Patriots Pre-Game Thread

[Arky]

TV = CBS (channel 11 local), Sunday 3:30 pm CST

Announcers = Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, sideline - Steve Tasker

The line = Patriots by 9.5 to 10

WalterFootball offer this nugget of hope:

Now, it's time to review what the media overreacted to last week:

1. This week, the major overreaction is to the Texans. Everyone's giving up on them after two losses.

Fading the media is now 13-4-1 since Week 12. There are two things the media's overreacting to this time:

1. The Texans dominated the Bengals but only won by six, so they're getting a ton of flak. No one's giving them a chance against New England, yet they have the same record.

2. Everyone is just assuming the Seahawks are going to beat the Falcons. Michael Wilbon said that Atlanta winning would be a surprise. Umm... aren't the Falcons favored?

[Keith]

I agree with both points. The Falcons getting slighted is worse than any slight the Texans have endured this week (mostly because the Texans have earned much of their derision). There is a perverse media inclination to set up a Packers-Seahawks rematch (remember the TD-INT call with the fake refs?) since it makes for a 'good story', and it really just adds to my general distate of the media.

As for the Texans... They were just 4-pt dogs last time (though that jumped to like 6 near kickoff). They had a bunch of unusual things go against them early, like the illegal formation penalty on the 1st play (negating a nice run), the INT from Schaub into the end zone with the score still 0-0 I think, the missed fumble recovery by Kareem before the Pats first score, etc. The only usual thing that hurt them was poor special teams (I think Welker had a big 1Q punt return).

[barrett]

The Texans deserve to be big underdogs in this one. We have not played a good offensive game since Thanksgiving Day.

However, there is no reason for why the media has turned on this team and declared them frauds. They finished 12-4 and the 3rd seed in the AFC and that is exactly what they are. A good 12-4 team who is the 3rd best team in the AFC (and beat the 4th, 5th, and 6th best teams in the conference). There is nothing fraudulent about them. They are exactly what they seem (especially last week when they were the definition of "good, no more, no less").

Now they go into NE with no expectations and plenty of motivation. If they walk out as big losers they have lost nothing. If they walk out after a close defeat they will have gained some 'respect' and they will try to sell it to fans as progress. Or they walk out as upset winners and all of the media stories are re-written and the 24 hour news cycle forgets they were ever left for dead.

I hope the NFL, the networks, the media, and everyone else lives a nightmare come true and by Sunday night, Brady vs Manning has turned into Schaub vs. Flacco.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by barrett

A good 12-4 team who is the 3rd best team in the AFC (and beat the 4th, 5th, and 6th best teams in the conference).

AND beat the 1st seed @ thier house.....

[barrett]

Originally Posted by WMH

AND beat the 1st seed @ thier house.....

Exactly. So the Texans have wins over the 1,4,5,6 in the AFC playoffs, meaning the only AFC playoff team we didn't beat is New England. That alone should get Shaughnessy fired (not to mention they played 9-8 Denver in this round just last year). But if his dozens of similar attack pieces against local NE teams didn't get him fired this won't either.

It is depressing that journalism has reached this point. Media outlets now employ professional pot stirrers to drive hits. And as long as they don't cross some racial, gender, or cultural line in the process they can write any drivel they like with as little basis in reality as possible. And it is all led of course by the 'worldwide leader.'

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

It is depressing that journalism has reached this point. Media outlets now employ professional pot stirrers to drive hits. And as long as they don't cross some racial, gender, or cultural line in the process they can write any drivel they like with as little basis in reality as possible. And it is all led of course by the 'worldwide leader.'

*cough* Richard Justice *cough*

[barrett]

Every paper has a few. It's sad when it's the old guy who once wanted to be a real journalist but now just wants to be noticed.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

Brady vs Manning has turned into Schaub vs. Flacco.

And that would be Schaub vs. Flacco in Reliant Stadium @ Houston, TX. Here, here !
We can surely hope.

[Warren]

Boston's other paper doesn't seem as (over)confident:

Belichick’s Pats are 8-6 in playoff games against an opponent they played in the regular season, but 3-6 since their last Super Bowl title in 2004. All of the playoff losses under Belichick have come in a rematch.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by barrett

I hope the NFL, the networks, the media, and everyone else lives a nightmare come true and by Sunday night, Brady vs Manning has turned into Schaub vs. Flacco.

this would be magnificant. would love to get to sit in my seats one more time before the end of the season.

[WMH]

Saw this in Walter's recap as well:
RECAP: If you think that laying 9.5 with the Patriots means easy money like Shaughnessy apparently does, you're mistaken. New England typically doesn't live up to expectations as a big playoff favorite, owning a dubious 3-8 spread record laying 4.5 or more points in the Bill Belichick era.


Bad thing is, he has been WAY off this year...