It's been a while since we've checked in on my prediction that the New England Patriots will win this year's Super Bowl, so let's take a look at where we stand after eleven football games.
- The team has something to prove, again.
- Belichick will have to return to his roots and coach a simple but solid game-plan.
- The games will be closer, the crowd will be livelier.
- Everyone will try even harder.
- They will lose regular season games.
- Matt Cassel will have a relatively easy schedule to ease himself into the starting role.
The Bill Belichick Patriots love one thing above all else, proving people wrong. The world doubted them against the St. Louis Rams, and the Patriots relished in the scrappy underdog team role against the flashy group of superstars. For the first time in six NFL seasons, the world again heavily doubted these New England Patriots. They've taken that criticism to heart and have scraped together a 7-4 record that could easily be 9-2. They still have a long way to go and face a tough schedule for the rest of the season with big games against the Steelers, Cardinals and Bills still remaining.
The limitations of Cassel's arm (at least compared to Brady, who could launch the the pigskin 70 yards on target) have also forced Belichick to abandon the "All Streaks" play from Madden that he loved to run last year (e.g. the everyone go deep, Tom throw the ball to Randy play). It's created a stronger team that can run and pass the ball very well in the short to medium ranges, with rare chances to connect deep too provided by the defense being lulled via the short game.
It's not Foxboro and it never will be but it seems the fans have stepped up a little bit over the past few weeks. There is still a ton of room for improvement here though. Perhaps I've just gotten used to the deafening decibels at the Garden but I think many of the diehard fans finally got priced out of Gillette.
Did you see the fight between Matt Light and Channing Chowder? There's a lot to say on the negative side about the fight (possible suspension) but I love the passion and fight these Patriots are showing. They got taken down a notch last year and got a gut check to start this season and transformed themselves from last year's glitzy team to the gritty team we see this year. Honestly the less glitzy more gritty persona fits them much better and is a return to the roots of their first three super bowl championships. They're playing like a team again instead of a collection of superstars.
Or four or five of them. Looking at the last five games the Pats really need to win at least three of them to guarantee themselves a playoff spot. There is still a lot of regular season left, hopefully the remainder will be filled with more wins than losses.
Check. In my original post I replied to a comment that
I’m not expecting Matt Cassel to set records or carry the Pats, rather I expect him to make mistakes, learn, and eventually end up managing the game well and making a few plays here and there.
Well, it turns out Cassel proved me wrong and is setting records and even carrying the Pats. Look, I thought he'd be good, but he's been wicked good! I won't say great because great players are born in the playoffs, not the regular season. It doesn't necessarily mean the Pats have to win the Super Bowl for me to consider Cassel great, but he does have to help the Pats make it to the playoffs and play well there.
Meanwhile, the AFC East is proving itself as the toughest division in football, with all four teams sporting wining records at this point. Yesterday one of the announcers for the Dolphins-Patriots game mentioned the players were fighting (literally) like it was a playoff game and I'd agree. The rivalries in the AFC East are amongst the fiercest in the league and the big game experience Cassel and the other young Pats are getting from these games will be extremely valuable come playoff time.
So far, my predictions are right on track.
::pats self on back::
Seriously though, even I would not have predicted that Matt Cassel would perform this well.
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Post written on 2008-11-24.
12 comments
I have only two words to say about this post…
Go Jets!
Justin Wrights last blog post..A Bus In San Francisco
Yeah, yeah Justin, we can’t all root for three NFL teams.
Can’t wait for week 16.
I tagged you with a stupid lame meme thing. I hate them, but I got tagged on one by a friend and then i had to tag 6 people so i tagged you. i don’t expect you to comply, i am just obligated to tell you.
sorry.
Aprils last blog post..Thanksgiving Dinner: Turkey
Aaaaah….April I heart you for not expecting anything from me!
As long as you don’t expect me to comply, feel free to tag me with whatever silly meme is bouncing around the web at the moment.
I normally watch football to fulfill an obligation (my husband wants me by his side to cheer for his favored team) but after I watched Cassel’s very good performance, I didn’t have to be ‘plucked’ out of the kitchen once I heard his name mentioned on tv. Thanks for giving such a good review for this instant favorite player of mine.
I personally can’t believe Cassel either, at first I thought he was limited in what he could do (regardless of what everyone was saying). Seems to be though that Cassel is just what the Pats needed….Can’t wait to see him develop.
Matt Cassell is a system quarterback, nothing more, nothing less.
Seriously, Pats fans should not dissolution themselves to think they have an heir to the Tom Brady throne.
You’ll only see Cassell’s true identity in the playoffs.
Johns last blog post..Akon pleads guilty
I care abt the beer and the wings and watch the big guys sweat it out.
Parts Tuners last blog post..Looking for Honda Wheels
indeed .. I think people tend to overly credit some ( cough brady) .. anyways we’ll see what this guy has to offer!
Sure, Matt Cassell does not deserve all the credit for the Pats wins this year, neither does Brady deserve all the credit for their Super Bowl wins. The Patriots truly do win and lose as a team and that’s what I like most about them.
I think it learn you do not repeat a mistake!
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