The problem with expectations

[IlluminatusUIUC]

There's a lot of rage of this board over the result. Why? This is a much better result than most people (including myself) expected.

What happens when you have a rookie head coach, a rookie OC, a rookie quarterback, rookie wideouts, rookie DBs, and rookie linebackers?

You get rookie mistakes. In our case, a lot of them. But this is only a shocker if you had spun yourself into thinking this was a 10 win WC contender and ignored the reality of what this team is. We are rebuilding.

There's obviously things to work on: ball security, run blocking, clock management, and EJ's accuracy come to mind. But I'm encouraged by this game. There's potential on this roster.

[Mr. Pink]

I'm not encouraged by blowing a game that should have been a W.

I've seen this team do this for years now.

Good teams find a way to win....bad teams? They do what we did.

Point blank.

[psubills62]

I'm still really pissed about the outcome, but I agree.

Problem is that our expectations changed as the game went on.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I'm not encouraged by blowing a game that should have been a W.

I've seen this team do this for years now.

Good teams find a way to win....bad teams? They do what we did.

Point blank.

I didn't expect to win and neither did you. What I wanted to see was improvement from this team and I did. That's what you look for in a rebuild year.

[Skooby]

I'm not encouraged by blowing a game that should have been a W.

I've seen this team do this for years now.

Good teams find a way to win....bad teams? They do what we did.

Point blank.

Young teams need to learn, that's the missing link.

[alohabillsfan]

A lot of cry babies on This board. It's a game...geez

[Mr. Pink]

I didn't expect to win and neither did you. What I wanted to see was improvement from this team and I did. That's what you look for in a rebuild year.

What improvement?

The last time we played the Pats we lost by 6 and Fitz had a late INT in the endzone that cost the game.

This time around we lost by 2 and couldn't get a first down in two chances to run out some clock that cost the game.

We ran the ball better in that game, we passed the ball better in that game but we played better defensively in this one...

So I guess the improvement is the defense and the end result is the same, winnable game pissed away.

[Gilly]

I'm not encouraged by blowing a game that should have been a W.

I've seen this team do this for years now.

Good teams find a way to win....bad teams? They do what we did.

Point blank.


waaaa...

every post you have made since game ended...

[BidsJr]

What improvement?

The last time we played the Pats we lost by 6 and Fitz had a late INT in the endzone that cost the game.

This time around we lost by 2 and couldn't get a first down in two chances to run out some clock that cost the game.

We ran the ball better in that game, we passed the ball better in that game but we played better defensively in this one...

So I guess the improvement is the defense and the end result is the same, winnable game pissed away.

THE POTENTIAL AT QB IS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER ANYTHING WE HAVE SEEN IN A DECADE.

[jamze132]

There's a lot of rage of this board over the result. Why? This is a much better result than most people (including myself) expected.

What happens when you have a rookie head coach, a rookie OC, a rookie quarterback, rookie wideouts, rookie DBs, and rookie linebackers?

You get rookie mistakes. In our case, a lot of them. But this is only a shocker if you had spun yourself into thinking this was a 10 win WC contender and ignored the reality of what this team is. We are rebuilding.

There's obviously things to work on: ball security, run blocking, clock management, and EJ's accuracy come to mind. But I'm encouraged by this game. There's potential on this roster.

Yeah, I got it but it hurts when you're that close to beating one of the better teams in the NFL, not to mention a team that has owned us for more than a decade.

[TigerJ]

I agree that teams with a losing heritage need to learn how to win, but a lot of the mistakes were not made by rookies. Really I can't think of many occasions in the game when it was a rookie who did something stupid. TJ Graham, a second year player had a dumb holding penalty, but I remember two penalties on Scott Chandler, one on Cordy Glenn that he shouldn't have made. Moats had the facemask penalty on punt coverage, I think. I'll give Urbik a pass on hands to the face penalty. All it takes sometimes is a little slip, and a hand that is on an opposing DL's chest can end up under his facemask.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

What improvement?

The last time we played the Pats we lost by 6 and Fitz had a late INT in the endzone that cost the game.

This time around we lost by 2 and couldn't get a first down in two chances to run out some clock that cost the game.

We ran the ball better in that game, we passed the ball better in that game but we played better defensively in this one...

So I guess the improvement is the defense and the end result is the same, winnable game pissed away.
What did you expect to happen?

You said that this was a 4-12 team with "the worst secondary in football." For a team that, by your own statements, is one of the worst in the league to go toe-to-toe with New England for 55 minutes is much better that I thought we'd accomplish and YOU thought we'd accomplish. That 'worst secondary' gave up a lot of plays, but they scord one of our TDs and set up another. They held Brady below 56% passing and 300 yards despite 52 dropbacks.

As for last year - that was a team with a veteran head coach, a veteran QB, and three years in an established system. And we played the game closer than they did without Byrd, Gilmore, or Levitre.

[TigerJ]

What improvement?

The last time we played the Pats we lost by 6 and Fitz had a late INT in the endzone that cost the game.

This time around we lost by 2 and couldn't get a first down in two chances to run out some clock that cost the game.

We ran the ball better in that game, we passed the ball better in that game but we played better defensively in this one...

So I guess the improvement is the defense and the end result is the same, winnable game pissed away. Fitz is gone and there was no late interception tossed by a Bills QB.

[Fixxxer]

THE POTENTIAL AT QB IS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER ANYTHING WE HAVE SEEN IN A DECADE.

I agree and in some way, this year is about him.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I agree that teams with a losing heritage need to learn how to win, but a lot of the mistakes were not made by rookies. Really I can't think of many occasions in the game when it was a rookie who did something stupid. TJ Graham, a second year player had a dumb holding penalty, but I remember two penalties on Scott Chandler, one on Cordy Glenn that he shouldn't have made. Moats had the facemask penalty on punt coverage, I think. I'll give Urbik a pass on hands to the face penalty. All it takes sometimes is a little slip, and a hand that is on an opposing DL's chest can end up under his facemask.

Goodwin fumbled a pass that turned into a New England TD and one if not both of Brady's TD passes went right over Alonso. Marrone completely blew a challenge and didn't adjust out of the no huddle when we desperately needed to burn minutes. Those are rookie mistakes.

[cookie G]

There's a lot of rage of this board over the result. Why? This is a much better result than most people (including myself) expected.

What happens when you have a rookie head coach, a rookie OC, a rookie quarterback, rookie wideouts, rookie DBs, and rookie linebackers?

You get rookie mistakes. In our case, a lot of them. But this is only a shocker if you had spun yourself into thinking this was a 10 win WC contender and ignored the reality of what this team is. We are rebuilding.

There's obviously things to work on: ball security, run blocking, clock management, and EJ's accuracy come to mind. But I'm encouraged by this game. There's potential on this roster.

I'm not too upset...but when you listed rookie QB, rookie WR's, Rookie OC, etc....for the most part, it was the vets making the mistakes.

Most of the drops, the penalties, one of the fumbles...these were the vets mistakes. Overall, the rookies outplayed many of the vets.

[JoeMama]

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. What we do best.

And for all his hubris, Stevie Johnson proves why he's the least clutch WR in the NFL.

"The Patriots can't stop me!"

You're right. You stopped yourself. Dropping an easy screen.

[coastal]

Nothing overtly new today.

[psubills62]

Am I right in saying that NE didn't score a single TD that...wasn't off a turnover in our own territory?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. What we do best.

And for all his hubris, Stevie Johnson proves why he's the least clutch WR in the NFL.

"The Patriots can't stop me!"

You're right. You stopped yourself. Dropping an easy screen.

I like Johnson but he is overpromoted as a #1. Hopefully Woods develops into a #1 type and they can flip.

[imbondz]

I'm far from enraged. I seriously thought we were getting blown out. I'm ok w/ losing to the Pats, when they had to come back and win on a last second FG. Still sucks, but not angry about this loss. Definitely some positive things to talk about

[psubills62]

I like Johnson but he is overpromoted as a #1. Hopefully Woods develops into a #1 type and they can flip.
I see Johnson as a very good #2, and Woods has the same upside. Which, IMO, that should be enough.

[JoeMama]

I like Johnson but he is overpromoted as a #1. Hopefully Woods develops into a #1 type and they can flip.

He's a more talented version of Peerless Price.

Great compliment. Not so great #1.

And despite all the **** I talked after the draft, EJ Manuel looked like a legit NFL QB today.

He was right to look so pissed off and appalled when Johnson dropped such an easy, game-extending pass.