QuoteTheRaven83 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) I am not inferring that the Pats are not the best team in the AFC East. Until they get knocked off they are. The AFC East is improving at the present time and the only team that isn't within the division is the Pats. They still have an opportunity to do so and other teams may take a step back. If Clay goes to the Bills it improves them and hurts Miami for example. The Bills are closer to the Pats now than they have been in years. On paper the Bills are ALWAYS closing the gap. We get players. They lose players. Patriots always ends up on top. The Patriots don't need to improve and keep up with the AFC East. They're the top dogs. Did you see my list of players the Patriots have lost over the last decade? We get players like Sam Adams, Takeo Spikes, Lawyer Milloy, Terrell Owens, Mario Williams, Larry Centers, and they lose players like Wes Welker, Ty Law, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss, Adalius Thomas, Lawyer Milloy and they STILL finish on top. I don't care who we draft or who we sign. Until the AFC East shows that they can keep up with the Patriots and knock them off, these signings mean NOTHING. AFC East is always signing big time players. Patriots ALWAYS LOSE big name players, yet they always rise to the top. This is all Brady and Belichick. As long as they're here, they'll continue to own the AFC East. We are DEFINITELY improving as a team. I'm not saying we're not and I love the aggressiveness in the offseason so far. But to say we're "closing the gap" is being ridiculous. Just because we're getting better doesn't mean the Patriots are getting worse. They know how to win games, something the rest of the division doesn't know how to do. They lose players and always find other players to step in and fill the void. Edited March 11, 2015 by QuoteTheRaven83 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Gump Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Let's also not forget, Brady and co. will have to play the entire season with a properly inflated ball. Should be interesting when the weather isn't so pleasant. Of course this is NE, so more than likely it will be sunny and 60 for all of their outdoor games. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuoteTheRaven83 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 This must be you every offseason: "Is Belichick crazy for trading a 2nd rounder to a divisional opponent for this guy named Wes Welker? We've closed the gap." "Patriots are letting Wes Welker go? Who are they gonna throw to? We've closed the gap." "Patriots are going to trade Logan Mankins to the Bucs in the middle of the season?? They're throwing in the towel. We've closed the gap." "Patriots are trading Richard Seymour to the Raiders?? They've gone mad. We've closed the gap." "Why are the Patriots letting Deion Branch walk? He was Tom Brady's favorite target!!! We've closed the gap." "Bills signed Mario Williams to harrass Brady. We've closed the gap." "How can the Patriots let Vinatieri walk after all the Super Bowls they've won for them!!! We've closed the gap." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace Frog Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Having Suh step on Brady's leg a few times might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuoteTheRaven83 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Having Suh step on Brady's leg a few times might help. He doesn't play in the AFC East as of yet. He's still a free agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beef Jerky Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 He doesn't play in the AFC East as of yet. He's still a free agent. I am wondering why you keep saying this as if he won't be a Dolphin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuoteTheRaven83 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I am wondering why you keep saying this as if he won't be a Dolphin? Not saying he won't be. He hasn't signed a contract yet which makes him a free agent. Meaning he's not a Dolphin yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beef Jerky Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Not saying he won't be. He hasn't signed a contract yet which makes him a free agent. Meaning he's not a Dolphin yet. But he will be... So no need to keep repeating it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uffalo Ills Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Sure the Patriots lost Vereen, Wilfork, Browner and Revis. They've also lost Randy Moss, Rodney Harrison, Lawyer Milloy, Richard Seymour, Aqib Talib, Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk, Wes Welker, Adam Vinatieri, Matt Light, Teddy Bruschi, Ty Law, Adalius Thomas, Mike Vrabel, Ty Warren, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Gerrard Warren, Roosevelt Colvin, Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, Junior Seau, Eugene Wilson, Damien Woody, Willie McGinnest, Ted Washington, Aaron Hernandez, Danny Woodhead, and I can go onnn...and onnnnnn...and onnnnn...and onnnnnnnnnnnnn. and onnnnnnnnnnnn. Guess who always ends up on top after losing all these players? But how many f these went and signed with division rivals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontFan Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I don't care where Mario went to. In what way has Mario signing with us closed the gap against the Patriots? They're always 1st in the divison and we're always 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 and finish 3rd or 4th. That's your definition of closing the gap? If that's your definition of closing the gap. Then yes. We've close the gap. The division has closed the gap after signing these great FA players even though the Patriots still manage to finish 1st in the division every year. Mario Williams, Bart Scott, Mike Wallace, Braylon Edwards, Percy Harvin, Santonio Holmes, Eric Decker, all paid dividends and closed the gap. "Closing the gap" and "closed the gap" are not interchangeable. One means you're gaining on your opponent, the other means you've either matched them or overtaken them. The OP postulated that given the recent aquisitions in the AFCE, the other teams in the division are closING the gap; making up ground. When a team other than the Pats wins the AFCE, then the gap will be closED. The gap still hasn't been closed, but you can't deny the Bills and the others aren't getting closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Gump Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 "Closing the gap" and "closed the gap" are not interchangeable. One means you're gaining on your opponent, the other means you've either matched them or overtaken them. The OP postulated that given the recent aquisitions in the AFCE, the other teams in the division are closING the gap; making up ground. When a team other than the Pats wins the AFCE, then the gap will be closED. The gap still hasn't been closed, but you can't deny the Bills and the others aren't getting closer. Thank you! Finally someone gets the context of this post. It's not that the Pats seem to overcome their losses year after year, but this is the first year in eternity that the three bitches to NE have made major upgrades to their teams in the same offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LA Grant Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Man, glad some of you aren't on the team. Just because things have always gone one way doesn't mean it can't change. The division is changing much more dramatically this offseason than previous years and it's not impossible. The Jets are shaping up and Miami isn't regressing. This is a year where every team in the AFC East could finish at or above .500. There are only a few plays that need to go differently to change you from 8-8 to 11-5 and acquiring big impact players is how you push the needle. The reason I like Buffalo's chances this year is because Pegula, Rex, and Whaley have far more will to win than anyone that's been running the show here for a long, long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Gump Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Man, glad some of you aren't on the team. Just because things have always gone one way doesn't mean it can't change. The division is changing much more dramatically this offseason than previous years and it's not impossible. The Jets are shaping up and Miami isn't regressing. This is a year where every team in the AFC East could finish at or above .500. There are only a few plays that need to go differently to change you from 8-8 to 11-5 and acquiring big impact players is how you push the needle. The reason I like Buffalo's chances this year is because Pegula, Rex, and Whaley have far more will to win than anyone that's been running the show here for a long, long time. Good post. Everyone seems to think the Pats are invincible, but the fact of the matter is that while the Pats are staying pat (no pun intended), the rest of the AFC East is making huge moves unlike any other year since the Pats run of dominance has started. It's about time the rest of the AFC East isn't going into the next season just hoping to finish second. Times are hopefully changing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 It's obvious every team in the AFC East have gotten much better this off season, that is every team except for NE. They have done nothing and have lost tons of talent so far. Revis, Browner, Wilfork, Blount, Vereen, all gone from the Superbowl team. Sure they still have Brady, albeit a year older. I don't know what they have planned, but to me it looks like the end is near and I couldn't be happier. Dolphins have lost a lot of offense and us and the Jets don't have QBs so it will be hard to beat them. I think we have the best shot with our talent level but QB will be our downfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan_in_raleigh Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 No one will catch the Cheats* until we break the secret communications device in Brady's helmet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterthegator Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I am just happy that Buffalo is trying to do something rather than lamenting about cap space and coaching issues. I still believe there is more to come. But rest assured, living in New England, the Pats fans are making a lot of excuses and rationalizing a great deal of how next season will go. At least from their fan base, there is a LOT of concern. I for one, am enjoying it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBaumer Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Wolford goes down...nothing, Mayo goes down....nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 This must be you every offseason: "Is Belichick crazy for trading a 2nd rounder to a divisional opponent for this guy named Wes Welker? We've closed the gap." "Patriots are letting Wes Welker go? Who are they gonna throw to? We've closed the gap." "Patriots are going to trade Logan Mankins to the Bucs in the middle of the season?? They're throwing in the towel. We've closed the gap." "Patriots are trading Richard Seymour to the Raiders?? They've gone mad. We've closed the gap." "Why are the Patriots letting Deion Branch walk? He was Tom Brady's favorite target!!! We've closed the gap." "Bills signed Mario Williams to harrass Brady. We've closed the gap." "How can the Patriots let Vinatieri walk after all the Super Bowls they've won for them!!! We've closed the gap." Revis is different though. That's a guy that they desperately wanted that is a key to what they do defensively. They aren't going to just plug someone else in there and keep the same level of play. This isn't like Welker to Edelman. Revis to ____ is not a wash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Revis is different though. That's a guy that they desperately wanted that is a key to what they do defensively. They aren't going to just plug someone else in there and keep the same level of play. This isn't like Welker to Edelman. Revis to ____ is not a wash. What was it, 2 years ago or 3 Belichek released the entire NE starting secondary and replaced them partway through preseason? I will say that it's telling the Pats were trying hard to sign him, so maybe it'll hurt them more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 What was it, 2 years ago or 3 Belichek released the entire NE starting secondary and replaced them partway through preseason? I will say that it's telling the Pats were trying hard to sign him, so maybe it'll hurt them more. Revis is considered the best (or one of the couple best) CBs in the league. The improved Pats defense last year was predicated on Revis taking away half of the field. If they lost Revis and acquired Patrick Peterson maybe it wouldn't matter. There is no Pat Pete on the market though. They are going to have to alter what they did successfully because the foundation of that is gone. Revis is different than Patrick Chung. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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