What does it all mean?????????

[NYCPatsFan]

What? You mean we didn't clone Tom Brady to back up Tom Brady?

Clonamery suggesting cloning? Sorry, couldn't resist...

 

[Ring 6]

If this team lost with Brady, you chalk it up as a bad game and move on. Watching the defense yesterday I chalked it up as "one of those days"

However, when for the 3rd game in a row your QB struggles to get to the EZ, fans will get restless. I realize fans had too high of expectations for Cassel but lets be honest. How many of us deep down believed after last week we could possibly see a deep playoff push. Hey, we just might who knows? The AFC looks weak as well. But yesterday showed we have big offensive problems, and it's not just the QB. It's the OL as well.

Don't attack me for saying this, I'm just giving my 2 cents. Now I'm gonna go hide before you people throw your sticks and stones.

To expect that Cassel can be effective at the end of his first season as a starter and to expect he will be effective at the beginning are not the same requirement.
None of our SB champ teams could have come close to winning it all based on where they were after week 3.
It is not a matter to me of WHETHER this team can improve to the level of being able to win the SB this year, its a matter of how far they have to go and how likely it is. They are absolutely capable of making adjustments to what happened yesterday, being able to compete with anyone, and be playing their best ball in January/February. There is no doubt they are capable of that. The trick is will they, and how far away are they.
I guarantee they are a lot closer than they looked yesterday, and further away than most people thought they were before yesterday.

 

[Sicilian]

Thank you Andy. Your post is intelligent and level-headed, as usual.

My take is this: We're spoiled. In football more than any other sport, the difference between the top and bottom teams in the league is very very small. Any team can beat any team any week, and that's just a fact.

I have concerns about our offense, and we will need to improve to at least give us a chance in higher scoring games. However, I don't think that there are any QB's out there that could come in and start winning right off the bat. I also don't think O'Connell's handful of passes in garbage time means he would do any better than Cassel.

In my mind, i split the season into quarters, 4 games each. With the bye week coming so soon, I'll take the first three games as the first quarter. We're 2-1, 1-1 in the division, and we have a LOT of questions to answer. How we do over the next five will better shape my opinion of the team for the season.

 

[letekro]

I was referring to .500 and below - Brady didn't lose to a sub-500 team until 2003 - how can anyone forget the Miami Monday Night-mare in '04????

2001 - Denver (8-8), Cincinnati (6-10)
2003 - Buffalo (6-10), Washington (6-10)
2004 - Miami (4-12)

I believe Bledsoe played the entire game against Cincy in 2001.

 

[richpats]

I believe Bledsoe played the entire game against Cincy in 2001.

The 2001 New England Patriots lost to Cincinnati. It counts.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The game 'means' we're 2-1. And it means we have a division loss.

However, the game raises rational questions of some concern about coaching including team preparation and game adjustments, the inability of the D to stop a quality runing team, the inability of the D to contain an accurate QB, the continuing lack of adequate protection by the OL assisted by TEs that also cannot stop talented pass rushers, and just how capable our backup QB is when forced to be a season long starter.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

It means that the fan base is a psychological mess.

Some are trying to convince themselves that this is like 2001 and comparing Cassel to Brady. Some are going with the cliche it's one game. Some are saying this was Miami's SB but I think they are legit.

Then we have the opposite who say it's the end of the season with cassel at helm. Some say it's time to bring in Garcia. some say BB is getting outcoaching while last week he outcoached mangini.

in the end who really cares what we think or what we think it means. the pats will try to win as many games the way they want and it's about 49 weeks until Brady is back.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The Pats lost to a fantastic gameplan. The other guys get paid too.

I supect the resurrection of the Single Wing won't sweep the NFL, and it wil return to the history books of football.

Many here are completely misdirecting their angst. If there is any to be doled out it should be at the two palyers in articular who had problems handling the 6 or 7 plays that the MiIami Offense usd to win the game. The Phins trampled the SILB, Tedy Bruschi, and then ran by Rodney Harrison on their way to the endzone.

Occasionally experienced QB Chad Penington passed to the TEs over the middle, a problem dating back to last season. But that passing did not result in the rout, the Single Wing plays did.

Should we determine that the age is slowing these players too much, instead of a novel formation that they were unprepared to defend, the Pats coaches wil have to find alternatives.

As I see it it might consist of AD back at one ILB position; Pierre and Shawn, spending more snaps at OLB. And Brandon and James getting more snaps at Safety. Guyton's development might be accelerated, but he needs a year or more to develop,and long range he migh tonly have the talent to be a fine sub. The Pats may need another draft to replace the aging players as the solutions may not be in the roster.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

If you need a break from the doom&gloomers, there's always the VIP board... it could use more attention from those of us that are lucky enough to be able to go there.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Considering that the AFC looks weak, this team should be looking for a veteran QB to make a strong playoff push.I still think this team will make the playoffs.

The Pats did NOT lose this game on the basis of the QB play. Tom Brady would have lost yesterday. You sound like the drunk who was looking for his car keys that he dropped, up the street. He said he was looking, under the streetlamp far from where he dropped them, because that was where the light was.

Cassel has won two games and the Coaches and the Defense lost one game. Get over it.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The thing that troubles me is that in January Matt Cassel will still not

be Tom Brady.

You are correct. But he will be a more experienced Matt Cassel. That Cassel who has won two games and lost one.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I love the people who are in denial about losing because of the miami gameplan. sure they did and never adjusted. but what is stopping miami from doing it again on a couple occassions? shouldn't the adjustments have happened at half time?

 

[stcjones]

It all means we are 2-1.

That's it.
We lost to a bad team. OK. It happens to great teams, good teams, average teams and bad teams.
Of course there are those that want to take that days performance, say the opponent was bad, and therefore we will never win again. Go ahead, overreact.
There are those who will want to diminish what happened yesterday. Go ahead, underreact.

The bottom line is yesterday was one game in a 16 game season. The fact that we lost to a seemingly bad team means we lost to a seemingly bad team. It will not affect the other 15 games any more than any other game will affect them.

I recognize it is hard to take when we have won 21 straight regular season games, when we have gone 7 years almost never losing to a bad team. Everyone else loses to bad teams, so the fact that we did isn't a death knell.

This team right now has a 2-1 record, and looks like it could win or lose any game it plays. This team right now doesnt look like it has great post-season prospects. But this team today is not the team that will be playing in January, it will grow between now and then, either more quickly or more slowly than the competition.

Its just sad that there seem to be so many fans quick to conclude the worst, it seems they take joy in it, after one game. I thought that fan meant you ROOTED FOR the team, you cheered, and hoped for their success.
I don't know if its the Patriot fanbnase, the East Coast mentality or just this board, but find it disgusted that after 21 straight reg season wins, we lose one game and there are people rushing to post negtively, feel vindicated and seem proud to be the one who saw the armageddon coming while when the team does well, the general tone is overeacting is ignorant homerism.

I grow tired of interacting with this fan base.

I think it all comes down to HOW they lost it Andy....they didn't lose it in an all out, hard fought effort to the final gun....that I can deal with all season long....Yeah the fins have had our number....and yes they have beat us in some HARD FOUGHT battles......but yesterday this team lost it by LAYING down, sleepwalking through the plays, not giving a rats a## about tackling with the exception of Hobbs and Mayo (even he missed a few)and basically mailing it in yesterday........I have rarely seen this team so slow, laxadaisical(sp) and indifferent.......or at least not in many years......This was a pathetic loss against a very weak team ......in OUR house.... I will still cheer for these guys every freakin week....as long as they COME TO PLAY........Go Pats......

 

[abejarano12]

With You 100%

 

[Ring 6]

I think it all comes down to HOW they lost it Andy....they didn't lose it in an all out, hard fought effort to the final gun....that I can deal with all season long....Yeah the fins have had our number....and yes they have beat us in some HARD FOUGHT battles......but yesterday this team lost it by LAYING down, sleepwalking through the plays, not giving a rats a## about tackling with the exception of Hobbs and Mayo (even he missed a few)and basically mailing it in yesterday........I have rarely seen this team so slow, laxadaisical(sp) and indifferent.......or at least not in many years......This was a pathetic loss against a very weak team ......in OUR house.... I will still cheer for these guys every freakin week....as long as they COME TO PLAY........Go Pats......

I didnt realize it was possible to tell from TV that they werent trying, that they were indifferent and didnt care about tackling.
They were beaten. Somehow it makes you feel better I guess to make up an excuse that they decided after 21 straight reg season wins that the 22nd didnt matter, that hey didnt REALLY get their butts whooped, they just didnt try.
Nothing is more ignorant to me nor more insulting than someone who vicariously live through players when they win and then insults them when they lose.
It amazes me how when the team is winning fans give that team an identity that makes them proud to be their fans, that they brag, and act like they had a part.
Then when they lose, they layed down, didnt care, gaqve no effort, because if I am their fan, they must be good, so they let me down by losing and it had to be because they didnt try because i wouldnt be their fan if they were that bad.

Its a shame.
As I said, it is getting very frustrating to interact with this fanbase.

 

[Wendel]

It all means we are 2-1.

That's it.
We lost to a bad team. OK. It happens to great teams, good teams, average teams and bad teams.

We're 9-1 and Rex is our quarterback.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

I love the people who are in denial about losing because of the miami gameplan. sure they did and never adjusted. but what is stopping miami from doing it again on a couple occassions? shouldn't the adjustments have happened at half time?

That's the part of Sunday's game that bothers me the most.

 

[CheerforTom]

We're 9-1 and Rex is our quarterback.

There is no earthly way that Rex Grossman would do better than Matt Cassel. Cassel still only has 1 INT through 3 games.

That's the part of Sunday's game that bothers me the most.

I have faith that BB and co will pull it together. There's no way they don't know they blew it; his press conferences say as much. Given that he's been outcoached in 2/4 last games I'm sure he'll take a step back and fix it.