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Damn... I realize it's pre-season... but my God they looked like utter shit. Reminding me of the '84 Patriots.

pre-season really does mean fuck all

In preseason, smart coaches run full vanilla Ds with none of their new schemes or changes.

A team that relies on schemes to perform won't look good in preseason. Especially against another team with good speed.

B.B. uses the presease to decide who stays and who goes. When a new player on the Patriots goes onto the field in a preseason game he had better bring his game or he's gone. Granted, a lot of the D last night were rookies, but there were some veterans.

The only three players that impressed me last night were Maroney and the two kickers. The rest - especially the D should have played a lot better. The Faclons got away with a lot of points they shouldn't have gotten - missed plays on the Pat D's part.

Vinatieri is gone (went to Indy), Harrison is still working out his contract, Bruschi is out with a broken wrist, Givens went to Tenn, I think Branch is still waiting for a new contract. Thankfully Troy Brown stayed for one more season.

With the losses and an injury roster already populated with veterans (and the season hasn't even officially started yet) I don't look for NE to reach the big one.

I would say last nights game was meaningless really. All preseason game are in my opinion is a chance to get the rookies into a pro game for the first time and let your team see an offense/defense that isn't their own for a bit. I would treat it like a practice myself.

Some of those rookies will be starting. If they play in real games like they did last night - it will be the end of the season.

That's why I think it IS some what of a big deal.

And I will agree that actually playing the game is important, however the outcome is meaningless. Those rookies have now had a chance to see that they are not in college anymore. The coaches have had a chance to see how they do when put into that position and can now direct the way to proceed based on that.

The ultimate outcome of the game really doesn't mean anything. Yes the D looked like shit. The vets are not going 100%, and the rookies are seeing pro ball for the first time. Some of those rookies who will be starting, will also be doing it right next to a vet who wasn't paying. Small mistakes happen, but they are much easier to exploit when the person next to the guy who screwed up is as green as the guy who did it.

Look at the colts game, do you think thats how they will look all season? Almost every team plays poorly in preseason. Thats the point of PREseason.

All I know is Johnathan Sullivan, possibly the biggest bust ever for the Saints, played horribly for the Pats. I cannot beleive you guys actually took him off of our hands. Not saying Bethel-Johnson is a great player, but Sullivan is just a complete waste of a roster spot.

Don't try to insult my intelligence. I KNOW what PREseason is about. You're not getting the point. The Pats have lost some key players from last year and already at least one key player is on the injury list.

Those rookies will be either filling in for, or replacing those that are out. Out of the rookies that played last night... preseason or not they played like shit. They couldn't even stop the shitty Falcons on a 2 minute drive to win the game. THOSE are the players who are going to fill in gaps this season. They're seriously under the microscope by Billy Boy - to not put forth 110% effort NOW will ensure they're gone before the first official kick off of the actual season. If last night is an indication of how they're going to play the Patriots will not make it to the SB this year. Or, hell they might not even make it to the play offs.

Yes, it IS preseason. No the outcome of the game is not meaningless, not in the least. If the rookies aren't willing to go for the win now when their chance to play, start, whatever is on the line - what makes you think they're suddenly going to start shinning through come real game time?

That last two minutes was an embarrassment. There's no way in hell that the shitty birds should have gotten that far down field and scored. But, the lack of desire to win was obviously showing through in the rookies.

Yes, over all the team might play better with the veterans in come game time - but with THOSE rookies filling in key spots - blow plays are going to happen. Missed coverage is going to happen. Dropped balls are going to happen. Those mishaps can cost the game no matter how many veterans are on the field. Preseason is always a great way to gage how a team is possibly going to do, not always, but a lot of the time.

Now you have teams like Indy - I don't know their exact situation, but I am willing to bet that they don't have half the losses and injuries that the Pats do - therein lies the difference.

I am not in any way trying to insult your intelligence and I would bet you know a hell of a lot more about football in general then I do.

I know what preseason is like from the side of the player, I have been there. I can tell you right now, most people don’t play it like a regular season game no matter how much you want to. In the back of your mind you know the outcome (The final score of the game; win or lose) doesn’t mean a thing. People draw way too much from the results of preseason games. You need to remember, the players know this is not the real thing. Precious few players can actually get themselves into a true regular season mentality for preseason games, and the majority of them are vets who don’t actually play much in preseason.

Preseason for us was never a way to gauge our team for the season. We used them to find weaknesses we didn't see playing against ourselves. Preseason is a time to see those players who are not adjusting. It’s a chance to move people around and find where they fit best and who they work best with. As far as our coaches were concerned, winning a preseason game was a bad thing. You learn a hell of a lot more from losing then you do from winning.

You want to know what makes me think they're suddenly going to start shinning through come real game time.

They will start shinning through because those games will matter and they know it. Granted not all of them will improve, some of them will just be shit and probably wont be around long but in general, they will play better because the games are real and mean something.

Gidan you've somewhat got a point but also if you figure in competitive nature and the margin of their playing power. What I mean is this. Patriots have good D let's just say. During the preseason they have moderate D. That's normal and expected. The difference between preseason and postseason is there, but it isn't night and day. If the patriots were playing complete and utter dogshit D like Diekan says (I missed the game) then unless they improve dramatically then that was a preview that their D is moderate at best. While it's true that preseason losses don't mean that much, who really wants to lose? These are athletes who live and breathe competition. I'm sure they do what they can to ensure victory be it preseason football or darts. And I've "been there" too. Not in the NFL, but in high school.

You Love the Bills you have no room to talk pffftt

As I pointed out last season. I follow both, but yes I DO follow the Bills more. I started watching and following the Patriots back during the 85 SB when they got owned by the Bears. I started following the Bills back in 90 with Kelly, Thomas, Reed and the rest of the gang.

The Bills are my first team... the Pats are my second team.

I never got into the Bills vs Pats rivalry... I saved my hate for the Dolphins.

Speaking of Dolphins - what ever happened to fishhead? Haven't seen him post in quite some time.

I thought fishhead was Lionking now?

Too many anon faggots these days...

Damn I can't remember his real name now... I thought it was Ouchyfish or something like that - HUGE Dolphins fan.

Yeah that sounds about right

Ben Watson looked pretty good against Washington.

Everyone looked good against the Redskins this pre season. Washington suck much ass so far.

I am sure they could beat the Saints.

Diekan wrote:I am sure they could beat the Saints.