Yesterday looked like the last exhibition game all around the league

[BTTA]

With the possible exceptions of Baltimore, Atlanta, and Chicago, nobody looked like they deserved to be in the playoffs this year, let alone win the whole tournament. It's as if the exhibition games were used only to sort out the bottom of the roster, not to get the top of the roster in sync.

Given that, coaching will be an even bigger factor in the next few weeks, and given that, I like our chance of improving faster than others.

 

[ghostPatsfan]

Tru-dat. I like how there's a building outcry to eliminate some pre-season games because they aren't needed and yet there's no other word to describe the play in the games I saw today but ragged.

Pats-Bills, Jags-'Boys, Giants-Indy. All of them looked like they needed another week of practice. At least.

Oh well. As long as they're entertaining games, which incidentally all three of those games were.

 

[shakadave]

Good observation. I think coaches have decided that it's better to avoid injuries than to get ready for Week 1, and I agree with them. 2003 Patriots are the classic example. Lose early to Buffalo and Washington (if I'm not mixing my years in memory) then by Halloween be the team nobody wants to face.

This is Belichick's greatest trait, his ability to improve the team he has. If we avoid bigtime injuries (which could finally happen one of these years) so that he has constant personnel to coach instead of a revolving door, BB can improve them even more. This year's defensive personnel are good enough that, if they stay healthy --- I know, it never happens! --- they can make up for our modest WR corps and help win us another championship.

 

[mdhprime]

They all looked like typical Week One games...pretty sloppy.

 

[rabthepat]

I agree with you...I thought some of our pre-season play was better than yesterday. But we shall over come and improve week to week.