Your EARLY confidence level on this years team?

[Liverpool_Patriot]

Personally, I believe this team is too good to miss the playoffs. Hopefully, late in the year we will start to play our best football and find a rhythm like the Cardinals last year or the '07 Giants, with Brady and the OL back to their usual selves and the inexperienced defence gelling together.

 

[NEPatriot]

If you want to blame Belichick for anything,blame him for not getting round 1 or 2 pass rushers out of the draft who could have helped this team,even if they originally didn't seem like a fit,this team could have been no worse with a Larry English or a Rey Maualuga or a James Laurinitis which were all available.

Blame him for looking ahead and not keeping Seymour another year or for being more aggressive in getting a top talent at OLB in FA, but don't say he is not as good as he was before - He is still good as ever as a HC,but he can't play on the field,he gives assignments to the players who must carry them out,if they don't its because they lack some talent,not the coaches fault.

No, he is not good as you think. If he were truly good, would he let a 07 perfect season disappear???

If he were truly good, would he let TB score 9 pts yesterday????


Do you know why we 'lack' some talent??? Because we are busy thinking about the future and cost management while we have a lot of uncertainty right now.

It's the coach's fault for not making quick adjustment on the field.

 

[Oswlek]

I was originally thinking 15-1 and a superbowl.

Now I am thinking 12-4 and a superbowl.

 

[wilfork is beastin']

belichick helped lead an injury ridden pats team lead by a hs qb and a runningback named Law Firm to an 11-5 record and missed the playoffs by a tiebreaker. I hate when people say "in bill we trust" and I'm not a koolaid drinker, but to say he isn't a great coach or has lost a step is extreme. As for the 07 SB, how exactly was it BB's fault that Eli broke free from 3defenders?

 

[italia44]

If you want to blame Belichick for anything,blame him for not getting round 1 or 2 pass rushers out of the draft who could have helped this team,even if they originally didn't seem like a fit,this team could have been no worse with a Larry English or a Rey Maualuga or a James Laurinitis which were all available.

Blame him for looking ahead and not keeping Seymour another year or for being more aggressive in getting a top talent at OLB in FA, but don't say he is not as good as he was before - He is still good as ever as a HC,but he can't play on the field,he gives assignments to the players who must carry them out,if they don't its because they lack some talent,not the coaches fault.

1.The Chargers moved up to get Larry English.......what would you have BB do,read their minds?
2.What top-tier FA linebacker was available?..........Ray Lewis?........he resigned with the Ravens.....Bart Scott............he went with his Rex Ryan,his former coach.
3.Rey Maualuga and Laurinitis are too small and do not fit this defense.
4.Wasn't the secondary the big problem this offseason?.......BB drafted Chung and Butler,who are going to be really good........be patient.
5.They drafted Vollmer and Ohrenberger for the future,not to replace Light or Neal.......again,be patient.

Lastly.....this is a Spread Offense........get used to it........Tom Brady wants to throw and by hell and high water,he's going to throw.The problem is timing and red zone efficiency.........easily correctable........be patient,you'll see.

 

[wilfork is beastin']

in terms of FA I thought the team should have gone after greg ellis

 

[BradyManny]

I was originally thinking 15-1 and a superbowl.

Now I am thinking 12-4 and a superbowl.

Yup. This wouldn't be the first time the Patriots got off to a sluggish start and reeled off win after win after win. 2001 & 2003 both had clunkers early on.

This should really put the 2004 & 2007 seasons in perspective. SB or no in the later, those were years displayed unrivaled dominance.

 

[Nikolai]

Still thinking Super Bowl here.

Two weeks in and the biggest question marks going into the season were on defense, the secondary, and Tom Brady. The first two are panning out better than most expected even with the loss of Mayo. Brady will come around.

Remember, Brady has spent most of his career winning with less than elite QB numbers. If he returns to that serviceable state, I'll be happy. I don't need Madden-esque stats to keep me happy.

Like someone mentioned earlier in the thread, I've noticed that BB hasn't been as involved with his defense on the sidelines when the offense was on the field. It's an image I've always had of BB from the past, and it seems to be lacking a bit now. It could simply be that the cameras aren't focusing on it. Maybe those going to the Falcons game can shed some light on that.

 

[condon84]

We'll get it together. Still "In BB we trust."

Brady and the offense will click sooner or later and our defense, with Mayo coming back and Guyton and company getting some good reps, will be a force by the end of the year. The better the chemistry on both sides of the ball, the more chances we can take.

Still Superbowl or bust.

We're winning #4 this year.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

1.The Chargers moved up to get Larry English.......what would you have BB do,read their minds?
2.What top-tier FA linebacker was available?..........Ray Lewis?........he resigned with the Ravens.....Bart Scott............he went with his Rex Ryan,his former coach.
3.Rey Maualuga and Laurinitis are too small and do not fit this defense.
4.Wasn't the secondary the big problem this offseason?.......BB drafted Chung and Butler,who are going to be really good........be patient.
5.They drafted Vollmer and Ohrenberger for the future,not to replace Light or Neal.......again,be patient.

Lastly.....this is a Spread Offense........get used to it........Tom Brady wants to throw and by hell and high water,he's going to throw.The problem is timing and red zone efficiency.........easily correctable........be patient,you'll see.

I have no problems in believing Brady can get his sh!t together and play better - What I HAVE a problem is believing that the OL can do its job to protect him - This OL has sucked for years and in 07 they were way overrated simply becuase opposing defenses did not blitz with all the weapons Brady had around him fearing that blitzing would take them into dangerous situations - but when Baltimore and Philly and the Giants decided to Blitz in the last 1/4of the season, it caused problems later on and obviously into the SB where lack of protection from the OL from elite pass rushers was exposed.

What you fail to acknowledge is the fact that it does not matter whether its Tom Brady,Drew Brees,Joe Montana or Peyton Manning behind center,If you don't have adequate protection and AT LEAST 3 seconds to throw you might as well be a JAG QB,plays will not be going to plan -Brady rarily had 3 seconds to throw yesterday and he better get some time soon.