Pats* Fans Panties in a Bit of a Twist

[krazykat]

I have to agree with MattM. The Pats* D is aged, almost to the point of antique. If they have to spend even 35 minutes on the field in a game, they will be sucking wind, reaching for their walkers and struggling to even keep up with a young, healthy team. I'd love to see an exhausted Seau or Bruschi try to man up and tackle beast mode 1-on-1 toward the end of a game, they might break a hip. I hope they bring their "help, I've fallen, and I can't get up" buttons!

That's just not true. It's Vrabel and Bruschi that are old. After that do they have a starter over 30?

 

Harrison, forgot him, but he's still playing well.

 

Their front three is young and their other DBs are too. Mayo will start at LB this year. Thomas will be 31 but that's not old for the current year.

[Flbillsfan#1]

Aren't Pats* the team that can plug in a nobody in place of a somebody and not miss a beat ?

I wonder how that will work if they are unable to cheat. Oh well, I'm sure they have already figured out a way to tap into the opposing teams radio signals.

[devldog131]

Brady makes BB, not the other way around. If Brady is unable to play, the pats* would be lucky to be an average team. You can have all the great receivers and TEs you want, but if Cassell is the one under center, they will hardly be able to touch the ball.

[Lori]

Aren't Pats* the team that can plug in a nobody in place of a somebody and not miss a beat ?

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

[MattM]

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

 

Don't forget Seau, who Pats* fans seem to think is still going to come back--ahh, ain't HGH a wonderful drug?.....

[todd]

There's something fishy with how well the old guys play on the Pats.

 

There's a new rule about propecia - NFL players can't take it. Not only is it an anti-baldness medication, it busts the test for excess testosterone. Extra testosterone helps your muscles recover from strain and fatigue faster. You don't need a ton of it to see a benefit. Floyd Landis benefited from a testosterone patch during a race at the Tour de France. He wore it for one night after a tough day and recovered incredilbly.

 

I'm just sayin, there's something odd about the performance of the old guys. There's something to it for sure.

 

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

[krazykat]

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

They've got the best front-three in the business as a group and we don't have a single impact LB like Thomas or anything even close and he turns 31 this year and isn't old for this year. Would I restructure his deal for six years at 50M, no, but if I'm not mistaken we were talking about the present, not three seasons down the road or after Brady stops playing. Mayo looks good too. Their D will still be a top 10 defense this year easily. Some of the reason for that will be the experience with the age although I agree that the age in some of their players is worse than what they gain via experience. But to suggest that the entire unit is aged and over the hill when their entire front is the strongest that they will ever be as a unit doesn't hold much water.

 

Vrabel is like 32 or 33, not 39. Yes, he's on the downside for sure, but with their front guys it will help. And as long as Harrison plays like he has, age doesn't seem to be an enormous factor.

[Lori]

There's something fishy with how well the old guys play on the Pats.

 

There's a new rule about propecia - NFL players can't take it. Not only is it an anti-baldness medication, it busts the test for excess testosterone. Extra testosterone helps your muscles recover from strain and fatigue faster. You don't need a ton of it to see a benefit. Floyd Landis benefited from a testosterone patch during a race at the Tour de France. He wore it for one night after a tough day and recovered incredilbly.

 

I'm just sayin, there's something odd about the performance of the old guys. There's something to it for sure.

Somebody got nailed on a drug test for what they claimed was Propecia use. One of the Canadiens' goalies, I think? (Checking.) Yup, Jose Theodore, before the 2006 Olympics. It was already banned by the IOC, but only as a masking agent.

[krazykat]

I'm just sayin, there's something odd about the performance of the old guys. There's something to it for sure.

There's something fishy with a lot of what the Pats do beginning and likely not ending with their Kodak moments.

[VOR]

Rodney Harrison got busted for using HGH. That's the secret to their older players finding the fountain of youth.

[Buffalo_soul-dier]

That's what they say, but look at BB's career before and after Brady.

 

Hell, they started off 0-2 under Bledsoe before going 11-3 with Brady. The year before that with basically the same exact team the Pats were 5-11.

 

Pre Brady BB is 41-57.

 

Post Brady BB is 86-24.

 

Im interested to see his stats PRE-getting caught for being a cheating piece of sh-- and POST-getting caught

[justnzane]

If Brady is out for an extended period (4+ weeks) the Bills could sneak away with the AFC East title

This could also screw the Erie Slayers for next year as well

[MattM]

They've got the best front-three in the business as a group and we don't have a single impact LB like Thomas or anything even close and he turns 31 this year and isn't old for this year. Would I restructure his deal for six years at 50M, no, but if I'm not mistaken we were talking about the present, not three seasons down the road or after Brady stops playing. Mayo looks good too. Their D will still be a top 10 defense this year easily. Some of the reason for that will be the experience with the age although I agree that the age in some of their players is worse than what they gain via experience. But to suggest that the entire unit is aged and over the hill when their entire front is the strongest that they will ever be as a unit doesn't hold much water.

 

Vrabel is like 32 or 33, not 39. Yes, he's on the downside for sure, but with their front guys it will help. And as long as Harrison plays like he has, age doesn't seem to be an enormous factor.

 

Vrabel is 33. As for AD (as they call him), I thought he kind of disappeared last year--certainly not worth the large chunk of cash they gave him, IMHO. Remember they also lost Colvin from last year's D, along with Seau (for now, but I suspect he'll be back), Samuel, Gay (their 3rd CB) and their 2nd string safety who logged a lot of minutes (and who's name escapes me). With their front 3 it depends on which Richard Seymour shows up--he's a bit inconsistent. Wilfork is also due for a "karma adjustment"--he's the one guy in the League I might wish an injury on. Rodney's 35 and Lynch is 37--the rest of their secondary is Ellis Hobbs, Fernando Bryant (31--old for a corner), James Sanders, the sucky for a first rounder Brandon Meriweather and 2nd round rookie Wheatley. Why, if you listen to Pats* fans they're even counting on help from Jason Webster (I've told them he won't last 3 games, as Falcons fans told us last summer). I think they're secondary is going to flat out stink--if you can keep their front 7 off your QB you'll have your way with them. Big order, but not impossible. I also stand by my view that if you can grind it out against these guys and keep them on the field they will get steamrolled in the late 3rd and 4th Q, when their age starts to show. Getting back to the topic of this thread--if something happens to Tommy Boy long-term, I think the Pats will be lucky to win 9 games with their current backups and this D.

[Steely Dan]

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

 

What's the over/under for Webster's season ending injury? I'm saying 3.

 

OT but Mandy Ross has a truck running in the NASCAR Truck Series. I think his sponsor is SONY camcorders but I'm not sure.

[Adam]

I normally say that they would still win the division based on defense, but that group was terrible last year. I still think the Jets can give us a run for our money either way- and I thought that before they signed Favre- they were tough on us last year and usually are

[Fan in Chicago]

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

kat & Lori, I am well aware of that. Was just being sarcastic with this widely stated 'fact' that it doesn't matter who goes down or leaves that team.

[Chilly]

As the kat points out, they haven't tried that at quarterback.

 

Regarding the defense: Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Harrison, backup NT Kenny Smith, and cornerbacks Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders are all thirtysomething, and, of course, they just added John Lynch.

 

Webster isn't injured yet?

[drnykterstein]

I wonder how that will work if they are unable to cheat. Oh well, I'm sure they have already figured out a way to tap into the opposing teams radio signals.

 

Yah, I agree.

[krazykat]

Im interested to see his stats PRE-getting caught for being a cheating piece of sh-- and POST-getting caught

Take Brady out and they become very beatable. He makes their OL look much better than it is.

 

The thing that really got me last year was how BB would constantly continue to beat teams that they had clearly beaten into the ground all seemingly for purposes of getting records. It was classless and unsportsmanlike. Put teams away, fine. But don't have your starters in the game throwing the ball well into the fourth quarter when there's no conceivable way for the opponent to even pull within three or four TDs much less win.

 

I know it happened to us more than any other team, but bias aside, that was horseshit. If every coach and team behaved like that every season then those records probably would have been much harder to beat.

[krazykat]

Vrabel is 33. As for AD (as they call him), I thought he kind of disappeared last year--certainly not worth the large chunk of cash they gave him, IMHO. Remember they also lost Colvin from last year's D, along with Seau (for now, but I suspect he'll be back), Samuel, Gay (their 3rd CB) and their 2nd string safety who logged a lot of minutes (and who's name escapes me). With their front 3 it depends on which Richard Seymour shows up--he's a bit inconsistent. Wilfork is also due for a "karma adjustment"--he's the one guy in the League I might wish an injury on. Rodney's 35 and Lynch is 37--the rest of their secondary is Ellis Hobbs, Fernando Bryant (31--old for a corner), James Sanders, the sucky for a first rounder Brandon Meriweather and 2nd round rookie Wheatley. Why, if you listen to Pats* fans they're even counting on help from Jason Webster (I've told them he won't last 3 games, as Falcons fans told us last summer). I think they're secondary is going to flat out stink--if you can keep their front 7 off your QB you'll have your way with them. Big order, but not impossible. I also stand by my view that if you can grind it out against these guys and keep them on the field they will get steamrolled in the late 3rd and 4th Q, when their age starts to show. Getting back to the topic of this thread--if something happens to Tommy Boy long-term, I think the Pats will be lucky to win 9 games with their current backups and this D.

Well, we can agree that they're in a world of hurt if Brady goes out. And while I do not wish injury on players, a minor nagging one keeping Brady out for the season would be refreshing to see since my Pats fan friends think that they would be great without him too.

 

Otherwise many of the players you mention may not even be on their roster and many of those aged ones will be depth players. I haven't read anything about Lynch starting for example. I agree their secondary will be weaker than it's been, but so was ours back in the day, Kelly era. A good Front 7 makes a secondary appear much better than it is.