Doc Posted March 12, 2014 Posted March 12, 2014 The rookie the Pats replaced Spikes with looked like an All Pro in his starts. I dont expect a drop off at ILB, I expect a huge improvement. Who was that?
gomper Posted March 12, 2014 Posted March 12, 2014 I look at it fairly simply. During their Superbowl winning years, they had a heck of a defense to go with a heck of an offense. Since that last Superbowl win, they've had 8 seasons and 8 seasons of playoffs with Tom Brady. I'll not even consider the Cassel year, which was good, but still no playoffs. Lets look at their record in those 8 seasons: Lost wild card one time Lost division twice Lost conference championship 3 times Lost Superbowl twice Their defense has taken too much of a back seat IMO to be able to say that they're still in "their winning ways". I believe that their offense with Brady at the helm will be good enough to make the playoffs no matter what. Whether they actually return to being a "dynasty" is in question. Quite true. Maybe BB became seduced by the realization that he was watching Brady become a HOF QB in front of his eyes. If so, it's ironic considering BB's defensive genius. I think the first chink in the dynasty armor was the Indy comeback in the AFC title game. Blowing an 11 point lead was not Patriot football. To me, the Cassell year may have been BB's finest in a way. 11-5, with Brady out. You cant tell me anyone wanted to face them in the playoffs. If Brady is Brady with no noticeable decline, and BB works his magic again, they will be in the mix...again.
boyst Posted March 12, 2014 Posted March 12, 2014 They'll end up with Sproles and Revis. Find a way to get Mack. Then get some WR or TE in the 3rd who played at DeVry become all Pro.
Ronin Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 By all means their dynasty should be coming to an end, but they also shouldn't have been a 12-win team last year. So who knows? They're lucky that they've been in our division during Brady's tenure. Any other division and they would not have had the same "success" as they've had. 13 seasons playing against three teams none of which had decent QBs or usually even coaches and hardly ever a bona fide playoff talent among the three.
Big C Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 They're lucky that they've been in our division during Brady's tenure. Any other division and they would not have had the same "success" as they've had. 13 seasons playing against three teams none of which had decent QBs or usually even coaches and hardly ever a bona fide playoff talent among the three. I'd be inclined to agree with you if they didn't make it to 5 Super Bowls and an additional 3 AFC Championship games. I'll give you the year Cassel ran the show, though.
Ronin Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 As long as Brady is around and not falling off, they'll compete for a playoff spot and beyond. As long as the Pats have three teams like the Jets, Fins, and Bills they'll compete for a playoff spot too. As to Brady, he's among the best ever, so it's hard to say how they'd have been with just a very good QB. Brady has made Belicheat more than Belicheat made Brady. Belicheat's never had success with any other QB. Cassel's Pats beat a bunch of schleps that season. Outside the division they beat only one winning team, the overrated Cardinals with Leinart as QB.
Pete Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Revis' camp: Darrelle to NE 'going to happen' A member of free agent Darrelle Revis' camp predicts to the New York Daily News that Revis signing with the Patriots is "going to happen." "It's going to happen," the anonymous camp member predicted. This is all we have to go off of, so take it with a grain of salt. But reports have been that the Patriots were one of the many teams to express interest in Revis before he was ultimately let go by the Bucs. Patriots players are supposedly lobbying for Bill Belichick to pony up the cash for Revis. The NY Daily News also reports the Jets and Revis' camp have discussed a reunion, one Rex Ryan and Revis would seem to be very interested in. Revis is our No. 1 overall free agent. Source: New York Daily News Mar 12
Ronin Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 I'd be inclined to agree with you if they didn't make it to 5 Super Bowls and an additional 3 AFC Championship games. I'll give you the year Cassel ran the show, though. Were they cheating during three of those Super Bowl seasons? I'm guessing yes since they've failed to make it back with anything close to that frequency much less been able to win one with notably better teams in a notably weaker division. If you take any three teams, arbitrarily from season to season, from each division, the other three AFCE teams, the Jets, Fins, Bills, have been the weakest three in the NFL since 2001. I've conducted that analysis. Keep in mind, that's the three weakest arbitrarily from season to season, whereas in the AFCE, it's been exclusively the non-Pats three. That's a striking revelation.
Big C Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Were they cheating during three of those Super Bowl seasons? I'm guessing yes since they've failed to make it back with anything close to that frequency much less been able to win one with notably better teams in a notably weaker division. If you take any three teams, arbitrarily from season to season, from each division, the other three AFCE teams, the Jets, Fins, Bills, have been the weakest three in the NFL since 2001. I've conducted that analysis. Keep in mind, that's the three weakest arbitrarily from season to season, whereas in the AFCE, it's been exclusively the non-Pats three. That's a striking revelation. But how are you so sure it's because the Bills, Jets and Fins were bad vs. how good the Pats were?
26CornerBlitz Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 @AdamSchefter: CB Darrelle Revis and the Patriots have reached agreement on a one-year, $12 million deal
Ronin Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 But how are you so sure it's because the Bills, Jets and Fins were bad vs. how good the Pats were? Come on now, just look at the QBs and their overall records. It's not as if the other teams were essentially winning teams apart from playing the Pats. Even the year that was mentioned with Cassell starting, the division played two other divisions with only one winning team among them, the aforementioned overrated Leinart-led Cards. That's it. But here have been the QBs in the AFCE during that stretch: Van Pelt, Bledsoe, Holcomb, Losman, Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Manuel Testerverde (washed up), Pennington, Bollinger, Favre (washed up), Sanchez, Smith Fiedler, Feeley, Frerotte, Harrington, Lemon, Pennington, Henne, Moore, Tannehill In 39 team seasons, that's 21 QBs, not even an average of 2 seasons/QB and an average of 7 QBs per team in those 13 seasons. I doubt that you can find another division with any three teams, even arbitrarily from season to season to make it easier, that has that kind of lame track record. Does that alter your stance any? @AdamSchefter: CB Darrelle Revis and the Patriots have reached agreement on a one-year, $12 million deal Meanwhile we get Rivers, another Kawika Mitchell caliber LB. LOL Whaley's sure carving out a niche on the Mt. Rushmore of the NFL.
The Big Cat Posted March 13, 2014 Author Posted March 13, 2014 The rookie the Pats replaced Spikes with looked like an All Pro in his starts. I dont expect a drop off at ILB, I expect a huge improvement. The one so good you never bothered to learn his name? Come on now, just look at the QBs and their overall records. It's not as if the other teams were essentially winning teams apart from playing the Pats. Even the year that was mentioned with Cassell starting, the division played two other divisions with only one winning team among them, the aforementioned overrated Leinart-led Cards. That's it. But here have been the QBs in the AFCE during that stretch: Van Pelt, Bledsoe, Holcomb, Losman, Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Manuel Testerverde (washed up), Pennington, Bollinger, Favre (washed up), Sanchez, Smith Fiedler, Feeley, Frerotte, Harrington, Lemon, Pennington, Henne, Moore, Tannehill In 39 team seasons, that's 21 QBs, not even an average of 2 seasons/QB and an average of 7 QBs per team in those 13 seasons. I doubt that you can find another division with any three teams, even arbitrarily from season to season to make it easier, that has that kind of lame track record. Does that alter your stance any? Meanwhile we get Rivers, another Kawika Mitchell caliber LB. LOL Whaley's sure carving out a niche on the Mt. Rushmore of the NFL. Well, I'm glad you know exactly how good all our FA's will turnout.
Ronin Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Well, I'm glad you know exactly how good all our FA's will turnout. I imagine that he'll be no better than he's been, which is as a low-end starter tops. What, are you one of those guys that thinks that free agents that come to Buffalo are all of a sudden going to become better than they were and are? If anything it's the opposite. Just look at Whitner, Lynch, Fletcher, et al. Anyway, I think we're finished here.
The Big Cat Posted March 13, 2014 Author Posted March 13, 2014 I imagine that he'll be no better than he's been, which is as a low-end starter tops. What, are you one of those guys that thinks that free agents that come to Buffalo are all of a sudden going to become better than they were and are? If anything it's the opposite. Just look at Whitner, Lynch, Fletcher, et al. Anyway, I think we're finished here. If anything, last year proved it's the opposite. Just look at Branch, Lawson, Hughes (traded for) and Leonhard. There's also Ubrik. There's also Peers. There's also Chandler. Was there anyone else from 2010 or before you'd like to name, because none of mine were around then. Oh yeah, how could I forget Mario Williams? Anyways, you're right. Nothing has changed since London !@#$ing Fletcher was around.
BRAWNDO Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 I can't see one of the other AFC East Teams stepping up to challenge them for the division title yet.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Will Mr Island be able to talk his talk under Bellyache? WILSON!!!!
Webster Guy Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 This is so true. Hatred aside, as football fans you must marvel at how he keeps reinventing his team year after year, no matter what is put in his way. No matter what happens between now at the season opener, know he'll have a system in place to maximize whomever is on the roster. By reinventing you mean fiielding a relatively weak defense every year, drafting like crap and relying on your HOF qb to bail you out.
Mr. WEO Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 By reinventing you mean fiielding a relatively weak defense every year, drafting like crap and relying on your HOF qb to bail you out. Brady has been in steady decline since 2011. How did he bail them out this year? Drafting like crap? The overwhelming majority of their starters and subs were drafted. Collins, Dobson, Ryan were solid rookies last season. Before that: Chandler Jones, Hightower, Wilson, Solder, Ridley, McCourty, Gronkowski, Spikes, Hernandez, Vollmer, Butler, Edelman, Mayo, Meriweather. Hardly crappy, given their record. On defense, they were in the top 10 in fewest points allowed the past 2 seasons.
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