The Official Patriots/Broncos Post Game Thread

[ensoul]

I would be crushed right now if I thought the pats could win the game. Truth is after the chargers lost I knew there was no chance the pats would got to Denver and win against those receivers. I accepted this loss last week.

As for the off season. Brady has another 2 years. 3 tops. BB should go all in but he won't. No more of having players like Edelman being a first option when he would be a 2nd or 3rd option on many teams.

The secondary continues to suck. Manning threw for 400 years and completed 76% of his passes. There was zero pressure on him and I don't even think the pats ever laid a finger on him.

We will see what happens but BB is so set in his ways he will end up signing some over the hill "value" corners that will end up being awful as well as some nobody scrap heap receivers.

 

[FCB02062]

Haven't posted in awhile and I think I'm probably on ignore for alot of the footie pajama Patsfans, but this team went as far as they could with the ridiculous amount of injuries. So, this is two AFC Title games in a row with no Gronkowski and virtually no Talib.
Props to Belichick but it's a shame another year of Brady went down the drain without another Super Bowl. I really thought this team had the physicality to win, but when you're throwing deep balls to Matthew F#cking Slater and a 5'8' receiver with the catch radius of an 8th grader, your offensive weapons are limited.
I urge Krafty Bob to PLEASE go out and SPEND SOME MONEY ON PLAYMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL! But, as usual, I'm sure their free agent signings will be more of the same - Leon Washington, Adrian Wilson, Joey Galloway, Janathan Fanene, and throw in some guys who don't even play like Armstead...how bout, just once, signing a free agent in his mid 20s, not his early 30s??????????????

 

[blackglass3]

No doom and gloom from my home. I knew the second Talib went down the game was over, and I'm not sure that even with Talib we win. Denver was better than us. I'd love to have seen our COMPLETE team (no IR) vs. Denver's COMPLETE team, but it is what it is. Our luck finally ran out. Denver deserved that win, congrats to them.

However, it doesn't matter...as awful as this offseason was (the Welker drama, Scumbag AH dragging our name through the mud, Gronk spending so much time at the hospital he might be a qualified medical intern by now) this season was a whole bunch of fun. Some really impressive wins: the Saints game, overcoming 24 against Denver, that wild finish to the Cleveland game, obliterating the Ravens in their own house. I don't remember our team showing this much heart since the SB teams. It was an awesome, fun year where you could never really count out the Pats.

The injuries gave a lot of experience to younger players that will be around for the next few years. Our roster is already upgraded before Free Agency or the Draft. We are REALLY well set up for next year.

The only thing (I feel like we say this every year) is we need a season with minimal injuries. If we have few injuries and some of this years rookies make the leap (Dobson, Ryan, Harmon) we should be stacked.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well, most of the issues that the so-called "Chicken Littles" were talking about all offseason and through the year showed themselves today.

• Solder - still too many weaknesses at LT
• Wendell - Can't get the job done at C
• Vollmer - Missing. Had he remained healthy, the Patriots may have been able to make the Connolly/Wendell switch during the season.
• TE - Injury problems with Gronk + anger management problems with the Prisoner, and nothing done to help in case of emergence
• WR - Trainwreck. Getting rid of Welker and Lloyd really paid off. Amendola (1), Dobson (2) Boyce (0), Thompkins (0) combined for an average of less than one catch each today. Great job there, Bill!
• S - 'nuff said, I expect
• DT depth - Ditto
• CB - If one of the top 2 go down, the team's screwed against good offenses, same as last year

There's plenty of work to be done. Let's hope BB doesn't try outthinking the damn room again.

 

[Sciz]

Well, most of the issues that the so-called "Chicken Littles" were talking about all offseason and through the year showed themselves today.

• Solder - still too many weaknesses at LT
• Wendell - Can't get the job done at C
• Vollmer - Missing. Had he remained healthy, the Patriots may have been able to make the Connolly/Wendell switch during the season.
• TE - Injury problems with Gronk + anger management problems with the Prisoner, and nothing done to help in case of emergence
• WR - Trainwreck. Getting rid of Welker and Lloyd really paid off. Amendola (1), Dobson (2) Boyce (0), Thompkins (0) combined for an average of less than one catch each today. Great job there, Bill!
• S - 'nuff said, I expect
• DT depth - Ditto
• CB - If one of the top 2 go down, the team's screwed against good offenses, same as last year

There's plenty of work to be done. Let's hope BB doesn't try outthinking the damn room again.

Agreed. What a fantastic season by Edelman. I hope he's back.

 

[Nordberg]

I would be crushed right now if I thought the pats could win the game. Truth is after the chargers lost I knew there was no chance the pats would got to Denver and win against those receivers. I accepted this loss last week.

As for the off season. Brady has another 2 years. 3 tops. BB should go all in but he won't. No more of having players like Edelman being a first option when he would be a 2nd or 3rd option on many teams.

The secondary continues to suck. Manning threw for 400 years and completed 76% of his passes. There was zero pressure on him and I don't even think the pats ever laid a finger on him.

We will see what happens but BB is so set in his ways he will end up signing some over the hill "value" corners that will end up being awful as well as some nobody scrap heap receivers.

According to everyone posting here....Edelman is a fine option as a #1 receiver.

I've given up on BB getting Brady some "real" NFL targets. BB still thinks it's the 70's.

 

[fumbrunner]

Well, most of the issues that the so-called "Chicken Littles" were talking about all offseason and through the year showed themselves today.

• Solder - still too many weaknesses at LT
• Wendell - Can't get the job done at C
• Vollmer - Missing. Had he remained healthy, the Patriots may have been able to make the Connolly/Wendell switch during the season.
• TE - Injury problems with Gronk + anger management problems with the Prisoner, and nothing done to help in case of emergence
• WR - Trainwreck. Getting rid of Welker and Lloyd really paid off. Amendola (1), Dobson (2) Boyce (0), Thompkins (0) combined for an average of less than one catch each today. Great job there, Bill!
• S - 'nuff said, I expect
• DT depth - Ditto
• CB - If one of the top 2 go down, the team's screwed against good offenses, same as last year

There's plenty of work to be done. Let's hope BB doesn't try outthinking the damn room again.

Agree with everything here. Where do you prioritize? Talib? edelman? Those two will take a considerable chunk of available cap space. How much do you do through free agency and how much through the draft.

 

[TonyTucker]

Welker dropping passes and sissy Lloyd falling to the ground? Nah, they didn't miss them. Welker was there for the other 13, 14, 17 point games they've put up in the playoffs recently.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

A lot of help needed at every position with the exception of QB and RB. Hard to say what they go for in the draft but I would guess OL, DL, CB and TE. Plenty of WR's in the draft so they may go bargain hunting.

 

[alvinnf]

Cant wait to see more from Jamie Collins next year. I think with Mayo out there and some beef back up front, he could really create some havoc out there. On the other hand, Gregory stinks can't wait to not see him out there.

 

[Deus Irae]

Agreed. What a fantastic season by Edelman. I hope he's back.

Yours is an incredibly foolish post, as I'm sure you realize.

 

[50-yard-line]

No pass rush.

You can't win these big games without pressuring a QB like Manning. Just watched SEA-SF and nearly cried as I watched Avril and Bennett - both gotten on the cheap by Seattle - chasing Kaepernick all over the place. And John Abraham, remember him?, got 11.5 sacks this year.

BB doesn't give a damn about a pass rush, has said so in the past. Biggest weakness in the Pats these years, and it shows in every big game. Sure, it might have been a bit better with Wilfork and Kelly pushing the middle, but there were bona fide pass rushers out there to be had, and cheaply - Phillips, Avril, Bennett, and Abraham, to name four - and we didn't move.

Pats have a great young roster, but you need a couple of true killers, and I don't mean like Hernandaprisoner.

 

[Deus Irae]

Agree with everything here. Where do you prioritize? Talib? edelman? Those two will take a considerable chunk of available cap space. How much do you do through free agency and how much through the draft.

It's tough, because the mistake from 2 years ago (Tavon Wilson) is haunting the team, there are a bunch of other issues that need fixing, and they aren't great in terms of the cap. My guess is that they'll start with the CB1 spot as the first priority.

 

[letekro]

No pass rush.

You can't win these big games without pressuring a QB like Manning. Just watched SEA-SF and nearly cried as I watched Avril and Bennett - both gotten on the cheap by Seattle - chasing Kaepernick all over the place. And John Abraham, remember him?, got 11.5 sacks this year.

BB doesn't give a damn about a pass rush, has said so in the past. Biggest weakness in the Pats these years, and it shows in every big game. Sure, it might have been a bit better with Wilfork and Kelly pushing the middle, but there were bona fide pass rushers out there to be had, and cheaply - Phillips, Avril, Bennett, and Abraham, to name four - and we didn't move.

Pats have a great young roster, but you need a couple of true killers, and I don't mean like Hernandaprisoner.

Bennett and Avril would have made no difference with how fast Manning was getting rid of the ball. You have to remember that behind Bennett and Avril are probably the league's fastest LB group and best secondary. It's all those components together that makes Seattle's defense great. That, and the PEDs.

 

[ATippett56]

Agree with everything here. Where do you prioritize? Talib?

So you are willing to invest in an injury prone cornerback?

 

[Kontradiction]

It's tough, because the mistake from 2 years ago (Tavon Wilson) is haunting the team, there are a bunch of other issues that need fixing, and they aren't great in terms of the cap. My guess is that they'll start with the CB1 spot as the first priority.

I sincerely hope that they let both of them ride off into the sunset. Talib is soft and is not a gamer and Edelman is a cheap knock off of Welker. Let both of them take off and use the money to make an impact at each position.

 

[Mack Herron]

So you are willing to invest in an injury prone cornerback?

Good question. Talib is the biggest difference maker on a defense with few (if any) other playmakers. So, yes, I think you try to invest in Talib. The question is how much, and what else you can get for the money. He needs to be a little flexible with his assessment of market value so that he does not cut off his nose to spite his face, like he did with Welker.

 

[fumbrunner]

So you are willing to invest in an injury prone cornerback?

I don't know. That's why I asked the question. They are certainly a different team when he is in there. Not unlike the Gronk situation on the offensive side of the ball.

It will be interesting to see what they do.

 

[Deus Irae]

So you are willing to invest in an injury prone cornerback?

They need a CB1. If it's not Talib, it's got to be someone else not currently on the team because, right now, they've got a CB2 (Dennard) a CB3 (Arrington) and a wildly overrated rookie (Ryan).

 

[ATippett56]

I don't know. That's why I asked the question. They are certainly a different team when he is in there. Not unlike the Gronk situation on the offensive side of the ball.

It will be interesting to see what they do.

Gronkowski is under contract while Talib is an unrestricted free agent. There is only so much room under the salary cap taking account the following unrestricted free agents:

Blount
Edelman
Wendell
Svitek
Hoomanawanui
Mulligan
Carter (should retire)
Spikes
Fletcher
Talib

At least Marquice Cole is no longer on the roster.