Patriots 2025-26 Season

[ozgod]

Talk about a nailbiter? It was great to see them hanging in, Drake and Hunter made a huge play when they needed it. These are the type of winds where they didn?t play all that great in the second half but they were able to maintain enough composure after that late touchdown from Atlanta. They had some luck with Romo missing the field goal, but you have to take advantage of those opportunities and they did.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

This game is a reminder that the Pats still have a long way to go to reach contender status. Throw in the injuries, and a second-half downturn looks very possible.

[smicker16]

This game is a reminder that the Pats still have a long way to go to reach contender status. Throw in the injuries, and a second-half downturn looks very possible.

Interesting. I actually feel the opposite. They are not going to win every game pretty and they will have to win some like this by getting a bit lucky. This team would have lost a game like this the last few years. And I would not say any team looks dominate. Packers lost to the Panthers today, Colts and Lions both lost. Broncos barely beat a Davis Mills Texans teams. I still think the Chiefs are the best team in the league but they still have a very tough schedule coming up.

[Phantom255x]

This game is a reminder that the Pats still have a long way to go to reach contender status. Throw in the injuries, and a second-half downturn looks very possible.

Interesting. I actually feel the opposite. They are not going to win every game pretty and they will have to win some like this by getting a bit lucky. This team would have lost a game like this the last few years. And I would not say any team looks dominate. Packers lost to the Panthers today, Colts and Lions both lost. Broncos barely beat a Davis Mills Texans teams. I still think the Chiefs are the best team in the league but they still have a very tough schedule coming up.

Yeah same. Like yeah I agree they aren't a Super Bowl contender, but is this a playoff team that can be a mild threat? I think so. With Maye out there they will always be competitive even against the likes of Mahomes/Allen (not favored of course but "competitive"). And yeah, they would lose games like these in the past for sure, and even the great teams and dynasties sometimes won games like this when they were off or not doing well themselves.

I ultimately think this is a 11-6 playoff team that makes the wild card and has a chance at winning a round. Depends a lot who they face though. I still think BUF wins the division

If the Pats can add two more legit players in the offseason for defense (one safety and one linebacker or pass rusher) to go along with what they have they can become a true SB contender next year. The defense and depth there in some spots still worries me the most especially when they go up against better QBs and offenses. I know it's looked shaky but the O-Line just went up against two of the best pass rushing teams in the NFL too. Won't always be perfect

[Amonkey]

Would not want to be Parker Romo right now.  But Falcons had a chance and Penix also blew it on that grounding. 

Boutte injury, Ellis injury, Gonzalez injury (am I missing one?) hurt.  We?ll see what happens at the deadline.  I?d definitely try to find a pass rusher - not enough pressure.  And I love the idea of trading for Jakobi Meyers.  If Gonzalez injury is bad; that?s bad.

Just read an article saying that their coach was complaining about the Patriots on the grounding play. Apparently they are accusing of Pats of clapping, simulating a count. Must be good news that now Vrabel is being accused of cheating.

[Phantom255x]

Would not want to be Parker Romo right now.  But Falcons had a chance and Penix also blew it on that grounding. 

Boutte injury, Ellis injury, Gonzalez injury (am I missing one?) hurt.  We?ll see what happens at the deadline.  I?d definitely try to find a pass rusher - not enough pressure.  And I love the idea of trading for Jakobi Meyers.  If Gonzalez injury is bad; that?s bad.

Just read an article saying that their coach was complaining about the Patriots on the grounding play. Apparently they are accusing of Pats of clapping, simulating a count. Must be good news that now Vrabel is being accused of cheating.

I watched the video online and people online posted the clip as well. NO ONE on the D-Line or linebacker group for the Pats was clapping. The only person who might have been was Jaylin Hawkins (safety, about 10-15 yards in coverage) but it wasn't even a definitive clap really, felt like he was just gesturing to the guys around him a signal or audible or something which is normal. And idk how the center could see or even hear him from there.

I watched Mayo last year on the Pats and I can tell ATL's head coach is incompetent too. Every time they panned to him he was never coaching, just had his arms crossed. That team has Bijan, London, Mooney, etc. and are underperforming still. Feels like a HC issue. Falcons Reddit agrees.

[Moranis]

what a difference a year makes?  Last year, Daniels was all the rage, but he has been worse than both Williams and Maye this year.  I know he has been hurt (and got hurt again tonight), but even when he plays, just not nearly as good and the team is much worse this year. 

[Redz]

This game is a reminder that the Pats still have a long way to go to reach contender status. Throw in the injuries, and a second-half downturn looks very possible.

Interesting. I actually feel the opposite. They are not going to win every game pretty and they will have to win some like this by getting a bit lucky. This team would have lost a game like this the last few years. And I would not say any team looks dominate. Packers lost to the Panthers today, Colts and Lions both lost. Broncos barely beat a Davis Mills Texans teams. I still think the Chiefs are the best team in the league but they still have a very tough schedule coming up.

Yeah same. Like yeah I agree they aren't a Super Bowl contender, but is this a playoff team that can be a mild threat? I think so. With Maye out there they will always be competitive even against the likes of Mahomes/Allen (not favored of course but "competitive"). And yeah, they would lose games like these in the past for sure, and even the great teams and dynasties sometimes won games like this when they were off or not doing well themselves.

I ultimately think this is a 11-6 playoff team that makes the wild card and has a chance at winning a round. Depends a lot who they face though. I still think BUF wins the division

If the Pats can add two more legit players in the offseason for defense (one safety and one linebacker or pass rusher) to go along with what they have they can become a true SB contender next year. The defense and depth there in some spots still worries me the most especially when they go up against better QBs and offenses. I know it's looked shaky but the O-Line just went up against two of the best pass rushing teams in the NFL too. Won't always be perfect

Yeh.  They very easily could have lost this one at the end and yet they didn?t.  Winning teams win.  It?s a huge win for the playoff run any way you slice it. 

[SparzWizard]

Welp looks like the Patriots made it to Yahoo News/ESPN that Falcons were accusing the Patriots of cheating with the simulating clap count.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nfl/breaking-news/article/falcons-coach-raheem-morris-accuses-patriots-of-illegally-simulating-snap-count-on-crucial-fourth-quarter-play-155634612.html

#ClapGate begins, better start hiring an independent investigator and suspend Drake Maye 4 games for this

But that's crazy though. 50,000 fans in a stadium screaming and shouting and...clapping, but they selectively heard the clapping from a safety standing about 12-15 yards away from the center snapping the ball. This sounds more like a communication and training issue from the Falcons' side.

[boscel33]

Welp looks like the Patriots made it to Yahoo News/ESPN that Falcons were accusing the Patriots of cheating with the simulating clap count.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nfl/breaking-news/article/falcons-coach-raheem-morris-accuses-patriots-of-illegally-simulating-snap-count-on-crucial-fourth-quarter-play-155634612.html

#ClapGate begins, better start hiring an independent investigator and suspend Drake Maye 4 games for this

But that's crazy though. 50,000 fans in a stadium screaming and shouting and...clapping, but they selectively heard the clapping from a safety standing about 12-15 yards away from the center snapping the ball. This sounds more like a communication and training issue from the Falcons' side.

I've seen multiple videos and don't see any of the Pats clapping.  That said, the game was closer than it should have been!

[Vermont Green]

That clap thing seems like sour grapes.  If the center snapped the ball because the safety did or didn't clap his hands, that sounds like their problem.

As to the Pats, I see two things as being very true at the same time.   The team and in particular Maye are playing way better than I thought they would.  It is a fact that this team is better than pretty much anyone expected.  It is also true that they have had the easiest strength of schedule (per ESPN) of any team in the league.

I actually think a 3rd thing is true, they are a young team and are getting better bit by bit as the season goes on.  Assuming they can keep the majority of their key players on the field, I think they can beat anyone on any given Sunday.  They would probably not be favored against the top 5 or so teams, maybe even as many as 10, but they are right there.

That said, it would be nice if the OL could tighten up some and reduce the number of sacks.  12 in the last two weeks.  Maye has 3 interceptions and a fumble in the last 2 games.  The turnovers are on Maye, not the OL, but they are all connected.

[Donoghus]

Next week will be a very good barometer game of where the Pats are at.  Road game in Tampa against a very good Bucs team. 

This season so far has been a very pleasant surprise.  Games like yesterday might not be pretty but can show a lot. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Not sure about others, but I can easily tell if a clap is coming from directly behind me or from several yards in front of me.

[Phantom255x]

Not sure about others, but I can easily tell if a clap is coming from directly behind me or from several yards in front of me.

Even if it's 10 yards in front of you in a crowd of 70,000+ yelling while you're kneeling to snap the ball backwards??

Also lost in all this, that guard was completely lost and whiffed entirely on that. What was he doing? Even if he went on the clap/snap as well he clearly didn't even touch Milton Williams lol 

[keevsnick]

Next week will be a very good barometer game of where the Pats are at.  Road game in Tampa against a very good Bucs team. 

This season so far has been a very pleasant surprise.  Games like yesterday might not be pretty but can show a lot.

A Bucs team coming off the bye weak, which means they have another week of preparation for the Pats.