PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Writing off the Patriots is a major mistake

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It probably goes without saying that you don’t quite catch everything that’s going on when you’re up in the All-22 seats at the game, so it was educational to go back and watch the Patriots-Giants on TV.

I’m a big picture guy, the goal is to win the Super Bowl, and I have to say I’m feeling a lot better right now than I was as I trudged out of Gillette on Sunday night.

Let’s not try to extrapolate every single game and try to make it a defining one of the Belichick era or even the 2011 season. The Patriots have lost two games in a row to two good teams by a combined 12 points. Neither game saw the Pats put forth their best effort, and I’ve seen enough flashes to know that this could be a very good team come January if they can just execute consistently.

Fighting through adversity is one of the best ingredients for constructing a Super Bowl team. Yes it’s nice to be 14-2, but it’s more often the unheralded teams that go through ups and downs over the regular season that are able to come together and put together a run for the Lombardi.

First, because I’m a defense guy, I want to start with them. We’ll post later in the day showing just how well they played until those last two possessions on Sunday night, but what we’ve seen from this group in two of the last three weeks is a significant improvement from what we saw in 2009 and 2010. They have been keeping the Patriots in games despite losing the turnover battle.

Some can say they lack talent but what I saw in the re-watch was a defense that consistently pressured Eli Manning forcing him into off-balance and hurried throws. Sadly they fell apart at the end of the game and allowed two 4th quarter touchdowns, but that’s no reason throw the baby out with the bath water. The improvement is apparent.

Devin McCourty is returning to form. Brandon Spikes is becoming the team’s best linebacker (sorry Jerod), and Kyle Arrington continues to be a ball hawk. Brandon Deaderick flashed a lot against the Giants making me question if he doesn’t keep that spot over Shaun Ellis. They were flying to the ball and playing physical the whole game, yet they will continue to get no love from the media because of how the game ended.

As for the offense Tom Brady was off and the execution was sloppy all game. It’s disconcerting to see Brady turning the ball over so much, but if there’s one player I’d expect to turn it around it’s TFB.

I’d also like to defend Chad Ochocinco a bit. He was getting open, Brady was just not hitting him. He exhibited the ability to get off press man coverage that he was brought in for, now Brady just needs to get him the ball and this offense will take a major step forward.

When it comes down to it you can say the Patriots lost this game because of four turnovers and two pass interference calls. It was not their lack of talent. It was not their lack of pressure or lack of a deep threat. It was sloppy play. On offense the chances were there, and on defense it’s just a matter of consistency and making the big stop in the big moments.

I’m even more excited for this weekend’s match-up against the Jets. The Pats backs are against the wall and they now have to go into the biggest hornet’s nest of all. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

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Mark Sanchez Flichin’ GIF

Somehow this is making me feel just a little bit better…

https://www.patspropaganda.com/mark-sanchez-flichin-gif-somehow-this-is-making/

Deadspin: War Room excerpt about the 2007 Patriots

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Deadspin: War Room excerpt about the 2007 Patriots

Can’t wait to get the new Michael Holley book War Room tomorrow but here’s a nice little excerpt about Spygate that was interesting. I know, it might be the wrong time to bring that up but I think they really put it into context.

In New York, Mangini told his close friends that he never wanted Spygate to go as far as it did. He said he thought the matter could be worked out between the Patriots and Jets, and if it were up to him, he wouldn’t have advised Jets security and upper management to be so aggressive in their handling of the situation. His feeling was that as he was coaching, his own organization was taking things further than he would have been willing to go; for example, he never wanted the league involved. His front office did, though. It was Patriots-Jets. It was always bitter, and the feeling was that the Patriots would have done the same thing if they had caught the Jets red-handed. That was an organizational view, but because of Mangini’s history with Belichick, this became his story and his dime-dropping. By the time he walked off the field on September 9, wearing his charcoal Jets shirt, he really was the villain in black as far as the Patriots were concerned.

It no longer mattered to them how Mangini felt. They didn’t care that he actually saw things the way they did and that he believed the taping in no way undermined what they had accomplished as champions. They didn’t care that it bothered Mangini to see their dynasty, his dynasty, too, questioned and mocked. It didn’t matter. Some Patriots coaches with whom he had remained close stopped taking his calls. Others, for obvious political reasons, were sure to keep him at a public distance. Some players in New England would soon refer to him as Fredo, the resentful Corleone who betrayed his brother Michael in The Godfather. Unlike Mario Puzo’s characters, there was no acting involved between the coaches. The relationship was over.

Incoherent Patriots thoughts from a sleep deprived blogger

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We’re still trying to put together the pieces of yesterday but here are a collection of thoughts so far…

– This 2 game losing streak is a lull that the 2010 Patriots did not experience, but I think IF the Patriots can turn this thing around it will serve them well. That said, I am not convinced that they can permanently turn it around at this point.

– I love that the next game is at the Jets. The Patriots are down, will be piled on all week, and now have to go play their hardest game of the season. We will truly find out a lot about this team on Sunday and I’d rather just take everything head on. Win at the Jets and the last two losses won’t seem as horrid as they do right now.

– The strangest thing is that I have actually become more concerned about the offense than I am about the defense. For the defense it’s just a question of can they play consistently how they played for much of the Giants and Cowboys games. But for the offense it looks like the blueprint is out there, and the Pats cannot come up with an answer for it through three straight games.

– Against the Giants the Pats tried to counter the man coverage with more power runs, but they could not establish dominance in the run game like they needed to.

– Brady is now 4 interceptions away from his career high. Shocking.

– I am extremely concerned about Spikes and Guyton’s availability this weekend. And I don’t even like Guyton. But we can’t have Tracy White playing middle linebacker against the Jets. Even if Fletcher were to come back he’s going to be rusty and not ideal to step in and play wire to wire.

– Anyone else starting to think Deion Branch better really elevate his game or else the Pats will let him walk at the end of the season?

– Looks like the Jets are already laying the compliments on the Patriots this week, which is smart. They know they’re going to get a Patriots team that is angry unlike they’ve been in a while.

– The Jets originated this “challenge all the short stuff” defense of the Patriots offense last year in the playoffs so obviously they’re well equipped to do it again. The Patriots must must must find an answer this week.

– I wish Randy Moss was still 2007 Randy Moss but he’s not and that’s why he’s not coming back to the Patriots or any other team.

– Ochocinco was brought in to help defeat the defensive game plans the Patriots are seeing, and him and Brady are still on different pages. I don’t like to lay down ultimatums but it’s pretty much this weekend or never for Nocho-catcho.

More to come after I re-watch the game. If anyone in Gillette finds my heart that was torn out yesterday please let me know.