yeah that is the threat. On the other hand I think it's a real possibility that 13-3 won't be good enough for the Pats to clinch the division, either by tiebreak or getting beaten outright. 14-2 to a lesser extent. We mostly lost games last year when our offense was totally anemic due to sanchez, playcalling, injuries, or whatever. Burress adds extra scoring threats over Braylon. Mason is a step up from banged up Cotch (probably any Cotch). Sanchez is more experienced and hopefully Schotty starts calling plays like a man accordingly. Combined with big depth improvement on D and shoring up any weaknesses there we could just blow a lot of games wide open where last year it would've been a defensive battle that could go either way as so many of the games were. I still have to bet on NE winning the division if pressed but it's far from a foregone conclusion. Last year was the year of heart attacks. This year I think there are going to be a lot of games where we're just basking in the glory of dominating the opponent.
My biggest thing is I look at overall numbers. i.e picks, bad throws, 3 and outs, sacks, etc... all season long, including playoffs. I think in the playoffs, you are going to be playing higher caliber teams. Additionally, when you are playing divisional rivals, you had the luxury of playing them twice, so you can take a lot away from those first 2 games, and apply that knowledge in the playoffs, where it counts. This is where Rex and the Jets shined last year. I also think a lot has to do with coaching. Rex did his homework for the playoffs last year. Even after that 45-3 drubbing they took, they learned something about the Patriots that helped them when it mattered most. As I said before, I am hoping Sanchez does great this year, in fact, if he does, I would even put the Jets on a 13-3 or 14-2 record. I just do not see it happening as I don't think Sanchez is that good. It's just my opinion based off what I have seen of the man. Nothing personal. I didn't mean to take any credit away from the Jets at all, I actually respect the team or I would not even be on these forums. I was also not even referring to playoff games. I was referring to regular season games that I had the luxury of watching at home. Specifically, I saw a rock solid scary defense, and an inconsistent QB make bad throws, bad decisions, and some occasional flashes of brilliance. Being that Sanchez is so young, he has a lot of learning to do. Maybe this is the year he turns the corner and gives you great & consistent production all year. who knows. In my opinion though, Shonn Green is going to be a BEAST this year. Every great pass attack starts with a good running game, As LTs role has been diminished down to 3rd down back, this tells me Shonn Green will get a lot more carries on an O line that is one of the best, if not the best, in the NFL. This will open up the pass game for Sanchez and his arsenal of talented receivers. That alone should make for a very interesting season. Something else that has not been mentioned too much here is that the Pats have done A LOT with the defense this year. All last year, I and many of my Pats fan friends were frustrated at our lack of pass rush. This has been addressed better than I thought possible. In our glory days, our defense kept our offense in the game. They were tough, aggressive, applied tons of pressure, and caused pure mayhem to opposing offenses. This years defense might do just that once again, which will definitely make things easier for us. Someone here made a comment that they built the entire team around Brady and lost sight of the things that won them 3 super bowls. I agree completely, but I also think(and someone else posted it as well) that BB realizes this and is trying to re balance the team to get back to that point as he only has a few more years left with Brady anyway. NE went 14-2 while rebuilding. No matter which way you cut it, that is awesome. /end rant
As I said I think it's less likely Jets go 14-2 but it could happen if we sweep and Sanchez plays like the real deal throughout the season. I think 11-5 would be extremely disappointing from where I sit. 11-5 was mildly disappointing last year both going into it and coming out of it, the team is a lot stronger this year overall why should we expect to do the same? You could make an argument we've overachieved in the playoffs although I don't really believe it, but that is one of the last words that would come to mind for either of the last 2 regular seasons. I expect 12-4 but I'd like to see 13-3 and would be surprised and thrilled to see 14-2.
11-5 would be a smashing success. The Jets are always good for at least 2-3 totally underwhelming underachieving losses every season, always have been. Last year they pulled out a few games late. If they play more consistently, which I expect, and those even themselves out, we could actually see a better team but with a similar record.
First of all, you need to have your reading comprehension checked. My post conceded that the Pats have the better regular season record since the loss to the Giants. It's their lack of playoff performance and the lack of their former confidence, the recognition in their guts, that they have come up short in the playoffs and might well again, that is the difference in the Pats pre and post that loss. That is my point. You don't want to see it, and focus on all the little trees in your post, losing sight of the forest. The Pats are a different team since that loss, and their record shows it. You also need to brush up on your rules interpretation. There was no blown in the grasp call in that game. I also never said the Jets did not have good CB play in the win over the Pats. The bottom line is Brady was pressured and thrown off his rhythm. That is what beats the Pats, and perhaps the Ravens loss showed it best. Still, those are three losses I don't think the pre-Giants loss Pats team would have had hung on them.
Patriots don't lose it's just blown calls and Jesus intervention. How is that guy still allowed to post?
This pretty much answers your post box. I believe, on paper, the Jets can beat every team they play. However, I know they will not show up to at least 2 games this year. 2+ lose Patriots, lose to Eagles, lose to Balt (or another bad loss) = 5
Ryan schooled Belly in the playoff game. Not sure how a coach that hasn't won a playoff game in 3 years is better than one who has won 4 in 2 years. Playoffs are when the money is earned. Belly has been homeless for 3 years Ryan while not living in a big house. at least has a decent rental house for the past two years who cares about the regular season. win a few games; stay healthy and make the playoffs. Then and only then does a coach earn his salary. Lam
that is certainly the easy answer...I just don't happen to buy it. I think we're more team than that now for the first time and although we have a tough schedule I'm not just rolling over and conceding "bad game against shitty team" losses anymore right off the bat. I'm sure as hell not conceding losses to Balt or even the Eagles road or not. I feel like 10-6 and 11-5 is a worst case scenario, just assuming we're going to lose all the games that we could reasonably expect to lose AND throwing in extra clunkers. We're either going to drop the clunkers or pick up more big regular season wins. I'm not exactly saying 19-0 here. 12-4 is not like the wildest prediction ever for any major contender, let alone one of the elite contenders.
Well you may be right, it was late when I made the post, but I still disagree with your point that it was Jet pressure on Brady that forced him off his rhythm. I think that the Jets were jumping on all his first reads that forced him off his rhythm allowing the Jet DL to THEN catch up to him. This is a very interesting insight, BB. I think it is fair to question the Pats coming off the last 2 playoff losses. I DO think that the Pats of of e superbowl era, might have recovered better from the disastrous first quarter vs the Ravens, and might have been able to adjust better to what the Jets presented them with last season. But THAT was a team of super mentally tough veterans who had that "swagger". This is almost an entirely DIFFERENT team, minus Brady. A very young group who clearly have mental hurdles to overcomein the face of adversity. The D was the youngest in the league and often played like it. Its like the "next wave" and fans and the mediots forget that because the Pats didn't have that couple of 5-11,7-9 seasons that USUALLY happen as good teams age and the team turns over its roster The Bad news, if you are NOT a Pats fan, is that those young Pats are now a year older, and they've added maturity to their secondary (Boddin) and their DL (Carter/Haynesworth/Ellis, etc) HOPEFULLY it will put them over the top come January......HOPEFULLYl......:wink:
Don't be obtuse. Some teams are better structured to play with a lead than others. Some teams are better structured to handle coming back from a deficit than others. The English language is capable of expressing subtle shades of meaning. The Jets LIKE playing with a lead. It should be obvious that all teams like playing to a lead to anyone who has watched any kind of sporting event more than a few times.
Over time, any team will see its roster change. Older starters eventually leave. The question then becomes whether the younger players step in and play to the same level or not. The question here is other than the obvious variable of talent, what else might make those younger players different than the ones they have replaced? I believe there is such a thing as an interplay between expectations and performance. Self confidence is based in part on one's experience of past performance. What is what is called a "winning attitude" or a "culture of success" based upon? I think it is based in part on a prior history of winning. Conversely a losing attitude, a feeling when things turn worse, where challenges arise, of "here we go again" is based to some extent on recent well learned experiences of losing. It's quite simple, really. The Pats used to win and expected they would keep on winning. This expectation helped them. They now conversely have experienced consistent poor playoff performance. I think inside themselves they fear it will continue, and any sign in a game of adversity will effect their performance. Not the same team, bottom line, and not merely because some vets have been replaced. They've been replaced to be sure, but by players who do not have the same expectation of winning in the playoffs. Because they have not been winning in the playoffs.
When the Pats were winning Super Bowls there was leadership galore on the defense. You knew they would make the big play. The question in my mind is where is this going to come from as Belichick tries to elevate this group.
Here is the perfect PATS fan reply. Excuses, Excuses, Excuses, then in the last sentence finally the truth.
Lets just repeat this post, cuz it says it all. The last few years, the Jets were better. Bottom Line. They cant give us two or three years because they are not used to being just above average or average.
Here is what ESPN/Scouts Inc. has to say on the matter (yeah I know, ESPN sucks, blah, blah, blah... it was there so I figured I would post it): http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6844428/nfl-scouts-inc-2011-top-running-back-rankings I chose the 'winner' based on the highest ranked players to fill starting positions, and higher averages when comparing positions with multiple starters. PLAYER (POSITIONAL RANK) RATING QB: Pats Tom Brady (1) 95 Mark Sanchez (24) 71 RB: Jets B. Green-Ellis (41) 69 Danny Woodhead (57) 66 Shonn Greene (25) 75 L. Tomlinson (39) 70 WR: Jets Wes Welker (13) 82 Chad Ochocinco (24) 78 Deion Branch (82) 66 Santonio Holmes (5) 87 Derrick Mason (24) 78 Plaxico Burress (34) 77 OL: Pats Dan Koppen (12) 76 Matt Light (23) 77 Sebastian Vollmer (29) 75 Logan Mankins (1) 86 Dan Connolly (51) 65 Nick Mangold (1) 90 D. Ferguson (3) 87 Wayne Hunter (93) 57 Brandon Moore (9) 80 Matt Slauson (60) 64 TE: Pats Rob Gronkowski (13) 79 Dustin Keller (16) 78 DL: Pats (even without including Wilkerson in avg) Vince Wilfork (3) 89 A. Haynesworth (12) 78 Shaun Ellis (36) 75 Andre Carter (49) 69 Sione Pouha (20) 76 Mike DeVito (87) 61 M. Wilkerson (133) 30 LB: Pats Jerod Mayo (9) 85 Brandon Spikes (49) 76 Gary Guyton (76) 70 David Harris (29) 79 Bart Scott (31) 78 Calvin Pace (70) 71 Bryan Thomas (91) 68 CB: Jets (with or without 3rd CB) Devin McCourty (9) 82 Leigh Bodden (29) 76 Darius Butler (80) 64 Darrell Revis (1) 95 Antonio Cromartie (25) 78 Kyle Wilson (70) 66 S: Pats B. Meriweather (22) 77 Patrick Chung (26) 75 Jim Leonard (46) 69 Brodney Poole (46) 69 sidenote: the funniest thing I noticed was Laurence Maroney being rated higher than any Pats RB, Ladanian Tomlinson, Willis McGahee, Tim Hightower, etc.
Of course a Pats fan would use the idiots at ESPN, who have their mouths sewn to Bradys balls. They have Picked the pats to be better EVERY YEAR!! It just hasnt worked out the past 2-3 years. And wont work this year. PATS FANS FEAR THE REX ERA!!!!!
