i dont know why winning preseason is the debate here . the point is to play well and improve at least for the initial parts of the game which this team hasnt shown much of . many a times the 3rd string teams play the 4th quarter so win-loss doesnt mean much .
so it isnt about winning preseasons but about doing something well in some phase of the game and improve.
Preseason is so rediculous. You call plays to challenge players who are trying to make the team or earn a start. You don't actually try to win games. Why showcase your playbook? 0 pts in preseason is the way to go.
I was thinking the same thing along the lines that BB has this master plan to screw all the of the mass media up and then go into the regular season and dominate....
Considering the purpose of preseason... and knowing Belichick as a very purpose driven individual. I'm really not all that concerned. Perhaps with the new Roster limits he's changing things up by limiting some Vet presence to maximize his evaluation period with a smaller pool of bubble players. I believe he's purposely holding Brady out (injury or not) to find a clear cut #2 and who to expose. As much as I'd like to see Brady play some preseason ball... it may be worthwhile to throw the backups to the Wolves(Giants). It would be a pretty good test to really see if one of these guys can rise above the other under extreme duress.
One good thing... whoever is released probably isn't in much danger of being picked up
The team is playing without emotion. They are going through the motions. They usually do this in preseason game 4. Now they are doing it in all the preseason games.
I have no idea what it means. It could mean nothing. But it is different than in past years.
And let's not forget that the Pats played so bad vs. the Bengals that Belichick made the starters play into the third quarter eventhough it was the second preseason game. And the Pats still couldn't out play the Bengals.
The team is playing without emotion. They are going through the motions. They usually do this in preseason game 4. Now they are doing it in all the preseason games.
I have no idea what it means. It could mean nothing. But it is different than in past years.
I'm sorry, but I really can't remember the Pats playing with a lot emotion in the preseason. I think people may be blowing this aspect out of proportion because of the results on the field. If the Pats were executing well, people might be praising them for being business-like.
Since we typically don't play the starters in either the 1st or 4th game and for only a portion of game 2, the record is irrelevant.
However, if you want to see why this year is different, compare the third game. Players and coaches around the NFL call it a "dress rehersal" for the regular season when the starters typically play into the 3rd quarter:
Last year: Pats 24 Car 7
2006: Pats 41 Wash 0
2005: Pats 27 GB 3
2004: Car 20 NE 17 (2 late Car scores against the reserves got them the W)
Now I throw the offense out with Brady hurt. The defense has typically been dominant in this game. Last night they were dominated.
And let's not forget that the Pats played so bad vs. the Bengals that Belichick made the starters play into the third quarter eventhough it was the second preseason game. And the Pats still couldn't out play the Bengals.
The Pats, with Brady, tried in that game. There was serious hitting going on. That was game 2, not game 3. They just got beat by a resurgent Cinci team in front of a crazed home crowd. Cinci won its division and ended up 11-5 that year.
I think it's pretty clear BB is treating this preseason different from past ones, and the players are playing differently too.