This Week's Enemy Fan Forums: The New England Patriots

[Uncle Si]

The Pats ran at will against the Dolphins today. Good OL, good group of RB's, Newton can run inside and out, and McDaniels is cooking up a Ravens-type playbook. Even with mediocre WR's and TE's, they look potent.

On D, the DB's are a great unit , but the front 7 are mostly unknowns who did well today but doubt they can do that regularly. Carson concerns me, and I expect Carroll to try to run it more than throw.

The x-factor is the lack of a crowd and the typical huge Hawks home field advantage. So I expect a close game.

Good info,thanks for popping in.

Whats the mood there with Brady gone?

 

[Smellyman]

Air Quality Index Seattle

'Or could they even convert T-Mobile park to a temporary football field? They have a retractable roof'


'The air is so bad that even the Mariners game played yesterday INDOORS was smoke-filled. HVAC couldn't even filter it all out.'

That’s because T-Mobile isn’t really an indoor stadium. Think of it more like having an awning over a pick nick table.

I know and so should they

 

[50yrpatsfan]

The Pats ran at will against the Dolphins today. Good OL, good group of RB's, Newton can run inside and out, and McDaniels is cooking up a Ravens-type playbook. Even with mediocre WR's and TE's, they look potent.

On D, the DB's are a great unit , but the front 7 are mostly unknowns who did well today but doubt they can do that regularly. Carson concerns me, and I expect Carroll to try to run it more than throw.

The x-factor is the lack of a crowd and the typical huge Hawks home field advantage. So I expect a close game.

Good info,thanks for popping in.

Whats the mood there with Brady gone?

Fans were ready for a change. Brady wasn't happy, yet to make him happy would've incurred too much risk for a 43 yr old. Plus he needs good receiving weapons that NE lacks, and re-signing him would also have put the team in cap hell.

For a few months it wasn't fun looking at the abyss, while Brady & Gronk frolicked in the sun. Then Newton arrived on the scene, at $1m/yr. He's been a pleasant surprise all the way around, and after a + performance against Miami, suddenly the feeling is that we're a contender again. Everyone around here had been picking the Dolphins, and NE dominated them. His running, and the OL & RB's in general, take the pressure off the sub-standard receiving corps.

This game against the Hawks is a huge proof of concept. I expect Seattle to win, but if NE gives them a game then I think we're gonna have a strong season. Good luck Tom, but Cam was the perfect guy to ride in on his white horse.

 

[Ambrose83]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

 

[Ambrose83]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a shitty team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a $h!t team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

3 TO's is a positive not a negative. As far as 20 points, we fumbled at the goal line and missed a 42 yd fg, so it should have been 30.

If the Hawks played Miami twice a year, they'd pretty much split with them like NE has most seasons. The Pats win 12-14 games every year, and usually have an L to Miami on their record, may of them big games.

 

[Ambrose83]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a $h!t team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

3 TO's is a positive not a negative. As far as 20 points, we fumbled at the goal line and missed a 42 yd fg, so it should have been 30.

If the Hawks played Miami twice a year, they'd pretty much split with them like NE has most seasons. The Pats win 12-14 games every year, and usually have an L to Miami on their record, may of them big games.

You guys were gifted the most dysfunctional division possibly in history, aside from 2 years with the Jets what other team in the AFC east was anything but trash? Not to mention the overall AFC has been weak for a decade now.. It's ok, you are pumped about beating the dolphins who have college level talent and a career shitty back up at qb.... You can enjoy the 6 rings at least .

 

[chris98251]

The dolphins, they beat the freaking dolphins and had 3 gift wrapped picks, Wilson tossed 5 all last year. This is like Oklahoma fans getting hyped up after besting southern Oklahoma State or a team as bad as that would be.

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a $h!t team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

3 TO's is a positive not a negative. As far as 20 points, we fumbled at the goal line and missed a 42 yd fg, so it should have been 30.

If the Hawks played Miami twice a year, they'd pretty much split with them like NE has most seasons. The Pats win 12-14 games every year, and usually have an L to Miami on their record, may of them big games.

12 OR 14 Games every year, that division has the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets, Abysmal win records for most the last 20 years for all except an occasional outlier. But nothing sustained.

On the other hand the NFC West has been sending a team to the Super Bowl about 80 percent of that duration with the Panthers and Saints being teams that have taken that spot off the top of my head.

So impressive runs for both teams, but strength of competition is heavily tilted to the Seahawks year in and year out.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

C'mon pats fan.

At best you have Cam the Towel. You don't have the Brady/Gronk magic and you had to have two kickers on the PS with not one active at start of season. Rebuilding happens to most teams every year, and you are now most teams until proven otherwise, which I frankly don't see Towel doing.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

Everyone around here had the Dolphins winning. In the last game of last season, with a bye on the line, Miami marched into Foxboro and decisively beat the Patriots. That team is not a joke, they're as good or better than Atlanta I'll say that.

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a $h!t team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

3 TO's is a positive not a negative. As far as 20 points, we fumbled at the goal line and missed a 42 yd fg, so it should have been 30.

If the Hawks played Miami twice a year, they'd pretty much split with them like NE has most seasons. The Pats win 12-14 games every year, and usually have an L to Miami on their record, may of them big games.

12 OR 14 Games every year, that division has the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets, Abysmal win records for most the last 20 years for all except an occasional outlier. But nothing sustained.

On the other hand the NFC West has been sending a team to the Super Bowl about 80 percent of that duration with the Panthers and Saints being teams that have taken that spot off the top of my head.

So impressive runs for both teams, but strength of competition is heavily tilted to the Seahawks year in and year out.

You've been cursed with the toughest division the past 2 years, no doubt. Prior to that I don't recall SF, AZ, and the Rams being very formidable. AFC East has been an average division over the years, not below average. And NE has had the same winning pct against AFCE and non-AFCE teams - 75-80%.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

C'mon pats fan.

At best you have Cam the Towel. You don't have the Brady/Gronk magic and you had to have two kickers on the PS with not one active at start of season. Rebuilding happens to most teams every year, and you are now most teams until proven otherwise, which I frankly don't see Towel doing.

Could be right, don't know yet. They've had 1 good week, and they were 12-4 last year. But with a different QB this year, it could all go to sh*t. It's a feeling we haven't had for a long time.

 

[Maulbert]

You are high as a kite if you truly believe that, they are not in the same universe as a team w Ryan, Jones, Ridley and jarret.... And just because you guys lose to a $h!t team doesn't make them suddenly good. The dolphins suck, you got 3 turnovers and barely put up 20 pts... If that is a confidence boost then those expectations are damn low.

3 TO's is a positive not a negative. As far as 20 points, we fumbled at the goal line and missed a 42 yd fg, so it should have been 30.

If the Hawks played Miami twice a year, they'd pretty much split with them like NE has most seasons. The Pats win 12-14 games every year, and usually have an L to Miami on their record, may of them big games.

12 OR 14 Games every year, that division has the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets, Abysmal win records for most the last 20 years for all except an occasional outlier. But nothing sustained.

On the other hand the NFC West has been sending a team to the Super Bowl about 80 percent of that duration with the Panthers and Saints being teams that have taken that spot off the top of my head.

So impressive runs for both teams, but strength of competition is heavily tilted to the Seahawks year in and year out.

You've been cursed with the toughest division the past 2 years, no doubt. Prior to that I don't recall SF, AZ, and the Rams being very formidable. AFC East has been an average division over the years, not below average. And NE has had the same winning pct against AFCE and non-AFCE teams - 75-80%.

In 2013, the worst team in the NFC West was the Rams at 7-9. They were 1-5 in the West, while they were 6-4 outside of it. The non-divisional record for all 4 teams combined was 30-10, and the Seahawks, 49ers and Cardinals all won at least 10 games.

 

[Smellyman]

The Palmer/Arians Cardinals were very good on both O and D

The Fisher Rams had an incredibly good D

The Harbaugh 9ers were very good with a tough transition

 

[chris98251]

He cannot argue division toughness top to bottom year in and year out unless you go back to the Levi, Shula, Parcells Eras, then the Patriots were the Patsies of the Division for the most part.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

50patsfan, It is rare for our division to not have at least two active contenders in it. Sometimes it's us and the 9ers, sometimes it's the Rams who are the true No. 1. I can't deny the cards might be the next group to give the division fits...Deondre Hopkins and Kyler the squirrel who no one's figured out yet. We are used to contending and knowing we might not be the one, because it happens to all of the teams every year.

Whereas you guys have the Dolphins, the Jets and the Bills. The Bills at least the Pats appreciate as a threat...but the Dolphins really cost them and that was when it was said they were trying to tank for Tua! That's what I mean by saying welcome to what everyone else deals with--it's not like we here gets gifted with even thinking that we're not against a contender when we play in the division. We never had the lux of blowing a team off even in the bad years, because even bad teams can do mortal damage to yours.

In my humble opinion, you got rid of Brady for Belichick, but you can't hang your hat on him at his age (we can't with Pete either), and if he doesn't show production it's on him to go probably sooner than later.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

50patsfan, It is rare for our division to not have at least two active contenders in it. Sometimes it's us and the 9ers, sometimes it's the Rams who are the true No. 1. I can't deny the cards might be the next group to give the division fits...Deondre Hopkins and Kyler the squirrel who no one's figured out yet. We are used to contending and knowing we might not be the one, because it happens to all of the teams every year.

Whereas you guys have the Dolphins, the Jets and the Bills. The Bills at least the Pats appreciate as a threat...but the Dolphins really cost them and that was when it was said they were trying to tank for Tua! That's what I mean by saying welcome to what everyone else deals with--it's not like we here gets gifted with even thinking that we're not against a contender when we play in the division. We never had the lux of blowing a team off even in the bad years, because even bad teams can do mortal damage to yours.

In my humble opinion, you got rid of Brady for Belichick, but you can't hang your hat on him at his age (we can't with Pete either), and if he doesn't show production it's on him to go probably sooner than later.

Not denying that Seattle has had a tougher division to play in, just saying that the AFC East is a little underrated. NE has rarely swept its 6 division games, and almost always goes 4-2 or 5-1, the same winning % it's had with the league overall. No matter how far back you go, the AFC East vs the rest of the league is right in the middle, not at the bottom.

As fans we never dismiss a division game vs Miami, Buffalo or NYJ. There haven't been many playoff teams from that group recently, but they manage to give us trouble every year. Last year in week 17 Miami knocked the Pats out of a bye, and Denver won its SB a few years ago because Miami beat NE in the last week to give Denver HFA throughout.

Denver had their way in the AFCW for years. Same with GB in the NFCC. Pitt had no competition for probably 10 years until Baltimore rose about 8 years ago. NO had a free ride in the NFCS. Indy had a complete joke of a division throughout most of Peyton's career. NFCE didn't even have 1 team that was good for a long while. All of those examples fall within the NE era of the past 20 years.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

These are all excellent points. I'm just saying no one else in the nfl has had a streak as long as you guys did and it's just natural human instinct to get comfortable with it as long as it lasts, or lasted.

That said, who do you see as the greatest individual/position weapons on your team, and which could be potential liabilities and which could be both?

 

[50yrpatsfan]

These are all excellent points. I'm just saying no one else in the nfl has had a streak as long as you guys did and it's just natural human instinct to get comfortable with it as long as it lasts, or lasted.

That said, who do you see as the greatest individual/position weapons on your team, and which could be potential liabilities and which could be both?

Our receiving weapons are not good. Edelman is 34 and something's nagging him at the moment, a step slow. NKeal Harry hasn't developed, though we hope he's on the verge. TE's are all unproven though they all seem to have some talent.

Our offensive strengths are OL, RB, Cam Newton, and McDaniels/Belichick. NE's success will depend on how well they can implement and execute a Baltimore offense, which had similar limitations last year yet were unstoppable. Newton is 100% healthy and has a great attitude so far. He can run, and as a unit they can run.

 

[RCATES]

Feel pretty good about this game. This isn't the NE defense of last year. 7 new starters including all three LB positions. Front 4 is similar to Seattle with no big names on the Pass rush. Seattle should be able to move the ball on the ground to set up deeper stuff down field. Not worried about Cam or NE's Offense.