SB loss transformative for Pats?

[goalmouth]

I'd be shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- if this doesn't mark the Pats' slide from the mountaintop. Consider:

-- The aligning of the stars needed to go 18-0 makes the Super Bowl loss into a hangover guaranteed to last into next season

-- Aging players on defense with no one to step up

-- Belichick facing possible suspension for videotaping

-- Nothing lasts forever, especially in the NFL

Am I wrong?

 

[forever_town]

Super Bowl losers have come back the next year and have not done well. That and losing that first round draft pick because of Spy Gate may not bode too well for the Pats, at least in 2008.

We'll see where that leads for 2009, however.

 

[beefncheddar]

You're right. The Bills, Jets and Dolphins were thatclose to the Patriots this year, already.

Jesus, they finished 18-and-****ing-1. And damn near finished 19-0. Let's see where Moss is playing next year before we've got them being Bears 2K8.

 

[Write-brained]

I'd be shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- if this doesn't mark the Pats' slide from the mountaintop. Consider:

-- The aligning of the stars needed to go 18-0 makes the Super Bowl loss into a hangover guaranteed to last into next season

-- Aging players on defense with no one to step up

-- Belichick facing possible suspension for videotaping

-- Nothing lasts forever, especially in the NFL

Am I wrong?

Aren't you going a bit far? One or two plays difference and no one would be talking about the end of the Patriots' dominance. You're acting like they didn't go 18-0 prior to this game.

I'm glad they lost, but I'm not much into hyperbole.

 

[beefncheddar]

Super Bowl losers have come back the next year and have not done well. That and losing that first round draft pick because of Spy Gate may not bode too well for the Pats, at least in 2008.

We'll see where that leads for 2009, however.

I'm sure they won't be able to get anyone good with their first pick ... No. 7 overall.

 

[beefncheddar]

Look, I can't stand the Patriots either. But to think they're just going to disappear is ridiculous. Especially in that division.

 

[Write-brained]

Look, I can't stand the Patriots either. But to think they're just going to disappear is ridiculous. Especially in that division.

... and especially how adept they are in the free agent market and draft. They can reload just like that ...

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Tom Brady remains the best QB in the league, so the Patriots will be just fine.

 

[nafselon]

Well they have the No. 7 pick to start the re-tooling.

Asante Samuel is a free agent in the offseason and I'm guessing he'll walk. Obviously Randy Moss will need to be signed again as well.

Otherwise, a franchise QB, a solid running back and offensive line (probably not as good as they played this year, but still among the best). Wide Receivers are good without Moss and terrific with him.

Defensively they need to retool. The front three is great. Adalius Thomas is damn good and Rodney Harrison can still play ball despite being a roided, cheap-shot scumbag.

The linebackers and other areas of the secondary need to be revamped.

 

[goalmouth]

Not saying they'll disappear, but that they'll come back to the pack.

 

[beefncheddar]

Not saying they'll disappear, but that they'll come back to the pack.

Kind of by default, wouldn't you say?

 

[Write-brained]

Well they have the No. 7 pick to start the re-tooling.

Asante Samuel is a free agent in the offseason and I'm guessing he'll walk. Obviously Randy Moss will need to be signed again as well.

Otherwise, a franchise QB, a solid running back and offensive line (probably not as good as they played this year, but still among the best). Wide Receivers are good without Moss and terrific with him.

Defensively they need to retool. The front three is great. Adalius Thomas is damn good and Rodney Harrison can still play ball despite being a roided, cheap-shot scumbag.

The linebackers and other areas of the secondary need to be revamped.

Why? They only gave up 17 points. It was the offense and coaching staff that failed them in the Super Bowl.

People are making way too much of this loss.

 

[Lugnuts]

I'd be shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- if this doesn't mark the Pats' slide from the mountaintop. Consider:

-- The aligning of the stars needed to go 18-0 makes the Super Bowl loss into a hangover guaranteed to last into next season

-- Aging players on defense with no one to step up

-- Belichick facing possible suspension for videotaping

-- Nothing lasts forever, especially in the NFL

Am I wrong?

Don't forget about:

-- Inevitable blowup of Randy Moss.

-- Whatever videotape this Matt Walsh fella has horded.

 

[goalmouth]

I guess Wojo is overreacting, too:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3228923&sportCat=nfl

The New England Patriots don't deserve perfection. They deserve exactly what they got Sunday evening: a Super Bowl loss that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

You only get one chance at 19-0. One. To think the 2008 version of the Patriots is going to duplicate what these 2007 Patriots did is sillier than that GoDaddy.com ad with Danica Patrick.

Perfection has too many moving parts. Too much luck required. No, this was it for them.

 

[nafselon]

Well they have the No. 7 pick to start the re-tooling.

Asante Samuel is a free agent in the offseason and I'm guessing he'll walk. Obviously Randy Moss will need to be signed again as well.

Otherwise, a franchise QB, a solid running back and offensive line (probably not as good as they played this year, but still among the best). Wide Receivers are good without Moss and terrific with him.

Defensively they need to retool. The front three is great. Adalius Thomas is damn good and Rodney Harrison can still play ball despite being a roided, cheap-shot scumbag.

The linebackers and other areas of the secondary need to be revamped.

Why? They only gave up 17 points. It was the offense and coaching staff that failed them in the Super Bowl.

People are making way too much of this loss.

Why, because the linebackers are on the other side of 35 and the secondary outside of Samuel (gone) and Harrison is roughly mediocre.

Look at the last ten weeks of the season and tell me that a loss wasn't possible. Those guys busted their asses for as best they could in the second half of the season when the offense slowed down, but they can't be expected to play this well for another season.

 

[Armchair_QB]

They'll be in the playoffs again next year and they may very well return to the Super Bowl and win it. But they will never, ever, come close to 19-0 again.

And they will remember that for the rest of their lives.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I guess Wojo is overreacting, too:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3228923&sportCat=nfl

The New England Patriots don't deserve perfection. They deserve exactly what they got Sunday evening: a Super Bowl loss that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

You only get one chance at 19-0. One. To think the 2008 version of the Patriots is going to duplicate what these 2007 Patriots did is sillier than that GoDaddy.com ad with Danica Patrick.

Perfection has too many moving parts. Too much luck required. No, this was it for them.

They don't "deserve" perfection?
WTF does that mean?

 

[jgmacg]

If only this Super Bowl would prove to be transformative for sportswriting.

 

[terrier]

The Pats will never use that Number 7 pick. Given that the biggest needs are linebacker and secondary, and with Laurinaitis not coming out, they'll trade down, unless Chris Long or Darren McFadden is still around (unlikely).
There are no top 10-worthy DBs or LBs out there.

 

[Write-brained]

Well they have the No. 7 pick to start the re-tooling.

Asante Samuel is a free agent in the offseason and I'm guessing he'll walk. Obviously Randy Moss will need to be signed again as well.

Otherwise, a franchise QB, a solid running back and offensive line (probably not as good as they played this year, but still among the best). Wide Receivers are good without Moss and terrific with him.

Defensively they need to retool. The front three is great. Adalius Thomas is damn good and Rodney Harrison can still play ball despite being a roided, cheap-shot scumbag.

The linebackers and other areas of the secondary need to be revamped.

Why? They only gave up 17 points. It was the offense and coaching staff that failed them in the Super Bowl.

People are making way too much of this loss.

Why, because the linebackers are on the other side of 35 and the secondary outside of Samuel (gone) and Harrison is roughly mediocre.

Look at the last ten weeks of the season and tell me that a loss wasn't possible. Those guys busted their asses for as best they could in the second half of the season when the offense slowed down, but they can't be expected to play this well for another season.

I'm sure Seau is done, but Vrabel is fine and Adalius is obviously fine. I'm sure Bruschi can continue to platoon. They'll need to add depth but revamp is a bit dramatic for what is their best defensive unit.