Pats Not All That

[AzPatsFan]

Every one talks about the shadow roster of old vets awaiting the emergency phone call to come back to play again. Shadow positions of Vinny Testaverde, Mruczkowski and maybe Troy Brown on it. Why is no one talking about another shadow roster player... a RB named ... Corey Dillon???

 

[VJCPatriot]

The whole article just sounds wishy washy.
"I'm not ready to crown the Pats as kings... not yet."
Meaning that once they start the season 6-0 he's gonna reserve the right to jump onto the bandwagon?
The article lacks punch.
He brings up some questionmarks but doesn't come down decisively on the issue.
It's just not a very convincing piece of journalism imo.

 

[Welsh Patriots]

when the pats make it to the playoffs 14-2 with Brady league MVP with Moss and Maroney on a rampage...letss see what he has to say then ...perhaps i was a bit over the top lol

 

[ilduce06410]

i'd say 13-3

when the pats make it to the playoffs 14-2 with Brady league MVP with Moss and Maroney on a rampage...letss see what he has to say then ...perhaps i was a bit over the top lol

who cares what these clowns think.
you and i will be talking serious trash come december.

 

[koolaid23]

i just dont understand how he can say the loss of corey dillon. is it just me or didnt we RELEASE him? how is it a loss? if the team felt it was a loss and not a gain then we wouldnt have let him go.

 

[dryheat44]

I hate sounding like a grammar/idiom snob, but I've heard more people screw this up lately. And a "writer" to boot?

But I'm hesitant to crown 'em kings of the NFL, let alone the AFC, just yet

Isn't the proper form to put the subset first, followed by, "let alone (the larger group)?"

Otherwise you get crap like San Diego isn't even the biggest city in the world, let alone California.

Dummy.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I hate sounding like a grammar/idiom snob, but I've heard more people screw this up lately. And a "writer" to boot?

But I'm hesitant to crown 'em kings of the NFL, let alone the AFC, just yet

Isn't the proper form to put the subset first, followed by, "let alone (the larger group)?"

Otherwise you get crap like San Diego isn't even the biggest city in the world, let alone California.

Dummy.

"Let alone" is somewhat slangy, but I think it's equivalent to "to say nothing of" (which implies that what comes after is a stronger requirement) rather than "or even" (which implies that it is weaker).

Good spot!

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

The problem with articles such as the above one is the writer does his/her best to judge a team relative to "roster perfection"

In the case of the Pats they do indeed have weaknesses, and the writer has adequately pointed out those weaknessess that he sees. Nothing wrong with that but what he fails to acknowledge is that those teams competing with the Pats also have weaknesses, weaknesesses which more than counter those weaknessess that the Pats have. Whether it be Indy's loss of key starters and suspect defense, or SD's questionable receivers and brand new coaching staff, or Denver's untested QB, suspect receivers and questionable DL, those contending teams themselves are chalk full of serious concerns as they enter this season. Certainly as much, if not moreso, than the Pats.

So, taken as a whole, sure the Pats have weaknesses but they aren't more than any other team in the NFL. This is the point of argument that he failed to take in the article and which makes it a waste of time. Rather than simply point out the Pats flaws and base a judgment only on them he should have compared the Pats flaws to those of the other combatants for this years Lombardi trophy and made his analysis after doing so. How the heck can he announce that he's not ready to "crown 'em (the Pats) kings of the NFL, let alone the AFC, just yet" when he hasn't compared the Pats to to any other team in his analysis

 

[ilduce06410]

pats not all that, never have been

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6919700
Good to see articles like this it motivates me as a Pats fan.
Sure, the Pats won two Super Bowls with the likes of J.R. Redmond, Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith carrying the load. And yes, they brought in Sammy Morris — a reliable veteran back — over the off-season. But I think the loss of Corey Dillon hurts a lot more than anyone's really discussing. More importantly, however, is Laurence Maroney's health. While other outlets are reporting on the second-year man's new-found "acting bug", I'm a bit skeptical about his body. His right shoulder was clearly banged up towards the end of last season. Don't believe it? Go watch game film from the Pats' three postseason contests.

i agree.
the thing is, teams have to walk onto the field of play and defeat them. very hard to do.
patriots are large and physical.
they do not beat themselves (perhaps 1 game per year).
they will not mismanage the clock.
brady is usually very efficient.
D-line is first-rate, which makes LBs and DBs look good.
they go 12-4, 13-3, against a tough (division champion) schedule because, on a given sunday, it's difficult to beat them.

this is the first year patriots have more than 2 players (brady, seymour) listed among the nfl's elite.
i read in SI (peter king), maybe 3 years ago, that while patriots have very few "4" (highest rank) players, they have more "3" players than any other nfl franchise.
i have a HS friend, now the AD in the houston public schools, who says patriots "play together" as well as any team he's ever seen.
no, they're not all that, not like the 49ers of the '80s or the rams of the '90s.
problem is, it's verry hard to beat them on the field of play.