Posted on 01/27/2002 6:02:43 PM PST by paul in cape
10. They will be huge underdogs (see Pittsburgh)
9. Georgia Frantiere is already getting measured for her huge rings (see also Bill Cowher ordering Hotel rooms for New Orleans)
8. The last game they lost (and barely) was against St. Louis, back when Brady was still green
7. Coach Belichick is coaching his arse off, and can game plan against anybody.
6. During their 8-game run, they shut down the top running backs in the league Curtis Martin, Edgerine James, Jerome Bettis (etc)
5. St Louis will now have to prepare a gameplan against 2 Pro-Bowl quarterbacks
4. Patriot cornerbacks have shut down every Hall-Of-Fame bound recievers (Rice and Brown, plus those whiners in Pittsburgh)
3. They've dominated every game on special teams, and make big plays
2. They have few, if any, stars. What they have is discipline, like the Marines
Which brings me to my #1 reason why they'll win the Super Bowl....
They're PATRIOTS, and of all years where patriotism has come back in vogue, THIS IS IT
Anyone know.
I watched him throw a football 70 yards once, perfect spiral, from a flat-footed stand....all arm strength. Fast and slick -- unfortunately not an NFL style q'back. He was a scrambler, option, runner. But he had this desire to win that wouldn't quit; would always figure out a way.
After 8 1/2 hours of hype--the Superbowl game will be all but over in 15 minutes, and the people at the parties will start discussing how the commercials last year were so much better.
RAMS 52........................PATS 17
Belichek is great but don't discount the "great Lovie". He coached the 7th greatest turn around of a defense in the history of pro football.
Pats 27
Rams 24
In OT.
I have spoken...
And by now, after '86, '96, the Pats should know the field pretty well. 8^)
Does this sound like the Pats?
The NFL has never liked running QB's like Flutie because they're effective. Although they're finally starting to smarten up with the success of McNabb and Stewart.
The Pats cut him before the start of the season.
Do you know if anyone picked him up?
It's a shame that no one in the NFL will try a pure option offense, wishbone or otherwise. I've always heard the excuse that they just don't believe it'd work at the pro level. Wouldn't you still be bringing the best offensive players against the best defensive players no matter how you ran the offense?
Multiple offenses is why I prefer college football. Multiple defenses is why I prefer college basketball. The greatest sporting event is the NCAA b'ball tourney. Now if the NCAA would just get a clue about a football playoff.
Now the pressure will mount on Brady
November 19, 2001
FOXBORO - It was a different experience last night for New England's latest Prince Charming, and many sets of eyes were watching to see how he would respond to the new pressure.
Tom Brady came on to replace the injured Drew Bledsoe as the Patriots quarterback eight weeks ago and, unbelievably, led New England from the depths of mediocrity to playoff contention. Playing without a worry, wide-eyed and innocent in the eyes of the fans, Brady has been winging passes to wide receivers and backs with equal aplomb, and has benefited from a resurrected running game and a new defensive resolve.
Before last night, Brady had completed 63.9 percent of his passes and thrown 11 touchdowns. Only five of his passes have been intercepted, and four of those came in the fourth quarter of the Denver game four weeks ago.
All ancient history now. While going 5-2, Brady had no competition. Make a mistake and he knew he would still be back in the huddle. There was the normal, intense pressure on a young quarterback learning the ropes, but not the pressure of knowing an interception could earn him a clipboard, a set of headphones and a view from the sidelines.
After last night's loss to the Rams, Brady is 5-3 (the Patriots are 5-5). He and his offensive mates made some major errors. There was no Brady magic until the Rams went prevent in the fourth quarter and he made them pay with a 10-yard scoring pass to David Patten in the corner of the end zone to cut the St. Louis lead to 24-17.
But before that, the fans had become restless as a conservative offense proved inept, though no calls for Drew were heard in the stands. Even when trying to play with one hand tied behind his back, Brady was no match for the Rams, or the expectations he had created.
Yes, Brady completed 19 passes in 27 attempts. But only for 185 yards and he had two more interceptions. Yes, he was done in by the slippery hands of Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith. Faulk saw a pass bounce off his hands for an interception, setting up the Rams first touchdown. Smith's late second-quarter fumble at the Rams 3 not only cost the Patriots a score, but the lead when the Rams followed with a 97-yard drive in just one minute, 41 seconds.
As the Rams and quarterback Kurt Warner spread the ball around the field, throwing for more than 400 yards, Brady suddenly looked like this year's early-season version of Drew Bledsoe. The Patriot offense suddenly looked like the one Bledsoe had to play with in the first two games.
Last night was the beginning of Brady's new reality: Bledsoe was armed and ready, medically cleared to play. He was itching to get back on the field and take what he feels is his rightful place as head man on this football team, as he has for nine years now. It wasn't only ESPN's Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire who were wondering if Brady would be looking over his shoulder if things didn't go his way. Pats head coach Bill Belichick made it a big story last night by making Bledsoe the No. 2 quarterback, though the veteran never took his warm-up jacket off. Next weekend against New Orleans, that may not be the story. Brady has been through this before, battling with Brian Griese and Drew Henson for playing time at Michigan. He's done what many thought was impossible - making this Patriots' team a playoff contender - and his reward is not knowing if he'll be on the field next week ... or next series, for that matter.
"It makes no difference to me," he said last week when asked about all the uncertainty of his role that is sure to continue swirling. "Whether a guy's here or not here, that doesn't affect me. It's too much energy worrying about anyone else. There's not enough time in the day. It's enough work trying to prepare myself." Especially last night, against a fleet St. Louis squad many experts pick to win it all. The Rams much-improved defense was ranked fourth overall in the NFL before last night, ninth against the pass. The Patriots kept the game close, but did so with a less-than-sterling offensive effort that could produce only 10 points. The opportunities were there, the touchdowns weren't. Another game like this next Sunday against the Saints, and Bledsoe's return to action will be sooner than fans expected. Ironically, now that Brady has moved the Patriots into contention, the team may not be able to afford his growing pains while a proven quarterback watches and waits.
I hope you are kidding.
The last sentence in the original post referred to the thriving of Patriotism and suggested it would be nice to see a group named "Patriot" succeed.
GO RAMS!
If they don't their defense will tire (like it did against Pittsburgh) and the Rams will pull away in the fourth quarter. Kurt Warner's not going to melt down like Kordelia did.
-Eric
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