The one thing to be said for this team, win or lose - they never give up

[ctpatsfan77]

Yes, far too often they have looked absolutely dreadful.

It would not surprise me if—God forbid the Pats have another injury or two—this season ends up another 10-6/11-5 rebuilding year.

But at no point has this team completely given up and accepted that they were going to lose.

 

[MassPats38]

I agree. But often times the difference between dreadful and good is a catch or pass. Brady was off on several throws (that one with an open Dobson that he put no arc under looked to be on him given the route, as one example). Gronkowski would have run that pass up the middle in for 7, but was rusty and dropped a tough catch. They make those plays, then there is no OT. Such is the NFL. Dumb penalties do not help either (I am excluding the final call as I am still trying to grasp this new rule, and why that represents the first time that was called this year).

The team battles, even when playing lousy. I still believe the team will continue to improve, and how it plays in the final 8 will be better indicators of playoff success than the first 8.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

Regardless of where they end up, the devastating injuries, incompetent off-season moves and the Hernandez disaster are too much at this point to be a SB contender team.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Yes, far too often they have looked absolutely dreadful.

It would not surprise me if—God forbid the Pats have another injury or two—this season ends up another 10-6/11-5 rebuilding year.

But at no point has this team completely given up and accepted that they were going to lose.

right...we need a few players$ back on the field...we've been robbed this year

 

[Archeryaddict12]

The one thing to be said for this team, win or lose

Regardless of where they end up, the devastating injuries, incompetent off-season moves and the Hernandez disaster are too much at this point to be a SB contender team.

I wouldn't go that far. Remember, the last 3 winners of the SB came from wild card weekend. You can limp through the season with 9-11 wins, and it takes only 1 playoff game to get hot. And then, were celebrating. It's become realistic that the wild card weekend teams should be feared.

 

[MassPats38]

Regardless of where they end up, the devastating injuries, incompetent off-season moves and the Hernandez disaster are too much at this point to be a SB contender team.

Right. And 2001 began with such promise. Those guys were supposed to be juggernauts, right?

On occasion, adversity is exactly what the doctor ordered to make a team successful. At 5-2, I won't be joining you in your bright outlook on the season.

 

[Whitt25]

Regardless of where they end up, the devastating injuries, incompetent off-season moves and the Hernandez disaster are too much at this point to be a SB contender team.

Shut the **** up. You ain't psychic, and you don't know the future. We're only 7 weeks in.

 

[DocHoliday]

The one thing to be said for this team, win or lose

Yes, far too often they have looked absolutely dreadful.

It would not surprise me if—God forbid the Pats have another injury or two—this season ends up another 10-6/11-5 rebuilding year.

But at no point has this team completely given up and accepted that they were going to lose.

Even if it does end up another "down" year what do you expect? This team went to a SB and another AFCCG the last two years.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

I wouldn't go that far. Remember, the last 3 winners of the SB came from wild card weekend. You can limp through the season with 9-11 wins, and it takes only 1 playoff game to get hot. And then, were celebrating. It's become realistic that the wild card weekend teams should be feared.

The problem is Wilfork and Mayo are gone for good and I have no faith in Talib staying consistently healthy and have less than no faith in Amendola, which was an absolute embarrassment of a signing.

I honestly feel worse about this 5-2 team then I did about our 2012 3-3 team because that was a matter of just being in a funk that you can work out of, not devastating injuries.

On occasion, adversity is exactly what the doctor ordered to make a team successful. At 5-2, I won't be joining you in your bright outlook on the season.

Adversity is one thing.

Season ending injuries to your top 2 defensive players and relying on an injury prone game changing CB is not looking good. Talib was the ****ing man, but he is what he is injury wise. I do not see this defense being SB caliber without their 3 best players (one on each unit of defense) not playing.

Plus losing Hernandez (out of our control) and Welker and replacing them BOTH with essentially nothing (since Amendola spends more time on bench than field) is just too much.

This season has a very 2009 feeling to me.

 

[Rob0729]

I still think this team has a chance for a Ravens, Giants, etc. playoff run. Look average to above average all year and turn it on in the playoffs.

The defense for the most part has been playing lights out. Even in this game they showed flashes of it.

The offense will get better when Vereen returns, Gronk gets closer to 100%, the rookies mature (Dobson looked good today when Brady actually look his way other than maybe on pass), and Amendola returns. How much better is TBD.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

The one thing to be said for this team, win or lose

I still think this team has a chance for a Ravens, Giants, etc. playoff run. Look average to above average all year and turn it on in the playoffs.

The defense for the most part has been playing lights out. Even in this game they showed flashes of it.

The offense will get better when Vereen returns, Gronk gets closer to 100%, the rookies mature (Dobson looked good today when Brady actually look his way other than maybe on pass), and Amendola returns. How much better is TBD.

The 2001 pats weren't given a chance. And so is this one it seems. I will take it. But the only way the offense gets better, is at the oline. Without a competent oline like we used to have, we won't win.

 

[patsinthesnow]

A Talib Patriot defense is a top 5 defense.

If GRONK, Vereen, and Amendola are on the field at the same time during the playoffs, we can take any team out.

 

[Brewskies]

Regardless of where they end up, the devastating injuries, incompetent off-season moves and the Hernandez disaster are too much at this point to be a SB contender team.

Brady is ageing and he doesn't have the long arm with accuracy. McDaniels isn't helping him with the strategy either.

 

[MassPats38]

Adversity is one thing.

Season ending injuries to your top 2 defensive players and relying on an injury prone game changing CB is not looking good. Talib was the ****ing man, but he is what he is injury wise. I do not see this defense being SB caliber without their 3 best players (one on each unit of defense) not playing.

Plus losing Hernandez (out of our control) and Welker and replacing them BOTH with essentially nothing (since Amendola spends more time on bench than field) is just too much.

This season has a very 2009 feeling to me.

Gaffney went nuts in 2006 in the playoffs after doing little in the regular season. He had to adapt to the offense, and he did. The receivers may, or they may not.

And who went down on the defense in 2004? I recall it was quite a few major pieces. How did that work out?

If you hold the pre-2004 Red Sox fan mentality ("It doesn't matter. We're going to lose anyway."), then there is nothing anyone can do or say to convince you otherwise. The Pats have done nothing in the past to earn your confidence, running the equivalent of 86 consecutive seasons without winning the big one. They haven't made it to the playoffs since '92 (that's the Lions - always confuse the two). Oh, that's right. That wouldn't be the Pats. They go to the playoffs, conference championships and title games every few years.

2009 was a dysfunctional lockerroom, plain and simple. This season isn't close to that, as it appears to be noteworthy only by virtue of the rookies. Whether this team finds its groove or not remains a question to be answered. There is depth at linebacker, so Mayo's loss may not be a critical hit. Wilfork hurts, but if Kelly returns to play that may not be as bad a hit either.

 

[dannydyn]

I still think this team has a chance for a Ravens, Giants, etc. playoff run. Look average to above average all year and turn it on in the playoffs.

Perhaps

The defense for the most part has been playing lights out. Even in this game they showed flashes of it.

Lights out while we had Talib, Mayo, Wilfork, and Kelly.

This game? flashes? The only flashes I saw were from double-vision flareups as a result of an absolute atrocious pass coverage.

The offense will get better when Vereen returns, Gronk gets closer to 100%, the rookies mature (Dobson looked good today when Brady actually look his way other than maybe on pass), and Amendola returns. How much better is TBD.

Vareen and Gronk getting better/improving - I can take that.

Rookies getting better? we're heading into week 7.... at this point it's starting become wishful thinking...

Amendola returning and then getting reinjured is not an if matter, it's a when. Obviously I don't wish harm on anyone, but the guy is an injury magnet.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This season has a very 2009 feeling to me.

The only thing that might be similar to 2009 is the record.

Comparing this season to 2009 is, IMO, an insult to this squad.

 

[YearbookCurfew]

Rain or shine, win or lose, I'll always be a Pats fan. :eat1:

 

[dales804]

Good to see a positive post after a loss. It was a tough one today. Had to figure it would be with it being a divisional game against Rex Ryan defense that has given the Patriots trouble in the past. Too bad they didn't run more, I think. And I keep thinking of Gronk being unable to haul in that catch at the end of the 4th. Love the never give up attitude on this team.

Long way to go this year. Hopefully we see great improvement come mid-November.