The AFC East

[AbstraKt]

Vegas has us at -3.0. FWIW.

[SlickBri481]

How ridiculous would it be if the Bills beat the Browns next week (very possible), Pats lose at Baltimore (very possible), and Miami "upsets" us at home. Pats and Jets would be 1-2 staring up at the 2-1 Bills and Phins.

I think we win though, don't get me wrong. I just don't think it will be easy.

[SlickBri481]

Originally Posted by PatsFanTX

Who would have thought the Pats defense would out-perform the offense to start the season?

It's only 2 games, but I'm encouraged by what the defense is doing.

You guys have yet to play a real QB though. I guess Flacco would qualify this week....

[PatsFanTX]

Originally Posted by SlickBri481

You guys have yet to play a real QB though. I guess Flacco would qualify this week....

Yep, Sunday night will be a real good test for the Pats defense.

[eaglenj]

Originally Posted by SlickBri481

How ridiculous would it be if the Bills beat the Browns next week (very possible), Pats lose at Baltimore (very possible), and Miami "upsets" us at home. Pats and Jets would be 1-2 staring up at the 2-1 Bills and Phins.

I think we win though, don't get me wrong. I just don't think it will be easy.

If we cant beat ryan tannehill and those WRs, then we can forget discussing the playoffs ever again.

Losing to pitts in Pitts is much different then miami with a rookie qb

[SlickBri481]

Originally Posted by eaglenj

If we cant beat ryan tannehill and those WRs, then we can forget discussing the playoffs ever again.

Losing to pitts in Pitts is much different then miami with a rookie qb

Chad Henne and Matt Moore, hardly worldbeaters, have beaten us down there in recent years. We should have no issues containing their outside passing attack. If there is any concern, it would be to the TE over the middle or Bush out of the backfield.

No excuse to lose this game though. The season outlook severely changes if we do.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by SlickBri481

You guys have yet to play a real QB though. I guess Flacco would qualify this week....

That's true, but several rebuttals:

• Last year, the Pats gave up a lot of yards to crappy QBs. So far, no QB has been pass happy on the Pats' defense.
• Half of the Cardinals' points yesterday came off of drives that had a combined total of 9 yards. They scored 20 points. They scored three points on a drive that started on the Pats' 25 yard line and ended before the field goal on the Pats' 17. The other scoring drive started on the Pats' two yard line and they scored on third and goal on the two. So if the offense and special teams didn't turn over the ball, the Pats might have only allowed 10 points.
• The Pats held Larry Fitzgerald to one catch for 4 yards. The last time Fitzgerald was held to one catch was 2010 against the Cowboys (he had 27 yards). The last time he had less than 20 yards in a game was the 12th game of his rookie year in 2004. and Kolb was his QB for more than half the year last year.

If you watched the Pats' defense this year, they are considerably improved. They have a pass rush. The rookies are making plays (Chandler Jones has been near unstoppable at times). The secondary have been playing pretty well. They are not a top defense by any stretch, but they are considerably better than they were last year. Typically, the Pats' defense gets better as the year progresses.

[Dunnie]

Originally Posted by SlickBri481

Chad Henne and Matt Moore, hardly worldbeaters, have beaten us down there in recent years. We should have no issues containing their outside passing attack. If there is any concern, it would be to the TE over the middle or Bush out of the backfield.

No excuse to lose this game though. The season outlook severely changes if we do.

I have to be honest ... unless we win by 21 points i am not going to be satisfied. Rookie coach, Rookie QB, completely unknown Wideouts. No secondary to speak of.

This game will tell me if the Steeler game means as much as it seems.

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by Dunnie

I have to be honest ... unless we win by 21 points i am not going to be satisfied. Rookie coach, Rookie QB, completely unknown Wideouts. No secondary to speak of.

This game will tell me if the Steeler game means as much as it seems.

21 points? Really? How about 10.

[IndianaJet]

Pats lost a home game to a team they should have beat.

We lost a road game to a team, in its home opener, that is supposed to contend for a run in the playoffs last year.

Certainly, we blew an opportunity to get an early division lead. But if our first goal of the season is to win the Division, yesterday wasn't exactly a end of the world scenario.

We need a win next week. Big game. Division opponent, on the road with a chance to go 2-0 in the division. Then win one of the next two tough games at home.

Two weeks ago, if anyone told anyone on this board that we'd finish the first 5 games at 3-2 with a 2-0 division record and be no more than 1 game behind the Pats we would have all been happy.

Pats Next 3 are

@ Baltimore
@ Buffalo
Denver

They could easily lose one of those games and be tied with us after the first 5.

[adpz]

Originally Posted by eaglenj

Were the 5 Lbs or was it 3 or 4 Lbs and the rest DBs?

Ive been saying it for a while, but its still fustrating to see us playing molasses slow bart and harris together, especially vs the "spread" offenses when we could easily play 4-2-5, still stop the run and be able to have better coverage out there.

Good point.

I mean, McIntyre looked solidly like more than a JAG yesterday - and played with good football speed. I don't know how heavy he is, but what the worst that can happen with putting him and Harris in the middle and perhaps having Eric Smith up in the box as the 5th DB on 1st and 2nd?

EDIT: McIntyre is shown as 6-3 and 255. Plenty big enough - and looked faster than any of our other backers yesterday.

[PlumberKhan]

Next week, the Jets and Bills will be tied for first at 2-1...

[Greensleeves]

Originally Posted by PatsFanTX

Who would have thought the Pats defense would out-perform the offense to start the season?

It's only 2 games, but I'm encouraged by what the defense is doing.

I guess playing against Jake Locker and Kevin Kolb had nothing to do with it?

[SlickBri481]

Originally Posted by Dunnie

I have to be honest ... unless we win by 21 points i am not going to be satisfied. Rookie coach, Rookie QB, completely unknown Wideouts. No secondary to speak of.

This game will tell me if the Steeler game means as much as it seems.

We're 1-2 in Miami under Rex and the only victory was by a score of 31-23. If you're expecting a blowout, you're probably going to be disappointed. True, their passing game is worse then when they've ever played us under Rex, but Bush is healthy and running well and before getting injured against us last year, he had already racked up over 100 yards rushing in the 1st half. After what Spiller did to us, Bush should be a pretty big concern.

Miami's D is average, but they did just shut down McFadden. I don't think we'll get much on the ground. Sanchez will need to have a nice game. I think we should put up 20+ points. The heat could also be a factor, Miami's homefield advantage is best in September games. Their crowd will probably show up and be into it too as they haven't tanked the season yet.

[jetster]

Originally Posted by PatsFanTX

Yep, Sunday night will be a real good test for the Pats defense.

Forget the Pats defense, no way are they stopping all those Ravens weapons & Cameron will go right to the hurry up to keep the Pats fat boys on the field.
BBs best coaching trait is how he matches up his D but the Ravens won't let him next Sunday.
On Offense, BB & McDaniel have to be VERY WORRIED about protecting Brady from getting hit. It's really loud in Baltimore & they are really explosive when they get momentum at home.
This team TORE APART the Steelers last year at home.
It's not a place to get behind with a pourous Oline which the Pats have now & a 35 year old QB that's holding the ball too long this year.
If I were a Pats fans, I would go into this game knowing that the odds of winning are not good, and hope that Brady doesn't get hurt having to throw 46 times trying to make a comeback down by 2 or 3 scores.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by IndianaJet

Pats lost a home game to a team they should have beat.

We lost a road game to a team, in its home opener, that is supposed to contend for a run in the playoffs last year.

Certainly, we blew an opportunity to get an early division lead. But if our first goal of the season is to win the Division, yesterday wasn't exactly a end of the world scenario.

We need a win next week. Big game. Division opponent, on the road with a chance to go 2-0 in the division. Then win one of the next two tough games at home.

Two weeks ago, if anyone told anyone on this board that we'd finish the first 5 games at 3-2 with a 2-0 division record and be no more than 1 game behind the Pats we would have all been happy.

Pats Next 3 are

@ Baltimore
@ Buffalo
Denver

They could easily lose one of those games and be tied with us after the first 5.

You can spin it both ways.

You can easily argue it this way as the way you argued:

The Pats lost to a hot team that has won 9 of its last 11 games and the Jets lost to a team with a messed up o-line, their two best defensive players inactive, and no RB. The Pats lost on a shanked field goal miss and a TD called back on a questionable holding call on what would have been the winning TD. The Jets got blown out and their offense fell apart down the stretch.

The Cards are better than people on this board and I gave them credit for. Their defense is legit. I think the Steelers are due for a mediocre year this year and will struggle for a Wild Card spot.

[Darth Vader]

Originally Posted by McGinley

Did you know we're 1st in the division? And oddly enough, NE is last. Kinda funny.

the pats loss is out-of-conference....

that's huge. u know that if it comes down to a WC and Balt is wining the North, the head-to-head with the Jets will be huge for Pitts.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by jetster

Forget the Pats defense, no way are they stopping all those Ravens weapons & Cameron will go right to the hurry up to keep the Pats fat boys on the field.
BBs best coaching trait is how he matches up his D but the Ravens won't let him next Sunday.
On Offense, BB & McDaniel have to be VERY WORRIED about protecting Brady from getting hit. It's really loud in Baltimore & they are really explosive when they get momentum at home.
This team TORE APART the Steelers last year at home.
It's not a place to get behind with a pourous Oline which the Pats have now & a 35 year old QB that's holding the ball too long this year.
If I were a Pats fans, I would go into this game knowing that the odds of winning are not good, and hope that Brady doesn't get hurt having to throw 46 times trying to make a comeback down by 2 or 3 scores.

The Pats' defense did hold Larry Fitzgerald to one catch and four yards. That is something no team has ever done. Just saying.

[adpz]

Originally Posted by Rob0729

The Pats' defense did hold Larry Fitzgerald to one catch and four yards. That is something no team has ever done. Just saying.

Let's not sugarcoat it. He had the backup Kevin Kolb trying to throw him the ball. Any team in the league can take out a #1 if they really want to and are confident that the QB can't make the most of what remains.

Point is the Pats lost their home opener to the Cardinals. Playing with a backup QB - who lost his job last year and couldn't win it this year.

I am not saying the Pats are heading to an 8-8 year. But that was a big, real loss. They wouldn't have even had a shot at the game if the Cards didn't do a stupid pitchout at the end.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by adpz

Let's not sugarcoat it. He had the backup Kevin Kolb trying to throw him the ball. Any team in the league can take out a #1 if they really want to and are confident that the QB can't make the most of what remains.

Point is the Pats lost their home opener to the Cardinals. Playing with a backup QB - who lost his job last year and couldn't win it this year.

I am not saying the Pats are heading to an 8-8 year. But that was a big, real loss. They wouldn't have even had a shot at the game if the Cards didn't do a stupid pitchout at the end.

Kolb was the Cardinals' starting QB for 9 games last year (he only threw on pass in the last start before he was injured and replaced). In those games Fitzgerald performed this way:

3 catches for 62 yards
7 catches for 133 yards and a TD
5 catches for 64 yards and a TD
8 catches for 102 yards
4 catches for 66 yards
4 catches for 78 yards
3 catches for 98 yards
4 catches for 43 yards and a TD
Last one irrelevant since he wasn't the target of Kolb's pass

No not typical Fitzgerald numbers in several of those games, but certainly none of them are as bad as one catch for 4 yards.

Yes, Kolb is not a good starting QB by any stretch. But even with him throwing to him and worse in the year prior (Derek Anderson, Max Hall, Matt Leinhart, Richard Bartell) Fitzgerald has never had as bad of game has he had yesterday.