2015 Patriots Football

[Neurotic Guy]

Gronk is the Pats MVP.  They're a very difficult team to stop with him.  They're just an ordinary team without him.

With a healthy line (Solder); Edelman; Lewis -- they are much better than an ordinary offense.  Gronk is a game-changer, but Brady is the Pats MVP -- but he needs protection and threats to throw to.

All that said, if not for special teams screw-ups (block-punt-6; punt return-6) and an incomprehensible pick-6 from the MVP, Pats still win this game.   Defense also could not stop the run today and really need Hightower.

[Eja117]

Brady has only lost back to back 5 times in a 14ish year career.

It's amazing he can basically play his most horrid game in years and with almost nobody healthy still almost win.

The GOAT by a wide wide margin.

If I try to tell my grandkids about him they won't believe me and will put me in a home

[PhoSita]

Gronk is the Pats MVP.  They're a very difficult team to stop with him.  They're just an ordinary team without him.

With a healthy line (Solder); Edelman; Lewis -- they are much better than an ordinary offense.  Gronk is a game-changer, but Brady is the Pats MVP -- but he needs protection and threats to throw to.

All that said, if not for special teams screw-ups (block-punt-6; punt return-6) and an incomprehensible pick-6 from the MVP, Pats still win this game.   Defense also could not stop the run today and really need Hightower.

How the heck did the team not tackle the runner on that pick-6, or the punt return TD?  Just unbelievable.  They looked like a very poorly prepared team today.  You just don't expect to see that from the Pats.

[KeepRondo]

Gronk is the Pats MVP.  They're a very difficult team to stop with him.  They're just an ordinary team without him.

With a healthy line (Solder); Edelman; Lewis -- they are much better than an ordinary offense.  Gronk is a game-changer, but Brady is the Pats MVP -- but he needs protection and threats to throw to.

All that said, if not for special teams screw-ups (block-punt-6; punt return-6) and an incomprehensible pick-6 from the MVP, Pats still win this game.   Defense also could not stop the run today and really need Hightower.

Agreed. Gronk hasn't really been special this season either but we certainly need better options than what we got out there right now.

[PhoSita]

Even when Gronk doesn't have a big box-score game, he has an immense effect on the opposing defense.  His presence warps the defense, helps other guys get open.  Without him, the Pats don't have anybody who is difficult to cover.  Especially with Edelman and Dion Lewis out as well.  The Pats offense just isn't dangerous without those guys.

[KeepRondo]

Even when Gronk doesn't have a big box-score game, he has an immense effect on the opposing defense.  His presence warps the defense, helps other guys get open.  Without him, the Pats don't have anybody who is difficult to cover.  Especially with Edelman and Dion Lewis out as well.  The Pats offense just isn't dangerous without those guys.

oh yeah of course. But remember, Brady can still manage a game and get to super bowls without him. But he needs better targets than tonight's game.

[PhoSita]

Even when Gronk doesn't have a big box-score game, he has an immense effect on the opposing defense.  His presence warps the defense, helps other guys get open.  Without him, the Pats don't have anybody who is difficult to cover.  Especially with Edelman and Dion Lewis out as well.  The Pats offense just isn't dangerous without those guys.

oh yeah of course. But remember, Brady can still manage a game and get to super bowls without him. But he needs better targets than tonight's game.

The NFL has a lot of parity, so the Pats can definitely go a long way without Gronk if they get lucky.  But they're not clearly better than most opponents unless Gronk is on the field.  He's the guy who takes them to a different level and makes them historically great.

[Cman]

Good sign, no injuries.

That's about the only good thing out of today's game.
That loss stunk for many reasons. Chief among them is that the Pats don't have #1 seed anymore (Denver does).

[KeepRondo]

Even when Gronk doesn't have a big box-score game, he has an immense effect on the opposing defense.  His presence warps the defense, helps other guys get open.  Without him, the Pats don't have anybody who is difficult to cover.  Especially with Edelman and Dion Lewis out as well.  The Pats offense just isn't dangerous without those guys.

oh yeah of course. But remember, Brady can still manage a game and get to super bowls without him. But he needs better targets than tonight's game.

The NFL has a lot of parity, so the Pats can definitely go a long way without Gronk if they get lucky.  But they're not clearly better than most opponents unless Gronk is on the field.  He's the guy who takes them to a different level and makes them historically great.

For sure. Or a Randy Moss but it's still TB12 throwing those passes. 

[kozlodoev]

It's amazing he can basically play his most horrid game in years and with almost nobody healthy still almost win.

They weren't really ever close to "almost winning". They had an outside chance of forcing overtime (and I mean REALLY outside).

It was a horrible game all around, and very little of it had to do with injuries. First, you call a bizzaro free kick on a kickoff, then noone on special teams can make a tackle, the defense can't stop the run, and to top it off, Brady is throwing into double and triple coverage just because.

The Eagles are a team you should be able to beat with with one arm tied behind your back. They really missed Hightower today.

[KeepRondo]

It's amazing he can basically play his most horrid game in years and with almost nobody healthy still almost win.

They weren't really ever close to "almost winning". They had an outside chance of forcing overtime (and I mean REALLY outside).

It was a horrible game all around, and very little of it had to do with injuries. First, you call a bizzaro free kick on a kickoff, then noone on special teams can make a tackle, the defense can't stop the run, and to top it off, Brady is throwing into double and triple coverage just because.

The Eagles are a team you should be able to beat with with one arm tied behind your back. They really missed Hightower today.

They got very lucky to get to the position, but they were very close to getting a three and out to get the ball with over 2 and a half minutes left.

To say they didn't get close, is missing what was happening in the game.

[kozlodoev]

Even if they were very close to getting a three and out, that doesn't mean they were close to winning the game. They would have needed a TD drive with just to get it to overtime.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I'm going to try to stay hopeful. They started the game strong, may have kept it going if it wasn't for a bizarre drop-kick call, and they staged a pretty good rally to make it interesting at the end. Gronk could be back in the next week or two, then Edelman within a couple weeks after that, and Amendola's already back, along with Collins. Hopefully Hightower is back is a week or two. This team, when healthy, can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime.

[Donoghus]

For the most part, that game was a trainwreck from top to bottom. Pats got too cute with some play calls, were too conservative on other calls, and Brady was atrocious with his decision making much of the game.  A couple of awful INTs.  LaFell had another poor game and Blount was a mixed bag.   O-Line had another rough outing and that was probably the worst Pats special teams performance they have ever had under Belichick.    I actually thought the defense was decent.  The run defense was suspect at times but the defense itself only gave up 14 points which is just under their ppg allowed.   Getting Hightower back should improve the run D greatly.

You're not going to win games playing like they did yesterday.  The good news is that, historically, the Pats only have one or two of these dud games per season and the healthy bodies are going to continue to slowly trickle back.   

Not too concerned about whether or not they get HCA.  This team can win on the road in the playoffs.  My bigger concern is locking up one of those two first round byes.  That is almost a must.   The schedule isn't too bad the rest of the way although they may be facing a Jets team on the road that is playing for their playoff lives in a few weeks. 

[kozlodoev]

I'm going to try to stay hopeful. They started the game strong, may have kept it going if it wasn't for a bizarre drop-kick call, and they staged a pretty good rally to make it interesting at the end. Gronk could be back in the next week or two, then Edelman within a couple weeks after that, and Amendola's already back, along with Collins. Hopefully Hightower is back is a week or two. This team, when healthy, can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Except the damage has already been done. As things stand right now, we're playing on wild card weekend (we're third on tiebreakers in a three-way tie). Frankly, I find it more likely that we will lose another game, rather than Denver or the Bengals. Given how beaten up this team is, if we have no bye week and then have to head to Mile High, you can kiss the  season goodbye. But yeah, one can hope.

I actually thought the defense was decent.  The run defense was suspect at times but the defense itself only gave up 14 points which is just under their ppg allowed.   Getting Hightower back should improve the run D greatly.

The defense made a couple of big play, and probably looked decent by contrast with just how awful ST and the offense were. But they looked like they couldn't stop the run all night, and mostly whiffed when the Eagles were marching down the field in the second half. Remember, the Eagles are a bad team. They were 3 games under .500, had lost 3 straight, and had given up 90 points in their last 2 games.