tOfficial "Tom Brady & the New England Patriots" Superthread

[Broncos6482]

It's not just a reaction from this game, it's based on the Patriots play this season. They got blown out in Miami and did nothing on offense the entire second half. The barely got by Oakland (probably the worst team in the league) at home. Even in their win against Minnesota, their offense didn't do much. Then last night they are completely shut down and their defense shredded.

The good news for the Patriots is their schedule is favorable and they play in the AFC East which is bad. I still think they're the favorite to win their division and that guarantees them a home playoff game.

 

[TDs3nOut]

It's not just a reaction from this game, it's based on the Patriots play this season. They got blown out in Miami and did nothing on offense the entire second half. The barely got by Oakland (probably the worst team in the league) at home. Even in their win against Minnesota, their offense didn't do much. Then last night they are completely shut down and their defense shredded.

The good news for the Patriots is their schedule is favorable and they play in the AFC East which is bad. I still think they're the favorite to win their division and that guarantees them a home playoff game.

I understand that NE hasn't played well this year, except for their game at MN (which I didn't see, but they won by 23 points, so I assume they played pretty well). And I am certainly not a NE fan, but I think that people are too quick to make judgements about how things will play out after the first quarter of the season. Again, anyone recall the 2012 Ravens?

I've read and heard several opinions that Cincinnati is a top team. I'll reserve judgement that the Pats are finished at least until Sunday night, when the Bengals play at NE.

 

[chf]

I can't help but wonder why he played as if he had no clue about the game.

The time he spent in Seattle as a backup he was excellent. Players loved him.

 

[Bunkamania]

I remember when Brady could heat and eat a Hot Pocket with the amount of time he had in the pocket. I didn't watch the game but, I'm assuming, that his bad play has more to do with the OL and not so much his abilities.

 

[Mondo Jay]

Just because he sucked as a player, doesn't mean he doesn't know the game. The best players never make the best analyst/coaches. That's the most annoying message board assumption.....just because a player was great as a player must mean his opinion is more credible than one that wasn't so great. It's horseshit...

Dilfer thinks Wilson is better than Luck.

 

[cdumler7]

I understand that NE hasn't played well this year, except for their game at MN (which I didn't see, but they won by 23 points, so I assume they played pretty well). And I am certainly not a NE fan, but I think that people are too quick to make judgements about how things will play out after the first quarter of the season. Again, anyone recall the 2012 Ravens?

I've read and heard several opinions that Cincinnati is a top team. I'll reserve judgement that the Pats are finished at least until Sunday night, when the Bengals play at NE.

I think people can see trends though against the Patriots that they just have some major flaws. OL is just terrible. Can't remember the last time the Patriots had such a bad OL. Those kind of things are hard to fix midseason. You can do some things scheme wise to help out but then it limits what the offense can do. Defensively what used to be a strength in stopping the run has quickly become a major weakness for them. They are in the bottom 1/3rd in almost every run defense category right now. They lost one of their best run stopping DT's in Siliga for most of the season and Wilfork looks like a shell of himself. Again hard to fix midseason. Throw in Revis is just not looking right at this point. Teams have no fear of throwing his way.

Now I do agree it is early in the season so hard to completely judge how this team will do as I remember in 2012 the Broncos starting out I think 2-3 then running off 11 straight victories. So they have the pieces to right the ship but they have some major concerns that I just don't know how they fix at this point.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I remember when Brady could heat and eat a Hot Pocket with the amount of time he had in the pocket. I didn't watch the game but, I'm assuming, that his bad play has more to do with the OL and not so much his abilities.

The OL didn't play well and KC did get a lot of pressure on him. Doesn't mean, in my opinion, that that will remain constant throughout the season.

 

[Broncos6482]

I understand that NE hasn't played well this year, except for their game at MN (which I didn't see, but they won by 23 points, so I assume they played pretty well). And I am certainly not a NE fan, but I think that people are too quick to make judgements about how things will play out after the first quarter of the season. Again, anyone recall the 2012 Ravens?

I've read and heard several opinions that Cincinnati is a top team. I'll reserve judgement that the Pats are finished at least until Sunday night, when the Bengals play at NE.

They really didn't play that well. The offense didn't do much. Cassell was terrible and kept throwing the ball where he had no business throwing it. I believe he had 4 interceptions that game. And they got a blocked field goal that went for a touchdown right before halftime that really turned that game around.

Their offense has sucked all season.

 

[Broncos6482]

People want to give the Patriots the benefit of the doubt because they've built up a mystique. But getting blown out 41-14 in front of the entire nation has a way of cracking that mystique. Brady and Belichick have obviously had great success together, but nothing lasts forever. Brady just is not that good anymore. He's frequently under pressure, which has caused him to be very inaccurate, and has him ducking from phantom pressure when he does have time. Then he can't drive the ball downfield anymore (thanks to that whole pressure issue), which means defenses can sit on all of that short stuff.

I imagine that a lot of people will pick the Patriots to beat the Bengals on Sunday. They'll do this because the Patriots don't lose two games in a row, and they don't lose at home, and of course the Patriots will rebound after losing in such an embarrassing fashion. But I think that's a mistake. I think the Bengals will win, and win big. And at that point I think a lot more people will come around to the fact that Brady and the Patriots just aren't that good anymore.

 

[cdumler7]

They really didn't play that well. The offense didn't do much. Cassell was terrible and kept throwing the ball where he had no business throwing it. I believe he had 4 interceptions that game. And they got a blocked field goal that went for a touchdown right before halftime that really turned that game around.

Their offense has sucked all season.

That blocked field goal really was a huge moment in that game. They were up 17-7 at that point with Minnesota ready to make it a 1 score game to then have it completely turned around and be a 24-7 lead at half is a huge momentum changer. Throw in the losing Peterson for possibly the year during the week I am sure changed the whole game plan for Minnesota.

 

[sonnyblack65]

His contract runs through 2017.

Brady can only do so much. I would put the blame squarely on BB's shoulders. He thinks he smarter than he is. His O-line is terrible & his WR(s) are mediocre. That is directly his own fault because rather than pay the good players on his roster that may be slightly declining in the near future, he ships them off. He got away with that philosophy for about a decade, then it caught up with him.

Good post He has made some terrible personnel/player decisions

 

[sonnyblack65]

i thought he already did that on a daily basis

Prob right he seems xtra whipped. Dont get me wrong I would do a lot for her , but as a man ,I draw a line somewhere

 

[cdumler7]

People want to give the Patriots the benefit of the doubt because they've built up a mystique. But getting blown out 41-14 in front of the entire nation has a way of cracking that mystique. Brady and Belichick have obviously had great success together, but nothing lasts forever. Brady just is not that good anymore. He's frequently under pressure, which has caused him to be very inaccurate, and has him ducking from phantom pressure when he does have time. Then he can't drive the ball downfield anymore (thanks to that whole pressure issue), which means defenses can sit on all of that short stuff.

I imagine that a lot of people will pick the Patriots to beat the Bengals on Sunday. They'll do this because the Patriots don't lose two games in a row, and they don't lose at home, and of course the Patriots will rebound after losing in such an embarrassing fashion. But I think that's a mistake. I think the Bengals will win, and win big. And at that point I think a lot more people will come around to the fact that Brady and the Patriots just aren't that good anymore.

I think the pushing it down the field is two-fold...They just don't have the OL anymore for Brady to sit back and try to push the ball down the field. This reminds me of a few years ago with Rivers in they kept trying to push the ball down the field with 7-step drops but just didn't have the OL to do that anymore. Until the Patriots realize they just can't do that they will continue to struggle quite a bit on offense. Second they really don't have those deep threats that they have had in the past like Randy Moss. When your best receiver is a 5'10" guy in Edelman and the couple of speed guys you do have can't catch and can't stay healthy it just makes it that much harder in teams know they can keep guys close to the LOS. This affects both the pass and run game big time.

 

[cdumler7]

Good post He has made some terrible personnel/player decisions

The draft seems to be a big part of this downfall. BB used to be the king of finding the diamond in the rough and making them shine. He keeps having this idea that he can still do that and that letting those veterans go won't affect the team. Not hitting on those late round guys has been huge in depleting any kind of depth and ability to replace good talent. I as a Bronco fan cheered the day they let Mankins go for a draft pick. I couldn't believe after the Off Season they had of bringing in so much talent then to let your anchor on the OL go was just crazy in my book.

 

[sonnyblack65]

People want to give the Patriots the benefit of the doubt because they've built up a mystique. But getting blown out 41-14 in front of the entire nation has a way of cracking that mystique. Brady and Belichick have obviously had great success together, but nothing lasts forever. Brady just is not that good anymore. He's frequently under pressure, which has caused him to be very inaccurate, and has him ducking from phantom pressure when he does have time. Then he can't drive the ball downfield anymore (thanks to that whole pressure issue), which means defenses can sit on all of that short stuff.

I imagine that a lot of people will pick the Patriots to beat the Bengals on Sunday. They'll do this because the Patriots don't lose two games in a row, and they don't lose at home, and of course the Patriots will rebound after losing in such an embarrassing fashion. But I think that's a mistake. I think the Bengals will win, and win big. And at that point I think a lot more people will come around to the fact that Brady and the Patriots just aren't that good anymore.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Cinci won, how good they are playing and how bad Pats are. Also Cinci went to a hostile environment in Balt and beat them, Balt having the 2nd best home record in last 10 years

 

[sonnyblack65]

The draft seems to be a big part of this downfall. BB used to be the king of finding the diamond in the rough and making them shine. He keeps having this idea that he can still do that and that letting those veterans go won't affect the team. Not hitting on those late round guys has been huge in depleting any kind of depth and ability to replace good talent. I as a Bronco fan cheered the day they let Mankins go for a draft pick. I couldn't believe after the Off Season they had of bringing in so much talent then to let your anchor on the OL go was just crazy in my book.

True but also I think Crennell and Weiss were instrumental during drafts, BB is trying to do this more on own

 

[cdumler7]

True but also I think Crennell and Weiss were instrumental during drafts, BB is trying to do this more on own

True...I would say no team has had as much Assistant Coach turnover as that of New England over the last 10 years. Eventually that catches up with you. Throw in it does seem that the more you throw on the Head Coaches plate the more they start to decline a bit. Saw this with the Broncos in they gave Shanahan complete control of the team and it started being one bad draft after another and horrible FA signings and just all-around bad decisions.

 

[{+}Mother-Marge{+}]

[/B]

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Cinci won, how good they are playing and how bad Pats are. Also Cinci went to a hostile environment in Balt and beat them, Balt having the 2nd best home record in last 10 years

but.....but.........we always ~bounce~ back after a loss...!!,.....*have you seen our schedule up to our week-10/bye?*.......!?

 

[TDs3nOut]

People want to give the Patriots the benefit of the doubt because they've built up a mystique. But getting blown out 41-14 in front of the entire nation has a way of cracking that mystique. Brady and Belichick have obviously had great success together, but nothing lasts forever. Brady just is not that good anymore. He's frequently under pressure, which has caused him to be very inaccurate, and has him ducking from phantom pressure when he does have time. Then he can't drive the ball downfield anymore (thanks to that whole pressure issue), which means defenses can sit on all of that short stuff.

I imagine that a lot of people will pick the Patriots to beat the Bengals on Sunday. They'll do this because the Patriots don't lose two games in a row, and they don't lose at home, and of course the Patriots will rebound after losing in such an embarrassing fashion. But I think that's a mistake. I think the Bengals will win, and win big. And at that point I think a lot more people will come around to the fact that Brady and the Patriots just aren't that good anymore.

Did you watch the SB last year?

Also, in your previous post you wrote that NE has played poorly the "entire season". What you meant, of course, is the "first quarter of the season".

I don't know what happens this Sunday night (nor do I even really care that much, other than a NE win might make people understand that there is a tendency to think one knows more than he really does know), but I won't be at all surprised if Brady, Belicheck, et al find a way to stop this "downward slide".

 

[craigk217]

Yet this clowns are the same people who picked the Patriots to win the division because they had such a great team!

And who wouldn't pick the Patsies to win THAT weak-ass division? This coming from a HUGE Fins fan.