Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Don't give the Patriots the title just yetSunday May 6, 2007Philadelphia InquirerThe NFL team that truly has been the 21st-century gold standard put the cherry on top of its off-season during last weekend's draft.In fact, you almost wondered whether commissioner Roger Goodell would close the draft by handing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.That, of course, didn't happen. Kraft wasn't in New York, and the commissioner made the difficult decision to play out the 2007 schedule anyway.What did happen during the draft was cause for frightening contemplation among the rest of the NFL's franchises, including the Eagles, who have a prime-time road meeting scheduled with the Patriots on Nov. 25 at Gillette Stadium.The Patriots already beat the Eagles last week when they plucked University of Miami safety Brandon Meriweather off the draft board two picks before the Eagles' scheduled 26th selection. That domino - Meriweather was the player the Eagles really wanted in the first round - triggered the trade that brought Kevin Kolb and a quarterback controversy to Philadelphia.But this isn't about the Eagles. This is about the almighty Patriots, winners of three Super Bowls in the top half of this decade and apparently hell-bent on making sure they don't go a third straight season without hoisting a Lombardi.Meriweather's selection in the first round wasn't even big football news in New England by the end of the draft because of the next day's addition: star receiver Randy Moss from Oakland in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.That meant in the span of two months, the Patriots had given star quarterback Tom Brady three new receivers - Moss, former Eagle Dont? Stallworth and Miami's Wes Welker.That's quite a contrast from a year ago, when Brady's top targets were Reche Caldwell, Doug Gabriel, Jabar Gaffney and aging veteran Troy Brown. Now, Brady has two deep threats in Moss and Stallworth, a solid slot receiver in Welker and an outstanding tight end in Ben Watson.Add in Kevin Faulk's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, second-year running back Laurence Maroney's expected emergence, and one of the league's best offensive lines, and you have the potential for a lot of 30-point games from the New England offense. Opposing defenses against the Patriots feel a lot like the Washington Generals defending the Harlem Globetrotters.Before fitting Brady for his fourth Super Bowl ring, however, it should be pointed out that a lot could still go wrong for the Patriots, who play in the same conference as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts and the equally talented San Diego Chargers.Look on the defensive side of the football and you'll see some potential problems. Yes, they landed the biggest defensive prize in free agency when they signed Baltimore Ravens linebacker Adalius Thomas, who has recorded 28 sacks the last three seasons, including 11 a year ago.But the Pats' four-man linebacker corps will not have a single player under the age of 30 when the season begins, and there is absolutely no experienced depth behind the starting four. Tedy Bruschi, who will be 34 next month, is not nearly the player he was during the Patriots' three Super Bowl title runs. Mike Vrabel, who will be 32 in August, is playing inside linebacker, but is better equipped to play on the outside.The addition of Meriweather gives New England depth at safety, but it would be a stretch to think he can immediately be as good as a rookie as veteran Rodney Harrison, who is 36 and has missed 19 games the last two seasons because of injuries.Remember, this is a defense that collapsed in the second half of the AFC championship game against the Colts.The other factor that could drag down the Patriots is their decision to bring in a guy like Moss, whose personality has the potential to be every bit as poisonous as Terrell Owens' was in Philadelphia. What the Pats are doing goes against everything they have said they are about in the past.Before the Pats won their second of three Super Bowls against Carolina in 2004, Scott Pioli was asked whether he'd ever consider adding someone like T.O. to the New England roster of overachieving team players. Pioli, the Pats' vice president of player personnel, didn't need any time to think about his answer."No," he said. "That's not the kind of guy we're looking for here. [Coach] Bill [Belichick] and I understand how demanding his program is. I know his personality well, and I understand what he's willing to tolerate and what he's not willing to tolerate. We make sure we don't bring in the kind of people he's not willing to tolerate. People who are lazy, people who underachieve, people who don't get it, they aren't going to make it. People who are high-maintenance are not going to make it in our program. We're just not going to have patience with those kinds of people."Something has changed. Perhaps it's nothing more than the same urgency the Eagles felt to land T.O. after three straight NFC championship losses. Perhaps the Pats really think Moss can be a team player on a team filled with such animals. Whatever the reason, Pioli and Belichick decided to take the high-risk player in an attempt to recapture the league's highest award.Forgive the commissioner for not handing over the hardware just yet.</div>http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles...y_just_yet.html
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' I agree with the author 100%. I just see the pats crashing and burning next year with their low character players like Moss, Merriweather, and Stallworth.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' Expectations are too high. Anything less of a Super Bowl will be considered a failure of a season. They're moves that can be brilliant if they pan out but can also cause a team to implode.Plus if Tom Brady goes down to injury, everything goes into the sink. Any other player on that team is replaceable.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ May 7 2007, 02:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree with the author 100%. I just see the pats crashing and burning next year with their low character players like Moss, Merriweather, and Stallworth.</div>They might, but they are not jerks like T.O. and might be able to be controlled under Brady and Billicheck. No one will ever control T.O.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ May 7 2007, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ May 7 2007, 02:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree with the author 100%. I just see the pats crashing and burning next year with their low character players like Moss, Merriweather, and Stallworth.</div>They might, but they are not jerks like T.O. and might be able to be controlled under Brady and Billicheck. No one will ever control T.O.</div>Moss is worse then T.O.....at least with T.O. while he might be a headcase he'd give you it his all 100% of the time. Moss has admitted to not playing as hard as he can at times on top of being a headcase.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' Meriweather was the best thing the did this offseason.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ May 7 2007, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ May 7 2007, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ May 7 2007, 02:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree with the author 100%. I just see the pats crashing and burning next year with their low character players like Moss, Merriweather, and Stallworth.</div>They might, but they are not jerks like T.O. and might be able to be controlled under Brady and Billicheck. No one will ever control T.O.</div>Moss is worse then T.O.....at least with T.O. while he might be a headcase he'd give you it his all 100% of the time. Moss has admitted to not playing as hard as he can at times on top of being a headcase.</div>But at least when Moss puts in the effort, he makes the plays.How many wide open passes did TO drop this year? I can see at least 10 in my head.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' Moss has lost a step. I see Stallworth being the #1 half way through the year. I love how they also throw their first rounder Chad Jackson under the bus without even seeing what he could do. Sure, they look great on paper. So did the 2005 Vikings. Paper does not translate over to the real game. We'll see how great they are come september. For all we know Brady gets injured in mini camps and Randy Moss goes off to canada to smoke weed with his old buddy onterrio. Anything can happen.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' Jackson was a 2nd rounder.And Jackson is still in the team's plans. Moss, Stallworth, and Washington basically signed 1 year deals.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' I agree with not putting the Pats in the Superbowl or winning it all. BUT, I'm not fool either. It's hard for me to believe that they won't represent the AFC in the Superbowl or at least putting up a good fight in the AFC Championship game. As it stands, and we all know how things chance, but as it stands now, I don't see anyone in the AFC that could stop them now...IMO. The Colts I think have lost too much on defense, although still have a great offense. The Chargers, I love Norv Turner but he hasn't proven anything as a head coach. A whole new offense they have to learn, but once they get it, it will be good...just not this year. The Pats to me have one factor that no other team has with the exception of the Colts...a proven quarterback. All you have to do is look at what Brady didn't with lesser talent then he had when they won those Superbowls. He had NO receivers last year. A broken down running back in Dillion and a rookie running back. So go figure.It's very hard to bet against Belichick and Brady simply because they've proven year after year they are capable of getting deep into the playoffs and I don't see anything (besides injuries) or any team that could stop them from doing that.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ May 7 2007, 07:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Moss has lost a step. I see Stallworth being the #1 half way through the year. I love how they also throw their first rounder Chad Jackson under the bus without even seeing what he could do. Sure, they look great on paper. So did the 2005 Vikings. Paper does not translate over to the real game. We'll see how great they are come september. For all we know Brady gets injured in mini camps and Randy Moss goes off to canada to smoke weed with his old buddy onterrio. Anything can happen.</div>Like Chang said, Chad Jackson is injured and expected to miss the 2007 season. And with people like Moss, Stallworth, and Washington essentially on One-Year deals I wouldn't label it as throwing him under the bus.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' I'm still sticking with what I've been saying. Pats are in trouble if they face Denver in the playoffs.Facts showing this:Tom Brady is 1-5 against Denver with a QB Rating of 79.Their #1 WR Randy Moss just spent the last 2 years getting shut down by Champ.Their #1 RB, Maroney had 12 yards on 18 attempts last year against Denver. That's a 1.5 average boys and girls.If the Pats don't implode with the character issues of Moss, Stalworth, Meriweather, they might have a chance.Denver > New EnglandCall me bias if you want but you can't argue those facts I've listed.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' This isn't the last 3 years. Different players on that team now, so don't tell me Moss has been getting shut down by Champ. You haven't see the chemistry of Moss and Stallworth with Brady yet, so there shouldn't be any judging.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Capt. Comeback @ May 10 2007, 09:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This isn't the last 3 years. Different players on that team now, so don't tell me Moss has been getting shut down by Champ. You haven't see the chemistry of Moss and Stallworth with Brady yet, so there shouldn't be any judging.</div>Ehh, I'm not sure what to make it it. For the past few years it used to beDenver owned New EnglandNew England owned IndianapolisIndianapolis owned DenverBut now it seems like the tables have turned in the Indianapolis v. New England war, and who knows with the other 2.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ May 8 2007, 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ May 7 2007, 07:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Moss has lost a step. I see Stallworth being the #1 half way through the year. I love how they also throw their first rounder Chad Jackson under the bus without even seeing what he could do. Sure, they look great on paper. So did the 2005 Vikings. Paper does not translate over to the real game. We'll see how great they are come september. For all we know Brady gets injured in mini camps and Randy Moss goes off to canada to smoke weed with his old buddy onterrio. Anything can happen.</div>Like Chang said, Chad Jackson is injured and expected to miss the 2007 season. And with people like Moss, Stallworth, and Washington essentially on One-Year deals I wouldn't label it as throwing him under the bus.</div>Rather than trading their 2nd 1st rounder, they should have drafted a WR like Gonzalez (good routes) or Rice (playmaker) IMO. Still trade for Randy Moss, but have A-Gon or Rice to pair with Jackson in the future.
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' You should speak actual English (as in use sentences).
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' "I play when I want to play." - How can you win with this attitude?
Re: 'Don't give the Patriots the title just yet' patriots all all a BIIIIIG failure!!!!! who agrees?? stupid patriots....
