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Pats Posits

Pats Posits: We’re on to the Offseason!

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And that’s all she wrote on the 2015 Patriots after getting thoroughly dominated by the Broncos’ defense in Denver.  I didn’t think the Broncos could win a straight-up fight. And while there were quite a few fluky dumbass plays by the Pats, it basically came down to the Broncos defense dominating the Patriots offense.

So full credit to them. We’ve see seasons end like this before. Does it mean blow everything up? Not even close. The entire core returns next season, and with players returning from injury like Nate Solder and Dion Lewis, the Patriots offense is already much better today than it was as they walked off the field in Denver.

But this one was every bit as maddening as past season-enders have been. They weren’t as sharp as they needed to be from the outset. That included a stupid headbutt by Stork that backed them up after a big punt return by Amendola.

I do think the Patriots were late to realize the Broncos offense was done, in hindsight taking field goals at the end probably would’ve won the game. They always err on the side of aggression so I can live with it.

What was brutally apparent was that as soon as the Pats punted on their first possession after winning the toss and receiving, they would be playing catchup the rest of the game. The Broncos had their best drive on their first drive, and never came close to a long sustained drive the rest of the game.

Saw plenty of complaints out there about not deferring, but it’s not that uncommon as we think. They received against Denver in 2013 as well, along with two other times that season. It certainly backfired in this one.

The Pats defense deserves a lot of credit too. They didn’t get much help and they forced five punts and let up just a field goal in the second half. They stopped the run. They got to Manning. They did everything a defense needs to do in the playoffs. And they’re all coming back.

Despite the constant catchup, I really liked our chances for most of the game. Even without their best game, the Pats still went down to the wire and went down swinging. They will never be a team that simply folds and it’s a point of pride no matter how the season ends.

Will take a few days to wrap up the season and then it’s on to free agency and the draft. Another offseason is upon us. Ugh.

Pats Posits: AFC Championship Week Hump Day Edition via MyBookie.ag

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Lots to talk about already this week, but I feel like I’ve been a little overwhelmed by what a victory on Sunday would mean for this entire BB/TB run. Really trying not to think about it, but yeah, it would mean a lot and bring many things full circle that have been lingering for a long time (like 2005/2006/2013 season-enders). 

There will be plenty of time to talk about that if/when the Pats take care of business. I already made the mistake in SB46 of assuming that all wrongs would be righted by the BB/TB dynasty, at least on the time frame we thought they should be righted.

But imagine sending both Tom Coughlin and Peyton Manning, two of the biggest thorns in our sides off into the sunset together this season. At that point playing in the Super Bowl would just be the frosting on top. And if you look at the Super Bowl odds, it seems like Vegas likes the Pats back in the big game.

We didn’t know who the 2015 Patriots were coming into last week, whether they were the banged-up-and-broken team that went 2-4 down the stretch or the team that raced out to 10-0. From the looks of it against the Chiefs they’re closer to the 10-0 version and we have every reason to expect that team to show up in Denver Sunday.

Now, after avenging last year’s MNF beatdown and finally beating Eli, Coughlin and the Giants for the first time since 2007, things are finally set up in the AFC Championship to close the door on a number of other open wounds from the last decade. There wouldn’t be the same poetic justice opportunity in the Super Bowl, but a win this weekend would really cement the 2015 Pats in the pantheon of Brady/Belichick teams. Because for the most part thus far, the 2015 Pats haven’t been all that memorable save just a couple games.

Couple things to touch base on…

– So yeah, the Broncos are already yapping in the media, saying Brady is a cry baby and Gronk pushes off and the only way to take Gronk out is to go low. Clearly they’re already trying to butter up the refs a bit, which I take as a great sign. If you’re that convinced already that you’re going to need help from the refs to win the game? 

And I’m not really sure how a Broncos player complaining to media so that the refs won’t bite when Brady gives them a look after taking a late hit well… kinda the same thing there as what you’re accusing Brady of and definitely more pathetic.

At least the Broncos see the same thing I’m seeing – that they’re going need every call going their way if they’re to have a chance.

– Jerod Mayo goes onto IR for the third year in a row. Rough stretch for Mayo and with his cap hit next year there’s little doubt the Pats will decline his option. And I doubt there will be much interest on the external market for a player who’s been knocked out of the season three straight years. Mayo just didn’t have the same burst/pop to him this year. He started to make some strides near the end, but coming back from a torn patellar tendon is no joke. He might’ve been better served starting on PUP.

I could see Mayo easily back next year on a bare minimum deal. Regardless, adding linebacker depth will be a priority this season. I’ll save my panic about every Jonathan Freeny and Darius Fleming snap for a later post this week but yeah, this whole game comes down to Hightower and Collins for me. If those two guys can finish the game, playing north of 80% of the snaps, the Pats really should shut down the Broncos running game. 

Much, much more to come as the longest week I can ever remember drags on…

Pats Posits: Nerves Settling in for Denver

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I think I get more nervous for a playoff game that the Patriots should win than one where it’s a toss up. Make no mistake, after the way these two teams looked this weekend, the Patriots should win this game. Well, based on how Denver’s looked all season, squeaking out wins after fortuitous mistakes by their opponents, the Patriots should win this game.

But it’s in Denver and that’s what scares me, because things have traditionally been shaky in Denver for the Patriots especially in the playoffs. But it’s hard to see the player Peyton Manning is now and worry that he’s suddenly going to be tossing it all over the field on our defense like it’s two-plus years ago.

You have to respect the Broncos ground game, but if that gets shut down and the big plays to Sanders and Thomas are taken away, it would line up similarly to how the Chiefs game went – lot of regular personnel on defense to crowd the box and kill the running game, press their receivers and make Manning consistently hit 10+ yard passing plays to win the game.

Amazingly this flips the script on BB’s usual Peyton gameplan, where you’d concede the run to take the game out of his hands. It really just comes down to how healthy Collins and Hightower can be, because with both of them in there, the Broncos will struggle to consistently run the ball.

What scares me is that for the Patriots to lose this game they’re going to have to have a lot of mistakes, a lot of calls go against them and just get none of the bounces. Because with Gronk and Edelman in the lineup New England should really move the ball at will. Put it this way – with Gronk and Edelman in the lineup the Pats are 4-0 against the Broncos. 

I am all about the season-long narrative with my Pats coverage. I like meaningful games and there’s no better narrative, no more meaningful game than having to go back to Denver, where the 2015 season started to fall apart from its perfect start.

The Pats already avenged a brutal loss from last season, and now they have the chance to avenge both the 2013 AFCCG loss and the earlier loss this season. Denver has been a tough place for Brady over the course of his career. What a perfect chance to finish off those demons this weekend.