Pats: Looking Ahead to Next Season

[LB3533]

Why do we need to overhaul the defense? Why not just let them grow and mature?

I don't think the defense was the problem in this year's playoffs.

The defense wasn't the problem in the AFC Championship game, and it wasn't the problem in the Superbowl.

8 of the 21 points scored by the Giants we "virtually" gifted them.

The Giants may have legitimately scored 16 points and we would have won the Superbowl 17-16 with Brady and his receiving corp not completely healthy and not performing 100% on their A game.

[LB3533]

I think the biggest need is for both BB and Tom to get their mojo back.

They kinda lost their gleem somewhere and they need to get it back.

[ianboyextreme]

I think the biggest need is for both BB and Tom to get their mojo back.

They kinda lost their gleem somewhere and they need to get it back.

Despite what some folks are saying, Tom looked good to me. That drive that finished in a touchdown was excellent. Way too many dropped passes. The throws werent perfect on some but none were uncatchable. Regardless of if you think Tom and Bill dont have their mojo, they need to be able to get stops. Imean the Giants could get 5 to 8 yards almost at will whenever they rushed the ball.

[PosImpos]

Become a team that doesn't rely entirely on the passing game to win.  We can't expect Brady to win games on his own against really good teams in the playoffs.

Gonna take more than one off-season to figure that out.

[PosImpos]

Upgrade the running game somehow.  Get a wide receiver who can actually threaten outside the numbers.  Find a way to get some credible defenders in the secondary.

Basically, the Pats need to go from being a one dimensional team with some decent parts in other areas to a team that has legitimate stars in multiple facets.  I don't think they can accomplish that in one off-season / draft, though.

In any case, the regular season clearly doesn't matter, so there's not much point in paying any attention to it from now on except to see who makes the playoffs (which should happen as long as Bellichick and Brady are around).  

The Jets have the right idea, even if they missed the playoffs this year -- build your team to win in the playoffs, not the regular season.  The Pats team right now is built to dominate in the regular season, but they aren't very good at playing postseason football.  

The myth of Brady's greatness in the post-season should be effectively put to bed now.  He's a good quarterback, but he doesn't have some magical aura about him in big games.  

Get him a real defense with some true playmakers, a big wide receiver who can actually be a vertical threat, and a running back who can be the focal point of the offense for significant stretches, and it will extend Brady's career and maybe even get him that elusive 4th ring.


Unfortunately, the NFL is a salary cap league, which means you have a bunch of teams that are one dimensional, a few that are good but not great in all areas (Giants), and a bunch of others that are mostly awful.  Winning the Super Bowl is about getting hot at the right time.  Hard to plan for that.

[JOMVP]

Two biggest things:

Need a pass rush, it was non existent at times and Eli Manning was too comfortable for most of the night in key times. The Giants pass rush wasn't competely overwhelming; but the talent was still there and that makes offenses think and hurry up more than they may have to.

Outside cover. That Manningham catch just shouldn't even be there. I give Manning credit on making the throw, but Sterling Moore was about 3 steps behind Manningham. Need more press coverage as well, playing off WR 10 yards is great for this whole "bend, don't break thing," but that philosophy doesnt help you when your QB needs the ball in his hands.

Our offense is still clearly good. I would however like them to find a guy that can play outside the numbers. That catch that Manningham had on the sideline? We don't have a guy that can make a catch like that, and it would be nice to have one.

[lightspeed5]

the patriots defense is ranked 31st in yards allowed per game, and 15th in points allowed per game

need to lessen the yardage allowed somehow.

[chambers]

please put these topics in the appropriate section.
This happens repeatedly. This has nothing to do with the Celtics.

[Bahku]

The myth of Brady's greatness in the post-season should be effectively put to bed now.  He's a good quarterback, but he doesn't have some magical aura about him in big games.

How can you say this?!?

It will never be put to bed, because it is simply the truth.

Three Super Bowl wins in four years ... Five trips in ten years ... that's a myth?!?

I just don't get why people are so intent in trying to grasp at straws to prove Brady is mediocre, when the best analysts and even some of his staunchest critics, realize that he is simply one of the best QBs of all time.

It seems clear that these kinds of statements are just haters hating, and while it's certainly anyone's right to do so, (as I feel similarly of the over-hyped and big game choking Peyton Manning, though I realize he's also one of the best), it's far from sensible analysis.

Please name me the other QBs in history who have three Super Bowl wins in four years and five trips in ten ... it's a very, very short list ... and they are all "great".

Let the Tom Brady axe-grinding continue ... I guess he's just too successful, (while very far from perfect), and that rubs some people the wrong way, (no need to say why).

[scaryjerry]

The myth of Brady's greatness in the post-season should be effectively put to bed now.  He's a good quarterback, but he doesn't have some magical aura about him in big games.

How can you say this?!?

It will never be put to bed, because it is simply the truth.

Three Super Bowl wins in four years ... Five trips in ten years ... that's a myth?!?

I just don't get why people are so intent in trying to grasp at straws to prove Brady is mediocre, when the best analysts and even some of his staunchest critics, realize that he is simply one of the best QBs of all time.

It seems clear that these kinds of statements are just haters hating, and while it's certainly anyone's right to do so, (as I feel similarly of the over-hyped and big game choking Peyton Manning, though I realize he's also one of the best), it's far from sensible analysis.

Please name me the other QBs in history who have three Super Bowl wins in four years and five trips in ten ... it's a very, very short list ... and they are all "great".

Let the Tom Brady axe-grinding continue ... I guess he's just too successful, (while very far from perfect), and that rubs some people the wrong way, (no need to say why).

exactly...so if eli never wins another superbowl or happens to lose one can we effectively say his 2 rings were a fluke?


Football is becoming awful with the way the fans judge legacys and getting to the superbowl and losing actually hurts your legacy much more then not even making the playoffs...absolutly annoying
Brady has played 10 seasons and made 5 superbowls bub....noone else has done that

[wdleehi]

Offensively -  Big play WR.  They needs someone to stretch the field. 


Defensively - outside pass rushers.  Load up on those, and the holes in the secondary get smaller.



Everything else is just gravy. 

[kozlodoev]

I think the biggest need is for both BB and Tom to get their mojo back.

They kinda lost their gleem somewhere and they need to get it back.

I swear, Brady has turned into the anti-Eli Manning. He seems to fizzle as the moment, the more likely he is to fizzle. I've got no idea what happened...

[MBz]

I think linebacker needs to be the point of emphasis first.  Ninkovich really isn't that good and the jury is still out on Spikes.  I know Bill loves using picks on the O-Line and D-Line as they are clearly important, but we're set there basically.  Unless you can get a stud DE which you probably won't where we're picking it's not worth it.  After linebacker, I think you start looking for a WR or a defensive back.  We need to fill more skill positions.

[clover]

The myth of Brady's greatness in the post-season should be effectively put to bed now.  He's a good quarterback, but he doesn't have some magical aura about him in big games.

How can you say this?!?

It will never be put to bed, because it is simply the truth.

Three Super Bowl wins in four years ... Five trips in ten years ... that's a myth?!?

I just don't get why people are so intent in trying to grasp at straws to prove Brady is mediocre, when the best analysts and even some of his staunchest critics, realize that he is simply one of the best QBs of all time.

It seems clear that these kinds of statements are just haters hating, and while it's certainly anyone's right to do so, (as I feel similarly of the over-hyped and big game choking Peyton Manning, though I realize he's also one of the best), it's far from sensible analysis.

Please name me the other QBs in history who have three Super Bowl wins in four years and five trips in ten ... it's a very, very short list ... and they are all "great".

Let the Tom Brady axe-grinding continue ... I guess he's just too successful, (while very far from perfect), and that rubs some people the wrong way, (no need to say why).

Brady was extraordinary in the post-season--all the way up to that first Giants loss.  Now he's still extraordinary in the regular season, including at the end of both halves.

But it is looking more and more as if the Giants 'ruined' him for post-season heroics in that first loss.  The Pats have the picks to get better next year.  However, I'm ready for their next Superbowl victory to come only once the Ryan Mallett era has begun.

[PosImpos]

The myth of Brady's greatness in the post-season should be effectively put to bed now.  He's a good quarterback, but he doesn't have some magical aura about him in big games.

How can you say this?!?

It will never be put to bed, because it is simply the truth.

Three Super Bowl wins in four years ... Five trips in ten years ... that's a myth?!?

I just don't get why people are so intent in trying to grasp at straws to prove Brady is mediocre, when the best analysts and even some of his staunchest critics, realize that he is simply one of the best QBs of all time.

It seems clear that these kinds of statements are just haters hating, and while it's certainly anyone's right to do so, (as I feel similarly of the over-hyped and big game choking Peyton Manning, though I realize he's also one of the best), it's far from sensible analysis.

Please name me the other QBs in history who have three Super Bowl wins in four years and five trips in ten ... it's a very, very short list ... and they are all "great".

Let the Tom Brady axe-grinding continue ... I guess he's just too successful, (while very far from perfect), and that rubs some people the wrong way, (no need to say why).

When was the last time Brady had a magical game in the playoffs against a decent opponent?