) opponent in the NFL playoffs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

CHB receives royalty payments for it.

It's so dumb

 

[RIpats88]

I refuse to acknowledge anything dan shaugnessy advocates for...

 

[anditsgood]

I absolutely hate the term "tomato can" applied in reference to an NFL opponent. Mostly because that haughty, ignorant dink Shaughnessy popularized it to disparage/minimize the Patriots' success and get a rise out of us. There is no such thing as a "tomato can" (unworthy) opponent in the NFL playoffs.

that is probably why i had not heard this saying, thanks for explaining it , dont listen the media people that try to make news

 

[TB_Helmet]

How do you even define "tomato can" here? Seems pretty arbitrary to me and in many cases you're using the benefit of hindsight to do so. Nobody thought that 2014 Colts game was gonna be easy before the fact for example.

Let's face it, the Pats are so good that they make other teams look bad in comparison. We just provide a basis for comparison against which other teams suffer. We just have an easy schedule each year because we can't play ourselves.

 

[NYPatsFan]

Shaughnessy is the original tomato can.

 

[BobDigital]

How do you even define "tomato can" here? Seems pretty arbitrary to me and in many cases you're using the benefit of hindsight to do so. Nobody thought that 2014 Colts game was gonna be easy before the fact for example.

Let's face it, the Pats are so good that they make other teams look bad in comparison. We just provide a basis for comparison against which other teams suffer. We just have an easy schedule each year because we can't play ourselves.

I think there are clear "tomato can" type games. A lot of people thought the 2014 Colts would be a blow out. I remember this fan base being supremely confident going into that game.

There are questionable ones. Is KC a "tomato can game"? I would argue yes in the playoffs. They have talent but they just screw it up consistently in the playoffs. They can't seem to close even if the game is close. I have never been against an Andy Reid team (since 2004) and felt the game was in jeopardy in the playoffs. They are a lot better than other "tomato can" teams talent wise but they play below their talent much of the time.

Of course there are levels of "tomato can teams". It isn't easily defined though and it's hard to tell where the line is.

 

[TennisBallHead]

Other than the game last night and Tebow's Broncos, it's hard to list any divisional opponent as a walkover. Maybe the 05 Jags. Otherwise, their opponents haven't been that bad.

Edit: and the Jags were a wild card team anyway. So really, two completely mismatched opponents.

 

[RIpats88]

Its a tired argument from the media to discredit the Patriots success

Pats win = Doesnt matter because they faced easy competition and should win.

Pats Lose = How could they lose to a tomato can! Brady sucks, bill should be fired...hes a bad GM!

its a way for guys like Dan to keep their negativity and scrutiny whether the pats win or lose.

 

[Simpelton]

Shaughnessy is the original tomato can.

Rigid and fragile, likely to burst under heat and pressure, unable to stand exposure, full of sauce, pulp and acid, and relying on salt to stay fresh?

 

[patchick]

Absolutely, the Patriots have on average faced easier first-round opponents than their rivals. And yes, it does mean something. It means that the Patriots have earned a first-round bye eight freaking years in a row.

In other words, sometimes you make your own "luck." I think of it as the Patriots' version of Indy's approach: "Don't Suck for Luck."

 

[Danger Zone]

... and how about the reverse of the tomato can theory?

Bad teams and rivals that play the Patriots like a victory will redeem their season?

A lot of bad/rival teams have played the Patriots a hell of a lot harder than they play other teams.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

My child has Tomato Can Personification Syndrome. How dare you be so insensitive! Do you have any idea how horrible it is as a parent watching a helpless child get blown out by elite NFL playoff teams at preschool?

 

[Kdo5]

This is a phrase I hear a lot. Why do the Pats seem to get an easy divisional games so much and does it make much of a difference? Well lets look at each year in the Brady/BB run.

2001 - Raiders, Steelers, Rams - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2003 - Titans, Colts, Panthers - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2004 - Indy, Steelers, Eagles - No tomato can games and won the superbowl.
2005 - Jags, Broncos - 1 tomato can game and lost in divisional round.
2006 - Jets, Chargers, Colts - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG
2007 - Jags, Chargers, Giants - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in the SB.
2009 - Ravens - 1 tough game and lost in the divisional round.
2010 - Jets - 1 game (arguably tomato can or tough) and lost in divisional round.
2011 - Denver, Baltimore Giants - 1 tomato can game, 1 tough game and lost in the SB
2012 - Texans, Ravens - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG.
2013 - Colts, Bronco - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in the AFCCG
2014 - Ravens, Colts, Seahawks - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and won the SB
2015 - Chiefs, Denver - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and lost in AFCCG.
2016 - Texans, Steelers, Falcons - 1 tomato can game and 1 tough game and won SB.
2017 - TBD (Beat the Titans though)

In 14 runs we have a good amount of info. We can try to break it down but it deals with a lot of unknowns.

Personally I am just going to post it and let people make their own opinions on if it matters or not and how to look at it.

It is a pathetic term. The Pats EARN the right to the easiest path to the Super Bowl through their regular season excellence. This is a fact that the Shank's of the world happily ignore.

 

[maineman209]

But it's January!

Oh, wait.

nvm

 

[MassPats38]

It is the playoffs. Win more games in the regular season and you play a team considered lesser by record. Every team is a playoff team, not the Browns at 0-16.

There is no 'easy' route to a championship. The point of brackets is the best teams in the AFC and NFL ultimately play each other. Saying a team lost because it had a tougher path means the Pats had to beat the team that won in that tougher path at some point.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

It’s a stupid old boxing term

 

[jah]

This is what happens to the 1 seed in this playoff system.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

We have to stop giving these losers the attention they seek. Nobody would remember these hacks w/out bringing them up.