New England Patriots 2006 Season Thread

[brady_branch]

Figured we needed one of these.

Week 1: NE def. BUF 19-17

[efin98]

Week 2: NE def. NYJ 24-17.

[brady_branch]

Week 1 was not a good game by any means, other than the result. Week 2 was the opposite of what we've come to expect from the Pats: Great play early, almost choking late.

[efin98]

I missed game 2 but I have seen and read enough accounts to draw my own conclusions about the game: Brady blew it. For the second straight week he had mental difficulties in the game. He has been listed as being injured and frankly I think that may be affecting his head so much so that it is causing him to make basic mistakes that he rarely made before. Even when he was hitting his receivers he wasn't hitting them like the past- it looked like he was wincing in pain at times.

It wasn't entirely Brady's fault, the defense blew an easy tackle of one of the Jets WRs that led directly to a TD. They were sloppy at times and should have easily put the game away, but they let the Jets take advantage of simple mistakes and it allowed them to inch back. Add to that the fact that the rookie kicker missed an easy kick in the red zone- you don't do that! It was meaningless in the end but it also could have meant the difference in the game. I'll chalk it up to rookie nerves(it's hell playing there the first time) but if that happens again they need to work with him alot more.

That being said their WR of the future Jackson and RB of the future Moroney did well, both getting their first TDs as pros. They are starting to get into the groove of things and it looks like they are worthy of being replacements for their Patriots teammates. They should play a big role in upcoming games, I don't doubt for a minute that their success this year may be the deciding factor in where the Patriots are seeded in the post season(if they get there).

[brady_branch]

OK. The Coles TD was blown by the defense, the Cotchery TD... you had to see it. He was tackled, but his elbow and knee never touched, so he got right back up and ran for the TD. Gostkowski didn't miss the kick, it was blocked. OK, well, he still missed, it, but it was not entirely his fault. The final should have been 27-10, not 24-17. Maybe even 27-3, if you want to assume the defense makes the play on the Coles TD.

[efin98]

OK. The Coles TD was blown by the defense, the Cotchery TD... you had to see it. He was tackled, but his elbow and knee never touched, so he got right back up and ran for the TD. Gostkowski didn't miss the kick, it was blocked. OK, well, he still missed, it, but it was not entirely his fault. The final should have been 27-10, not 24-17. Maybe even 27-3, if you want to assume the defense makes the play on the Coles TD.

The Gostkowski kick was low and looked like it was going to wide so he would have missed it even if it wasn't blocked...he still has alot more work to do.

I saw the Cotchery TD and they didn't follow through on the tackles- they assumed that he was down and let up on him enough that he broke free. It's like my high school coach always said: "play until the whistle blows". It didn't blow and it cost them.

Assuming that the TD didn't cost them 7 points, I'll give the Jets 3 points. That's 24-13 right there. That would make it not quite a blowout but not entirely close either. A decent win, better than the week before.

A win is a win regardless of how good or bad it was, in the end it helps them when they need it- in the standings and especially against divisional opponents.

[brady_branch]

You're starting to sound like ME here!

[efin98]

You're starting to sound like ME here!

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? :D

[brady_branch]

Depends on how you want to look at it. If you look at it like me, then it's a good thing, because I like to hear people think that the Patriots will do well. Of course, you can't have any constructive arguments if you agree all the time, so....

[efin98]

Depends on how you want to look at it. If you look at it like me, then it's a good thing, because I like to hear people think that the Patriots will do well. Of course, you can't have any constructive arguments if you agree all the time, so....

Optimistic pessimist is what I am known for so I'll disagree with you more often than not;)

[efin98]

Tomorrow the Patriots play the Broncos in their first non-divisional intra-conferance game. I predicted that they would lose the game three weeks ago, but frankly I am starting to doubt that. The Broncos have had QB troubles this year and unless they do something dramatic I think the Patriots will take advantage and yank a TD or two from them. The offense should have their kinks worked out and if the Pats are smart they will let the RBs, TEs, and WRs do their thing without much more tinkering.


Bottom line: the Pats should win. It's their game to lose.

[brady_branch]

Gotta agree with you there. The Pats are the better team here, but it'll be close.

[efin98]

Gotta agree with you there. The Pats are the better team here, but it'll be close.

17-7 loss to the Broncos is the result. It wasn't as close as the score states, Denver dominated all game and gave the Pats few chances. They scored their only TD very late in the game when Denver winning was a forgone conclussion...

[brady_branch]

That was upsetting to say the least.

[brady_branch]

New England 14, Cincinnati 13 in the 3rd quarter...

[efin98]

New England 14, Cincinnati 13 in the 3rd quarter...

38-13 final score. The offense finally realized they are better than their last three games and broke out when the team needed it.

Cincy put up a good fight, but I believe the Patriots know their coach too well and predicted what was gonna happen too often and changed their defense enough to keep Cincy in check until their own offense could find their spark. That final quarter Cincy ran out of steam and the Patriots found their second wind.

Doug Gabriel had a 25 yard TD catch and Moroney had another TD run along with 125 yards rushing. Moroney is now the leading rusher on the team.

[brady_branch]

Yes! We needed that. I was thinking we were going to lose going into the week, but they didn't! Great job by Maroney, Gabriel, and the rest. I didn't get to watch much of it, but what I did see proved that this team is good enough to make another run at the playoffs.

[efin98]

Yes! We needed that. I was thinking we were going to lose going into the week, but they didn't! Great job by Maroney, Gabriel, and the rest. I didn't get to watch much of it, but what I did see proved that this team is good enough to make another run at the playoffs.

Playoffs???? Playoffs????(doing a bad Jim Mora impression) It's way too early to mention the "p" word let alone predict they will make a run at them.

I am glad though that I stand corrected on something- I had the Patriots losing to Cincy this week.

[brady_branch]

I had them winning at the beginning of the season, because I was skeptical about Palmer's health. I then changed it after the preseason.

[brady_branch]

13-10 Pats now...

[brady_branch]

It's a wrap: NE def. MIA 20-10.

[efin98]

Only two notes about the game worth mentioning: Asante Samuel had two INTs and Bruschi had a fumble recovery. Brady is getting better each week, I guess he finally got over the fact that he actually has to work hard to win and not just rely on the receivers all the time.

[brady_branch]

The game was actually pretty boring. Samuel played great, and Joey Harrington played horribly. What else is new?

The Pats didn't move the ball all that well. They got 17 of their 20 points off of turnovers.

[efin98]

The fact that they capitalized off of the Miami turnovers is good though, the offense still scored instead of punting or giving the ball up again. They are still working the bugs out but they have a bye week coming up to get things straight.

[brady_branch]

Yeah... though I'd rather play a bad team (say, 49ers or Raiders) than the practice squad. Still, that game was better than a loss.

[efin98]

They weren't a practice squad, they were a preseason favorite. The team's X-Factor this year was their QB, the Patriots eat young, inexperienced, and overmatched QBs for lunch- which is what they did. If Culpepper was full strength Miami would have been a compatible match on offense and a tough challenger on defense, the Patriots may not have won.

I predicted they would split the year with Miami, after their performance I still hold true to that prediction- Culpepper at full strength later on in the year and having the home field advantage means he should gain an edge. The Patriots will have to fight hard to win.

[brady_branch]

I know, I was commenting on having a bye week.

Harrington wasn't as bad as I thought he'd be. He only made the one brutal mistake on Samuel's first pick. The second one was a bad pass, but it most likely would've fallen incomplete had it not been tipped.

[brady_branch]

Week 7: NE def. BUF 28-6

OK, the Pats are really getting better. Beating the same team who almost beat you by this big of a score shows some serious improvement. 13 wins is no longer out of the question.

[efin98]

Week 7: NE def. BUF 28-6

OK, the Pats are really getting better. Beating the same team who almost beat you by this big of a score shows some serious improvement. 13 wins is no longer out of the question.

Not only did they beat them, they beat them outright.

They had a great game on defense(I smell Pro Bowl for Samuel!). Their offense did exceptional even when Mr. Brady made mistakes, including making a TD appear out of nowhere by accident.

13-3 is doable but I believe 12-4 is more likely. One win against either Miami or New York gives them the division, they could also be looking at a 1st round bye if they continue to improve when the other AFC teams stumble...right now they are #3 in the AFC behind Indy(6-0) and Denver(5-1, beat Pats).

[efin98]

New England 31, Minnesota 7.

Brady was all over the place tonigh hitting anyone who was open. Minnesota couldn't adapt their secondary to cover the receivers. Sometimes NOT having a primary receiver works out well.

The defense showed they are one of the best in the league AGAIN(seems many of the talking heads forgot).

Monroney did excellant in his first game back in the Metrodome.


All in all a great game for New England. 6-1 now and on track for the post season but up against the toughest month in the league...If they can go 3-1 they pretty much punched their ticket to the AFC playoffs and probably a 1st round bye.

[brady_branch]

I fell asleep when it was 24-7. Did you see Maroney's kickoff return? :eek: Brady was outstanding, like you said. The defense was quite possibly the best I've seen firsthand this season (yes, better than the Ravens' Week 1), only allowing a TD on a punt return. Great game all around.

[efin98]

I fell asleep when it was 24-7. Did you see Maroney's kickoff return? :eek: Brady was outstanding, like you said. The defense was quite possibly the best I've seen firsthand this season (yes, better than the Ravens' Week 1), only allowing a TD on a punt return. Great game all around.

Special Teams are going to take a pounding this week due to that TD...I wouldn't want to be one those guys:eek:

[brady_branch]

Under an hour to game time... I'm getting pumped! This just might be the biggest regular-season game of the year.

[efin98]

They lost 27-20.

Brady played poorly, he was lobbing the ball all over the field and missing his mark on the most basic of passes.

The defense was never able to recover from losing Harrisson.

There were way too many penalties and came from guys who should know better- What the hell was Brown thinking taunting on a basic catch!!!!

Just one tough game left then they can coast into the playoffs. They won't win all of their remaining games but they should still finish with an excellant record again.

[brady_branch]

I still don't understand that taunting call. Talking to people after the play should be allowed, right? Brown just tossed the ball to the official, and probably said something to the Colt defender that he didn't like, and got hit with a 15-yarder.

[efin98]

I still don't understand that taunting call. Talking to people after the play should be allowed, right? Brown just tossed the ball to the official, and probably said something to the Colt defender that he didn't like, and got hit with a 15-yarder.

Talking is one thing, talking smack then throwing the ball in their direction is another.

He knew better.

[brady_branch]

He didn't throw the ball at anyone, he threw it to the official. That call made no sense whatsoever.

[efin98]

He didn't throw the ball at anyone, he threw it to the official. That call made no sense whatsoever.

He thre it at the Colts player acting like he's throwing it at the official. It didn't even go in the official's direction, went directly towards the Colts player.

[brady_branch]

No, it went right between the two. The official dropped it.

[efin98]

No, it went right between the two. The official dropped it.

The official never touched it. The official was on the other side of where the ball was thrown on his right side, he threw it to the left towards the player.

[brady_branch]

*sigh*

NYJ def. NE 17-14

[brady_branch]

NE def. GB 35-0

Finally. I was getting a little worried there for a second.

[efin98]

They just barely beat the Bears today 17-13.

Both offenses played sloppy football with New England giving up 5 turnovers and the Bears giving up 4. Each team had equal opertunities to score and put the game away, neither could to it. The Bears should have yanked Grossman after his injury and replaced him with Tom Brady's mentor at Michigan but they didn't, which would have been a good move considering that Griesie has beaten the Pats before.

Their 8th victory secures the team a record of .500 or better for the sixth straight year, their longest winning run excluding strike years(the '82-'88 team was .500 or better, but '82, '87 were shortened years)

[brady_branch]

Very good game on defense, very bad on offense. Is it too early to send Asante Samuel to the Pro Bowl? I was unable to watch much of it, due to me getting dragged out rug shopping. Rug shopping. I did see the fourth turnover, and it probably should've fallen incomplete, but it was still a bad pass. It was catchable, not a catch you'd expect anyone to make, but it was possible. I then had to go do homework, but I was able to catch Samuel's last INT. Wow. I watch a good set of corners every week in Chris McAlister and, at times, Samari Rolle, and Samuel beats them both. He is an outstanding player, playing the toughest position on the field. He's my early Pats MVP winner.

[brady_branch]

NE def. DET 28-21. My TV was confiscated, and I couldn't watch.

[brady_branch]

MIA def. NE 21-0. I think I'm going to withdraw from football for a while. :(

[efin98]

MIA def. NE 21-0. I think I'm going to withdraw from football for a while. :(

Miami only loses to New England in Miami when they have to play during September/early October. Since Miami complained their way into "equal" hosting they nullified whatever home field advantage the Patriots had and amped up their own home field advantage since they no longer have to deal with the infield dirt after October :rolleyes:

They are still ahead of what I had them at, 9-4 isn't all that bad.

[brady_branch]

Still, add that to the scare against Detroit last week, the poorly played game against the Bears, and the loss against the Jets, and they are not looking like a Super Bowl team.

[efin98]

Still, add that to the scare against Detroit last week, the poorly played game against the Bears, and the loss against the Jets, and they are not looking like a Super Bowl team.

Injuries suck. They got lucky the last few years but when it happens all at once like it has the last few weeks their true weeknesses break through...

They never were Super Bowl bound this year anyway. They are a playoff team but they won't make it to the AFC championship game let alone the Super Bowl.

They have a cup cake game against Houston and a rookie QB-led team in Jacksonville and Tennessee. A win should be enough for the division title, two wins gives them home field in the divisional round against Jacksonville or Cincinnati. After that round, it's speculation at this point(#2 seed is still up for grabs, Pats are #4 solidly) so they will likely face either Baltimore(who they can beat) or Indy(who they will lose to) and if they should be blessed enough and lucky enough they have no shot against a lightning hot San Diego team...

But they need to get through the next three games. If they go through it unscathed then they should be proud of themselves for having another excellant year despite the odds.

[brady_branch]

I disagree. The Ravens are looking pretty unbeatable. We'd better hope Jacksonville wins out, because Cincinnati looks nearly as unstoppable as Baltimore and San Diego. Indy, on the other hand, looks very beatable. And here's how the AFC playoff picture looks to me (assuming Chargers and Bengals victories tonight and tomorrow night):

1. San Diego
2. Baltimore
3. Indianapolis
4. New England
5. Cincinnati
6. Jacksonville

Not good. First round they'd get the red-hot Bengals, second get the even hotter Chargers. Of course, if they somehow beat those two, then they'll get Indy or Baltimore, preferably Indy. If they win that one, then they're in the Super Bowl.

Remember, once it's the playoffs, all bets are off. Especially concerning the Pats.

[brady_branch]

On another note, NE def. HOU 40-7. 40-7 victories tend to be nice.

[efin98]

forget it, I give up.

[brady_branch]

NE def. JAX, 24-21. With Indy somehow losing to Houston, the Pats might be able to grab the third spot if Indy loses next week. That will give them the "honor" of losing to Baltimore, instead of San Diego. Because those two teams just can't be stopped.

[brady_branch]

NE def. TEN, 40-23. With Indy winning, the Pats settle for the fourth seed and another matchup with the Jets and former assistant Eric Mangini.

[brady_branch]

Closing and un-stickying. Please post in the Playoffs thread from now on.