Did Bill "tank" the Denver game?

[imapig]

Tom Brady would have embraced anyone who drafted him. He was grateful to be drafted by the Patriots and at the time the Patriots was kind of dysfunctional. When John Elway and Manning bitched and pissed and moaned about their potential drafting spots it show their true colors immediately. they are entitled f****** douchebags... that's what I think of them anyways..

yes all of this. That has to be one the most intelligent statements I've ever read in my life. You must be a member of Mensa.

 

[patsload]

yes all of this. That has to be one the most intelligent statements I've ever read in my life. You must be a member of Mensa.

 

[imapig]

ROFL

 

[Maxjax]

The Denver game plan was simplified due to personnel issues.

This.

No Edelman, no Amendola, no Lewis, so the short passing game that has been their bread-and-butter had to be minimized. None of the receivers they had healthy have the quickness to replicate what those guys do. I like LaFell, but he's an outside guy. Gronk was the focus of attention, so they had trouble getting him the ball also.

If you watched the all-22 I'd bet you'd see the Broncos clogging the middle of the field and playing a lot of press coverage. The way you beat that, is you throw it deep. It's what teams were doing to Manning before he was benched (oh I'm sorry, I meant, "before he got injured ).

I don't think the "vanilla game plan" theory is whacked out, I just think it was done for different reasons.

 

[yackittysacks]

Tom Brady would have embraced anyone who drafted him. He was grateful to be drafted by the Patriots and at the time the Patriots was kind of dysfunctional. When John Elway in Manning bitched and pissed and moaned about their potential drafting spots show their true colors immediately. they are entitled f****** douchebag... that's what I think of them anyways..

Fair point. But I assure you if Elway was a 7th round pick like Brady not the #1 pick he would have gone wherever as well. I'm sure. That said, make no mistake, my love for Elway is left on the field. As a person, I think he's a douch canoe. But do we really root for the person? Or the player?

 

[Mazz22]

So they were up 21-7 and then decided to muff a punt and lose? I am sorry but the game does not show any type of tanking at all. The game plan was beautiful actually given the personnel issues, weather and facing a QB with all of one start in the NFL. Bill was riding his defense and it was working to perfection until Hightower went out and the muffed punt. Brady's drive at the end was magnificent for the tie with literally no one to throw it to Chandler and LaFell.

Sorry guys. I don't see it. I believe Bill much would have rather had the win and a three game lead on Denver instead of a one game lead with 5 to go and Denver holding the tie breaker.

 

[Hawg73]

Jealousy is tough to deal with. In all aspects of life. Not just sports. Yep. I'm jealous that the Pats fans have so much to be happy about. Believe me. As a Bronco fan, I lived that through the Elway years. In fact, if you remember, the Broncos led by Elway went to 5 Super Bowls. Lost three of them. But year in and year out the Broncos were always in the hunt. Elway leaves, and so does the winning. Until Elway took over as GM and brought in Manning. With the one year with Jake Plummer. Being a fan of a mediocre team sucks. Right now, you all have it real good. I'm just saying enjoy it cause it wont last forever. Did the cheating have any real vale to the wins? Not likely. The main reason your team is a winning machine is because of Brady!

You are a Broncos fan and think they are "mediocre"?

I don't like them and even I'll admit they are far better than mediocre. They might not have won it all last year, but they were definitely in the hunt and this year's team looks plenty capable of winning it all.

I'm not going to characterize a team's fan base, but don't you think you are in a giant minority on this score? Denver fans have always seemed to me to be....ummmmm....extremely confident even in down years. It just strikes me as an odd statement-- no offense intended.

 

[O.Z.O.]

You are a Broncos fan and think they are "mediocre"?

I don't like them and even I'll admit they are far better than mediocre. They might not have won it all last year, but they were definitely in the hunt and this year's team looks plenty capable of winning it all.

I'm not going to characterize a team's fan base, but don't you think you are in a giant minority on this score? Denver fans have always seemed to me to be....ummmmm....extremely confident even in down years. It just strikes me as an odd statement-- no offense intended.

They're like Cowboy fans...only a little less knowledgeable.

 

[Hawg73]

Okay. I'm current in the thread and we've got some respected opinions weighing in that it was just a legit loss due largely to injuries and necessary adjustments to their replacements. Totally understandable.

So, Stan characterized the end of the first half as a "coaching miscue".

For those who also think that my theory is off-base I'd like to hear other opinions as to why we just killed the clock with that much time left and multiple time outs to burn.

Anybody?

 

[spacecrime]

Point is, I don't think Bill wants any part of a 19-0 quest redux. No way.

I think 10 games into the season is a little early to be worried that we might go 19-0.

When I use the word "tank" I mean that I think it is entirely possible that Bill Belichick thought it was more important to play this game using a vanilla game plan and save the good stuff for a potential playoff matchup with Denver regardless of whether we won or lost. Injuries would provide a perfect cover.

So we lose a game in case that particular team is one of the 2 AFC teams we'd face in the playoffs? Steelers, Colts, even the Jets are possible playoff teams. This reminds me of signing FAs we don't need so the Jets, Colts, Broncos, Ravens, Steelers, etc can't get them? Or the Packers, Panthers, Seahawks/other NFC contender can't beat us in teh SB?

Belichick KNOWS his guys can beat Denver next time and so do they. The regular season is nice and all, but 2007 taught him to focus entirely on the end game at all times

Just how does anyone know they can beat another team, let alone a good one. We dominated the Jets one year, 45-3, then lost to them in the playoffs. Plus, have you forgotten the year we should have easily beaten the Broncos in a playoff game and lost it?

As far as protecting the end game goes, the reason we lost the 2007 superbowl had less to do with the quest for 19-0 and Pierre Woods not falling on a fumble, Mike Carey not blowing an in the grasp whistle, Asante Samuel letting an interception go through his hands, Brandon Meriweather doing the same, and a helmet catch. How the hell can anyone 'know' who will win a game beforehand?

 

[O.Z.O.]

Okay. I'm current in the thread and we've got some respected opinions weighing in that it was just a legit loss due largely to injuries and necessary adjustments to their replacements. Totally understandable.

So, Stan characterized the end of the first half as a "coaching miscue".

For those who also think that my theory is off-base I'd like to hear other opinions as to why we just killed the clock with that much time left and multiple time outs to burn.
Anybody?

total drop the mic moment here...

 

[spacecrime]

Being a fan of a mediocre team sucks. Right now, you all have it real good. I'm just saying enjoy it cause it wont last forever.

We lived through good years and bad, same as fans of every other team.Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky, and that doesn't include Earthwind Moreland.

 

[spacecrime]

But do we really root for the person? Or the player?

WHen fans are honest, in most cases they root for laundry.

There are exceptions. I liked Bledsoe as a Bill, Martin as a Jet, even Plunkett as a Raider. I would have like Troy Brown had he gone to the Jets.

But I don't like Vinatieri or Milloy. It's just personal choices that all fans make. If instead of winning two SBs with the Broncos, Elway had been traded to KC or the Raiders and won two SBs with them, you porbably wouldn't like him as a person OR a player.

 

[dchester]

Here's a crazy thought.

We were playing perhaps the second best team in the Conference, on the road, half way across the country on a short week at altitude and faded late in the game.

Occam's Razor tells me this is the most likely reason the Broncos won and the Pats lost.

I still think it was Harper dropping the punt that did it.

 

[dchester]

To say that the Broncos won because they cheated is to admit that the Patriots did too. You all don't think that it has more to do with the fact that winning teams have the best QB's in the game? At the time we had Elway. Now you all have Brady. That's how simple things are. Teams that make it to and win in the playoffs more often than not have high level of QB play. Some day Brady will hang em up and the run will be over. Take it from a fan that has been there. And enjoy the ride cause it doesn't last forever.

I'm saying we didn't cheat, but we should have.

popcorn

 

[Jaric]

Have the Patriots ever lost a game they didn't intend to lose? these threads seem to come up after every loss...

Of course not.

 

[yackittysacks]

You are a Broncos fan and think they are "mediocre"?

I don't like them and even I'll admit they are far better than mediocre. They might not have won it all last year, but they were definitely in the hunt and this year's team looks plenty capable of winning it all.

I'm not going to characterize a team's fan base, but don't you think you are in a giant minority on this score? Denver fans have always seemed to me to be....ummmmm....extremely confident even in down years. It just strikes me as an odd statement-- no offense intended.

No offense taken. I'll be honest. The real Broncos fans (lots of bandwagon fans in Denver due to the mass numbers of transplants) have learned the hard way that when it's good, you take it, cause it wont last forever. There is a sense of false confidence for a while but that goes away after years of mediocre play. This is the reason I don't spend time on or communicate with ALL Bronco fan forums. Their belief is not reality and it gets old quick. When I mention the Broncos and mediocre I'm referring to the years between the Elway era and the Manning era. Right now my team is very much above mediocre.

 

[BostonTim]

Excellent question, the answer is no.

I'll take you're word for it. I mean you'd know tanking when you see it. ROFL
Cheers, BostonTim

 

[imapig]

Okay. I'm current in the thread and we've got some respected opinions weighing in that it was just a legit loss due largely to injuries and necessary adjustments to their replacements. Totally understandable.

So, Stan characterized the end of the first half as a "coaching miscue".

For those who also think that my theory is off-base I'd like to hear other opinions as to why we just killed the clock with that much time left and multiple time outs to burn.

Anybody?

I was furious when that happen. I also think the coaching staff went all pussy conservative due to the fact the Pats got the ball first after halftime, and did not want to make a mistake. I also feel the coaches were confident that they were going to win this game, but I think they underestimated the horrendous calls, and the injury to Gronk Derailed their plan. I'm sure looking back BB, and McDaniel's wish they done things differently.

 

[O.Z.O.]

"Teams that make it to and win in the playoffs more often than not have high level of QB play"

Would you say that Tampa had a high level of QB play with Brad Johnson? The Jesters made it to consecutive CCGs with Mark Sanchez as their QB. Seattle won back-to-back conference championships and a Super Bowl with Russell Wilson running a modified college offense. Trent Dilfer. Jeff Hosteler. Tim Tebow.

Offense, defense, and special teams are the 3 components of the game. You can be mediocre on offense, but as long as you are solid-good at the other 2 phases you will win more often than not.

I'll give you one more- Brady in '02. He was decent, didn't make mistakes, but he sure as hell wasn't the Brady that we've come to know.