Over/Under on How Many Games Before Brady Gets "Theismanned"

I wouldn't, but I recognize I'm in the minority on that.

 

And the best thing we can do to take up for our coach is to just keep on winning.

How is this saying they're using it as extra motivation? He's saying they want to take up for their coach by winning -- WHICH IS WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO ANYWAY. How is it "extra" when the goal is exactly the same?

 

After the Bill came back on the oilers (35-3). My definition of "running up the score" has changed. I think you need to continue giving it to the other team until the game is completely out of reach.

That 4th down play that the pats went for wasn't even in the 4th quarter was it?

 

Jesus Christ, why do we even bother? Both of the quotes address the criticism of Belichick and that they are rallying around him.

 

It is because all of the players know that the other teams do this very thing. The fact that the patriots were "caught" and made public, the players are rallying around their coach because he has been singled out. (because they are a good team).

 

There's a difference in supporting the coach through the press (what they're doing) and letting it guide their actions on the field. The only statement that addresses on-field play is the one from Colvin, where he says they're trying to win... which is what they were doing anyway.

 

Convenient interpretation when they're specifically talking about rallying around the coach. What do you think they mean, holding hands in a cirlce in front of Belichick's house singing "Kumbaya"?

 

I guess that's my problem too. Think about the Titans/Texans game from a couple weeks ago. It was 32-7 early in the fourth quarter... and the Texans came all the way back to take the lead... even with a muffed punt giving the Titans three points and bleeding more than two minutes off the clock! So in reality, even a 28 point cushion wouldn't have been enough with 12 or so minutes remaining. And that's against the Texans!

Where exactly should the line be drawn that a game is over? Even if you agree with the principles the Patriots haters have set forth -- I'm curious what the exact line should be, and what makes it entirely insurmountable.

 

I think it means they're bothered by it and they want him to get the respect he deserves, which means a number of things. In one aspect, it's talking him up to the press and giving extra credit, so to speak, to him for their performance on the field. In another aspect, it's winning games on the field, since that's what defines a coach. Of course, it's what they wanted to do in the first place, so I don't see what the difference is. It's nothing more than a cool soundbyte that the press eats up because they love those kinds of stories... in terms of on-field play, fairly minimal impact.

 

For every 29 pt 4th quarter you cite, there are thousands upon thousands of examples of teams having 4th quarter leads and not going for it on 4th down in the 4th quarter with huge leads. Somehow, those teams hold on for the win 99.9% of the time.

 

I guess that's where we disagree. To me, the point of playing offense is to score. The point of playing football is to win. I'd much rather be 100 percent sure and risk hurting a few feelings than be 99.99 percent sure and even have the chance of something ridiculous happening. To me, you play to win the game... not to soothe the sensitive and fragile egos of a few millionaires in the entertainment industry.

 

By the way, since you guys eat up the quotes so much, I guess Joe Gibbs is classless as well.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3084539

 

You didn't know the phrase 'bulletin board material' was just made up by lazy sportswriters? You thought players actually took that stuff to heart? Please.

 

so should the other team not try to score? this isn't college, everyone is playing by the same rules as far as talent is concerned.

as far as the cheating, not sure why using the punishment as motivation is good ro bad.

I'm not a pats fan, i didn't root for them in any of their superbowls but I find what they are doing as amazing in today's salary cap/free agent times.

and I'm happy for randy moss who has shoved crow down everyone's throats saying he was finished. its hard to catch passes on suck arse teams like th raiders but everyone just couldn't wait for him to have a bad season so they could finally be right about him. moss is not and never will be a team cancer and i'm just enjoying these thorough ass kickings because of everyone who refuses to accept his greatness because they don't like him.

 

What crap. No one is telling New England to fail to move the ball and/or turn it over. No one is telling them to stop playing defense. Those things all have to happen for you to blow a 25-pt lead in the 4th quarter. What DOESN'T have to happen is throwing on every down, throwing deep, or going for it on 4th down when you're in field goal range.

Face it, you can win with class or you can be New England.

 

Yes, another classy guy. He and Bill are perfect for each other.

 

So you can move the ball... you can throw at least part of the time... you can play defense... but going for fourth and inches somehow crosses the line, even when you have the superior line and are 99 percent likely to make it and thus have a greater likelihood of bleeding more time off the clock and scoring a touchdown?

I don't know where the line is drawn, and that's my problem. To me -- if you're almost certain you're going to pick up a first down, and with that you can go take more time off the clock as well as potentially score more points -- it seems like a no-brainer to go for it.

 

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