Patriots 2010 Regular Season

[Bahku]

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

[nickagneta]

Best developments so far this year:

1. The game by game improvement of the defense as a whole. They have that typical Belichickian trait of bending and not breaking and getting better and more complex as the season rolls on.

Those coverages they through at Moss were unreal. They ran cover 2 with the safety 20 yards off the line. They ran last second zone switches with the LB covering him off the ball and passing him to the safety or corner once he got so far into the zone. They did a couple of zone blitzes dropping their linemen back into a slot to take away the quick slant.

And they did it all with one of the youngest defenses Belichick has ever had here. These kids are SMART. They get it and they can perform it to. Later this year and for years to come...they are going to be excellent.

2. The running tandem of Green-Ellis and Woodhead are developing a rhythm and producing at an incredible rate. The Law Firm is over 4.4 per carry and Woodhead is at 4.6. They just hit that hole and go...the complete opposite of Lawrence Maroney.

3. The special teams are playing phenomenally. Mesko and Gostkowski are just tremendous kicking weapons and Tate is proving to be a very dangerous return man. The coverage on the special teams has also been outstanding.

4. Aaron Hernandez is turning into something special. He is going to be a Patriot for a long, long time.

[Donoghus]

The Human Law Firm is quickly becoming the RB that we all wanted Maroney to be but never was.   Runs hard.  North-South.  Hits the hole with snap.  He's been probably my most plesant development. 

[Greenbean]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

[Cman]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Is that right?  The Pats are the youngest team?

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

I'll be interested to see how this plays out.  He will certainly be a boost to the O-Line, but I hope he's not a distraction.

[Fafnir]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

[Donoghus]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Is that right?  The Pats are the youngest team?

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

I'll be interested to see how this plays out.  He will certainly be a boost to the O-Line, but I hope he's not a distraction.

I don't think Mankins will be too much of a distraction.  I think the guy will put his head down and get his service year.  He knows what's at stake for him.

[Greenbean]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

Interesting! I didnt know that. I wasnt old enough to witness first hand so why did the Bears only win that one SB? It looks like they had a dominant team for a 5 year stretch yet only made one serious SB push.

Anyway I am just saying that a young talented team is finding success and the NFL should be on alert. It points to the Patriots continuing to hold their annual contender status for a long time.

[Greenbean]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Is that right?  The Pats are the youngest team?

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

I'll be interested to see how this plays out.  He will certainly be a boost to the O-Line, but I hope he's not a distraction.

Well the rosters are too big in the NFL and I cant find any stats on starter's age but it seems to me the Pats are relying on more 1st and 2nd year players at key positions than the rest of the league.

[Fafnir]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

Interesting! I didnt know that. I wasnt old enough to witness first hand so why did the Bears only win that one SB? It looks like they had a dominant team for a 5 year stretch yet only made one serious SB push.

Anyway I am just saying that a young talented team is finding success and the NFL should be on alert. It points to the Patriots continuing to hold their annual contender status for a long time.

I'm too young to have seen it myself, but there were several things.

1. The defensive scheme was somewhat "figured out".
2. Jim McMahon wasn't healthy for the rest of his career
3. They couldn't beat the Redskins/49ers

They were very good for the next three years, but they were basically the SD Chargers of their time. All the talent but they didn't put it together again.

[Donoghus]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

Interesting! I didnt know that. I wasnt old enough to witness first hand so why did the Bears only win that one SB? It looks like they had a dominant team for a 5 year stretch yet only made one serious SB push.

Anyway I am just saying that a young talented team is finding success and the NFL should be on alert. It points to the Patriots continuing to hold their annual contender status for a long time.

Well, the NFC was absolutely stacked in the 80s.  IMO, a few things contributed to the Bears not establishing a dynasty.

1) Giants, 49ers, and Redskins were all powerhouses themselves.  Competition was cut-throat.

2) McMahon's injury woes. Especially '86.  I think Flutie started that divisional playoff against the Skins.

3) Teams adapted to the "46" and learned how to attack it. Plus Buddy Ryan left to coach the Eagles.  

[Greenbean]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Is that right?  The Pats are the youngest team?

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

I'll be interested to see how this plays out.  He will certainly be a boost to the O-Line, but I hope he's not a distraction.

I don't think Mankins will be too much of a distraction.  I think the guy will put his head down and get his service year.  He knows what's at stake for him.

.

It's interesting that you have this take. It's very rare that a guy actually holds out this long. He clearly has an axe to grind against this organization. While I dont think it will be a big media distraction (the guy is an O-lineman), I think Mankins might be distracted. We might not be getting the All Pro we are used to seeing.

[Greenbean]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

Interesting! I didnt know that. I wasnt old enough to witness first hand so why did the Bears only win that one SB? It looks like they had a dominant team for a 5 year stretch yet only made one serious SB push.

Anyway I am just saying that a young talented team is finding success and the NFL should be on alert. It points to the Patriots continuing to hold their annual contender status for a long time.

Well, the NFC was absolutely stacked in the 80s.  IMO, a few things contributed to the Bears not establishing a dynasty.

1) Giants, 49ers, and Redskins were all powerhouses themselves.  Competition was cut-throat.

2) McMahon's injury woes. Especially '86.  I think Flutie started that divisional playoff against the Skins.

3) Teams adapted to the "46" and learned how to attack it. Plus Buddy Ryan left to coach the Eagles.  

TP Dons and Faf for giving the exact same answer at the same time. Are you two in the same room?

[Donoghus]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Is that right?  The Pats are the youngest team?

Mankins will be able to play for the Pats on Sunday ... sweet news!

I'll be interested to see how this plays out.  He will certainly be a boost to the O-Line, but I hope he's not a distraction.

I don't think Mankins will be too much of a distraction.  I think the guy will put his head down and get his service year.  He knows what's at stake for him.

.

It's interesting that you have this take. It's very rare that a guy actually holds out this long. He clearly has an axe to grind against this organization. While I dont think it will be a big media distraction (the guy is an O-lineman), I think Mankins might be distracted. We might not be getting the All Pro we are used to seeing.

I don't expect him to be the All-Pro regardless.  You don't just sit out training camp and the first 8 weeks of the regular season and waltz back into the NFL like nothing happened.  

One thing about Mankins is that he's a lunchpail guy.  Plays the game hard & nasty.  I don't think that will change.  He'll play with a chip on his shoulder but I don't think he'll be a problem off the field.  

[Donoghus]

The youngest team in the NFL has the best record and is only going to get better as the year goes on.

This is a scary development for the NFL.

Youngest doesn't always translate.

The 85' Bears were also the youngest team in the league that year.

Interesting! I didnt know that. I wasnt old enough to witness first hand so why did the Bears only win that one SB? It looks like they had a dominant team for a 5 year stretch yet only made one serious SB push.

Anyway I am just saying that a young talented team is finding success and the NFL should be on alert. It points to the Patriots continuing to hold their annual contender status for a long time.

Well, the NFC was absolutely stacked in the 80s.  IMO, a few things contributed to the Bears not establishing a dynasty.

1) Giants, 49ers, and Redskins were all powerhouses themselves.  Competition was cut-throat.

2) McMahon's injury woes. Especially '86.  I think Flutie started that divisional playoff against the Skins.

3) Teams adapted to the "46" and learned how to attack it. Plus Buddy Ryan left to coach the Eagles.  

TP Dons and Faf for giving the exact same answer at the same time. Are you two in the same room?

Growing up with all those Patriot home game blackouts exposed me to a lot of NFC football in my young mind-developing years. Those teams were stacked.   The old NFC on CBS was must-see television. Madden & Summerall announcing. Good memories.