New England - Dynasty Over......Or Just Taking a Break?

[acpell671]

That's something to keep in mind. One of the reasons the Pats were so good in the playoffs was how ridiculously good they were when they played teams a second time in the season. It's been said that while their taping of signals during games may not have helped them much in that game, it helped them a lot in the rematch. The fact that they have one playoff victory (in a game they would have lost if Norv Turner had the nerve to bench a clearly ineffective Rivers and put in Volek) since the league caught onto their videotaping practices is a pretty damning indictment.

It's probably no coincidence then that the one coach that Belichick and Brady struggled against was Mike Shanahan, who has always been paranoid about the possibility of somebody stealing his signals.

People like to pretend as if this cheating thing didn't happen. It's pretty insane really. It's good to know that they are fallible.

I think their D is pretty young and in a year or two, they will be back to the D they once had. Maybe the Jets changed all their signals for the last game. Hey, you never know, right? Brady looked pretty off balanced. Strange really.

I don't think Brady is as good as people make him out to be. He benefited from stolen defensive signals for most of his career and has been 0-3 in the playoffs since then. Pretty damning, if you ask me.

[CanDB]

Tough to win Superbowls when the league makes you stop cheating, eh?

You kidding me........Belichick has probably discovered a few other ways to cheat since those days......and they were definitely the best team in the league going into the Jets game. Losing happens.

Next you're going to say that Brady was lucky all season.....not throwing picks and such. Then it will be something about the refs and on and on. I don't like the Pats as a whole, especially Belichick, and sometimes even the whining QB, but I wouldn't bet against them normally.

[acpell671]

You kidding me........Belichick has probably discovered a few other ways to cheat since those days......and they were definitely the best team in the league going into the Jets game. Losing happens.

Next you're going to say that Brady was lucky all season.....not throwing picks and such. Then it will be something about the refs and on and on. I don't like the Pats as a whole, especially Belichick, and sometimes even the whining QB, but I wouldn't bet against them normally.

All due respect Can, they cheated so bad that the NFL destroyed everything. It would have ruined the NFL. It made its way to Congress for crying out loud.

I have no problem with gamesmanship and trying to get the upper hand in some way shape or form, but outright cheating is disgusting.

The funny thing is... I do kind of like Belichick. Strange how that works, no?

I think their downfall this year was inexperience with some of their younger players. I think the same thing happened with Indy. Blair White anybody? Lol!

[Frankenpost]

Tough to win Superbowls when the league makes you stop cheating, eh?

I couldnt have said it better myself.

[Southstander]

You guys realize that almost EVERY team has done this? It was a common place. This like saying only Barry Bonds used roids. That is why they sent out a LEAUGE wide memo on the practice. Coach Jimmie Johnson and several other admitted to doing it. I have yet to hear how watching signals AFTER a game has been played helped you win it. Please do not say you know them for the next game. Any smart coach changes signals for a rematch. Heck, some do it at half time.

To the question at hand as long as NE has Brady and Coach Belichick the Pats can go to the Super Bowl next year.

[CanDB]

All due respect Can, they cheated so bad that the NFL destroyed everything. It would have ruined the NFL. It made its way to Congress for crying out loud.

I have no problem with gamesmanship and trying to get the upper hand in some way shape or form, but outright cheating is disgusting.

The funny thing is... I do kind of like Belichick. Strange how that works, no?

I think their downfall this year was inexperience with some of their younger players. I think the same thing happened with Indy. Blair White anybody? Lol!

I didn't like the cheating, but I'm told most teams go to great lengths to try to win........maybe never caught for cheating....but whatever. It's a copycat league, and if one dude gets an upper hand, so will another.

I'd like to blame someone for their winning ways, but they did win a lot of games "somehow". They still had to execute. They still had to rebound.

I would never believe that all the other teams were totally "shocked" by Belichick, in terms of what he would do to win. These folks are smart, and they probably had tricks up their own sleeves.

So sure, he got away with some bad stuff, but lets not pretend the other Managers in the league are all saints.........other than New Orleans of course.

[acpell671]

I didn't like the cheating, but I'm told most teams go to great lengths to try to win........maybe never caught for cheating....but whatever. It's a copycat league, and if one dude gets an upper hand, so will another.

I'd like to blame someone for their winning ways, but they did win a lot of games "somehow". They still had to execute. They still had to rebound.

I would never believe that all the other teams were totally "shocked" by Belichick, in terms of what he would do to win. These folks are smart, and they probably had tricks up their own sleeves.

So sure, he got away with some bad stuff, but lets not pretend the other Managers in the league are all saints.........other than New Orleans of course.

Well, we had our own little video scandal and I don't think Pat Bowlen condones it... I'm happy about that.

No doubt, they are a good team and Belichick is actually one of the coaches that I actually have a lot of respect for. I'm kind of weird like that. However, nobody here can actually say how much the video scandal has affected them or the rest of the league since the NFL swept it under the rug. We will never know but their history will always be tainted, to me at least.

[CanDB]

Well, we had our own little video scandal and I don't think Pat Bowlen condones it... I'm happy about that.

No doubt, they are a good team and Belichick is actually one of the coaches that I actually have a lot of respect for. I'm kind of weird like that. However, nobody here can actually say how much the video scandal has affected them or the rest of the league since the NFL swept it under the rug. We will never know but their history will always be tainted, to me at least.

I started to wonder about them on that "questionable" incomplete pass that helped them beat The Raiders way back when (I was actually pulling for the Pats back then......you can tell who you really don't like, when teams you despise are playing one another!!!).

I think that SB loss to the Giants had many redeeming qualities to it.......that was sooooooooooo good.......for me anyway.:clap::dance:

[acpell671]

I started to wonder about them on that "questionable" incomplete pass that helped them beat The Raiders way back when (I was actually pulling for the Pats back then......you can tell who you really don't like, when teams you despise are playing one another!!!).

I think that SB loss to the Giants had many redeeming qualities to it.......that was sooooooooooo good.......for me anyway.:clap::dance:

It did. I had never been such a huge Giants fan before... or after for that matter!

But Tuck Rule? It made me hate the Patriots even more.

[CanDB]

It did. I had never been such a huge Giants fan before... or after for that matter!

But Tuck Rule? It made me hate the Patriots even more.

Yeah.....the infamous Tuck Rule......and then Brady whining his head off when guys come within a few feet of his body, prompting the league to add protective rules for QBs, which are loosely followed, usually to the advantage of Tom.......I've seen other QBs get hit harder and lower and in the head, and not get any penalty call.

Brady is a great player, but he has been fortunate in the way the league has treated him. I loved it when Ray Lewis stated that guys have to be able to play the game, after that one Ravens game where I swore the refs were calling a penalty on a ghost.....cause no one touched Brady.

Interestingly, Brady's stats aren't overwhelming compared to the other QB greats. He has good numbers for sure, but I'd take Aaron Rodgers over him (maybe even Big Ben), because Rodgers can do some things Brady can't, and guys like Brady need a strong oline to succeed.

Maybe I'm just jealous because of the women he has dated/married!!!!!

[Hadez]

As good as NE is they have to play against other good/great teams in the playoffs. It is why winning in the playoffs is so hard and people should never under-estimate how hard it is.

As long as Brady is there they will continue to be winners.

Fixed it for you, I have already shown in other threads how bad Belichick's playoff resume is without Brady.

Brady is the key to the Pats. The jets beat the Pats because they picked Brady off and were sacking/hitting him all day. At one point Brady took a "phantom sack" that Orton likes to take. A sack where the QB most likely could have fought to make a play but decided to play it safe and took a sack. This imo is why Brady held onto the ball allot. Ya the NYJ were playing good defense but Brady usually picks even the best coverages apart. The jets got into his head and that is why NE lost.

They have....

2 1sts

2 2nds

2 3rds

1 4th

Pretty much make it 3 1sts, their 2nd from Carolina is 33rd overall.

So 7 picks in the 1st 4 rounds, maybe more, maybe less if they do what they usually do, move up or down.

I'd be surprised if they don't win a SB within the next 3 years.

Just need to keep building that defense, and get Brady a bigger threat at WR when they clearly missed Moss.

This is the biggest reason NE keeps making the playoffs. It would take "McD" type front office decisions to keep NE from being an elite team the next 4-6 years ... well that or a career ending injury to Brady.

[DaHammer]

You kidding me........Belichick has probably discovered a few other ways to cheat since those days......and they were definitely the best team in the league going into the Jets game. Losing happens.

Amazing. The Jets beat the Patriots 2 out of the 3 times they played them this year, including the playoff game, yet people still think the Patriots were the better team. Why because of their record? The media hype?

[CanDB]

Amazing. The Jets beat the Patriots 2 out of the 3 times they played them this year, including the playoff game, yet people still think the Patriots were the better team. Why because of their record? The media hype?

Sure....the Jets beat the Pats twice.......but going into that game I'd guess that 90% had the Pats going to the AFC final.

BTW.........if you thought the Jets were better you should have bet on the game, cause you would have made a lot of cash (I'm guessing you didn't)......you coulda been a real Hammer, financially.

[DaHammer]

Sure....the Jets beat the Pats twice.......but going into that game I'd guess that 90% had the Pats going to the AFC final.

BTW.........if you thought the Jets were better you should have bet on the game, cause you would have made a lot of cash (I'm guessing you didn't)......you coulda been a real Hammer, financially.

Well I guess that puts me in the minority then. I don't gamble on sports and what's makes you think I'm not a real financial hammer already?

[CanDB]

Well I guess that puts me in the minority then. I don't gamble on sports and what's makes you think I'm not a real financial hammer already?

Mr Buffett....is that really you?