PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

2012 Super Bowl — New England Patriots fans need to recognize the better team won – ESPN Boston

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2012 Super Bowl — New England Patriots fans need to recognize the better team won – ESPN Boston

Hard to argue with what Jackie MacMullan lays out here. There’s no doubt this one hurt but I can’t honestly say the Pats were the better team on Sunday night. Maybe if Gronk wasn’t playing at 50% they might’ve been, but he wasn’t so that’s that.

There’s a long road before the Patriots take the field again. There will be many changes to the team, but if nothing else 2011 just proved again that the Patriots are a well-coached team that will be in every game they play. Regardless of the perceived talent on the roster.

But with that said there will be talent added this off-season and look for the 2012 Pats with a creampuff schedule to again be right in the thick of it next year. With a young defense that gained valuable experience under the biggest of spotlights this season.

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When the Patriots wake up from this funk, they’ll find themselves in a tremendous position to do it all over again. Aside from Belichick and Brady, the core of the Patriots’ roster is very young, led by safety Patrick Chung (25 years old when the 2012 regular season begins), tight end Rob Gronkowski (23), tight end Aaron Hernandez (22), linebacker Jerod Mayo (26), cornerback Devin McCourty (25), tackle Nate Solder (24), linebacker Brandon Spikes (25), tackle Sebastian Vollmer (28).

“We’ve got a young team,” Mayo said. “This one stings. We’ll remember it for a long time, and this offseason, we’ll get back to work real soon and try to get back to this point. It takes a lot of work to get back to this point. It will be a lot of work.”

There’s also an older generation of leaders who are still in their prime like left guard Logan Mankins (30 years old when the 2012 regular season begins) and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (30). Of course, add wide receiver Wes Welker (31) to that list, under the strong assumption he’ll be back, either with the franchise tag or a long-term contract.

The Patriots have also amassed a strong group of role players who continued to improve this season, such as cornerback Kyle Arrington (26 years old when the 2012 regular season begins), defensive end Brandon Deaderick (25), linebacker Dane Fletcher (25), safety James Ihedigbo (28), defensive tackle Kyle Love (25), linebacker Rob Ninkovich (28), running back Stevan Ridley (23) and special teamer Matthew Slater (27).

Tom Brady, Patriots Crushed by Super Bowl Defeat, But Optimistic With Talented Young Foundation for 2012 – New England Patriots – NESN.com

https://www.patspropaganda.com/when-the-patriots-wake-up-from-this-funk-theyll/

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Can the Patriots get better from a talent perspective on defense? Certainly.

But I’m not sure they could have played much better last night as a group.

And they did it on the biggest stage.

You couldn’t ask anymore of the defense. Holding that Giants offense to 15 points until that late touchdown, when the Patriots allowed the Giants to score, was the type of performance many thought they weren’t capable of. But they proved us wrong.

The Patriots defense had a winning performance.

The offense did not, and that’s why the Patriots lost this Super Bowl.

Much-maligned defense wasn’t the problem – The Boston Globe

This just goes to show you can spend all season talking about how the defense was the Patriots’ Achilles Heal yet it was the most trusted part of the team that couldn’t come through in the clutch.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-goants-super-bowl/

Notes on Patriots Free Agents

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The Patriots have a number of Unrestricted Free Agents that the will have to make decisions on. Who they decide to sign and let go should tell quite a bit about the direction of the team on both sides of the ball.

Some of the immediate biggest questions that come to mind:

  • Will there be steps taken to find a deep threat field stretcher?
  • Will they go back to the 3-4 defense and how will that affect players like Andre Carter and Mark Anderson?
  • What changes will Josh McDaniels implement on offense?
  • Will the Pats turn the page on Dan Koppen and maybe Matt Light?

Patriots Unrestricted Free Agents

RB Kevin Faulk – all signs point towards retirement for the Patriots legend.

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – hard not to want the solid Green-Ellis back, and he shouldn’t be a bank breaker. I think it’s more than likely the Law Firm is back in Foxboro, he’s not flashy but he’s a consistently reliable back who can get tough yards. Belichick values guys like that.

WR Deion Branch – wants to come back but will the Patriots look to move on? If they can get him cheap they might want him back as insurance, but I expect measures to be taken to try and replace him with a more dangerous receiving threat to help open things up even moreso for Gronk, Hernando and Welker.

WR Matt Slater – the captain and Pro Bowler should be back for his Special Teams skills. I’d prefer to never see him play another snap of offense or defense again in my life.

WR Wes Welker – the number one free agent to be addressed I think Welker will be back one way or another. Ideally on a three or four year deal, but the Franchise Tag can’t be ruled out.

OL Dan Connolly – Connolly had a solid year filling in at center for Koppen. Is he the long term solution there, or maybe at right guard? Or will he continue to be the top interior fill in? He brings a lot of value so I bet he’s back.

OC Dan Koppen – As they did with Matt Light last year I think Koppen will be back, but developing his replacement is something that has to be considered.

DE Mark Anderson – Anderson surprised at outside linebacker in the 3-4 and looks like he could have a future there. His two sacks in the Super Bowl can’t go unmentioned. He should be a priority.

DE Andre Carter – Carter could be the biggest wild card of the internal free agents. His work on and off the field was praised by Belichick, but his recovery from the torn quad, and the schematic direction the Pats want to take will be factors. No doubt that everyone in Patriots Nation are hoping for his return.

DE Shaun Ellis – Didn’t look like Ellis has much left in the tank, it’s likely he won’t return.

DT Gerard Warren – Warren was a force in the playoffs after having the Pats manage his snaps in the regular season. He could be back on a cheap deal, but should have competition for a roster spot. Shadow roster potential.

LB Gary Guyton – Guyton fell off the depth chart this year, and it’s likely he doesn’t return unless they need additional inside linebacker depth.

LB Niko Koutouvides – could be back, he got some time on defense in the Super Bowl and also was a top Special Teams guy.

LB Tracy White – one of the bigger surprises in the Super Bowl was seeing White get so much time over Dane Fletcher on defense. Could this be a sign that White will be back? I think so.

CB Nathan Jones – probably won’t be back unless for secondary depth.

CB Antwaun Molden – I’d like to see Molden back, especially to give him a full off-season with the Pats. He has good size, and showed some good things. The secondary should get a lot of attention this off-season, but Molden would be a solid depth player who will compete.

S James Ihedigbo- I like Ihedigbo as a player, but not as a starting safety. I think he’ll be back for depth and special teams, but I’d bet the Patriots will take measures to make sure he’s not the starting safety in 2012.

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This is how I choose to remember the 2011 Patriots

The 2011 Patriots will slowly come fully into focus over the next few days. While it would be easy to get depressed about the end this was another special season filled with record-breaking performances,  AFC East and AFC Conference championships, and a tight Super Bowl that went down to the end.

Maybe it’s because we already lost a Super Bowl to the Giants that today’s feeling isn’t that entirely novel. Of course there will be much overreaction to this loss, but a couple of missed plays won’t alter the Patriots approach to team-building, and the have the draft picks and cap space to improve the team.

We’ll begin to turn the page to the off-season, beginning first with evaluating the internal free agents the Patriots must make decisions on, then slowly making our way to external free agents and the draft.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/this-is-how-i-choose-to-remember-the-2011/

» Knee Jerk Reactions From Super Bowl XLVI: Pats vs Giants Barstool Sports: Boston

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» Knee Jerk Reactions From Super Bowl XLVI: Pats vs Giants Barstool Sports: Boston

Here’s Jerry Thornton’s take and I’m feeling pretty similar this morning. I’m sure the Boston papers and airwaves are full of the blame game today, but as Jerry said, this season just proved that the Patriots way of operating is the right one.

Obviously there will be many decisions to make this off-season but I think we can all agree that we’ll be back in the thick of it next year.