Before the bashing starts, I just wanna say don't give me that win streak bs, regular season means nothing! The 01 and 03 Pats have the two smallest margin of victory in the playoffs, of any super bowl winning team in nfl history!!!!! This isn't coincidence but largely due to the fact that the refs aided this team immensely in both their super bowl victories! That tuck rule bs hasn't been used before or since! (every qb should pump fake tuck the ball in, and never have to worry about a fumble) Last year the colts receivers were mugged on nearly every passing play! The league realized its' errors, which is why they are enforcing the pass interference rules this season! Cory dillion easliy makes up for law not playing this weekend. No excuses! From here on out, we'll finally see how good this lucky team really is, now that they will no longer receive bs calls from the refs!
2 out of 3 Super Bowls and back to back 14-2 seasons is hardly luck. It's outstanding coaching and team play.
Everyone will have to step up their game in order to hide the major deficiencies of Earthwind Moreland and Troy Brown on Defense. Im looking for the Pats to control the clock on the ground big time. Just need to turn those long drives into TD's and not punts or FG's. Should be a great game.
Everyone will have to step up their game in order to hide the major deficiencies of Earthwind Moreland and Troy Brown on Defense. Im looking for the Pats to control the clock on the ground big time. Just need to turn those long drives into TD's and not punts or FG's. Should be a great game.
arty:
win or lose, to suggest New England's run over the past few years has been luck is an asinine statement.
Trust me, this Cleveland Browns fan is no Bill Belichick fan, but geez, give credit where credit is due. Assuming the Pats get beat this week (which I wouldn't bet on), to come on here and suggest it proves what they've accomplished in the past was all luck.....again, just asinine.
It's one thing to dislike a team / coach / organization ,,,,,hey, we're all fans. Heck, many moons ago, I refused to acknowledge the greatness of the 70s Steelers teams. To me, most of their success was simply luck. Hey, as a grade school kid, it was my only defense.
Granted, EVERY team needs a little bit of luck to win it all, and that goes for every team in every sport at every level!....But to put together a three-year run AKA the Patriots, well, ,,like to admit it or not, it takes a LOT more than just luck.
Trust me, this Cleveland Browns fan is no Bill Belichick fan, but geez, give credit where credit is due. Assuming the Pats get beat this week (which I wouldn't bet on), to come on here and suggest it proves what they've accomplished in the past was all luck.....again, just asinine.
It's one thing to dislike a team / coach / organization ,,,,,hey, we're all fans. Heck, many moons ago, I refused to acknowledge the greatness of the 70s Steelers teams. To me, most of their success was simply luck. Hey, as a grade school kid, it was my only defense.
Granted, EVERY team needs a little bit of luck to win it all, and that goes for every team in every sport at every level!....But to put together a three-year run AKA the Patriots, well, ,,like to admit it or not, it takes a LOT more than just luck.
Patriots get DB help
By JIMMY GOLEN
.c The Associated Press
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) - NFL MVP Peyton Manning is coming to town, and the New England Patriots are calling in all the help they can find.
The Patriots signed unemployed cornerback Hank Poteat on Monday, making him eligible for Sunday's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts and their record-setting quarterback. Poteat takes the roster spot that opened when Ty Law was placed on injured reserve last week.
``It's certainly not an ideal situation at this point, but we'll do what we think is best,'' coach Bill Belichick said before the signing was announced.
Law had not played since Oct. 31. Tyrone Poole, the other starting cornerback from the beginning of the season, has been out since the fourth week of the season and Asante Samuel has also spent time on the injury report, as have safeties Eugene Wilson and Randall Gay.
The injuries have forced the Patriots to use wide receiver Troy Brown as a fifth defensive back. Poteat, who also returns punts, could give Brown a rest or he could serve as backup.
``We've got guys in there that aren't our usual starters,'' lineman Willie McGinest said. ``But we've got confidence in the guys that are there.''
Belichick did not comment on the signing during his media availability on Monday. But Colts coach Tony Dungy wasn't about to assume that the Patriots will be pushovers.
``They're in disarray enough to have won 14 games,'' he said. ``They've got good players and are a well-coached unit, and we are awfully hot.''
Manning earned his second consecutive NFL MVP award on Monday after a season in which he threw 49 touchdown passes and had a quarterback rating of 121.1 - both NFL records. With his quick release and ability to read defenses, he can pick apart the most accomplished secondary.
But the Patriots have stymied him.
Last year in the AFC Championship game, New England picked Manning off four times - three of them by Law - to beat the Colts 24-14. In this season's opener, McGinest sacked Manning for 12 yards on the final drive and Mike Vanderjagt missed a 48-yard field goal to tie it.
``We know they've been waiting on this game since last year,'' McGinest said. ``So here it is. It's going to be a great show.''
In all, the Colts are 2-9 against the Patriots under Manning and winless in their last five tries. But Belichick shot down a suggestion that he had figured out how to stop Manning.
``Nobody wants to see me on the field against Peyton Manning,'' Belichick snickered. ``Not me, not any fan. Nobody except the Colts.''
Terms of Poteat's deal were not disclosed.
Poteat, who has been out of the NFL since being released by Carolina in the preseason, played in 41 games over three NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and one game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has played in two playoff games, starting for the Steelers in the 2002 wild-card game.
Poteat was waived by the Steelers before the 2003 season and signed with Tampa Bay. He played one game for the Buccaneers before he was released on Nov. 12, 2003. He signed with the Panthers before the 2004 season and played in two preseason games before he was released.
01/10/05 18:24 EST
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By JIMMY GOLEN
.c The Associated Press
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) - NFL MVP Peyton Manning is coming to town, and the New England Patriots are calling in all the help they can find.
The Patriots signed unemployed cornerback Hank Poteat on Monday, making him eligible for Sunday's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts and their record-setting quarterback. Poteat takes the roster spot that opened when Ty Law was placed on injured reserve last week.
``It's certainly not an ideal situation at this point, but we'll do what we think is best,'' coach Bill Belichick said before the signing was announced.
Law had not played since Oct. 31. Tyrone Poole, the other starting cornerback from the beginning of the season, has been out since the fourth week of the season and Asante Samuel has also spent time on the injury report, as have safeties Eugene Wilson and Randall Gay.
The injuries have forced the Patriots to use wide receiver Troy Brown as a fifth defensive back. Poteat, who also returns punts, could give Brown a rest or he could serve as backup.
``We've got guys in there that aren't our usual starters,'' lineman Willie McGinest said. ``But we've got confidence in the guys that are there.''
Belichick did not comment on the signing during his media availability on Monday. But Colts coach Tony Dungy wasn't about to assume that the Patriots will be pushovers.
``They're in disarray enough to have won 14 games,'' he said. ``They've got good players and are a well-coached unit, and we are awfully hot.''
Manning earned his second consecutive NFL MVP award on Monday after a season in which he threw 49 touchdown passes and had a quarterback rating of 121.1 - both NFL records. With his quick release and ability to read defenses, he can pick apart the most accomplished secondary.
But the Patriots have stymied him.
Last year in the AFC Championship game, New England picked Manning off four times - three of them by Law - to beat the Colts 24-14. In this season's opener, McGinest sacked Manning for 12 yards on the final drive and Mike Vanderjagt missed a 48-yard field goal to tie it.
``We know they've been waiting on this game since last year,'' McGinest said. ``So here it is. It's going to be a great show.''
In all, the Colts are 2-9 against the Patriots under Manning and winless in their last five tries. But Belichick shot down a suggestion that he had figured out how to stop Manning.
``Nobody wants to see me on the field against Peyton Manning,'' Belichick snickered. ``Not me, not any fan. Nobody except the Colts.''
Terms of Poteat's deal were not disclosed.
Poteat, who has been out of the NFL since being released by Carolina in the preseason, played in 41 games over three NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and one game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has played in two playoff games, starting for the Steelers in the 2002 wild-card game.
Poteat was waived by the Steelers before the 2003 season and signed with Tampa Bay. He played one game for the Buccaneers before he was released on Nov. 12, 2003. He signed with the Panthers before the 2004 season and played in two preseason games before he was released.
01/10/05 18:24 EST
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
BernieKozar said:
I agree Bernie that every team needs a little luck, but when the refs screw up, it goes way beyond Luck! I have nothing against pats, my team is in the nfc, just hate overrated players and teams. Bottomline no tuck rule bs, no superbowl in 01. We'll see what happens this playoffs now that the colts receivers can run without being grabbed!
